Chapter 9: Bound by Fire

The stream's icy water bit at Elara's knees as she knelt beside Kael, her hands trembling as she pressed the torn sleeve against his thigh. Blood seeped through the fabric, dark and sluggish, but the gash was clotting, his werewolf healing kicking in despite the exhaustion etched into his face. The night was still, the howls of the Silver Claws silenced—for now—but the air thrummed with tension, the moon's gibbous glare casting silver ripples across the water. Her coat was soaked, her glasses fogged, but she barely noticed, her focus locked on him—his ragged breaths, his golden eyes flickering with pain and relief."You're a mess," she said, voice shaky but firm, forcing a smile as she wiped blood from his cheek with her sleeve. His skin was hot under her touch, feverish, the sweat beading on his brow glinting in the moonlight."Says the one who got kidnapped," he rasped, a faint grin tugging at his lips. He caught her wrist, his grip weak but steady, and pulled her hand to his chest, where his heart thudded hard against her palm. "Told you I'd come.""Yeah, you did." She leaned closer, her forehead brushing his, the contact grounding her after the terror of the camp. His scent—pine, blood, something wild and alive—filled her lungs, chasing away the memory of Sylva's cold smirk, the knife on her skin. "Don't scare me like that again.""No promises." His voice was rough, strained, but his eyes held hers, fierce and unguarded, a promise deeper than words. He shifted, wincing, and tried to stand, but his leg buckled, forcing him back to the bank with a grunt."Stop it," she snapped, pushing him down, her hands on his shoulders. "You're not moving until I say so. Let me finish."He growled, low and frustrated, but relented, sinking back against the mossy earth. She worked fast, peeling the soaked fabric from his thigh, her fingers brushing the hard muscle beneath. The gash was deep, jagged from a claw, but the bleeding had slowed, the edges knitting under the moon's light. She grabbed her bag—miraculously still with her—and dug out the first-aid kit, threading a needle with practiced hands. "This'll hurt," she warned, sterilizing it with an alcohol wipe."Do it," he said, jaw tight, his gaze never leaving her face.She stitched, her movements steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through her. He hissed, claws digging into the dirt, but didn't flinch, his trust in her absolute. The needle pierced, pulled, knotted—each stitch a small victory, binding him together as surely as he'd bound himself to her. When she finished, tying off the thread, she sat back, wiping her hands on her jeans, her breath ragged from the effort."Done," she said, meeting his eyes. "Try not to rip it open this time."He nodded, a flicker of amusement in his gaze. "No guarantees." He sat up, slower this time, testing his leg, and she moved to help, her arm sliding under his. "We need cover," he said, scanning the trees. "They'll track us.""There." She pointed to a thicket across the stream, a tangle of pines and underbrush shielding a hollow in the bank. "It's not much, but it'll hide us.""Good enough." He leaned on her, his weight heavy but manageable, and they waded through the stream, the cold numbing her legs. The hollow was tight, barely big enough for two, but dry, the earth soft with pine needles. They collapsed inside, Kael pulling her close, his arm around her shoulders as they caught their breath.The silence settled, broken only by the stream's murmur and the distant rustle of leaves. Elara's pulse slowed, the adrenaline fading into a bone-deep exhaustion, but her mind buzzed—Sylva's words, the cut on her arm, the heat under her skin when the moon hit it. She pulled off her glasses, rubbing her eyes, and felt Kael's gaze on her, steady, searching."You're hurt," he said, voice low, his hand brushing her arm where the Silver Claws had sliced her. The cut was shallow, scabbed over, but his touch lingered, gentle yet possessive."It's nothing," she said, but her voice faltered as he lifted her arm, inspecting it in the moonlight. The scab glowed faintly, a silver shimmer that made her stomach lurch."Not nothing," he growled, his thumb tracing the edge, sending a jolt through her. "Starborn. They saw it too.""Yeah." She swallowed, the weight of it sinking in. "They wanted my blood—said it's the key. To what, I don't know.""To everything." He released her arm, but didn't pull away, his hand resting on her knee, warm through her damp jeans. "The Covenant, the moon, Darius—they'll kill for it. I won't let them.""I know." She met his eyes, the gold in them molten, alive with something that made her chest tighten—fear, yes, but desire too, raw and unbidden. "You almost died back there. For me.""Worth it," he said, simple, fierce, and the words hit her like a punch. He shifted closer, his thigh pressing against hers, the heat of him seeping through her clothes. "You're worth it, Elara."Her breath caught, his nearness overwhelming—his scars, his strength, the way he looked at her like she was the only thing in the world. "Kael," she whispered, her hand finding his chest, fingers curling into his torn shirt. "What are we doing?""Surviving," he murmured, but his voice dropped, rough with need. "And… this."He moved first, or maybe she did—she'd never be sure—but his lips crashed into hers, hot and desperate, a collision of pent-up fear and longing. She gasped against him, her hands sliding up his chest, gripping his shoulders as he pulled her tighter, his arm banding around her waist. The kiss was fierce, all teeth and hunger, tasting of blood and sweat and the wildness that defined him. Her fingers dug into his skin, anchoring her as the world tilted, the stream and the wolves and the moon fading to nothing but him."Elara," he growled into her mouth, breaking the kiss just enough to breathe, his forehead pressed to hers. "Tell me to stop.""No," she said, voice trembling but sure, her hands tugging him back. "Don't you dare."He groaned, a sound that vibrated through her, and kissed her again—deeper, slower, his tongue sweeping against hers, claiming her in a way that made her core ache. His hands roamed, rough palms sliding under her coat, finding the curve of her hips, the dip of her spine. She arched into him, her body responding before her mind caught up, heat pooling low as he pressed her against the hollow's wall, the earth cool at her back."Kael," she panted, breaking away, her lips swollen, her glasses fogged on the ground where they'd fallen. "We're hurt, we're running—""I know," he rasped, his hand cupping her face, thumb brushing her cheek. "But I need you. Been needing you since I saw you."The confession stripped her bare, and she nodded, breathless, pulling him down. "Me too."He stripped her coat off, tossing it aside, his hands deft despite the stitches, the bruises. Her shirt followed, damp and clinging, leaving her in a bra and jeans, the night air raising goosebumps on her skin. He paused, eyes raking over her—hungry, reverent—and she shivered, not from cold but from the weight of his gaze. "Beautiful," he murmured, voice thick, and leaned in, kissing her neck, his teeth grazing the pulse there.She moaned, soft and unbidden, her hands fumbling with his shirt, tearing it over his head. His chest was a map of scars, muscle taut under her fingers, and she traced them, learning him as he learned her. His mouth moved lower, lips and tongue teasing her collarbone, then down, nipping at the edge of her bra. She arched, heat flooding her, and he growled, unhooking it with a flick, freeing her to his touch.His hands found her breasts, rough but gentle, thumbs circling her nipples until they hardened, a jolt of pleasure shooting through her. She gasped, clutching his hair—black, wild, damp with sweat—and pulled him closer, needing more. He obliged, mouth closing over one peak, sucking hard, his tongue swirling as she writhed against him, the ache between her legs growing unbearable."Kael," she pleaded, voice breaking, her hands sliding down his back, nails digging into his scars. He groaned, lifting his head, kissing her again—messy, urgent—as his fingers worked her jeans, unzipping them, tugging them down with her underwear in one rough pull. The air hit her bare skin, but his heat chased it away, his body a furnace as he settled between her thighs."You sure?" he asked, voice strained, his hand cupping her, fingers brushing where she ached most. She was wet, slick with want, and his touch sent a shudder through her, her hips bucking."Yes," she breathed, nodding, her hands gripping his shoulders. "Please."He didn't hesitate, shedding his jeans—torn, bloodied—his cock springing free, thick and hard, a testament to the need he'd held back. She stared, a flush creeping up her chest, and he smirked, feral and tender all at once. "Like what you see?""Shut up," she laughed, pulling him down, and he kissed her, deep and consuming, as he positioned himself. The first press was slow, deliberate, stretching her, filling her with a burn that edged into pleasure. She gasped, clinging to him, her legs wrapping around his hips as he sank deeper, inch by inch, until he was fully inside, their bodies locked together."Fuck," he groaned, forehead to hers, his breath ragged. "You feel… so good.""So do you," she whispered, rocking against him, urging him to move. He did—slow at first, a rhythm that built, his thrusts steady, powerful, each one driving her higher. The hollow filled with their sounds—her moans, his growls, the slap of skin on skin as he took her, claimed her, the mate bond flaring between them like a supernova.Her hands roamed his back, nails raking, and he growled, picking up pace, his hips slamming into hers with a primal edge. She met him, thrust for thrust, the tension coiling tight, her climax building fast—too fast, too much. "Kael," she cried, voice breaking, and he shifted, angling deeper, his hand slipping between them to circle her clit, rough and perfect."Come for me," he rasped, teeth grazing her neck, and she shattered—pleasure exploding, white-hot, her body clenching around him as she screamed his name. He followed, a guttural roar tearing from his throat, his release pulsing inside her, hot and fierce, binding them in a way words couldn't touch.They stilled, panting, tangled together, his weight pressing her into the earth. He kissed her—soft now, reverent—his lips lingering on hers, her jaw, her throat. "Mine," he murmured, a possessive edge to the word that thrilled her."Yours," she agreed, breathless, her hands in his hair, holding him close. The bond pulsed, real and alive, a thread she couldn't deny.A howl pierced the night, sharp and close, and Kael tensed, lifting his head. "They're back," he said, voice hard, pulling out with a wince. "We need to go."She nodded, dazed, scrambling for her clothes as he dressed, the urgency snapping her back to reality. They slipped from the hollow, hand in hand, the stream masking their scent as they ran—bodies sated, hearts racing, the moon their witness. The wolves were coming, but they'd face them together, stronger now, forged in fire and flesh.