A Development in Relationship 

"Stop dragging Luca! "I staggered to a stop yanking my arm away from his hold. My legs burning from the constant pace he had set throughout the woodland, my chest heaved as I gathered my breath.

Luca fired back, staring at me and said, "If I stop, we die." Though he was frustrated, his keen grey eyes revealed another layer: fear.

"No one is chasing us right now," I answered, pointing to the quiet all around. "We need a minute. You cannot just "

"Aria, this forest doesn't play fair," he said, his voice down now, almost begging. "It will take advantage of you if you stop looking over your shoulder even a second."

I did not reply immediately away. He was correct—we had already seen enough to know that the hazards of the forest extended beyond just physical ones. But his concern for me startled me; it was not his dread of the jungle.

We came onto a little clearing where the crescent moon's weak light filtered through the trees. Here the air was cooler, quieter, and for the first time in what seemed like hours I let myself breathe.

"Are you good? "Luca sat down next to me and asked.

Admitting to have been better, I leant back against a fallen log. "You? „

He gave out a worn-out laugh. "I believe my list of regrets is expanding minute by minute.

"Is that how you would describe your regretful bringing me along? I arched an eyebrow and inquired.

He turned to glance at me, his face softening. Not sure. If anything, our only reason we have made it this far is you.

Blinking at his candor, I was startled. "That's.... not what you would have said.

"Don't let it go to your head," he advised, somewhat smirky. But his eyes stayed on me for a bit more, and I felt a warmth in my chest unrelated to the link.

I took out the pendant while we reclined, its weak glimmer highlighting the complex crescent pattern. As if in reaction to its existence, the mark on my wrist still tingled slightly.

"What do you suppose this suggests? I held it up to the moonlight and asked.

Luca scowled and inspected it, his grey eyes narrowing. "All linked is the pendant, the connection, the hardships. But we merely uncover additional questions every time we believe we are approaching the solutions.

"Do you often consider what the link really is?I asked softly.

He nodded after pausing. "Yeah. all the time.

Then?''

Furthermore... I find it frightening, he said. His candor surprised me once again, but before I could react he said, "It's not only about what it means for me, or the pack." It relates to you.

Me, then?""

He nodded with a firm look. "My whole life I have been working to defend the pack and show I am powerful enough to command. Now, however, with this relationship, it is different. You stand distinct.

I choked hard, his words weighing me down. "What if we fall short of expectations?"'

Then we work things out, he said simply.

Though shaky, his assurance offered me a shard of hope. I felt not quite alone in it, for the first time since the link had surfaced.

Not done with us was the forest. The air around us changed and became thicker as we were ready to continue on. The shadows appeared to reach for us, and in the distance a deep, guttural scream rang.

Luca murmured, his voice tight, "Stay close."

"Like I have a choice," I said, although my heart was hammering.

The roar returned, nearer this time, and in the darkness two brilliant eyes emerged. Massive and with glittering silver fur in the moonlight, the wolf that entered the clearing was This one, however, did not attack unlike the wolves we had seen previously.

It only gazed at us, its eyes shining with intelligence that made me shiver. The mark on my wrist burnt, and the pendant came alive with light lighting the whole clearing.

"The bond strengthens," a deep, resonant voice repeated in my head. Still, power devoid of faith is useless.

"What does that suggest? "My voice quivering, I questioned loudly.

The wolf replied nothing. Rather, it spun and vanished into the darkness, leaving us once again alone.

The quiet that followed was intolerable. With still-fast pulse, I glanced to Luca. "Did you find out that?"{

He nodded with a sad look. Surely. And I understand what that implies as well.

"what? "

He paused and said, "We have been so preoccupied with living that we have not been paying close attention to what really counts.

"And what's that?"

"Us," he said straightforwardly. " The link. None of this will matter if we mistrust one another or fail to cooperate.

I looked at him; his comments struck more forcefully than I had anticipated. He was correct; the link was more than simply a relationship. It was a relationship; the hardships would separate us if we cannot learn to trust one another.

Then we start immediately, I replied with great force.

His grey eyes locked with mine, and for the first time I saw a flutter of something I had never seen before: hope.

The pendant started to shine more as we continued down the road; its light warmed with each stride. The air around us seemed different—calmer but still packed with energy.

The woods opened ahead to see a large stone archway, its surface sparkling with running letters. The symbol on my wrist blazed, and I felt an irresistible tug towards the arches that I cannot overlook.

Low in voice, Luca replied, "This is it." "the next trial."

My pulse thumping as we passed the archway together, the pendant's light guiding the road ahead, I nodded.

We would face whatever was ahead together.