Lucien's roar echoed through the forest, shaking leaves from branches and sending birds scattering into the black sky.
"SERA!"
But his desperate call couldn't reach her. Sera's world blurred into streaks of moonlight and shadow as the force pulling her dragged her backward—away from Lucien's trembling hands, away from warmth, away from breath itself.
Her feet left the ground.
The air turned cold.
The bond between her and Lucien stretched like a thread pulled too tight, ready to snap.
Panic clawed up her throat.
"Lucien—!" she screamed, her voice ripped away by the crushing pressure spiraling around her.
He lunged again, shoving through shadows that burned against his skin like fire.
He didn't care.
He'd burn a thousand times over to reach her.
But the force around her thickened, hardening into a cage of moving darkness. Kieran's voice slithered through the air.
"Fighting the inevitable doesn't make it less inevitable."
Sera's body jerked as the shadows wrenched her closer to him. Kieran stood at the center of the clearing, calm as moonlit water, watching her struggle without expression.
Lucien's snarls grew feral.
His wolf was close—dangerously close.
Sera could feel his rage like heat underneath her ribs.
Then—
A crack.
A pulse.
A surge of heat through the bond.
Lucien's alpha energy burst outward.
The shadows around her flickered.
Kieran frowned. "Stay out of this, Lucien. You'll only get yourself killed."
Lucien wiped blood from his lip, eyes glowing an electric gold.
"If death is the price to get her back—"
He bared his teeth.
"—then tonight I'll pay it gladly."
The bond throbbed between them.
Sera's heart shattered.
"Lucien—don't!"
But Kieran waved a hand, and the shadows wrapped around her throat, tugging her voice away.
Lucien roared.
"You touch her like that again—"
"She belongs to my lineage," Kieran interrupted smoothly. "And tonight, Seraphina Vale comes with me."
Sera fought harder, twisting against the shadows slicing into her arms like razor-thin wires.
She poured everything into resisting.
Her fury.
Her fear.
Her magic—hot and bright.
The shadows around her sizzled. Kieran's eyes narrowed.
"Power awakening already?" he murmured. "Interesting."
But she didn't feel powerful.
She felt terrified.
"Lucien…" her voice cracked, barely audible.
He heard it anyway.
Lucien surged forward, body blazing with alpha power. The ground cracked under his feet. His claws began to form—not fully a shift, but halfway.
A deadly state.
"LET HER GO!" he thundered.
The shadows recoiled—and for a moment, Sera dropped toward the ground. She braced for impact—
But she didn't fall.
Lucien caught her.
Her body crashed into his chest, his arms locking around her protectively, as if he planned to never let her go again.
Her breath hitched as she clutched his shirt.
"You got me…"
His forehead pressed to hers, breathing ragged.
"I will always get you."
The bond pulsed warm.
Steady.
Alive.
But Kieran's expression darkened like a storm crushing the moon.
"How touching," he said softly. "But this is far from over."
The shadows exploded outward.
Lucien shoved Sera behind him just in time.
The blast hit him square in the chest.
He flew backward, crashing through a fallen tree. Splinters shot into the air. Blood smeared across his jaw.
Sera screamed his name and tried to run toward him—
But a ring of shadows rose around her again, caging her in a circle of swirling darkness.
"No—!" she gasped, slamming her palms against the barrier. The contact stung like acid. "Lucien!"
Lucien staggered up, vision blurred, chest heaving. He wiped blood from his mouth and glared at Kieran with pure murder in his eyes.
"You're going to regret that."
Kieran tilted his head. "Am I? Because as long as she has that shard inside her, she will always respond to me."
Sera's eyes widened.
Lucien growled. "The shard might draw her, but she chooses me."
He stepped toward Kieran with deadly calm.
And Sera felt the bond flare—bright, burning, defiant.
Something inside her chest snapped against the shadows.
She pressed both hands to the barrier again.
This time, she didn't think.
She didn't fear.
She pushed.
Light exploded from her palms.
The shadows cracked.
Kieran's head whipped toward her—surprised for the first time.
"Sera—stop!" he barked, shadows thickening.
But she was done being controlled.
Her voice rose, trembling but fierce:
"YOU. DO. NOT. OWN. ME!"
The barrier shattered like glass.
Light surged out of her in a brilliant wave, blowing the shadows back in every direction. The force knocked Kieran off balance.
Lucien's eyes widened in awe.
"Sera…"
She fell to her knees, gasping for air, but alive.
Lucien was at her side instantly.
"Sera—are you okay?"
She nodded shakily. "I… I broke it…"
He cupped her face, relief flooding his features.
"You did."
Kieran rose from the ground slowly, brushing dirt off his coat. He looked… exhilarated.
"Magnificent," he whispered. "Your power is waking faster than I expected."
Lucien's growl vibrated through the earth.
"You're not taking her."
Kieran smiled faintly.
"No. Not tonight."
The shadows around him pulsed.
"But soon."
Lucien stepped forward. "I'll kill you before you come anywhere near her."
Kieran's gaze slid to Sera.
"Careful, brother. The more powerful she becomes, the more dangerous the bond between us will be."
Sera stiffened. "There is no bond between us."
"Not by choice." His eyes glowed. "But by lineage."
The shadows swallowed him slowly, like water pulling a body beneath its surface.
"Enjoy your victory tonight, Seraphina Vale."
His voice echoed through the clearing.
"When next we meet… you won't be able to walk away."
The shadows vanished.
Silence fell.
The forest exhaled.
Sera trembled, knees weak.
Lucien pulled her into his arms, holding her so tightly she could barely breathe.
She buried her face into his chest, letting his warmth melt the lingering ice inside her.
His voice was hoarse.
"I thought I lost you."
Sera's fingers clutched his shirt.
"You didn't."
Lucien kissed the top of her head, hands shaking.
"You scared me to death."
"You scared me," she whispered.
He pulled back to look into her eyes.
"Never again," he said. "I will not let him take you. I will not let him touch you. I will not—"
Sera pressed a trembling hand to his cheek.
"I know."
Their foreheads touched.
The bond between them hummed—stronger than before. Warmer. Fiercer.
Lucien exhaled shakily.
"We need to strengthen the bond," he murmured.
"For your protection. For your power. For us."
Her heartbeat stuttered.
She knew exactly what he meant.
A full mate bond.
Sealed.
Permanent.
Unbreakable.
Sera swallowed hard.
"Lucien… I'm not ready."
He froze.
Pain flickered in his eyes—but he didn't pull away.
"Okay," he whispered. "Then I'll wait."
Sera's chest tightened.
He meant it.
He'd wait centuries if he had to.
She touched his hand. "Just… don't let me go."
His arms wrapped around her again.
"Never."
And as the moon glowed above them, the danger lingering in the trees felt farther away.
For a moment, there was only this—
Two souls, holding on.
Trying to breathe.
Trying to survive each other.
Trying to survive the darkness coming for them both.