The battlefield still reeked of blood. Smoke curled from the torches lining the ridge, their flames flickering in the night wind, casting long shadows over the broken ground. Bodies of rogues littered the clearing, lifeless reminders of the chaos that had erupted under the blood moon.
But Aria saw none of it.
Her world had narrowed to the boy in her arms.
"Ethan," she whispered, pressing her trembling hands against the wound in his side. Blood seeped hot and fast between her fingers, staining her skin crimson. His breaths came shallow, each one a ragged fight.
"Stay with me," she begged, her tears falling freely. "Please, just—stay."
His eyes fluttered open, glazed with pain, but his lips curved into the faintest smile. "You… shouldn't… cry," he murmured, his voice a broken rasp. "You're stronger than that."
Her heart twisted violently. "Don't you dare talk like that. You're going to be fine."
Behind her, a deep growl rumbled, shaking the earth itself. Damian. His wolf form prowled in circles, golden eyes blazing as he finished tearing apart the last rogue that dared approach. Blood dripped from his fangs, his massive frame heaving with rage and exhaustion.
But his gaze—when it landed on her, on Ethan in her arms—it was raw, tortured, barely contained.
Aria forced herself not to look at him. If she did, the bond would consume her again, dragging her toward him when she couldn't afford to leave Ethan. Not now. Not like this.
A sharp cry echoed from the far side of the clearing. Wolves rushed to gather the wounded, dragging survivors toward the estate for treatment. The pack was shaken but alive.
Aria clung tighter to Ethan, panic threatening to crush her chest. She could feel his life slipping, second by second. "Help!" she screamed, her voice cracking. "Somebody, please!"
A dark shadow fell across her. She looked up—and Damian stood there, shifted back into his human form, his body streaked with blood and dirt, his chest bare and heaving. His eyes burned like molten gold in the torchlight, his jaw clenched tight.
Without a word, he knelt beside her. His hand covered hers, strong and steady, pressing harder against Ethan's wound.
Aria froze, staring at him. His touch seared her skin, the bond roaring to life, wild and merciless. For one moment, she hated him for it.
"Move," Damian ordered, his voice low and commanding.
She shook her head violently. "No! He's bleeding out—"
His gaze snapped to hers, fierce and unyielding. "I can save him. But only if you let me."
Something in his tone—an edge of desperation, a flicker of vulnerability—cut through her panic. With trembling hands, she let him take control.
Damian pressed his palm over Ethan's wound, his eyes closing. A low growl rumbled in his chest, vibrating through the air. A strange warmth spread beneath his hand, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Aria watched in stunned silence as the bleeding slowed, the raw edges of the wound beginning to knit together—not fully, not perfectly, but enough to keep Ethan alive.
When Damian finally pulled his hand away, sweat beaded his brow. His breathing was ragged, his golden eyes dimmer than before.
"He'll live," he said, his voice hoarse. "But he needs care. Now."
Two wolves rushed forward at his signal, lifting Ethan gently and carrying him toward the manor. Aria stumbled to her feet, her chest aching, torn between following Ethan and staying rooted in front of Damian.
Her heart screamed one thing. Her bond screamed another.
"Why?" she whispered, her throat raw. "Why save him?"
Damian's gaze locked on hers, unflinching. "Because you would have broken if he died. And I—" He cut himself off, his jaw tightening. "I cannot let that happen."
Her breath caught. The truth she saw in his eyes—raw, unguarded—shook her to the core.
But then the walls slammed back into place. His expression hardened, his Alpha mask sliding back on.
"You don't belong here, Aria," he said, his tone colder now, each word like a blade. "Tonight should have proven that. The bond is dangerous—for both of us. If you stay, more blood will be spilled."
Her anger flared, hot and bitter. "Don't you dare put this on me! I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be your mate. But I'm here, Damian. Fate put me here, whether you like it or not."
His eyes darkened, a storm raging inside them. He took a step closer, towering over her, his presence overwhelming. "You think I don't know that? You think I don't feel it tearing me apart every second you're near? This bond will destroy us both, Aria. And I will not let it."
Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to look away. "You can't fight fate forever."
For a heartbeat, silence stretched between them, heavy and dangerous. The air crackled, thick with everything unsaid. His chest rose and fell, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
Then, in a voice barely more than a whisper, he said, "Watch me."
And with that, he turned his back on her, striding into the darkness, leaving her trembling and breathless.
Aria sank to her knees, the cold earth biting against her skin. Her tears finally fell, hot and silent, as the weight of it all crashed down on her.
She had almost lost Ethan. She was losing Damian. And somewhere deep inside, she feared she might be losing herself, too.
But one truth burned brighter than all the pain: the bond wasn't going away.
And neither was she.
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