The Alpha's Star: Fated to the Moon

Asteria's legs burned as she sprinted through the dense forest, her breath ragged, the sharp sting of branches whipping her face. The trees loomed like silent sentinels, their shadows twisting in the pale glow of the blood-red moon.

She didn't know why she was running-only that she had to. The pull in her chest was like a hook stuck in her ribs, dragging her deeper into the unknown. Someone was in danger and she needed to save them.

It was unlike anything she'd felt before. A whisper of instinct, a primal call, urging her forward. She couldn't deny the pain that she felt, like a stab to her heart.

A low growl cut through the silence, and Asteria froze mid-step, her heart pounding in her ears. Her lantern swung wildly in her hand, casting flickering light over the dark expanse ahead. She strained to see through the shifting shadows, the forest eerily quiet now except for her own shallow breathing.

"Who's there?" she called, her voice trembling but defiant.

No answer. Only the oppressive stillness of the trees.

And then she saw it-a massive wolf lying just beyond the reach of her lantern's light. Its fur, dark as night, glistened with blood, and its chest heaved with labored breaths.

Asteria's grip on the lantern tightened. Every instinct screamed at her to turn and run, but the pull in her chest kept her rooted in place. Slowly, she stepped closer, the crunch of leaves underfoot deafening in the silence.

The wolf's eyes snapped open, locking onto hers. Its amber gaze was fierce and intelligent, holding a mix of pain and warning. It growled weakly, baring its teeth, but its body barely shifted, too weak to do more.

"You're hurt," Asteria whispered, her voice soft but steady.

The wolf blinked, and for a moment, something passed between them-an understanding, primal and unspoken. Then, to her horror, its massive form began to shift.

Bones cracked and reshaped, fur receding as the creature transformed before her eyes. Asteria staggered back, the lantern shaking in her hand. When the light fell on him, she gasped.

A man now lay in the wolf's place, his body bloodied and bruised. His chest rose and fell unevenly, and his dark hair was matted with dirt. But even in his battered state, he was strikingly beautiful, his sharp features like something carved by the gods.

"Help..." he rasped, his voice barely audible.

Asteria dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling as she reached for his shoulder. "You've been shot," she said, her eyes darting to the wound just below his heart. Black veins spidered out from the injury-a poisoned arrow.

Her heart raced. She'd heard of such arrows before, mama Rita had occasionally told her about it, but treating one was beyond anything she'd done as the pack's healer. The man's breathing grew more ragged, his eyes fluttering closed.

"No, no, stay with me," she urged, shaking him gently. "I'll fix this. I promise."

She tore off the hem of her cloak, pressing it against the wound to staunch the bleeding. Her mind raced for a solution. If the poison reached his heart, he wouldn't survive.

Her eyes landed on the sac lying a few feet away. Scrambling to her feet, she opened it, praying for something-anything-that could help. Her fingers brushed against cold metal, and she pulled out a small, sharp blade.

Asteria hesitated, her gaze flicking between the blade and the man's pale face. "I'm sorry, if I end up killing you" she whispered, more to herself than to him.

With a deep breath, she pressed the knife to his skin, carving a small incision near the wound. Black liquid oozed out, the poison dripping onto the forest floor. The man groaned in pain, his body convulsing beneath her hands.

"I know it hurts," she said, her voice shaking. "But you have to hold on."

When the poison finally stopped flowing, she tore another strip from her cloak and tied it tightly around his chest. His breathing began to steady, and some of the color returned to his face.

Asteria sat back on her heels, her hands stained with his blood. Exhaustion threatened to overtake her, but she forced herself to stay alert. She couldn't leave him here-not like this.

"Who are you?" she murmured, more to herself than to him.

The wind rustled through the trees, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and something metallic. Asteria shivered, not from the cold but from the growing realization that she had stepped into something far larger than herself.

His eyes fluttered open, dark and piercing, locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. Slowly, he raised a trembling hand to her face, brushing away a stray curl that clung to her cheek.

"I'm sorry I lost you," he said, his voice hoarse but steady.

Before she could respond, his eyes closed again, his body going limp.

Asteria stared at him, her chest tight with a mix of fear and confusion. She didn't know who he was or why she felt so drawn to him, but one thing was clear-this was no ordinary man. She admitted in her mind that he had somehow called out to her, making her come to him. Despite the danger she was probe to by being out of the fence, away from the mundane pack, in the middle of the forest and very close to the forbidden realm

The pull in her chest had led her to him, and whatever fate had tied them together, it was far from over.