Chapter 3 - Can a Heart Break Twice?

—Sofía… —he murmured, his voice barely a whisper carried away by the wind—. I need to talk to you.I swallowed hard, feeling my wolf's claws press inside me, as if trying to protect us… or pull me toward him. Everything was so confusing.—Now you want to? —I asked, my voice low but sharp—. After rejecting me in front of the Moon Goddess? After breaking me?Gabriel lowered his gaze for a moment, more human and vulnerable than ever.—It wasn't as simple as you think. I couldn't choose then. But now… something has changed. I need you to listen.A shiver ran down my spine.I didn't know what was worse: if his regret was sincere or just cruel lies.I stood frozen, emotions raw. I wanted to scream at him, hit him, hug him… and disappear.Gabriel stepped closer cautiously, as if afraid I might break before his eyes.—You have no idea what was at stake —he said, voice tight with anguish—. The night I rejected you, my family was in danger. They forced me, Sofía. I wasn't free to choose.I frowned, hurt and confused.—And you thought destroying me was the solution? That hiding the truth would make me feel better?—No —he admitted, looking down—. I didn't expect your forgiveness. I just… needed you to know I never stopped loving you.My heart flipped. Those dreamed words tasted like poison.—My wolf hasn't spoken since then —I said softly—. She's broken. So am I. And now you come with excuses?Gabriel stepped closer, now at my side. His scent —cedar, rain, and fire— enveloped me.—These aren't excuses. It's a warning —he whispered—. Something is coming, Sofía. Something that will put you in danger. And even if you don't want to hear from me, I won't let anything happen to you.His eyes darkened, filled with genuine fear.Something inside me stirred. Laisa whispered louder, slowly awakening:"He lies… but not completely…"I took a deep breath.—You have no right to protect me. You denied me that right —I said, staring at him.Gabriel accepted the reproach and prepared himself.—If I tell you to run, don't look back. Understood?—I'm not a child, Gabriel. I know how to fight too.—This isn't a common enemy —he growled—. It's a bond hunter. It feeds on the pain of rejected wolves… that's why the outcasts lack a soul and have only instinct. They're his prey.The air thickened; dark magic vibrated around us.Suddenly, a tall, pale creature like ash emerged from the trees, black eyes and sharp claws, moving erratically like a broken puppet.—What a sweet scent, the pain of a lost bond! —it purred, looking straight at me—. She's perfect…Gabriel roared, transforming, golden eyes and claws, furious.—Stay away from her!The creature leapt with brutal speed, but Gabriel intercepted it. The ground shook with the impact.I stepped back, but Laisa awoke strongly inside me.I jumped aside and bit its arm. A sharp screech filled the forest.—Sofía, watch out! —Gabriel shouted.But the hunter hit me, and I flew, rolling on the ground. The pain was sharp, but I growled and got up.Gabriel attacked with fury, and together we pushed the hunter against a tree.—Now! —I yelled.We dug our claws into its chest. The creature writhed and then vanished in a cloud of black smoke.The forest calmed again.I returned to human form, panting, covered in bruises and scratches but alive.Gabriel shifted back, breathing heavily, eyes fixed on me with a mix of awe and worry.We looked at each other silently, only the beating of our hearts filling the air.—You're stronger than I remembered —he said, approaching slowly.I should have pushed him away, but I didn't.—I'm not the same since you rejected me.He leaned up, brushing my cheek with unexpected tenderness.No words, only his gaze holding mine.—Sofía, if I could change what I did…—You can't —I interrupted—. But I know this —I placed my hand over his chest, where his heart beats— still burns for me.Gabriel closed his eyes, as if my words healed and shattered him at once. When he opened them, I saw hope and fear.—There are more like him —he said—. They won't rest until they break every bond that ever existed.I shuddered. Our story was just beginning.—You better be ready —I answered with a half-smile—. Because I won't let anyone take away what little is left of you.The forest fell silent, holding its breath. My breathing was still heavy, but not just from the fight.Gabriel was so close I could feel his warmth, the tension in his body.His eyes never left mine, full of restrained desire and lingering pain.I don't know who moved first. Maybe me, maybe him. But in an instant, his lips were on mine.The kiss started awkward and urgent, as if we feared it would vanish into thin air. But soon it deepened, desperate.Our hands grasped as if the world could disappear, and the only real thing was that moment.Gabriel lifted me firmly, my back hitting the trunk of a tree as his mouth traced my skin.Laisa roared inside me, hungry and alive, craving what had been denied.—Sofía… —he whispered hoarsely—. I never stopped wanting you, not for a single day.—Then don't let go —I begged—. Not this time.There were no words after, only touches, gasps, bodies entwined in a dance that erased rejection and pain. Only the now existed, only us, burning as if it were the last time.When it was over, we lay on the ground, cold moss contrasting with the heat still flowing through me.Gabriel had one arm under my head, breathing slowly, but his eyes no longer looked at me. They were empty, fixed on the sky.I felt the change in him.—Gabriel? —I asked, gently touching his chest.He turned away slowly, painful.The silence became unbearable.—I shouldn't have done that —he murmured to himself.I sat up and covered my shoulders with the jacket he tossed me without looking.—What do you mean?—This… —he said, barely turning— doesn't mean I can stay. It doesn't change what I am or what I did to you.—Are you rejecting me again? —my voice trembled.Gabriel shut his eyes tightly.—It's not rejection. It's goodbye. What we had was a mistake. Beautiful, but a mistake.The pain was immediate. Laisa howled inside me, heartbreaking.—Don't ever look for me again, Sofía. It's the only thing I can do for you. Protect yourself from me.And without waiting for a response, he transformed and disappeared into the trees, leaving only the echo of his departure… and a heart broken for the second time.