All Chapters of MOONBOUND SECRETS : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Zara's POV The room feels smaller with him in it. Ryland’s presence is overwhelming, like a storm cloud pressing down on the bakery. My heart races, and I can’t tell if it’s from fear or something else entirely. My wolf is silent, but I can feel her stirring, restless and wary. “Mommy?” Selene’s voice is soft, but it cuts through the tension like a knife. She tugs at my apron, her wide eyes darting between me and Ryland. “Who is he?” I swallow hard, my throat dry. How do I explain this? How do I tell my children that the man standing before them is their father? The man who rejected me, who left me to raise them alone? Ryland takes a step forward, his eyes never leaving mine. “Zara,” he says again, his voice low and rough. “We need to talk.” I shake my head, backing away. “No. You don’t get to just show up here and demand to talk. You lost that right five years ago.” His jaw tightens, and I see the flicker of pain in his eyes. Good. Let him feel even a fraction of the hurt he c

ZARA'S POV The river’s roar drowns Zane’s laughter as the last plank of the bridge vanishes into the churning rapids. My arms tighten around Silas and Selene, their small bodies trembling against mine. Ryland stands at the cliff’s edge, bloodied and breathless, his gaze locked on Zane’s retreating silhouette across the gorge. “He’ll find another way,” I say, voice raw. “We need to move.” Ryland doesn’t turn. “The river’s too swift to cross. We’re trapped on this side.” Selene buries her face in my neck, her whisper trembling. “The moon lady says… we’re not alone.” A twig snaps in the woods behind us. Ryland spins, claws unsheathed. “Stay behind me.” I bristle but herd the twins closer. The forest reeks of damp pine and iron—*blood*. Silas grips my hand, his palm fever-hot. “The bad wolves are coming,” he murmurs, his golden glow flickering like a dying ember. “How many?” Ryland growls. Silas winces. “Too many.” --- We plunge into the trees, the moon a fractured s

ZARA'S POV The forest is too quiet. Even the wind holds its breath, as if the trees themselves are waiting to see what we’ll do next. Silas and Selene slump against me, their warmth a fragile anchor as Ryland kneels to inspect the elders’ lifeless bodies. His hands are steady, but I see the tremor in his jaw—the one he thinks I don’t notice. “They’re gone,” he says, voice rough. “All of them.” “Good.” The word tastes like ash. I want to feel relief, but all I taste is dread. The twins stir, their eyelids fluttering. Selene’s fingers curl into my sleeve, her whisper barely audible. “The moon lady’s tired, Mommy. She needs to sleep.” I brush her hair back, my throat tight. “Then let her rest, baby.” Ryland rises, blood streaking his temple. “We can’t stay here. Other packs will have felt the shift in power. They’ll come.” “For the twins?” “For *them*.” He nods at the Moonwell, its waters still glowing faintly. “And for you.” I stiffen. “I’m no one’s prize.” “No.” His

Ryland Pov The cave is too quiet. Even the twins’ soft breaths feel like an intrusion, a reminder of how fragile this peace is. You sit with your back against the cold stone wall, Silas curled against your side, his golden glow faint but steady. Selene sleeps with her head in your lap, her silver hair tangled from the night’s chaos. Ryland stands at the cave’s entrance, his silhouette a dark shadow against the moonlit trees. His shoulders are tense, his gaze scanning the forest for threats. You hate how your eyes linger on him, how your wolf stirs at his nearness. “You should rest,” you say, your voice sharp. He doesn’t turn. “I’ll sleep when you’re safe.” “We’re not safe,” you snap. “We’ll never be safe.” He finally looks at you, his gray eyes stormy. “Then let me fix that.” You scoff. “You can’t fix this. You can’t fix *us*.” His jaw tightens. “I’m not asking you to forgive me. I’m asking you to let me protect you.” “Why?” Your voice cracks. “So you can feel better

Ryland Pov The forest is a blur of shadows and moonlight as you run, the twins’ hands clamped in yours. Ryland’s ragged breaths echo behind you, his wolf form limping but relentless. The air reeks of burnt magic and blood—Elder Marus’s doing. “Faster,” Ryland growls, his voice distorted by the shift. “He’s gaining.” You glance back. Marus’s monstrous form crashes through the trees, his eyes glowing like molten iron. The twins whimper, their fear sharp in the air. “Mommy,” Silas gasps, his golden aura flickering. “The stone… it’s calling.” “What stone?” Your voice cracks. “The Heart of the Grove,” Ryland pants. “The sanctuary. It’s close.” You don’t ask how he knows. You don’t care. The twins’ survival is all that matters. The trees part abruptly, revealing a moss-covered ruin. A stone archway stands at its center, carved with symbols that mirror the twins’ glow. “Inside,” Ryland orders, shifting back to human form. Blood streaks his chest, but his gaze is steel. Yo