- The Rescue
Ara’s POV
The stone floor leached what little warmth remained in my body, the cold seeping into my bones like poison.
I hadn’t touched the food. Couldn’t. Not when every breath felt like swallowing glass, not when the metallic taste of blood lingered constantly at the back of my throat.
The plate, Aurelia brought a few hours ago, sat untouched, the congealed stew a mocking reminder of how long I’d been here.
How long had I been here? Hours? Days? I couldn’t tell.
Time blurred in the darkness. And Aurelia had been my only visitor. She made sure to bring me meals. Was it also a decree from the prince himself? His prisoner shouldn’t die!
It was hard to believe my mate created this arrangement for me. My heart clenched at the thought. The faint scent of mint and sage still lingered on my wrist where he touched. His finger marks created a bruise there. His grip was too tight. My eyes drifted there. It seemed like he branded me bare handed.
What was I to you, Damon? Were you really scared that I might leave? Did you ever care about me?
We were soul mates! We were supposed to complete each Other. Instead here we were, pointing dagger at
each other!
How come it turned this way? Was it your fault? Or was it mine? Maybe we both were wrong! You asked me to repent, Damon, but what about you? Don’t you have anything to repent on?
A sigh left my lips. I was probably better at the Blue Moon Pack. In that way, I would have never met Damon at least. I would have never endangered the rogue pack that took me in either. I was gonna die anyway.
A cough wracked my frame, sending fresh crimson splattering across the stones. I stared at it, at the droplets gleamed in the dim yellow light.
way
the
So this is how it ends.
Not with a battle. Not with freedom.
But alone. In a cage.
What have I done goddess to deserve such a life? Every time I find a slim light of hope, you take it away.
The husband I loved tossed me aside.
The Mate I found caged me here!
My vision swam as I slumped forward, my cheek pressing against the icy floor. The cold should have been comforting, instead it matched the numbness spreading through my chest. Every part of my body ached. ! barely had any strength left.
Then I heard footsteps. I couldn’t tell who it was as my senses were blurring.
Was it Aurelia again with another fancy plate? I couldn’t tell. The sound of boots echoed on the floor. No it
wasn’t her.
My heart clenched for a moment. Was it HIM? Coming to gloat. To punish me further. To see if I had repented
- The Rescue
enough? To see if I had become obedient little mate he wanted?
Then the cell door creaked open. I tried to look up. My vision was still unclear. Then I heard a voice.
“Ara!”
That voice.
I knew that voice.
With effort that cost me dearly, I forced my eyes open. Kade’s familiar face swam into view, his golden eyes wide with horror as he took in my state. His calloused hands, hands that had trained me, protected me, cradled my face with heartbreaking gentleness.
“Oh goddess, Ara! Are you okay?”
The question would have been laughable if I’d had the strength. Instead, I let him help me sit up, my bones protesting every movement.
“Kade… why are you here?” The words scraped from my raw throat. I needed water!
“To rescue you, of course.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. In the flickering light, I could see the exhaustion etched into his features, the fresh cuts along his arms. He’d fought his way here. For me.
Panic surged through the fog in my mind. “I can’t leave!”
If I did, Damon would follow us.
“Of course you can. That’s why I am here,” Kade spoke with gentleness.
“No… you don’t understand. He’ll… he will hunt me down and destroy you. Destroy Everything! He…” My voice
choked.
“Shh.” Kade scooped me into his arms before I could finish. “We don’t have time for this.”
The world tilted as he carried me from the cell. My weak protests died when I saw the empty corridors. No guards. No warriors. Just eerie silence.
“Kade, put me down. I can walk.” The lie tasted bitter. I couldn’t walk ten steps, but if Damon caught us… together like this… I didn’t even want to imagine the outcome.
Kade hesitated before setting me gently on my feet. His arm remained around my waist, bearing most of my weight as we staggered through the abandoned packhouse.
“We need to be quiet!” I said. “The warriors…”
“Celestine took care of them.” Kade replied as we stepped out of the packhouse.
The cold night air hit like a slap as we emerged. I inhaled greedily, the crisp pine scent washing away some of the cellar’s damp rot.
We moved through the trees, Kade/half–carrying me as I stumbled alongside him. Every step sent fresh agony through my ribs, but freedom, sweet freedom, was worth any pain,
For a moment I found peace. No Damon, no Aurelia, no Sailas. No warriors!
But then, a prickle settled at the base of my skull.
The bond twisted, my skin felt the eeriness.
25 The Rescue
“He’s close,” I gasped, my legs giving out. “Kade, run!”
But it was too late. Before Kade could utter a word, a growl rumbled through the darkness, deeper than
thunder, more primal than the forest itself.
“Running again, Ara? With your little BOYTOY?”
Damon. He was here!
That was it! End of my freedom! End of everything I held dear!
“Don’t worry,” Kade gave me an assuring smile. Who was he kidding?
His arm tightened around me as we turned. Damon stood at the tree line, his silver eyes glowing in the moonlight, his massive frame radiating barely leashed violence. The air around him crackled with energy, the very earth seeming to tremble beneath his feet.
“Damon,” I whispered.
The wind howled between us, carrying the scent of his rage, mint and sage turned acrid with betrayal.
Then I felt another rattling in the air. The winds and leaves danced around us. For a second my eyes saw luna Celestine. Was I just assuming? Maybe it was a trick of my mind.
Then an arm snaked around my waist.
One moment I was staring into Damon’s stormy eyes, the next I was pressed against Celestine’s side, her familiar rose scent wrapping around me.
“Hold tight,” she murmured. “I’ve got you.”
The world bent.
Nausea surged as colors and sounds blurred together. When my vision cleared, we stood in the underground tunnels, the familiar damp earth scent filling my lungs.
Kade materialized beside us, his face pale with exertion.
How on earth did I reach here!
“Don’t worry,” Celestine said, brushing hair from my face. “He won’t be able to follow us here.”
But the bond still pulsed in my chest, a tether that could never be broken.
Aurelia said… no matter where I go… he could sniff me out…
But I couldn’t tell them that. A cough tore through me, blood splattering Celestine’s clothes. Her eyes widened as my legs gave out.
The world spun around me. Exhaustion that I was fighting against so far finally won. Every muscle in my body gave up.
The last thing I saw before darkness took me was her mouth moving, forming words I couldn’t hear. Kade’s worried face.
Everything faded slowly.
Only thing I felt was the bond…
The bond which screamed.
A
< 25 The Rescue
The bond which would lead the destruction here.
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