Bound by Fate, Torn by war(THE LUNA’S WAR)

Dante stood in the darkness, his breath coming in slow, controlled exhales, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles cracked.

Bella was gone.

She had walked away from him.

And for the first time in his life, Dante Rodrigo had no control.

She had shattered his world with four simple words.

"Not until you're mine, too."

A challenge.

A warning.

A fucking ultimatum.

His wolf, Zephyr, was pacing in his mind, snarling, restless, furious.

"We should have taken her. We should have marked her when we had the chance."

Dante's jaw tightened. His wolf was right.

But marking her wouldn't have been enough.

Because Bella wasn't a woman who could be owned with teeth alone.

She had to choose him.

And fuck if that didn't drive him insane.

For weeks, he had done everything in his power to resist her.

To convince himself he didn't need her.

And now?

Now, he was ready to tear down the world just to make her his.

She wanted him to prove it? Fine.

He'd prove it.

He'd hunt her down.

He'd wreck her, ruin her, make her crave him until she had no choice but to admit what they both already knew—

She belonged to him.

And Dante?

He would be hers.

Bella's Plan

Bella sat on the edge of the river, her feet dipping into the icy water, her heart still pounding from her last encounter with Dante.

The way he had pinned her against the tree.

The way he had kissed her like a man starving.

The way his voice had dropped to a dark, possessive whisper when he'd threatened to mark her right there.

Her body still ached from it.

Her soul still craved it.

But she wasn't going to make this easy for him.

She had spent too many nights waiting for Dante Rodrigo to decide if he wanted her.

Now?

Now, he would have to chase her.

And if he wanted to claim her—he was going to have to earn it.

Her wolf, Luna, purred in amusement.

"You're playing with fire, Bella."

Bella smirked.

"Let him burn."

The First Move

Dante found her the next night.

She had been waiting for him.

Anticipating him.

Because she knew.

She knew he wouldn't let her go.

The moment the wind shifted, carrying the familiar scent of smoke, cedar, and raw power, Bella's entire body tensed.

Her breath caught.

And then—

A low, deadly growl rumbled through the trees.

Bella shivered.

She didn't turn around.

Didn't move.

She just sat there, waiting.

Waiting for him to come to her.

The air grew heavier, the unmistakable pulse of dominance pressing against her skin like an unseen force.

Then—

"You think you can run from me, little wolf?"

Bella exhaled slowly, fighting the heat that threatened to crawl up her spine at the sound of his voice.

"I wasn't running."

Dante's footsteps were slow, deliberate, his presence like a storm rolling in.

"No?" His voice was lower now, rougher, vibrating with something dangerous, something primal.

"Then why did you leave?"

Bella finally turned, her golden-brown eyes locking onto his burning blue ones.

"Because I wanted to see if you'd come after me."

Dante let out a dark, low chuckle.

"You wanted to play a game, Bella?" His voice was pure sin, pure warning.

"Bad fucking idea."

Bella's pulse spiked.

Because he looked dangerous.

He was still half-dressed from training, his muscles tense, his dark hair disheveled, his blue eyes glowing with barely contained hunger.

The look of a predator who had finally cornered his prey.

And fuck, it thrilled her.

"You wanted me to chase you?" Dante murmured, stepping closer, his gaze locked onto hers like a challenge.

Bella held her ground.

"Maybe."

Dante's lips curved into something deadly.

"Then run."

Bella's breath caught.

"What?"

Dante's eyes darkened, his voice dipping into something lethal, something possessive.

"Run, Bella."

"I want to hunt you."

Bella's entire body burned.

Heat coiled in her stomach, her breath coming out in short, sharp exhales.

Because she knew what this was.

A challenge.

A test of dominance.

A hunt.

And she wanted it.

Oh, she wanted it so fucking badly.

Bella took a slow step backward, her heart pounding, her wolf howling inside her.

Then—

She turned and ran.

Dante let out a low, satisfied growl.

And then he was chasing after her.

The Hunt

Bella's feet hit the forest floor, her breath sharp, ragged, her heart slamming against her ribs.

She could hear him behind her, his movements silent, calculated, deadly.

But she could feel him.

The heat of his presence, the weight of his dominance pressing down on her like a physical force.

He was close.

Too close.

Bella dodged left, weaving between the trees, her wolf thriving in the thrill of the chase.

But she knew the truth.

She could run.

She could fight.

But Dante was always going to catch her.

And when he did—

She would burn for him.

The moment she leaped over a fallen tree, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her back.

Bella gasped, her body slamming against something solid, unyielding, hot.

Dante's chest.

His arms caged her in, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear, his breath ragged, raw, hungry.

"Caught you."

Bella shivered, her entire body alive with want, with anticipation, with something deep and primal and completely fucking unstoppable.

Dante spun her around, pressing her back against a tree, his hands gripping her wrists, pinning them above her head.

"Did you really think I wouldn't come for you?" His voice was low, predatory.

Bella's breath hitched.

"You took your time."

Dante's grin was pure sin.

"Now I'm going to take my time with you."

Bella barely had time to react before his mouth was on hers, his kiss hot, deep, claiming.

She moaned against his lips, arching into him, finally, finally giving in.

Because she was his.

And he was done pretending otherwise.