The MoonBound

ale glow across the forest clearing as Le

ent of pine and damp leaves, a comfortin

He had said they would get through the bond together, but

that re

e way his coldness kept everyone at arm's length. He was the

t as they had spoken, there had been a flicker of something else in his eyes-a vuln

s beneath her boots. The pull of the mate bond coursed thro

suffocating, and every step she to

oment the bond had snapped into place on her seven

everything she wasn't-strong, commanding

rless in a world full of wolves who were faster,

ughable. As the Luna, she was expected to be the balance t

She wasn't a fighter. She wasn't a healer. She wasn't even particularly good at blending

e like Kael want

er mind like a venomous thread. She had seen the strengt

nemies tremble. And yet, as much as the bond tied them togeth

ly, she turned, her heart leaping into her throat. Stand

nce. "You look like you've just seen a ghost. What's

t between a laugh and a si

ts, his stance relaxed, as if he had all the time in the world. "You can talk to me, you

e. He had a way of making people feel seen, even when they tried to hide in the b

ground, unable to meet his gaze. "Kael... he's different. But I don't know what that means for me. I don't know what to do wi

oulder. "Leora, you are strong. Maybe not in the same way Kael is, but you have strength. The strength t

I'm not him," she murmured. "I'm not an alpha. I

shoulder, grounding her. "You're not meant to be a copy of Kael. You'

as disarming, and for a moment, she allowed herself to believe his

rwhelming. I can't think straight when I'm near him. It's li

don't have to figure it all out tonight, Leora. Bonds are messy. They take tim

ground. His words were comforting, but they

rees swaying gently under the light breeze. The pack's campfire was still

he others, their voices a reminder o

hers. She pushed open the door and stepped inside, the familiar scent of cedarwood and lavender gree

at the ceiling. The pull of the mate bond coursed t

t, it was always there, a constant remin

n her? What purpose could she

lier, just for a moment. There had been something unguarded

had always seen from afar. There was a depth t

her a reason to belie

ight, its mournful cry echoing through the forest. L

d comforting, a reminder of th

escape the bond, couldn't sever the tie that linked her to Kael. But the idea of s

emained by the window, staring out into the darkness. She didn't know what the

as her

not, the bond between them