Chapter : Claws, Blood, No Bodies

The forest grew colder as the hours stretched on, the eerie silence broken only by the soft crunch of leaves beneath Rain's boots. His side throbbed where Althea's claws had grazed him, the wound shallow but stinging as though laced with something unnatural.

Soren kept close, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings, every muscle in his body coiled and ready. "That wasn't just a rogue," he said finally, his voice low but steady.

Rain didn't respond immediately. His mind was still replaying the fight—Althea's speed, her cryptic words, and the unsettling way she'd seemed to know him.

"You've got fire. No wonder he's so obsessed with you."

Rain clenched his jaw, his claws flexing instinctively at his sides. Whoever had sent her wasn't just targeting him—they knew about the bond. And that made this far more dangerous than he'd anticipated.

"She's working for someone," Rain said, his voice tight. "Someone who knows about the bond."

Soren's frown deepened. "Then they're not just after you. They're after Nathaniel, too."

Rain's chest tightened at the thought, his wolf snarling in frustration. "Let them have him," he muttered, though the bond pulsing faintly in his chest betrayed his words.

Soren stopped walking, his hand gripping Rain's arm. "You don't mean that."

Rain turned to face him, his silver eyes burning. "I don't care what happens to him, Soren. I just want this bond gone."

Soren's gaze didn't waver, but his expression softened. "And if it can't be broken?"

Rain's silence was answer enough.

Nathaniel stood in the center of his war room, the large oak table before him covered in maps and reports. The firelight danced across his sharp features, casting shadows that made him seem even more imposing.

Elena hovered nearby, her posture stiff as she relayed the latest updates. "Our scouts picked up traces of a skirmish near the abandoned village," she said. "Claw marks, blood—but no bodies."

Nathaniel's amber eyes darkened, his wolf stirring restlessly. "And Rain?"

Elena hesitated, her sharp gaze flicking to the mark on Nathaniel's wrist. "The bond still holds. He's alive."

Nathaniel's jaw tightened, his gaze shifting to the faint glow of the mark. He could feel Rain—faint, distant, but there. The bond was still intact, though it felt strained, as if something was interfering with its natural pull.

"Elena," Nathaniel said, his voice low and controlled. "Double the patrols. I want every inch of the northern forest monitored."

Elena inclined her head, though her expression remained cautious. "And if we find Silvano?"

Nathaniel's lips curled into a faint smirk, though his eyes burned with intensity. "Bring him to me. Alive."

Elena nodded and left the room, leaving Nathaniel alone with his thoughts.

He clenched his fist, the mark on his wrist flaring faintly as the bond pulsed again. Rain was trying to run, trying to fight. But Nathaniel knew better.

"You can't escape me, Rain," he murmured to himself, his voice quiet but resolute. "Not now. Not ever."

Rain and Soren found temporary shelter in a small cave nestled at the base of a rocky outcrop. The cold seeped into the stone, but it was safe—at least for now.

Rain leaned against the wall, his head tilted back as he closed his eyes. The bond was quieter now, its pull still present but less insistent. He hated how it felt—a constant reminder of Nathaniel, of the fire that burned between them no matter how much he tried to extinguish it.

Soren sat across from him, tending to the small fire they'd managed to build. "What are we going to do?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Rain opened his eyes, his silver gaze meeting Soren's. "We keep moving. Find the pack. Regroup."

"And Althea?" Soren pressed.

Rain's jaw tightened. "We figure out who sent her and why."

Soren nodded, though his expression remained grim. "Rain... whoever's behind this isn't just after you. They're after the bond. That means they're after both of you."

Rain's chest tightened, the weight of Soren's words pressing down on him. He didn't want to think about what that meant—what it could mean for him and Nathaniel.

Before he could respond, the bond flared sharply, a searing heat that left him breathless. Rain's hand shot to his chest, his claws digging into his shirt as he growled low in his throat.

"Rain?" Soren was on his feet in an instant, his concern evident.

"He's close," Rain muttered, his voice strained.

The cave seemed to grow smaller, the air heavier as the bond pulsed with an intensity Rain hadn't felt before. It wasn't just the usual pull—it was desperate, urgent, as if the bond itself was trying to warn him.

And then he heard it.

The soft crunch of footsteps outside the cave.

Rain was on his feet in an instant, his claws extending as he turned toward the entrance. The bond burned hot in his chest, and he knew—he knew—who it was.

Nathaniel stepped into the cave, his amber eyes glowing faintly in the firelight. His presence filled the space, commanding and overwhelming, and Rain's wolf responded instinctively, stirring with both fury and something far more dangerous.

"Found you," Nathaniel said, his voice low and steady.

Rain's growl deepened, his claws flexing. "What do you want, Castellan?"

Nathaniel stepped closer, his gaze locked onto Rain's. "You."

The word hung heavy in the air, the weight of it suffocating. Rain's chest heaved as the bond flared again, its heat searing through him like wildfire.

"You don't own me," Rain spat, his voice trembling with anger.

Nathaniel's lips curved into a faint smile, though his eyes burned with intensity. "You keep saying that. But we both know the truth."

The tension between them crackled like a storm, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved conflict. Rain's claws dug into his palms as he fought to hold onto his anger, his defiance.

But Nathaniel wasn't done.

"Something's coming, Rain," he said, his voice softer now, almost... concerned. "Something neither of us can fight alone."

Rain's silver eyes narrowed, his chest tightening. "What are you talking about?"

Nathaniel took another step closer, his amber gaze unwavering. "The bond. It's not just about us. It's bigger than that. And if we don't figure it out, it'll destroy us both."

The words sent a shiver down Rain's spine, his wolf growling low in his chest. He didn't trust Nathaniel. He didn't trust the bond.

But deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that Nathaniel was right.

To Be Continued...