Chapter 33 Where he let her breath
Ronan extended his hand.
Elara stared at it for half a heartbeat too long.
Her fingers twitched, instinct warring with caution. Touch still carried meaning for her. Touch had always come with expectations, with pain, with consequences she could never predict. Even now, after everything, her body hesitated before her mind caught up.
Ronan did not rush her.
He stood there, hand open, steady, not closing the distance on his own. His posture was relaxed, unguarded in a way that made the choice unmistakably hers.
Finally, Elara placed her hand in his.
The contact was warm. Solid. Real.
The palace behind them grew quieter with every step they took forward. The sound of voices faded. Footsteps softened. Even the air seemed to change, as though the walls themselves knew when to loosen their grip.
Ronan walked at her pace.
Not leading. Not guiding. Simply matching her stride, as if he had nowhere else to be. He did not speak, and neither did she at first. The silence was not awkward. It was careful, like both of them were learning the shape of it.
Elara glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
His expression was calm, but there was something else beneath it. A subtle brightness. A restraint that did not feel forced. It felt deliberate.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked quietly at last.
Ronan’s lips curved into a small smile. “Somewhere safe.”
Her throat tightened.
She swallowed and nodded, even as her heart began to beat faster. Safe was a word that still felt unfamiliar in her mouth. But she followed him anyway as they moved toward the rear of the palace.
Guards lined the path ahead. They bowed as Ronan passed, murmuring greetings with reverence. Their gazes flicked briefly to Elara, curious but respectful.
She felt herself shrink slightly under the attention.
Lyra, however, was utterly unimpressed. "They are bowing, not judging, she muttered lazily. You are allowed to exist, you know."
Elara almost smiled.
They stopped before a massive stone wall rising from the earth itself. Runes were carved deep into its surface, old and precise, glowing faintly as though they had never truly gone dormant. Moonstones of different shapes formed the outline of a crescent moon, cradling a single massive blue stone at its center.
Elara came to a halt, blinking. “Are we… there?”
Ronan’s smile widened just a little.
Lyra purred audibly in Elara’s mind. "He has been smiling a lot tonight."
And it was true. His aura rolled outward, subtle but unmistakable. Contentment. The kind that rippled through the pack like a quiet announcement. Somewhere far away, wolves paused mid-motion, heads lifting in confusion at their King’s sudden good mood.
Ronan raised his hand and placed his palm against the blue stone.
Light bloomed.
The tattoos along his arm flared to life, intricate celestial maps unfurling beneath his skin. Constellations glimmered. Nebula-like clusters pulsed softly. Planetary orbits spun in slow, deliberate motion, each line precise and ancient. Sacred geometry anchored the entire design, concentric circles locking into place as though responding to something far older than magic itself.
The glow traveled down his arm, pooling in the sigil etched across his knuckles.
Elara stared, breath stolen.
The stone dissolved.
Not cracked. Not shattered.
It simply ceased to be solid, unraveling into shimmering light that folded inward and opened into a portal.
Her voice came out faint. “What is that tattoo?”
Ronan lowered his hand and turned to her. “You will find out soon.”
He stepped closer and gestured toward the glowing threshold. “Shall we?”
Elara hesitated. “Am I… allowed?”
Ronan’s gaze softened. “I am the King. You are with me. You do not need permission to be here.”
Her heart quivered painfully.
Why was he acting like this? Like she belonged at his side. Like this was natural.
Lyra snorted. "Stop spiraling and go with him."
Ronan extended his hand again, closer this time.
Elara took it.
They stepped through the portal together.
The world shifted.
Cool air brushed her skin. The scent of water and flowers filled her lungs. The portal sealed behind them with a sound like a held breath being released.
Before them lay an enchanted oasis.
A pool of crystal-clear water reflected the early evening sky, catching the first stars as they appeared. Trees arched overhead, their leaves silver-veined and softly luminous. Moonflowers bloomed along the edges, petals glowing with quiet power.
Elara gasped. “It’s… beautiful.”
Ronan looked at her instead of the oasis. “Yes.”
She blushed, turning away quickly.
Drawn forward, she wandered toward a gazebo wrapped in flowering vines. The moonflowers trembled as she approached, petals turning subtly in her direction.
She laughed softly when one brushed against her fingers, warm and alive. “They’re reacting to me.”
As if answering, the flowers brightened.
Fenrir stirred within Ronan, surprised. "For moonflowers to respond like that, she carries Luna’s favor. Or something close."
Ronan lowered his gaze, hiding his smile.
Elara moved toward a pair of old wooden swings suspended beneath one of the trees. She sat and gently pushed off, rocking back and forth with cautious delight.
Ronan watched her like this was something precious. Something rare.
“You like it,” he said.
“I love it,” she replied. “Hector took me somewhere like this once. Long ago.” Her smile faded into something bittersweet. “It didn’t have magic. But it felt… free.”
“If you ever want to come here,” Ronan said, “any time, for any reason, just tell me.”
She shook her head quickly, waving her hands. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
Her movement made the swing tilt.
She slipped.
Ronan caught her by the waist before she could hit the ground.
They froze.
Her hands gripped his sleeves. His arms were firm around her, steady and warm. Too close.
She flushed and stepped back. “I’m sorry.”
He cleared his throat, hands retreating behind his back. “You are not intruding. This place is bound to me. No one else can enter unless I allow it.”
“Oh,” she murmured. “So that explains the tattoo.”
He hummed in agreement.
She approached the pool next. With each step Ronan took behind her, ripples formed across the water’s surface.
She noticed. “It reacts to you.”
“Luna magic does,” he said. “Perks of being blessed by the Moon Goddess.”
Her mouth formed a small Oh.
Ronan held out his hand.
At first, nothing happened.
Then moonlight gathered, drawn from every corner of the oasis. It pooled above his palm, silver and alive. When Elara reached toward it, the energy dispersed playfully, tingling against her skin.
She laughed.
The light reformed, stretching into delicate sigils that mirrored the runes carved into the stone. It flowed like water between Ronan’s fingers before gathering again.
Fenrir murmured, "Her laugh is… dangerous."
Ronan said nothing. He only watched her, memorizing the sound. This was the first time she had been truly relaxed around him.
If he had known, he would have gone to Northwood sooner.
“I want to learn that,” she said suddenly.
His chuckle was soft. “You will. When you are ready.”
They eventually sat on a stone bench near the water. Elara sat first. Ronan joined her, carefully leaving space.
“I know you’re still wary of me,” he said quietly. “After everything.”
She fidgeted with her fingers, not denying it.
“I want you to know,” he continued, “I will never let anyone hurt you again. I want to be someone you can rely on.”
She shifted uncomfortably.
He felt it. The sadness settled heavy in his chest. “I’ll wait,” he added. “As long as it takes.”
She smiled faintly.
Lyra whispered, "He means it."
Elara lifted her gaze.
Their eyes met.
His gaze flicked to her lips. Back to her eyes.
He did not lean in.
The restraint made her pulse race.
Lyra teased, "If you lean forward, he will not stop you."
Elara ignored her.
Her eyelids grew heavy instead. Exhaustion claimed her without warning. She shifted, intending to sit up straight.
Her head tipped onto his shoulder.
She froze.
No panic came.
Ronan went completely still.
Fenrir nearly lost his mind.
A low growl slipped from Ronan’s chest.
Elara startled and tried to move. “I’m sorry.”
He gently guided her back. “Stay.”
She did.
Minutes passed.
Her breathing evened out.
She slept.
A warm golden aura spread from Ronan, rolling through the palace like a quiet storm. Wolves lifted their heads in confusion. Matthew sighed knowingly. Arwen smiled to herself.
Ronan adjusted his cloak to shield her from the cooling air.
Fenrir preened. "She chose you."
Ronan closed his eyes, committing the moment to memory.
And then Elara dreamed.
The sky darkened beyond night.
Stars blinked out one by one.
A vast red moon rose.
And from beyond it, a distorted voice whispered,
“Found you.”