Chapter 4 : THE BOUND
Cold. That was the first sensation Amanda felt when consciousness crept back to her. Not the biting frost of the forest, but the cool touch of fresh linen against her skin. She stirred, blinking against a soft glow that filtered through a set of tall windows.
The scent of pine and smoke filled the air. Her eyes adjusted, and she realized she was lying in a bed unlike any she had known-large, warm, covered with blankets far softer than the rough rags she was used to.
Panic surged through her. She pushed herself upright, her heart racing, her gaze darting across the unfamiliar room. It was built of stone and wood, sturdy and elegant, with a fire burning in the hearth. This was no cottage. This was a chamber fit for nobility.
And then she saw him.
The man from the forest.
Andrew.
He sat in a chair by the fire, his posture tense, his silver eyes glowing faintly even in human form. His broad shoulders leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, as if he had been sitting there for hours watching her breathe.
Amanda froze. Something deep inside her stirred again, that same pull she had felt before the darkness claimed her. It was stronger now, like an invisible thread tugging at her heart.
Andrew rose slowly when he saw she was awake. His presence filled the room, commanding and powerful, yet his expression softened as his gaze met hers.
"You are safe," he said, his voice deep and steady. "No one will hurt you here."
Amanda swallowed hard, her throat dry. She should have been terrified, but instead her chest fluttered with warmth she could not explain. "Where... where am I?"
"You are in my pack's territory," Andrew replied. "You collapsed in the forest. I brought you here."
Her mind swirled with questions, but before she could form them, the bond pulsed again. His nearness made her blood sing, her skin tingle. She pulled the blanket closer around herself, trying to steady her breathing.
Andrew's jaw tightened. He felt it too. The connection. The mate bond that no force in the world could ignore. His wolf stirred restlessly inside him, demanding he reach for her, claim her, mark her.
But he held himself back. Not yet. Not when everything around them was tangled in duty and lies.
Far across the estate, Angela Sebastian paced furiously in the grand hall of the Alpha's house. Her father and mother had been summoned, and the tension in the room was thick with ambition.
"This is unacceptable," Angela snapped, her painted lips curling. "Andrew was meant to meet me today. Instead he disappears into the forest and returns with... with some stray girl?"
Mrs. Sebastian placed a calming hand on her daughter's arm, though her own eyes glittered with anger. "Do not worry, Angela. He is only fulfilling his role as Alpha, rescuing those in need. Soon, he will be bound to you. The alliance will be sealed."
Angela's father nodded in agreement. "The contract between our families is clear. Andrew must marry you. It is the only way to secure peace between the territories. He has no choice."
Angela smirked, confidence returning to her posture. "Then let us hurry the ceremony. I want him marked before anyone else tries to take what is mine."
\---
That evening, Andrew stood before the council chamber. His Beta and elders had gathered, along with the Sebastians. Angela was dressed in a silken gown, her lips painted red, her smile sharp as a blade.
She reached for Andrew's arm, curling her fingers possessively around him. He did not pull away, but every muscle in his body went rigid. His wolf growled within, restless, defiant.
"Tonight we will finalize the bond," Angela declared proudly, glancing at the council. "Our packs will be united."
The elders murmured approval, and Mrs. Sebastian's smile widened.
Andrew said nothing. He could feel Amanda's presence even though she was hidden away in the guest chambers. Her scent lingered in his mind, sweet and intoxicating. Every breath he took reminded him of her, not Angela.
Still, he tried to push the feeling aside. Duty demanded he go through with this. His pack's safety depended on the alliance.
The ritual began. Angela bared her neck, tilting her head with a smug smile. "Mark me, Andrew," she whispered. "Make me your Luna."
Andrew's wolf surged, teeth sharpening in anticipation, but as he leaned closer to Angela's skin... nothing happened.
No fire. No bond. No spark of destiny.
His wolf snarled in frustration, recoiling as if burned. A cold emptiness spread through him, rejecting her.
Angela stiffened, her eyes flicking in confusion. "What are you waiting for? Do it!"
Andrew tried again, but it was useless. His wolf refused. His body refused. His very soul rejected the bond.
Gasps rose around the chamber. The Sebastians exchanged panicked glances. Angela's smile faltered, twisting into rage.
Andrew stepped back, his chest heaving, his silver eyes flashing with fury and confusion. His wolf clawed inside him, howling one word over and over.
Amanda.
He understood now. It had never been Angela. The bond had chosen another. The girl he had rescued. The one with eyes full of pain and fire. Amanda was his true mate. His true Luna.
And nothing could change that.
Angela's shriek shattered the silence. "This is impossible! You are mine!" She lunged toward him, her nails digging into his arm, but Andrew shoved her away, his control slipping.
The council erupted in shocked whispers. The Sebastians shouted in protest, but Andrew's gaze was already fixed on the doorway at the back of the hall.
Amanda stood there, pale and trembling, drawn by the commotion. Their eyes met across the chamber, and the bond roared to life between them, undeniable and fierce.
Andrew's wolf surged forward, his voice echoing inside Andrew's mind with raw certainty.
She is the one. Claim her.
Amanda gasped as the force of it washed over her. Her hands shook, her heart pounding, as if some hidden truth within her had finally been unlocked.
Angela followed Andrew's gaze and saw Amanda. Her face twisted with fury. "Her? That worthless girl? No! I will not allow it!"
She lunged for Amanda, but Andrew's snarl split the air. In one swift motion, he placed himself between them, his body shielding Amanda completely. His silver eyes burned with lethal promise as he growled.
"Touch her, and you will regret it."
The room froze. No one dared move.
Amanda clutched the frame of the doorway, her heart racing, caught between terror and the overwhelming fire of the bond.
And in that suspended moment, Amanda realized the truth. Whatever Andrew was, whatever destiny was pulling her toward, she could not run from it anymore.