12 – Under the Moonlight
752 Words
The garden was quiet.
The soft wind moved gently through the trees, carrying the sweet scent of night flowers across the palace grounds. Silver moonlight covered everything, making the world feel calm and unreal.
Elara stood beside the small fountain in the center of the garden.
The words she had heard earlier still echoed in her mind.
What is broken can still be healed.
Was it truly the voice of the Moon Goddess?
Or had the pain of the bond simply made her imagine it?
She wasn’t sure.
But one thing was certain.
Her heart still ached.
Even though the pain had softened, the bond between her and King Alaric remained strong… and complicated.
She sighed softly.
“I should go back inside,” she murmured.
But just as she turned—
A sudden wave of emotion crashed through her chest.
Sharp.
Heavy.
Not hers.
Elara froze.
Her hand pressed against her heart again.
“What…?”
The feeling wasn’t sadness.
It wasn’t fear.
It was anger.
Wild.
Powerful.
Uncontrolled.
And it wasn’t coming from her.
It was coming through the bond.
From him.
⸻
Across the palace, Alaric suddenly grabbed the stone railing of his balcony.
His breathing grew heavier.
His wolf was restless.
No.
More than restless.
It was furious.
Because his wolf could feel her sadness.
And it hated it.
Mate is hurting.
“I know,” Alaric growled under his breath.
You caused it.
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
Fix it.
The word echoed inside his mind.
But Alaric shook his head.
“No.”
The bond pulsed again.
Stronger.
More demanding.
For a moment, his control slipped.
His golden eyes flashed brighter.
His wolf pushed forward.
And suddenly—
Alaric was moving.
Before he even realized it, he had already left the balcony.
Already crossed the corridor.
Already heading toward the garden.
Drawn by something deeper than logic.
Drawn by instinct.
Drawn by her.
⸻
Elara felt the bond shift again.
Closer.
Her heart began to race.
Someone was approaching.
Slow footsteps moved along the stone path behind her.
She turned.
And there he was.
King Alaric.
Standing just a few steps away.
The moonlight illuminated his tall figure, casting shadows across his sharp features.
His golden eyes locked onto hers.
For a moment…
Neither of them spoke.
The bond between them hummed like electricity in the air.
Elara felt it immediately.
His anger.
His frustration.
His conflict.
“You shouldn’t be out here alone,” he finally said.
His voice was low.
Controlled.
But the tension inside it was clear.
Elara crossed her arms slightly, trying to steady herself.
“I needed air.”
Alaric’s eyes studied her face carefully.
Too carefully.
“You were in pain.”
Her breath caught.
“You felt that?”
The silence that followed was answer enough.
The bond had allowed him to feel it.
Just like she had felt his anger earlier.
Elara looked away briefly.
“That must be inconvenient for you.”
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Alaric’s expression hardened slightly.
“You think this is easy for me?”
She looked back at him.
“No. But you chose it.”
The words hung in the air between them.
Heavy.
Sharp.
True.
For a moment, Alaric didn’t respond.
His wolf stirred again.
Because deep down…
Her words had struck exactly where it hurt.
Finally, he spoke.
“I rejected the bond for a reason.”
Elara’s voice softened slightly.
“Then why do you keep coming to me?”
The question caught him off guard.
Because the truth was…
He didn’t know.
The bond pulled him toward her constantly.
Even when he tried to stay away.
Even when he told himself it was a mistake.
Alaric took one slow step closer.
Then another.
Elara didn’t move.
The distance between them slowly disappeared.
Now they stood only a few feet apart.
Close enough that the bond between them felt almost overwhelming.
His voice dropped lower.
“You should stay away from me.”
Elara tilted her head slightly.
“Is that a command, Your Majesty?”
Something dangerous flickered in his eyes.
“No.”
His wolf stirred again.
“It’s a warning.”
But even as he said it…
He didn’t step back.
And neither did she.
The moonlight shone down on them both.
Two people bound by fate.
Both fighting it.
Both losing.
And somewhere deep inside…
The bond quietly grew stronger.
- Writer
