All Chapters of MOON-BOUND HEARTS: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The morning light crept through the curtains like an unwanted visitor, and I woke to find the other side of the bed empty again.I reached out, my fingers brushing against the cold sheets where he should have been. The fabric was untouched, the pillow still perfectly fluffed. He hadn't come to bed at all last night. Again.Two months, I thought, staring at the ceiling. Two months since the ceremony, and I still feel like a stranger in my own home.My name is Elara, and I am the Luna of the Shadowfang pack. At least, that's what the title says. What it doesn't tell you is that being Luna doesn't mean you belong. It doesn't mean you're loved. It only means you were chosen—by fate, by the moon, by an Alpha who needed a mate to complete some ancient ritual.I remember the night of the Great Moon Ceremony like it was yesterday. The way the silver light had bathed the clearing, the way the pack had gathered in a circle, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. Damon had stood in the center, t

Damon held me for a long time.Not passionately, not desperately—just quietly, his arms wrapped around me like I was the only solid thing in a world that had suddenly turned to water. I could feel his heartbeat against my cheek, steady and strong, and I let myself sink into the warmth of him, into the rare moment of connection.When he finally pulled back, his eyes were clearer. More focused. The vulnerable man was receding, the Alpha taking his place."I need to show you something," he said quietly. He led me to the table covered in maps, pointing to the northern border where someone had drawn rough markings. "This is where they hit us. Three points simultaneously. It's smart—divides our forces, tests our response time."I studied the map, trying to make sense of the markings. "They were probing. Seeing how fast we could mobilize.""Exactly." Something flickered in his eyes—surprise, maybe, or respect. "You understand strategy.""My father was a warrior in my old pack. He used to tal

Morning came too quickly.I woke to find Damon already dressed, standing by the window with his back to me. The tension in his shoulders was visible even from across the room, and something in my stomach clenched with dread."Damon?" I pushed myself up, the furs slipping from my shoulders. "What's wrong?"He didn't turn around. "Caleb's waiting outside. He has something he wants to discuss with both of us."I blinked, confused. "Both of us? What about?"Finally, he turned. His face was carefully blank, but his eyes—his eyes were stormy, dark with an emotion I couldn't quite name. "I guess we'll find out together."I dressed quickly, my mind racing through possibilities. Had something happened during my visit to the Meteor pack? Had there been another attack? Or was this about... no. I wouldn't let myself finish that thought.Caleb was waiting by the central fire, a cup of tea in his hands. He looked up as we approached, and for just a moment, his eyes met mine. There was something the

I slept for a day and a half.At least, that's what Marta told me when I finally woke again. The sun was streaming through the window, golden and warm, and I felt like I'd been beaten with stones. Every muscle ached. My head throbbed. But I was alive."Damon?" I tried to sit up, and this time Marta let me, propping pillows behind my back."He's been here the whole time," Marta said, something soft in her usually brisk voice. "Wouldn't leave. Finally passed out in that chair around dawn." She nodded toward the corner, and there he was—Damon, slumped in a wooden chair, his head tipped back, his face slack with exhaustion.My heart clenched."He carried you back himself, you know," Marta continued quietly. "Wouldn't let anyone else touch you. Walked the whole way with you in his arms, and then sat right there and held your hand until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore."I reached out, and sure enough, my hand found his. He was warm. Solid. Real."Thank you, Marta," I whispered. "For

The howls continued through the afternoon and into the evening.I waited in our hut, my heart pounding with every distant cry, my mind spinning with everything that had happened. Damon's suspicious look. The kiss that should never have happened. The guilt that sat like a stone in my chest.When the door finally opened, I jumped to my feet.Damon stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the fading light. He was covered in dirt and blood—none of it his, I hoped—and his face was carved from stone."False alarm," he said flatly. "A rogue wolf, nothing more. The patrol handled it."I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "Thank the moon."He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The sound of the latch clicking into place seemed impossibly loud."We need to talk." His voice was quiet, controlled—more terrifying than if he'd shouted."Damon, I can explain—""Can you?" He moved toward me, and I backed up instinctively until my shoulders hit the wall. "Because from where I