The night air feels charged, as if the forest itself is holding its breath.
The moonlight casts a silvery glow over the clearing, illuminating entwined forms.
Kieran lies on his back, Ace curled into his side, his breathing soft and steady, the flush of their union still warming the air around them.
Kieran's fingers rest lightly on Ace's bare shoulder, tracing invisible patterns against the smooth skin.
His mate's scent—so raw, so undeniably his—fills his senses, intoxicating and overwhelming.
Kieran's heart pounds against his chest, now not with lust but with something deeper, something unfamiliar.
It's as though his very soul has shifted, tethering itself to Ace in ways he hadn't anticipated.
His wolf is calmer than it has ever been, no longer clawing for control but purring in satisfaction, a low hum of contentment that echoes in his mind.
And then there's the power. It courses through his veins like molten fire, an undeniable surge that makes him feel untouchable, unstoppable.
He can feel it—Ace's essence blending with his, the bond they've sealed thrumming like a living entity between them.
It's unlike anything he's ever experienced, a rush that leaves him breathless and shaken.
Ace stirs slightly, his hand clutching at Kieran's chest, a soft sigh escaping his lips.
Kieran glances down, and for a moment, he allows himself to marvel at the sight. Ace's face is peaceful, a faint smile curling at the edges of his lips.
In Kieran's arms, he looks utterly at ease, as though every worry, every fear, has melted away.
The thought tugs at something deep within Kieran, something he doesn't want to acknowledge.
This boy—this fragile, beautiful boy—is his. Not just his responsibility but his mate. The one the Moon Goddess chose for him. The one he tried so desperately to reject.
Ace's breathing evens out as sleep claims him, his body instinctively curling closer into Kieran's warmth.
For a moment, Kieran stays there, watching the rise and fall of his mate's chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart.
The power humming between them is mesmerizing.
Even as Ace sleeps , Kieran lies there still, his chest heaving as the world around him slows to a halt. The forest is silent, save for the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.
Ace's warmth presses against him, his smaller frame perfectly nestled into his side.
Kieran's hand instinctively brushes over Ace's mark, glowing faintly on his neck—the mark he gave, sealing their bond.
For the first time in what feels like forever, Kieran feels at peace.
A deep, intoxicating connection pulses through him, their bond humming in his veins like a song he never knew he needed.
His wolf is calm, content, as if nothing else in the world matters but the boy lying in his arms.
He doesn't think—doesn't question. All that exists is the overwhelming feeling of completion.
The pull between them had driven every action, every touch, every whispered breath.
The bond feels sacred, eternal, as if the moon goddess herself is watching over them, blessing their union.
Ace stirs slightly but doesn't wake, his lips curling into a soft smile as he settles into Kieran's embrace.
Kieran's fingers tighten around him instinctively, unwilling to let go. In this moment, there is no pack, no judgment, no fear.
There is only them.
But then, a sharp snap echoes from the forest, breaking the spell. Kieran's head jerks up, his instincts flaring to life.
The sound is distant but unmistakable—like a branch breaking underfoot.
The daze shatters.
His wolf is still on edge, ears pricked, but Kieran's human side—the part of him that had been lost in the bond—suddenly stirs awake.
The weight of reality crashes down like a tidal wave, flooding his mind with questions and doubts.
What just happened? How did end up here? How had he let it come to this?
His eyes dart to Ace, still fast asleep, completely vulnerable in his arms. Kieran's hand trembles as he lifts it away from the mark, as if touching it again might bind him even further.
He feels the bond tugging at his soul, pulling him toward Ace, but his mind is spinning too fast to process it.
The questions come in waves. How did this happen? He had been so consumed by the pull, by the primal need to claim what was his, that he hadn't stopped to think.
He'd marked him, mated him, without a single conscious thought.
"No," he whispers to himself, his voice hoarse.
And then another realization hits him, colder and sharper than the first: What would the pack think?
They'd never accept this. They'd never accept him. An alpha, bound to a male mate? The shame, the ridicule—it would tear him apart. He could already hear their whispers, their sneers, their judgment.
His chest tightens, panic rising as he scrambles to his feet. Ace murmurs softly in his sleep, his head tilting slightly as if searching for Kieran's warmth. The sight nearly breaks him.
Kieran's wolf growls in protest as he takes a step back, the bond screaming at him to stay. But his beliefs ,his bitterness of who the goddess bound him to —it's louder.
It drowns out the pull, clouds his thoughts, and makes him stagger.
He looks at his clothes that are now just some pieces of fabrics, he has no choice but shift.
He shifts without thinking, the change giving him an outlet for the chaos raging inside him. And somehow covers his nakedness.
His wolf form is faster, his instincts sharper, but the bond remains—an invisible thread pulling at his heart, begging him to return.
He doesn't look back.
He can't.
With a low growl, Kieran turns and sprints into the forest, his paws pounding against the earth, his breath coming in sharp bursts.
He doesn't stop, doesn't slow, until the clearing is far behind him and the mansion looms in the distance.
Even then, the bond between them tugs at him, a constant reminder of what he's left behind.