Searching for the Heart of the Moon    

Kaelan’s legs moved before his brain caught up with the decision. He closed the distance between himself and Rhea, his boots crunching on the forest floor as he caught up to her.  

“You don’t get to just walk away like that,” he said, his voice taut with frustration.  

Rhea didn’t stop. “Why not? You seem perfectly fine letting me do all the emotional heavy lifting, Kaelan. Figure it out on your own, remember?”  

Kaelan let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean—”  

Rhea spun around so fast he almost walked straight into her. “Yes, you did!” Her eyes flashed with anger, but beneath the fire was something softer—something raw. “You meant it, Kaelan. You don’t want this bond, you don’t want me, and you sure as hell don’t want to deal with the fact that we’re in this together whether you like it or not.”  

Kaelan opened his mouth to argue, but the words caught in his throat. Because she was right. At least, partly. He didn’t know how to want this. Didn’t know how to want her the way she deserved to be wanted.  

“I’m trying—” he started, but Rhea cut him off.  

“No, you’re not. You’ve been running, Kaelan. From me, from yourself, from everything. And I can’t keep chasing someone who doesn’t want to be caught.”  

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. Kaelan looked down, his hands curling into fists at his sides. He wanted to tell her she was wrong. That he wasn’t running. But deep down, he knew it wasn’t true.  

“I don’t know how,” he said finally, his voice quieter. “I don’t know how to be what you need me to be.”  

Rhea’s stance softened, but only slightly. “Then figure it out, Kaelan. Because I’m not going to fight for someone who refuses to fight for himself.”  

She turned and started walking again, her pace brisk. Kaelan stood there for a moment, the weight of her words pressing down on him like a boulder.  

For the first time, he wasn’t just afraid. He was terrified. Of failing her. Of failing himself.  

But he didn’t have the luxury of wallowing in his fear. Not with the danger ahead. Not with everything at stake.  

With a deep breath, Kaelan followed her into the shadows of the trees.  

---

The forest grew denser as they traveled deeper, the canopy above blocking out most of the sunlight. The air was thick and heavy, the sounds of rustling leaves and distant animals the only indication that life existed here at all.  

Kaelan kept his distance, walking a few paces behind Rhea. He wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence, but every time he opened his mouth, the words died before they reached his tongue.  

Rhea didn’t look back. Her shoulders were tense, her steps purposeful. She was angry. Hurt. And he couldn’t blame her.  

They walked like that for hours, the tension between them as suffocating as the air around them.  

Finally, as the sun dipped lower in the sky, Rhea stopped, turning to face him. “We should set up camp here,” she said, her tone clipped.  

Kaelan nodded, grateful for something to do. He dropped his pack and started gathering wood for a fire while Rhea unrolled their bedrolls and checked their supplies.  

The silence stretched between them, thick and uncomfortable. It wasn’t until the fire was crackling and they were sitting across from each other that Kaelan finally spoke.  

“I’m sorry,” he said, the words heavy on his tongue.  

Rhea looked up, surprised by the sudden apology. “For what?”  

“For... everything,” Kaelan said, his voice rough. “For being an ass. For pushing you away. For not knowing how to handle any of this.”  

Rhea stared at him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “I don’t need you to have all the answers, Kaelan. I just need you to try. To stop shutting me out.”  

Kaelan nodded, his gaze dropping to the fire. “I’m trying. I just... I don’t know how to be anything other than what I was.”  

“You’re not that man anymore,” Rhea said softly. “The man who ruled with fear and violence. That’s not who you are, Kaelan. Not anymore.”  

Kaelan didn’t respond. He wasn’t sure if he believed her.  

---

The next morning, they continued their journey. The forest grew wilder, the terrain more treacherous. They climbed over fallen trees, waded through streams, and pushed through dense underbrush.  

As the hours turned into days, the tension between them began to ease. They spoke more, their conversations hesitant at first but growing more natural with time.  

Kaelan found himself watching Rhea more than he intended to. The way her hair caught the sunlight, the determined set of her jaw when the path grew difficult, the way her lips curved into a small smile when she thought he wasn’t looking.  

She was stronger than he’d given her credit for. Stronger than him, in many ways.  

But the peace between them was short-lived.  

---

It happened on the fourth day. They were crossing a narrow ravine, the sound of rushing water far below echoing in their ears.  

Kaelan was in the lead, his muscles tense as he navigated the precarious path. Rhea followed close behind, her footsteps careful but steady.  

They were halfway across when Kaelan heard it—a low growl, deep and menacing, coming from the trees ahead.  

He froze, his hand instinctively reaching for the knife at his belt. “Rhea,” he said quietly, his voice urgent. “Stay behind me.”  

Rhea didn’t argue, her own hand going to the small dagger she carried.  

The growl grew louder, and then they appeared—three wolves, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light, their fur bristling.  

Kaelan’s heart sank. These weren’t ordinary wolves. They were feral, their minds twisted by whatever darkness had taken hold of them.  

“Stay back,” he warned, his voice low.  

The wolves didn’t listen. They lunged as one, their movements fast and vicious.  

Kaelan moved on instinct, his knife flashing as he slashed at the nearest wolf. The blade sank into its side, and it yelped, but it didn’t stop.  

Rhea fought beside him, her movements quick and precise. She wasn’t a warrior, but she was smart and resourceful, using her smaller size to her advantage.  

But the wolves were relentless. For every blow Kaelan landed, they came back twice as hard.  

And then it happened.  

One of the wolves went for Rhea, its jaws snapping inches from her face. Kaelan felt something primal snap inside him, a growl tearing from his throat as he threw himself at the creature.  

He didn’t think, didn’t hesitate. His instincts took over, his human mind fading as the beast within him rose to the surface.  

The wolf yelped as Kaelan’s hands—no, his claws—tore into its flesh. His vision blurred, his senses sharpening. He felt the power coursing through him, wild and untamed.  

But then he heard her voice.  

“Kaelan!”  

It cut through the haze like a knife, sharp and clear. Kaelan blinked, his vision clearing. He looked down and saw the wolf beneath him, limp and lifeless. His hands were stained with blood.  

He looked up at Rhea, her face pale but her eyes steady. “You’re okay,” she said softly, her voice trembling slightly.  

Kaelan nodded, his throat tight. He didn’t trust himself to speak.  

---

They made camp that night in silence. The fight had shaken them both, but for different reasons.  

As they sat by the fire, Rhea finally broke the silence. “That wasn’t just instinct, was it?”  

Kaelan shook his head, staring into the flames. “No.”  

“Your wolf... it’s still there.”  

Kaelan nodded. “It’s getting stronger. Harder to control.”  

Rhea hesitated, then reached out and placed her hand over his. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”  

Kaelan looked at her, his eyes searching hers. “What if I can’t control it? What if I hurt you?”  

Rhea squeezed his hand. “You won’t.”  

Kaelan wanted to believe her. But as he looked into the flames, he couldn’t shake the fear gnawing at him.  

Because deep down, he wasn’t sure she was right.