The room had emptied.
The wolves left reluctantly after Kael dismissed them, though Nyra could still feel their unease lingering in the air like a storm waiting to break. The silver-haired woman had also gone, leaving only a quiet warning behind her eyes.
Now, silence wrapped around the large chamber.
Nyra sat on the edge of the bed, her hands trembling in her lap. She stared at the faint carvings glowing softly along the wooden walls, afraid to even breathe too hard.
She could still feel it.
That power.
It slept beneath her skin like a restless animal.
Kael stood near the window, watching the moon through the glass. The crimson glow painted his features in shadow and light, making him look both dangerous and… strangely tired.
"Are they scared of me?" Nyra asked quietly.
Kael didn't turn around.
"Yes."
The honesty stung more than she expected.
Nyra swallowed hard. "You are too."
Silence stretched between them.
Then he spoke, his voice lower.
"I'm not scared of you."
He turned slowly.
"I'm scared of what your power could do… if it consumes you."
Nyra's chest tightened. "I didn't ask for this."
"I know."
Her voice cracked. "I don't even know who I am anymore."
Kael walked toward her carefully, like approaching something fragile and unpredictable. He stopped a few steps away, watching her shaking hands.
"You're overwhelmed," he said.
"That's an understatement," she whispered.
"You're trying to fight it."
"I don't want to hurt anyone."
His gaze softened slightly.
"That's why you won't."
Nyra shook her head. "You don't know that."
"I do."
The certainty in his voice made her look up.
Kael slowly lowered himself to sit on the floor in front of her. The movement was deliberate… respectful… almost symbolic.
Nyra blinked in surprise. "What are you doing?"
"Helping you control it."
She gave a weak, disbelieving laugh. "You think sitting on the floor is going to stop whatever just happened?"
"No," he said calmly. "But grounding you will."
He reached out slowly, pausing just inches from her hand.
"May I?"
Nyra hesitated.
Every instinct screamed danger. This man was powerful, unpredictable, and tied to her fate in ways she barely understood.
But something deeper whispered trust.
She nodded.
Kael gently took her hands in his. His skin was warm… steady… real. The moment their fingers touched, the restless energy inside her stirred again, but this time it felt… calmer. Less chaotic.
"Close your eyes," he instructed softly.
Nyra obeyed, though her heart pounded nervously.
"Focus on your breathing," he said. "Slow. Deep. Match mine."
She listened.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Kael's breathing was controlled, rhythmic, almost hypnotic. She found herself syncing with it without trying.
The burning beneath her skin flickered.
"Your power reacts to your emotions," he continued. "Fear feeds it. Panic unleashes it. You must learn to anchor yourself."
"I don't have an anchor," she whispered.
There was a pause.
"You do now," he said quietly.
Her breath hitched.
Nyra felt his thumbs gently brushing across her knuckles, grounding her further. The simple touch sent warmth spreading through her chest, easing the tightness she hadn't realized she carried for years.
Memories surfaced unexpectedly.
Her parents laughing.
Her mother braiding her hair.
The night everything was taken from her.
Her breathing faltered.
Kael tightened his hold slightly. "Stay with me."
"I'm trying," she whispered shakily.
"You're stronger than you think."
"I don't feel strong."
"You survived losing everything," he said. "That is strength."
Tears slipped down Nyra's cheeks.
The energy beneath her skin pulsed again, reacting to her emotions, but this time it didn't explode outward. Instead, it flickered like a heartbeat… steadying… calming.
Kael watched her carefully, his golden eyes softening further.
"You're doing it," he murmured.
Nyra slowly opened her eyes.
The room felt different. Lighter. The carvings on the walls had stopped glowing.
"I… I can feel it settling," she said, surprised.
Kael nodded slightly. "Because you stopped fighting yourself."
Nyra studied his face, noticing something she hadn't seen before.
He looked… vulnerable.
"You've done this before," she said quietly.
His jaw tightened.
"Not like this."
"With who, then?"
Silence fell.
"Someone I failed to protect," he admitted finally.
Nyra felt her chest ache at the hidden pain in his voice.
"I'm sorry," she said softly.
Kael looked away briefly, like he wasn't used to sympathy.
"You're not responsible for my past," he said.
"Maybe not," she replied, "but I know what it feels like to carry ghosts."
Their eyes met again.
Something shifted between them.
Not just attraction.
Understanding.
The air grew heavier with unspoken emotion as Nyra realized how close they were sitting. She could feel the heat of his body, hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath the silence.
Her power stirred again… but this time it felt warm. Almost… protective.
Kael seemed to feel it too. His breath hitched slightly as his grip on her hands tightened unconsciously.
"You calm my wolf," he admitted quietly.
Nyra blinked. "Is that… bad?"
"For me?" he said, a faint, conflicted smile touching his lips.
"Yes."
"For you?" His expression darkened slightly. "It could be dangerous."
"Why?"
"Because the closer we bond… the stronger our connection becomes."
Nyra's voice dropped to a whisper. "And that's a problem?"
Kael hesitated.
"Yes," he said honestly.
"But it's also the only way you'll survive what's coming."
Nyra's heart pounded harder at the intensity in his gaze.
"What's coming?" she asked.
Kael leaned closer, his voice barely above a breath.
"War."
A distant howl echoed through the forest outside, long and ominous.
Nyra's fingers tightened around his instinctively.
Kael didn't pull away.
For the first time since her life shattered years ago, Nyra felt something fragile blooming inside her chest.
Not safety.
Not yet.
But the beginning of trust.
And deep beneath her skin… her ancient power pulsed quietly, as if recognizing him too.