Anya POV
The air was tense, thick with the challenges and the crackle of dominance from the wolves surrounding me. Hugh stood at the border, his golden eyes gleaming with arrogance as his warriors flanked him. Behind me, the Mistwood Alpha and Tyler stood resolute, their presence a wall of support I hadn’t known I needed until now.
“You think you’ve found a safe haven, Anya?” Hugh ’s voice cut through the quiet, mocking and cold. “This charade ends now. Come home.”
“I told you, Hugh ,” I said, my voice firm. “I’m not coming back. You don’t own me anymore.”
His smirk twisted into something darker. “You really think you can just walk away from your duties? From me?”
Tyler stepped forward, his stance aggressive. “She doesn’t belong to you, Jones. Not anymore. Leave, or we’ll make you.”
Hugh ’s wolf flared in his eyes, and with a sharp motion of his hand, his warriors stepped into formation. “You’ll regret this,” he said.
The clash was sudden and brutal. Wolves shifted mid-air, snarling and snapping as fur and claws filled the space between us. Hugh ’s warriors launched forward, met head-on by Mistwood’s defenders.
Tyler was a blur of power, his wolf formidable as he lunged at Hugh . Their bodies collided with a hard crash, the impact shaking the ground beneath them.
I stayed human, relying on my agility and training. A Shadow Claw wolf lunged at me, teeth bared. I sidestepped, grabbing his arm and twisting until he howled in pain. My wolf stirred inside me, urging me to shift, but I held back. I needed to stay in control.
Another wolf circled me, and I spun to meet him. My elbow hit his jaw, and he crumpled to the ground.
“You’ve gotten stronger,” Hugh sneered, his voice rising above the chaos. He had Tyler pinned momentarily, his teeth bared. “But strength doesn’t mean you’re free.”
The words stung, but I didn’t falter. “I’m stronger because I’m free.”
The fight raged on until a piercing howl silenced the battlefield. It wasn’t just any howl—it carried authority, a command that no wolf could disobey.
All eyes turned to the figure stepping out of the forest: Elder Marian. Her silver hair shimmered under the moonlight, her eyes sharp and scary. She was one of the most respected elders in the Shadow Claw Pack, her word almost as binding as the moon goddess’s decree.
“Enough!” she commanded, her voice carrying the weight of centuries of tradition. The fighting ceased instantly, wolves retreating to their respective sides.
“Elder Marian,” Hugh said, his tone dripping with false respect. “You honor us with your presence.”
Her gaze flicked to him, unimpressed, before settling on me. “Anya.”
Hearing my old name from her lips was like a tether yanking me back.
“I’ve come to settle this dispute,” she said, her voice even. “Anya, you know the laws of our kind. You cannot simply leave your pack and mate without proper permission.”
“I didn’t ‘leave,’” I countered, my voice shaking but steady. “I renounced my bond to him. I chose freedom.”
Elder Marian’s eyes softened, but her tone remained firm. “Your intentions may have been pure, but the bond between mates is sacred. To sever it completely, the elders of your former pack must release you.”
I shook my head, anger bubbling beneath my skin. “Why should I return to being judged by people who stood by and let him treat me like this?”
“Because if you don’t,” she said, “Hugh will retain his claim over you. Any pack that harbors you risks open war. This is the only way to secure your freedom properly.”
Hugh smirked behind her, triumphant. “See, Anya? Even the elders agree. Come home, and we’ll fix this.”
Tyler growled beside me, his wolf close to the surface. “She’s safer here. You’re not taking her back.”
Elder Marian raised a hand to silence him. “This isn’t about safety, Beta Tyler. It’s about our laws. If Anya wishes to join Mistwood permanently, she must follow tradition.”
The weight of her words settled over me like a shroud. My wolf whimpered inside, torn between rebellion and the pull of duty. I looked at Tyler, his expression stricken but resigned.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said, his voice low.
But I did. I couldn’t let my presence bring war to Mistwood.
I stepped forward, my heart heavy. “I’ll go.”
Tyler grabbed my arm. “Anya—”
“I’ll come back,” I promised, though I didn’t know how true those words could be. “But I have to do this the right way.”
The journey back to Shadow Claw felt like a death march. Hugh walked ahead of me, victorious, while I trailed behind with Elder Marian.
“You’re making the right choice,” she said softly.
I didn’t reply. My wolf was silent, retreating deep within me. The freedom I had tasted in Mistwood felt like a dream slipping through my fingers.
When we reached Shadow Claw territory, Hugh turned to me, his smirk wide. “Welcome home, Luna.”
