Chapter 2 The Bond That Burns

• When I opened my eyes, the world felt quieter than it should have been.
• The faint hum of the ceiling fan, the scent of antiseptic, the softness beneath me—none of it matched the storm I remembered.
• I wasn’t in the forest anymore.
• I was in a room. A strange one. Dim light slipped through heavy curtains, brushing across dark wooden walls. My head ached, and my throat felt dry.
• “What… happened?” I whispered, sitting up slowly.
• “You shouldn’t be moving.”
• The voice came from the corner. Deep, smooth, familiar. Lucien Stone stepped out of the shadows, wearing a plain black hoodie, damp from the rain. His eyes—those stormy, silver-grey eyes—watched me with quiet intensity.
• I froze. “How did I get here?”
• “You fainted,” he said simply. “You would’ve been caught in the crossfire if I hadn’t found you.”
• “Crossfire?” I echoed, confused. “Between who?”
• He didn’t answer. His jaw tightened, the muscle in it ticking. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”
• I should’ve been grateful, but instead I felt… unsettled. Like there was something pressing against my chest, invisible but alive. Every time I looked at him, my pulse jumped, syncing with something deep in my bones.
• “What are you?” I whispered before I could stop myself.
• His lips curved—not quite a smile, more like a warning. “You already know.”
• The air between us seemed to hum. I looked away, pretending to adjust the blanket just to escape his gaze.
• “Thank you,” I murmured.
• Lucien turned to leave, pausing by the door. “You shouldn’t go near the woods again. It’s not safe for you there.”
• I swallowed. “Why? Because of Liam?”
• At that, he hesitated. “Because of what Liam almost became.”
• And before I could ask what that meant, he was gone.
• By morning, I was back in my dorm—no sign of Lucien. I almost convinced myself I’d imagined everything, except for the faint ache that pulsed along the base of my neck like static electricity.
• The school buzzed with gossip. Apparently, Liam had gotten into a “fight” with someone from another pack near the woods, but the details were hazy. Vanessa hovered around him like a shadow, whispering, touching his arm, making sure everyone saw.
• When he caught me looking, his expression flickered—confused, almost pained.
• “Scarlet,” he said when I passed him in the hall.
• I froze. “Hey.”
• “Did you—” he started, then stopped. His brow furrowed, like he wanted to ask something but couldn’t. “Never mind. You should stay away from the forest after hours, alright?”
• It was the second time I’d heard that warning in less than twelve hours.
• Something was happening in Crescent High, and it was wrapped around those brothers like smoke.
• Lunch came, and I ended up outside under the oak again. The wind whispered through the leaves, carrying scents that weren’t human. When I closed my eyes, I could feel it again—that pull. Warmth curling in my chest like fire meeting ice.
• “Why do you keep sitting out here?”
• I didn’t even have to look up. “Because it’s quieter than inside, Lucien.”
• He didn’t respond immediately. When I did look up, he was leaning against the tree opposite me, arms crossed, gaze unreadable.
• “Do you always sneak up on people?” I asked, half-smiling.
• “Only the ones who don’t know when to stop asking dangerous questions,” he said flatly.
• I rolled my eyes. “You mean about the forest?”
• He didn’t nod, didn’t move—but I felt the answer in the air between us.
• There was something magnetic about him. Not the polished charm Liam had, but something deeper, darker. Like gravity itself bent a little when he was near.
• “What did you mean yesterday?” I asked softly. “About Liam—what he almost became?”
• Lucien’s eyes softened just for a moment. “Liam’s bond isn’t complete yet. The wolf inside him… fights for dominance. If he loses control before the Moon seals it, people get hurt.”
• “Bond?” I repeated.
• He exhaled slowly, looking away. “Every wolf has one. It ties you to someone—mind, body, soul. It burns, it binds, it breaks. If you’re lucky, it makes you stronger.” His gaze met mine again, sharper now. “If you’re not… it destroys you.”
• Something in his voice made my chest tighten. “You sound like you’ve felt it before.”
• Lucien didn’t answer. Instead, he straightened, the corner of his mouth twitching. “You ask too many questions, Scarlet.”
• “And you never answer them,” I shot back.
• That almost-smile again. Then, so quietly I almost missed it, he said, “Sometimes answers are more dangerous than silence.”
• That night, the dreams came back.
• Silver light. The howl. The forest. And two shadows circling each other, one glowing gold, the other silver.
• When I woke, my skin was damp with sweat. I reached for water, but froze when I felt it—
• Someone was in my room.
• The air was thick, electric. My wolf stirred.
• “Lucien?” I whispered.
• No reply. Just the faint echo of movement near the window, a blur too fast to see. And then, a voice—not out loud, but in my mind.
• You’re safe, Scarlet.
• I gasped, clutching my chest. “Who—?”
• But whoever—or whatever—it was, it was gone.
• The next morning, I found Liam waiting outside my dorm.
• “You weren’t in class,” he said, eyes shadowed. “Are you okay?”
• “I’m fine,” I lied.
• He stepped closer, concern flickering across his face. “You smell… different.”
• “What’s that supposed to mean?”
• He hesitated, then shook his head. “Forget it. Just—be careful around my brother.”
• “Lucien?”
• “Yeah.” His jaw tightened. “He’s not what he seems.”
• The irony made me want to laugh. Neither was he.
• Before I could respond, Vanessa’s voice cut through the air like glass. “Liam! There you are!”
• Her glare landed on me like a blade. “Some of us have better things to do than stalk other people’s boyfriends.”
• Liam sighed. Vanessa
• “No, let her talk,” I said quietly, surprising myself.
• She smirked. “I’d be careful, Ridge Girl. Crescent High eats girls like you alive.”
• Liam caught my wrist before I could reply. His touch sent a jolt through me—warm, electric, familiar—but not right. Not anymore.
• Because somewhere deep inside, I could feel another heartbeat answering mine.
• Distant, steady, protective.
• Lucien.
• That night, the moon rose full and sharp above the woods.
• And as I stood by the window staring at it, I realized something terrifying.
• The bond wasn’t just a myth.
• It was real.
• And it was burning its way straight through me.