The forest stretched endlessly before me, dark and foreboding. Moonlight barely pierced the dense canopy, scattering silver streaks across the uneven ground. Every step felt heavier than the last.
My chest ached from the memories of Aldrake and Amber, and my heart throbbed as if the night itself had stitched new wounds onto me.
The whispers of the pack haunted my mind—the sideways glances I imagined, the judgment in every stare.
My reputation had been tarnished, my image sullied by Amber's lies. Even Aldrake's anger still burned fresh and raw inside me, a relentless reminder that nothing I did was ever enough.
I had tried to be perfect, to avoid confrontation, to earn even a shred of his attention—but Amber's manipulations had made my efforts meaningless.
> "I told you, Livia… leave him! We don't deserve a man like him! There are others who can love us. Why cling to someone who doesn't care?"
Lilly's voice rumbled in my mind, fierce and insistent, cutting through my own spiraling thoughts.
"But I love him…" I whispered, my voice trembling, almost as if speaking it aloud could somehow make the truth more bearable.
> "And he doesn't love you, Livia! Stop being so desperate! We deserve better, and the Moon Goddess has a plan for you! Don't waste your heart on a man who will never give it back!"
I pressed my hands to my chest, feeling the ache deepen. "It's easy to say 'leave him,' Lilly… but every beat of my heart calls for him."
> "Stupid—" Lilly's words were cut short as a shadow leapt from the trees.
A rogue. Perfect timing. My body froze, heart hammering as fear and exhaustion collided. I was emotionally raw, my focus scattered, and yet I had to face this threat.
Its teeth gleamed in the moonlight, claws flexing as it crouched, ready to pounce.
> "Unleash me, Livia! Let me handle this dog! Let me pour all my anger into him!" Lilly's growl rumbled in my mind, vibrating with a raw, untamed intensity.
"You're not in the condition to fight, Lilly!" I warned, my fear mounting. Every instinct screamed to flee, but the wolf inside me surged, ready to claim control.
> "Trust me! My anger will make me unstoppable! Let me take over now!"
I hesitated. My heart raced as I weighed fear against necessity. Lilly was my protector, my anchor in this fractured world. Without her, I wouldn't survive.
Slowly, I whispered, "Take care," surrendering control.
A howl erupted as my body shifted violently. Fur replaced skin, muscles rippled, and eyes that gleamed with blue fire stared out at the rogue.
Lilly—large, powerful, and trained—stood before the threat. Years of midnight training with my late friend had honed her, though our bond remained incomplete.
The mating connection with Aldrake had not strengthened us fully, leaving both body and wolf vulnerable.
> "Finally… in control. Let's see what you've got, you filthy dog!" Lilly growled, lunging forward.
The rogue struck first, claws raking toward Lilly's flank. She dodged with precision, countering with teeth snapping against its shoulder.
Pain flared through my consciousness as each blow landed or was deflected—Lilly's injuries sent tremors of agony through me.
Three more rogues emerged, circling like predators studying weak prey. My stomach twisted. We were outnumbered, and I could feel the limits of our strength.
> "Sh*t! They planned this!" Lilly snapped in my mind.
"We're outnumbered, Lilly… we should run!" I urged, panic bubbling.
> "Run? Never! I'm Luna's wolf! I protect her, and I don't back down!"
Her stubbornness ignited, and despite my protests, she charged. Every movement was slowed by the incomplete bond that left our bodies less than their full potential.
Fatigue and fear gnawed at me. We were one against four, and the rogues attacked simultaneously, teeth snapping, claws striking.
Lilly yelped as a claw tore across her leg. Pain coursed through my consciousness. My heart pounded in terror. We're going to die here, I thought. This is it.
I tried to fight my panic, calling her mind, urging her to retreat. But she ignored me, growling in defiance, each strike more desperate, more precise.
Every blow was a testament to her loyalty and fury, her raw desire to protect me.
Then—a massive wolf exploded from the shadows, colliding with the leader of the rogues.
Its teeth clamped onto the rogue's neck, and with a violent shake, threw him against a tree.
The remaining rogues faltered, uncertainty flickering across their cruel eyes. In seconds, the newcomer had dispatched all of them, leaving only silence and the coppery scent of blood.
Lilly collapsed, muscles trembling, her fur matted with blood and grime. Control slipped back to me slowly, and my human body returned in a shuddering wave.
As I feel all the pain, I could help but cry. We share a same body, that's why I could feel the pain from the fight.
I sank to my knees, trembling from exhaustion and relief. Tears blurred my vision—not from pain, but from the terror of what we had endured.
"Thank you… thank you for saving us…" I whispered to the unknown wolf, voice choked.
Gratitude and awe coursed through me. I didn't know who had intervened, but their presence had meant life itself.
I focused my attention on Lilly, and held my chest. "You were amazing… I couldn't have survived without you," I murmured, my lips trembling.
> "I'll always protect you, Livia… no matter what," she rumbled softly, and for the first time that night, our bond felt whole, if only for a fleeting moment.
The forest was still once more, moonlight draping silver over the fallen leaves and broken branches.
My chest rose and fell rapidly, each breath a mix of fear, relief, and a strange, burgeoning connection to the wolf who was both part of me and more than me.
Somehow, despite the injuries, the fear, the heartbreak, I knew we had survived this night together. And in that shared survival, our bond, though incomplete, had deepened in ways I could finally feel.
"We'll make it. I promise… we'll get through this… together."