The clearing was too quiet.
No sparring rings. No shouted commands. No clashing fists or snarling wolves asserting dominance. Just four of us standing in a wide circle beneath the pale glow of the rising moon, the air heavy with unspoken tension.
This was wrong. And all of us felt it.
Kael shifted first, rolling his shoulders like he was preparing for a fight that wasn't coming. "So… we just stand here?" he asked, uncertainty bleeding through his voice despite the casual tone.
"Yes," I replied.
Riven shot me a look. "That's it?"
"For now."
Solen said nothing. He had lowered himself to the ground, sitting cross-legged, spine straight, eyes half-lidded like he'd already surrendered to the stillness. Typical Solen—adapting before the rest of us even caught up.
I inhaled slowly and closed my eyes.
The bond stirred immediately.
It no longer slammed into me like a tidal wave. Instead, it brushed against my senses—tentative, curious, waiting. I reached for it gently, not forcing, not commanding.
Let it breathe, Astraea murmured. Control is not dominance. It is awareness.
Kael let out a sharp breath. "It feels… loud," he muttered.
"That's because you're listening to it for the first time," I said softly.
Riven scoffed, but he followed suit, lowering himself to the ground with clear reluctance. "I don't like this."
"Good," I replied. "Neither does Lyris."
That caught his attention.
The bond shifted as we settled into the silence. At first, it was unbearable—emotions brushing against one another with no barriers. Kael's guilt pressed into my chest like a bruise. Riven's tightly coiled anger thrummed beneath my skin. Solen's calm was deceptive, sharp with vigilance and buried fear.
And then there was me.
Fear of trusting them. Fear of being hurt again. Fear of what loving more than one Alpha heir would cost me.
The moon climbed higher.
Kael gasped suddenly, doubling over. "I—I can feel it. All of it. Yours too." His voice cracked. "I didn't realize how angry you were at me."
My throat tightened. "I didn't either."
Riven swore under his breath, fists clenched. "This is dangerous."
"Yes," Solen said quietly. "And effective."
The bond pulsed—not violently, not chaotically—but evenly. Slowly. Like a shared heartbeat finding its rhythm.
Then something shifted.
A ripple passed through the bond—foreign, sharp, invasive.
I stiffened instantly. "Stop."
All three froze.
Astraea's voice sharpened. She's watching.
The air prickled, the hairs on my arms rising. From the edge of the clearing, shadows stretched unnaturally long, twisting like living things. A familiar chill crept down my spine.
Lyris.
Her presence slithered through the trees before her form emerged, elegant and cruel beneath the moonlight. Her smile was slow, knowing.
"Well," she drawled, eyes flicking over the four of us. "This is new."
Riven surged to his feet, power flaring instinctively. "Get out."
She laughed softly. "You feel it, don't you? The difference." Her gaze settled on me, sharp and appraising. "You're learning."
I stood, heart pounding but spine straight. "You don't scare me anymore."
A lie—but not a complete one.
Lyris tilted her head. "Careful. Confidence without mastery is still weakness."
The bond stirred—but did not spike.
Her smile faltered, just slightly.
Interesting.
"You tried to break us," I said evenly. "You failed."
"Did I?" she asked lightly. "Kael still flinches when I look at him. Riven still wants to tear the world apart. And Solen…" Her eyes slid to him. "Still believes he can outthink destiny."
Solen's lips curved faintly. "So far, I have."
The shadows twitched, irritated.
Lyris sighed. "This little exercise won't save you. Bonds like yours don't end quietly. They end in blood."
"Then you should be worried," I replied. "Because we're done bleeding for you."
For the first time, something cold flickered in her eyes.
"Enjoy your moment," she said softly. "The Moon Goddess loves hope. It makes the fall so much sweeter."
And then she was gone—shadows collapsing back into the forest as if she'd never been there at all.
Silence rushed in behind her.
Kael exhaled shakily. "She didn't… she didn't control it."
"No," I said, realization settling deep in my bones. "She couldn't."
The bond hummed—steady, strong, unyielding.
Astraea's voice was quiet but certain. You've crossed the threshold. From here on, she will stop playing games.
Riven met my gaze, something fierce and determined burning there. "Then we don't hesitate again."
Solen nodded. "Next time, we're ready."
I looked at all three of them, heart racing—not with fear, but with resolve.
Let Lyris escalate.
We finally were too.