MOONBOUND: Love, War and Destiny

Kael

I could see the sorrow and confusion in her eyes.

Lena had always been strong, but this was different. This was something deeper—something that threatened to unravel the very foundation of everything she thought she knew about herself. And I had placed it upon her shoulders.

My chest tightened, a sharp pang of guilt lacing through me. I hadn't meant to burden her with the truth so soon. But the longer I waited, the harder it became. The power in her—raw, untamed—was already awakening. If I didn't help her control it, if I didn't teach her to wield it, she would be consumed by it.

And I couldn't let that happen.

Not again.

A low growl rumbled in my chest, my wolf stirring restlessly beneath my skin. Fenrir didn't like this. The tension in the air, the weight pressing down on us—it was a threat, even if invisible. I could feel his presence prowling within me, his instincts razor-sharp, demanding that I shield Lena from the dangers ahead. He was as bound to her as I was, though he fought it with a vicious, possessive edge.

Protect her. Keep her safe. Keep her close.

The words echoed through my mind, a primal command from the beast within. But keeping Lena close was dangerous in itself. Not just for her, but for me. The pull between us, undeniable and fierce, had only grown stronger since the moment I first saw her.

She was the last of the Voss bloodline—the key to everything, as I had told her. But she was also a target. If I failed, if she fell into the wrong hands—

No. I wouldn't let that happen.

The fire that had taken her parents, the destruction of her family, hadn't been an accident. It had been a calculated strike against her bloodline, against the power she now carried in her veins.

And the ones responsible were still out there.

The thought sent a snarl curling in my throat, Fenrir's fury merging with my own. I clenched my fists, forcing the surge of emotion back. Now wasn't the time to lose control.

"Kael?" Her voice broke through my thoughts, soft but laced with uncertainty.

I looked down at her, seeing the tremor in her hands as she reached out to touch mine. A small gesture, hesitant yet full of trust. My body tensed. She had no idea what that trust meant to me.

"What are you going to do?"

The question was simple, but its weight was crushing.

What was I going to do?

The logical answer was to take her back to Valtara immediately. The safest place for her was within my kingdom, surrounded by warriors who would die for me. But I knew Lena. She wouldn't accept protection without understanding why she needed it. She would demand to learn, to stand on her own feet. And if I didn't teach her, someone else would.

I exhaled slowly. "First, I'm going to teach you how to control your power," I said, my voice low and steady. "But we can't stay here much longer. The longer we do, the more dangerous it becomes."

Fenrir prowled uneasily in my mind. He didn't want her learning. He wanted her protected, hidden away. He didn't trust the world not to break her.

She nodded slowly, her expression hardening. "I don't care about the danger. I want to understand what's happening to me."

Her words were like a fire igniting inside me. She had no idea what she was asking for. The truth was dangerous—more dangerous than she could possibly know.

"I can't promise you it won't hurt," I said quietly.

Her gaze never wavered. "I don't need promises. I need answers."

Damn it. Why did she have to be so stubborn? Something inside me twisted, a strange mixture of frustration and admiration. My wolf rumbled approvingly, his instincts drawn to the fire burning within her. She wasn't weak. She wouldn't shatter.

I sighed, exhaling a long breath. There was so much I needed to tell her, so much I couldn't yet. But this was a start.

I stepped closer, my heart pounding in my chest. The tension between us was thick, like a storm gathering on the horizon. I could smell her—warm and familiar, yet laced with something else now. Power. It clung to her like a second skin, barely contained. She didn't realize how much she had already changed.

"You will need to learn to fight," I said, my voice low. "Because they will come for you. And when they do, you have to be ready."

Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, she looked vulnerable. But it was fleeting. A heartbeat later, her chin lifted in quiet defiance. "Then teach me."

I should have felt relief at her determination, but all I felt was a gnawing sense of inevitability. The moment I agreed, there would be no turning back. Training her meant binding her to this world—to my world. It meant preparing her for war.

Fenrir growled, both in warning and approval. He wanted her strong, but he hated the thought of putting her through the trials ahead.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. "Tomorrow, we start."

Her shoulders tensed slightly, but she nodded. There was no hesitation in her eyes.

Tomorrow, everything would change.