R

ng yard. The sound swords clashing and the warrior

events of the night before. It's a miracle how I was able to fall asleep. Everywhere around me fe

chest tightens. Maybe he is in the next room. Maybe he had come in lat

I rise and follow the

ough the warriors. His blade flashes, his wolf's presence dominating t

ith barely a flick of his wrist.But he never looked at me.I ling

I call ou

here – heat, conflict, the bond pulling at him like it pu

, before turning his ba

llow down the sting and force my feet to move. I can't stand here

ed by h

, abandone

ning hall, my stomach knotted t

wded when we enter, cha

ery head I can scan is turned in our direction and I stop on my tracks, standing still from

ses himself for a moment af

er my gaze to avoid eye contact and I take a seat at

the food as my mind is wandering away, trying to get as far away as poss

Elias asks, voi

that steady, familiar kindness that had so

eas

more comfortable with each passing minute as though

He says quietly. "I know what they're

n down, my ha

u see?" Elias's

e. A Luna they

roat

sper. "He's my mate. He

is smile flickering

he says, softer now. "But a bond

ets blurry. My wolf howls inside my chest getting restless

ed around me like comfort, I k

A

lashing blades of warriors, their low growls, and comands fill the grou

feel it. My wolf howls for me to move, to claim he

nning smoothly. Maeve, our finest healer, moves among the healer apprentices. With such concentr

training yard, observing quietly, head bowed. Her sm

ashes at me, insisting. I clench my fists behind my back, the bond pulling a

n, I heard my na

a still and

some piece of my internal struggle slips through my mask of indi

to give in. to draw her close, to protect her, to

nd resume sparrin

, arms folded, voice silk over steel: "She won't last a moon cycle

udying me from the shadows, jaw tight. He wants to sp

in the training yard. A memory flash hits me: father's warning

IA

, my

r, because I, too, can feel the stares of judgement. My hand rea

ker of hesitation in the movements – the way she shields herse

spering as if our presence alone is scandalous. I hate to l

far end of the bench by

ry to hide how I fee

back, weakl

r and give her even

enough so only she can hear. "I know what t

an feel her hesitation, almost as if she's seek

"A bond doesn't make a man

n't argue, but the subtle tension in h