Bound by the Moon

Chapter 45

The night after Marcus's submission was heavy with an uneasy stillness. The Silverclaw Pack grounds, though quieter now, still held the echoes of the confrontation that had nearly torn them apart. Astrid stood at the edge of the forest, staring out into the dense wall of trees that bordered the territory. The moon hung high, casting its pale glow across the landscape, but it did little to illuminate the darkness that gnawed at her thoughts.

She couldn't sleep. Not after everything that had happened. Not after seeing her brother nearly lose control of the pack, and witnessing the terrifying power Lucien wielded like a weapon. Even now, the image of him holding Marcus by the throat, radiating that immense, suffocating Alpha energy, replayed in her mind.

Lucien had been terrifying. More than that—he had been lethal, and she realized, as she stood under the moon, that this was only a fraction of what he was capable of.

Astrid wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the cool breeze brush against her skin. The bond between her and Lucien was still there, pulsing faintly, but something about it felt different now. There was no fear when she looked at him, only a strange sense of familiarity. No matter how much power he unleashed, she never felt the instinct to submit like the others did.

Why?

"Can't sleep?"

The deep, rumbling voice startled her from her thoughts. Lucien appeared beside her as if he'd materialized out of the shadows themselves. His presence was grounding, yet it also stirred the unease she had been trying to bury.

"Did I wake you?" Astrid asked, keeping her gaze on the forest.

"No. I can sense when you're restless," he said, his voice lower now, almost tender. He was calmer tonight, the fire from earlier banked. But there was always an edge to Lucien—something simmering just below the surface. "You've been out here for a while."

She shrugged, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on her arm. "I just needed some air."

Silence stretched between them for a moment, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Lucien didn't push her to speak, and she appreciated that. However, the thoughts swirling in her head wouldn't leave her alone.

"You were..." Astrid hesitated, searching for the right word. "Different today."

Lucien turned to look at her, his brow furrowed slightly. "Different how?"

"When you confronted Marcus," she explained, finally meeting his gaze. "I've never seen that side of you before. It wasn't just power, it was... something else."

Lucien's eyes darkened, the gold flecks in his irises catching the moonlight. "I did what needed to be done. Marcus is dangerous, and he would have destroyed the pack if left unchecked."

"I know that." Astrid's voice was soft, but her eyes were unwavering. "But there was something more. You didn't just stop him—you wanted to break him."

The air between them grew thick with tension, the kind that always seemed to arise when they touched on deeper subjects, on things that made them both uncomfortable. Lucien ran a hand through his dark hair, exhaling slowly.

"Astrid, you have to understand," he said, his voice quieter now, but no less intense. "I protect what's mine. When Marcus threatened you and this pack, he crossed a line. I won't allow anyone to hurt the people I care about."

A shiver ran down her spine at his words. There was no mistaking the ferocity behind them. But something about it felt off. She wasn't sure if it was the protectiveness that unsettled her, or the possessiveness she heard beneath it.