Bound by the Moon

Chapter 31

The sky hung low with thick, bruised clouds, the promise of rain lingering in the air, much like the tension that filled Astrid's chest. She stood at the edge of the pack's territory, a clearing marked by a scattering of ancient pines, their jagged limbs clawing toward the heavens like silent sentinels. From here, the looming walls of the compound were barely visible, obscured by the thickening mist rolling in from the forest.

Astrid's fingers absently traced the surface of her forearm, though she wasn't cold. The chill she felt was internal—deeper, something gnawing at the edges of her thoughts, something she hadn't been able to shake since her encounter with Kael. His voice still echoed in her mind, laced with both promise and threat, lingering like the ghost of a half-forgotten dream.

"You're more than you know, Astrid. And they're right to fear you."

The words had been spoken softly, almost like a caress, but there had been an undeniable edge to them—a dark knowledge in his tone that unsettled her in a way she couldn't fully explain. He had looked at her as if he could see something no one else could, something hidden deep beneath the surface, something even she wasn't aware of. A dangerous thing.

More than you know.

She shook her head, trying to dispel the memory. Whatever he had meant, it didn't matter. Not now. She had more pressing concerns—like Ryker. His escape had thrown the pack into a frenzy, the tension around the compound so thick it was nearly suffocating. There had always been a sense of impending danger when it came to Ryker, but now, with him on the loose, it was as if a live wire had been exposed, sparking with potential disaster.

Astrid cast a glance back toward the compound. Even from here, she could sense the restless energy of the pack, a barely-contained storm of anxiety and fear. Ryker's escape wasn't just a breach in security—it was a breach in trust. He had been one of them once, a brother, a trusted warrior. His descent into madness had been slow but inevitable, like watching a tree rot from the inside out, the core hollowed until it finally snapped.

And now he was out there, somewhere in the darkness, plotting, scheming. Waiting.

Astrid clenched her fists, forcing herself to focus. The pack was on high alert, with warriors stationed at every entrance, eyes trained on the shadows, waiting for any sign of Ryker's return. But she knew, deep down, that this wasn't going to be that simple. Ryker had always been a step ahead, always more dangerous than they had anticipated. His escape had been planned, orchestrated with precision—and someone had helped him.

Who? The question gnawed at her. Someone within the pack? A traitor? Or was it someone else entirely—someone from the outside, someone they hadn't yet considered?

Her mind turned briefly to Kael again. Could it have been him? He had appeared out of nowhere, with knowledge he shouldn't have had. He had known about her powers, about the pack's secrets. But what had his angle been? He hadn't seemed aligned with Ryker's madness, but there was something else—something he hadn't told her.

And I didn't tell him everything either.

The thought prickled at her conscience. She hadn't mentioned the encounter to anyone, not even Lucien. Especially not Lucien. She trusted him more than anyone, but there was something about this—about Kael's cryptic words, about her own powers—that she wasn't ready to share. Not yet.

Astrid sighed, the weight of the secret pressing down on her like a heavy cloak. She had always been honest with Lucien, always confided in him, but something about this felt... different. Dangerous. If what Kael had said was true, if she really was "more than she knew," then telling the others might put them at risk. And right now, with Ryker on the loose, the pack couldn't afford any more uncertainty.