The clearing fell into dead silence.
Kael's muscles tensed, every instinct screaming to shield Aria. But she didn't move. Her breath had stilled, not from fear but recognition. A memory buried so deep, it felt more like a scar than a thought.
The silver-haired woman stepped into the firelight, her violet eyes shimmering with unreadable emotion. "You look just like your father," she said, her voice smooth and cold. "Same fire in your blood. Same recklessness."
Aria's flame flickered around her hands. "You're supposed to be dead."
The woman smiled slowly. "That's what they wanted you to believe."
Kael stepped forward, standing protectively between them. "Who are you?"
"I'm Selene," she said, her gaze never leaving Aria's. "High Priestess of the Forsaken. And the first bearer of the mate bond."
Aria's heart slammed into her ribs. "That's not possible…"
"You think the council created it?" Selene laughed, low and bitter. "They merely tamed it. Chained it. I was the one who first channeled it unbound, wild, true. And they punished me for it."
Kael's fists clenched. "You're the reason the Forsaken exist."
"No," Selene said, her voice sharpening. "The council is the reason. They exiled me. Branded me a heretic. Tore me from the one I was fated to. My power twisted in that darkness… but I endured."
Aria's voice trembled. "Why come now?"
"Because you've awoken what they buried," Selene said, stepping closer. "That mark on your skin isn't a gift. It's a curse crafted by wolves who fear women like us."
Kael moved to block her again. "Stay away from her."
But Aria placed a hand on his arm. "No. I need to hear this."
Selene's eyes softened just for a moment. "You and Kael… you forged the bond as it was meant to be. Pure. Voluntary. Unbroken. That power surged through the ley lines of this world and reached even me, beyond the veil. It called me home. You resurrected me."
Aria's skin tingled. "Then why attack us?"
"I didn't," Selene said. "But those I left behind… they're no longer mine to command. You may have frightened them tonight, but they won't stop. The council's fall is inevitable. What comes next… is war."
Kael's jaw clenched. "You expect us to side with you?"
"No," Selene said simply. "I expect you to survive."
She turned, her cloak billowing like smoke, and disappeared into the night with no sound, no trace like a ghost returning to the grave.
For a long moment, neither Kael nor Aria spoke.
Then Aria whispered, "She's telling the truth."
Kael turned to her. "How can you be sure?"
"Because of the power I felt tonight… it didn't come from them. It came from something old. Something wild. I've only scratched the surface."
Kael wrapped his arms around her from behind, grounding her. "Then we learn. Together."
They stood there, in the heart of the forest, their bond pulsing softly like a heartbeat beneath their skin. Around them, the wolves of Kael's pack began to gather again wounded, tired, but alive.
The Emberborn arrived moments later, their eyes wide as they took in the ash-covered ridge.
"It's done," Aria said quietly, addressing them all. "For now."
An elder nodded. "But the balance has shifted. The council will sense it. So will the others."
"Let them," Kael replied. "We're not hiding anymore."
Later that night, under the second moonlight softer, cooler, more silver than gold they held each other in the ruins of the ceremonial clearing. Aria traced the bond mark on Kael's chest with her fingers, now glowing dimly with every breath.
She spoke softly. "I never thought I'd be chosen. I never thought I'd choose back."
Kael leaned in, kissing her knuckles. "But you did. And you saved us all."
She smiled faintly. "We saved each other."
A moment passed in stillness.
Then Kael whispered, "You're more than my mate, Aria. You're the axis my world spins around."
She looked up at him, heart thudding, breath caught in her throat.
"I know," she said. "And you're mine. My anchor. My storm."
They kissed again, this time without fire, without urgency. Just reverence.
A vow in silence.
Fated. Forever.
But as the night wore on and the forest healed, Aria couldn't shake the sensation that Selene's words were more than a warning. They were a prophecy.
The mate bond had changed everything. And once awakened… power always drew enemies.
She lay her head on Kael's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart.
"Kael…" she whispered.
"Yes?"
"What if the bond doesn't just link us?"
He opened one eye, brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
She stared up at the stars, heart suddenly tight. "What if it's a key? And what if we've just unlocked a door we weren't meant to open?"
As Aria embraces the full force of her mate's bond, has she unknowingly opened a gateway to ancient forces lost to time and will their love be strong enough to face what lies beyond the veil?