The Silent Vow

Nyxara POV

The world turned violet.

The High Priestess’s silver dagger didn't hit Draven. It didn't hit me. It froze in mid-air, inches from his fur, as if the wind itself had turned into a wall of glass. My birthmark was screaming, a pulsing heat that felt like a second heartbeat beneath my ribs.

I looked at my hands. They were glowing with a soft, ancient light. The red-eyed monsters on the shore scrambled backward, their hisses turning into whines of terror.

"The Luna," the high priestess whispered, her face going pale. "The True Luna has returned."

The power snapped. The dagger fell into the rushing water with a splash. The weight of the magic pulled the air from my lungs, and I felt my knees give out.

Before I could sink into the river, a pair of strong, human arms caught me. Draven had shifted back. He was naked and dripping wet, and his eyes were wide with a mix of shock and pure, raw relief.

"I've got you," he gasped, pulling me against his chest. "Nyx, I've got you."

For a second, the warmth of his skin made me forget the rejection. I almost leaned into him. But then I remembered the Sacred Stone. I remembered the way he had turned his back on me while the pack laughed.

I pushed him away with every bit of strength I had left. "Don't touch me."

"Nyxara, listen to me," Draven pleaded, his voice breaking. "The Elders... they lied. They manipulated everything. I didn't know what you were. I thought I was protecting the pack."

"You were protecting your pride," I spat, shivering as the cold wind hit my wet skin. "You chose a crown over a soul. You don't get to say my name anymore."

A low growl came from the shadows behind us. Riven emerged from the trees, his ash-silver hair matted with the blood of the creatures he had just killed. He looked like a god of war. When he saw Draven holding me, his molten gold eyes turned into slits of fire.

"Step away from her, Blackmoor," Riven commanded.

Draven stood his ground, his jaw tight. "She’s my mate. My pack lands are just across this river. She’ll be safe there."

"Safe?" Riven laughed, a dark, bitter sound. "You sent a high priestess to kill her. Your own Elders want her heart on a plate. The only place she’s safe is with me."

Riven POV

I watched Draven Blackmoor. He looked like a man who had just realized he’d thrown away the world’s greatest treasure. Good. I wanted him to feel every bit of that agony.

I walked into the water, ignoring the pull of the current. I reached for Nyxara. She didn't push me away. She reached back, her small hand gripping my forearm like a lifeline. That simple movement felt like a victory.

"She’s coming with me," I said, staring Draven down. "If you follow us, I won’t just fight you. I’ll burn Blackmoor to the ground."

Draven looked at Nyxara, his blue eyes begging. "Nyx, please. I can fix this. I can make you my Luna tomorrow. I’ll kill the Elders who lied to us."

Nyxara looked at him. The violet glow in her eyes was gone, replaced by a cold, dead stare.

"I don't want to be your Luna, Draven," she said. "I want to be forgotten by you."

The words hit him harder than any claw could. He flinched, his shoulders sagging. I didn't wait for him to recover. I lifted Nyxara into my arms and carried her across the rest of the river, leaving the Alpha of Blackmoor standing alone in the dark water.

Nyxara POV

Riven didn't stop until we reached a hidden cave high in the cliffs. He started a fire, his movements quick and efficient. He didn't ask questions. He just handed me a dry tunic and a blanket.

I sat by the fire, my hand over my stomach. The twins were quiet now, but I could feel them. They were the reason the world was falling apart. They were the reason two kings were at each other's throats.

"He won't stop," I whispered, watching the flames. "Draven is stubborn. Now that he knows about the children, he’ll hunt us forever."

Riven sat across from me. The firelight played over the rune-like scars on his back. "Let him try. By the time he finds us again, you won't be a girl running in the dark. You'll be a queen who knows how to use her fire."

"I don't want a war, Riven. I just want them to be safe."

"In this world, Nyxara, safety is bought with power." He looked at me, his gaze intense. "I can teach you. But you have to promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Don't ever let him back in. No matter how much he begs. No matter how much the bond pulls at you. If you go back to him, the Council wins."

I thought of Draven’s face in the river. I thought of the way my heart had stuttered when he caught me. The bond wasn't dead; it was a ghost, haunting me. But then I remembered the priestess and the silver dagger.

"I promise," I said, my voice hardening.

I lay down on the furs, drifting into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

I woke up hours later to a sound that shouldn't be there. A soft, rhythmic thumping.

I opened my eyes. Riven was gone. The fire was low. I looked toward the mouth of the cave and saw a shadow standing there. It wasn't Riven. It was too broad.

A hand clamped over my mouth before I could scream.

"Quiet," a voice whispered. It was Silas, Draven's Beta. He looked terrified. "I'm not here to hurt you. But you have to leave now. The High Priestess didn't come alone. She brought the executioner."

Outside, a horn sounded, a deep, mournful note that signaled a blood hunt.

Silas pulled me toward a secret crevice in the back of the cave just as a massive, hooded figure stepped into the light of the dying fire, carrying a black iron axe.

"Where is the girl?" the giant rumbled, his voice sounding like grinding stones. "The Moon demands her blood."