The ridge felt colder after the shadows vanished, as if Lucien had stolen the warmth from the air along with our peace. Wolves moved quietly, shaken, whispering to one another in low, fearful tones. Even the moon seemed dimmer, hiding behind a thin veil of clouds.
I walked away from the chaos, away from the questions, away from Rylan.
My heart pounded with every step, the bond tugging at me like a chain I didn't ask for. I hated how it pulled, how it ached, how it refused to let me breathe without reminding me he was behind me.
Moon‑marked.
Cursed.
Destined to lose his mate.
Destined to lose me.
I reached the far edge of the ridge and sank onto a fallen log, burying my face in my hands. The night pressed in around me, heavy and suffocating.
Footsteps approached.
I didn't look up. "I said I needed space."
Rowan sat beside me, his movements slow, careful. "I know. But you shouldn't be alone right now."
I exhaled shakily. "I'm fine."
"You're not."
I didn't argue.
Rowan rested his elbows on his knees, staring out at the dark forest below. "I don't trust him."
"I know."
"But I don't think he lied."
My chest tightened. "I know."
Rowan sighed. "Lyra… this is bigger than a bond. Bigger than our packs. Bigger than anything we've faced."
I nodded, unable to speak.
"He should have told you," Rowan said quietly. "You deserved that."
A bitter laugh escaped me. "He didn't tell me because he thought I'd reject him."
"Would you have?"
I hesitated.
And that hesitation was answer enough.
Rowan's jaw tightened. "You're not responsible for his curse."
"I know."
"But you're acting like you are."
I looked at him, eyes burning. "Because if he's right… if the moon really marked him… then being with him could kill me."
Rowan's expression softened. "Lyra… you don't owe him anything. Not your loyalty. Not your heart. Not your life."
"I know."
"But you feel the bond."
I closed my eyes. "Yes."
Rowan nodded slowly. "Then you need to decide what you want. Not what the moon wants. Not what he wants. You."
I swallowed hard. "I don't know what I want."
"That's okay," Rowan said gently. "Just don't let fear make the choice for you."
Before I could respond, a familiar warmth brushed against my senses — the bond tightening, pulling, calling.
Rylan.
He was close.
Too close.
Rowan stood. "I'll give you two a moment."
"Rowan—"
He shook his head. "You need to talk to him. Whether you want to or not."
He walked away, leaving me alone with the bond pulsing like a heartbeat.
A moment later, Rylan stepped into the clearing.
He looked… wrecked.
His hair was tousled, his jaw clenched, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion and something deeper — something raw and vulnerable.
He stopped a few feet away, as if afraid to come closer. "Lyra."
I didn't look at him. "I said I needed space."
"I know," he said softly. "But I needed to make sure you were safe."
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
I clenched my jaw. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Act like you know me."
He exhaled shakily. "I don't know you. Not yet. But the bond—"
"Stop," I snapped. "Stop using the bond as an excuse."
Rylan flinched.
Good.
He deserved to feel something.
He deserved to hurt.
He deserved—
I swallowed hard. "Why didn't you tell me?"
He closed his eyes. "Because I didn't want you to look at me the way you're looking at me now."
"How am I looking at you?"
"Like I'm a monster."
My breath caught.
"I don't think you're a monster," I whispered.
He opened his eyes, golden and burning. "Then what do you think I am?"
I shook my head. "I don't know."
Rylan stepped closer, slow and cautious, like approaching a wounded animal. "Lyra… I didn't choose this. I didn't ask for the moon's mark. I didn't ask for the power. Or the curse."
"I know."
"But I would never hurt you."
"You might not have a choice."
His jaw tightened. "I will never let the curse touch you."
"You can't promise that."
"I can," he said fiercely. "And I will."
I stood, anger and fear twisting inside me. "You don't get to make that decision for me."
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are. You're deciding what I can handle. What I should know. What I should feel."
He stepped closer. "I'm trying to protect you."
"I don't need your protection."
"Yes," he said quietly, "you do."
The bond pulsed — warm, aching, undeniable.
I hated it.
I hated him.
I hated how much I didn't hate him.
Rylan's voice softened. "Lyra… I'm sorry."
I looked away. "Sorry doesn't fix this."
"No," he said. "But it's a start."
Silence stretched between us, heavy and fragile.
Finally, Rylan spoke again. "Lucien won't stop. He'll come again. And next time, he won't use shadows. He'll come himself."
I swallowed. "For me."
"Yes."
"And you think I should stay close to you."
"Yes."
I met his gaze. "Because of the bond."
"No," he said softly. "Because I care."
My breath caught.
He stepped closer, voice barely above a whisper. "I care about you, Lyra. Bond or no bond."
The world tilted.
The bond pulsed.
And for the first time…
…I didn't step back.