Moonlit ruin

Chapter 13: Ghosts of the Past

It started with a scent.

Elara froze mid-step outside the cabin, her basket of herbs tumbling to the dirt.

She hadn’t smelled that in months. Musky. Familiar. Wrong.

Jaxon.

Her blood ran cold.

She turned—

And there he was.

Leaning casually against a tree like he hadn’t nearly broken her soul and tossed it aside like garbage.

“Elara,” he said, voice smooth. “Been a while.”

She didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

Just stared.

“You look… good,” he added, like that meant anything.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Jaxon held his hands up. “Peace. I’m not here to fight.”

“Then leave.”

“I just wanted to talk. Five minutes.”

She hesitated.

Stupid. Dangerous. But she needed to hear it.

“Five,” she said tightly.

⸻

They walked in silence until they were far enough from the cabins that no one could eavesdrop. Or so she thought.

Jaxon sat on a rock like he belonged there.

“I was stupid,” he said.

Elara snorted. “Bold start.”

He smiled. Still that same charming, snake-in-the-grass grin. “I didn’t know what I had.”

“You didn’t want what you had.”

“I was scared. Of what we were. Of what I felt. You were… intense.”

“I was in love.”

“I know.”

He looked down, tone softening.

“I made a mistake.”

A pause.

Then—

“You’re still mine, Elara.”

She recoiled like he slapped her.

“No,” she said. “You broke the bond. You left me. You don’t get to want me now.”

He stood. “But I do. And you still feel it, don’t you?”

Her wolf growled inside her.

“I feel nothing for you,” she lied.

“I could make it right,” he said, stepping closer. “Bring you home. Give you the Luna title you deserved.”

She stepped back.

“I already have a home.”

Jaxon’s smile cracked.

“With him? The Alpha who keeps you like a secret? He hasn’t even marked you.”

Her hands clenched into fists.

“I’d rather be unmarked by Kade than chained to you.”

⸻

And just like that—

The air shifted.

A low, slow growl rolled through the trees like thunder.

Jaxon paled.

Kade stepped from the shadows, slow and deadly.

“I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt,” he said, voice cold. “But now you’re trespassing on my territory. And disrespecting my mate.”

Jaxon raised his hands. “It was just a talk—”

“You talk to her again,” Kade said, “and I’ll rip your throat out and let the wind whistle through the hole.”

Silence.

Jaxon glanced between them.

Then left.

Fast.

⸻

Elara didn’t say anything for a moment. Just stood there, heart pounding.

“You followed me?” she finally asked.

Kade didn’t look sorry. “I smelled him before you did. I wasn’t going to let him near you without backup.”

“I could’ve handled it.”

Kade turned to her, eyes glowing faintly.

“I know. But I didn’t want you to have to.”