The air was cool, crisp with the bite of autumn as it swept through the dense forest surrounding Kkum’s cabin. The trees, towering giants that stretched toward the sky, swayed gently in the wind, their leaves whispering secrets to anyone willing to listen. But Kkum wasn’t listening. She stood motionless on the porch, her eyes fixed on the horizon, where the setting sun bathed the world in golden hues. Her thoughts, however, were far from the beauty of the landscape.

She had come here to escape. To forget.

But some memories never left.

Her mate, Lee Jong-suk, was always with her, even in death. His presence lingered like a shadow, a constant reminder of what she had lost. Every corner of the Lunae Pack’s territory held a memory of him—the way he used to run beside her through the woods, the sound of his laughter as they sparred, the warmth of his touch on cold nights. She had tried to stay, tried to live among her packmates, but the weight of his absence had been too much.

That’s why she had left. She had taken refuge in this isolated cabin, away from the Lunae Pack’s land, far from the haunting memories of what her life used to be. Here, in the silence, she could pretend for just a moment that the world had stopped, that she didn’t have to face the pain of living without him.

But the memories came anyway, unbidden and unrelenting.

Kkum closed her eyes, letting the soft evening breeze wash over her. She could still see him, so vividly, as if he were standing right in front of her. His dark eyes, full of warmth and love, the way his lips curved into that teasing smile whenever he caught her watching him. He was everything—her mate, her other half. And he had been ripped away from her in an instant.

Rogue wolves. That’s what they had told her. He had fallen to rogue wolves during the war between their packs. But later, she learned the truth—an alpha had been behind it. The Alpha of the Moonlight Pack, the man responsible for so much bloodshed, had played a part in the attack that had stolen her mate from her. The mere thought of him made her blood boil, her wolf—Elysia—snarling with rage.

She had never seen him, but his name alone was enough to fill her with a bitter hatred. Jungkook. He was a distant figure, a phantom in her mind, but his actions had marked her forever. And now, no matter how far she ran, she couldn’t escape the consequences of his choices.

Kkum inhaled deeply, trying to calm the storm brewing within her. She had come here to escape, not to dwell on the past. But the grief was a living thing, curling around her like chains, dragging her back into the abyss. Every day felt like a battle—against the pain, against the memories, against the part of her that still longed for the mate she could never have again.

She had always been considered weak. An Omega in the Lunae Pack, her role had been clear from the start—subservient, quiet, obedient. But she had never been content to follow the path laid out for her. She had trained harder than anyone, pushing her body to its limits until she could fight like a Beta. Her strength had earned her some grudging respect, but it had never been enough. Not for her packmates, not for her parents.

Her father, the Alpha of the Lunae Pack, had always looked at her with disappointment. Her mother, the Luna, had barely acknowledged her. To them, she was a failure, an Omega who had never lived up to the greatness of her bloodline. And when Lee Jong-suk had died, the whispers had started. Her packmates called her a curse, a burden, a disgrace to the Moon Goddess. They blamed her for her mate’s death, as if she had somehow been responsible for the attack that had claimed his life.

“You’re weak,” they had said. “Good for nothing.”

Even her parents had turned away from her. She had seen the disappointment in their eyes, the cold indifference that had replaced any semblance of love. And so, she had distanced herself from them—from everyone. The grief had hollowed her out, leaving nothing but a shell of who she had once been.

Now, she was cold, distant, and alone. It was easier that way.

“You were supposed to be stronger, Kkum,” her father’s voice echoed in her mind. “You're nothing but a disgrace to this family."

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep the rising tide of emotions at bay. There was no point in dwelling on what couldn’t be changed. Lee Jong-suk was gone, and no amount of pain or anger could bring him back.

Elysia, her wolf, stirred restlessly inside her, as if sensing her turmoil. Kkum had noticed her wolf’s strange behavior in the past few weeks—uneasy, anxious, as if something was wrong. It had been subtle at first, a faint flicker of unease that she could easily ignore. But lately, it had grown stronger, more insistent. Elysia had become unpredictable, her emotions difficult to control. And tonight, it was worse than ever.

Kkum...

Elysia’s voice, soft and urgent, whispered in the back of her mind. Kkum exhaled slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. It wasn’t unusual for her wolf to communicate with her, but this felt different. There was a sense of urgency, of something just beyond her reach that Elysia was trying to make her see.

But Kkum couldn’t make sense of it.

She had never understood the strange connection she had with her wolf. It had always been stronger than what others experienced, as if Elysia was more a part of her than most wolves were to their human counterparts. And then, after Lee Jong-suk’s death, something had changed.

The visions had started.

At first, they were faint—fleeting images that flickered at the edge of her consciousness. But as the weeks passed, they grew stronger, more vivid. Kkum had seen things—places, people, moments that hadn’t happened yet. She didn’t understand it, didn’t want to understand it. The visions terrified her, a power she hadn’t asked for and didn’t know how to control.

Her packmates had noticed. They had whispered behind her back, calling her cursed, People were disgusted by her eyes, a stain on the Moon Goddess’s name. Even her parents had distanced themselves further, unable to hide their disgust.

And so, Kkum had withdrawn completely. She trained harder, fought more fiercely, trying to drown out the whispers with the sound of her own heartbeat. But no matter how hard she fought, she couldn’t escape the truth.

She was different.

The cool night air wrapped around her as she turned away from the setting sun, her thoughts heavy. She needed to move, to do something to keep the memories at bay. With a slow exhale, she descended the porch steps and made her way toward the forest, her feet carrying her down a familiar path.

The woods had become her sanctuary, a place where she could lose herself in the quiet rustle of leaves and the distant call of birds. Here, there were no memories, no voices reminding her of what she had lost. Only silence.

But tonight, something felt different.

The scent hit her before she could even register it—faint, subtle, but unmistakable. It drifted on the breeze, warm and rich, like earth after rain, mingled with something she couldn’t quite place. Her wolf snapped to attention, Elysia’s senses sharpening as the scent pulled at her, tugging at something deep within.

What is that? Kkum froze, her heart suddenly racing. The smell was intoxicating, alluring in a way that set her on edge. She shook her head, trying to clear the haze that seemed to settle over her.

But Elysia wasn’t having it.

The wolf within her growled low, pushing forward, urging her to follow the scent, to chase it down. Kkum’s breath hitched as her instincts screamed at her to move, to run toward whatever was calling her. But she fought against it, forcing herself to stay still, to think.

This doesn’t make sense.

There was no reason for her to be reacting like this. No reason for Elysia to be behaving so strangely. And yet, the scent lingered, wrapping around her like a promise, pulling her deeper into the woods.

She took a step back, shaking her head as if she could shake off the strange feeling that had settled over her. She wouldn’t give in to this. Not now. Not when everything else in her life was already spiraling out of control.

Get it together, Kkum, she told herself firmly. She couldn’t afford to lose focus. Not now.

But even as she tried to push the scent from her mind, it stayed with her, a haunting reminder of something she couldn’t name. And for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of something other than grief.

A spark of curiosity.

Kkum turned back toward her cabin, her steps quickening as she tried to shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her chest. But no matter how far she ran, the scent lingered in the air, like a phantom she couldn’t escape.

And her wolf—her restless, unpredictable wolf—was waiting for something.

Something she wasn’t ready to face.

☆

The wind had picked up by the time Kkum returned to her cabin, whipping through the trees and rustling the leaves on the forest floor. The lingering scent still clung to her senses, making it hard to think about anything else. She paced the length of the small room, her footsteps echoing in the empty space. Elysia, her wolf, stirred restlessly within her, pacing right along with her, a constant presence in her mind.

What is happening to me? Kkum thought, her brow furrowing as she tried to make sense of the strange pull she had felt in the woods. She had never experienced anything like it before. There was no logical explanation for why she was reacting this way to something as simple as a scent. But her wolf knew. Elysia knew something, even if she wasn’t telling Kkum just yet.

Elysia had always been more attuned to the world around them than Kkum. Her instincts sharper, her senses keener. But ever since Jong-suk’s death, Kkum had felt like there was a barrier between them, a wall she couldn’t quite break through. Elysia had become distant, almost like she was hiding something. And now, with this strange scent that tugged at them both, it felt like the wolf was waking up from whatever slumber she had been in.

Kkum... we have to go back.

Her wolf’s voice echoed in her mind, urgent, but soft, almost pleading. Kkum shook her head, frustration bubbling to the surface. “No, Elysia,” she muttered aloud. “We’re not doing this. I don’t care what’s out there, we’re not getting involved.”

But even as she said it, she knew it wasn’t that simple. Elysia’s restlessness had only grown since they left the pack’s territory. The wolf was reacting to something. Something important. And Kkum couldn’t keep ignoring it forever.

She collapsed onto the bed, her hands fisting in the worn blanket beneath her. For a moment, she let herself close her eyes, hoping for just a moment of peace, of quiet. But the second her eyelids fell, the visions came.

Lee Jong-suk’s face appeared before her, so clear and vivid that it felt like he was right there in the room with her. His smile, the soft curve of his lips, the warmth in his eyes—everything about him was so familiar, so real. She could almost feel his presence beside her, the weight of his hand on her shoulder as he leaned in close, his breath warm against her skin.

“Kkum...” his voice was like a whisper in the back of her mind, pulling her deeper into the memory.

They were in the clearing near the Lunae Pack’s den, a spot they had claimed as their own. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the landscape. Jong-suk’s arms were around her, holding her close as they swayed gently to music only they could hear.

“You’re everything to me,” he had said that night, his voice full of emotion. “I don’t care what anyone else says. You’re not weak, Kkum. You’re not a curse. You’re perfect, just as you are.”

She had believed him. In that moment, she had felt whole, safe, loved. But now...

Now he was gone, and all that was left were the memories.

Kkum opened her eyes, blinking away the tears that had gathered there. The memories were the worst part. They came without warning, crashing into her like waves, each one more painful than the last. She had tried to block them out, to bury them deep inside her, but they always found a way back to the surface.

Kkum's mind seethed with venomous thoughts thinking about the Jungkook, the Alpha of the Moonlight Pack, that had been involved in the attack that had led to Jong-suk’s death.Her eyes blazed with a fierce hatred, her heart burning with rage. She couldn't shake the memory of that fateful night, the night he had destroyed everything.

She had hated him ever since. Hated him for the part he had played in tearing her world apart. She had never seen him, never met him, but his name alone was enough to send a surge of anger through her. How could one person cause so much destruction?

Kkum sat up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She couldn’t keep doing this—couldn’t keep letting the grief and the memories control her. She had to stay strong, had to keep moving forward, no matter how much it hurt. But as much as she tried, the ache in her chest never went away.

Elysia growled low in her mind, her agitation growing with each passing minute. Kkum, please. Just go back.

Kkum shook her head, standing up and heading toward the window. The moon was rising higher in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the forest outside. The scent was still there, faint but persistent, like a thread pulling her toward something she didn’t understand.

“Why now, Elysia?” Kkum whispered, her breath fogging the glass as she stared out into the night. “Why are you doing this now? After everything?”

Her wolf didn’t respond, but the tension in her chest only grew. It was as if Elysia was fighting something, some force that Kkum couldn’t see. And the more she resisted, the stronger the pull became.

Kkum took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She had learned to suppress her wolf before, to block out Elysia’s instincts when they clashed with her own. But this... this was different. This wasn’t something she could simply ignore.

With a sigh, she turned away from the window and made her way toward the door. She needed fresh air, needed to clear her mind before she lost herself in the memories again. The night was cool against her skin as she stepped outside, the faint scent still lingering in the air.

For a moment, she closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the forest wash over her. The chirping of crickets, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, the distant howl of a wolf somewhere deep in the woods. It was all so familiar, so comforting.

And then, out of nowhere, the scent hit her again—stronger this time, more intense. Her eyes snapped open, and she felt Elysia push forward, taking control for just a moment.

Kkum... the wolf’s voice was almost a growl now, filled with urgency. We have to find it.

“No,” Kkum muttered, shaking her head. “Not tonight.”

But even as she said the words, she knew it was a losing battle. The scent was too strong, the pull too overwhelming. She took a hesitant step forward, her instincts screaming at her to follow it, to find whatever it was that was calling to her.

But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

With a frustrated growl, Kkum turned on her heel and headed back into the cabin, slamming the door behind her. She wasn’t going to let this control her. Not now. Not after everything she had been through.

But as she lay down on her bed, the scent still clinging to her senses, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would have to face whatever was waiting for her out there in the darkness.

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