Don't Forget

INARA'S POV 

I tossed and turned in the big, unfamiliar bed until the sheets felt like they were strangling me. The moon was hanging high outside my window, casting silvery light across the room that only made my wolf more restless. 

Every little sound in the Alpha’s residence had me sitting up— a distant door closing, footsteps in the hall, the faint howl of a patrol wolf somewhere beyond the walls. Grayson still wasn’t back. At least, not that I knew of.

He’s fine, I told myself for the hundredth time. He’s the Alpha. He’s dealt with rogues before. But my mind kept flashing to those powerful shoulders, the way his silver eyes could go stormy in an instant. 

What if he was hurt? What if the curse made him push himself harder than any normal wolf?

I groaned and swung my legs over the side of the bed, grabbing a thin robe to throw over my nightgown. 

It was late, probably past midnight—but I couldn’t just lie there pretending I didn’t care. I wasn’t Liora. I didn’t run from hard things.

The hallway was dimly lit by wall sconces as I slipped out of my room. My bare feet made almost no sound on the cool stone floor. 

I told myself I was just getting some water from the kitchens. Totally normal. Not at all creeping toward the Alpha’s private wing like some lovesick idiot.

I’d almost convinced myself to turn back when I heard it—a low, pained grunt coming from the direction of Grayson’s chambers. 

My heart jumped into my throat. Without thinking, I hurried forward and pushed open the slightly ajar door.

Grayson was inside, shirtless, standing in front of a large mirror with his back partially to me. Moonlight streamed in through the tall windows, highlighting every ridge of muscle, every old scar that marked his body like a map of battles won. 

But there was a new one—a nasty gash along his left side, still seeping blood. His jaw was clenched tight, and he was trying to clean it himself with a cloth, movements sharp and frustrated.

My wolf surged forward so fast I had to grab the doorframe to steady myself. The scent of him—pine, storm, blood, and that dark wildness—hit me like a wave. He looked even more dangerously handsome like this, raw and real and hurting.

“Grayson,” I breathed, stepping inside without waiting for permission.

He spun around, silver eyes flashing with surprise that quickly hardened into a scowl. “Inara. What the hell are you doing here?”

I ignored the grumpy tone and moved closer, my eyes locked on the wound. “You’re bleeding. Sit down before you make it worse.”

“I don’t need—” he started, but I was already grabbing fresh cloths and the bowl of water from the side table. My hands shook a little, but I kept my voice steady.

“Sit. Down. Alpha.” I added the title with a little sass, meeting his glare head-on. “You can bark orders at me tomorrow. Right now, you’re just a stubborn wolf who’s going to get this infected if you keep poking at it like that.”

Something flickered across his face—annoyance, maybe a hint of reluctant amusement. He lowered himself onto the edge of a heavy wooden chair with a grunt, his powerful thighs flexing as he moved. Up close, the gash looked deep but clean enough. Rogue claws, probably.

I dipped the cloth in the water and stepped between his legs, trying not to think about how intimate this felt. 

His bare chest rose and fell with each breath, warm heat radiating off his skin. My own cheeks burned as I gently pressed the cloth to the wound.

He hissed through his teeth but didn’t pull away. “You should be sleeping.”

“And you should be letting someone help you instead of playing lone wolf,” I shot back softly. I worked carefully, cleaning the blood away, hyper-aware of every twitch of his muscles under my fingers. 

His scent was overwhelming this close—making my head fuzzy and my wolf practically desperate to nuzzle closer. “What happened out there?”

“Rogues testing the borders again,” he muttered, his voice rough. “They’re getting bolder since the alliance looked shaky. One of them got lucky with a cheap shot.” His eyes dropped to where my hands were working on him. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I know I don’t.” I glanced up, meeting those intense silver eyes. “But I’m not going to stand by and watch you bleed when I can help. That’s what a Luna does, right? Even a substitute one.”

He stayed quiet for a long moment, watching me with an unreadable expression. The tension between us thickened, charged with something heavier than just the pain of his wound. 

I could feel the curse clinging to him—that bitter, ancient shadow that kept him isolated. It made my heart ache in a way I hadn’t expected.

“You’re really not like her,” he said finally, so low I almost missed it. His hand came up, fingers brushing lightly against my wrist as I reached for a fresh cloth. The touch sent sparks racing up my arm. “Liora would’ve complained about the blood ruining her dress. You… you just jumped in.”

My breath caught. I tried to play it cool, dabbing gently at the edges of the cut. 

“Maybe that’s because I actually care about more than just looking perfect. And maybe you should stop comparing me to my sister every five minutes. It’s getting old.”

A low chuckle rumbled out of him—rough and unexpected. It sent a shiver down my spine. “There’s that fire again.” His fingers lingered on my wrist a second longer before he pulled back, like he’d caught himself doing something dangerous.

I finished bandaging him as best I could, my fingers brushing over the hard planes of his abdomen more times than strictly necessary. Heat pooled low in my belly, and I cursed my traitorous body. 

This man had called me a consolation prize less than two days ago. I shouldn’t be reacting like this.

But gods, he was so close. So warm. So him.

“All done,” I whispered, stepping back reluctantly. “Try not to rip it open again tonight, okay?”

Grayson stood slowly, towering over me once more. The bandage stood out white against his tanned skin, but he already looked steadier. 

His gaze searched my face, dropping briefly to my lips before snapping back up. The air felt electric.

“Inara…” He said my name like it cost him something. His hand lifted, almost touching my cheek, then dropped. “This, whatever this is—it can’t go anywhere. The curse… it doesn’t let me have a real mate. You’re here because of politics. Don’t forget that.”

The words stung, but I lifted my chin anyway. “I’m not forgetting anything, Grayson. But I also won’t pretend I don’t feel whatever this pull is. And I won’t run from it like some people do.”

His eyes darkened, and for a heartbeat I thought he might close the distance. Kiss me. Claim me. Something. My wolf was screaming at me to lean in.

Instead, he stepped back, jaw tight. “Go back to your room. The ritual is in two nights. Get some rest.”

Dismissed again. But this time there was less ice in his voice.

I nodded and turned toward the door, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. Just as I reached for the handle, his voice stopped me.

“Inara.”

I glanced back. He was watching me with that same intense look, one hand pressed lightly over the fresh bandage.

“Thank you,” he said gruffly. “For… this.”

A small, real smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. “Anytime, Alpha. Even if you are a grumpy pain in the ass.”

I slipped out before he could respond, closing the door softly behind me. My legs felt shaky as I hurried back to my room, the ghost of his touch still burning on my wrist and the image of his half-naked, vulnerable form seared into my brain.

Lying in bed again, I stared at the ceiling, replaying every second. The way he’d softened just a fraction. The almost-touch. That low chuckle. The warning about the curse.

Two nights until the ritual. Two nights until the moon magic would either bind me properly to the pack… or reveal truths that could change everything between us.

What if it showed him I was more than a substitute? What if it finally cracked through that curse?

Or what if it made him push me away even harder?

I pressed a hand to my racing heart and closed my eyes, but sleep stayed far away. Because now I wasn’t just worried about the ritual.

I was terrified of how badly I wanted Grayson Ansel to see me as his.

And what I might do if he never did.