Moonlight Stranger

The snowstorm had claimed the entire valley by the time Kael disappeared into it. The howls that had echoed through the trees earlier faded into eerie silence, as if the woods themselves were holding their breath. The air was thick with the chill of winter, but Rhea could feel the heat of something else simmering beneath her skin. It was a sensation that was hard to ignore, gnawing at her insides like an invisible fire.

Kael was gone, but the mark beneath her skin burned like it had only just begun to settle. Her body ached, her heartbeat thundered in her chest, and every breath she took felt heavier than the last. She staggered to the table, gripping the edge to steady herself as she fought to keep control over the strange surge of power rushing through her.

She wasn’t sure how much time passed before she found herself outside again. The storm had cleared somewhat, though the snow still swirled thickly, obscuring the forest beyond. The distant trees were barely visible in the moonlight, their silhouettes nothing more than ghostly shadows.

Her feet moved on their own accord, drawn by an unseen pull deeper into the woods. She didn’t understand why she was going, but the urge was too strong to ignore. Each step felt like it was leading her to something she couldn’t name, but the sensation in her chest was growing sharper, more demanding.

As she ventured further, her pulse quickened. Her body was responding to something in the woods, something ancient and primal. Then, just as the darkness seemed to close in around her, she saw him.

Standing beneath a cluster of trees, his outline barely visible in the moonlight, was another man. A stranger. His features were sharp, his build lean but strong, and his eyes those eyes glowed in the night. Silver, like Kael’s.

She froze.

“Come closer,” the man said, his voice soft but commanding, as if he knew exactly how she would respond. There was something about the way he spoke something familiar in his tone that sent a shiver down her spine.

Rhea took a step forward, almost against her will. The pull was undeniable, stronger than anything she had ever felt before. As she drew nearer, she could make out more of him. His face was angular, his hair dark and slightly tousled by the wind. He was dressed in a black cloak, the fabric blending with the shadows around him. And when he looked at her, she felt like he could see straight through her, into places even she didn’t understand.

“Who are you?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper, though she didn’t know why she was afraid. Not of him. Not entirely.

“Someone you should have met long ago,” he replied, his lips curving into a knowing smile. “But then, you never could have known how far the curse would go.”

“The curse?” Rhea repeated, stepping closer, her breath catching as the pain inside her flared again. “What are you talking about?”

“You feel it, don’t you?” he said, his gaze dropping to the mark on her neck, which now burned hotter than ever. “The bond. It’s not just Kael’s. It’s mine too.”

Rhea’s heart skipped in her chest. “What? No... I don’t understand.”

The man stepped into the moonlight, his eyes glistening with the same eerie glow as Kael’s. “It’s called the Moon Queen’s Curse,” he said, his voice a low murmur, as if the very words were dangerous. “You were born to rule. But you can’t do that until you understand what you truly are.”

He reached out, fingers brushing her skin where the mark lay. She flinched at the touch, her breath hitching in her throat as the heat from his hand surged through her, twisting into something dark and lustful.

“Stop,” she said, though the words felt weak, unsure. “Why are you here?”

“I’m here because you can’t outrun this,” he answered, stepping closer. “You can’t outrun the truth of what you are. Not anymore. You are the Moon Queen, bound to both Kael and me. And it’s time you accepted your fate.”

Rhea shook her head, stepping back, panic rising in her chest. “No, I’m not... I’m not some queen. I’m just just a woman who got dragged into something she doesn’t understand.”

The stranger smiled, but it wasn’t a comforting smile. It was a predator’s smile. “Then let me show you.”

Before she could react, he moved faster than she could follow, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her into him. His other hand cupped the back of her neck, holding her in place as he leaned in, his lips hovering just inches from her ear.

“You have two choices now,” he whispered, his breath hot against her skin. “Accept it. Accept us. Or fight, and destroy everything.”

The tension in the air crackled. She could feel his heartbeat through his chest as it pressed against her. She had no idea why she didn’t fight back, why she didn’t run. But the bond that was growing stronger by the second the pull that had driven her to him was too much to resist.

Her pulse raced. The heat was unbearable.

And when he kissed her, she didn’t stop him.

It was soft at first, just a brush of lips, but it was enough. The moment their mouths met, everything inside her flared to life. The mark burned hotter than ever, a wave of heat flooding her veins. His kiss deepened, demanding, and she felt herself giving in, her body responding to the power he offered.

But just as quickly as it had begun, he pulled away, leaving her breathless, trembling. His eyes were dark, filled with something that made her blood run cold.

“Remember,” he said, his voice low. “You cannot run from this. You cannot escape your fate.”

With that, he disappeared into the night, vanishing as quickly as he had come, leaving Rhea standing in the clearing, her heart racing, her mind spinning.

The pull of the bond was stronger than ever.

And she couldn’t ignore it any longer.

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