MOONBOUND: THE HUMAN HEART

to wh

m anyway, crawling under my door, seeping through the cracks

reya across

s were

not

not

not

w over my face and

l was worse th

Not like a wave receding. It stopped, mid-sentence, mid-bite, mid-laugh.

t wal

e sunflowers tracking the sun.

predator, a small voic

e which one

Found an empty table in the corner-the farthest corn

sat w

sat n

day-crossed to the other side of the hall when I passed her ta

y didn'

r insults loud eno

st... w

at was

s afraid o

ing a tray loaded with food-enough for three people-and he started

hem to be afrai

ointed his fork at me. "But fear

s

you ignored. Fear gets you left a

't fee

"You feel like a

him. "How

wn eyes-warm, gold-flecked, ki

-across-rooms part. The other part. The part where everyone looks at you lik

meant. But before I could, a

ka

iling. He was always smiling, that

g Kai completely. "I've

und

lingering on my face, my neck, my hand

n't my in

s on the edge of the table, bringing his face close to mine. "And the res

. Not quite a growl. Not quite

ignore

" he said. "In my quarters. Just a fe

ds. Right. And I

" I a

ead. "Does there n

es

You don't pretend. You don't play games. It's refreshing." He st

ay before I

e with an expressi

go,"

y n

ything without a reason. And

my plate. The f

k about it

knew I'd alr

in the hallway o

etween two bookshelves. The sudden darkness swallowed us, made the world shrink

are

o to his

n't a

"Why does everyone kee

in the dim light. "Lukas isn't inviting you because he

wants so

pine and snow and something darker, something that made my pul

back. Should have pu

idn

what way?

, scarred hands-opened and closed at his sides

you," he said. "Bef

art s

peated. "Like...

th humans. It's rare, but it's possible. And if Lukas bonds with yo

lt s

on't even know h

i's voice was flat. Cold. "To him, you're

at do yo

ion hung

rising and falling too fast. His han

ay away from him,

not an

nly one you

e alcove, disappearing into th

ss, my hand pressed to my c

s to cl

a m

dn't know what I was, what I coul

new one

ng to tha

se I trus

he truth. And Nikolai wasn

e in the east wing o

-to-ceiling windows, a fireplace big enough to stand in, furniture upholstered in dark ve

was set

close fr

turned around

d, I s

'd changed out of his uniform into a simple black shirt and d

aid, sounding ge

aid di

lasses-deep red, almost black-and

usu

t's not

rink. Lukas sat across from me, hi

," he observed.

utious. I'm

f

veryt

smile from before. Some

id. "Fear kee

was inc

the oven, a dessert that tasted like honey and cream. I ate more than I had

ot eating

watch

's cr

, cradling his wine glass. "But I can

reall

u're sitting in the quarters of an alpha heir, eating his food, and you'r

. "What do you wan

The fire crackled. Somewh

elp you," he

p me

ce." He leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "You're not like t

ant to pr

es

Out of the goodne

here is... curiosity. And maybe something else." His v

ld hav

creaming at me to stand up

I di

looking at me like I mattered. Like I was mor

ing invisible, that was im

eared. The candl

able to my side. He knelt beside my ch

," he said quietly. "And I want

t was dr

ok my

touch surprisingly gentle. He turned my hand ov

A partnership. A bond. Something that would pr

ect m

ing you

t me like a

uk

intense. "I'm talking about belonging. To someone who can k

't even

to my knuckles. "I know you're brave. I know you're scared. I k

dn't b

urned into mine. "I wan

oom t

ut soon. Before the others figure out what you a

her

ai. Thorne. They all want you. They just hav

k. Stood up. Stumble

watching me with

to go,

bout wha

I w

s ly

g to run back to my room, lock the door, and

the door, Lukas's

re thin

urn

ht casting half his face in shadow. He looked like som

"He told you not to

d not

's smile returned-that empty, beautiful, terrifying smile. "Because he

ed the

la

back one

eyes caught

d I'll give you the world. Refuse..