Chapter 1 The Forbidden Festival

"Move faster, you lazy girl! The wolves will not wait for a slow human!"

Mara stumbled forward as the heavy bucket of water splashed against her worn dress. Her hands were red and cracked from the cold. She had been carrying water from the river since sunrise, and the sun was already high in the sky.

"I'm sorry, Mistress Viera," Mara whispered, keeping her eyes on the ground.

Viera, the head servant of the great wolf house, grabbed Mara's thin arm roughly. "Sorry is not enough! Tonight is the Blood Moon Festival. Everything must be perfect, or the wolves will have our heads!"

Mara nodded quickly and hurried toward the kitchen. She had lived in the Shadow Ridge pack house for ten years, ever since she was a small child. Her parents had died when she was young, and the wolves had taken her in—not out of kindness, but because they needed servants. Humans were rare in the wolf kingdom, and those who lived here were treated like dirt beneath their feet.

The kitchen was hot and crowded. Other servants rushed around, preparing food for the festival. Mara had heard whispers about tonight. The Blood Moon Festival happened once every ten years. It was a sacred ceremony where wolves celebrated their ancestors and performed ancient rituals. Humans were never allowed to attend.

"Mara!" A young girl named Isla grabbed her hand. Isla was the only servant who was kind to her. "Did you hear? They say the Silent Beast will be at the festival tonight!"

Mara's heart skipped. Everyone knew about the Silent Beast. His real name was Zevran, and he was the most dangerous wolf in the entire kingdom. They said he had killed a hundred enemies in a single night. They said his eyes could freeze your blood. They said he never spoke because he had taken a vow of silence after something terrible happened to him.

"Why would he come?" Mara asked quietly. "He never comes to festivals."

Isla leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Because King Darius commanded it. They say the King wants to show everyone that even the Silent Beast must bow to him."

Before Mara could respond, Mistress Viera's sharp voice cut through the kitchen. "You two! Stop gossiping and get back to work! Mara, you will serve drinks in the great hall tonight!"

Mara's eyes went wide. "But Mistress, humans are not allowed—"

"The King has made an exception. We need every hand we can get. You will keep your head down, serve quietly, and leave as soon as your work is done. If you embarrass me, I will have you whipped. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mistress," Mara said, her voice shaking.

That night, Mara stood at the edge of the great hall, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst. The hall was enormous, with high ceilings and walls decorated with the skulls of defeated enemies. Hundreds of wolves filled the space, all dressed in fine clothes. Their eyes glowed gold and silver in the dim light.

Mara had never seen so many wolves in one place. She felt small and afraid. She carried a tray of drinks, moving carefully between the tables. The wolves ignored her completely, as if she were invisible.

At the far end of the hall sat King Darius on his throne. He was huge and powerful, with black fur and cruel eyes. Beside him sat his son, Prince Ronan, who was laughing loudly at something.

"And now," King Darius's voice boomed across the hall, "we begin the Ritual of Shadows!"

The room fell silent. Mara stopped moving, afraid to make a sound. She watched as wolves began to form a large circle in the center of the hall. An old wolf with white fur stepped forward. He was Elder Theron, the oldest and wisest wolf in the pack.

"Tonight, under the Blood Moon, we honor our ancestors," Elder Theron said. "We call upon the ancient spirits to bless our pack. Let all who wish to participate in the ritual take their place in the circle."

Wolves began to sit down around the circle. Mara knew she should leave, but Mistress Viera had told her to wait until the ritual was over. She stood frozen, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Suddenly, someone bumped into her from behind. Mara stumbled forward, and before she could stop herself, she fell right into the circle. Her tray crashed to the ground with a loud noise that echoed through the silent hall.

Everyone stared at her.

"A human!" someone shouted. "A human has entered the sacred circle!"

Panic filled Mara's chest. She tried to stand up, but her legs wouldn't work. Wolves began to growl and snarl. Some stood up, their eyes glowing with anger.

"How dare she!" a female wolf hissed. "She has ruined the ritual!"

King Darius stood from his throne, his face twisted with rage. "Seize that human! She will be punished for this insult!"

Two large wolves started toward Mara. She closed her eyes, waiting for them to grab her. But then something strange happened.

The air in the room changed. It became heavy and cold. Every wolf in the hall suddenly went still. Even King Darius stopped moving.

Mara opened her eyes and saw that everyone was looking at something behind her. Slowly, she turned her head.

A man stood there. He was tall and dressed in black clothes. His face was covered in scars, and his eyes were the color of ice—so pale they were almost white. He didn't look at anyone. He just stood there, completely still, like a statue.

It was him. Zevran. The Silent Beast.

No one moved. No one spoke. The fear in the room was so thick Mara could taste it.

Zevran walked forward slowly. His boots made no sound on the stone floor. He moved past the other wolves, who quickly stepped out of his way. He walked to the circle and then, to everyone's shock, he sat down.

Right next to where Mara had fallen.

Elder Theron's voice was shaky. "The... the ritual will continue. Everyone, take your places."

The wolves sat back down, but they all kept glancing nervously at Zevran. Mara didn't know what to do. She was still on the ground, frozen with fear. She wanted to run, but her body wouldn't move.

The old wolf began to chant in an ancient language. The other wolves joined in. The sound filled the hall, deep and powerful. Mara felt something strange in her chest, like a warmth spreading through her body.

Suddenly, Zevran turned his head and looked directly at her.

His ice-cold eyes met hers, and the world exploded with light.

A golden glow erupted from both of them, so bright that everyone had to shield their eyes. Mara felt something snap into place inside her chest, like a door that had been locked her entire life suddenly bursting open.

The chanting stopped. The light faded.

And then Mara heard it—a voice in her mind. Deep and rough, like rocks grinding together.

Mine.

She gasped. The voice had come from Zevran. But his lips hadn't moved.

Every wolf in the hall was staring at them now, their faces frozen in horror and disbelief.

"Impossible," Elder Theron whispered. "The mate bond... with a human?"

"This cannot be!" King Darius roared. "A human cannot be mated to a wolf! And certainly not to him!"

But the golden thread connecting Mara's chest to Zevran's was visible to everyone. It glowed softly in the dim light, proof of the bond that had just formed between them.

Prince Ronan stood up, his face twisted with disgust. "Father, this is an abomination! We must break this bond immediately!"

Zevran finally moved. He stood up slowly, his eyes never leaving Mara. Then he did something that shocked everyone in the hall.

He spoke.

His voice was rough from years of silence, but the words were clear and cold as ice.

"Touch her, and I will burn this entire kingdom to the ground."