The Bond Between Us
Aurora's pov
The silence felt different without him.
It wasn’t the kind of silence I had known back in Eldermist the peaceful, familiar quiet of a simple life. This was heavier, emptier and lonely.
I sat by the window in my chambers, my knees pulled close to my chest as I stared out at the endless stretch of Blackpine Forest. The afternoon light had faded into something softer now, the sky painted in shades of gold and amber.
Somewhere beyond those trees…
Roman was gone.
A quiet ache settled deep in my chest at the thought.
It had only been a week and here I am pinning over the man, my village feared.
The Monster, the beast my parents warned me about. They said he was ruthless, barbaric and that he killed humans for spot.
But after meeting him and spending time with him I realized everything I was told was a lie. Roman’s maybe ruthless but he'd never harm innocent humans.
He was different, he's gentle, respectful, compassionate and considerate he has some of these values which the men in Eldermist lacked.
My thoughts drifted back to him, to the way he acted around me with such caution and care.
The way his golden eyes softened just when he looked at me.
The way his voice dropped when he said my name.
The way his touch sent warmth rushing through me, like something inside me recognized him long before my mind could understand it.
My heart fluttered painfully by just thinking about him.
How had it happened so fast?
How had I gone from fearing him… to
Wanting and missing him.
I closed my eyes, pressing my forehead lightly against my knees.
“Two days,” I whispered.
He had said two days.
Two days already seemed like two decades. I'm missing him like crazy, I feel as if he's taken apart of me with him.
“You look like someone stole your favorite toy.”
I startled, my head snapped up.
Kiera stood by the doorway, leaning casually against the frame as if she had been there all along. A knowing look played on her lips, her sharp eyes studied me far too closely.
“I didn’t hear you come in,” I said, trying to steady myself.
“Clearly,” she replied dryly, pushing off the doorframe and stepping inside.
She moved with an ease that made it obvious she belonged here confident, observant, aware of everything around her.
Unlike me.
“I was just… thinking,” I added quickly, turning my gaze back toward the window.
Kiera let out a soft hum, circling the room before stopping near me.
“About him.”
It wasn’t a question.
"You're missing him."
"Is it that obvious?" I asked quietly.
She chuckled softly and sat down beside me. "It's written all over your face, you're pouty and miserable."
I dropped my gaze. "I can't help it. I miss him a lot."
Her expression softened. "That's the mate bond," she said gently. "It doesn't like distance."
I swallowed. "It feels like he took apart of me. I just…” I sighed, my shoulders slumped slightly. “I don’t get it. It’s been only a week, Kiera. Just a week and yet it feels like—like I’ve known him longer than that.”
Kiera’s expression shifted then, the teasing fading into something more thoughtful.
“ Mate bonds are powerful,” she began slowly. They’re rare. Sacred. When two Lycans find their mate, it’s… undeniable. The pull, the connection, the way everything just clicks into place.”
I listened carefully, my heart beating faster with every word.
“But you’re human,” she continued. “That’s what makes this different. Complicated.”
A flicker of unease crept in.
“Different how?”
Kiera hesitated again, then sighed.
“For one, the bond is likely overwhelming for you. Stronger than anything you’ve ever felt before. It can mess with your emotions—make everything feel deeper, faster.”
That explained it.
The intensity. The way my feelings had spiraled so quickly, so completely.
“But it’s not just that,” she added.
I tensed. “What else?”
Kiera’s eyes met mine, serious now.
“The bond doesn’t just connect you emotionally,” she said. “It ties you… completely. Your senses, your instincts, even your pain.”
My breath hitched slightly.
“Pain?”
“If he’s hurts,” she said carefully, “you might feel it. And the same goes for him.”
A chill ran through me.
“And the longer the bond grows…” she continued, her voice quieter now, “the harder it becomes to be apart.”
My chest tightened again, that familiar ache flaring stronger.
_____________________________________________________
Roman's pov
Night had settled over Stoneridge like a warning.
The air was thick with the scent of blood and smoke, clinging to the land like a wound that hadn’t yet begun to heal. Even within the walls of the Alpha’s estate, I could feel it, the unease, the fear, the quiet anticipation of another attack.
Rogues didn’t strike once and disappear.
“They come without warning,” Henry said, his voice tight with restrained anger. He stood behind his desk, both hands braced against the wood as he leaned forward. “No signals. No scent trails picked up beforehand. It was like they materialized out of nowhere.”
I watched him in silence, my arms crossed over my chest.
“They’re testing you,” I said finally, my voice calm, steady. “Probing your borders. Looking for gaps.”
His jaw clenched. “I’ve already lost too many men.”
“And you’ll lose more,” I replied bluntly, meeting his gaze, “if you don’t understand what you’re dealing with.”
A heavy silence filled the office.
Henry exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through his hair. “These aren’t ordinary rogues.”
“No,” I agreed. “They’re organized, too organized.”
That was the real problem.
Rogues were chaotic by nature violent, unpredictable, driven by instinct rather than strategy. But this…
This was calculated.
Someone was leading them.
Before James could respond the door burst open.
Both of us turned sharply as Dominic, his Beta, rushed in. His chest rose and fell rapidly, urgency written across every line of his body.
“Alpha,” he said, slightly out of breath, “the patrols just reported movement near the eastern border.”
Henry straightened immediately. “How many?”
“At least a dozen,” Dominic replied. “They’ve already engaged with our warriors.”
A low growl built in my chest.
So it begins.
Henry didn’t hesitate. “Get the rest of the warriors ready.”
I was already moving toward the door.
“Take me there,” I ordered.
_____________________________________________________
The eastern border was alive with chaos.
By the time we arrived, the sounds of battle tore through the night—growls, snarls, the clash of bodies colliding with brutal force. The scent of blood hit me instantly, sharp and intoxicating.
Warriors clashed with rogues beneath the dim glow of the moon, shadows moving violently between the trees.
And then I saw them.
Rogues, wild, feral and unhinged.
“Fall back!” one of the Stoneridge warriors shouted as a rogue lunged at him.
Pathetic. I thought.
I stepped forward, my body already reacting before thought could catch up.
Bones shifted, muscles tore and reformed.
I slammed into one of the rogues with enough force to send his body crashing into a nearby tree. The crack of bone echoed as he dropped lifeless to the ground.
Then another one lunged from the side, teeth bared.
I twisted, catching him mid-air and slammed him into the dirt before my claws tore through him without hesitation.
A third charged, snarling wildly.
I met him head-on.
Our bodies collided, but the difference in strength was laughable. I overpowered him easily, forcing him down before pinning him beneath my weight.
My jaws hovered dangerously close to his throat.
Around me, the remaining rogues began to falter, overwhelmed by the combined force of Stoneridge warriors and my intervention. One by one, they fell or fled.
Cowards.
I released a low, commanding growl, asserting dominance over the battlefield.
I shifted back, my Lycan form receding as my human body returned. The night air hit my skin, cool and grounding, but my focus remained locked on the rogue beneath me.
“Take him,” I ordered, my voice cold as I stepped back.
Dominic approached cautiously, two warriors at his side.
Henry joined us moments later, his expression dark as he took in the aftermath.
Dominic grabbed the rogue, forcing him to his feet despite his resistance.
“Put him in the cells,” I continued. “I’ll question him myself.”
The rogue stilled at that, fear flickered in his eyes.
Good he should be.