Mia was walking through the pack's outskirts, the evening air crisp against her skin. She had gone out for some fresh air after spending the whole day buried in paperwork with Ryan at the company. The moon was full, shining brightly, and her necklace caught the silver glow as it swung gently against her chest.
Suddenly, a hand covered her mouth. She struggled, but the grip was firm and cold. Her heart dropped.
"Don't fight me, Mia," Daniel's voice hissed in her ear.
Her body stiffened. "Daniel—let me go!" she muffled against his palm.
"You don't belong to him," Daniel whispered harshly, dragging her backward into the shadows. "You're mine. You were always meant to be mine."
Mia bit his hand, and he cursed under his breath, tightening his grip. Two rogues stepped out of the trees, their eyes glowing yellow.
"Is this the girl?" one of them asked.
Daniel nodded. "Yes. She's the lost princess."
The rogues reached for her necklace, but the moment their fingers touched the chain, a burning light flared. They yelped, pulling back, their palms smoking like they had been scorched.
"It won't come off," Daniel snapped angrily. "The seer warned us—it's bound to her until she's claimed by her true mate."
Mia's eyes widened. True mate? Her heart raced. That means… Ryan.
The rogues growled in frustration, circling her like wolves closing in on prey.
"Then we take her as she is," the leader snarled. "The King will deal with the necklace when she's delivered."
Mia screamed, kicking and clawing, but Daniel's grip tightened. "Stop fighting me, Mia! I'm doing this for us. Once you're away from him, you'll see that we're meant to be."
"Never!" she spat, tears in her eyes.
---
Ryan Arrives
The second Mia screamed, Ryan felt it. His wolf surged inside him, rage exploding like wildfire. His mate was in danger.
He shifted mid-run, fur tearing through his skin, golden eyes blazing like fire. His massive wolf form tore through the forest, following Mia's scent.
"Mia!" his voice thundered through their bond, though he wasn't sure if she could hear him.
Bursting through the trees, Ryan saw Daniel clutching Mia, rogues surrounding them. His vision went red.
"LET. HER. GO!" Ryan's roar shook the forest.
Daniel's face twisted. "You'll have to kill me first!"
The rogues lunged.
---
The Battle
Ryan met the first rogue head-on, his claws tearing through fur and bone. The creature yelped before collapsing lifeless to the ground. Another came from the side, snapping at Ryan's neck, but Ryan spun, his jaws locking around its leg, ripping it clean off.
Blood sprayed. The forest echoed with snarls and growls.
Daniel tried to drag Mia farther away, but the necklace around her neck suddenly glowed brighter—its light burned against his chest, forcing him to release her with a scream of pain.
Mia stumbled back, gasping for air. She clutched the necklace tightly. It's protecting me…
The rogue leader charged at Ryan, claws slicing across his chest, but Ryan barely flinched. With a bone-crushing slam, Ryan pinned him down and tore out his throat in one swift motion.
The other rogues hesitated, fear flickering in their eyes.
Ryan turned toward them, his golden eyes glowing like the sun itself. "Leave—or die."
They whimpered, retreating into the darkness of the forest.
---
Daniel's Fall
Daniel staggered back, fury and desperation in his eyes. "No! She's mine! She'll never belong to you!"
Ryan shifted back into human form, blood dripping from his wounds, his chest rising and falling heavily. He stepped between Daniel and Mia, shielding her.
"She was never yours," Ryan said coldly. "She's my mate. The Moon Goddess chose her for me—and no one will ever change that."
Daniel's eyes darted between them, trembling with rage. "If I can't have her, then no one will!" He lunged forward.
Ryan caught him by the throat mid-attack and slammed him against a tree, growling low. "This is your last warning, Daniel. Stay away from Mia—or I will end you."
Daniel's face twisted with hate, but Ryan's grip forced him to yield. Ryan shoved him to the ground, and Daniel scrambled into the shadows, vanishing into the forest.
---
The Aftermath
Ryan turned immediately to Mia. She was shaking, clutching her necklace, tears streaming down her face.
He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "Mia, are you hurt?"
She buried her face against his chest. "No… but I was so scared. They tried to take me, Ryan. The necklace… it—it burned them."
Ryan looked at the glowing chain around her neck, realization dawning. "It's protecting you. The Moon Goddess made sure no one but your true mate could ever take it away."
Mia's heart pounded, but she managed a small smile through her tears. "Then I'm safe with you."
Ryan kissed the top of her head, his arms tightening around her. "Always. I'll protect you with my life. No one will ever take you from me again.