Fated Hearts: Rejected by the Moon

Chapter 04

Thorne's POV

I barely had time to register the blood-slicked aroma in the air before her words impacted me like a blow to the gut.

"Thorne, no!" Lyra's shriek tore through the calm of the night, dragging my attention to her shape, pale and trembling, standing just a few feet away.

I froze. Her eyes were wide, panic-stricken, and there was something about her posture—defensive, hesitant—that made my pulse skip a beat.

She didn't appear like the confident, brazen Lyra I'd gotten used to. This was someone raw, vulnerable, stripped of everything.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded, coming forward, but she flinched and took a step back.

She wasn't backing down, but she wasn't pressing forward either.

"Thorne, you need to leave. Now," she whispered urgently. Her voice trembled, but there was no mistaking the urgency underlying her words.

I paused in my tracks, perplexity clouding my head. "Leave? What the hell are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere without you."

Lyra bit her lip, her gaze moving to the side as though she was watching for something—or someone.

I turned, following her gaze. The jungle around us seemed dark and scary. Every rustle in the leaves seemed exaggerated, as though something—or someone—was hiding, waiting for the ideal moment to attack. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise.

"Lyra, what's going on?" I demanded, my patience wearing thin.

She took a quiet, measured breath, then met my eyes with a spark of something I couldn't quite place. "I've been trying to keep you safe, Thorne.

I'm the one who's meant to safeguard you. But this… everything…" Her words drifted off, and the doubt in her eyes made me feel like I was losing my hold on reality.

What the hell was she talking about?

I went closer, but she reflexively took another step back. "Stop running from me, Lyra. You can't shield me from everything."

"I'm not running from you," she screamed, her fury for a brief time. "I'm trying to save you from yourself."

My heart hammered in my chest. Her remarks were a knife to my confidence, but I wasn't going to back down.

She shook her head, closed her eyes briefly as if trying to find the proper words. "You don't get it, Thorne. You believe I'm only here to save the day, but you're incorrect. You—"

A sharp crash in the underbrush halted her. My body stiffened, every muscle coiled in ready. The sound was too heavy, too purposeful to be an animal. I moved immediately, bringing her behind me, covering her as the distinct fragrance of danger entered my nostrils.

"Get down!" I snarled, shoving her to the ground.

Before she could argue, a low, frightening voice reached us from the darkness. "Thorne. I promised you I'd find you."

My blood ran cold. The voice—raspy and dangerous—was one I'd prayed I'd never hear again.

Zane.

He appeared from the dark like a phantom, his silhouette scarcely discernible until the moonlight flashed off the silver sword in his grasp.

I walked forward, unconsciously positioning myself between him and Lyra. I wasn't sure if I was attempting to shield her, or if I was simply too damn proud to let her see me crumble.

"Back off, Zane," I replied, my voice a hoarse growl. "This isn't your fight."

Zane's lips twisted into a smile, the type of smile that made my blood boil. "Isn't it? You seem to be under the assumption that you're in charge, Thorne. That this small game of yours will end in victory. But the reality is, it never was. And it never will be."

He came closer, his gaze never leaving Lyra's shaking figure. "You know, I didn't expect her to be so...fragile. But I think it makes sense. No one can ever fully escape the past."

"Stay away from her," I urged, my voice intensifying with every syllable.

Zane chuckled, twirling the blade lazily in his palm. "You really think you can protect her? You can't even defend yourself. I'm stronger than you think, Thorne. You're not even half the man you used to be."

"Don't test me, Zane." The words were out before I could stop them, but the sheer wrath that had been rising inside me demanded a release. I was ready to finish this. Ready to make him pay for what he'd taken from me.

But Zane wasn't done yet. He took another step forward, his steely gaze flashing to Lyra. "You know, she really is beautiful, isn't she?" His speech was full of malice, and it impacted me like a physical blow.

I went forward again, but this time, Zane didn't move. Instead, he merely inclined his head and grinned.

"You're too predictable, Thorne," he muttered, his eyes never leaving mine. "She doesn't belong with you. She never will."

I felt my entire body tense. The wrath pouring through my veins was like fire, yet something in my stomach told me he wasn't simply tormenting me. There was something darker going on.

Zane's attention flicked to Lyra, then back to me. "You think you're the hero of this story, don't you? That you can simply ride in, save the day, and take her back like it's nothing. But you're wrong."

"You're delusional," I spat, getting closer.

His smile just grew, but there was a glimmer of something more in his eyes. "Delusional? Maybe. But you should be more worried about what's coming next."

Suddenly, the ground underneath us appeared to quiver. A low growl rippled through the trees, and this time, it wasn't just one beast. The earth rocked again, and more growls filled the air.

My heart stopped. This wasn't just about Zane. It wasn't simply a battle between us anymore. Something was coming—something far worse than any of us had prepared for.

"You're not the only one who's made plans," Zane remarked, his smirk growing into a grin full of venom. "And the game is just beginning."

Before I could answer, the first shadowy figure launched from the woods, falling with a power that rocked the earth under us. It was massive—faster than anything I'd ever seen.

And there were more.

Zane's laughter resonated in the air as the first wave of animals emerged from the darkness. "Enjoy the hunt, Thorne. You're going to need it."

My breath seized in my throat as I turned to Lyra, her wide, horrified eyes latching into mine.

"Run!" I yelled.

But as I moved to shove her away, another roar rang in the distance—louder than the others.

Something told me this was only the beginning. And there was no way out.

The issue now was whether we'd live long enough to fight back—or if Zane had just made us his prey.

The beasts pushed forward, and Lyra's cry reverberated in the tumult. I grabbed for her, but the blackness took her completely.

And suddenly, I felt the cold steel of Zane's sword push against my neck.

"Game over, Thorne."

The sword pressed firmly on my throat, sending a shudder down my spine. I could feel the chill of it, the promise of death with every inch it traveled. Zane's voice sounded smooth, too calm for the occasion.

"Game over, Thorne." His whisper sent a chill through me, but I wasn't done. I wasn't ready to fall into his trap.

I moved before I thought, my instincts kicking in. I spun, utilizing the force of my own body to crash my elbow into Zane's ribs. He moaned in agony, but his hold didn't release. I felt the pressure of the blade penetrate deeper.

"Move and I slit your throat," he said, although I could hear the little tremble in his voice. He wasn't as confident as he wanted to sound.

I flashed a glimpse over my shoulder. Lyra was still striving to break free from the shadows of the beasts, but I couldn't see her well through the pandemonium. I had to act now.

"Zane," I hissed, my voice low and deadly, "you don't have the guts to finish this."

His chuckle was like nails on a blackboard. "You think I'm playing, Thorne? Think again."

The animals drew closer, their growls booming across the trees, but none of them moved just yet. They were waiting for Zane's signal. I could feel the tension rising, the silence before the storm.

"You've lost," Zane muttered, his breath hot in my ear. "Your pack's gone, Lyra's mine now, and you're just...a casualty of war."

His remarks stung, but I wasn't about to give him the joy of watching me break. I was done being his pawn.

With every ounce of effort, I hurled myself backward, pushing Zane off balance. The blade brushed my neck, sending a flash of agony through me, but I didn't hesitate. I grabbed his wrist and twisted hard. There was a painful crunch when his hold weakened.

"Lyra!" I cried, my voice breaking with panic.

I couldn't see her, but I could hear her battling. She wasn't giving up. Not yet. I had to make sure she got out.

In that instant, the world around me appeared to pause, the creatures pausing, waiting for something. My heart hammered in my chest. I was ready to make a move, when I heard it.

A different growl. A loud, guttural growl.

Something larger. Something worse.

I swung around, but the image that struck my eyes made my blood run cold.

A beast unlike any I'd ever seen. Bigger than the others. Its eyes flashed with a horrible brightness, and it advanced quicker than the others, its focus concentrated straight on me.

Zane's face broke into a smile. "There's your real enemy, Thorne."

I understood then: this wasn't simply about survival. It was about something far darker.

And we were out of time.

The thing lunged, and I didn't know whether I could live the next second.