Kieran's POV
The moon hung like a silver eye in the night sky. I waited for the burning to start—for my bones to crack and my mind to sink in red rage. But tonight was different.
Instead of pain, warmth spread through my body. Ruby light glowed under my skin, pulsing with each beat of my heart. Sienna's gift. Not freedom from my curse, but power over it.
"Well?" Darius asked, his voice tight with fear. My Beta stood at the edge of the area, ready to run if I turned into the monster I once was.
I smiled, feeling my fangs slide down. "I'm still me."
For the first time in years, I shifted under the full moon and kept my mind. The beast was still there, but now it answered to me. I threw back my head and howled—not in pain, but in joy.
Three weeks had passed since the fight. Three weeks since Sienna had changed everything. Though our bond wasn't what I'd hoped for, it was something new. Something better.
