KADEN'S POV
We were surrounded by at least thirty Bloodmoon warriors, and I could barely stand.
The bond sickness made everything harder—my vision blurred, my wolf was too weak to shift again, and every breath felt like swallowing broken glass.
But I'd die before I let them take Sera.
"Stand down, Bloodmoon," I growled, trying to sound stronger than I felt. "You're on Silvercrest territory. This is an act of war."
Darius laughed. "War? Your pack has six warriors here, boy. I have thirty. Do the math."
He was right. I'd only brought a small rescue team—enough to save Sera from rogues, not to fight an entire pack.
Stupid. So stupid.
"Sera." Darius turned to her with that cold smile. "Last chance. Come willingly, and I'll let your friends live. Fight, and I'll kill them all starting with your rejected mate."
My wolf snarled weakly. Even dying, he wanted to protect her.
Sera looked between us, her face pale. Blood dripped from the wound on her shoulder. Riley clutched her twisted ankle, terrified.
"Don't do it," I said quietly. "Sera, please. Don't go with him."
"Why not?" She spun on me, and I saw tears in her gray eyes. "Why should I trust you? You've lied to me my whole life! You made me feel worthless! And now suddenly you care?"
"I do care—"
"Because of a BOND!" Her scream echoed through the forest. "Not because of me! You didn't see me until fate forced you to! So tell me, Kaden—why should I believe anything you say?"
The words hit harder than any physical blow.
Because she was absolutely right.
I hadn't seen her. Not really. Not until the mate bond opened my eyes and made me look at what I'd been too blind to notice before.
"You're right," I said, and my voice cracked. "I didn't see you before. I was taught that showing weakness meant death, so I attacked anyone who seemed vulnerable. You were kind and soft and everything my father beat out of me. I destroyed you because I was a coward."
Sera's eyes widened slightly.
"But the bond didn't make me care, Sera. It made me realize I always cared—I was just too broken to understand it." I took a shaky step toward her. "Every time I was cruel to you, my wolf whimpered. Every time you looked hurt, something in my chest ached. I ignored it because I didn't know what it meant. But I know now."
"Pretty speech," Darius interrupted. "But it doesn't change—"
"I remember," I continued, focusing only on Sera. "When we were seven, you found that injured bird in the forest. Everyone else wanted to leave it, but you stayed for hours trying to save it. I called you stupid for crying over a bird. But that night, I couldn't sleep thinking about you out there alone."
Sera's breath hitched.
"When we were ten, some older wolves stole your backpack and threw it in the river. I laughed with them. But I went back after everyone left and dove in to get it. I left it on your doorstep and told myself it was because I felt guilty." My voice dropped to a whisper. "It wasn't guilt. I couldn't stand seeing you hurt."
"Stop," she whispered.
"When we were fifteen, you sang at the winter ceremony. Your voice was beautiful—it made my wolf howl inside me. But I told everyone you sounded terrible because I was terrified of what I felt." I was crying now, and I didn't care. "I've been fighting the bond since before it even existed, Sera. Because some part of me always knew you were mine. And I was too scared to deserve you."
Silence filled the forest.
Even Darius looked surprised by my confession.
"That doesn't fix anything," Sera finally said, but her voice shook. "You still hurt me. For years."
"I know. And I'll spend the rest of my life trying to fix it." I fell to my knees, too weak to stand anymore. "But please don't go with him. Whatever you think of me, Sera—he's worse. The Bloodmoon Pack is known for stealing Omegas and draining their power until there's nothing left."
Darius's smile vanished. "Careful, boy."
"She deserves to know the truth!" I coughed, tasting blood. "Three Omegas have disappeared in Bloodmoon territory over the last five years. They say it's coincidence, but everyone knows—"
Darius's fist connected with my jaw so hard I saw stars. I crashed to the ground, ears ringing.
"Kaden!" Sera's voice sounded far away.
Through the blur, I saw her running toward me. Saw Darius grab her arm to stop her.
Saw my pack warriors move to fight.
Then everything exploded into chaos.
Wolves shifted and attacked. Riley screamed. Sera's silver wolf burst out, her Omega power radiating in waves that made everyone stagger.
I tried to stand, to help, but my body wouldn't respond. The bond sickness was finally winning.
*Get up!* my wolf howled desperately. *Our mate needs us!*
But I couldn't. I could only watch as Darius's warriors overwhelmed our small group.
As they grabbed Sera despite her fighting.
As Riley tried to defend her friend with a twisted ankle and got knocked unconscious.
"Stop!" Sera screamed. "I'll go! I'll go with you! Just don't hurt them anymore!"
No. No, she couldn't—
Darius smiled victoriously. "Smart choice."
He pulled something from his pocket—a silver collar that glowed with strange symbols.
An Omega suppression collar. Illegal in every pack territory. It would block Sera's power completely, leaving her defenseless.
"Sera, run!" I tried to scream, but only a whisper came out.
She looked at me one last time. And what I saw in her eyes broke me.
Not hatred anymore.
Pity.
She thought I was too weak to save her. And she was right.
Darius snapped the collar around her neck. Sera gasped as her silver glow disappeared, her wolf forced into submission.
"No," I whispered hoarsely. "Please..."
"Take her," Darius ordered his warriors. "Kill the rest."
I watched them drag Sera into the darkness. Watched her struggle uselessly against the collar's power.
Watched her disappear.
A Bloodmoon warrior stood over me, claws raised for the killing blow.
I was too weak to fight. Too broken to save anyone.
I'd failed her. Again.
The warrior's claws came down—
And suddenly exploded backward, thrown by an invisible force.
Alpha Dominic stood at the edge of the clearing, fifty Silvercrest warriors behind him.
"No one," my father growled with terrifying fury, "steals from MY pack."
His eyes met mine, and I saw something I'd never seen before.
Fear.
Not for me.
For what he'd just lost.
"Where's the Omega?" he demanded.
I pointed toward where they'd taken Sera, but my hand shook so badly I could barely lift it.
My father's face went pale. Then murderous.
"FIND HER!" he roared at his warriors. "Bring back the Omega! NOW!"
As warriors flooded into the forest, my father knelt beside me. For a second, he almost looked concerned.
"You're dying," he said flatly.
"I know," I whispered.
"The bond needs to be completed or accepted. Otherwise, you'll be dead by morning."
"Then I'll die." My vision was fading. "Better than living knowing I failed to protect her."
My father's jaw clenched. "You stupid, sentimental fool. Just like your mother."
Those were the last words I heard before darkness took me.
But somewhere in that darkness, I felt it—a faint tug on the broken bond.
Sera was still alive.
Still fighting.
And somehow, impossibly, I felt her call to me.
One word through our shattered connection:
*Help.*