Chapter 4 — Confessions in the Moonlight
The night was calm, almost deceiving. The forest glowed under the full moon, silver light filtering through the trees, casting long shadows on the cabin walls.
Kael sat quietly by the small fire, his head bowed, hands twitching as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. I kept my distance, pretending to focus on gathering wood, but my heart wouldn't let me.
Finally, he spoke. "Lena… I… I shouldn't have rejected you."
The words hit me like a storm. Five years of pain, rejection, and anger boiled in my chest. I stopped moving, gripping the axe handle tighter.
"You shouldn't have," I said slowly, voice trembling, "but you did. And it hurt. You can't just say sorry and expect everything to be okay."
He looked up, amber eyes full of regret. "I know. I've thought about it every day. Every moment without you… it's a constant reminder of what I lost."
A flicker of the old bond stirred inside me. My wolf growled softly, confused. I forced myself to focus.
"I don't… I can't forgive that yet," I admitted, stepping closer, "but I'm here now. That counts for something."
He nodded, a small, hopeful smile breaking through the guilt. "That's all I need for now. Just… let me make this right, even in small ways."
The moon shone above, casting a gentle glow on both of us. For the first time in years, I felt the ember of our connection rekindling