Moonbound

Natalia’s Pov: 

The forest was quieter here. Not silent—never truly silent—but the kind of quiet that let you breathe without flinching. Natalia walked slowly, her boots crunching over fallen leaves, the scent of pine and damp earth grounding her. Two years ago, she would’ve run through woods like these with her parents at her side, laughing, chasing deer, feeling the pulse of her pack in every heartbeat.

Now, she walked alone.

“I still dream about it,” she whispered to no one. “The night everything burned.”

She hadn’t spoken the story aloud in months. Maybe years. But something about Moonbound made her want to say it—like the trees here might listen without judgment.

“I was seventeen. Just shifted for the first time. My parents were so proud. My mom cried, and Dad said I looked like a silver flame in wolf form. I thought I belonged. I thought Alpha Derek was family.”

Her voice cracked, but she kept going.

“Then they found out something. I don’t know what. They tried to leave. Derek said it was betrayal. Said they were traitors. And he—he killed them. Right there. In front of me.”

The memory hit like a punch to the ribs. Natalia clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms.

“I tried to fight him. I was stupid. Weak. He laughed and told me I was lucky he didn’t kill me too. Said I was banished. Said I’d never belong anywhere again.”

She stopped walking. The wind tugged at her hair, like it wanted to comfort her.

“But I’m still here,” she said. “And I’m not done.”

Moonbound was her last chance. A pack known for taking in strays, for honoring the old ways. For believing in mates.

“I don’t know if I believe in fate anymore,” she admitted. “But I believe in second chances. And maybe… maybe my mate is here. Someone who’ll see me. Choose me. Not because of my past, but in spite of it.”

She looked up at the sky, where the moon was just beginning to rise.

“I’m ready,” she said. “For whatever comes next.”