She didn't wake to silence. She woke to someone breathing, Low and steady. Human.
The scent of pine and smoke surrounded her, and warmth wrapped her. She blinked her eyes open, heart pounding.
She sat up quickly and gasped. A sharp pain burned through her ribs.
"Easy," came Rhett's voice from the corner of the room.
Ayla's eyes moved to him. He stood leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, jaw tight. His usual cocky expression was gone, replaced by something sincere and Guarded.
"You passed out," he said quietly. "That thing… it would've killed you if I hadn't gotten there when I did."
She touched her side, feeling bandages through her shirt. Her skin still ached, but it was his words that hit harder. Thatthing…
"The wolf," she said, her voice hoarse. "It attacked me. Again."
Rhett pushed off the wall, walking toward her slowly. "I told you that thing isn't just any wolf."
"No kidding."
"I mean it, Ayla." He stopped beside the bed, eyes locked on hers. "And this one is not like the ones before. This one is… different. Stronger. And it is after you."
She swallowed hard, memories flashing back, the glowing eyes, the snarl, the speed. "Why?" she whispered.
He hesitated, then knelt beside the bed. "Because of this." Gently, he reached for her hand, turning it over to reveal the mark on her skin, the crescent moon encircled by thorny vines, pulsing faintly with silvery light.
"The Lunaris Bond," he said softly.
Ayla stared at the mark, the name strange and heavy on her tongue. "What is it?"
Rhett looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. "It's an ancient binding. Rare. Powerful. A connection forged between two fated souls, usually a protector and a bloodmarked heir. It's old magic, older than the packs, older than even the Elders remember."
She pulled her hand back. "So what you're saying I'm bonded? To you?"
He nodded, though his jaw clenched at the admission. "It happened the night the black wolf attacked you. The mark appeared then. I felt it. A… pull. It's why I keep ending up near you. Why I knew you were in trouble tonight."
Ayla shook her head, panic rising in her throat. "No. No, that's not possible. I didn't choose this."
"Neither did I." His voice was low, deep. "But that doesn't change what it is."
She stared at him, heart racing. She wanted to deny it, to call it superstition or coincidence but something inside her knew. The way her skin tingled near him, the way her heartbeat synced with his closeness. It was undeniable.
"So what does it mean?" she asked. "This… Lunaris Bond?"
Rhett's eyes darkened. "It means we're tied together. Body. Mind. Spirit. If one of us breaks, the other feels it. If one dies…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Ayla pushed the blanket off her legs and stood, shaking slightly before catching herself on the bedpost. "No. This can't be happening."
Rhett rose too, instinctively reaching for her, but she backed away.
"I don't want this," she said, breath uneven. "I didn't ask for this curse. I didn't ask to be part of your world."
"You were born into it," he said, eyes flashing. "Just like I was."
She turned her face away, swallowing back the tears that threatened to fall. "I can't trust anyone. Not the Elders. Not you."
"I've never lied to you," he muttered, stepping closer. "I've done everything I can to protect you even when you didn't want it."
"You think this is about protection?" she hissed. "You think I want to be saved? I'm not some helpless girl!"
"I know you're not," Rhett said, his voice low and rough. "You're stronger than anyone I've ever met. But this bond, it's not just about fate. It's about choice. And right now, I'm choosing you. Even if you hate me for it."
The room felt too small. Too warm. Too full of tension.
Ayla's heart pounded. She could feel his presence like a magnetic force, drawing her closer even as every instinct screamed for space. Her pulse hammered wildly, and the mark on her hand glowed faintly in response.
"I hate this," she whispered.
"I know… but I can't stop thinking about you. Even when I want to."
They stood in silence, inches apart, the air thick with unspoken things.
Finally, Ayla turned away. "I need to clear my head. I need to be alone."
Rhett didn't stop her this time. He simply nodded. "
Ayla stepped outside, needing air. The night was cold, but it helped clear her head. She sat on a log near the trees holding her marked arm with her other hand.
Her hand trembled as she looked at the mark again.
"What the hell am I?" she whispered to herself.
She hugged her knees to her chest, she still felt the ache in her ribs but faintly. The night was quiet, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the woods were watching her every move.
A minute passed.
Then two.
The cabin door creaked open.
She didn't look up when Rhett's footsteps approached.
"I said I wanted to be alone," she said quietly.
"I know," he replied. "But I couldn't stay inside, not with you out here."
She didn't stop him from sitting beside her.
"This bond…" she whispered, "it doesn't feel fair."
"It's not," Rhett said. "But it's real. I feel it too."
"I didn't ask for this. I just wanted a normal life."
"I get that," he said. "But we don't get to choose what we are. Only what we do next."
She looked at him, eyes full of pain. "And what do we do?"
"We face it. Together."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Just… don't let me lose myself."
"I won't," Rhett promised.
They sat in silence. The mark on her hand warmed.
She didn't say it out loud, but deep down… part of her didn't want to be alone anymore.