Chapter 123 123

Chapter 123 123

I stayed close enough to feel his breath on my face, watching him carefully. I took in the new lines around his eyes and the way he carried himself. He’d grown. Not just physically, though he seemed broader, more imposing than he used to be. There was a maturity in his gaze that hadn't been there before the chaos started. We had both changed. The fire we’d walked through had burned away the younger, more reckless versions of ourselves, leaving something harder and more defined in its place.
"You know..." I started, looking at him with a small, sad smile. "I hate to say this, but actually, I hate you."

I watched the color drain from his face. He went pale, his eyes widening as if I’d just punched him in the gut for real this time. The pain that flashed across his features was so sharp it almost made me take the words back instantly.

"I hate that you have so much effect on me," I continued quickly, reaching out to catch his hands in mine. "The fact that I still love you even when I hate you is remarkable. It’s infuriating, actually. I wanted to stay away. I wanted to believe I could make a life that didn't involve the Iron Claw or the constant weight of the past. But what can I say?"
I took a deep breath, the air filling my lungs with a sense of clarity I hadn't felt in a year. "I'm ready."

Adrian looked confused for a moment. He tilted his head, his brow furrowing as he tried to process what I was saying. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out at first. He looked like a man who was afraid to hope, afraid that if he moved too fast, the dream would shatter.
"You are..." he started, his voice trailing off into a question. "You are what?"
"I'm ready to return to Iron Claw with you, Adrian," I said firmly.

The change in him was instantaneous. His eyes went glassy, the moisture welling up before he could stop it. I could see him fighting for control, his jaw tightening as he tried to maintain his composure, but his emotions were written all over his face. He looked like he’d been holding his breath for months and had finally been allowed to exhale.

"You..." he whispered, his voice thick. He reached out, his hands trembling slightly as he cupped my face. He searched my eyes, looking for any hint of hesitation or doubt. "Are you sure you want this? Really sure?"
He wasn't just asking a question; he was pleading. He was asking me to be certain because he knew that if I changed my mind again, it would break him in a way he might not recover from.
"I mean it," I told him, leaning into his touch. "I'm really ready. I want to be with you, Adrian.

I'm done running from my past. I’ve spent so much time trying to leave all of myself behind, trying to become someone I’m not just so I wouldn't have to feel the pain of what happened. But this is me. This is my calling. It’s my duty to be your Luna, and I’m not running anymore. I’m coming home."
I saw the relief wash over him, a physical wave that seemed to loosen every muscle in his body. He didn't wait for me to say another word.

He leaned down and cut me off with a deep, passionate kiss—a kiss that tasted like a promise, like a homecoming, like the start of a chapter we were finally going to write together. It set my skin on fire and made my heart race, a reminder that no matter how far I ran, my soul had always known exactly where it belonged.

When we finally pulled our bodies apart, the sudden distance felt colder than I expected. Adrian didn’t move away entirely, though. He kept his hands on me, holding me close as if he were trying to memorize the feeling of my skin against his.

He looked deep into my eyes, and for a second, I felt like I was reading a book written in a language I almost understood. There was so much behind his gaze—a million different thoughts, questions, and maybe even a few confessions—but he kept them locked away. He chose to stay quiet, letting the silence do the heavy lifting for him. I could see the way his jaw tightened, the way his eyes searched mine for something specific, but he didn't let a single word slip.

"C’mon," I said, my voice barely a whisper but enough to break the spell. I gave him a playful little tug, signaling that it was time to move. I wasn't trying to be cold; I just knew that if we stayed there in the garden for another minute, we might never actually leave. I reached down and took his hand, my fingers sliding between his. His grip was firm and reassuring.

I led him out of the greenery, away from the quiet solitude of the garden, and back toward the looming structure of the pack house.
Walking back inside felt different this time. The building was the same, but I wasn't. The restless, pacing warrior from an hour ago had been replaced by someone much more settled, even if my heart was still doing a slow roll in my chest.

Once we crossed the threshold, I gently let go of his hand. I knew he had things to settle, and I had my own preparations to make. I gestured toward the main area where I knew my parents would be waiting. I told him to go ahead and speak with them while I ran upstairs to gather my things.

He gave me a nod, that unsaid mountain of words still lingering in his expression, and I headed for the stairs.
As I reached the upper floor, I realized I couldn't just leave without saying goodbye to Silvia. She had been there for me through the worst of the waiting, and it felt wrong to just vanish into the night without a word. I walked down the hallway toward her door, my hand already rising to knock. But I stopped mid-motion.