LOGINThe discovery of the decoy corpse threw the entire pack into a state of paranoia.
News spread through the pack house like wildfire. Wolves whispered in corners, their voices low and urgent. Elders gathered in worried clusters, their ancient faces creased with fear. The body in the hidden chamber changed everything. If Elio was alive, the Echo Binding was not a resurrection ritual. It was a tracking beacon designed to drain my life force and send my energy across the mount
The silver chains burned us both.Rhydian forced the silver chains around Elio's wrists with grim determination. The real Elio. The traitor. The one who had faked his death and manipulated everyone. The chains suppressed his magic, the silver glowing faintly as it made contact with his skin. The air smelled of burning flesh, sharp and acrid. But the pain hit me too. Phantom burn marks appeared on my wrists, identical to the ones on Elio. The binding linked us completely. The pain was shared, transferred across the connection like a living wire.I clutched my wrists, gasping. "The chains. They are burning me. The phantom marks. The binding is making his pain mine. I can feel every second of it."Rhydian looked at me, his face filled with horror and concern. "The silver is suppressing his magic. But the link is transferring the burn directly to you. Your wrists are red and raw. The marks are real, Soren. The binding is making them real."Elio
The capture happened in the chaos.We dragged Elio into the forest boundaries, our hands gripping his arms as we stumbled through the underbrush. The palace was behind us, its lights fading through the trees. The guards were still shouting in the distance, but they were far behind. The mission had succeeded against all odds. The real Elio was with us. Alive. Captured. The traitor who had faked his death and manipulated everyone was finally in our hands.Rhydian held him tight, his voice filled with grim satisfaction. "We have him. The real Elio. The one who faked his death and left a decoy in his grave. The one who has been pulling strings from the shadows. He is ours now."Elio laughed, a cruel and mocking sound despite his capture. "You think you have won? The binding is still there. The link between us is stronger than ever. You cannot stop it. You cannot undo what has been done."I stepped closer, my voice steady despite the exhaustion.
The chase began the second the guards spotted us.I ran beside Rhydian through the subterranean tunnels of Jax's palace, my lungs burning with each breath. The alarm was loud, echoing off the stone walls. Footsteps pounded behind us, the enforcers closing in with every second. The narrow tunnels were dark and damp, the air thick with the smell of mold and rusted metal. Torches flickered at intervals, casting dancing shadows that made it hard to see.Rhydian shouted over his shoulder, his voice urgent. "The ventilation shafts. You can fit through them. I will hold them off here. Unlock the gates from inside and let me through. It is our only chance."I nodded, already scanning for the shaft entrance. "My build is small. Agile enough to move through tight spaces. I can do it. The shafts are narrow but I can crawl through. The gates are heavy but I can unlock them from the other side."We reached a junction where the tunnel split into three dir
Rhydian's grief turned to ice in that moment.I crouched beside him in the shadows of the crowded courtyard, my body pressed against the cold stone wall. The palace was alive with music and laughter, torches flickering against the night sky. Elio stood in the center of it all, smiling, laughing with Jax Thorn. The real Elio. Alive. Thriving. The illusion of the tragic dead mate was gone forever, shattered by the sight of him living in luxury.Rhydian's hand tightened on my arm, his grip almost crushing. "The grief is gone. The illusion is shattered completely. He never loved me. He never cared about anything but himself. The past is dead. The real Elio is a stranger now. A monster wearing a familiar face."I whispered, my voice barely carrying over the music. "He is laughing. About the manipulation. About the grief you felt. About how he fooled everyone. The pack mourned a lie for months. They held funerals and lit candles for a man who was drinkin
The real Elio is not a prisoner.I crouched beside Rhydian in the shadows of Jax Thorn's fortress, my heart pounding against my ribs. The connection had led us here through the outer rings, past the checkpoints, through the winding streets. The disguise had worked perfectly. But what we saw through a cracked window changed everything we thought we knew.Elio sat in luxury. Fine clothes of silk and velvet draped his frame. Rich food and wine covered the table before him. He was laughing with Jax Thorn, their bodies close, their hands intertwined. Not a prisoner. A secret lover. A strategist. The man we thought was dead was alive and thriving in the heart of enemy territory.Rhydian's breath caught in his throat, his face pale with shock. "He is not suffering. He is living in luxury. With Jax. As his lover. As his advisor. All this time, we thought he was being tortured."I felt the connection flare with intensity, Elio's emotions bleeding thr
The disguise felt strange but necessary.I adjusted the merchant robes as we approached Jax Thorn's outer rings, the rough fabric scratchy against my skin. The low ranking omega merchant look was simple and unassuming. Plain clothes. A small cart of goods filled with spices and cloth. Nothing that would draw attention. Rhydian walked beside me under a powerful glamour spell, his appearance shifted to that of a simple guard. No alpha presence. No power signature. Just two travelers passing through on ordinary business.Rhydian spoke quietly, his voice barely audible over the noise of the city. "The glamour is holding perfectly. No one sees the alpha in me. You look the part completely. The merchant from the neutral lands with his loyal guard. How are you feeling? The binding is not acting up?"I kept my head down, my eyes scanning the ground ahead. "The binding is quiet for now. The pains are less intense than they have been. The connection is helpi







