You and me,together

The moon hung low over Silvercrest Valley, bright enough to paint the forest in pale gold but not bright enough to ease Aria’s nerves. She stood on the balcony of her family’s estate, the cold wind brushing against her skin like a warning. Tonight, she was to meet her future husband. Not by choice. Her father had arranged everything: a political alliance between her pack, the Moonridge, and the most feared pack in the North — the Bloodfang Pack, ruled by Alpha Kael Draven, a man whispered about in half-legends and half-threats. It was said he shifted under a blood-red moon, that his wolf was colder than steel, and that no one born under his rule disobeyed him twice. Aria wasn’t afraid of many things, but she feared this marriage. “It’s for the pack,” her father had said. “For peace. For your destiny as Luna.” Destiny. The word felt like a chain around her throat. When the gates creaked open, the air changed. A ripple of power rolled through the courtyard as Kael arrived with two of his warriors. Even before Aria saw him, her wolf stirred—restless, alert. Then he stepped into the moonlight. Tall, broad-shouldered, with eyes the color of a storm that had forgotten how to break. His presence swallowed the space around him, and when his gaze lifted to meet hers, it was as though he could see straight into her soul. “Aria Moonridge,” he said, voice low and rough. “My future Luna.” It wasn’t a greeting. It was a claim. Aria tightened her grip on the railing, lifting her chin. “Only if I agree to this.” A ghost of a smile touched his lips—dangerous, unreadable. “You will,” Kael murmured. “The moon has already decided.” And deep inside her, her wolf shivered… not in fear, but in recognition. Aria stepped back from the railing as the tension in the air thickened. Kael hadn’t moved from the courtyard, yet she felt him—felt his presence—like a storm pressing against her skin. Her mother appeared in the doorway behind her, fingers twisting the fabric of her shawl. “He’s… intimidating,” she whispered. Aria didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. The entire pack had felt the shift in the wind the moment Kael crossed the border. “Come,” her mother said gently. “Your father wants you to greet him properly.” Properly. As if anything about this arrangement felt proper. Aria straightened her shoulders and walked down the staircase leading to the courtyard. Each step echoed too loudly, like the universe itself was listening. When she reached the final step, Kael’s eyes locked onto hers again, and her wolf surged forward, clawing at the edges of her control. She hated that reaction. Hated how instinct tried to betray her. “Alpha Kael,” she said, keeping her voice steady. “Welcome to Moonridge territory.” His gaze flicked to her father for barely a breath, then back to her. “I’m not here for territory.” No. He was here for her. Her father stepped between them with a forced smile. “Why don’t we go inside? There’s much to discuss.” Kael didn’t look away from Aria. “There is only one thing to discuss.” His voice dropped to something dark and certain. “The bond.” Aria felt her heart stumble. Not the alliance. Not the treaty. Not the peace. The bond. Her father cleared his throat. “We will handle everything with respect to both packs. There’s no need—” “There is a need,” Kael interrupted calmly. “Your daughter is meant to be Luna of Bloodfang. The moon chose her, and I won’t ignore fate.” Aria swallowed hard. “I still have a say in this.” Kael stepped closer—just one step, but enough to draw the air from her lungs. “You have a say in many things, Aria.” His voice softened, but it didn’t lose its edge. “But not in the pull between our wolves.” Her breath caught. Because he was right. She could deny the marriage. She could reject the alliance. But the pull—the instinctive tether forming between them—was a force neither of them controlled. And that terrified her more than anything. Her father gestured stiffly toward the house. “Inside. Now.” Kael gave a small nod but didn’t break eye contact with Aria until the last possible moment. As he finally turned away, her wolf whispered a single word she wasn’t ready to face. Mate. Aria entered the council hall with her chin raised, though her heart beat hard enough to shake her ribs. The long wooden table was already occupied—her father at the head, Kael opposite him, and two guards from each pack standing along the walls. The tension felt like a living thing. Kael didn’t look away from her as she approached her seat. His gaze was steady, unreadable, but there was something else beneath it—an energy she didn’t want to acknowledge. Her father cleared his throat. “Let’s discuss terms.” “There’s only one term that matters,” Kael said simply. “Unity.” Aria sat, folding her hands in her lap to keep them from trembling. “Unity does not require a marriage,” she said. Kael’s eyes flickered. “No. But peace does. Your pack has been targeted by rogues for months. My pack controls the northern borders and has the strength to defend both territories. This alliance saves lives.” Her father nodded reluctantly. “It’s true. Rogue attacks have tripled.” “But marrying me off won’t solve that,” Aria argued. “I can lead my pack without—” “You weren’t chosen to lead your pack,” her father cut in gently. “You were born to be Luna.” Kael leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “Your wolf already knows the truth, Aria.” Heat curled in her stomach, unwelcome and undeniable. Her wolf shifted beneath her skin, restless. Aria glared at him. “My wolf is not your business.” “It is,” Kael said. “Because she calls to mine.” The room seemed to freeze. Her father inhaled sharply. “You’re saying—” “Yes,” Kael said. “I felt it the moment I crossed your border.” Aria’s pulse stumbled. A mate bond. She had been hoping—praying—it wasn’t real. Her father straightened in his chair, sudden hope lighting his face. “Then the goddess herself has blessed this union. That settles it.” “No,” Aria whispered. Every head turned toward her. “I won’t be forced,” she said firmly. “Not by tradition, not by politics, and not by fate.” A flicker of emotion—something dark, something wounded—passed through Kael’s eyes, gone almost before she noticed it. “Then what will convince you?” Kael asked quietly. Aria hesitated. Because she didn’t know. She wanted freedom. Control. A voice. Kael slowly stood. “Give me a week.” Her brows furrowed. “A week for what?” “To prove that this bond isn’t a cage,” he said. “To prove that I’m not the monster your pack believes I am.” Aria stared at him, heart pounding. “And if you fail?” she asked. “Then I walk away,” Kael said. “And the alliance ends.” Her father shot up from his chair. “You can’t simply—” Kael lifted a hand. “A Luna should choose her fate. Not have it beaten into her.” Aria’s breath caught. A week. One week to decide the future of both their packs. And, if she wasn’t careful… her own heart.