The forest grew quieter as dusk deepened into night, the moon rising slowly above the treetops like a silent witness. Lila stayed close to Kael, her steps careful, senses heightened. Every snap of a twig made her jump, but Kael seemed unfazed, his body taut with awareness, eyes scanning the darkness.
"You're trembling," he said without looking at her.
"I'm fine," Lila replied quickly, though her voice betrayed her.
Kael stopped abruptly and turned to face her. In the moonlight, his features softened — still dangerous, still powerful, but undeniably human. He reached out, hesitated for a fraction of a second, then gently took her wrist.
"Your pulse says otherwise," he murmured.
The warmth of his touch sent a jolt through her, electric and unsettling. "Maybe it's just adrenaline," she said, swallowing hard.
"Or fear," Kael countered. "This forest feeds on it."
Before she could respond, a sharp pain sliced through her palm. Lila gasped. A thorned vine had wrapped around her hand, its barbs digging into her skin. Dark red blood welled instantly.
"Lila!" Kael snapped.
He pulled her free, cradling her hand in his. His jaw tightened, eyes glowing faintly.
"Why didn't you watch your step?" he growled — but beneath the anger was concern.
"I didn't see it," she whispered, shaken.
Kael exhaled slowly, then did something unexpected. He brought her injured palm to his lips and pressed a firm kiss against the wound. Warmth surged through her hand, spreading up her arm. The pain vanished.
Lila
Chapter 4: The Mark of the Moon (Continued)
Kael froze.
His lips were still hovering near her palm, the air between them charged and heavy. Slowly, he pulled back, his jaw tightening as if he were wrestling with himself.
"I shouldn't have done that," he said quietly.
Lila's heart pounded. "You just healed me with a kiss," she replied, half breathless. "I think we're past 'shouldn't.'"
For a moment, Kael said nothing. The moonlight caught his eyes, making the amber glow brighter, sharper. Dangerous.
"That wasn't just healing," he finally said. "That was… instinct."
Lila's stomach flipped. "Instinct for what?"
Kael released her hand like it burned him. "For claiming," he said bluntly.
The word sent a shiver down her spine.
"Claiming?" she repeated.
Before he could answer, the forest shifted.
The air thickened. The wind died. Even the insects fell silent.
Kael's head snapped up. "We're not alone."
A low, echoing howl cut through the trees — deeper, stronger than the rogue from earlier. It wasn't just one voice. It was many, layered, ancient.
Lila's breath caught. "That doesn't sound like the rogue."
"It isn't," Kael said, stepping in front of her protectively. "That's a boundary call."
"Boundary for what?"
"For you."
The ground beneath them trembled slightly as shadows moved between the trees. Figures emerged — wolves, massive and powerful, their eyes glowing silver under the moon.
A pack.
At their center stood a tall woman, her presence commanding even in human form. Her silver hair shimmered, and her gaze locked instantly onto Lila.
"So," the woman said coolly, "this is the human."
Kael stiffened. "Selene. You shouldn't be here."
"And yet," Selene replied, eyes flicking to Lila's still-glowing palm, "you've already marked her."
Lila's heart slammed against her ribs. "Marked me?"
Selene stepped closer, studying her like prey — or something far more dangerous. "Moon-healing leaves a trace. Especially when done by an alpha."
Lila turned sharply to Kael. "You're an alpha?"
Kael didn't deny it.
"Yes," he said. "And she means nothing to us."
Selene laughed softly. "Then why does the moon respond to her?"
As if summoned by her words, Lila's chest warmed. The moonlight seemed to cling to her skin, brighter around her than anywhere else in the clearing. The wolves around them shifted uneasily.
Kael cursed under his breath.
"This isn't possible," he muttered. "She's human."
"Not entirely," Selene said. "Not anymore."
Fear and fascination collided inside Lila. "What are you saying?"
Selene smiled — slow, knowing. "I'm saying the forest recognizes you. And once the moon does that…" Her gaze flicked back to Kael. "There's no undoing it."
Kael grabbed Lila's hand, pulling her close to his side. His voice dropped, fierce and resolute. "She's under my protection."
Selene's eyes gleamed. "Protection is not the same as possession."
Kael leaned down, his lips brushing Lila's ear. "Whatever happens," he whispered, "stay with me. Don't listen to them. Don't run."
Her pulse raced. "And if I want answers?"
His grip tightened just slightly. "Then you'll get them. From me."
The pack began to withdraw, melting back into the forest as silently as they had appeared. Selene lingered the longest, her gaze lingering on Lila with unmistakable interest.
"We'll be watching," she said. "The moon has chosen."
When they were gone, the forest exhaled.
Lila finally looked up at Kael, her voice barely steady. "You don't get to keep things from me anymore."
He met her gaze, raw and unguarded. "Then you need to be ready for the truth."
"About the mark?" she asked.
"About you," he said.
The moon shone brighter overhead, and Lila knew — deep in her bones — that her life had just crossed a point of no return.