CHAPTER 1

The forest was deathly silent, the stillness broken only by the crunch of dry leaves beneath my boots. My flashlight sliced through the darkness as I swept the beam over the underbrush. It was cold—too cold for California’s usual temperate weather, and the air carried a strange vibe . Tonight wasn’t just another patrol shift; it was the night of the lunar eclipse, a rare celestial event. While the rest of the pack was gathered in the clearing for the viewing ceremony, I was out here, as usual, watching the borders.

Not that I minded. Patrolling had become my escape. The solitude of the woods gave me a protection from the endless whispers, the scornful glances, the snide comments about my wolfless state. My packmates might have been powerful, fierce, and united under the crescent moon, but to them, I was an anomaly, a reminder that not everyone fit into their perfect hierarchy.

I adjusted my scarf, pulling it tighter around my neck as the cold seeped through my jacket. The moon was high now, its silvery glow starting to dim. Soon, the earth’s shadow would engulf it entirely.I paused, my senses prickling. The forest was too quiet, the kind of quiet that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Then, the sound came.

A low, mocking laugh.

“Out here all alone again, Alice?”

I froze, my hand tightening around the flashlight. Slowly, I turned to see a group of them—five in total—stepping out from the shadows. Eric, their ringleader, led the pack, his cocky smirk gleaming in the faint moonlight. Beside him were Kara and Logan, two of the most ruthless bullies I’d ever known. The others—twins, Jake and Jonah—flanked them like loyal lapdogs.

My stomach twisted.“I’m working,” I said evenly, my voice steady despite the lump in my throat. “You should be at the clearing with the others.”“Oh, we’ll get there,” Eric drawled, leaning against a tree. “But we thought we’d check on our favorite wolf less wonder first. Make sure you’re not slacking off.”I turned away, pretending to ignore them. The beam of my flashlight trembled slightly as I forced myself to focus on the path ahead.Behind me, their footsteps crunched closer.“Don’t walk away when I’m talking to you,” Eric snapped. His voice was sharp, but there was a cruel undertone that sent a shiver down my spine.“I have a job to do,” I replied, not looking back.“Oh, we know,” Kara said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. “You’re always so diligent, Alice. Such a good little human in a pack of wolves.”I clenched my jaw. Their laughter echoed through the trees, harsh and annoying.“Hey, Alice,” Logan called out. “What’s it like to be the weakest link? Does it hurt knowing you’ll never be one of us?”I stopped walking. The flashlight’s beam steadied as I gripped it tighter.“Is this really how you want to spend your night?” I asked, turning to face them. My voice was calm, but inside, my pulse pounded. “The lunar eclipse only happens once in a lifetime. Don’t you have better things to do than harass me?”Eric laughed, the sound cold and hollow. “Oh, trust me, this is way more entertaining than some stupid moon show.”“Yeah,” Kara chimed in, her eyes glinting with malice. “We can always watch the eclipse later. Right now, we’ve got front-row seats to the Alice Show.”The others chuckled, and my stomach quivered.I glanced around, searching for anyone—any of my fellow guards who might step in. But the patrol posts were empty. No one was coming to help me.“I don’t have time for this,” I said, turning back toward the path.

But Eric was faster. He stepped in front of me, blocking my way. His grin widened as he reached out, snatching the flashlight from my hand.“Let me see that,” he said, inspecting it as though it were the most fascinating object in the world.“Give it back,” I said, my voice firmer this time.“Make me,” he taunted, holding it above his head.Kara and Logan moved closer, their shadows looming over me.“What’s the matter, Alice?” Kara asked, her tone mock-concerned. “Can’t reach?”I gritted my teeth. “I’m not playing your games.”“Who said this was a game?” Logan sneered.Before I could react, Jake and Jonah grabbed my arms, holding me in place. My heart raced as I struggled against their grip.“Let go of me!” I shouted, panic creeping into my voice.“Or what?” Eric sneered. “You’ll cry? Beg for mercy?”The others laughed again, their voices blending into a cruel sound.I twisted, trying to break free, but their hold was iron-tight.“Come on, guys,” Eric said, twirling the flashlight. “Let’s have some fun. How about we tie her up and use her for target practice?”My blood ran cold.“You wouldn’t dare,” I said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound defiant.“Wouldn’t we?” Kara smirked, pulling a coil of rope from her pack.

I glanced around desperately, but the forest was empty. No one was coming.“You’re sick,” I spat, glaring at them.Eric leaned in, his face inches from mine. “And you’re pathetic,” he said, his voice low and venomous. “You don’t belong here, Alice. You never have, and you never will.”My chest tightened, the weight of his words pressing down on me.“Just leave me alone,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.“Not until we’ve had our fun,” Logan said, his grin widening.Kara tossed the rope to Eric, who caught it with a flourish.“Hold her tight, boys,” he said, his tone mock-cheerful. “Wouldn’t want her squirming too much.”As the twins tightened their grip, I felt overcome with helplessness. The forest seemed to close in around me, the darkness swallowing what little hope I had left.And then, I looked up.The moon hung high above us, its silver glow fading as the earth’s shadow crept across its surface. The eclipse was beginning.“You’re wasting your time,” I said, my voice steadier than I expected. “The eclipse won’t wait for you.”Eric paused, glancing up briefly before returning his gaze to me.“So what?” he said with a shrug. “This is way more entertaining.”The others murmured their agreement, their laughter resounding in the quiet.But as I stared at the moon, a strange feeling washed over me. It was as if the eclipse was watching, waiting, biding its time.Eric tightened his grip on the rope, and I braced myself for what was to come.

And then, the darkness deepened.A chilling wind swept through the forest, rustling the leaves and extinguishing my flashlight where it lay discarded on the ground.Eric hesitated, his smirk faltering for the first time.“What the hell?” Logan muttered, glancing around.The darkness thickened, pressing in from all sides, and for a moment, it felt as though the forest itself was holding its breath.My pulse thundered in my ears as I looked up at the moon, now shrouded in shadow.Is this what a lunar eclipse looks like?