The Citadel felt alive. It wasn’t the kind of life you’d expect from ancient stone and crumbling ruins. It wasn’t a heartbeat or breath that vibrated through the walls, but something older—something deeper. The stone around us hummed with a power so ancient, so alive, it sent a chill down my spine every time I moved. Every time I breathed.
I wasn’t sure if it was the Citadel itself that unsettled me, or what Ezekiel had just said. The words were still echoing in my mind, relentless and sharp.
You are her. The one who will rise.
But his final statement, just before we stepped into the bowels of this place, lingered in my bones, heavy and undeniable.
The Moon Goddess never created the mate bond.
I couldn't shake it. It was impossible to ignore. It went against everything I had ever been
