The corridors were quiet, the palace settling into the calm lull of night, when Natalie heard the soft, deliberate tapping of Damien's boots echoing closer to her chamber. She had been lost in her thoughts, reviewing the day's events, when the sudden knock at her door made her start.
"Enter," she called, her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest.
The door opened slowly, and there he stood. Damien, imposing even in repose, his usual commanding presence softened by the dim candlelight spilling across the room. Tonight, there was no court to impress, no nobles to intimidate, only the quiet intimacy of his attention.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you," he said, his voice gentle, almost hesitant, a stark contrast to the sharp authority he wielded in the halls. Natalie blinked, taken aback. The calm, warm timbre of his voice made her chest tighten in a way she hadn't expected.
"You're…not disturbing me," she managed, unsure how to navigate this private side of him she had rarely glimpsed.
Damien stepped further in, closing the door behind him with a soft click. His eyes held hers, steady and calculating, but with something gentler flickering within,the kind of look that demanded honesty without the threat of judgment.
"I wanted to spend a moment with you," he said, voice low, "to know more about my Luna…to understand who she is."
Natalie's heartbeat quickened. The weight of those words, the deliberate care with which he said them, made her feel exposed and yet strangely protected. He approached, stopping a respectful distance from her, the space between them charged but safe.
"Tell me," Damien began, his gaze steady on hers, "about your upbringing. I've heard stories…about the princess you are said to be, trained to perfection. I want to hear it from you."
Natalie's mind whirled. She had studied the twin's life carefully, memorizing details of her sister's upbringing, for the sake of appearances. Everything she said had to align with the persona the court expected. She took a measured breath, steadying herself.
"My…father," she began, choosing her words with care, "was very particular about decorum and discipline. He believed a princess should be graceful in all things;dance, diplomacy, even conversation. Every action, every word, every step…was meant to reflect the family's honor. He emphasized resilience and courage above all else."
Damien's lips quirked into the faintest of smiles, a small laugh escaping him at one point when she described some of the more rigid lessons. It was soft, not loud or boisterous, but it resonated in the chamber in a way that made Natalie's heart flutter unexpectedly. Each small laugh seemed to chip away at the tension that had been coiled tight around her chest for weeks.
"You carry yourself well," he remarked after a pause, his eyes tracing the lines of her shoulders, the tilt of her chin, the way her hands rested lightly before her. "Even in this room, without courtly expectations or the eyes of others upon you, there is…grace."
Natalie felt heat creep up her neck. She had spent her entire life believing she was not beautiful, not remarkable, not worthy of admiration. Compliments had always been fleeting, rare, and often insincere. But this.....this was genuine. Her breath caught at the sincerity in his eyes, at the unspoken acknowledgment that she, in her own right, mattered.
"You…" she began, but words failed her, tumbling into silence as she tried to grasp the emotion rising inside her. Damien, sensing her hesitation, gave a soft smile and continued.
"Resilience," he said, voice steady, "is a rare quality. You carry fear and uncertainty, yet you do not allow them to break you. You stand tall before challenges, refusing to be intimidated, refusing to be silenced. That courage…is worthy of recognition."
Natalie's heart pounded, a mixture of pride, disbelief, and confusion swirling within her. She had feared judgment, exposure, failure,but here was the King, the Alpha,her mate, recognizing not the princess the court imagined, but her. Her.
"You see, my Luna," Damien said, stepping slightly closer, "to be worthy of standing by my side, it is not enough to follow protocol or mirror expectations. True strength lies in perseverance, in the ability to navigate trials without losing yourself. You have done that already, though you may not realize it."
He studied her with a quiet intensity, and Natalie felt the weight of his gaze settle on her like sunlight warming her skin. The way he looked at her,seeing, assessing, admiring,made her feel a surge of determination, a newfound resolve to match the trust he had placed in her.
"And yet," he continued, voice dropping to a softer tone, almost intimate, "there is something else." His eyes softened, and she felt the words carrying weight far beyond mere observation. "Your presence…your poise…your very being…you are more beautiful than you realize. Not the kind of beauty that can be worn as a mask for others to see, but the kind that emanates from within. It is rare, my wolf…my Luna."
Natalie blinked, heat rushing to her cheeks. The compliment, simple yet profound, left her momentarily speechless. Her mind raced, grappling with the unfamiliar warmth of being seen, of being appreciated for who she truly was. She could only manage a faint, flustered smile.
Damien's lips curved into a small, knowing grin, and he murmured, almost playfully, "Yes…my wolf. That suits you."
"My wolf?" Natalie echoed, the nickname making her pulse flutter, both from embarrassment and a strange thrill at the personal connection it implied.
He inclined his head slightly, his expression serious yet gentle. "Yes. It is a reminder…a bond…that no matter the court, the challenges, the whispers…you are not alone. I see you, and I trust you."
Natalie's chest swelled with a mixture of pride and surprise. Trust was not something freely given, and the thought that Damien, who commanded respect and fear alike, had chosen to place it in her was both daunting and exhilarating.
"I…" she began, her voice barely above a whisper, struggling to find words to match the emotions spiraling inside her. "I will not fail your trust. I…will do my best to be worthy."
Damien's gaze softened further, a rare vulnerability crossing his features as he acknowledged her promise. "I do not expect perfection," he said quietly, "but I do expect courage, honesty, and the willingness to stand firm. If you continue to do that, my Luna, then perhaps…you may truly become the Luna worthy of standing by my side."
He studied her one last time, letting his words linger between them, before giving a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Rest now," he said softly, the commanding edge in his voice gone, replaced with something intimate, protective, and tender. "We have much ahead, but tonight…you have earned this peace."
And with that, he left her chambers, closing the door gently behind him. Natalie sank into the nearest chair, her heart still racing, her mind echoing his words. The compliment, the trust, the nickname,each element lingered in her thoughts, leaving her both light-headed and resolutely determined.
She knew now that the path ahead would be difficult, filled with political intrigue, courtly challenges, and the ever-present threat of enemies like Aurora. Yet, for the first time, she felt a spark of confidence,not arrogance, but a quiet, steady assurance. She had earned a fragment of Damien's trust, and she would not let it be broken.
Natalie took a deep breath, her gaze falling to her hands, trembling slightly but determined. "I will be his Luna," she whispered to herself. "I will not falter. I will not be afraid. I will rise to be worthy of the trust he has placed in me."
As the candlelight flickered across her chambers, casting soft shadows on the walls, Natalie felt the weight of responsibility settle comfortably upon her shoulders. For the first time, she understood that being by Damien's side was not merely about titles or appearances,it was about courage, loyalty, and the quiet strength to stand firm against a world determined to see her fail.
And for the first time, she believed…she could.