The morning air was crisp, yet Aria felt strangely warm. The events of the night before lingered on her skin, in her bones, in her very soul.
She turned her head to find Kael already awake, watching her. His silver eyes, usually guarded, were soft yet searching, as if trying to decipher something he couldn't explain.
"You're still here," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
Kael's lips curved into a small smirk. "Where else would I be?"
Aria didn't answer. She didn't know. A part of her had expected him to pull away like he always did—to retreat behind his walls, pretend nothing had happened.
But last night… last night had changed something.
Her body felt different. There was a heat deep within her, a tingling under her skin, like an untapped power waiting to awaken.
She inhaled sharply. The moment she did, she felt him. Not just physically, but emotionally.
Kael's emotions—his thoughts, his turmoil—they bled into her.
She gasped, sitting up. "Kael… I can feel you."
His expression darkened. He sat up as well, gripping her wrist gently, but firmly. The moment his fingers touched her skin, her mark shimmered.
A pulse of energy shot through them both.
Kael's jaw clenched. "What did we do?"
Aria shook her head. "I don't know."
But she felt it. Something inside her had changed. Her senses were sharper, her breathing steadier, her heartbeat different.
And Kael… he should be weak. The full moon always drained him because of his curse. Yet now, he looked stronger than ever. His muscles were tense, his aura more powerful.
She reached up, brushing her fingers along his jaw. "You're not weak."
Kael grabbed her wrist, his grip tightening. "No," he murmured. "I'm not."
A heavy silence settled between them, filled with unspoken fears and unanswered questions.
Then, suddenly—
A chill ran down Aria's spine.
The warmth in the room shifted, turned cold.
A shadow flickered outside the cabin.
Aria felt it before she saw it. A presence. Watching. Waiting.
She turned sharply toward the window, her pulse racing. "We're not alone."
Kael's eyes darkened. He moved swiftly, getting out of bed, his movements controlled but tense. His instincts had caught it too.
Aria swallowed, feeling an invisible force wrap around her. Something was out there. And it wasn't just watching.
It was waiting.
For her.