Bound by the Moon

– Tashay – The wind whispered secrets through the trees as I stepped into the clearing, my heart pounding louder with each step. The full moon above bathed the world in silver light, and for the first time in my life, I felt her—the Moon Goddess—deep in my chest, calling to me. Something was different tonight. At first, it was a strange flutter, a soft hum that rose from somewhere deep inside me. I pressed my palm against my heart, trying to steady it, but the sensation only grew stronger, hotter. I felt like I was standing on the edge of something massive—something I didn’t understand. Then I saw him. Tall. Powerful. Commanding. His broad shoulders shifted slightly as he turned, and the moment our eyes met, my breath caught in my throat. My wolf surged forward, fierce and certain. Mate. I froze, unable to move as the bond snapped into place like a string drawn tight between us. My soul trembled. My body felt like it had been struck by lightning and wrapped in warmth at the same time. Every story I’d ever heard about the mate bond failed to capture this—this intensity, this magic. He was my mate. He looked at me. Just for a second. Then… he looked away. A sharp pang hit me in the chest. I waited for him to walk toward me, to say something—anything. But he didn’t. His jaw clenched. His gaze dropped. And he turned his back. The moment shattered. I stood there, stunned, arms limp at my sides as my chest ached in a way I couldn’t explain. Did he not feel it? Did I imagine the bond? No. I knew what I felt. The Moon Goddess had chosen him for me. So why… why did it already feel like she’d made a mistake?