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57

Auteur: J.D
last update Dernière mise à jour: 2025-09-28 20:59:00

Mark’s men are finally leaving.

They’ve searched every room, every inch of the surrounding forest. Cleared traps. Checked windows. Cleansed the space of blood—Jena’s blood. They took her body away on a stretcher, covered in white linen. Something about that simple sheet makes the ache in my chest worse. Like she’s just… a body now. Gone.

I stand in the doorway as they say their goodbyes. One of them places a hand on my shoulder gently, respectfully, but I barely hear what he says. My ears are ringing.

Caden thanks them quietly. Ryan nods stiffly, arms crossed, his eyes red but dry. He hasn’t said much since Jena was found. None of us have.

As the last of Mark’s men disappear into the trees, I finally let myself exhale.

Then I hear it—soft paws on hardwood, a faint scrape like nails dragging across the floor.

I turn, heart stuttering.

May.

She limps into view, her brown fur dulled and matted with dried bl
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  • Crowned in Fire, Baptized in Blood   59

    When we make it to the room, I collapse onto the sofa, completely drained. Aspen, my giant fluffy white shadow, immediately hops up and flops on top of me like I’m a mattress built just for him. His head lands on my shoulder with a soft huff that makes Caden chuckle beside me. I grin, even as my lungs are crushed under the weight of a one-hundred-pound arctic wolf who thinks he’s a lapdog.I just wrap my arms around his thick fur and hug him, burying my face into his neck as he licks my cheek. He doesn’t leave my side—not even my knee. He seems to know that my body hasn’t caught up with my soul yet, that I still feel cracked open from everything we’ve survived. Aspen is the glue, soft and quiet and ever-present.Dad walks in and just shakes his head like he always does when he sees me tangled in wolf fur. His eyes are tired, but there’s pride there too. He’s never once questioned my bond with the wild wolves. He loves them almost as much as I do. Maybe more now that Aspen’s

  • Crowned in Fire, Baptized in Blood   58

    The private plane hums softly around us as we settle into the big leather couches near the back. The lights are dimmed, a movie is playing, but none of us are really watching.We’re just… laying there.Pressed together like anxious puppies who’ve survived a thunderstorm.May is curled up in the middle, still wrapped in her fluffy robe with a pillow behind her back and a giant fleece blanket Mum had shipped in from her “recovery kit.” She’s human again now, but still so pale it makes my heart hurt. Her eyes are rimmed red from exhaustion, but her mouth twitches at the corners every time Ryan spoons another bite of food into her mouth.“I can feed myself,” she grumbles, barely able to keep her eyes open.“Not fast enough,” Ryan says, as if that’s a medical fact.She’s too tired to argue. But she flicks a carrot chunk at his forehead.Caden is on my left, one arm tucked under my legs, the other curled protectively around my shoulders like I might disappear i

  • Crowned in Fire, Baptized in Blood   57

    Mark’s men are finally leaving. They’ve searched every room, every inch of the surrounding forest. Cleared traps. Checked windows. Cleansed the space of blood—Jena’s blood. They took her body away on a stretcher, covered in white linen. Something about that simple sheet makes the ache in my chest worse. Like she’s just… a body now. Gone. I stand in the doorway as they say their goodbyes. One of them places a hand on my shoulder gently, respectfully, but I barely hear what he says. My ears are ringing. Caden thanks them quietly. Ryan nods stiffly, arms crossed, his eyes red but dry. He hasn’t said much since Jena was found. None of us have. As the last of Mark’s men disappear into the trees, I finally let myself exhale. Then I hear it—soft paws on hardwood, a faint scrape like nails dragging across the floor. I turn, heart stuttering. May. She limps into view, her brown fur dulled and matted with dried bl

  • Crowned in Fire, Baptized in Blood   56

    The house is too quiet now.Even with Caden and Ryan nearby, it feels like the silence has teeth—gnawing at the edges of our minds, reminding us that we almost lost everything. I sit on the floor, curled against the bed, watching May’s still wolf form rise and fall with every weak breath.Ryan hasn’t left her side. He won’t. He’s lying there now, his arms around her as if shielding her from anything else that dares try to take her.Caden hasn’t spoken since we talked to mum.He just… watches us. Me. May. Like if he looks away, it’ll all disappear again.When I finally push myself to stand, my whole body trembles from exhaustion and trauma. “Caden,” I whisper, reaching for his hand.He blinks at me slowly. His eyes are red, his jaw clenched so tightly it must hurt.“You need to get cleaned up,” I say gently. “We both do.”He doesn’t argue. He just nods, silent as he lifts me into his arms like I weigh nothing at all.By the time we reach the bathro

  • Crowned in Fire, Baptized in Blood   55

    I hear a scream behind me—sharp, broken.Then a sob—choked, strangled.My body whirls before my mind can even catch up, but it’s too late.May is on the ground.No, crumpled.Her body is twisted in a way it should never be—spine arched unnaturally, legs unmoving. An arrow juts from her side, deep and deadly, soaked with so much blood I can barely breathe. It’s spreading across the sand like it’s trying to drown her.She looks so small.So fragile.“NO!” I scream, louder than I ever have, the word ripped straight from my soul. “EVERY ROGUE STOP!”The command blasts from me like a supernatural wave. My power crashes into the battlefield, and the world actually freezes.They stop. All of them.Even the wind holds its breath.My legs give out beneath me and I collapse beside her, skidding through blood-stained sand. My hands shake as I press down on the wound, but it’s not enough. She’s slipping.She looks up at me with wide, unblinkin

  • Crowned in Fire, Baptized in Blood   54

    ‘Did you see that, Caden?’ ‘Yes. We need to get Mark and his men here now.’ ‘I’ll clear some plates and get Jena to link him. Tell Ryan and May to get prepared.’ I stand up too quickly, nearly knocking over my chair. My hands tremble as I gather mine and Caden’s plates, doing everything I can to keep my expression neutral. “Help me with the cake, Jena?” I ask, forcing a smile and tilting my head toward the pantry. She nods and follows without question. The second the door clicks shut behind us, I collapse. Not physically—but my chest caves in, and I suck in a desperate breath like I’ve been drowning. The air is still and cool in here. Away from them. Away from him. My throat tightens as I finally let the panic show. “You need to link Uncle Mark—now,” I whisper, voice shaking. “Tell him we’re surrounded. Craig brought rogues. They’re not here for dinner. They’re here to fight. Please, just trust me. I’ll

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