Unbreakable

The morning sunlight spilled through the forest canopy, dappling the ground with patches of gold. Nova stirred, her body nestled against Kael's, the warmth of his embrace cocooning her in a way that felt both comforting and familiar. Her head rested on his chest, rising and falling with the steady rhythm of his breath.

As her eyes fluttered open, she realized he was already awake. His gaze was on her, soft and contemplative, and for a moment, she thought she might still be dreaming.

"You're awake," he said, his lips curving into a small, teasing smile. "Good morning, sunshine."

Nova blinked, confused. "Sunshine?"

Kael chuckled, the sound low and warm. "Mhm, my day begins with you." He paused, a glint in his eye, "Oh by the way, you were sawing logs all night."

She sat up abruptly, her face flushing. "Lies, I was not snoring!"

Kael raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Sure you weren't. Maybe it was a bear wandering through."

"Kael," she groaned, swatting at his arm.

His laughter faded, replaced by a quiet intensity that made her pulse quicken. He sighed, sitting up, and ran a hand through his messy hair. The mood shifted, his teasing smile slipping away as his expression darkened.

"I need to talk to you," he said, his voice low. "About last night. About us."

Nova frowned, her heart skipping a beat. "What about it?"

Kael hesitated, his jaw tightening. "I should reject the bond."

The words hit her like a physical blow, knocking the air from her lungs. "What?"

He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "You deserve better than me, Nova. I'm not the kind of person you should be tied to."

Stricken, she took pause, before saying, "Is it my age? I know I'm younger but..."

"That's not it Nova," he said frusteratedly. "I hadn't intended on telling you but...I'm an exile—a traitor by some accounts. Being bonded to me will only make your life harder."

Nova stared at him, anger and disbelief rising in equal measure. "You think you can just decide that? Like it's your choice alone?"

"It is my choice," he said, his voice sharpening. "This bond—whatever it is—it wasn't supposed to happen. I was taking you to a safe haven, a place where you could be protected. Somewhere they could teach you what you need to survive. I was going to beg them to take you in."

Her anger flared hotter. "And what? You were just going to leave me there? Pretend none of this happened? Pretend you never met me?"

"Yes," he said bluntly. "Because it's safer for you. Because if you're with me, you'll never stop running. You'll always be looking over your shoulder. You've only had a small taste of the dangers out here."

Nova's hands balled into fists. "You don't get to decide what's best for me! You don't get to throw me away because you think I can't handle your baggage!"

Kael's amber eyes narrowed. "It's not baggage, Nova. It's a death sentence. The people who are after me—they won't hesitate to use you to get to me. They don't care about bonds or fairness. If they find you with me, they'll kill you just to hurt me."

Nova stepped closer, her voice trembling with rage and something deeper, more vulnerable. "And you think that would hurt less than losing you now? That abandoning me is some kind of kindness?"

Kael opened his mouth to respond, but she didn't give him the chance. Her hand connected with his cheek in a sharp slap, the sound echoing through the quiet morning.

"You're a coward," she said, her voice breaking. "You're so afraid of losing me that you'd rather push me away first. But guess what, Kael? You don't get to make that choice for me. You don't get to decide that I'm not strong enough to stay by your side. You don't get to decide that fate was wrong to make our paths cross."

He stared at her, his hand lifting to touch his cheek where she'd struck him. For a moment, he looked completely unmoored, his usual composure shattered.

"You're important to me," Nova continued, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "More than anyone has ever been. And if you think I'm just going to walk away because you think it's safer, then you don't know me at all."

Kael's shoulders sagged, the fight draining out of him. He reached for her hesitantly, his fingers brushing against her arm. "Nova…"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I don't want to hear your excuses. If you're so determined to leave, you'll have to kill me first. Because I'm not going anywhere."

The weight of her words hung between them, and Kael felt something crack inside him. Slowly, he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her. "Why are you so stubbon," he said, his voice quiet but edged with something almost like admiration.

Nova sniffed, a small, shaky laugh escaping her. "Someone has to be."

Kael exhaled deeply, his forehead resting against hers. "You have no idea what you're signing up for."

"I don't care," she whispered. "I'm not afraid of your past. I'm afraid of losing you."

Kael closed his eyes, his grip tightening. "You're going to be the death of me."

"And you're going to be the reason I live," she shot back, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling between them.

Kael chuckled softly, his laughter fading as he pulled her into a kiss that was fierce and unrestrained, a release of everything he had been holding back. It was a kiss that spoke of longing, of hope, of a man who had spent years convinced he would never feel again. And for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, he allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't alone anymore.