Bound by the Moon

Chapter 34

The days that followed Astrid's unbinding were a blur of exhaustion, confusion, and haunting dreams. The wolf, once tightly caged within her, was now a constant presence beneath her skin. It prowled at the edges of her consciousness, a wild, restless energy that never fully receded. She could feel its power in her bones, in the way her senses were heightened, the world around her sharper, clearer. But the wolf was not the only thing she had unleashed.

The dark force that had risen alongside the wolf still lingered, a shadow in the depths of her mind. It was quieter now, receding into the background after the struggle in the ritual chamber, but it hadn't disappeared. It watched her, waiting, its presence cold and insidious, like a serpent coiled in the dark corners of her soul.

She couldn't forget how close she had come to losing herself to it.

Astrid had barely spoken to anyone since the unbinding. She spent most of her time in her room, resting, trying to gather her strength, trying to make sense of what had happened. Lucien had checked on her frequently in those first few days, but she had sent him away each time, insisting she needed space. She wasn't sure if it was the truth or a lie. She needed something, but she wasn't sure what.

Isolde had warned her that the aftermath of the unbinding would be difficult, that it would take time for her to adjust to the wolf being free. But what Isolde hadn't mentioned, what no one had prepared her for, was the darkness. The way it still whispered to her in the quiet moments, tempting her with its promise of power.

In the days following the ritual, Astrid tried to keep busy, to lose herself in physical tasks. She trained harder than ever, pushing her body to its limits, trying to exhaust herself to the point where the wolf's energy would settle. But no matter how hard she pushed, it was never enough. The wolf was still there, vibrant and alive, always ready, always waiting.

And then there were the dreams.

They started on the second night after the unbinding. In the dream, she was always in the woods, the moon high overhead, casting silver light on the forest floor. She was running—fast, wild, her feet barely touching the ground. The air was sharp and cold, filling her lungs with each breath as she raced through the trees. The wolf was with her, not just inside her but beside her, a massive creature with fur as black as night, its eyes glowing amber in the moonlight. It ran beside her, powerful and free, its presence comforting in a way she couldn't explain.

But there was always something else in the dream, too. Something darker.

It followed her, a shadowy figure that stayed just out of sight, its presence oppressive, cold. It never attacked, never revealed itself fully, but it was there, lurking in the background, watching her. Waiting.

Every time she woke from the dream, her heart raced, her skin damp with sweat. She would lie in the darkness, the silence of the night pressing in on her, and wonder what the shadow was. Who it was.

And deep down, she already knew the answer.

Kael.

He hadn't been seen since the night of the ritual, and despite the chaos within her, Astrid found herself thinking about him more than she wanted to. His warning echoed in her mind, the cryptic things he had said before he disappeared into the woods. He knew something—something about her, about the darkness inside her—and she needed answers.

But Kael wasn't someone you could just summon. He appeared when he wanted to, spoke in riddles, and vanished before you could ask the questions that mattered.

The morning after the fourth night of restless dreams, Astrid woke with a sense of determination. She couldn't continue like this—drifting between dreams and waking life, unsure of who or what she was becoming. She needed to regain control. She needed to understand what had truly happened to her during the unbinding.