Chapter Five

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Chapter Five

Moonlit Promises

Four days.

The words echoed through Ivy’s mind as she adjusted the pale blue dress Martha had insisted she wear.

“I haven’t worn a dress in years,” Ivy muttered, tugging at the sleeves.

“Exactly why tonight is the perfect night.”

Martha smiled as she fastened a silver ribbon around Ivy’s waist.

The fabric wasn’t expensive.

It wasn’t embroidered with jewels like the daughters of ranked wolves would wear.

But it fit Ivy perfectly, bringing out the soft green of her eyes.

For a moment, Martha’s smile faltered.

She looked so much like…

No.

Not yet.

“Beautiful,” Martha whispered.

Ivy rolled her eyes.

“You have to say that.”

“I don’t.”

“I look ridiculous.”

“You look like a young woman.”

Something about those words made Ivy strangely emotional.

She hadn’t thought of herself as one before.

Only…

The orphan.

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The village square had transformed beneath hundreds of glowing lanterns.

Music drifted through the cool evening air.

Children chased one another between stalls selling honey cakes and carved wooden trinkets.

Warriors laughed over mugs of ale.

Couples danced beneath strings of silver lights.

The Moon Festival was the happiest night of the year.

Ivy stayed close to the edge of the crowd.

Old habits were hard to break.

“You made it.”

She turned.

Kael stood a few steps away.

Gone was his usual black training attire.

Instead, he wore a crisp white shirt beneath a charcoal jacket, the sleeves rolled to his forearms.

For the first time…

He looked less like the feared Alpha.

And more like the man beneath the title.

“You clean up well,” he said.

Ivy blinked.

“Was… was that a compliment?”

“I believe it was.”

A smile tugged at her lips.

“I wasn’t sure you knew how.”

“I surprise people occasionally.”

“You do.”

For a heartbeat, neither looked away.

The noise of the festival seemed to fade.

Until Rowan loudly cleared his throat.

“There you are!”

Both stepped back at the same time.

Rowan’s grin widened.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Alpha.”

Kael shot him a warning look.

“You found me.”

“I certainly did.”

⸻

Later that evening, music filled the square as wolves began pairing off for the traditional Moon Dance.

Ivy watched from the sidelines.

As always.

She had never danced.

Never been asked.

Never expected to.

“You look like you want to disappear.”

Kael’s voice came from beside her.

“I’m just watching.”

“You’ve been watching for years.”

She looked at him in surprise.

“You noticed?”

“I notice more than people think.”

The musicians changed songs.

A slower melody floated across the square.

Kael hesitated.

Then extended his hand.

“Would you dance with me?”

Ivy stared at it.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Why not?”

“You’re the Alpha.”

“And?”

“I’m…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say it.

The orphan.

The wolfless girl.

Kael seemed to understand anyway.

“I didn’t ask the orphan.”

He kept his hand outstretched.

“I asked Ivy.”

Her heart skipped.

Slowly…

She placed her hand in his.

His fingers were warm.

Strong.

Gentle.

He guided her toward the edge of the dancers.

“I should warn you,” she said nervously.

“I’ve never done this.”

“I’ll lead.”

“You’ll probably regret saying that.”

“I doubt it.”

He rested one hand lightly at her back, careful to leave respectful space between them, while holding her other hand.

“Like this?”

“Perfect.”

She wasn’t perfect.

She stepped on his foot almost immediately.

“Oh!”

“I’m so sorry!”

Kael laughed.

Actually laughed.

“I’ve survived worse.”

She covered her face.

“This is a disaster.”

“No.”

His golden eyes met hers.

“It’s not.”

He guided her through another step.

Then another.

Gradually…

The nervousness faded.

She found herself smiling.

Really smiling.

The music wrapped around them as they moved beneath the lanterns.

Around them, conversations quieted.

People noticed.

The Alpha…

Dancing with the orphan.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

Kael ignored every one of them.

His attention never left Ivy.

“You’ve stopped looking at your feet,” he observed.

“I think I’m improving.”

“I think you are.”

She laughed.

The sound caught him off guard.

He realised, with startling clarity, that he’d never heard her laugh like that before.

It suited her.

More than sadness ever had.

As the song came to an end, Ivy looked up.

They were standing much closer than before.

Close enough to notice the flecks of amber in his eyes.

Close enough to hear his steady heartbeat.

For one suspended moment…

Neither of them moved.

The lanterns flickered overhead.

A breeze carried the scent of moonflowers between them.

Kael’s wolf stirred.

Not with the certainty of a mate bond.

But with an undeniable instinct to protect.

To stay.

Then the temple bell rang, marking the end of the dance.

The moment broke.

Ivy stepped back first.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“For asking me.”

Kael inclined his head.

“The pleasure was mine.”

She disappeared into the crowd before he could say anything else.

Watching from across the square, Rowan folded his arms.

“I’ve never seen you dance with anyone at the Moon Festival.”

Kael kept his eyes on the place where Ivy had vanished.

“Neither have I.”

High above the celebration, hidden by the full moon’s light, a silver-white wolf watched from the ridge overlooking Blackridge.

Ancient eyes rested on the pair below.

The Moon Goddess’s chosen smiled.

The threads of fate had begun to weave together.

Soon…

Neither of them would be able to outrun destiny.