Eden
Cassian stood before me, his intense gaze locking onto mine, and my pulse quickened. I had been bracing for this moment, knowing the conversation about the mate bond was inevitable. The weight of his presence filled the room, but before he could say more, a voice from behind us interrupted our intense moment just by staring. That interaction alone already terrifies me with how much of an effect he had on me.
"Alpha!" one of the pack members called out, and I turned to see a group gathering, eager to discuss the situation. Cassian's expression flickered with annoyance, his eyes briefly darting toward me before he sighed and nodded toward them.
I exhaled softly, relieved but also torn. This moment was supposed to be about us—about figuring out what the bond between us meant. Reject me if he wants now and for all. But now, with the attention of the pack weighing on him, Cassian had to attend to his duties. A small part of me was grateful for the interruption; it allowed me to slip away unnoticed, to avoid the overwhelming pressure of being confronted about our bond.
As the pack members huddled around him, I took a small step back, then another, until I found myself at the edge of the room. My heart pounded in my chest, and without waiting any longer, I turned and slipped out of the meeting hall.
Once outside, I inhaled deeply, the cool air filling my lungs. The tension inside me loosened slightly, but the unease from the night before remained. I walked briskly, my feet instinctively leading me toward the forest. The trees had always been a place of solace, where I could think without the weight of the pack's expectations hanging over me.
The scent of pine and damp earth filled the air as I wandered deeper into the forest, seeking solace among the ancient trees that had always been my sanctuary. The meeting with Cassian had left my mind reeling, and I needed the calm embrace of nature to sort through my thoughts.
I wandered deeper into the woods, the familiar sounds of rustling leaves and chirping birds soothing my nerves. My thoughts turned to Elvion, the forest elf who had often appeared when I needed advice or companionship. He was one of the few beings I felt truly understood me, even though no one else could see him. Probably also because he's the only one I really talked to. Aunt Mira thought I was losing it when I told her I could see a tiny person back when I was a kid. The memory makes me smile.
"Elvion?" I called softly, my voice barely above a whisper. I waited for a response, for his usual light footsteps to approach, but there was nothing. Just the steady hum of the forest around me.
I sighed, disappointment settling in my chest as I realized he wasn't coming today. It was odd for him not to show up when I called—he usually sensed when I needed him. Lately, everything has been strange, so who am I to expect him to show up? If the forest energy feels off, he and his family suffer from it. I just hope I could help. Earth elves only gain their magic through the power of a happy forest.
I found a soft patch of grass and sat down, pulling my knees to my chest as I watched the clouds drift lazily across the sky. The world seemed so peaceful, so calm, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something dark was lurking just beyond the edges of this tranquility. I put my hands flat on the ground and closed my eyes, trying to channel the forest spirits, the energy, the elves, the gnomes, anything at all. The tree spirits once helped me find my way home back when I was a kid and lost my way from home. Back then, I didn't know that not everyone could hear them; I always thought it was the same for everyone. It turns out only I in our pack could do that.
Well, the forest spirits are more at peace today than yesterday. Emrys, my wolf, commented. Yeah, they don't seem to be in turmoil today. I told her. My wolf, Emrys, although she's a werewolf, has always been receptive to being half fae, and I guess she didn't have a problem dealing with it because forest faes are known to be able to communicate with animals. Sometimes it frustrates her too that we can't unlock the full potential of being a fae and I guess, since I'm only half, I wouldn't have the full magic force.
You're the one who's in turmoil today, She says with a smirk, and I roll my eyes and retreat my hands to my lap. I sighed.
My mind drifted to Cassian. The bond. My heart seemed to race whenever he was near, and I felt there was not enough air to breathe. It scared me. I tried to push those thoughts away, but they kept returning, relentless and demanding. Why does this have to be so complicated? Why couldn't I have gotten a less influential mate? Having an alpha for a mate bothers me because nobody even pays attention to me that much in the pack alone. How can I be a reflection of the pack's heart and be their spiritual leader? How can I reflect calmness and wisdom when I am anything but calm right now? I can't even influence Emrys to listen to me sometimes. How will I convince a whole bunch of werewolves to listen to me?
Hey! Watch what you're saying about me Emrys groans and I chuckle. I guess you can say I have four friends. Emrys, Leo, Aunt Mira, and Elvion! Woohoo! What a party I have over here.
Suddenly, a familiar scent filled the air—pine, earthy and rich. I sat up, my heart skipping a beat. I didn't need to look to know who it was.
Cassian is the only one who can fill my nostrils with his scent.
I turned my head slowly, and there he was, walking to sit beside me on the grass. His presence, though silent, was impossible to ignore. You know what, I'll face this now so that when he wants to reject me, it will be done and over with. Emrys whimpers at the thought of that.
"You're hard to follow," Cassian said softly, his voice a low rumble, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone. He didn't look at me, his eyes fixed on the forest ahead. The soft light filtering through the trees cast shadows across his face, making him look both fierce and strangely at peace.
"I needed space," I replied quietly, glancing at him before quickly looking away. The weight of the bond between us was suffocating, and I wasn't sure how to handle it. But I also couldn't deny the comfort his presence brought, even if I wasn't ready to admit it.
"I get that," he said, his voice softer now. "But we need to talk, Eden. About this." His hand gestured slightly between us, indicating the invisible thread that tied us together—the mate bond.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "I know. It's just… this is a lot to take in. And everything is happening so fast. If you want to reject me, you can reject me now. I won't mind. I'll understand."
Cassian turned to look at me, he frowned at me upon hearing that, but then his gaze softened. "I'm not here to reject you, Eden. We can take it slow. I'm not here to force anything on you. But we can't ignore what's happening between us." He sits beside me, and he never broke his gaze on me.
I'm confused. Didn't he want to reject me? But why? Because you're the only one overthinking this, silly Emrys muses.
I nodded, grateful for his understanding. "Slow sounds good. I need time to process this. But can I know why? Why do you want to keep me?"
He smiled a bit, his eyes thoughtful. "I've always known about you, you know. Since we were kids."
I blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Cassian smiled slightly, a hint of nostalgia in his expression. "You were always there, in the background. Following Leo or Aunt Mira around. Quiet, buried in your books, or observe and keep to yourself. You never really joined in with the others, and I didn't know how to approach you. You seemed… closed off. Lost in your world, which made me curious about you a little bit."
I felt a warmth spread through my chest, a strange mix of embarrassment and comfort. "I didn't think anyone noticed me."
"I noticed," he said quietly. "I just didn't know how to reach out. You seemed so distant, always reading about things no one else cared about—werewolf history, fae lore, rogues…"
I looked down at the ground, my fingers tracing the patterns in the grass. Those things interested me because they're a part of me. The fae blood… it's always made me feel different. Like I didn't quite belong. Not fae enough to join the fae crowd or werewolf enough to be a werewolf. But I didn't tell him that; I'm not sure if his dad endorsed my case, but it's safer to keep it to myself for now.
I looked at him. "Well, I always noticed you too… Kind of hard not to," I replied embarrassedly when I realized what it sounded like, so my hands traced patterns on the grass anxiously. Cassian smirked and gazed back at me. "That makes me happy, Eden," He said, his smirk widening into a smile, and for a moment, we were just both staring at each other.
My breath hitched as I found myself lost in the dark green of Cassian's eyes. They reminded me of the forest after a storm, alive with untamed energy and secrets I couldn't begin to understand. I love the forest after a storm and the moon goddess gave me the personified version of it to love. The peace that comes after the chaos is addicting. Just as he was, his gaze held me, pulling me in with an intensity that made my heart race. It was as if the very soul of the wild was staring back at me, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to run or fall deeper.
We were silent for a moment until I coughed and looked away. Is this what the mate bond would always feel like? This is all-consuming. His presence was already consuming me in ways I didn't know was possible.
"Mira mentioned that you saw red eyes last night… are you sure about that? Mira said she didn't see it," He says, breaking the silence.
I tensed at the memory, my heart picking up pace. I did mention the red eyes I saw last night to Mira over breakfast. I'm not sure if it was a fae since it didn't make sense for Mira not to notice it. She was more werewolf than I was. "Yeah, I tried to chase it, and I thought Mira saw it too, but I guess not. She only heard it. and the forest….it has felt off for a while now…" I trailed off, struggling to find the words to further describe what we saw or heard without revealing my fae lineage.
Cassian looked at me, curiosity and amazement flickering in his eyes. "You can sense that? The energy of the forest?"
I hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much about my fae heritage. "I have my ways."
He studied me for a long moment, his gaze thoughtful. "You're full of surprises, Eden. I can't wait to see more."
I smiled faintly, feeling a small weight lift off my shoulders. There was still so much left unsaid, so many questions that neither of us had answers to. But for the first time, I didn't feel utterly alone in this. Cassian wasn't just the alpha, the leader of the pack. He was someone who was trying to understand me, someone who was willing to go slow to figure things out together.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the soft rustling of the leaves. "For what?" He asks.
"For not rejecting me. For trying to get to know me," I mumbled. I was shy about admitting it, but this bond did bring me comfort. It was my anxiety over the reputations and responsibilities that shrouded me with doubts. His reputation for being intimidating and scary always preceded me, but now, it was different. I saw him in a different light.
Cassian gave me a small, reassuring smile. "We'll take this one step at a time. Together."
And for the first time since the bond was revealed, I felt less afraid of what lay ahead.
As the sun dipped lower, casting a golden hue over the forest, we sat in companionable silence, gazing at each other and watching the world behind us settle into the peaceful embrace of twilight. And in that moment, amid the whispers of the leaves and the gentle rustling of branches, I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, I wasn't facing them alone.