Chapter 7 – Unraveling
POV: Seren Thorne
The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it the scent of blood — my blood. The rogue's blood. My claws still trembled, their silver sheen catching the light of the moon as I stood over his lifeless body.
But it wasn't the kill that shook me. It was the aftermath. The power that flowed through me now. The way the world felt different — like everything was heightened. More vivid. More alive.
But also… darker.
I wasn't just feeling my wolf anymore. I was feeling something else — something ancient. Something buried beneath my skin, deep in my bones. The voice had spoken again. And it was clear: it had a claim on me.
"You are more than they made you," it had whispered. "You are mine."
I could still hear its echo in my mind. The weight of those words clung to me, dragging me down into something I couldn't control. Something that was now inside me, coiling in the darkness.
And then I felt him.
Kael.
His presence crashed into me like a wave, overpowering everything else. The bond flared to life between us, raw and electric, and I wanted to turn and run. I didn't want to face him — not with the chaos swirling inside me. Not when I had no idea who I was anymore.
But he was already here, standing at the edge of the clearing, his eyes locked on me. His expression was a mix of confusion and something else — something I couldn't quite place. His presence was suffocating, powerful, and his wolf was close to the surface.
For a moment, neither of us moved. Neither of us spoke.
And then he did.
"You killed him," Kael said, his voice rough.
"Did you think I wouldn't?" I snapped, my voice sharp. "He attacked me. I had no choice."
"I didn't mean it like that." His jaw clenched, and he stepped closer, his gaze flickering over my blood-splattered hands, my wolf form, the sharp edges of my claws. "You're different."
"I'm not the same, Kael," I said softly, my voice trembling. "I don't know who I am anymore."
He took a step toward me, but I instinctively stepped back, the bond pulling between us, urging me to come closer, to let him in. But I couldn't. Not when I felt so… lost.
"I didn't reject you to hurt you," he said, his voice quiet. "I thought I was protecting you. But I didn't understand what we are. What this bond is."
I shook my head, tears threatening to spill. "You don't understand. You never did."
"I do now." His voice was strained, and there was something in his eyes I hadn't expected — regret. "I didn't realize what I was doing when I pushed you away. I didn't know what the bond meant."
The words hung between us like a storm cloud. The bond between us had always been more than just a connection. It was ancient, primal. And Kael had severed it — tried to. But now, I understood: rejecting me hadn't broken it. It had changed it.
And something inside me was awakening.
"You're not the only one who's confused," I whispered. "Something else is inside me, Kael. Something I can't control."
He froze. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know what it is." I closed my eyes, shaking my head. "But it's been whispering to me, telling me things. It's not my wolf. It's… darker."
Kael's face hardened, his eyes flickering with a mix of fear and determination. "We need to figure out what's happening to you, Seren. And fast."
I opened my eyes and looked at him, the weight of the truth settling in my chest.
"I can feel it too," he said, his voice low. "Whatever this is, it's pulling us both in. And it's not something we can ignore."
I didn't respond. I couldn't. I was too afraid of what the truth might mean.
Because deep down, I already knew.
POV: Kael Draven
Seren's words haunted me long after I left her standing there in the clearing.
Something darker.
Something ancient.
I had always known that the bond between us wasn't just a connection. It was something more. But I'd been too blind to see the full picture. Too afraid of what it could mean.
Now, it was too late. The bond couldn't be undone, and Seren had changed. She wasn't just my mate anymore. She was something else.
I ran through the forest, my mind spinning with questions I couldn't answer. I had to speak with my father. He would know. He had to.
When I reached the ridge where the Nightfangs had gathered for the hunt, I found my father standing alone, overlooking the camp. His broad frame was a silhouette against the night sky, and his eyes were far away, as if he could sense something was coming.
"Father," I called, my voice urgent.
He turned slowly, his gaze sharpening when he saw the look on my face. "What is it, Kael?"
I didn't waste time. "Seren… she's different. Something's happening to her. Something I don't understand."
He stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "What are you talking about?"
"She killed a rogue tonight. With ease. Like she wasn't even human anymore." I hesitated, then added, "She told me that something else is inside her. Something darker than her wolf."
His face went hard, and his voice dropped to a low growl. "This is worse than I thought."
"Do you know what it is?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He paused. "I've heard rumors. There's an ancient force, one that we've only heard whispers of. It was said to be connected to your mother's bloodline. But it was never confirmed."
I stared at him, my heart racing. "What are you talking about?"
He turned away, looking out into the distance. "I'll tell you everything. But first, you need to bring Seren to me. There's no more running from this. We need to figure out what she's become."
POV: Seren Thorne
I didn't sleep that night.
I couldn't. My mind was too full of the things I'd seen, the things I'd felt. The voice. The power inside me. The bond. The shadows that clung to me like a second skin.
I sat in the clearing, watching the stars, listening to the night. The world felt… off. Like it was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
And I had no idea what that something was.
The voice spoke again, its words carrying on the wind.
"You are not the same. You are mine."
I flinched, my chest tightening.
And for the first time since I had felt the pull of the bond, I realized something.
Kael wasn't the only one I couldn't escape.
I wasn't the only one trapped in this tangled mess of power, blood, and fate.
And whatever this force inside me was — it wasn't something I could control.