Chapter : She Is Here

The fire crackled in the center of the camp, its flames casting flickering shadows on the worn-out wooden table. The scent of burning embers mixed with the lingering traces of blood and damp earth, creating a suffocating atmosphere.

Rain sat across from Nathaniel, his fingers curling around a steaming cup of herbal tea one of the pack healers had forced upon him. His body was still recovering from the fight, from the relentless pull of the bond, from the weight of Lucian's cryptic words.

Althea.

The name felt like a whisper in the dark, an unseen force wrapping itself around his throat.

Nathaniel was silent, his golden eyes unreadable as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. He hadn't spoken much since Lucian disappeared, and the tension in the air was thick enough to choke on.

"You're thinking too much," Nathaniel finally murmured, his gaze locked onto the flames.

Rain exhaled, his grip tightening on the cup. "You're not thinking enough."

Nathaniel's lips curled slightly, but there was no humor in it. "What is there to think about? We find her. We get answers. We end this."

Rain scoffed. "And you think it'll be that easy?"

Nathaniel's golden eyes flicked to him, and for a moment, Rain saw something flicker behind them—something dark, something hungry.

"No," Nathaniel admitted. "But I don't intend to wait around and let fate decide for me."

Rain looked away, his pulse quickening at the intensity in Nathaniel's voice. The heat of the fire did nothing to battle the cold settling in his bones.

"Lucian was right about one thing," Rain said quietly. "This bond… it's not normal."

Nathaniel was silent for a moment before leaning forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Tell me what you feel."

Rain hesitated. He didn't want to say it out loud—didn't want to give it power. But under Nathaniel's unrelenting gaze, he had no choice.

"It's like something inside me is changing," Rain admitted. "Not just the pull toward you… but toward something else. Something bigger than us."

Nathaniel didn't move, his expression unreadable.

Rain swallowed hard. "And the heat—it's getting worse."

Nathaniel's fingers twitched, the only sign of his reaction.

Rain didn't have to explain what he meant. They both felt it. The way their bodies craved each other. The way the bond twisted and turned, demanding, needing.

Nathaniel's jaw clenched. "You're fighting it."

"Of course, I am," Rain snapped. "I don't want to lose myself in this."

Nathaniel studied him for a long moment before exhaling sharply. "Then we have no choice. We find Althea before it's too late."

Before Rain could respond, a sudden gust of wind swept through the camp, extinguishing the fire in an instant. The darkness closed in around them, and a shiver ran down Rain's spine.

Nathaniel was on his feet in a blink, his aura crackling with raw power.

"She's here," he murmured.

A soft chuckle echoed from the shadows.

"Smart boy," a voice whispered.

And then, she stepped forward.

Althea.

Her presence was like ice, freezing the air around them. She was tall, draped in black, her silver hair cascading down her back like liquid moonlight. Her eyes—deep and knowing—locked onto Rain first, then Nathaniel.

"You shouldn't have come looking for me," she said softly.

Nathaniel growled, stepping forward. "We didn't. You came to us."

Althea's lips curled. "Because I have no choice. The Blood Moon has chosen you both, and now the game has begun."

Rain felt his throat tighten. "What do you mean game?"

Althea's gaze darkened.

"The bond isn't what you think," she said. "It's not just fate. It's a curse. And if you don't break it in time…" She trailed off, her fingers lifting as if tracing something invisible in the air.

Rain's breath hitched as something burned beneath his skin, the bond reacting violently to her presence.

Nathaniel tensed, his canines elongating.

Althea smiled.

"…you'll destroy each other."

And just like that, everything changed.

To be continued...