Chapter 315: Quiet Ledges and Unspoken Fears

Vivian’s POV

It had been months since I was truly by myself. No one tracking my every single move. No intense stares or constant mind-link buzzing in my ears. I guess I had subconsciously declared today a Vivian reclaims her damn space day.

I let the hours slip by quietly as I drove, winding through familiar country roads until I finally arrived at my destination. After parking the car near the tree line, I reached into the back seat and grabbed a small paper bag before starting the steady hike up the dirt trail.

Ten minutes into the climb, I was already cursing under my breath.

"All this freaking werewolf strength and I still hate hiking," I muttered out loud, bending over and bracing both hands firmly on my knees to breathe.

I was breathing hard not because I was out of shape, but simply because I was annoyed by the effort. "All these new touch screen phones that all look the damn same nowadays, and still no actual escalators up the damn mountains? What kind of savage world is this supposed to be?"

Straightening up with a loud, dramatic huff, I pushed forward up the steep path. A few more steps along the rocky ridge and I paused again this time not from physical exhaustion, but from sheer awe.

The view still completely stole my breath away.

I was back on that familiar high ledge the exact same one Zahliver had brought me to on our very first real date. The one where the clear lake far below sparkled like scattered diamonds under the sky, and the endless green trees rippled toward the horizon like a tide until they met the restless blue of the distant ocean.

It was a quiet, private spot carved out of the massive world. Just ours.

Carefully, I lowered myself down on the grass near the edge not too close to the drop, though. I might possess super werewolf reflexes, but I certainly was not dumb enough to challenge basic gravity. Flying wings were definitely not part of my anatomy.

Sitting cross-legged, I pulled the paper bag into my lap. I unzipped the top slowly, like I was carefully unwrapping a deep secret. Inside was a simple bag of sweet caramel popcorn. I popped a piece into my mouth and leaned back slightly against a smooth boulder, letting the peaceful silence wrap all around me.

It was completely perfect out here. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just enough gentle wind to stir the air without slapping you violently in the face. It felt like the rare kind of peace you don’t even realize you are starving for until it finally fills you up inside.

I lifted my left hand into the sunlight and stared at the glittering ring resting on my finger.

Engaged.

It felt so real now. It did not scare me anymore at least, not in the overwhelming way it would have months ago. But sitting out here, I still could not help wondering... what would truly change after we said our vows? What kind of wife would I eventually become to him?

The kind of strong Luna who ruled fiercely right beside him? Or the kind of woman who lost her identity inside his massive presence?

I did not have any of those answers just yet.

But for right now, high up on this mountain, with the cool wind teasing my dark hair and sweet caramel popcorn in my hand, I allowed myself to just be Vivian no grand pack titles, no heavy expectations resting on my shoulders.

Just me.

Probably the exact same person I had always been.

I mean, in the grand scheme of things, marriage did not really shift much in our supernatural world not for wolves, anyway. It was not like there was a sudden, magical personality transformation the exact second vows were exchanged between mates. Still, there were a thousand small details I should probably be actively planning right now, and I had started on exactly... none of them. Not a single one.

A small laugh slipped out of my lips, dry and thoroughly amused at myself. I was an odd one, and I fully knew that about myself. Strangely enough, I was far more thrilled about the actual state of being engaged than the stressful event of the wedding itself. The shiny label, the permanent promise it excited something deep in my soul far more than table arrangements, guest lists, and dress fittings ever could.

But then, the dark dark cloud of the Joshua situation crept back in.

The very second his name drifted into my thoughts, my hand dropped to my lap, and I shoved a huge handful of caramel popcorn into my mouth like I could physically chew the rising unease away.

That was what had truly been gnawing at me underneath everything else today. Not the upcoming wedding. Not even my uncertain future. It was him. Joshua. Not necessarily because of what he might try to do to me personally but because of what his sudden presence could do to Zahliver’s heart.

Zahliver had already carried the crushing weight of killing his own blood brother once before, forced into the terrible act by twisted, unnatural circumstances. That specific kind of soul burden... it scarred a man forever. That kind of deep pain always found you again, even when you thought you had buried it deep down in the dark. It was that very pain and grief that had drawn me to him in the first first place.

But what if it happened all over again? What if Zahliver was forced to kill Joshua a second time, this time under the cruel shadow of Fate watching from above?

The exact same Fate that had brought me to his side... could that cosmic force really be cruel enough to take me away from him, too?

A sharp, icy shiver traveled all the way down my spine, the terrible idea chilling me like a harsh winter breath against damp skin.

I hugged my knees tightly to my chest, wrapping both arms securely around myself, needing the physical hold just to keep the deep emotional ache from spreading through my ribs. Zahliver would be completely devastated if things went wrong. I did not even have to guess his dark sadness, his uncontrollable fury, would shake the entire supernatural world to its core. And what about me? What on earth would I become without him by my side?

But then an even worse, far more terrifying fear slithered into my mind.

What if it was not me that Fate decided to take?

What if he was the one taken away from me?

My fingers clenched the thin popcorn bag so violently hard that I felt a few sweet kernels shatter straight to dust inside my grip. I squeezed my eyes shut tight and aggressively forced the dark thought straight out of my head. I firmly refused to entertain it. No. Absolutely not. No, I would not allow myself to spiral into madness today.

If I ever lost him, the entire world might as well burn to ash. I would gladly scorch every single harvest, poison every flowing river, and tear the very stars straight from the night sky if it meant I did not have to live in a dark world without him.

Another handful of popcorn found its way quickly to my mouth a simple physical excuse not to think, not to speak, and not to cry out loud on this mountain.

There was zero reason to plan for a tragedy that had not even happened yet. Zahliver was still Zahliver. The legendary Lupus Deus. My fierce mate. He had certainly not gotten to the absolute top of the supernatural hierarchy by mere chance he had earned it with blood, power, and iron will. He commanded respect wherever he walked. He was the most feared Alpha alive. No one had ever been able to truly take him down in battle. Not even time itself.

And as for me? Could I truly survive whatever dark storm might be coming for us tonight?