Betrayed By One. Bound To Three-Chapter 18: I trust you.

Selena.

I woke in the dark, warm and cocooned.

Kael’s arm was around my waist. Ronan’s body curved behind my back, solid and steady.

They were still sleeping, their breathing steady.

For some time, I just stayed there, listening to the cave’s quiet—the distant water, the low crackle of dying fire, the rhythm of their hearts.

Then I noticed it.

Edris wasn’t there.

I lifted my head slowly, careful not to wake them. His place by the fire was empty. The blade he’d been sharpening earlier was gone.

Curiosity tugged at me.

Carefully, I slipped free from the warmth of their bodies, wrapping a fur around myself as I moved toward the cave entrance.

The cold night air kissed my skin.

And then I saw him.

Edris stood by the stream, back to me, moonlight tracing the hard lines of his shoulders. The water moved softly beside him, silver in the dark.

I walked toward him quietly.

Before I could speak, his voice came—low, calm.

"You’re awake."

I froze.

He didn’t turn.

"You heard me?" I whispered.

A faint smile touched his voice. "I heard your heartbeat change."

I stepped closer. "I didn’t see you in the cave. I came to find you."

He doesn’t say anything right away.

Then, gently: "You can join me, if you want."

I did.

I sat beside him on the smooth stone, the stream whispering at our feet.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked softly.

"Nothing," he said.

I tilted my head. "That’s not true. You look like you have a lot on your mind."

He finally looked at me.

And smiled.

Not a smirk. Not a teasing grin. Not a guarded expression.

A real smile. It was beautiful, soft, and rare.

My breath caught.

"You’re beautiful when you smile," I said quietly. "You should do it more."

He didn’t respond immediately.

His gaze stayed on the water.

Then he spoke.

"I’m serious around you because I don’t know how not to be," he said. "I’ve been this way since we lost our parents."

My heart missed a beat at his words and my wolf howled sadly. "What happened to them?"

His jaw twitched once.

"They were warriors in our former pack. The best of their kind. They were both killed in a battle." he said, paused, and continued. "After their deaths, instead of honouring them, the alpha accused them of treason. Said they betrayed the pack. We were exiled for something we didn’t even understand."

My heart ached.

For a split second, a terrible thought crossed my mind—about the rogues, about the past, about old accusations.

"What pack?" I asked quietly.

He hesitated.

Then: "Silver Moon."

Relief rushed through me so hard it almost made me dizzy. I didn’t even realize I’d been holding my breath.

For a moment there, I would have sworn him and his brothers were the ones I was looking for. But the story was different, and so is the pack.

"I’m sorry," I whispered. "For what they did to you. To your family."

I looked at him. "When I’m queen, I’ll make sure the truth comes out. I’ll make sure they’re held accountable."

Edris shook his head gently. "It’s not your crime to fix."

Then, softer: "Your duty is to become strong. To awaken your wolf. To become who you’re meant to be."

"I will," I promised.

Silence settled again.

"I like the way you protect your brothers," I added. "You’re all the same age, but you guard them as a father would. I wish I had a brother or sister who looks out for me like that."

His eyes met mine, and something shifted.

"The goddess doesn’t make mistakes, I’m sure that’s why she bonded you with us. to fulfil your inner cravings. Ronan, the over-caring one, can be your sister. Kael, my flirtatious brother, can be your naughty brother,"

"What about you?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Me? I’ll be the one who holds the line when everything else breaks," he said, locking his gaze to mine.

My wolf howled excitedly inside my head. In his eyes, I could see caged desire seeping through. And when I thought he might touch me, he took his eyes off me.

The air between us thickened.

The cold brushed my skin, and I rubbed my arms without thinking.

"Go inside," he said quietly. "It’s warmer."

I looked at him. "Or..." I said waiting for him to look at me and when he did, "You could make me warmer out here."

I watched how his breath changed that instant.

"I don’t have the control," he said honestly, "to touch you and not want everything that comes with it."

I swallowed. "If you’re gentle... it would be my first time."

Silence.

Then, softly: "Are you sure?" he asked.

I leaned in and kissed him.

My lips brushed his first — soft, uncertain — like a question instead of a demand.

For a moment, he didn’t move.

He just breathed.

Then his hand came to my waist.

His forehead rested against mine, and I felt the restraint in him — the tension in his body, the discipline, the control he carried like armor.

And then he kissed me back.

Softly.

As if he were choosing every movement instead of surrendering to instinct.

His lips moved against mine in a way that made my chest tighten with something that felt like recognition.

The kiss deepened gradually.

His thumb brushed along my waist in a slow arc, sending a quiet shiver through me. His other hand rose to my face, cradling my jaw gently, his touch reverent — careful, protective, intimate.

I felt safe, wanted and powerful at the same time.

I tilted into him, my body responding before my thoughts could, my hands lifting to his chest, fingers curling into his shirt. I could feel his heartbeat beneath my palms — steady, strong, controlled.

But faster than before.

He carefully lay me down on my back.

"I don’t want to hurt you," he whispered.

"You won’t," I said softly. "I trust you."

He kissed again, this time, deeper and filled with urgency.