Rejected by Moonlight: Second Moon, Second Chance

The cabin shook hard. A deep growl tore through the night. It sank into Lila's bones. Her feet froze to the forest floor. The sound locked her in place. She'd just squeezed through the rough hole in the back wall. Thorns had scratched her arms raw during her escape. The front door burst inward with a loud, cracking crash. Her heart pounded hard against her ribs. The wild beat drowned out the rustling leaves beneath her. Kade crouched beside her, tense and ready. His gray eyes gleamed in the moonlight, sharp and wild. He scanned the shadows beyond the wrecked cabin. The air smelled of wet dirt and blood. Her own blood still oozed from her shoulder. It seeped past the bandage. Jaxon's scouts had tracked them down. She felt their anger closing in, almost close enough to taste.

"Move!" Kade hissed at her. He shoved her forward rough. A huge shape crashed through the cabin's insides. Wood creaked under its weight. She tripped. Her bare foot snagged on a root. Kade's grip yanked her back up. He forced her into the thick brush ahead. Branches snapped loud behind them. The sounds of chase grew stronger, clear as day. Her breath came in quick, uneven bursts. She didn't dare turn around yet. The growls doubled. Two different snarls wove through the trees now. They tightened around her like a deadly trap.

The forest melted into a blur of shadows and faint silver light. The moon's glow broke through the treetops above. Her legs ached. Muscles begged for a rest. Fear pushed her forward, raw and fierce. Kade darted ahead of her, fast and sure. He slipped through the bushes with smooth, easy moves. Tension poured off him, though he stayed quiet. His silence had hung between them since they'd fled. It gnawed at her, sharp and steady. Trust wasn't something she could give right now. Yet she followed this rogue wolf, known only as Kade. Her hand brushed her belly light. The tiny life inside felt warm against the icy fear in her chest. She made a silent promise. Stay alive, for you.

A loud crash broke out to their left. It sounded like a tree snapping in half. Kade stopped short. He pushed her behind a twisted oak. His body shielded her from whatever came near. "Stay low," he growled. His voice sounded tight and sharp. He peeked around the trunk careful. She opened her mouth to argue, but two wolves burst into the clearing they'd just left. They looked huge. Their fur bristled in the dark. Their amber eyes glowed with danger. She knew them as Jaxon's scouts right away. Their scent, pine and anger, had stuck with her from years in his pack. One was black and wide. Its muzzle showed scars from old fights. The other, gray and thinner, limped a bit but moved with deadly aim.

Her gut churned. Sickness rose fast. She pressed herself against the tree. The rough bark dug into her hands painful. Her shoulder throbbed with every quick breath she took. Kade's grip tightened on her arm. It urged her to hold still. The wolves' heads jerked toward them sudden. Their noses flared. They caught her scent, blood, fear, the mark of a rejected mate. The black wolf let out a growl that shook her deep. Then they charged forward. Their claws ripped into the dirt. They came straight for her, a pair of death threats on four legs.

Kade moved in a flash. He shoved her out of the way. He lunged at the black wolf. He met it head-on. His body shifted mid-air. Fur sprouted fast. He turned into a gray wolf, lean and strong, still streaked with hunter blood. He slammed into the scout with a heavy thud. Their bodies tangled. Teeth snapped close to throats. Lila hit the ground hard. She tumbled into a patch of ferns. Her head spun wild as she rolled. She pushed herself up. Her heart raced. The gray scout swerved toward her now. Its limp vanished. A hunger for her blood took over.

Panic flooded her, hot and blinding. She couldn't shift, not with the baby inside her. But she wasn't helpless, not all the way. Her eyes scanned the ground quick. She spotted a rusty knife half-buried in the dirt. Its chipped blade caught the moonlight faint. She dove for it. She wrapped her fingers around the cold handle. The gray wolf leapt at her then. Its jaws gaped wide. Drool dripped from its fangs. It promised a fast death.

She didn't wait or think too much. A scream tore from her throat. Pure instinct kicked in. She thrust the knife upward with all her strength. The blade sank deep into the wolf's chest as it crashed into her. Warm blood gushed out. It splashed her face and arms. It soaked her shirt in a nasty wave. The wolf yelped sharp. The sound cut through the air. It fell on top of her, heavy and limp. She shoved at it, wild to get free. The knife stayed stuck in its flesh. Her hands shook so bad she thought they might break. The wolf twitched once, then again. It went still. Its amber eyes dulled, empty.

Lila pushed the dead weight off her. She gasped for air. Her hands were coated in blood, hers or the wolf's, she wasn't sure. She stared at them. She trembled all over. The knife fell from her grip. It hit the ground with a soft thud. This was her first kill, not a practice fight or a pack hunt. It was a messy, brutal act to stay alive. Her chest rose and fell hard as she breathed fast. Tears stung her eyes, hot and quick. She blinked them away. She refused to let them fall. She wouldn't break now.

A deep yell snapped her focus upward. Kade battled the black wolf across the clearing. Their shapes blurred together, a mess of claws and snapping jaws. Blood matted his gray fur, bright and fresh. He fought with steady fury. The wounds didn't slow him. He clamped his teeth into the scout's shoulder. He ripped out a chunk of flesh. The black wolf howled in pain. It reeled back. Kade didn't ease up. He charged again. He drove the scout down to the dirt with force. His claws slashed across its side. They tore through fur and muscle. With one final bite, he crushed its throat. The scout's body went limp. Blood pooled beneath it.

The clearing fell quiet. The silence hit thick and sudden. Kade's heavy breathing broke through it as he shifted back. His fur faded. He turned human again. He stood there. His chest rose and fell fast. Blood dripped from his hands onto the ground. His gray eyes met hers across the blood-soaked scene. Neither of them spoke for a long moment. The weight of what they'd done pressed down, real and heavy.

"You're not helpless," he said eventual. His voice came out rough but firm. A hint of respect flickered across his scarred face. He wiped his hands on his pants. He smeared red streaks. Then he stepped toward her, slow and steady.

Lila grabbed the knife again. She clutched it tight. Her blood-slick fingers shook as she stood. Her legs wobbled but didn't give out. "I didn't want to be," she replied. Her voice sounded hoarse. It scraped against the knot in her throat. She'd taken a life tonight. It hit her hard, cold and tough. But she'd done it for her baby, for her own life. She wouldn't feel bad for that.

Kade gave a short nod. He accepted her words. He turned to scan the trees around them. "We're not done yet," he said. His tone stayed dark and serious. "More will come. They'll smell the blood."

Her gut twisted at his words. The sharp stink of iron filled her nose, too strong. She glanced at the dead wolves. They lay sprawled like tossed rags. She forced her eyes away quick. "Jaxon's pack," she said. Her voice grew steady and hard. "They won't stop until I'm dead."

"Or until we make them," Kade shot back sharp. His eyes narrowed as he bent down. He picked up his pack from where it had fallen during the fight. He slung it over his shoulder with a grunt. Then he motioned to her with a quick jerk of his head. "Come on. We need to put distance between us and this mess. Right now."

She paused. The knife stayed in her hand. Its weight felt solid. It steadied her somehow. Her shoulder throbbed, a steady burn beneath the bandage. Her legs felt heavy, like they might give out. But stopping wasn't a choice, not with the pack still out there. Their howls promised payback, faint but getting closer. Kade was right. More would come, drawn by the blood. She'd crossed a line tonight, from prey to something else. There was no going back now.

A third howl cut through the night, loud and sharp. It was too close. It raised the hairs on her neck. Kade's head whipped toward the sound. His body tensed, ready to leap. "Move!" he barked. He grabbed her wrist. He pulled her into a run without waiting.

The forest closed around them again. Shadows stretched long and scary on every side. Her hands trembled as she gripped the knife. Blood dried on her skin, sticky and tight. She'd killed to live, to protect the life growing inside her. That truth settled over her, heavy as armor. Jaxon's scouts lay dead behind them, but the hunt wasn't over. With Kade beside her, she wasn't just running anymore. She was fighting back. Another howl rang out, nearer still. A spark flared in her chest, not fear this time, but strength. She wouldn't stay prey forever.