🌙 Episode 20: Truth in the Dark
Lila's POV
The forest was silent now, but the silence pressed heavy, like the world itself was holding its breath.
Lila couldn't stop staring at Ethan. He was human again—bleeding, battered, but standing tall, his golden eyes still faintly glowing in the moonlight.
"You're hurt," she whispered, taking a step closer.
He shook his head, though the way his body swayed betrayed him. "It's nothing."
"Nothing?" She reached out before she could think, her fingers brushing the crimson streaks across his ribs. He flinched but didn't pull away. The warmth of his skin sent a shiver through her. "You're bleeding everywhere."
His gaze softened, and for a moment, the fierce warrior she'd seen moments ago was gone. "I've had worse."
But she saw it—the tension in his jaw, the exhaustion lining his features. He was breaking, even if he didn't want her to see it.
The words tumbled out before she could stop them. "Ethan… what are you?"
He froze.
The question hung between them, raw and trembling.
Lila's heart pounded as she searched his face. "I saw you. I know what I saw. You're not just—" Her voice cracked. "You're not just a man."
For a long, aching moment, he didn't answer.
Then he sighed, running a bloodied hand through his hair. "I wanted to protect you from this. To keep you away from it. But tonight…" His eyes locked on hers, fierce and unflinching. "You deserve the truth."
Her breath hitched.
"I'm not human, Lila." His voice was low, steady, carrying a weight she could feel in her bones. "I'm a werewolf."
The words should have sounded insane. But instead, they sank into her like puzzle pieces clicking into place.
"The eyes… the strength… the way you found me…" She swallowed hard. "It's real."
He nodded once. "All of it."
Her knees felt weak, and she sank onto a fallen log, trying to process. "And the others tonight…?"
"Rogues," he said darkly. "Wolves without a pack. Dangerous. Desperate."
The memory of the glowing eyes behind her made her shiver. "They were after me."
"They were after us," he corrected, his jaw tightening. "Because of the bond."
Her head snapped up. "The bond?"
His gaze softened, golden light flickering in his eyes again. "The connection you feel—the pull. It's real. It ties you to me, whether you wanted it or not."
Her chest tightened, recalling the invisible thread that had guided her through the forest. "That's why I could feel you. Why I knew you were still alive."
He crouched in front of her, his blood-streaked hands gentle as they closed over hers. "Yes. And it's why I'll always find you, Lila. No matter what."
Tears stung her eyes. "This is… so much."
"I know." His thumb brushed across her knuckles, grounding her. "And I never meant for you to be dragged into it. But now that you are… I swear to you, I'll keep you safe."
Her breath shuddered. "Even if it kills you?"
His eyes burned with fierce determination. "Especially if it kills me."
Ethan's POV
The sight of her trembling tore at me worse than any claw or fang had tonight. I wanted to shield her from all of it—the rogues, Darius, even the truth about me. But I couldn't lie anymore.
She deserved to know what she was to me.
"Lila…" My voice was rough, the wolf straining beneath my skin. "You're more than just a human to me. You're my mate."
Her lips parted, confusion and fear warring in her eyes. "Mate?"
"In my world," I explained quietly, "it means… the other half of your soul. The one you're bound to. The one you'd burn the world to protect."
She shook her head slowly, tears spilling down her cheeks. "But I'm not like you. I'm just… me."
"You're everything," I said fiercely. "Human or not, the bond doesn't care. It chose you. I choose you."
She stared at me, searching my face for lies. Finding none.
For a long moment, the only sound was the whisper of the trees around us. Then she exhaled shakily. "I don't know if I can handle this, Ethan. Werewolves, rogues, bonds—"
I cupped her face gently, ignoring the sting of my wounds. "You don't have to handle it alone. You have me. Always."
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and she leaned ever so slightly into my touch. "Promise me… you won't leave."
"I swear it." My voice was steady, even as my chest ached with the truth of it. "No matter what comes, I'll be by your side."
She closed her eyes, letting out a shaky breath. And in that fragile silence, I knew—I would burn kingdoms, fight gods, and tear through endless nights if it meant keeping her safe.
The bond pulsed between us, stronger than ever, as if sealing my vow.
And deep down, I knew this was only the beginning.
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✨ End of Episode 20