Moonlit Bonds

chapter nine : Trust issues

Tension was mounting in the pack. The preparations for the upcoming clash with rival werewolves had put everyone on edge, but none more than Kai. His usual cold demeanor had become sharper, more guarded. And Luca, ever persistent in trying to break down those walls, was starting to lose his patience.

That evening, the tension between them finally came to a head.

Kai paced back and forth in their shared tent, arms crossed and brow furrowed. Luca stood near the entrance, watching him with growing frustration. He had tried to give Kai space, tried to be patient, but tonight, something had shifted.

"Kai, we need to talk," Luca said firmly, stepping forward. His voice was calm, but there was a quiet intensity in his tone that made it clear he wasn't backing down.

Kai stopped pacing and shot him a glare. "I don't feel like talking."

Luca clenched his jaw, suppressing the urge to snap back. "You never do, Kai. But this... whatever this is between us, it won't work if you keep shutting me out."

Kai scoffed, turning away. "You think I don't know that? You think I don't see what you're doing? You're trying to break through my defenses, trying to get close. But let me make one thing clear, Luca—you'll never get close enough to hurt me."

Luca's heart sank at the bitterness in Kai's words. He had expected resistance, but not like this. "Hurt you? Kai, I've never wanted to hurt you. Why can't you see that?"

Kai spun around, eyes blazing. "Because everyone who's ever claimed to care about me has used it against me! You think I'm going to believe you're any different? You're just another Alpha trying to manipulate me, just like the rest of them."

Luca took a step closer, his voice low and serious. "Is that really what you think? After everything we've been through, after everything I've done to prove I'm here for you—you still think I'm just trying to control you?"

Kai's jaw tightened, but he didn't answer. His silence spoke volumes.

Luca ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I don't know what else to do, Kai. I've given you space, I've tried to be there for you without pushing. But you keep shutting me out. How am I supposed to prove anything to you if you won't even let me in?"

Kai's fists clenched at his sides, his emotions swirling into a storm he could barely control. "You can't prove anything, Luca. That's the problem. People like me don't get to trust others. We don't get to rely on anyone but ourselves."

Luca's expression softened, though his frustration remained. "That's not true, and deep down, you know it. You're not alone anymore, Kai. You have me, and you have the pack. But if you keep pushing everyone away, then you'll be exactly where you were before—isolated and hurting. Is that really what you want?"

Kai turned his back on Luca, his breath shaky. He hated how Luca's words cut through him, how they exposed the vulnerability he tried so hard to bury. "I don't want to be alone," he muttered under his breath. "But it's safer."

Luca closed the distance between them, gently placing a hand on Kai's shoulder. "Maybe. But safer doesn't mean better."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of Kai's past and Luca's patience hanging between them like a fragile thread.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from outside the tent, followed by frantic shouting. Both Kai and Luca's instincts kicked in, and they rushed outside to find several pack members in a panic.

"The rogues—they've launched a surprise attack!" one of the warriors shouted.

In an instant, Kai and Luca were in battle mode. The tension between them forgotten, they sprinted toward the source of the commotion. The rival werewolves had launched a raid on the camp, taking advantage of the pack's preoccupation with preparing for the larger battle.

Chaos erupted as claws slashed and fangs bared. Kai fought with a cold precision, every movement calculated and deadly. But even in the heat of battle, his mind kept returning to Luca's words. Trust. He had fought alone for so long, had relied only on himself, but here, now, he couldn't afford to push Luca away.

A rogue wolf lunged at Kai from behind, but before he could react, Luca was there, intercepting the attack and knocking the rogue to the ground. Kai's eyes widened as he realized how close he had come to serious injury.

"Get it together, Kai!" Luca growled, fending off another attacker. "We're in this together, whether you like it or not!"

Kai's heart pounded in his chest, the reality of the situation hitting him like a ton of bricks. Luca was right. They were in this together. If he continued to push Luca away, it wouldn't just be his emotional walls that crumbled—it could very well be his life.

As the battle raged on, Kai fought harder, faster, but something had shifted. He found himself watching Luca's back, trusting that Luca was doing the same for him. It was an unfamiliar feeling—relying on someone else—but in that moment, it felt right.

By the time the rogues were driven off, the pack was exhausted but triumphant. Kai stood panting, his body bruised and battered, but his mind strangely clear.

Luca approached him, his expression a mix of relief and determination. "Still think you can do this alone?"

Kai wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart heavy but his defenses beginning to falter. "No," he admitted quietly, "I can't."

Luca's eyes softened, a small smile playing on his lips. "Good. Because I'm not going anywhere."

Kai looked away, his emotions still raw. But for the first time, he didn't push Luca away. Instead, he nodded, a small but significant step toward something he wasn't sure he was ready for—but something he knew he needed.

Trust.