Klaus’s POV
The air hung thick with the sharp scent of pine and damp earth, Onyx’s forest pressing in around us like a silent jury. Shadows bent long under the pull of the moon, and every leaf seemed to whisper with anticipation. My chest tightened with each step, though my wolf—usually steady, unyielding—paced inside me like a caged storm.
Tonight was supposed to be sacred. Binding, final. A vow sealed beneath the Moon Goddess’s gaze. And yet… Orube’s words haunted every breath: ‘a bond drenched in sacrifice, a path where love would demand blood.'
Aria’s hand slipped into mine, small and warm, grounding me for the briefest moment. When I looked at her, her stark-white hair caught the moonlight like fire spun into silk, and her eyes—those clear, defiant pools of green—held no fear. She
