His Touch His Warning

I couldn’t sleep after what Carlos said.

“What scares me is what you’ll become… once the bond is complete.”

What did he mean by that? I didn’t feel powerful or scary. I just felt confused, unsure of who I was and who I was turning into.

The night was cool, but it didn’t calm the heat burning inside me. I stepped out onto the balcony outside my room. The sky was clear, stars twinkling softly. The moon was nearly full, and its light felt like a gentle touch on my skin.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, then I sensed Carlos' presence.

His scent reached me like pine trees and smoke, deep and familiar. My body tensed right before he spoke from behind me.

“You shouldn’t be out here.”

I turned around and saw him at the door. He was wearing dark clothes, and his hair was messy like he’d just come from a run or a fight.

“I couldn’t sleep,” I said. “It’s like you’re always with me, even when you’re not here.”

He came closer, his eyes meeting mine. “That’s the bond. It’s starting to awaken.”

“Is that why I feel this pull to you?” My voice shook slightly. “Even when I try to ignore it?”

He nodded. “Yes. And it’s getting harder for both of us to resist.”

I looked away, nervous about what it all meant. “Then maybe we shouldn’t fight it.”

Carlos was right in front of me now, so close I could feel the warmth coming from his body. He reached out, his fingers gently touching the side of my neck, just above the collar he’d given me.

“I told you this would just be a contract,” he said quietly. “No emotions. No real connection. I can’t let myself be weak, Sarah.”

“Is that what I am?” I asked, my heart pounding. “Your weakness?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he softly traced my jaw with his thumb, like he was trying to remember how I felt.

“You don’t realize what you’re doing to me,” he said in a low voice.

“Then show me.”

His lips were so close to mine, I could feel his breath. But just before he kissed me, he stopped and pulled away. His jaw was tight, and his eyes were dark with emotion.

“No,” he said. “Not tonight.”

“Why?” I asked, feeling hurt and frustrated. “What are you scared of?”

He looked at me like he was torn between kissing me and walking away.

“If I lose control,” he said, “there’s no turning back.”

Then he left, just like that.

The next morning, I found a package on my bed.

Inside the black silk wrapping was a white dress. It was simple but elegant, with lace details and a flowing skirt and a small note was tucked inside:

Wear this. You need to look like a true Luna today.

I slowly put on the dress, smoothing it down as I went. I didn’t know what Carlos meant, but something about the day felt important.

An hour later, Carlos came to get me.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his eyes resting on my neckline a little longer than usual.

I wanted to ask where we were going, but something in his expression told me not to push.

We drove deep into the forest, farther than I had ever been before. The trees were taller and wilder, their roots twisting through the ground. We stopped at a stone clearing surrounded by thick oak trees.

In the middle stood a group of large wolves, watching me closely with unreadable faces.

Carlos took my hand.

“Don’t speak,” he said gently. “Just stay beside me.”

I nodded, trying to calm my nerves.

An older wolf stepped forward, his eyes glowing gold. He shifted into human form a tall man with gray hair and deep scars on his chest.

“You brought a human here, Carlos,” the man said. “You know what that means.”

Carlos nodded. “I claim her as my Luna.”

Gasps echoed around the clearing.

“She hasn’t been marked,” someone said.

Carlos gripped my hand tighter. “She will be. When the time is right.”

The elder stepped closer, staring at me. “You carry ancient blood, girl.”

“I…I don’t know what that means,” I blurted out.

He ignored me completely. “Your blood hums and the forest feels it. The moon sees it and the wolves sense it.”

Then he stepped back.

“She may stay. But if her power awakens and hurts this pack…” He looked at Carlos. “You will be the one to pay.”

Carlos didn’t hesitate. “I’ll protect her. With my life.”

My heart squeezed at his words, that wasn’t part of any contract. This was a promise he just blurted out.

That night, back at the mansion, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Carlos stood beside me, and how he protected me. Even when his hand shook just a little when he held mine.

I wasn’t just a human girl who needed money anymore, now I was something else, and Carlos knew it.

I wasn’t sure if that made me feel strong… or scared.