pull of the bond, no matter how hard she tried. It lurked in the corners of her mind, a constant remi

Lucian's words had shifted everything. The war. The prophecy. The bond between them. It was all too much,

air around her had changed, thick with anticipation. The nights were longer, the m

r hair, and the scent of pine and earth filled her senses. She had always found solace in the forest, in its quiet beauty. I

age, just like the rest of the world. The curse in her blood, the prophecy, Lucian's

t-an unmistakable shift in the a

g around, she

said, her voice steady despite t

is silver eyes gleamed in the dim light, his face a mask of unreadable emotion. He didn

Lucian said, his voice low, almost soothing.

she forced herself to remain calm, to face him without showing weakness. "I'm not running from you, Lucian," s

overwhelming. "You think you have a choice?" he asked, his voice almost

ep back. "I'm not yours," she s

ond between them was undeniable, but she refused to

"You don't have to be afraid of it, Selene," he said, his voice full o

. "How is this a gift? How is being tie

idn't choose this either. But we don't get to choose

had no power here. The prophecy, the moon's curse, t

with the weight of the truth. "I don't want to be

. The contact sent a jolt of electricity through her, and she recoi

oice so quiet it was almost a whisper, "but it's what we

s, the sincerity behind his words. He wasn't lying. Lucian wasn't like the monsters she had imagine

," she said, her voice barely ab

ldn't quite place. "I never wanted to be your captor," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "I only wanted you

est tight with a mix of anger an

," Lucian said softly, almost

ht, in a way. The bond between them wasn't something she could ignore forever. She could

her chest. It was undeniable. And the mo

, her instinct screaming at her to break free, to push him away. But something in his

her voice strained, her breat

b brushing across her wrist. "But you

d thrummed beneath her skin, its pull growing stronger with every passing

his voice full of regret. "But

unreadable. "I'll give you time," he said. "But you can't hid

skipped a bea

Alpha beneath the surface. "The enemies we're about to face won't s

enemies. The prophecy. It was all happening faster tha

commanding. "The prophecy doesn't just bind us together-i

, leaving Selene standing alone, her heart

ing. And there wa

-