Bound by the Moon

Chapter 30

The sky was still cloaked in overcast gloom when Lucien disappeared into the forest, leaving Astrid standing alone. The weight of his sudden departure hung heavy in the air, and despite the stillness of the forest around her, an uneasy feeling settled deep in her bones. Lucien's urgency had been palpable, and though he hadn't said much about what had happened back at the compound, the look in his eyes had told her enough.

Something was wrong.

Astrid lingered in the clearing for a moment longer, her mind whirling with questions. What kind of incident could have pulled Lucien away so abruptly? She had seen his mask of calm slip, just for an instant, revealing the depth of his concern. And if Lucien was worried, then it had to be serious.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her heart racing with a mixture of anxiety and frustration. She hated feeling like this—helpless, powerless, like there was nothing she could do but wait. And waiting had never been her strong suit.

Her wolf, though bound and dormant, stirred restlessly within her, a faint echo of the wild power that had flared to life during her confrontation with Ryker. The memory of that moment still sent a shiver through her, the raw, uncontrollable force that had surged from deep within her and lashed out without warning. She had barely managed to reel it back in, and even now, she wasn't sure how she had done it.

Lucien's questions echoed in her mind. What are you? He hadn't said it out of cruelty—she could see that much in his eyes. But there had been genuine confusion, maybe even fear, in his voice when he asked. It was the same question she had been asking herself, over and over, ever since that night.

She let out a frustrated sigh, her breath visible in the cool morning air. Standing here in the middle of the forest wasn't going to help her figure anything out. She needed to move, to think, and maybe, just maybe, to distract herself from the storm of uncertainty swirling inside her.

With a determined breath, Astrid turned and started walking, her feet taking her along a familiar path that wound deeper into the woods. The trees stood tall and silent around her, their branches swaying gently in the breeze, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to lose focus, to let the sounds of nature drown out the chaos in her mind.

But even as she walked, the unease refused to leave her. Lucien's departure had left her feeling unsettled, and the tension between them, while temporarily pushed aside, still lingered like an unspoken truth. There was something between them—something she couldn't quite put her finger on. The bond. The connection he claimed to feel, but that she...couldn't. Or didn't.

She shook her head, trying to dispel the confusion that gnawed at her. It didn't make sense. If there was truly a mate bond between them, she should have felt it. The pull, the connection—it was supposed to be undeniable. And yet, she felt nothing. No overwhelming instinct drawing her to Lucien, no invisible thread binding them together like it had with other mated pairs in the pack.

Why? What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she feel it?

The more she thought about it, the more her frustration grew. She had spent her entire life feeling like something was missing, like there was a part of her that had been locked away and hidden from her. And now, when the possibility of something real, something powerful, was right in front of her, it was as if that missing piece still refused to fall into place.

Her steps quickened, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts as she pushed herself harder along the trail. The trees blurred past her, and soon the gentle sound of the breeze was drowned out by the pounding of her heart in her ears. She ran as if she could outrun the questions, as if moving faster could somehow untangle the mess of emotions and confusion swirling inside her.