The Wolf God's Unwanted Luna

Chapter 73: The Bond

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the soft peach dress one final time, wondering if it was too much or not enough. This would be the first time Zaliver saw me in something truly feminine, something chosen not out of necessity but with him in mind. That thought alone sent a flutter through my stomach that had nothing to do with nerves and everything to do with the bond humming between us.

The dress was a blend of silk and cotton, light and smooth against my skin. The flowing skirt swished softly around my thighs, and the fabric hugged my waist through a delicate belt with a large bow tied in the back. Long sleeves draped from my wrists, giving the whole thing a romantic, almost ethereal quality. Hannah had found it during our shopping trip and insisted I get it, said it suited the occasion and that she fully intended to borrow it once her baby arrived. I couldn’t deny it made my legs look longer, and for once I didn’t feel awkward in something pretty.

Instead of heels, I slipped into simple brown warrior sandals. They grounded the outfit in a way I liked. Comfortable, but still put-together. As I looked at my reflection, my wolf stirred with a low, pleased rumble. She approved, and that was more comforting than I’d realized I needed. Since the marking, she’d been more present, more vibrant, as if something that had been sleeping inside us had finally woken up.

What I couldn’t quite make sense of were the random flashes of heat that had been hitting me lately. They came without warning, like when I was brushing my teeth and the brush snapped clean in half from my grip. My muscles would seize, like lightning moving through me from the inside out, wrapped in heat and then suddenly gone. Like nothing happened at all.

I pushed the memory aside and padded downstairs, trailing my hand along the banister. The house was as beautiful on the inside as it was out, all warm woods and soft browns and textures that felt lived-in even though no one had ever lived here. I hadn’t explored beyond the front rooms yet, too caught up in everything else, but I had a feeling Zaliver’s grand tour for my parents would end up doubling as one for me.