“You do know you can’t have us butkul
The accusation stung.
I stared at him, trying to understand what he was implying: “Had that been the reason you have been avoiding me?”
“No. Gloria is just a… friend.” He ran a hand through his silver–blond hair. I had thought giving you some space would be good.”
– “No, it is not,” I insisted, surprising myself with the vehemence in my voice. “I’ve missed you, Frost,”
His eyes softened fractionally. “You’ve missed me as a frienil?”
The question held layers I wasn’t prepared to examine. “I know you love him, and I do not want to come in between that.”
“You don’t have to,” I assured him, taking another step closer.
He stood perfectly still, studying me with that penetrating gaze, “Eleven… what am I to you?”
The directness of the question caught me off guard. What was Frost to me? Confidant? Protector? Something more?
You are
e so many things. Frost,” I answered honestly, unable to be more specific.
He sighed, the rigid set of his shoulders softening. “I should never have spoken to you the way I had done earlier; I had been so
angry.”
“I deserved that,” I said, thinking of my role in Layna’s death.
“Elowen, we can no longer be friends.” The words were spoken with quiet finality.
I blinked, certain I’d misheard. “What do you mean, Frost?”
“I’ll never want to come between Kaius’s happiness.”
“What about me? 1 demanded, hurt making my voice sharper than intended.
this for you too.”
“I am doing this
I shook my head in disbelief. “I don’t want it; I want you here, with me, just as it had been.”
“It cannot be the same.” His voice was gentle but firm.
“What changed, Frost?” I pressed, fighting the burning behind my eyes. Tell me what I did wrong.”
“You did nothing.”
“Then what changed? Why can’t we be like we had been in the past?
Stething in him seemed to break. His careful composure cracked, revealing a vulnerability I’d never witnessed before.
“You want to know?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “Because 1 am beginning to fall for you, Elowen, and that changes…. everything.
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Chapter 93
The confession hong in the aft between us, impossible to take back, Jmpossible to ignore. I stand frozen, a tumult of emotions rendering me speechless,
Frost watched
me for a moment before nodding, as if my
confirmed something for him. “I should go.”
distance that suddenly felt like much more than
He moved toward the door, each step increasing the distance betwee) us physical space.
“Frost…” I began, though I had no idea what I wanted in say.
He paused, his hand on the doorknob, “It’s better this way, Elower. For all of us,”
Then he was gone, leaving me alone with the echo of his confessions and the hollow feeling in my chest.
The days following Frost’s confession passed in a haze, Lavoided both him and Kalus as much as possible, seeking solitude to sort through the tangled mess of my emotions. The more I thought about, the more desperate I became for escape if only temporary.
Freedom. That x what I needed. And there was only one way to find. Alaric hadn’t left our pack yet, and Kaius was busy handling Alpha’s matters, which gave me an opportunity.
1 slipped away from the pack house at dawn, making my way to the age of the forest where the trees grew thick and wild.
Alone among the ancient trees, I closed my eyes and reached for that part of myself I’d only recently discovered my wolf. The transformation came easier now, a warm rush of energy that reshape my human form into something wilder, freer.
On four paws, the world opened up. Scents I couldn’t detect in human form painted a vivid landscape – the musk of deer, the spicy tang of pine, the cool clarity of a nearby stream. Sounds sharpened, colors intensified.
The sheer joy of it overwhelmed everything else. My paws barely seemed to touch the ground as I raced through the forest, leaping over fallen logs, weaving between trees with a grace my human form could never achieve. Wind rushed through my fur, carrying away the weight of guilt and confusion that had become my constant companions
I lost track of time as I explored the territory, marking boundaries with a growing sense of ownership.
When exhaustion finally slowed my pace, I found a sunlit clearing to rest. The transformation back to human form left me momentarily disoriented, naked and vulnerable amid the wildflower and tall grass. I stretched, relishing the pleasant ache in my muscles, the lingering sensations of freedom
A rustle in the undergrowth caught my attention. I tensed, suddenly aware of my vulnerability. Had someone followed me after all?
“Hey,” a male voice called from the trees.
I spun,
tomatically crossing my arms over my chest. A young man emerged from the forest edge- handsome, with dark hair and features that tugged at my memory.
“You startled me,” I said, fighting the urge to transform again.
“I’m sorry, Luna. I didn’t know it was you.” His eyes widened in apparent shock, quickly averting his gaze from my nakedness.
y – the
young
man from Layna’s house. Her brother.
1 recognized him suddenly
“What are you doing here?” I asked, edging toward where I’d left my clothes.
“I just needed to clear my head, he replied, still looking anywhere but at me.
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Chapter 93
I quickly pulled on my dress, feeling marginally more secure. “Is something wrong? You look kinda gloomy.”
“Not really,” he shrugged, kicking at the ground with one foot.
Despite my better judgment, I felt a surge of compassion. He’d lost his sister, after all. “Sometimes, talking it out is all you need to
do.”
He glanced up, something unreadable in his expression. “Just… unelected things happen at times, and it’s…”
“Girl trouble?” 1 suggested, attempting a small smile.
“Very close, Luna.”
“I understand, girls could be so complicated at times, I offered, trying to lighten the mood.
“Yeah, right.” He seemed to shake himself, straightening slightly. Are you heading somewhere?”
“No, I planned to waste my hours here. Why?
“I would have loved to walk you back–or anywhere you want to go–but it is okay,” he said, a hint of shyness in his voice.
I hesitated. Something about him seemed familiar beyond his relation to Layna, something that suggested trustworthiness.
“Actually, I would love to explore a bit, I heard myself say.
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