Selene Raventhorn stood in the garden courtyard, the moonlight bathing her in silver. Her fingertips brushed the petals of the moonblooms, ancient flowers said to bloom only in the presence of a fated mate. Tonight, they shimmered with an iridescent glow that matched the pull in her chest, the one that always drew her to him—Alpha Darius Stormbane.
Since the ceremony, things had changed. Darius had become more protective, more possessive—but also more distant. She saw the turmoil in his eyes, a storm he refused to let her into. And yet, every time she touched him, every time their souls brushed, it was as though lifetimes passed between them.
Bound before time. Bound before fate. The words echoed in her dreams.
Selene's fingers trembled as she reached into the pocket of her gown and pulled out the pendant she had found in the library. It was ancient, glowing faintly under the moon. The sigil of the Moon Goddess engraved in the center matched the one on Darius's chest, the one that burned whenever they were near.
Just then, the wind changed. A familiar energy surged through the night air, and she turned. Darius.
He strode forward, dark cloak billowing behind him, eyes glowing a molten silver.
"You shouldn't be out here alone," he said gruffly.
"I'm not afraid."
His jaw clenched. "You should be. Things are stirring in the shadows—things older than us."
She held up the pendant. "Then tell me what this is. Why do I feel it calling to me every time you're near?"
Darius took a step forward. The tension between them crackled like lightning. "Because, Selene, our souls are bound—not just in this life but in every life before and after."
Her heart thudded. She had felt it. Always known it. But to hear it confirmed unraveled something inside her.
He looked at the pendant. "That belonged to you... in your first life. When you were priestess to the Moon Temple, and I was a rogue warrior with no name."
Selene's lips parted. Visions flickered behind her eyes—of ancient stone halls, silver robes, blood on moonlit steps.
"Why did we fail then?" she whispered.
Darius looked away. "Because I was weak. I let them tear you from me. I vowed never again. And yet, here we are. The curse repeats."
Tears stung her eyes. She reached for him, and when their hands touched, the world stopped. Memories surged—lives of love, loss, fire, and resurrection. They had always found each other... only to be ripped apart.
"We can break it," she said fiercely. "This time, we know. This time, we fight."
He stared at her, awe and pain mingling in his gaze. "You are stronger than I ever was. That strength is why I've always loved you."
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Suddenly, a shriek tore through the night. Selene's pendant glowed bright white. Darius turned toward the treeline.
"They're here."
She grabbed his arm. "Who?"
"The Nightborn. The ones who cursed us. The ones who want our bond severed—for good."
Selene's heart pounded. But instead of fear, determination surged. "Let them come. I'm ready."
Darius turned to her, eyes blazing with pride and something deeper. "Then stay by my side, my mate. No matter what comes."
Their lips met in a kiss that echoed lifetimes, sealing their bond once more.
And as the darkness moved to strike, the stars above them blazed brighter—as if destiny itself had chosen a side.