Chapter Nine: Fire in the Quiet
The camp was alive with celebration. Fires blazed, laughter echoed, and warriors clapped Rina on the back like she'd fought alongside them for years. The pack had never seen anything like it—her courage, her strength.
Kael stayed close, his presence a constant anchor.
Later, when the crowd had thinned and the stars glittered overhead, he led her to the edge of the river. The water shimmered under the moonlight, cool and inviting.
"Come," he said softly.
Rina hesitated, then stepped in beside him. The chill made her shiver, but Kael's hand found hers, steady and warm.
"Tonight," he said, "you don't have to hide. Not from me. Not from yourself."
She looked up at him, heart pounding.
Kael's gaze softened. "The bond—it's more than power. It's trust. It's surrender."
Rina's breath hitched. "I'm scared."
Kael smiled, brushing a stray hair from her face. "Good. That means you're alive."
Slowly, gently, he pulled her closer.
Their lips met—soft, searching, a promise whispered in the quiet night.
The river murmured around them as they melted into each other, the bond blazing brighter than ever.
Rina realized then that she wasn't alone. That together, they were stronger.
And for the first time, she believed in their future.