Chapter Two: A Heart That Howls Back
Elara didn't remember agreeing to follow him.
One moment she was standing in the clearing, fear still trembling through her bones, and the next she was walking beside Kael through the forest like it had already decided her fate for her.
"You shouldn't be this calm," Kael said quietly.
"I'm not calm," Elara replied. "I'm terrified. I just… don't know why I trust you."
His jaw tightened. "That makes two of us."
They moved quickly, yet silently. Kael avoided certain paths, steering her away from deeper shadows where the moonlight grew sharper, more dangerous. The way he positioned himself—always half a step in front, always between her and the forest—made her chest ache in a way she didn't understand.
"How far?" she asked.
"Far enough that the pull weakens."
"Pull?" She laughed nervously. "You keep saying things like that as if this is normal."
"For my kind," he said, "it is."
They reached a small cabin hidden beneath thick oak branches. Warm light spilled from its windows, soft and golden, a sharp contrast to the silver moon above. Kael stopped abruptly.
"You stay here," he said. "Do not leave. Do not open the door for anyone but me."
Her fear flared again. "Why?"
His eyes darkened, something wild flickering beneath the surface. "Because the moon hasn't finished with me."
Before she could respond, he turned and vanished into the forest.
The howl came minutes later.
Low. Painful. Beautiful.
Elara's heart responded before her mind could. It beat faster, louder, as if calling back. She pressed a hand to her chest, breathing hard.
What is happening to me?
Inside the cabin, the air smelled of pine and smoke. Everything felt lived-in—rough wooden furniture, claw marks etched faintly into the walls, a heavy coat draped over a chair. This wasn't a monster's den.
It was a home.
Another howl echoed, closer this time.
Elara squeezed her eyes shut, images flashing through her mind—golden eyes, moonlit skin, hands that looked strong enough to break her yet gentle enough to protect her.
Her knees weakened.
When the door finally opened, she gasped.
Kael stood there breathing hard, his shirt torn, skin heated like fire. His eyes glowed brighter now, silver threaded with gold, raw emotion laid bare.
"You should be afraid of me," he said hoarsely.
She swallowed. "Then why aren't I?"
He stepped closer, stopping just inches away. The air between them crackled, heavy with something unspoken.
"Because the bond has begun," he whispered.
Her breath caught. "What bond?"
Kael raised his hand but stopped before touching her cheek, as if afraid of what would happen if he did.
"The one that ties your heart to mine," he said.
"The one the moon chooses only once in a lifetime."
Elara's pulse raced. "And if I don't want it?"
Pain flickered across his face. "Then I will spend the rest of my life fighting myself… so you can live yours."
Silence stretched between them.
Slowly, deliberately, Elara closed the distance and took his hand.
"Then stop fighting," she said softly.
"Because my heart already knows yours."
The moon outside shone brighter.
And somewhere deep within the forest, the pack felt it.
The bond had awakened.
The forest answered the bond before dawn.
Elara woke with a sharp intake of breath, her heart racing as if it had been running without her. The cabin was quiet, lit only by dying embers in the hearth. Yet she felt watched—not by eyes, but by something deeper, older.
She wasn't alone anymore.
Kael stood near the window, back rigid, shoulders tense. He hadn't slept. She knew that without asking.
"They know," he said.
Her voice came out small. "Who?"
"The pack."
He turned to face her, and the softness she'd seen the night before was gone. In its place stood an alpha forged by responsibility and fear.
"The bond sent a signal," Kael continued. "Every wolf within miles felt it awaken."
Elara sat up, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "So… what happens now?"
Kael hesitated. "They'll come."
As if summoned by his words, a low howl rose from the forest—answered by another, and another. The sound crawled beneath her skin, not frightening this time, but recognizing.
Her chest warmed.
Kael noticed. His eyes darkened. "You feel it."
"I don't understand it," she admitted. "But it feels like… home."
The word hit him like a wound.
"They won't see it that way," he said. "To them, you're human. Fragile. A liability."
The cabin door creaked.
Elara's breath caught.
A woman stepped inside, tall and sharp-eyed, her dark hair braided tightly down her back. Her presence filled the room with controlled power.
"Alpha," she said, bowing her head slightly to Kael before her gaze slid to Elara. Cold. Assessing.
"So this is her."
Kael moved instantly, placing himself between them. "Lyra, don't."
Lyra's brow arched. "The bond is real, then."
Elara forced herself to speak. "I'm not your enemy."
Lyra studied her longer this time, nostrils flaring slightly as if scenting the truth. "No," she said slowly. "But you are dangerous."
"Enough," Kael snapped. "She's under my protection."
Murmurs echoed from outside—shadows shifting, wolves watching from the treeline.
Lyra crossed her arms. "The council will demand answers. Human mates bring weakness. History has proven that."
Kael's voice dropped, iron-hard. "History has proven we survive because of love, not fear."
Silence fell.
Elara stood, legs trembling but steady. "If I'm a threat," she said quietly, "then teach me how not to be."
Every eye turned to her.
Kael stared at her like she'd just rewritten the rules of the world.
Lyra exhaled sharply. "You'd submit to the pack?"
"I'd fight for the man I'm bonded to," Elara said, meeting Kael's gaze. "Even if I don't understand why."
Something ancient shifted in the air.
Lyra stepped back, a flicker of respect replacing her coldness. "Then the trials will decide."
Elara blinked. "Trials?"
Kael's hand closed around hers, firm and warm. "I won't let them hurt you."
Lyra turned toward the door. "The moon will judge her worth."
The words echoed like a sentence.
As the pack gathered outside, Elara squeezed Kael's hand, fear and determination tangling in her chest.
"Whatever happens," she whispered, "I choose you."
Kael leaned down, forehead resting against hers.
"And I will choose you," he said softly,
"even if the pack turns against us."
Beyond the cabin, the wolves lifted their heads as one.
The trials had begun.