Six days later:

The woods were quieter than usual the further Aire walked in.

There was always something, leaves whispering against each other, branches creaking softly, and distant birds calling across the canopy.

Aire walked deeper into it anyway. She had sneaked out of the castle earlier from this freedom. It better be worth it.

The cool air brushed against her skin, slipping through the thin fabric of her dress, and settling into her lungs with every inhale. It should have calmed her.

However, it didn’t.

Her steps slowed, then finally stopped.

She stood there for a moment. Her fingers curled slightly at her sides before she lifted her hand.

She stared at it. Nothing happened.

She clenched it, then loosened it again. Still nothing. Aire exhaled slowly. She let out a frustrated huff.

Her powers had been slipping. They have been unreliable and unsteady. Like something inside her refused to listen.

Her jaw tightened.

She closed her eyes, and focused again.

She tried to feel it again—that strange pull beneath her skin, and that quiet current that sometimes moved through her veins.

For a moment, there was nothing.

Then, dhe heard a faint stir.

Her brows pulled together.

She held her breath. The leaves above her shifted softly. It was barely noticeable, but they moved.

Aire’s eyes snapped open.

The branches trembled lightly, brushing against each other with a quiet rustle.

Her lips parted.

A small smile followed. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

Her chest rose slowly as relief settled into her. "I knew it..." she whispered under her breath. "I just have to focus more."

Her fingers lifted again, more confident this time. She focused harder. The wind responded again, just slightly but stronger.

The leaves stirred, dancing gently above her.

Aire smiled. For the first time in days, something inside her eased. She wasn’t broken. She just needed to try harder.

Her shoulders relaxed just slightly.

And then, she abruptly felt a shift. The air didn’t feel calm anymore.

The air suddenly felt wrong.

Aire’s smile faded. Her hand lowered slowly. She heard a sharp rustle. Not from above anymore but from ahead.

Her body stilled. Another sound followed, heavier this time. Branches were snapping as soemthing moved fast between them.

Aire’s heart skipped then slammed hard against her ribs. Her head turned toward the sound.

That was when they came out.

All three of them. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Large massive wild boars appeared before her, violent, and ready to attack.

Their bodies were thick with muscle, tusks sharp and glinting. Their eyes were dark and aggressive.

Aire froze.

Her breath caught in her throat.

One of them stomped its hoof against the ground. Another snorted, low and threatening. The third one tilted its head slightly, and then they charged as if on command.

Aire’s body moved before her mind could catch up.

She stumbled back.

Her foot caught against a root, and she barely kept herself upright.

Her heart was pounding now.

"Stop..." she breathed, her hand lifting instinctively.

Unfortunately, nothing happened.

The boars were already too close.

One lunged forward.

Aire turned sharply, dodging. She barely missed the tusk that sliced through the air where she had been a second ago.

She gasped.

Pain shot up her arm as she hit the ground hard. The world spun for a second, then snapped back into focus.

They were circling her now. The boars were closing in on her now. They would tear her apart in a few seconds.

Aire pushed herself up, her hands trembling as she tried to steady herself.

"Move..." she whispered to herself.

However, her body wouldn’t listen fast enough.

One of them charged again.

She didn’t have time to react, or think. She simply stayed down, holding her breath and waiting for the worse.

Then, it all happened like a blur. A growl ripped through the air, low, violent, and feral.

The boar didn’t reach her, as something slammed into it mid-charge, sending it crashing sideways into a tree.

Aire’s breath hitched.

The other two turned immediately, their attention shifting. Another growl followed, closer this time, and stronger. She recognised that growl.

Nate.

He stood between her and them, half-shifted.

His body was tense, with his muscles pulled tight beneath his skin. His claws extended, with his eyes glowing in a deep dangerous red.

He didn’t look at her. His focus was entirely on them.

The boars hesitated just for a second. Then they attacked again. All of them at once.

Nate moved fast.

Too fast for her to fully follow.

He caught one by the side, with his claws digging into its hide as he twisted it, throwing it off balance.

Another lunged at him.

He met it head-on. The sound of impact echoed through the trees.

Aire pushed herself back, scrambling away, with her heart racing as she watched.

It was brutal.

Nate didn’t hesitate. Within moments, the fight ended. One by one, the boars retreated, wounded.

The forest fell quiet again.

Aire’s breathing was uneven. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to steady herself.

Nate stood still for a second.

Then slowly, he turned. His eyes found her. There was no relief, or concern in his eyes. Rather, there was anger.

He walked toward her.

Aire swallowed, careful not to anger him. "I—"

He didn’t let her finish. He bent down, grabbed her, and lifted her into his arms without a word.

Aire stiffened immediately.

"I can walk—"

"No, you can’t," he cut in, his voice low and controlled.

She opened her mouth to argue.

Then closed it.

His grip tightened slightly as he turned and began walking back toward the castle.

The entire way, he didn’t speak. And somehow for Aire, that silence felt worse than anything he could have said.

The tension followed them all the way back.

Through the gates, through the halls, and then, into her wing. The moment they stepped inside, Nate set her down abruptly.

Aire barely steadied herself before turning to him.

The silence stretched again, thick and heavy.

"I deserve an apology." Nate broke the silence.

Aire blinked.

Her eyes widened slightly. It clicked to her what he meant.

"An apology?" she repeated, turning fully toward him. "I was almost torn apart by a boar. Are you trying to say that’s somehow my fault?"

"Well, it is your fault."

Her expression shifted.

"If you had stayed put in your room, that wouldn’t have happened," Nate continued, his gaze locked on hers. "The next time you decide to do what you want, make sure I don’t find you in the woods with three boars at your heels."

Aire frowned.

Something flared inside her, sharp, and hot. She couldn’t tell where she got the strength from but perhaps, but coukd be from the idea of almost dying.

Her lips parted.

"You don’t get to ignore me, and call me names when you want, and then come yelling at me," she said, her voice tightening. "You don’t even pay attention to what I have to say. Why? Because I’m a woman... and cursed?"

She huffed, shaking her head slightly.

"Of course, you wouldn’t know I wanted to go into the woods. You don’t wish to be told. Apparently, women are only fit to do as they’re told and obey orders."

Nate moved immediately. His hand gripped her arm, pulling her back.

Her back hit the wall. The impact rattled through her, and the feeling was so hard it almost shut her down entirely.

Aire’s breath hitched. She didn’t freeze. Her hand came up immediately, and she slapped him, returning the force that ran through her to his face.

The sound cracked through the hallway.

Nate stilled.

For a second, he didn’t move, nor react. His body didn’t understand what had just happened. Never in his years on earth had he imagined what being slapped would feel like.

Aire’s chest rose and fell.

Nate blinked, then held her steady. "Try that again," he said, her voice low but steady, "and I’ll slap you the way your ears will ring."

Aire gasped slightly at the force. Yet, she didn’t look away.

"You’re a wanker and a fool," she snapped. "Do you think I wanted to get chased on purpose?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "I do think you did it on purpose."

Aire blinked.

"You have no wolf," he continued, his voice rising slightly. "And you went into the woods alone at night. Why would you do that if not for attention?"

"For attention?" she repeated, disbelief flooding her voice. "I’ve had attention all my life. You think I went into the woods for attention? Christ, Nate—I went for a walk!"

"You were supposed to be in your room!"

"I don’t have to do what you suppose of me!"

"Yes, you do!" he snapped, his eyes flashing between red and normal. "You are my mate."

Aire let out a sharp breath.

"Oh, your mate?" she shot back. "You think I belong to you? You can’t stand the sight of me having a mind of my own simply because I’m cursed."

"You do belong to me," Nate said, his voice dropping dangerously low. "You are my mate, whether you like it or not."

Aire shoved him away hard. "Well, I don’t like it," she yelled. "I’ve never liked being your mate."

That hit him immediately. Nate turned away from her.

"I’ve seen other wolves with their mates," she continued, her voice trembling slightly, but not from fear. "But in your case, you don’t care how I feel or what I think. As long as I don’t faint while performing my duties as Luna and perform them properly."

Nate turned back sharply.

His hand shot out, gripping her chin. "You will not speak to me that way."

"I will," Aire snapped, her eyes locking onto his. "And I have."

For a second, they just stared at each other.

Neither backing down nor softening.

Aire knocked his hand away. She turned, walked straight past him, reached her door, opened it, and stepped inside.

Not once looking back at him.

Anger surged through her. She lifted her hand. Her fingers flicked, and she swung her arm.

The door immediately slammed shut behind her without her touching it.

The sound echoed through the hall.