STARLIGHT PROMISE:"Bound to the Lycan"

Chapter 23

ZALE's POV;
                       When Amora's eyes fluttered open, the atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, so palpable it was as though the air itself was suffocating. I could feel her fear before she even fully registered where she was—her pulse was racing, heart thudding wildly in her chest, echoing in the quiet space like a distant drumbeat. She had no idea where she was or what had happened, but it was only a matter of time before the memories started to flood back.

The woods. The rogue. My wolf.

Lace had terrified her, as I knew he would. No human could witness a Lycan's transformation—let alone my wolf's overwhelming size and strength—and remain unaffected. She had fainted as soon as her eyes met Lace's silver fur, collapsing onto the ground as if the weight of the revelation had crushed her entirely. A part of me had anticipated that reaction. I knew she wasn't ready for this world. She wasn't ready for me.

But none of that excused her disobedience.

She had tried to run, and for that, she would face the consequences.

The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the sound of her uneven breathing as she slowly came to. I stood by the door, my arms crossed over my chest, watching her every move. I made no effort to hide the anger coursing through me. She needed to feel it. She needed to understand the gravity of what she had done. Running from me wasn't just foolish—it was dangerous. And in this world, danger was a lesson learned through pain.

"I warned you," I finally spoke, my voice low, a harsh rasp that filled the room. I didn't mask my fury, didn't try to temper the cold edge to my words. She had to hear it, had to know I wasn't playing games anymore.

Her body tensed at the sound of my voice, her eyes fluttering open fully now, blinking as they tried to adjust to the dim light. I could see the confusion in her gaze, the fear still lingering in the depths of her wide, dark eyes. She was fragile in that moment, trembling as she tried to sit up, as though movement might somehow anchor her back to reality.

But there was no escaping what had happened.

"I told you what would happen if you ran," I said again, each word dripping with barely contained rage. I took a slow, deliberate step forward, closing the distance between us. I wanted her to feel the weight of my presence, to know that there was no escape from me, not now, not ever.

Her lips parted, and for a brief moment, she struggled to speak, her voice weak and shaky. "You... you saved me."

Saved her?

I let out a sharp breath, a bitter laugh escaping my throat. She thought I had saved her? She had no idea. She didn't understand the real danger wasn't the rogue—it was me. It was the entire world she had stepped into the moment she became mine.

"Saved you?" I repeated, my voice mocking, cruel. "No, Amora. I didn't save you. I saved you from making a mistake that would've cost you far more than your freedom."

She flinched at my words, her eyes widening as she slowly pieced together the truth. She had no idea of the enormity of the situation she was in. She thought she could simply run from me, from this life I had bound her to. But running wouldn't solve anything. It would only make things worse—far worse.

Her body shifted again, a feeble attempt to pull herself together, to sit upright. I allowed her that moment, let her feel the illusion of control for a second. But it was fleeting. She didn't realize how powerless she truly was, not yet. But she would soon enough.

I stepped forward again, my boots heavy against the cold floor, each step a deliberate reminder of my dominance, my control. As I loomed over her, I could see her breath hitch in her throat, her entire body trembling beneath the weight of my gaze. There was nowhere for her to hide, nowhere for her to go.