Bound by shadow

CHAPTER 5 SPARKS, Secrets, and silver chains

Darius's POV

I sat on the bench in my room, my eyes fixed on the spot where Luna had unleashed her powers through the glass window. The memory of her energy—her strength—still lingered in the air. I could feel it like a hum of electricity, and it only fueled my excitement.

Beta Elias stood beside me, his gaze resting on me with an intensity that bordered on discomfort. I knew that look. That unspoken question. He wanted to speak—wanted to voice his doubts—but held them back.

I didn’t need to hear it anyway. I already knew what he was thinking. “Darius, are you sure about this? Is she really worth the risk?” Exactly what was running through his head.

But I was sure. Luna was the key to unlocking our pack’s true potential. And I would stop at nothing to harness her power.

“Say it, Beta,” I said without looking at him. “Say what’s on your mind.” I knew Beta Elias Storm was one of the most skilled people I knew at hiding his emotions, his face always unreadable. But I knew him too well not to see through him.

The silence that followed was thick, heavy with unspoken tension. But I also knew Beta wouldn’t challenge me. Not now. Not ever. His loyalty ran deep—bound to me by blood and duty.

So he remained silent, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern and resignation. I ignored it. My focus had already shifted to the next move in my plan to claim Luna’s powers for myself.

“Speak, Beta,” I urged again, my eyes still fixed on the spot where she had released her energy.

“I don’t understand, Darius,” he said finally, his voice low and measured. “You knew the prisoner wasn’t going to die. So why bring him in the first place?”

I smiled slowly—a calculating smile. “Emotions, Beta. They're the key to unlocking Luna’s true potential. The more emotional she gets, the stronger she becomes.”

Beta’s expression turned skeptical. “And you knew she’d get emotional if she thought she was going to kill someone?” he asked, trying to confirm my reasoning.

I nodded. “Exactly. And it wasn’t just that. I knew she’d react emotionally because I told her she would become a killer, that she’d have to embrace her darkness. That’s part of why she can’t tame her powers yet. She’s still learning how to control her emotions—how to harness them.”

Beta's eyes narrowed. “And what other reasons?”

I leaned back in my seat, steepling my fingers. “Her fear of losing control. Her fear of hurting people. It all fuels her power. And then there’s her need for belonging, her hunger for acceptance—after her old pack threw her away. I know she longs to be accepted.”

I paused, then added, “And no, I’m not going to use it against her. I’ll use it in her favor. I’ve accepted her. She’s so desperate for it that she’ll do anything to achieve it. That’s still one of the reasons she can’t control her powers.”

Beta faced me again, his expression grim. “You’re playing with fire, Darius.”

I shrugged. “Perhaps. But I’m willing to take that risk… if it means unlocking Luna’s true potential.”

Beta sighed loudly, but I didn’t look away.