His Abandoned Luna Chapter 46

|| Alaric’s POV ||

I never thought I would feel this way for someone. Every little thing about her made my heart race. Her smile, the way her loose curls framed her face, the mischievous glint in her eyes when she teased me. But there were moments, fleeting and rare, when the warmth in her eyes would vanish, replaced by a hollow emptiness that made her seem like a completely different person. It was as if she carried a weight too heavy for her shoulders, a pain she refused to share. And then there was her scent lavender, soft and intoxicating, driving me and my wolf to the edge of madness. What kind of spell had she cast on me? I didn’t know, but I was utterly and irrevocably under it.

This cabin had always been my sanctuary, my solitude. It was the one place where I could escape the chaos of the world and just be myself. I had never brought anyone here before. It was too personal, too sacred. But here she was, lying on my lap as if she had always belonged here, as if this space had been waiting for her all along. Her presence felt natural, like she was the missing piece I hadn’t realized I was searching for.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer as I took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. She was divine, a perfect blend of strength and vulnerability, fire and softness. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of approval rumbling in my chest. Mine, it whispered, the word echoing in my mind like a mantra. But I pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on the warmth of her body against mine, the way her breathing matched the rhythm of my own.

The warmth of the fire crackled softly in the background, casting golden shadows along the walls. For a while, we had just sat there, enveloped in a comfortable silence, the air between us humming with an unspoken understanding. The wine had smoothed the edges of the night, loosening our tongues, but it hadn’t prepared me for the moment her voice shattered the stillness.

"Where were you when I needed you the most?"

Her words trembled, carrying the weight of something I didn’t yet understand. My entire body tensed at the raw emotion laced within them.

I frowned, my chest tightening. “When?” I asked softly, my confusion evident. I had always kept an eye on her, even from the shadows. I had always made sure she was safe. Or at least, I thought I had. What was she talking about?

She lifted her head slightly, and in the dim glow of the fire, I saw the pain in her eyes. It struck me like a dagger to the heart.

"When they tortured Ezra… when they killed my parents… and then…"

Her voice cracked, the rest of her words swallowed by a broken sob. Tears streamed down her face, glistening in the firelight, and before I could react, she buried her head in my chest, her entire body trembling against me.

My heart shattered at the sight of her like this so vulnerable, so exposed. Lilac was always strong, always guarded, but now? Now, she looked like a woman on the verge of breaking completely. It was as if the walls she had spent years building had finally crumbled, leaving her raw, stripped of all pretense.

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close, my grip tightening as if I could shield her from the past. But I knew I couldn’t. The memories were already there, haunting her, tearing her apart from the inside.

"It was hard, Alaric… my entire world collapsed," she whispered, her voice barely audible against my chest.

Guilt slammed into me like a tidal wave.

Had she needed me? Had she been searching for me in her darkest moments while I was nowhere to be found? The thought made my stomach twist violently. Did Kael hurt her somehow? And I wasn’t aware of it! That bastard! I gritted my teeth.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, my voice thick with emotion. The words felt inadequate, like they could never mend the wounds she carried. “I wasn’t there.”

She pulled away just enough to look up at me, her tear-filled eyes shining with something that made my chest ache. Anguish. Hope. Desperation.

"I can’t find Runa… I’m trying, and trying, but still no sign. Will you help me?" Her voice trembled, breaking slightly at the end.

I stilled.

Runa?

The name was unfamiliar, but the way she said it like it meant everything sent a prickle of unease down my spine. Was it the alcohol talking? Some buried fear surfacing in her vulnerability? Or was there something deeper, something she hadn’t told me yet?

I didn’t know. But right now, I didn’t care.

All I knew was that Lilac was breaking in my arms, and I would do anything to hold her together.

I cupped her face gently, wiping a stray tear from her cheek with my thumb.

Her breath hitched, something unreadable flashing across her expression. She seemed lost, caught between past and present, between hope and despair.

I rested my forehead against hers, inhaling the faint scent of wildflowers and something uniquely her. “I’m here now,” I whispered, the words a promise. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Slowly, she sank back into my chest, her breathing evening out as exhaustion took over. I held her for what felt like hours, my fingers gently tracing patterns on her back, my lips brushing against her hair. She was so fragile in that moment, so unlike the fierce, determined woman I had come to know. It made me want to protect her even more, to shield her from anything that could ever hurt her again.

When I was sure she was asleep, I carefully lifted her into my arms, carrying her to the bedroom. Our bedroom. The thought slipped into my mind unbidden, but it felt right. It felt like something I could get used to something I wanted to get used to. The idea of waking up to her every morning, of holding her every night, sent a warmth spreading through my chest that I couldn’t ignore.

Her dress clung to her tightly, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was comfortable. With a sigh, I gently unzipped it, my fingers trembling slightly as I tried to ignore the way my body reacted to her. Every touch sent sparks racing through my veins, my wolf growling in approval as her curves were revealed. She had no idea what she did to me, how much self-control it took not to claim her, not to mark her as mine.

But I couldn’t. Not like this. Not when she was so vulnerable, so unaware. So, with a deep breath, I pushed my urges aside and slipped one of my t-shirts over her head. It was comically large on her, the fabric falling almost to her knees, but the sight of her in my clothes made my chest swell with something I couldn’t quite name. She looked so small, so peaceful, and I couldn’t help but smile.

I placed her gently on the bed, pulling the covers over her before lying down beside her. She shifted in her sleep, curling into me as if seeking warmth. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close as I listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing. This was home. This was heaven.

My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of contentment rumbling in my chest. Ours, it whispered, the word filling me with a sense of possessiveness I couldn’t ignore. But I pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on the warmth of her body against mine, the way her scent enveloped me like a blanket.

I didn’t know what the future held, but in that moment, I knew one thing for certain: I would do whatever it took to protect her, to keep her safe, to make her happy. She was mine, and I was hers. And for the first time in my life, I felt like I had found something worth fighting for.