Bound By The Silver Crescent

LYDIA "I'm sorry," I whisper to the stranger and take a small step back. "Do I... know you?" The moment the words leave my mouth, the girl stiffens. Her expression changes as though I just threw ice water on her. "What?" she says sharply, her tone tight and hurt. Before I can say anything else, Dex places a comforting hand on her shoulder. She turns toward him, her eyes full of confusion and pain. There's something in the way he touches her-gentle, protective, that stirs an unexpected wave of jealousy in me. I quickly push the feeling away. It doesn't make sense. "Don't take it personally, Linda," Dex says quietly. "She doesn't remember me either." Linda's eyes widen. The hurt fades, replaced by shock. Before anyone else can speak, the doctor, Brad, I think they called him, steps closer. "It's possible Baron did more than just drink her blood," Brad says in a thoughtful, serious voice. "He must have given her something, a drug or a poison, that suppressed her memory." Dex nods, running a hand through his tousled hair. "Maybe. She didn't seem to recognize him either." "Who?" I interrupt, my voice sharper than I intend. "Who are you talking about?" No one answers. They just exchange quiet looks, as if I'm not even in the room. Linda finally speaks again, her voice trembling. "I don't understand... what really happened?" Dex exhales heavily and leans against the counter. "Things went wrong," he admits. "We were late. I barely got Lydia out of there before Baron tracked us down." "Is the pack still there?" Linda's voice breaks with worry. Dex closes his eyes for a moment. His jaw tightens before he shakes his head slowly. "No. They escaped. Some are hurt, but no one died." Both Linda and Brad let out shaky sighs of relief. I cross my arms, feeling frustration boiling inside me. "I don't understand any of this," I say. "Who are they? Who are you people? And what exactly happened to me?" They all look at me then, three pairs of eyes, each filled with different emotions. Brad looks sympathetic, Linda looks heartbroken, and Dex... Dex looks unreadable, but there's something in his eyes that feels too familiar, like he's holding back everything I'm desperate to know. Brad clears his throat softly and steps forward. "My name is Brad," he explains gently. "I'm the doctor of the Silver Crescent Pack." He pauses, grimacing a little. "You might not remember me, Lydia. We think someone used a kind of poison or spell to erase your memories. But this place, this pack, is your home. You belong here. You and I were close friends." Before I can respond, Linda steps closer, tears filling her eyes. "I'm your sister," she blurts out, her voice cracking. She grabs my hand tightly. "We're twins, Lydia. My name's Linda. Please, you have to remember me." I stare at her face, searching for something-anything, that sparks a memory. But there's nothing. Just emptiness and guilt. "I'm sorry," I whisper, shaking my head slowly. Linda's lips tremble. She covers her face with both hands as quiet sobs escape her. I feel a sharp ache in my chest watching her cry, pain mixed with confusion and helplessness. Dex gently pulls her into his arms. She clings to him, and for a moment, I feel like an outsider watching something deeply personal. He holds her, but his eyes stay locked on me, steady and intense. Who is he? Why does he look at me like that? "We'll explain everything once things calm down," Dex finally says, his voice low but certain. "Right now, Lydia needs to rest and recover. That's what matters." Linda sniffles and steps away, wrapping her arms around herself. Brad nods. "He's right. Rest first. The rest can wait." Dex shakes his head. "Not here." Before Brad can protest, Dex moves toward me. Without warning, he pushes the blanket aside and lifts me effortlessly into his arms. "Dex!" Brad exclaims. "She's safe here. You know that." "I know," Dex says, though his voice sounds firm and final. "But I'm not leaving her again. The last time I did, Baron took her. And look what she's been through because of it." His words hit Linda hard. She looks away, her shoulders shaking. Dex walks out of the infirmary, carrying me as if I weigh nothing. I'm too stunned to fight it. "Where are you taking me?" I ask softly. "To my room," he answers without hesitation. My heart starts pounding in my chest. He glances down at me, a faint smile curving his lips. "Don't worry," he says quietly. "I'm not going to hurt you." My cheeks flush. Does he somehow know what I was thinking? Can he read my thoughts too? "I don't understand," I whisper. "Why are you doing all this for me? I don't even know you." Dex stops walking. The hallway falls silent. His gaze meets mine-deep, unreadable, but full of something I can't name. "Yes, you do," he says softly. "I don't," I insist. "I don't know who you are, where I am, or what any of this means." He takes a breath, as if steadying himself. "My name is Dex Wright," he begins slowly. "I'm the leader of the Silver Crescent Pack, a pack of shapeshifters. Wolves." For a second, my mind goes blank. His words sound like something from a story, impossible and wild. But then I remember the night-the shadows, the fangs, the claws, and I can't deny what I saw. "Even if that's true," I murmur, shaking my head. "What does that have to do with me? What do you have to do with me?" Dex's expression changes. His eyes soften, but there's sadness there too, a pain I can almost feel. "Because you and I are one," he says quietly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "You might not understand it now, or even remember it. But you're my mate. The one chosen by the Goddess to be with me, for a lifetime. For all eternity." His words steal my breath. My heart pounds so loudly I can hear it echoing in my ears. For a lifetime. For all eternity. It feels impossible, and yet, somehow, it feels like the only truth I've ever known.