Eight years earlier.
Winter had swallowed Moonstone.
Snow drifted endlessly through the spruce forest, falling in soft white layers that blanketed the ground until the entire world looked untouched and silent. The branches of the tall trees sagged beneath the weight of frost, their dark needles dusted with powder that glittered faintly whenever the pale daylight slipped through the canopy.
The forest smelled clean, cold and sharp with the scent of pine and frozen earth.
Hidden among the trees, something moved.
Soft.
Silent.
A large white wolf padded carefully through the snow, its enormous paws sinking only slightly into the powder before lifting again without a sound.
Her fur was pure snow white.
In the blizzard, she was almost invisible.
Only two things betrayed her presence.
The warm vapor of her breath drifting into the air.
And the vibrant amber glow of her eyes.
Luna.
Even in her dire wolf form, she was young.
Not fully grown yet.
But already massive compared to any normal wolf.
Her body flowed through the forest with quiet precision, every step careful and measured as she followed the trail ahead of her.
The scent was unmistakable.
Her target.
Adam Greene.
This was her mission.
Her first solo one.
At least… the first one she could remember.
Luna didn't know who Adam Greene really was.
She didn't know why she had been sent here.
Those details had never been given to her.
All she had been provided was the scent.
And the order.
Find him.
Kill him.
That was enough.
Her nose lifted slightly as she drew in another breath of the icy air.
The scent grew stronger.
Closer.
Up ahead, the forest began thinning along the slope of a small mountain clearing.
Through the trees, Luna could see the shape of a house.
It sat quietly against the snowy hillside, smoke drifting slowly from the chimney into the pale sky above.
A small wooden home.
Modest.
Warm light glowed faintly behind the windows.
Luna lowered herself into the deeper shadows of the spruce trees.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the area.
Two men stood outside near the front porch.
Both were large.
Strong.
Their dark skin contrasted sharply against the white snow surrounding them.
The younger of the two moved with restless energy, his posture tense as he spoke rapidly while gesturing with his hands. Even from a distance Luna could sense the frustration in his body language.
He looked almost exactly like Adam would years later.
Just older.
Sharper.
The other man stood calmly beside him.
Older.
Much older.
His posture carried quiet strength despite the gray streaking through his hair. He listened patiently while the younger man spoke, occasionally responding with calm gestures that seemed meant to steady the conversation.
The wind howled softly between the trees.
Snow fell thicker now.
Luna couldn't hear their voices.
The storm swallowed the sound.
But she could see enough.
The younger man looked angry.
Agitated.
Eventually he stopped speaking.
The two of them stood silently for a moment before the younger man shook his head sharply.
He turned.
Walked toward the car parked beside the house.
Moments later the engine roared to life.
The vehicle backed out slowly before disappearing down the snowy road that wound through the forest.
The older man watched it leave then he turned and went back inside the house.
Luna remained perfectly still among the trees.
Waiting.
Minutes passed.
Snow gathered lightly along her fur.
She continued observing the small estate carefully, circling slowly through the forest to map the area in her mind.
One house and a small barn beside it.
No other buildings nearby.
No patrols.
No visible security.
The scent trail remained strong.
Adam Greene was here.
Eventually Luna moved closer.
Carefully.
Quietly.
She approached the nearest window and raised herself slightly to peer inside.
Warm light spilled through the glass.
Inside the living room the older man stood speaking with a child.
A boy.
About her age.
Ten years old.
The boy looked up at the man with wide eyes, listening carefully while he spoke. His posture carried a strange mix of sadness and fascination, as if he were trying very hard to be brave about something he didn't fully understand.
Luna studied him quietly.
That must be him.
Adam Greene.
She watched the boy closely.
His hair formed a soft medium afro around his head. He wore thick winter clothes that looked slightly oversized for his small frame.
His expression seemed… dreamy.
Distant.
But there was something else too.
Sadness.
Luna's eyes narrowed slightly.
The car leaving earlier suddenly made sense.
His father.
The man who drove away must have been his father.
And now the boy had been left behind.
Luna's mind processed the scene the only way she understood.
Weak.
The boy looked weak.
He looked like he had been crying.
In Luna's world, that meant only one thing.
Weakness.
She had never known anything like the relationship she was witnessing inside that house. No family warmth. No comforting conversations. No gentle guidance.
So her mind translated the scene differently.
Pathetic.
That was the only explanation she had.
Inside the house, the older man and the boy eventually stood and walked toward the back hallway.
They disappeared from Luna's view.
She waited.
Then moved.
Circling quietly at a distance around the house toward the rear entrance.
A few minutes later the back door creaked open.
The boy stepped outside.
Now Luna could see him clearly.
He wore a thick fur coat that looked far too big for his small body. Snow boots crunched beneath his feet as he stepped down onto the white ground.
In his hands he carried a rifle.
Behind him the old man stood in the doorway.
Even from this distance Luna could sense the boy's excitement.
He bounced slightly on his feet as he spoke rapidly, thanking the older man again and again.
The man waved him off with a small smile.
Then Luna caught the final words drifting faintly through the wind.
"Don't come back until you catch a turkey."
The door closed.
The boy turned toward the forest.
And that was when Luna smelled it clearly.
The scent.
This was definetly her target.
He started walking deeper into the trees, humming quietly to himself as he trudged through the snow.
Completely unaware he was being hunted.
Luna watched him go.
For a moment she considered leaving.
This was the perfect moment to strike.
But instead…
She followed.
Against her better judgment.
The boy wandered deeper into the forest, moving clumsily through the snow while scanning the trees with wide curiosity.
Eventually he spotted them.
Wild turkeys scratching through the powder beneath a nearby tree.
Adam dropped to the ground immediately.
Lying flat in the snow as he aimed the rifle carefully.
His small hands trembled slightly as he lined up the shot.
Bang.
The rifle fired.
The recoil slammed into his shoulder and knocked him onto his back.
The turkeys exploded into flight.
Gone.
Adam stared at the empty sky for a second.
Then he burst out laughing.
Not frustrated.
Not upset.
Just laughing.
He sat up and brushed snow off his coat before standing again.
"Okay," he muttered cheerfully. "Maybe next time."
Luna stared at him from the shadows.
Confusion flickered through her mind.
Why is he smiling?
He had failed.
The prey escaped.
Yet he looked… happy.
Excited.
As if the failure itself had been fun.
Luna's head tilted slightly.
Her mind searched for an explanation.
He must be stupid.
Or broken.
Or maybe something worse.
Retarded.
That was the only interpretation she could reach.
Children weren't supposed to behave like that.
Failure meant punishment.
Failure meant pain.
Failure meant weakness.
Yet this boy simply laughed then started walking again, searching for more turkeys.
Luna lowered herself into a hunting stance.
Enough observing.
It was time to finish the mission.
She circled carefully through the forest until she positioned herself behind him.
The snow muffled her steps.
Perfect.
The plan was simple.
Pounce.
Grab the neck.
Break it quickly.
Leave the body here.
Everyone would assume a wild animal attack.
Clean.
Efficient.
Silent.
She crept forward slowly.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
Crack.
A twig snapped beneath her paw.
The snow absorbed most of the sound.
No normal human would have heard it.
But Adam stopped walking.
He slowly turned around.
His eyes scanned the forest.
Then they landed directly on her.
Luna froze.
For a moment they simply stared at each other.
Then Luna growled and lunged forward.
But halfway through the leap…
She stopped.
Because Adam wasn't running.
He wasn't screaming.
He wasn't even raising the rifle.
He was just… standing there.
Calm.
Smiling.
"…hi."
Luna landed a few feet away and quickly jumped back again.
Her mind raced.
A trap.
There had to be a trap.
Why else would he be calm?
Adam took a cautious step closer.
"Hey," he said gently. "It's okay."
He slowly reached out his hand.
"…can I pet you?"
Luna recoiled instantly.
Her ears flattened.
Her instincts screamed at her.
What is he doing?
Adam lowered his hand slowly.
"Oh," he said softly. "Sorry."
Then his face brightened again.
"Wait."
His eyes widened.
"…You're a werewolf, right?"
Luna blinked.
He sounded… excited.
Not afraid.
Excited.
She bared her teeth and growled louder.
Trying to scare him.
Adam just laughed.
"Wow," he said. "That's so cool."
Luna stared at him.
Then she spoke for the first time.
"Why aren't you scared?"
Adam's eyes lit up immediately.
"Oh! You're a girl!"
He looked genuinely impressed.
"That's awesome."
Luna blinked again.
Her brain struggled to process the situation.
Adam picked up his rifle again and slung it over his shoulder casually.
"I'm not scared," he said as he turned and started walking again. "Why should I be?."
Luna followed a few steps behind without meaning to.
"You should be scared. I'm here to kill you."
Adam stopped walking.
He looked back at her.
Then he smiled warmly.
"A wolf that white and beautiful could never be a killer."
He shrugged.
"Besides. If you wanted me dead… Wouldn't I be dead already?"
Luna's ears twitched in irritation.
"I'm serious."
Adam tilted his head in a smug expression. "Then why?"
Luna opened her mouth.
And froze.
She didn't know.
She had never been told why.
Adam waited a moment then nodded.
"Okay. Guess that settles it."
He turned and started walking again.
"We're going hunting together."
Luna blinked. "What?"
"We need a turkey for Gramps."
He glanced over his shoulder.
"You can tell me all about yourself while we look."
Adam walked a few steps then paused to look back at her.
He gestured toward the forest.
"…you coming?"
His voice carried genuine warmth.
Genuine curiosity.
Like he was inviting a friend to join him.
Luna stood frozen in the snow.
Her mind spinning.
Her mission.
Her orders.
Everything she had been taught.
None of it made sense anymore.
Because the prey…
Was treating her like a person.
Like a friend.
And Luna had absolutely no idea what to do with that.