Chapter 1
Dustin
Being the future Alpha of the Black Moon Pack comes with weight. Heavy, crushing weight. My pack isn’t just any pack—we’re The pack. The one that holds all the power in Texas. Our influence stretches far beyond our territory, into every corner where wolves dwell. Other packs bow to us out of respect—or fear. Mostly fear.
My father, Alpha Derek Blackwood, made sure of that. Ruthless and cunning, he’s a legend in his own right. His reputation as a merciless leader has cemented the Black Moon Pack’s dominance for decades. I’m expected to follow in his footsteps, to take what’s mine when the time comes and rule with the same iron fist.
I was born into power, molded by it, but I don’t wear the title easily. Everyone either reveres me or fears me. No one gets close—not really. Not unless I let them. That’s why I’ve built my reputation as a playboy, stringing along just enough connections to keep things easy and superficial. It’s simpler that way. No attachments, no trust, no risk.
Cynicism comes naturally to me now. In this world, trust is a weakness, and weakness gets you killed. So I keep everyone at arm’s length, even my so-called “friends.” Relationships, love—those are luxuries I can’t afford. I have a destiny, whether I want it or not.
“Dustin! Dustin!”
Trinity’s voice slices through the bustling hallway, sharp and relentless. Her irritation is unmistakable, her tone a familiar blend of anger and entitlement. She’s not the kind of girl who takes being ignored lightly, and I’ve been avoiding her all morning.
I exhale slowly, my jaw tightening. Trinity isn’t my girlfriend—she’s not even close. She’s just someone I’ve let near enough to satisfy certain… urges. She mistakes that for something deeper, though, and it’s exhausting. I don’t have time for clinginess, not with everything else weighing on me.
“Dustin!” she calls again, and this time, her hand catches my arm, spinning me around to face her. Her honey-brown eyes are blazing with frustration, and her nails dig into my skin like claws.
“What is it, Trinity?” I ask, my voice carefully neutral.
“You promised we’d have lunch together,” she huffs, her tone accusatory. “And now you’re avoiding me—again.”
“I didn’t promise,” I reply evenly, shaking her grip off my arm. “I said maybe.”
Her lips press into a thin line, her anger barely contained. I know exactly what’s coming next—a pout, a guilt trip, maybe even a dramatic scene in the middle of the hallway. I don’t have the energy for it.
Before she can launch into her tirade, something—or rather, someone—catches my attention at the far end of the corridor.
A girl steps into view, and everything else fades into the background.
She’s petite, her movements fluid and deliberate, like she doesn’t belong to the chaos around her. Golden blonde hair falls in loose waves down her back, shimmering under the fluorescent lights. Her skin is pale, almost luminous, and her face is delicate, framed by sharp cheekbones. But it’s her eyes that hold me captive—icy blue, cold and piercing, like the edge of a glacier.
She moves through the crowd as if it parts for her, though no one else seems to notice her the way I do. My wolf Ardal stirs beneath my skin, uneasy and alert, its growl rumbling low in the back of my mind.
And then, for the briefest moment, her gaze locks onto mine.
It’s like a jolt of electricity. Her eyes don’t just see me—they see through me, stripping me bare in a way that makes my chest tighten. There’s something mysterious in them, something that doesn’t belong in this hallway or this world.
But just as quickly as the moment comes, it’s gone. She looks away, her expression unreadable, and disappears around the corner.
My instincts scream at me to follow her, to figure out what she is and why she feels so… wrong.
“Dustin!” Trinity’s sharp voice snaps me back to the present, her nails biting into my arm again.
“What?” I snap, my patience finally wearing thin.
Her glare hardens. “You’re ignoring me again. You always do this!”
Before I can respond, another voice cuts through the tension.
“Dus! Let’s go, man!” Erick calls from down the hall, his voice loud and carefree as usual. He’s leaning casually against the wall, grinning like he doesn’t have a care in the world. “You coming, or are you too busy getting chewed out?”
I smirk despite myself and shake my head. Erick—my best friend and future Beta—is one of the few people I actually trust. We’ve been inseparable since we were kids, and while he’s not exactly the most serious guy in the world, I know he’d have my back in any fight. He’s the only one I let close. The only one I keep near.
I turn to Trinity, giving her a look that says drop it, then head toward Erick, leaving her fuming in the hallway.
Inside the classroom, the noise is a dull roar of conversation and laughter. I take my usual seat in the back, slouching into the chair with practiced ease. Erick slides into the seat beside me, glancing at Trinity as she stomps in and takes the chair on my other side.
“You really know how to pick ’em,” Erick mutters under his breath, his grin widening when I shoot him a warning look.
“Alright, class, quiet down!” Ms. Anderson’s sharp voice cuts through the chatter, silencing the room instantly. She stands at the front of the room, clipboard in hand, her stern gaze sweeping over the students. “We have a new transfer student joining us today. She’s come all the way from Europe, so I expect you all to be on your best behavior.”
The door creaks open, and the air in the room seems to shift.
It’s her.
The girl from the hallway steps inside, and the noise around me fades into silence. She walks to the front of the room with that same quiet confidence, her every step deliberate and poised. Her icy blue gaze sweeps over the class, lingering on me for a fraction of a second before moving on.
“Hi,” she says, her voice soft but steady, with a lilting accent that’s hard to place. “I’m Anna Dragon. Nice to meet you all.”
She doesn’t smile, doesn’t fidget. She stands there, calm and composed, her presence commanding in an understated way that silences the room.
“Thank you, Anna,” Ms. Anderson says. “You can take the empty seat over there.” She gestures to the only available seat—in front of me.
Anna moves gracefully to the desk, sitting down without a word. Her golden hair falls over her shoulder like a curtain as she adjusts her chair.
I lean forward slightly, my wolf tense and alert as I try to catch her scent.
Nothing.
No werewolf. No human. No shifter. Nothing at all.
My jaw tightens, and my wolf growls low in the back of my mind. Whatever she is, she’s not normal.
And in my world, anything that isn’t normal is dangerous.
