Chapter 10: Echoes of the Bond

The forest swallowed them as they ran, the stream's icy grip fading into the crunch of pine needles underfoot. Elara's legs burned, her jeans clinging damply to her thighs, but the ache between them—raw, delicious, a reminder of Kael's touch—kept her moving, a strange fuel amid the fear. His hand gripped hers, firm and unyielding, guiding her through the tangled underbrush, his breaths steady despite the blood still crusting his skin. The moon hung above, gibbous and watchful, its silver light threading through the canopy to paint their path in shifting shadows.The howls were behind them now, a jagged chorus that rose and fell, too close for comfort but not yet upon them. Kael's pace didn't falter, his senses honed to every snap and rustle, his body a coiled spring ready to unleash the wolf if needed. Elara matched him, her bag bouncing against her hip, the Lunar Covenant and her laptop a lifeline she wouldn't abandon—not after what they'd cost, not after what they meant."Faster," he growled, tugging her left, toward a rise where the trees thinned. "They're splitting up—flanking us.""How do you know?" she panted, her glasses slipping down her nose, fogged from sweat and the night's chill."Scent. Sound." He glanced back, golden eyes glinting, fierce with focus. "Trust me.""I do," she said, the words slipping out, simple and true. She pushed harder, ignoring the stitch in her side, the memory of his body on hers—of his groans, his heat—flashing through her mind. It wasn't just survival driving her now; it was him, the bond they'd sealed, a tether she felt in her bones.They crested the rise, a rocky outcrop jutting over a ravine, the stream a silver thread far below. Kael stopped, pulling her behind a boulder, his arm around her waist as he pressed them both low. "Quiet," he whispered, his breath hot against her ear, stirring the embers of desire still smoldering in her gut. She nodded, heart hammering, and peered through a crack in the rock.Below, wolves prowled—six, maybe seven, their gray fur blending with the shadows, their movements silent, deliberate. Not Silver Claws, she realized, noting the lack of shimmer; these were Darius's scouts, leaner, meaner, their yellow eyes scanning the ridge. One paused, sniffing the air, head tilting toward their hiding spot, and Elara's stomach clenched."They'll find us," she whispered, her hand tightening on his arm, feeling the tension in his muscles."Not if I can help it." Kael's voice was a low rumble, his claws flexing, but he didn't shift—not yet. "We need a distraction."She fumbled in her bag, pulling out a flare from the first-aid kit—a slim, red tube she'd grabbed on instinct. "This?"He grinned, sharp and approving. "Perfect. Light it, throw it right—down the ravine."She nodded, striking the flare against its cap. It hissed to life, a blinding red glow spitting sparks, and she hurled it with all her strength, the arc sailing over the edge. It bounced, clattering against rocks, and exploded into a fireball, illuminating the ravine in crimson. The wolves whirled, snarling, and bolted toward it, their howls rising in confusion."Go," Kael said, pulling her up, and they ran again, veering west along the ridge, the flare's light fading behind them. The forest thickened, pines giving way to oaks, their branches clawing at her coat, but the howls grew distant, the distraction holding—for now.They didn't stop until the ridge dipped into a hollow, a natural basin shielded by overhanging roots and moss. Kael slowed, releasing her hand, and sank against a tree, his chest heaving, blood seeping through the stitches on his thigh. Elara dropped beside him, her bag thudding to the ground, and pressed a hand to his shoulder, steadying him. "You okay?" she asked, voice soft, urgent."Been better," he grunted, but his eyes met hers, warm despite the pain. "You?""Alive." She smiled, shaky but real, and brushed his hair back, her fingers lingering on his sweat-damp skin. "Thanks to you."He caught her hand, pressing it to his cheek, his stubble rough against her palm. "And you. That flare—smart.""Had to be." She shifted closer, her knee brushing his, the heat between them flaring despite the exhaustion. "Kael… what we did back there—""I know," he cut in, voice low, rough with something deeper than fatigue. "The bond. You felt it.""Yeah." She swallowed, her throat tight, the memory of his body inside hers—of the raw, primal connection—flooding back. "It's real, isn't it? Not just… us."He nodded, slow, deliberate. "It's the mate bond. Wolves feel it—know it—when it hits. I didn't think… not with a human. Not with you.""But it's there," she said, her hand sliding to his chest, feeling his heartbeat, strong and steady. "I felt it too. When you—when we—""Fucked," he finished, a grin tugging at his lips, feral and tender. "Yeah. It's stronger now. Ties us.""Ties us," she echoed, the weight of it sinking in. She should've been scared—logic demanded it—but all she felt was him, the pull of him, a gravity she couldn't escape. "What does it mean?""Means you're mine," he said, simple, fierce, his hand cupping her face, thumb tracing her jaw. "And I'm yours. For good."Her breath hitched, desire and fear tangling in her chest. "For good," she murmured, leaning into his touch, her lips brushing his palm. "I don't even know what that looks like.""Me neither." He pulled her closer, forehead to hers, his breath warm on her face. "But we'll figure it out. Together."She nodded, a tear slipping free—relief, maybe, or something bigger—and he kissed it away, his lips soft, reverent. The kiss deepened, slow and searching, a contrast to the urgency by the stream, and she melted into him, her hands roaming his chest, tracing scars, memorizing him. His growl vibrated against her, a sound of need held in check, and she pulled back, breathless, resting her head on his shoulder."We can't stay here," she said, voice unsteady, the reality of their flight crashing back."No," he agreed, shifting to stand, wincing as his leg protested. "But we rest a minute. Catch our breath."She helped him up, his arm around her shoulders, and they settled against the tree, her body tucked against his side. The hollow was quiet, the moon's light filtering through the roots, and she pulled out her notebook, flipping to the Lunar Covenant. "I need to understand this," she said, her scientist's mind kicking in. "The starborn thing—Sylva said my blood's the key. It glowed, Kael. Under the moon."He frowned, peering at the cut on her arm—faintly silver, even now. "Showed when I was near," he said, voice thoughtful. "The bond—it's amplifying it.""Amplifying," she repeated, scribbling notes. "Like a catalyst. If I'm starborn, and you're my… mate, maybe it's us together that matters.""Us." He tested the word, a flicker of wonder in his eyes. "What's the text say?"She traced the runes, her pencil scratching. " 'The starborn blood, joined with the wolf's soul, shall wield the moon's will.' It's vague, but it's us—has to be. A power, maybe, tied to the anomaly.""Power Darius wants," he growled, his hand tightening on her knee. "Or Sylva. They'll come harder now.""Then we use it first." She closed the notebook, determination hardening her voice. "We figure out what I can do—what we can do."He nodded, pride flashing in his gaze, but a rustle snapped his head up, his body tensing. "Wolves," he whispered, pulling her to her feet. "Not close, but moving.""How far?" She grabbed her bag, adrenaline spiking."Mile, maybe less." He sniffed the air, eyes narrowing. "Wind's with us—hides our scent. We go south, double back. Lose them.""South," she agreed, falling into step as he led, his limp easing with each stride. The forest thickened, the moon dipping behind clouds, cloaking them in shadow. They moved fast, silent, her hand in his, the bond a steady pulse between them—stronger now, a lifeline in the dark.Hours bled into the night, the howls fading, then rising again, a game of cat and mouse they couldn't shake. Kael's strength flagged, his breaths growing ragged, and Elara's legs screamed, but they pushed on, finding a hollowed log near a rise—a temporary refuge. They crawled inside, the wood damp and tight, their bodies pressed together, his arm around her waist."Rest," he murmured, his lips brushing her temple, a quiet intimacy amid the chaos. "I'll watch.""No," she said, turning in his arms, her face inches from his. "We rest together. Just for a bit."He hesitated, then nodded, pulling her closer, her head on his chest. His heartbeat thumped under her ear, a rhythm that lulled her, and she felt it—the bond, warm and alive, threading through her like starlight. Her hand rested on his stomach, fingers tracing the hard planes, and he tensed, a low growl rumbling in his throat."Careful," he warned, voice thick, his hand catching hers. "You'll start something.""Maybe I want to," she teased, half-serious, the heat of him stirring her despite the danger."Later," he promised, kissing her forehead, his restraint a palpable thing. "When we're safe.""Deal." She smiled, settling against him, and closed her eyes, the bond wrapping around them like a shield. The wolves were out there, the moon shifting, the world closing in—but here, in this cramped, fleeting sanctuary, they were enough.A howl broke the quiet, sharp and close, and Kael's eyes snapped open, golden and fierce. "Time's up," he said, pulling her out, the hunt resuming with merciless speed.