Chapter 10: Chapter Ten

Chapter 10:

Edgar’s POV

Lia’s eyes burned into mine, fierce and unyielding, her small frame radiating a defiance that both infuriated me and set my blood on fire. The cabin’s dim light caught the amber strands of her hair, making them glow like the moon itself, and that cursed bond in my chest pulled tighter, urging me to close the distance between us. I clenched my fists, fighting the instinct to reach for her, to claim her right then and there. She didn’t understand how dangerous this was, not just for her, but for me. For the entire Ironclad clan.

“Show me how to be strong enough,” she said, her voice softer now but no less determined. “Because I can’t just sit here, Edgar. I won’t.”

I wanted to growl, to snap at her for being so damn stubborn, but the raw vulnerability in her eyes stopped me cold. She was scared, even if she wouldn’t admit it. I could feel it through the bond, a faint tremor of fear beneath her fire. My wolf stirred, restless, clawing at the edges of my control, demanding I protect her, keep her safe. But how could I, when every step she took dragged her deeper into my world, a world of blood and betrayal?

I turned away, pacing to the window, needing space to think. The forest outside was too quiet, the kind of quiet that hid predators. Connor’s face flashed in my mind, his smug grin as he’d taunted me last night, his eyes lingering on Lia like she was a prize to be stolen. My hands itched to tear him apart, but that wasn’t the only threat. Someone in my clan was feeding him information, someone close enough to know about Lia’s mark, her moonbound nature. The betrayal cut deeper than I’d ever admit, a knife twisting in my gut. I’d built the Ironclad clan on loyalty, on blood, and now it was crumbling from within.

“Edgar,” Lia’s voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and insistent. “Don’t shut me out. You promised no more secrets.”

I turned back to her, my jaw tight. She stood there, arms crossed, her petite frame dwarfed by the weight of her own resolve. She was so small, so human still, but there was a strength in her I couldn’t ignore, a spark that made my wolf howl with pride and terror all at once. “You want the truth?” I said, my voice rougher than I meant. “The truth is, I don’t know who’s betraying us. Could be anyone, someone I’ve fought beside, bled for. And every second you’re out there, unprotected, you’re giving them a chance to strike.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t back down. “Then make me less of a target. Teach me to fight, to control whatever this is.” She touched her shoulder, where I knew the mark burned, tying her to me. My wolf growled at the thought, possessive and fierce, but I shoved it down. She wasn’t ready to know how deep the bond ran, how it was tearing me apart to keep her at arm’s length.

“It’s not that simple,” I said, stepping closer despite myself. The bond hummed, her scent, filled my senses. “Your wolf is waking, but it’s unpredictable. If I push you too hard, it could break you. And if I lose you…” I stopped, my throat tightening. I couldn’t say it, couldn’t let her see how much the thought of losing her gutted me. I’d lost too much already, trust, family, pieces of myself. I wouldn’t lose her too.

She tilted her head, studying me, her doe-like eyes piercing through my defenses. “You’re scared,” she said, not a question but a statement, like she could see right through me. “Not just for me, but for you. Why?”

I froze, her words hitting too close. She didn’t know about the curse, the one that bound the Ironclad alphas, the one that made every mate a liability. My father’s voice echoed in my head, cold and final: “Love weakens you, Edgar. It makes you a target.” I’d sworn never to let anyone close, not after what happened to him. But Lia… she wasn’t just anyone. She was mine, chosen by the moon, and no amount of walls I’d built could keep her out.

“I’m not scared,” I lied, my voice low, but the bond betrayed me, letting her feel the truth. Her eyes softened, just a fraction, and it was enough to unravel me. “I’m trying to keep you alive, Lia. That’s all that matters.”

“Then stop treating me like I’m fragile,” she shot back, stepping closer, her voice fierce. “I’m not the one who needs protecting here. You’re the one hiding something, Edgar. I can feel it.” She pressed a hand to her chest, right where the bond pulsed, and my own heart stuttered in response. “This… thing between us. It’s not just me, is it? It’s tearing you up too.”

I wanted to deny it, to shut her out, but the bond wouldn’t let me lie. Not to her. “It’s killing me,” I admitted, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “Every time you’re in danger, every time you push me away, it’s like my wolf is clawing me apart from the inside. But claiming you fully, the way the bond demands, it’ll put a target on your back bigger than the one you’ve already got.”

Her eyes widened searching mine. “Claiming me? What does that even mean?”

I cursed under my breath, realizing I’d said too much. “It’s… a ritual,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “It binds us, makes the bond permanent. But it’s dangerous, Lia. For you, for me, for the clan. If I claim you now, before you’re ready, before the clan accepts you, they’ll turn on us both. And Connor will use it to destroy everything.”

She stared at me, her expression a mix of shock and something else anger, maybe, or hurt. “So what, I’m just supposed to wait? To let you decide when I’m ‘ready’? That’s not how this works, Edgar. I’m not your property.”

“You think I don’t know that?” I snapped, my voice rising before I could control it in. “You think I want this? To be tied to someone who doesn’t even trust me, who runs headfirst into danger like it’s nothing? I didn’t ask for this bond either, Lia, but it’s here, and I’m doing everything I can to keep you safe!”

Her eyes flashed, and for a moment, I thought she’d slap me. Instead, she stepped closer, so close I could feel the heat of her, the bond roaring in my chest. “Then stop pushing me away,” she said, her voice low, fierce. “If we’re in this together, then act like it. Teach me. Fight with me. Because I’m not going anywhere, Edgar, whether you like it or not.”

My wolf howled, urging me to pull her close, to mark her, to make her mine in every way. But I held back, my hands shaking with the effort. She was right, I was pushing her away, but not because I didn’t want her. Because I wanted her too much. And in my world, that kind of want could get us both killed.

Before I could respond, a sharp howl split the night, close, too close. My senses sharpened, my wolf surging to the surface. Lia’s eyes widened, her hand instinctively reaching for mine. “What was that?” she whispered.

“Trouble,” I growled, my voice more wolf than man. I pulled her behind me, every instinct screaming to protect her. “Stay close, Lia. This time, you listen.”

The howl came again, sharper, laced with malice. Frostclad. They were here, and they weren’t alone. I cursed under my breath, knowing we were out of time. Whoever was betraying me had made their move, and Lia was caught in the crossfire.