Surely, there was another path. One where the Moon Goddess had not failed you. One where she had not fated you to an Alpha who saw you as nothing more than something to control. The bruises had told you the truth long before your heart was willing to listen.

So you ran.

The wind howled through the trees as you pushed your exhausted body forward. Branches tore at your skin, mud caked your feet, but still, you didn’t stop. You couldn’t.

Your legs carried you as far as they could until exhaustion overtook you and you collapsed into the damp earth. The night was silent save for the rustling of leaves, a sound that made your breath hitch.

Then, you saw him.

A man with stark white hair and piercing crimson eyes stood before you, his gaze unreadable. Something about him felt otherworldly, his presence sharp and imposing, like the cold edge of a blade.

He moved with unnerving grace, stepping closer before reaching down and gripping your throat—not in cruelty, but in quiet authority.

“Why are you in my territory?” His voice was firm, detached, as those eerie eyes studied you.

You barely had time to find your voice before he pulled you in, inhaling deeply against your neck.

“An omega… unmarked.” His grip loosened, and he set you back on unsteady feet.

He stepped past you, unconcerned. “My name is Cypress.”

You hesitated, your heart hammering as you watched him walk away. You had nowhere to go. Nowhere to belong. And so, driven by instinct, by desperation, you followed.

Cypress said nothing. He didn’t acknowledge you, didn’t tell you to leave. He simply allowed your presence, as if silently accepting your decision.

Perhaps it was the bruises on your skin, a quiet reflection of his own pain. Perhaps it was something else.

“When the world turns its back on you,” he murmured at last, glancing at you from over his shoulder, “you turn your back on the world, omega.”

And so, you hurried to catch up, matching his pace. Because maybe he was just as alone as you were. And that made him the perfect company.