Broken Bonds; Fated Souls

The full moon hung heavy in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the dense forest. Shadows swayed with the wind, whispering secrets only the night could hear. The air smelled of damp earth, pine—and something more primal. Something that set every nerve in Selene's body on edge. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she ran, bare feet sinking into the forest floor. Twigs snapped beneath her weight, the sting of cold air biting her skin, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t, not now. Her breath came in short bursts, sharp and desperate, but her thoughts raced even faster. She had known this night was coming. She had seen it unfolding piece by piece, like cracks spreading through ice. Killian’s touch had grown colder. His eyes…, those golden eyes that once lit up at the sight of her had become unreadable. There were no more whispered promises in the dark, no stolen glances filled with warmth. Only silence, distance, shadows. But even with all the signs, she refused to believe it. Because Killian wasn’t just her alpha, he was her mate and mates were forever. She had followed a familiar scent through the woods - Killian’s. She shouldn't have. Every instinct had screamed at her to turn around, to let it go, to give him the benefit of the doubt. But her heart needed the truth even if it shattered her and it did. She emerged at the edge of a clearing, her breath frozen in her throat. There they stood, bathed in silver moonlight. Killian—tall, strong, commanding, had his hands tangled in Raven’s hair. Raven—her sister, not by blood, but by choice. The one Selene had defended, trusted, and loved like family since their childhood. Raven had been her constant comfort. The one person she believed would never betray her, yet here she was pressed against Killian’s chest, her body fitting into his as if it belonged there. Selene’s feet stopped moving, her entire world ground to a halt. She blinked hard, her eyes stinging, her heart threatening to tear itself from her chest, but no matter how many times she blinked, the image didn’t change…, It stayed….burned itself into her memory. She wanted to scream, to confront them, to demand answers, but no sound left her lips….. Only silence and pain. Her wolf whimpered inside her, the bond thrashing violently in her chest, sensing what her mind didn’t want to accept. Killian turned and saw her standing there in shock… “I felt the bond snap between us, Selene.” Killian’s voice reached her like a distant echo, cold and final. She hadn’t even noticed he’d turned around. Now he stood facing her, his golden eyes dim beneath the moon’s light. “It’s gone,” he said. She swallowed hard. “No. That’s not possible…” “You felt it too,” he added, softer this time. Not apologetic, not kind. Just… resigned. She reached inward for the bond—the thread that had connected them since the moment fate had sealed their souls. But she felt nothing– no pull, no warmth, just emptiness. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff and realizing the ground beneath you was gone. Raven stepped closer to Killian, smugness radiating from every line of her body. She tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, her eyes flicking toward Selene with gleaming satisfaction. “You were never strong enough to be his Luna,” she said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. Selene’s vision blurred, something sharp twisted in her chest, not just betrayal but humiliation. She had believed in them—both of them. A growl rumbled from her throat before she could stop it. Her nails sharpened into claws, her wolf rising, ready to rip through flesh and bone. But Killian stepped forward, blocking her view of Raven. “Leave, Selene.” Two words. And just like that, everything inside her shattered. She stared at him. At the man who once kissed her wounds, who promised the stars, who said her eyes outshone the moon. Now, he was nothing but a stranger. A cold laugh escaped her lips—bitter and broken. “You’re making a mistake, Killian.” He didn’t respond. Her pride—what little was left—forced her to straighten. Her chest ached with every breath, but she kept her chin lifted. If this was how it ended, she would walk away with her dignity intact. She turned around and ran. Not because she was weak, but because she knew if she stayed a second longer, she might fall apart. The night swallowed her, but the pain remained, burning like silver in her veins. And she vowed that this wasn’t the end. It couldn’t be. She ran until the world around her blurred, until her lungs screamed and her legs trembled. Trees blurred past her, their branches reaching like claws. The howl of the wind drowned her sobs. The pain of losing a mate bond was indescribable. It wasn’t just heartbreak, it was the ripping of a soul, the death of a future. She stumbled, catching her foot on a root hidden beneath fallen leaves, and crashed to the forest floor. The impact jolted through her bones. Her dress tore at the hem, her hands scraped by gravel and bark. She stood there, face down, arms trembling. Why? Hadn’t they been chosen? Hadn’t the Moon Goddess whispered their names into the stars? She buried her face in the earth. The scent of moss, dirt, and decay filled her lungs. And it felt fitting because everything beautiful had decayed. Fate had chosen them. Killian had chosen Raven. A cry escaped her, low and raw, but she clamped it down, jaw clenched tight. She refused to give them that power. From somewhere deeper in the woods, a branch cracked. Her head shot up, every sense snapped into alert. Her wolf stirred weakly, offering what strength it could. She wasn’t alone. Her limbs protested as she stood, every part of her sore. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and scanned the trees. The wind shifted, carrying a scent with it—pine, smoke, and something else. Something unfamiliar and dangerous. She stepped back cautiously, her pulse thudding like a war drum. Then, she saw him. A figure stood between the trees, tall and still cloaked in shadow, watching. Her breath hitched. He stepped forward, just enough for the moonlight to graze his features. He was striking—broad shoulders, dark tousled hair, silver eyes glowing like molten mercury. Selene didn’t know him. But his gaze told her he knew her. Her fists clenched at her sides. She took a hesitant step back. The man smirked—slow, knowing, deliberate. Then, with the ease of a ghost, he turned and vanished into the darkness. Gone, just like that. Selene remained frozen. Her heart thundered. The ache of betrayal still festered inside her, but now… something else had taken root. A chill of anticipation crept through her spine. Who was he? And why had he been watching her? The pain still lingered. But for the first time since the night began, it didn’t feel like the end of her story. It felt like the beginning of something far more dangerous. And far more powerful.