CHAPTER FOUR: The First Ripple
1068 Words
Sleep refused to come.
No matter how many times Elaria closed her eyes, she kept seeing silver eyes beneath moonlight.
She kept hearing his voice.
Because everyone else is pretending the same thing.
The words lingered like a splinter beneath her skin.
Annoying.
Uncomfortable.
Impossible to ignore.
Elaria sat upright in bed and released a frustrated sigh.
This was ridiculous.
Caelum Draven was a stranger.
A stranger with a dangerous reputation.
A stranger she had spoken to for less than two minutes.
A stranger who somehow understood exactly what she was feeling.
That was the troubling part.
Not his presence.
Not his appearance.
Not even the strange awareness she experienced whenever he looked at her.
It was the fact that he had seen through her.
Seen through the smiles.
Seen through the celebrations.
Seen through every carefully rehearsed lie she had told throughout the day.
The bond felt wrong.
The thought returned.
Again.
Again.
Again.
With a groan, Elaria climbed from bed and crossed the room.
Moonlight poured through her balcony doors.
The territory below slept peacefully beneath a blanket of silver.
Everything looked normal.
Everything looked exactly as it always had.
Yet somehow she felt as though her entire world had shifted.
A knock interrupted her thoughts.
Three soft taps.
Elaria frowned.
Who would visit at this hour?
She opened the door.
Lyra immediately pushed past her.
"You look terrible."
Elaria blinked.
"Good evening to you too."
"I'm serious."
Lyra dropped onto the bed.
"You have the face."
"The face?"
"The face you make when something is wrong."
Elaria's stomach tightened.
Leave it to her sister.
Everyone else saw a smiling future Luna.
Lyra saw everything.
Always.
Nothing escaped her.
"I'm fine."
Lyra stared.
Elaria stared back.
A battle of stubbornness.
One Elaria lost after approximately seven seconds.
The younger girl crossed her arms triumphantly.
"I knew it."
Elaria groaned.
"You are insufferable."
"And you're avoiding the question."
Silence settled between them.
For a moment Elaria considered lying again.
Then she looked at her sister.
Really looked.
And suddenly she was tired.
Tired of pretending.
Tired of smiling.
Tired of acting as though everything was perfect.
"The bond feels wrong."
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Lyra's expression immediately softened.
"Oh."
Elaria sank onto the edge of the bed.
"It sounds terrible when I say it out loud."
"No."
"Adrian is kind."
"He is."
"Everyone loves him."
"They do."
"I should be happy."
Lyra hesitated.
Then quietly asked:
"But are you?"
The question hurt.
Because she didn't know.
She should be.
Everything in her life had led to this moment.
Yet happiness felt strangely out of reach.
Like trying to grasp moonlight.
Beautiful.
Visible.
Untouchable.
"I don't know," she whispered.
Lyra moved beside her.
Their shoulders touched.
"You know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think you're scared."
Elaria frowned.
"Scared?"
"Of course."
Lyra shrugged.
"Your entire life changed yesterday."
That was true.
"Maybe the bond needs time."
"Maybe."
"Maybe you're overthinking."
"Maybe."
"Maybe you're being dramatic."
Elaria laughed despite herself.
"There she is."
Lyra grinned.
The tension eased slightly.
Not completely.
But enough.
For a few precious moments, they sat together beneath the moonlight like they had done countless times before.
Just sisters.
Just family.
Just home.
Eventually Lyra stood.
"You should sleep."
"I'll try."
"Good."
She reached the doorway.
Then paused.
"Oh."
"What?"
A mischievous smile appeared.
"That Shadowfang Alpha was staring at you."
Elaria nearly choked.
"Lyra!"
"What?"
"You are impossible."
The younger girl laughed all the way down the corridor.
Leaving Elaria blushing alone in her room.
Again.
The next morning arrived far too quickly.
Silvermoon Territory buzzed with excitement.
Guests still filled the streets.
Celebrations continued.
Pack members smiled every time they saw her.
Future Luna.
Blessed by the Goddess.
Perfect match.
Perfect destiny.
The words followed her everywhere.
Each one deepening the strange ache inside her chest.
By afternoon, Elaria escaped to the library.
It had always been her sanctuary.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
Safe.
The scent of old parchment immediately calmed her nerves.
Rows upon rows of books stretched before her.
History.
Politics.
Ancient customs.
Pack records.
Everything.
She wandered the shelves without purpose.
Without direction.
Without realizing what she was searching for.
Until her fingers stopped.
A familiar title caught her eye.
Origins of the Sacred Bond.
Elaria hesitated.
Then pulled it free.
The book was old.
Very old.
Dust coated the cover.
She carried it to a nearby table and opened the first page.
At first, nothing seemed unusual.
Stories.
Traditions.
Historical accounts.
Everything she already knew.
Then something caught her attention.
A sentence.
Simple.
Small.
Almost insignificant.
The first recorded mate bonds were overseen by the Moon Temple under the guidance of the First Priestess.
Elaria frowned.
That didn't sound right.
According to everything she'd ever learned, mate bonds came directly from the Moon Goddess.
Not the Temple.
Not priests.
Not anyone else.
The Moon Goddess herself.
Curiosity stirred.
She turned another page.
Then another.
Then another.
A growing unease settled over her.
Something felt inconsistent.
Not wrong.
Not exactly.
Just...
Incomplete.
Like reading only half a story.
She reached the final chapter.
And froze.
Several pages had been removed.
Not torn recently.
Years ago.
Perhaps decades.
Maybe longer.
Her pulse quickened.
Why would someone remove pages from a historical record?
A chill crawled across her skin.
The library suddenly felt colder.
Quieter.
Watching.
Elaria slowly closed the book.
Then noticed something she hadn't seen before.
A folded piece of parchment slipped between the final pages.
Her breath caught.
Hands trembling slightly, she unfolded it.
One sentence stared back at her.
Written in faded ink.
The handwriting was unfamiliar.
The message was not.
Trust the bond if you wish.
Trust the Temple if you must.
But never trust the history they gave you.
Elaria's heart slammed against her ribs.
The words felt impossible.
Dangerous.
Forbidden.
And somehow—
True.
For several long seconds, she simply stared.
Unable to move.
Unable to think.
Unable to breathe.
Then footsteps echoed somewhere beyond the shelves.
Slow.
Steady.
Approaching.
Elaria quickly folded the parchment and slipped it into her pocket.
Her pulse thundered.
The footsteps grew closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Until a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Interesting choice of reading material."
Every muscle in her body tensed.
Because she already knew that voice.
Caelum Draven.
And judging by the look in his silver eyes, he knew exactly which book she had opened.
- Writer
