DANCE IN THE MOONLIGHT

An Unwanted Bond

It was the weekend. Their favorite day and the day they were free. While leaving school and going to their homes, all of them were thinking about what Valeria had told them the previous night.

"What did you say his name was?" Irene asked.

"His name..." Wait a minute, she had never asked his name. "I don't know." Valeria thought to herself, how could I not ask such a thing?

"You didn't ask?!" Elara shouted in surprise. "You went to that cabin together, you got close enough to kiss, and you don't know his name?! Woah, you are seriously interesting."

"What about the man we encountered... did you see him?" Irene asked hesitantly. She was curious about that man.

Valeria shook her head no. "Where is Fenrik? Won't he go for a home visit?"

"He said he wanted to stay at school."

The crossroads had come. She said goodbye to her friends and entered the shortcut leading to her home. Fortunately, her house was a bit closer compared to the others. She thought about yesterday. The moment she was close to those black eyes... It was a strange feeling. For the first time, she was getting this close to someone, and she didn't even know that person's name. It was as if those... those eyes could see even her deepest thoughts. Strangely, she wanted to see him again somehow, to talk to him. Why hadn't she seen him until now? While they were in the same school, the same dining hall, and only the dormitory buildings were different, why had she never felt his presence?

Her steps slowed down when she felt like she was being watched again. When she focused on that feeling for a bit, she felt someone's gaze piercing through her back, right behind her. She smiled. This feeling told her that the young man was behind her. She stopped and wiped the smile off her face. When she turned around, she saw exactly the person she wanted to see.

He was wearing a black hat. He had a black suit and a white shirt. He didn't have a vest or a tie over his shirt. This look gave him a bit of a rebellious air.

"You look like you're happy to see me." The young man walked toward Valeria with a smile.

Valeria ignored what the young man said. "How do you manage to approach so silently?"

"Professional secret." The young man winked and smiled, then took the small bag in Valeria's hand and continued walking.

"What are you doing here?" Valeria asked with curiosity and suspicion.

"I couldn't break my bond." The young man was looking into the woman's eyes. She wondered if she was making it too obvious that she was affected by these looks.

"The same nonsense again," Valeria said, hiding even from herself that she strangely liked what she heard. "By the way, you never told me your name?"

The young man sent her one of his most beautiful smiles and answered in the same way. "My name is Lucian. Nice to meet you, Valeria!"

Valeria was shocked. "How... how do you know my name...?"

When they reached the alley where Valeria's house was, he politely gave her bag back. "I heard it once and never forgot it."

He slowly took off his hat, bowed slightly to greet her, and quickly turned back and walked away. He left a confused woman behind him.

Lucian... who are you?

***

"I am sorry, sir." Lucian had joined his hands in front of him and bowed his head.

"Your duty was to make her realize who she is! Not to fall in love!" Lucian didn't answer. The man continued. "You were wondering why Fenrik was fired; this is the reason. Falling in love. He chose love. Do you want to be like him, too?"

Lucian quickly shook his head. "I don't want to, sir." When he quickly left the room, he saw Lilia waiting for him outside.

"Lucian, let me say something."

"He's right, Lilia. I shouldn't have felt something for her."

"We wolves don't know who we will fall in love with, Lucian, but..."

Lucian was looking into Lilia's eyes. "But when we bond with someone, we cannot break that bond until we die. I think you have already bonded with her."

Lucian couldn't say anything. Now he understood what Fenrik had done. "I'm with you no matter what. I will support you just as I supported Fenrik. Don't worry." Lilia hugged him.

Lucian wanted to deny that he was bonded, but when he looked into her eyes, breathed in her scent, heard her heartbeat, and felt her trust in him, his heart beat in a strange way. Still, he would do his best while he still had a chance. Lucian was in the most important position in the pack and didn't want to lose his chance to rise.

***

Valeria calculated how many days had passed since she last saw Lucian. She had last seen him while going home. She had made another home visit after that, but he was still nowhere to be found. During this time, thanks to Fenrik, she had found his classroom and talked to the people in the class about him.

While sitting alone in the classroom, she thought again about what they had talked about.

—

"Lucian used to be... how should I say, a more vivid and energetic person. Even if his lessons weren't perfect, he was a very perfect person himself," a friend said.

Then another boy jumped into the conversation. "He loved traveling. We used to always do things together, but suddenly he changed, and a luxury car started coming to pick him up after school constantly. I don't see the car now, but he is alone again."

"He would make the whole class laugh with his jokes. He was definitely the teachers' favorite," the class president continued.

"Exactly... when did he change like this?" Valeria asked hesitantly.

"At the beginning of the term. I think I've even forgotten his tone of voice. He doesn't talk to anyone."

—

What happened to you, Lucian?

Suddenly, she felt piercing gazes upon her. She knew it was him. She immediately looked around but couldn't see anyone. She left the classroom and wandered up and down the corridor, but she still couldn't see Lucian. She was absolutely sure it was him. She wanted to see him.

"Are you looking for me?"

Valeria immediately turned around. Lucian was in front of her, but he looked a bit different. It was as if his eyes weren't smiling. There was a cold aura about him.

"I'm glad to see you." Valeria had forgotten everything she wanted to ask and say.

"I found a new place. We should definitely check it out. Do you want to escape tonight?"

Lucian didn't respond to her. Because of this, she felt her chest grow heavy. When she nodded to indicate she accepted, Lucian turned his back to leave. Although Valeria thought she should stop him, she couldn't do anything. She just watched him go.

Lucian immediately threw himself into the restroom. He washed his face with cold water. His chest was aching. Was it normal for him to feel what Valeria felt? Her happiness when she first saw him, then her disappointment, the heaviness in her chest... he had felt it all. No, he had to pull himself together and only feel his own feelings. He splashed more cold water on his face. But instead of passing, the pain in his heart was increasing. He looked at himself in the mirror. No, he shouldn't fall apart!

He had to find Fenrik immediately and talk about this. He left the restroom and started waiting in front of Fenrik's classroom. Everyone coming to the class was looking at him and then whispering among themselves. He was aware of the change in himself, but there was nothing else he could do. It had to be this way. When he saw Fenrik coming, he walked toward him. "We need to talk."

Fenrik was not his enemy, but he wasn't his friend either. He was looking into Lucian's eyes. "Follow me." Both of them went up to the roof of the school without being seen by anyone. Both were sure that no one was on the roof, so they could talk comfortably.

"I'm listening to you." Fenrik leaned against the wall and waited for Lucian to speak.

"How did you realize you were bonded to Elara?"

Fenrik smiled. "I realized when I became her."

Lucian didn't understand. Becoming her?

Fenrik continued. "I mean, I can understand what Elara is thinking. I feel her fear, her sadness, her happiness, her anxiety... her everything. I was her. And even if I were at the other end of the world, it would be like this. I would always feel her."

"Isn't there anything to prevent this?" Lucian asked anxiously.

"You bonded with Valeria, didn't you?" Fenrik asked confidently. Actually, this wasn't a question; he already knew the answer. Lucian didn't answer. He leaned against the wall like Fenrik.

"Right now, Elara is thinking of me. She has things to tell me during the break. That's why she's waiting impatiently."

"Does Elara... know about you?"

"No."

"Doesn't she need to know?"

"Well, what about Valeria? Do you think she is ready to know who she is?"

Lucian didn't know the answer to this. He closed his eyes and thought of Valeria. What was she feeling right now?

He suddenly opened his eyes with the scent he picked up.

"Valeria is coming."

"Someone is coming."

Fenrik and Lucian spoke at the same time. They looked for a place to hide. And the most reasonable option was to hide behind the old desks placed on the roof.

When Valeria arrived, after looking around, she approached the wall and started watching the forest.

"Why isn't she in class? She'll get punished," Fenrik asked quietly.

"I might have upset her a bit," Lucian said, without taking his eyes off Valeria. Then he realized what he was doing and immediately took his eyes off her.

"What happened?"

"When I look at her, she can feel it; I don't want her to realize I'm here."

When Fenrik looked at Valeria, he saw her looking around. Unfortunately, she had already felt Lucian.

"We have to go."

"How can we leave without being seen by her?" Lucian asked.

"There are many beautiful sides to being bonded to someone, Lucian. You can put a thought into her mind. You know it's enough for her to turn her back for even a second."

Lucian closed his eyes and focused on Valeria.

"You are her, Lucian. Don't forget this."

Lucian took a deep breath and visualized Valeria in his mind. 'I am her... Lucian is not here, Lucian is not here. Look at the forest, Valeria... the cabin can be seen from here... focus there...'

Fenrik watched the woman slowly stop looking around and turn back to the forest. "You did it, Lucian. Now."

With Fenrik's guidance, they left there immediately. He had actually managed to do it. When they came in front of the classrooms, Lucian stopped Fenrik with a thought that came to his mind.

"Can we only put thoughts into the minds of the people we are bonded to?"

"Yes."

"But Valeria said she was dragged to the forest. Who could do-"

"The Alpha." Fenrik cut Lucian's words.

"Only the Alpha can put thoughts into people's minds without bonding. And Valeria is half-human."