Page 57 of Once You Go Pack
But as they slipped into his bed, a darker thought whispered through his mind.
What if love itself wasn’t enough to survive what the Moonfire Trial would demand of them?
TWENTY-ONE
MILA
The bright morning light filtering through the castle’s windows did nothing to calm the storm brewing in Mila’s mind. She sat at the breakfast table, dressed in black leggings and a fitted long-sleeved shirt that would allow for easy movement, but her hands trembled slightly as she reached for her coffee cup.
What if I fail? What if I’m not strong enough for this trial today?
The thoughts sent a spike of panic through her that she desperately tried to hide from the others. Across from her, Cade looked devastatingly handsome in his own practical attire—dark jeans and a fitted black henley that showcased his powerful build. His green eyes were alert and focused, but she could sense the tension radiating from him through their strong mate bond.
“Remember,” Lyra said, her voice unusually serious as she pushed eggs around her plate, “the trial will try to separate you. It feeds on doubt and fear, so whatever you see, whatever you feel, trust your bond above everything else.”
Martin nodded, his brown eyes grave. “The ancient magic is designed to find your deepest vulnerabilities. It’s not just aboutfacing your fears—it’s about proving your connection can survive when everything seems lost.”
Mila’s stomach churned. She’d barely touched her breakfast, too anxious to eat. The stakes were impossibly high. If they failed this trial, Cade wouldn’t get the council’s blessing to propose to her and make her his queen. Then what? Would they have to leave Nova Aurora if they wanted to be together? Or worse—would he choose to stay and fulfill his father’s legacy without her?
I can’t let that happen,she thought fiercely, but the fear gnawed at her anyway.And he’ll see these fears today. He’ll witness how terrified I am of losing him.
“What exactly happens if we fail?” she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.
The silence that followed was answer enough. Cade’s jaw tightened imperceptibly, and she felt a wave of protectiveness surge through their bond—along with something else. Something darker that he was trying to hide from her.
“We won’t fail,” Cade said firmly, his alpha energy filling the room with quiet authority. “We’ve trained for this. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
But Mila caught the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes before he masked it.
What isn’t he telling me? What’s he afraid of that he won’t share?
They’d spent all of yesterday going through possible scenarios—illusions of pack rejection, council disapproval, betrayal, and abandonment. But something in Cade’s careful responses told her he was holding back a deeper fear, something he wasn’t even admitting to himself.
“The important thing,” Martin continued, “is to remember that no matter what you see, no matter how real it feels, your mate bond is stronger than any illusion.”
“Easy for you to say,” Mila muttered, then immediately felt guilty when hurt flashed across Martin’s face. “I’m sorry. I’m just—the pressure is getting to me.”
“It’s natural to be nervous,” Lyra said gently. “Even wolf-born mates struggle with the trial. But Mila, you have something most of them don’t.”
“What’s that?”
“Your ancestral ties to this land and to us. That legacy runs deeper than fear.”
Mila took a shaky breath, drawing strength from the reminder of her heritage. Over the past week, she’d felt that connection growing stronger—instincts awakening, senses sharpening, an almost supernatural understanding of pack dynamics that should have taken months to develop.
My mother always said the moon would guide my steps,she thought.Maybe she knew this was my destiny.
“Time to go,” Cade announced, pushing back from the table.
As they went out to the royal car, Mila’s nerves reached a fever pitch. The ancient cave where the trial would take place was hidden deep in the Ice Mountains, accessible only to those with wolf blood or ancient permission. The drive there would give her more time to spiral into anxiety if she wasn’t careful.
Cade must have sensed her emotional state because he immediately reached for her hand as they settled into the back seat. Martin took the driver’s position while Lyra climbed into the passenger seat.
“Talk to me,” Cade murmured, his thumb stroking across her knuckles. “What’s going through that brilliant mind of yours?”
Mila leaned into his warmth, breathing in his pine scent that always calmed her. “I keep thinking about what happens if I’m not enough. If the trial exposes that I’m just... ordinary. A human pretending she belongs in a world of wolves.”
“You’re not ordinary,” Cade said fiercely. “You’re extraordinary. You’re brave enough to leave everything you knew behind, strong enough to train with warriors twice your size, and fierce enough to stand up to me when I’m being an idiot.”
