The evening air in the forest was thick with mist and the smell of damp earth, the kind of heavy, intoxicating scent that made every step feel both grounding and unreal. Lila moved carefully along the winding path, her senses heightened, nerves frayed. Kaden had insisted they come here tonight, to the ancient grove hidden deep in the forest—a place where truth could no longer be denied. A place where secrets would be unveiled, no matter how much they hurt.
She clutched her coat tighter around her, her heart a turbulent mix of anticipation, dread, and lingering longing for the man she now suspected was a dangerous illusion. The pull of Dorian's bond had not lessened, not entirely. Even with Kaden's firm, grounding presence, she could still feel the ghost of that intoxicating fire lacing through her veins, reminding her of stolen nights, whispered touches, and dark promises.
She hated herself for the longing.
Kaden led her to the center of the grove, where ancient stones circled a small, glimmering pool. Moonlight reflected off the water, illuminating the carved runes etched into the stones—runes older than memory, resonating with an energy that made her chest ache with recognition.
"This place..." Lila whispered, voice trembling. "I... I've never felt anything like it."
Kaden's hand found hers, warm, steady, grounding her. "It's ancient," he said softly. "A place of clarity. A place where lies are stripped away, and truth is unavoidable. Tonight, Lila, you'll see everything as it really is."
Her stomach twisted with anxiety. She wanted the truth, desperately. But at the same time, she feared it. Dorian's presence had become a shadow over her soul, seductive, overpowering, and dangerous. What if the truth hurt more than the pull of his bond? What if she had been wrong about everything—about Kaden, about Dorian, about herself?
The water of the pool shimmered, rippling as Kaden chanted softly under his breath, a low vibration that seemed to resonate with the earth itself. Lila's heart pounded. The air shimmered, charged with energy, a force that pressed against her skin, vibrating beneath her bones. The runes glowed faintly, casting long, ethereal shadows across the grove.
And then the vision began.
It was Dorian. Not in person, but in spirit, manifested through the magical energy of the grove. He reached out toward her, eyes smoldering, voice whispering in tones both seductive and commanding. You belong to me, Lila. You always have. You can't escape me.
The bond he had imposed—the one that had made her tremble, ache, and submit to a desire she knew was dangerous—flared violently in her mind. And then, like shards of glass in her chest, the truth came.
The bond wasn't real. It had never been real.
It was an illusion, a magical manipulation, a dark weaving of desire and deceit designed to make her believe she belonged to him. Every tremor, every whisper of fire, every wave of longing had been fabricated, conjured by Dorian's dangerous power. Not a connection born of fate, but a trap crafted to ensnare her, to dominate her, to twist her very will.
Her knees buckled.
"Kaden..." she whispered, voice barely audible, as if saying his name could tether her to reality. Tears stung her eyes, and she pressed her palms to her face, trying to erase the feeling of betrayal that washed over her in crushing waves.
"It's not real," Kaden said softly, kneeling beside her, wrapping his arms around her trembling body. "None of it. The pull, the heat, the intoxication... it was all him. All manipulation. All lies. He doesn't have your soul. He never did. And he never will."
Her body shivered violently, torn between relief and rage, desire and heartbreak. "But... it felt real," she whispered, voice shaking. "Everything... every moment... I thought it was... I... I..."
Kaden pressed his forehead to hers, holding her, anchoring her, grounding her in the undeniable truth. "I know. I know it felt real. That's what made it so dangerous. He's powerful, seductive, dangerous. But it's not real. The only bond that matters... the only pull that can't be broken... is ours. You and me. Soul-deep. True-bonded. Eternal."
Her sobs racked her body. Relief and fear collided in a storm of emotion, and she couldn't help but think of Dorian—of the moments she had craved him, trembled beneath him, and yet had always known in her heart that it was wrong. Every stolen touch, every whispered word, every intoxicating heat... had been a lie.
And the betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound.
Hours passed as Kaden remained with her, patient, gentle, grounding her against the tidal wave of conflicting emotions. He explained everything he could sense: the subtle manipulations Dorian had woven into her mind and body, the dark magic he had used to create an illusion of fated connection, and the ways in which Lila's body and heart had been tricked into believing in something false.
Lila listened, heart aching, tears flowing freely. The anger and heartbreak were sharp, but there was also a strange clarity emerging from the chaos. She realized that her feelings for Dorian—though intense, intoxicating, and impossible to deny—were not love. They had never been. They were fire without warmth, desire without foundation, intoxicating but hollow.
She pressed herself to Kaden, clutching him as if letting go would make the truth vanish, would make Dorian's phantom pull reclaim her. "I feel... trapped," she admitted, voice small. "Even knowing it's false... I still... I can't... let go. It's... it's everywhere in me. And I hate myself for still... wanting him."
Kaden held her tightly, hands firm, grounding. "You're not weak, Lila. You've been ensnared by one of the most dangerous illusions I've ever seen. Feeling what you felt... it's normal. Human. But it doesn't control you. You are stronger than the illusion. Stronger than him. And we'll face this together."
Her chest ached, heart heavy with the weight of the betrayal, the fire of desire still lingering in the shadows of her mind. She wanted to hate him completely. She wanted to banish every memory, every feeling, every touch. And yet, even in the revelation of truth, part of her still ached with a longing she could not name, a temptation that had been burned into her very bones.
Days passed, each one a delicate dance of avoidance, grounding, and temptation. Dorian's presence lingered in ways that were almost unbearable. He watched, waited, whispered through shadows and the edges of her thoughts. Every time she let her guard down, the pull surged, reminding her that the emotional chains he had forged were still tightening, subtle but undeniable.
And Lila felt trapped. Emotionally, physically, spiritually. She had been deceived, manipulated, betrayed. Yet the lingering pull of Dorian—the wrong bond—haunted her, reminding her of the nights she had shivered beneath him, the moments when desire had burned so hot it left her breathless.
Kaden noticed. He could feel the shadows of the false bond stretching across her soul, tugging at her, trying to reclaim what it never truly had. He didn't scold her, didn't demand immediate perfection. He held her, anchored her, reminded her constantly that the truth, the real bond, and her true mate were not going anywhere.
"You can't let him win," Kaden said one night, voice low and steady as they sat together in the dim glow of candlelight. "The pull he left... the illusion... it's strong. But it's temporary. It will fade. And when it does... you'll be free. Free to feel what's real. Free to love what's true. And that's me, Lila. Always me."
She pressed her face into his chest, trembling, heart heavy with conflicting emotions. "I... I don't know if I can forget him. Forget the fire. Forget the... ache."
"You don't have to," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "It's part of the healing. Part of reclaiming yourself. And I'll be here through it all. Every step. Every temptation. Every heartbeat. You're not alone."
Lila let herself fall into his embrace, tears flowing freely. She was heartbroken. Betrayed. And yet... she was safe, grounded, and reminded of a truth she could hold onto: Dorian's bond had been false, manipulative, and dangerous. Kaden's love was real, eternal, unshakable.
But the shadow of desire, the lingering ache of the wrong bond, would not disappear overnight. And deep inside her, she knew that Dorian's manipulations were far from over.
Because even lies cast long shadows.