Hearts bound by Moon

damp shady plants. She blinks slowly and unfocused like she's about to faint.The forest breathes.Her chest rises fast. Her heart's beating so hard it hurts. Those snarls keep

The wind moves through the pines, whispering. Up ahead, the lodge waits, all stone and wood, glowing from the firelight inside.When she walks in, the warmth hits her. But somehow, she still feels cold on the inside.People stare. Voices start up. Everyone's tense."She smells like a rogue.""She's not part of the pack."Kael doesn't say a word. Just stands there, and somehow the whole room goes quiet around him.He looks at her-not mean, not nice. Just... like he sees everything. Even the stuff she tries to hide."I didn't ask for this," she says, her voice rough."No one does," he replies.They give her a room. It's small but warm. There's a blanket, but she doesn't touch it. Night feels heavy, like it's holding her down. Her body aches. Muscles twitch. Sleep doesn't come.When she finally drifts off, the dreams come fast. Claws. Running. shiny Eyes, time gets all weird. The forest gets louder-like it's alive or something. The training ring's full of growls and grunts. Wolves circling, hitting each other hard. Lyra's stuck in the shadows, fists tight, watching.Kael's there too. Always watching.He barely talks. Never smiles. But when she wakes up screaming, he's right there. When she falls apart halfway through work, he just picks her up and carries her. No words. Nothing.She hates that she needs him. But part of her doesn't want to let go.Moonlight cuts sharp across the clearing. Wolves get ready to run. They start shifting like a wave crashing-eyes glowing, limbs stretching, bones snapping and changing.Her heart's pounding so loud she think