Chapter 1
The young girl shuffled her feet in the snow, the bitter cold nipped at her exposed skin as she pulled her coat close around her shoulders. It was the second time today her bus had been late, and now, with the waxing moon hanging low in the sky, darkness enveloped the world around her. The moonlight reflected on the snow, casting a silvery glow in Afina’s light blue eyes. To the untrained eye, it was merely a trick of the mind, but to those who knew the truth, her eyes betrayed her as inhuman.
Afina was part wolf shifter, or as most humans referred to them, a werewolf. In the rigid hierarchy of werewolf society, she fell at the lowest rung, not even classified as an Omega. Half-breeds like her were outcasts, forced into a life of solitude as lone wolves, a fate often leading to an early death. They were hunted by both humans and werewolves alike - humans for their pelts, which granted the ability to glamour themselves as wolves, and werewolves because a lone wolf without allegiance was seen as a threat.
Despite being a werewolf, Afina had never purposely shifted. Shifting meant developing a scent, one that could be tracked by other wolves, posing a danger to her safety. Tales of half-breeds being captured, imprisoned, or even sold into slavery had been told to her by her parents when she was young. Unlike Omegas or higher-ranking werewolves, half-breeds were denied the luxury of packs, mates, or mating bonds.
With a sniffle, Afina glanced down the snowy road, finding no sign of her bus. With a sigh, she turned away from the shelter and trudged towards home. Entering her apartment, she threw aside her bags and collapsed onto her bed, exhaling a sigh of relief as warmth enveloped her. Yet, her moment of calm was short-lived as her gaze fell upon the calendar, the date of the full blood moon glaring back at her in angry red ink, tomorrow. Full blood moons were dangerous for shifters like her. While they could shift at will, during a full blood moon, they were forced into their wolf forms until the moon waned. Afina dreaded these nights, as a shifted wolf emitted a scent that could be tracked by others. To avoid detection, she planned to surround herself with candles and baking, hoping to mask her scent and survive as she had numerous times before.
Afina startled awake to find the sun rising, casting a soft glow through the curtains. She rubbed her eyes groggily, trying to shake the weight of sleep from her heavy limbs. With a groan, she realised she has slept through the evening and into the night, her mind preoccupied with the tasks of the upcoming day. Today was the day of the blood moon. As she dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom, the wolf within her stirred, reminding her of the importance and danger of the day. Afina caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, a disheveled mess looked back at her. Her hair was scruffy and sweat glistened on her skin from the restless night.
Turning on the shower, Afina hoped the sound of the running water would pull her further into reality. She took off her socks and dropped her shorts to the ground, feeling the cool tiles beneath her feet. Running her hands over her thighs, she paused at her slit her wolf growling with a feral anticipation, but Afina continued up her hips and to the hem of her shirt. With one motion she pulled her shirt up and over her head, revealing two perfect, pierced breasts that bounced slightly as she discarded the shirt on the ground, the soft morning light only served to accentuate her figure.
Slipping open the shower door, Afina let the steam envelop her, shrouding herself in a veil of warmth. With a sigh, she stepped inside, the hot water cascading over her body, washing away the grime of the previous day. Only her shadow danced in the frosted glass, a silhouette of strength and beauty as she prepared for the perils of the day ahead.
