Chapter 1: The Capture
The forest came alive under the full moon, a kaleidoscope of silver and shadows dancing across the dense underbrush. Sarah Hart stumbled, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she sprinted deeper into the woods. The echoes of her own frantic footfalls blended with the haunting howls behind her. She didn’t dare look back.
The assignment had seemed simple enough: a story on the unexplained disappearances around the secluded town of Black Hollow. But now, with her pulse hammering in her ears, Sarah regretted every choice that had led her to this moment.
A growl—a low, guttural sound—rumbled through the trees, freezing her in place. Slowly, she turned, and her heart stopped. Golden eyes pierced the darkness, glowing like molten fire. A figure emerged, massive and menacing, its humanoid form blending unnaturally with that of a beast.
"W-what...?" Sarah’s voice faltered as the creature stepped closer. Its presence was overwhelming, the air thick with raw power and danger.
Before she could scream, strong hands—no, claws—grabbed her from behind. She fought, kicking and twisting, but it was futile. She was lifted effortlessly, her captor's growl vibrating through her body.
“Bring her to the Alpha,” a voice commanded, deep and sharp like a crack of thunder.
Panic surged in her chest as they dragged her deeper into the forest. The pack surrounded her, their movements silent but deliberate, their golden eyes watching her every flinch. She wasn’t just their captive; she was prey.
They led her to a clearing where the forest opened into an expanse of moonlit earth. In its center stood him.
The Alpha.
He towered over the others, his broad shoulders and commanding stance radiating authority. His piercing golden gaze locked onto Sarah, sending a shiver down her spine. There was something more than danger in those eyes—something primal and ancient that stirred something deep within her.
“What is this?” His voice was a growl, low and deliberate, yet strangely captivating.
“A trespasser,” one of the wolves replied, shoving Sarah forward. She stumbled to her knees, glaring up at the Alpha despite the terror coursing through her.
“I’m not a trespasser,” she spat, her voice trembling. “I’m a journalist. I didn’t mean to—”
“Silence.”
The single word cut through her protests. His presence was magnetic, his power an unspoken command that demanded submission. The pack fell quiet, all eyes on him as he stepped closer.
Sarah’s defiance wavered under his scrutiny, her heart pounding as he crouched before her. Up close, the sharp angles of his face were striking, his golden eyes scanning her with an intensity that made her feel exposed.
“You’re different,” he murmured, his voice softer but no less commanding. His hand reached out, almost instinctively, before he pulled it back, as if touching her might unravel something he wasn’t ready to face.
“She’s human,” another wolf growled, breaking the silence. “A liability.”
The Alpha’s gaze snapped to the speaker, silencing him with a single look. Then, his attention returned to Sarah.
“She stays,” he said finally, his voice leaving no room for argument.
The pack erupted into murmurs, but none dared challenge him outright. Sarah, still trembling on the ground, felt her world tilt. She didn’t know what was more terrifying—the creatures around her or the unexplainable connection she felt to the one who now held her fate in his hands.
As the Alpha turned away, his final words lingered in the night air, heavy with an unspoken promise.
“Lock her up. She belongs to me now.”
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