roached her since that night in the library. He left her food, ensured she had all the comforts she needed, but kept

indows were sealed tight, and the door remained locked whenever Kael wasn't around. Her frustration simmered, bubbling up whenever she remembered his cryp

dn't take the silence any longer. She needed

the sunlight stream through the narrow window, when she heard footsteps approaching. She tensed

s calm, but his gaze

ng. "We need to talk. No more cryptic answers. No

n gave a slow nod. "I owe you th

thering her thoughts. "Fine. Fi

he didn't look away. "I am wh

her throat. She'd expected something strange, something out of

t the absurdity. "So, what-you transform into a w

like that. The legends you've heard... they're exaggerated. We do change, yes

is ferocity flashing through her mind. "And this 'bo

tners bound to us through an ancient connection. It's not something we choose, Elena. It'

made her pulse quicken. "So that's why you kidna

d myself it was impossible, that it would pass. But every moment I

ate him, wanted to scream at him for taking away her freedom. But part of her-a part she bare

d quietly, her voice barely more t

. "Then... it will hurt, yes. But I won't force you to accept it

erself be swayed by his vulnerability. "And yet

ou safe, Elena. There are others who would see you

ly, throwing her hands up. "I'm nothin

ening. "You're wrong. You mean more to

hless. She wanted to dismiss him, to tell him he was lying, that this bond was nothing more than a fantasy he'd constructed. But

challenge she hadn't intended. "If you care about me-i

ndecision crossing his face. "An

er she didn't have. She'd spent so long focused on resisting him, on fighti

words died on her lips. In that moment,

ough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him, could see the subtle rise and fall

another part-one that grew harder to ignore with each passing day-felt drawn to him,

, closing the distance between them. Her voice was

moments. He leaned closer, his voice a low murmur. "You want proof, Elen

urge to push him away and the strange, undeni

otions she couldn't name. "I need time," she whispered, forcing hersel

ixture of hope and regret. "I under

he knew he would wait, that he would give her the choice she'd demanded. But sh

, anger, and something else she couldn't name, she realized that