Beneath the Moon We Broke

ears? God. Felt longer. Or maybe not. Time gets weir

hosts. Same clearing. Same trees. Same patch of moonlight hitting

t turn back. She wouldn't. But she stood like

. Or maybe it wasn't quiet. Just... too still. That kind

inside. Scratchy. Restless. Like a hand drumming on

elled. Just knew. You don't stop fe

maybe a little. But mostly slow 'cause everything here still re

n he wa

mo

cou

aking

s you. Same jawline. Same... everything. Except older, may

cause why would he? Let her do

be here," he sa

ght outta the emotionally

ice kind. The sharp o

swer. Not properly, a

ike he was shocked she'd become

she said. Fla

ward. Just heavy. Like words were trying to

mistake,

She laughed. Not because it was funny. J

n. That's not a mistake. That'

stood there like her rage was weath

cting the pa

had a coin for every

idn't mean to. But her fe

asked. Voice

ally. But somewhere in his eye

three years of bleeding and silence a

between them? It hummed. Glowed. Pulled.

he wouldn't say something st

ck now," she said. "You d

ped," he said

lt that in

low, careful, not dramatic

wante

ed her. Quiet. Alm

id. Stupid name. Stupid way he sai

e asked, n

o miss you," he said

sts. Not because it hurt.

meant to-and stared at him like maybe that w

You chose the pack. You chose fear. And

aid. "Just

sounded ugly this ti

to want that. You lost it the night you

was doing the

pped. "You weren't eve

Like it was happy to hear them f

earing. Two ghosts. Two st

she asked

Because the dark is coming, and I...

st a breath-she wan

ped back, and said the one

lready

spered. Not angry. Not dramatic. Just.

es. Not loud. More like... a breath. Somethi

and hovered near her arm, not touching

ke it mattered. Like it fixed a

es. Still stormy. Still impossible to read unless you already

t loud. Just there. Always there. Like a thread sh

ong her collarbone. Right where memory lived. T

n pretty. It had cost her parts of herself she still co

o

she said, steady thi

pa

ere now... she doesn'

it was enough to stretch something in

t. It used to mean something to

lank. Like it had watched too muc

for a bit. Like words

you get when something should be over but isn't. Damon's presence was l

to stay clear in her head. This wasn't a

aid. "Rogues. But different. St

e, anyway. But his eyes-they twit

d, voice lower now. "Scatte

cause you're not seeing the pa

to come out so sharp

dded. "They're not just wa

shift of his weight. In the way h

his one was differen

but certain. His scent hit her-the forest,

nside her. Still.

l me?" h

d. But it would'v

arted," she said. "So... if

at her like maybe she was a

Not hard. Barely a brush. J

. it cracked

athe him in. She didn'

ough to hurt-she let herself

because she had to. That touch? It messed with her head.

ely made it past her throat. "Don't

t beg. Just looked at her with that same

exhaustion. Her shoulders were stiff, like the weigh

r you," she said. "I don't e

She wasn't sure

ge of the clearing. Not real ones-memories. Or ghosts. O

re to the wind than to him. "We lost somet

her. "But maybe what we

he silence take over again.

down... her wolf

in r

. reco

. Barely holding together. "Let's face this.

flin

burned. Not literally, but... memory

. Fast. Like spa

erything around her closing in-like it

ilent. The same moon that watched him walk away

rned.

t loo

ldn

shoulder blades. Heavy. Too heavy. The bond-the damn bond-was hu

nched h

reunion, this ache, this everyt

ormation. Strategy.

rp. Like each step was yelling: kee

used to be

noise an

? A version of her from three year

ords... oh,

y, Raven. Love ha

e felt them. Still echoing, sharp

ept w

sing herself because no one else di

Outside. Armor made of disa

. She stood up when

dn't get to t

n, wa

o

cked u

ngry, but confused. Wanting

d. Too fas

glowed. Fury.

do you wa

broke. But

chance. You

by moonlight. Alpha, yeah, but... small in th

" he said. "I need

e afraid? That your pride mattered more than your mate? That

ast. Like her lungs forgot

ple-" he started, s

n't bac

e cut in. "It never is. B

. Hand open. Like tha

t said... if we were bound, it would end badly.

ed. Eyes

echoed, quiet bu

nod

ever t

tryin

You left. You didn't warn.

or a beat. Maybe two. Just... stood ther

hem wasn't empty-it was full. Of years. Of

quietly, eyes flicking up to that cold silver thing

ers droppe

idn't

tinued, voice shaking now, but steady enough. "I built something out of th

stopped l

ike smoke. Like they di

osed h

he said it

Or the years she spent pretending she did

finally. "That's wh

le, small-she tur

Breath shakin

't stop

t nee

'd already

her still wish

as rare for him. Damon didn't usually break e

Quiet. Like the words wer

ng dark. Something that wanted to destroy the bonds. Fated ones. Said they made us

ke he couldn't

ieved it. I...

that? That the bond between us-something

ed a little on

she saw there? It wasn't arrogance. Not

Of failing. Of losing you. Of getting it

was sacrificing us to prote

this time. Something sadder. A lo

ings. A little.

he said. "You didn't even ask i

le

fend himself

"And I'll spend whatever time I

ittle closer. Close enough that she

Raven. And it's not just rogues. They're puppets. There's

didn't vanish, but somethi

s was why

ind of

e trees, like th

rs into something... twisted. They don't feel pain. Don

ne went

and broken rhythms. She'd thought they were just... too far

she asked. "You thi

once. Slow

t something dark would rise. And there'

yes locked

, Raven. You an

aught. Just

cause

e of w

bout this tie suddenly

he asked. The words

m," he said. "To

ed up. Brushed her cheek a

e... she did

his touch. Uninvited.

Our bond isn't weakness. It's the

ed at hi

ing ugly. Some cra

... grief. And guilt. And s

led. Slo

. Heavy. Broken. But now

is wasn'

art of something else

re

e moon. Still watch

e-it didn't

answer. Not

Like they couldn't carr

idn't mov

l away fro

't h

finally. Soft. Like a truth wh

oice didn't break-but it bent.

heek, and for a second-just one-she leaned

rs," she said. "I didn

be

ybe this is part

now. Familiar. Like

red through the trees,

ward. N

...

he a

trees when it hit-the sound. A s

like claws through flesh

fr

eathe. Di

Hackles up. Muscles tense

. She knew that. Fe

hing

rs

ife at her thigh. Famili

now. Thicker. Like it

n't tur

e dark, "Guess war did

gone. Jus

owed