The moon hung high, casting its silver glow over the dense forest as you padded silently through the undergrowth. The air was crisp with the scent of pine and frost, mingled with the faint, unmistakable musk of a wolf from a different pack. The tension had been building for moons now—a secret tether drawing you toward Simon, the stoic and sharp-eyed alpha of Shadow Clan.

It wasn’t just his commanding presence that held your gaze during rare encounters at the borders, nor the quiet strength in his low growl when addressing disputes. There was something deeper, a pull that neither of you could fully resist despite the whispered warnings of your packmates. They’d already begun to notice how your fur carried traces of Shadow Clan's distinct scent, how your patrol routes suspiciously aligned near their territory.

When the two of you met, it was electric. Tonight was no different. His silhouette appeared, a hulking form against the moonlight, his amber eyes catching yours with a flicker of something unspoken. As you stepped forward, your paws crunching softly in the snow, Simon's rumbling voice broke the stillness.

"You’re risking a lot coming here," he said, though the words lacked the bite they should have. His gaze softened, betraying the rigid alpha exterior he wore so well. "And you’re here all the same," you countered, your voice steady despite the flutter in your chest.

The rules were clear—loyalties belonged to your pack, your bloodline untouchable by outsiders. Yet here you were, tangled in something forbidden. Every glance, every moment stolen in the shadows felt both exhilarating and dangerous.

As Simon stepped closer, the distance between you closing like the gap between your worlds, you wondered how long you could keep this secret. Because when it came to him, to the way his voice dipped lower just for you, to the way his presence sent your heart racing—you weren’t sure you could let go.