Chapter 4 The Bond Awakens

• The forest seemed to hold its breath as Meher stared at the ancient book in her hands. Her fingers trembled as they traced the curve of her name, written in a language she did not know but somehow understood. The words pulsed with a quiet power, stirring memories that didn’t belong to her.
• Or maybe they did.
• Ayaan stood silently beside her, his expression guarded, but his golden eyes betrayed a flicker of something deeper—fear, hope, perhaps even longing. The weight of destiny hung between them, invisible yet undeniable.
• “I don’t understand,” Meher said finally, her voice hoarse. “Why is my name here? How could this book know me?”
• “Because blood remembers,” Ayaan replied softly. “Even when the mind forgets.”
• He turned toward the temple wall and pointed to a large carving. It depicted two figures—one human, one wolf—standing side by side beneath a full moon. The human woman’s features were blurred by time, but there was something hauntingly familiar about her silhouette.
• “This is you,” Ayaan said. “Or rather, it was you. A thousand years ago.”
• Meher’s heart slammed against her ribcage. “You’re saying I’m… what? Reincarnated?”
• Ayaan nodded. “Your soul returns every time the curse threatens to break. Each life, you are drawn back to this place. To me.”
• The truth of his words resonated somewhere deep within her, like the echo of a forgotten dream. She had always felt a strange connection to the moon, to the wild, to stories of creatures that lurked in the shadows. Perhaps it hadn’t been imagination. Perhaps it had been memory.
• “But why?” she whispered. “Why do I keep coming back?”
• “Because your soul carries the power to end the curse,” Ayaan said. “But every time, you must choose. Love me… and risk death. Or walk away… and let the curse continue.”
• A chill ran down Meher’s spine. “How many times have I walked away?”
• His jaw tightened. “Too many.”
• The pain in his voice was a blade, cutting through her defenses. She looked up at him, truly seeing him for the first time—not as a monster, not as a myth, but as a man trapped in an endless cycle of hope and heartbreak.
• “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
• Ayaan shook his head. “Don’t be. Each time, I hoped it would be different. And now… here you are again.”
• The air between them crackled with unspoken words. Meher felt the pull, the magnetic force drawing her closer to him. His scent—earthy, wild, intoxicating—wrapped around her like a promise.
• But fear lingered.
• “If I choose you,” she asked, her voice trembling, “what happens to me? Will I die immediately? Will I suffer?”
• Ayaan’s expression darkened. “I don’t know. The prophecy is vague. It speaks of sacrifice, but it also speaks of rebirth. Maybe this time, it will be different.”
• Hope flickered in his voice, fragile yet fierce.
• Before Meher could respond, a sudden rustling in the trees drew their attention. A shadow moved swiftly among the trunks, followed by a low, guttural growl.
• “We’re not alone,” Ayaan said, his body tensing.
• From the darkness, figures emerged. Wolves—but not like Ayaan’s majestic silver form. These were larger, darker, their eyes glowing with malevolence. Their snarls echoed through the clearing, vibrating in Meher’s bones.
• “The Rogars,” Ayaan growled. “Rogue wolves. They serve the curse.”
• Without warning, Ayaan stepped in front of Meher, his body shifting. Bones cracked, fur sprouted, and within seconds, the man was gone, replaced by the formidable silver wolf she had seen before.
• But this time, she wasn’t afraid.
• The battle was swift and brutal. Ayaan lunged at the lead rogue, their bodies colliding with a sickening thud. Claws slashed, teeth snapped, but Ayaan moved with lethal grace, every strike calculated, every move protecting Meher.
• But there were too many.
• Meher’s heart pounded as she watched him fight alone. Instinct screamed at her to run, to hide, but something deeper rooted her to the spot. A fire ignited within her, primal and fierce.
• Suddenly, the symbols on the ancient book glowed brighter. A warmth spread through her palms, up her arms, seeping into her very soul. The whispers grew louder, clearer.
• “Awaken, Daughter of the Moon.”
• Without thinking, Meher raised her hands, and a soft, silver light burst forth, enveloping the clearing. The rogue wolves recoiled, howling in pain as the light seared their dark forms.
• Ayaan paused mid-battle, his golden eyes widening in astonishment.
• The light pulsed once, twice, and with a final surge, it shattered the rogues into dust, their screams fading into the night.
• Silence fell.
• Ayaan shifted back into his human form, his chest heaving with exertion. He stared at Meher, awe and disbelief mingling in his gaze.
• “You’ve awakened,” he said, breathless.
• Meher swayed, the sudden drain of power making her knees buckle. Ayaan was there in an instant, catching her in his arms. His touch was warm, grounding.
• “What… what did I do?” she asked, her voice barely audible.
• “You embraced your true self,” he whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “You are more than human, Meher. You are the key. You are the light that can end this darkness.”
• Their faces were inches apart now. The world seemed to shrink until it was just the two of them, bound by fate, by history, by something far more powerful than either could comprehend.
• But as their lips hovered closer, the weight of the curse loomed once again.
• “Do we dare?” Meher asked, her breath mingling with his.
• Ayaan’s answer was a kiss.
• It was fierce, desperate, filled with centuries of longing. And as their souls touched, the world around them seemed to tremble.
• The bond had awakened.
• But so had the curse.
• Far away, in the deepest shadows of the forest, something ancient stirred. Watching. Waiting.
• The true battle had only just begun.
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