Serena tried to close her eyes, but sleep remained a distant dream. Every breath she took felt too loud in the quiet room, her nerves dancing under her skin. Darius lay beside her, his breathing even, unbothered. Meanwhile, she lay stiff and alert, acutely aware of the heat between their bodies, the memory of his kiss branded on her lips.
She inhaled slowly, then exhaled through her nose, willing her heartbeat to calm. It didn’t work. Her mind looped back to earlier, his mouth on hers, the faint hitch in his breath, the way her face burned after they parted. Her fingers drifted to her lips, grazing them softly. A sigh escaped before she could stop it.
He had laughed at her, gently, teasingly. But she’d noticed the way he avoided her eyes afterward.
Serena looked at the ceiling. What does this mean for us? she wondered. Darius wasn’t a careless man, he wouldn’t kiss her unless it meant something.
She cast a side glance at the sleeping man. His face was relaxed, lips slightly parted, one arm tucked beneath the pillow. He looked peaceful. She exhaled, almost envious.
After their kiss, once the flush had left their faces and their limbs stopped trembling, Serena had cobbled together a rough meal with what the kitchen offered, dry bread, pickled vegetables, a heel of cheese and some dried meat.
They’d spoken of nothing important. Small talk. Safe talk. She was glad for it. But still... curiosity gnawed at her.
She ran her thumb over her palms and sighed. How could he be sleeping when all these thoughts were consuming her? Serena gave in to her impulses and elbowed Darius’ side.
He was awake almost instantly, and Serena closed her eyes, controlling her breathing.
Oh, please let him be convinced I am asleep.
She felt his hand hovering close to her face as he brushed her hair away. It took everything in Serena not to flinch or open her eyes.
Darius hummed and laid down on the bed again. He figured Serena was a restless sleeper and hit him in her sleep. Darius did not expect their first night in a shared bed to go . In truth, he did not even expect to get this far with her, it was never in his imagination.
He had really kissed her, after all, and she kissed him back. What would that spell out for them?
"Mark her now, make her ours,"
"Away with you," Darius said gruffly.
But that statement steered his thoughts in another direction. Marking her... it was no small thing. It meant claiming her fully. It meant binding their spirits, opening himself to her in ways no one else ever could.
The moon goddess Lunara emphasized the importance of family and familiar bonds, and how else would they come about when a man and woman were joined as one?
The marking ceremony was not a ceremony per se, it was the consummation of their special bond. It essentially tied a part of their spirits to each other. Darius would take a fraction of her pain, and Serena would feel the very intense emotions he experienced.
In rare cases with fated mates, it could go as far as them knowing where the other was.
Darius shifted slightly in the bed and looked at the wardrobe in the corner, its silhouette illuminated by the moonlight. Marking Serena meant she would be his Luna and rule Ironshade by his side.
He swallowed hard. His thoughts had escalated, but he needed to face his possible options. That would not be easy. First, he would have to somehow convince his Elder and Livia. She was a rogue wolf, for crying out loud.
Darius clenched his fists slightly. This was getting more complicated with each passing day. One thing was clear, he wanted her, and it would take nothing to deter this goal.
Serena, on the other hand, was panicking over the situation. If he kissed her, what more could be next? And the worst part? She had let him do that. She enjoyed it. And secretly, she wanted more.
She closed her eyes and swallowed, heat creeping up her neck at the memory. Her cheeks flamed as her thoughts wandered. The idea of his lips brushing against more than just her mouth had her stomach somersaulting with excitement and shame alike. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by NovelHub(.)net
But did she really want to go further when he did not know the truth? This was no passing infatuation. She wanted to hold his hand again. She wanted him to want her, even when he knew.
She groaned internally. "Feyra, they say two heads are better than one... Help me out here."
"Tell him. You have to."
Serena nearly shot up from her laying position. She could not. Darius would not understand. He was the only important person in this pack she had on her side, excluding Emmett.
Elder Evelyn seemed to be influenced by the Moonseeker, who said she was blessed of Lunara. Fate’s hand was strong on people’s lives, but it did not mean they could not deviate from it. It would take the truth for those two old women to look at her with scorn.
"You have to." Feyra repeated, more insistent this time. "Who is to say that he cannot help you?"
"Feyra, you do not understand-"
Her wolf growled and made a pawing motion. "Enough! I have been with you since the time of birth. It is unusual, but I have seen it all. Your happy moments, your sad ones, I have shared in your humanly suffering as well. I have almost died because I am bound to you."
Serena swallowed, shame prickling the back of her throat. "I apologise. How are you faring now?"
"I am better. Being around him makes it easier. I do not know if we can shift."
"I see... I understand. I am glad to have you with me regardless."
The wolf hummed in acknowledgment. "I do yearn to meet his other half... no, I crave it. I beg of you, Serena, tell him before it is too late."
Serena shook her head. She could not. She saw no positive outcomes from it. Would he truly choose her, a walking liability, over the safety of his pack?
Serena draped her hand over her eyes and sighed. She froze and peeked under her arms to check if Darius had woken up. Once she was sure, she put her arm back.
She never changed- dampening her previous good mood with her sorrowful thoughts. Could she really have a new beginning? The past was too close for comfort.
Sleep continued to evade her. At last, Serena moved carefully, lifting herself from the bed. She crossed over Darius slowly, holding her breath as she stepped over his sleeping form.
Her bare feet touched the cool wooden floor, and her shoulders finally relaxed. She stared at Darius’ sleeping face; a few strands of his red hair had fallen over his face.
She stepped closer, leaned in. Her gaze lingered on his face, soft in sleep. Her fingers itched to brush that hair away, but she didn’t dare.
"I hope you can forgive me..." she whispered. "It is a surprise I still want another kiss- how greedy of me."
Serena stood to her full height and smoothed out her makeshift nightgown. She slipped out, careful to ease the door closed behind her until it clicked shut.
Inside, Darius opened his eyes, his lips quirking.
"How greedy indeed," he muttered.
Forgive you for what? Was it for another kiss? He was sure she liked the first one, so what was she asking forgiveness for?
He sat up, the mattress creaking beneath him, and swung his feet to the floor. He’d give her a few minutes before he would go find her.
Serena stared at the half moon. A true relic, honestly. The moonlight was so beautiful. A deity to most in Kaldora, werewolves worshipped it, vampires welcomed it, humans cowered in fear of it.
Serena tilted her head back, eyes tracing familiar constellations. Sometimes, she forgot how simple life could be.
She used to sit on the porch with her mother, little fingers pointing to the brightest stars and naming them one by one like beloved dolls. They would laugh as Theodore, ever the dreamer, insisted he could catch one and put it in his pocket.
She smiled. One day, she would be up there with the stars with her mama and papa.
The front door creaked and she turned, startled slightly from her thoughts. Serena saw Darius leaning lazily against the frame. His grin was sleepy and crooked.
"Darius," she said, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I did not mean to wake you."
"It’s okay. I had trouble sleeping anyway," he replied.
He stepped out of the building and walked to her, his hair sticking out whichever way, and he had not bothered to push it out of his face.
"What are you doing awake?"
Serena shrugged. "I had trouble sleeping as well."
Darius nodded, and he leaned closer to her, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Do you still want another kiss?"