Scenario:In the misty town of Hollowridge, nestled at the edge of the Blackpine Forest, whispers of wolves echoed through the trees. Most called them legends, but some knew the truth.
Emery Stone, a quiet, sharp-witted human woman in her twenties, had lived her whole life on the fringe of that truth. She worked at the local library, read far too much, and spent her evenings watching the moon rise over the pines — drawn to it for reasons she couldn’t explain.
Until the night she met Kaelina Voss.
Tall, commanding, with eyes like silver lightning, Kaelina walked into the library just before closing. She didn’t speak much. She didn’t need to. When her hand brushed Emery’s while taking a book, something ancient roared between them — a connection that vibrated through Emery’s soul.
But Kaelina froze.
“You’re not one of us,” she said coldly. “The bond is wrong.”
And just like that, she walked away.
What Emery didn’t know then was that Kaelina Voss wasn’t just any wolf — she was Alpha of the Voss Pack, the first female leader in five generations. Strong, revered, feared. And she had always sworn she’d never mate with a human.
But fate is cruel. And the mate bond? Crueler still.
⸻
The rejection didn’t just sting — it burned. Emery felt the bond rip like thread snapping in her chest. She didn’t eat. Didn’t sleep. Her dreams were full of howls and stormy eyes.
Still, something inside her refused to let go. She needed answers.
So she followed the pull deep into the Blackpine Forest one night under the full moon.
Create my version of this story
In the misty town of Hollowridge, nestled at the edge of the Blackpine Forest, whispers of wolves echoed through the trees. Most called them legends, but some knew the truth.
Emery Stone, a quiet, sharp-witted human woman in her twenties, had lived her whole life on the fringe of that truth. She worked at the local library, read far too much, and spent her evenings watching the moon rise over the pines — drawn to it for reasons she couldn’t explain.
Until the night she met Kaelina Voss.
Tall, commanding, with eyes like silver lightning, Kaelina walked into the library just before closing. She didn’t speak much. She didn’t need to. When her hand brushed Emery’s while taking a book, something ancient roared between them — a connection that vibrated through Emery’s soul.
But Kaelina froze.
“You’re not one of us,” she said coldly. “The bond is wrong.”
And just like that, she walked away.
What Emery didn’t know then was that Kaelina Voss wasn’t just any wolf — she was Alpha of the Voss Pack, the first female leader in five generations. Strong, revered, feared. And she had always sworn she’d never mate with a human.
But fate is cruel. And the mate bond? Crueler still.
⸻
The rejection didn’t just sting — it burned. Emery felt the bond rip like thread snapping in her chest. She didn’t eat. Didn’t sleep. Her dreams were full of howls and stormy eyes.
Still, something inside her refused to let go. She needed answers.
So she followed the pull deep into the Blackpine Forest one night under the full moon.
Emery Stone
She is a librarian in the small town of Hollowridge. She is curious, determined, and introspective. Raised by adoptive parents, she discovered a mysterious connection to wolves through books and the local forest. One fateful night, she met Kaelina Voss, Alpha of the Voss Pack, at the library. Despite rejection and confusion about her wolf connection, Emery follows Kaelina into the Blackpine Forest, facing danger and uncovering secrets about her own destiny.
Kaelina Voss
She is the Alpha of the Voss Pack, the first female leader in five generations. She is authoritative, enigmatic, and intense. Born into a family of powerful Alphas, she initially rejected Emery as a mate due to her human nature. As their bond grows stronger, she grapples with her pack duties and her growing attraction to Emery. Her past struggles with pack politics and family expectations make her decisions complex and impactful on Emery's life.
Nico
He is a beta in the Voss Pack and Kaelina's confidant. He is loyal, perceptive, and cheeky. Known for his striking blue eyes and easygoing nature, Nico often assists Kaelina by delivering books to her favorite reading spots at the library. His playful attitude hides his strategic thinking and deep understanding of pack dynamics. He helps Kaelina navigate her feelings for Emery while keeping peace within the pack.
In the misty town of Hollowridge, on the edge of the Blackpine Forest, whispers of wolves echoed through the trees.
Most people called them legends.
Some knew better.
But no one expected what would happen when those whispers became a roar.
I never did, anyway.
Not until I felt it for myself.
I’d spent my entire life on the fringes of that truth.
I worked at the local library, read far too much, and spent my evenings watching the moon rise over the pines.
I was drawn to it for reasons I couldn’t explain.
Even as a child, I’d snuck out of the house at night to watch it, feel the pull in my chest when I stood at the edge of the forest.
My adoptive parents thought I was just being a curious kid.
That I was working through some issue or other about being adopted, since I didn’t know my ‘real’ parents.
But that wasn’t it at all.
I just… felt things sometimes.
Like there was something inside me that wasn’t quite part of me.
And when I watched that moon, I felt almost whole.
And then one evening, just before closing time at the library, a woman walked in.
It was a few minutes past nine, but still light enough outside that you could see clearly as you came through the doors.
I watch her retreating form through the library window.
My fingers tremble around the folded paper.
The note feels heavy in my hands, like it carries more weight than just words.
Around me, the library stands silent except for the gentle hum of fluorescent lights and the ticking of the wall clock.
I lean against the circulation desk, my heart pounding.
The paper is thick, expensive, with a faint scent of pine needles.
As I unfold it, my hands shake harder.
Black ink bleeds across the page in elegant script.
The first words make my breath catch: "Your parents didn't abandon you. They were murdered."
I lock the front door early, my hands still shaking as I descend the narrow stairs to our basement archives.
The air is stale and musty down here, filled with the scent of aging paper.
I flip on the lights, and the fluorescent bulbs flicker to life above rows of metal shelves.
Each shelf is packed tightly with bound volumes of newspapers, stretching all the way back to the 1920s.
I make my way through the narrow aisles, running my fingers over the spines of the books until I reach the section for the 1990s.
I pull out several volumes at a time, starting with the most recent year and working my way backward.
Back upstairs, I lay them out on a research table in chronological order.
The clock on the wall reads 9:45 PM, but I barely notice.
I open the first book, scanning the headlines and obituaries.
My finger traces each line as I search for any mention of a murder that might match what she said. Hours pass as I work my way through volume after volume.
My back aches from hunching over the table, but I can’t stop now.
Not when I’m so close to finding something—anything—that might explain what she meant.
And then, when I open the September 1999 volume, a small article catches my eye: "Local Couple Found Dead Near Blackpine - Animal Attack Suspected."
Below it is a grainy photo of two people lying on the ground, their faces obscured by leaves and branches.
But it’s not their faces that catch my attention—it’s something glinting in the sunlight near one of their hands.
A small pendant, shaped like a crescent moon with an arrow pointing toward its tip.
