Carson.I shoved the maid out of the chamber, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the walls. My claws itched to tear her throat out, but the only thing that kept me from it was Maeve’s trembling behind me.Her voice cracked through the silence. “Carson… what if she is not lying?”I turned fast, my heart tearing at the look in her eyes. Silver bright, wet with tears, filled with fear not of the maid, not of the prophecy, but of me.I crossed the room, dropping to my knees in front of her, grabbing her hands in mine. “Maeve, listen to me. She was sent to destroy us. Her words were poison. Do not let them root in you.”Her lips trembled. “But what if she is right? What if I do not carry your child?”The bond cracked inside me, hot and violent, but I forced my voice steady. “Then I will love you anyway. I will love this child anyway. I do not need proof of blood to claim you. You are mine, Maeve. Nothing changes that.”She broke then, sobbing into my chest, clutching me as if she woul
Maeve.The door shut behind her, and the silence left behind was louder than any fight we had faced. My body trembled, my claws still half out, my heart racing with anger and fear.Carson’s arms came around me at once, pulling me against his chest, his voice low and desperate. “Maeve, do not let this break us. Please.”I buried my face against him, my tears hot. “She carries what should have been mine alone. How do I forget that?”He tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes, golden and burning with pain. “You do not have to forget. You just have to believe me when I say it was never her. It was always you. Even when I was blind, even when I failed, it was you in my heart. Always you.”His words cracked something in me. My claws slid back, my hands gripping his shirt, clinging to him. “I want to believe you. I do. But when I look at her, I see what you touched. I see what she carries. And I feel less.”Carson’s face twisted, his forehead pressing to mine. “Then let me remind you.
Carson.When the power burst from her, I thought I had lost her. One moment Maeve’s body shook with silver light, her eyes burning like the moon itself, the next she stood in the center of shattered stone and broken wolves, her chest heaving, her hands trembling, her tears shining silver.And yet she was still mine.“Maeve,” I whispered, rushing to her, my arms catching her before she fell. Her body sagged against me, weak but warm, her breath shallow.“Carson,” she murmured, her voice hoarse. “Did I hurt you?”“No,” I said fiercely, pressing my forehead to hers. “You saved me. You saved all of us.”Her lips trembled, her tears spilling. “Then why do I feel like I am losing everything?”I carried her out of the wreckage, ignoring Kael’s wolves, ignoring Rivan’s laughter, ignoring Draven’s burning stare. Nothing mattered but her. I took her to our chambers, laying her gently on the bed, my hands shaking as I brushed the hair from her face.“You need rest,” I said softly. “You cannot bu
Maeve.When my eyes opened, all I saw was blood. My own across the floor, Carson’s across his arms, and Rivan’s pooling in thick dark rivers near the shattered wall. My body shook, weak and aching, the wound in my side throbbing, but I was alive.Carson was kneeling beside me, his claws still wet, his chest heaving, his face pale with horror.“Maeve,” he whispered, his hands trembling as he cupped my face. “I thought I lost you. Tell me you are still here.”I caught his wrist with weak fingers, forcing a small smile even through the pain. “Still here. Still breathing. You cannot get rid of me that easily.”He laughed once, but it broke into a sob, his forehead pressing to mine. “You should not have thrown yourself between us. I could have— I almost—”“You didn’t,” I whispered back. “That is what matters.”Behind us, a cough wet with blood echoed. Rivan dragged himself up against the wall, his eyes still burning pale even through the gashes across his chest. He was smiling, blood strea
Carson.Blood sprayed hot across my claws, the scent sharp, burning through the air. For one sick heartbeat I thought it was Maeve’s, that I had done the one thing I swore never to do.But when the haze cleared I saw Rivan stagger back, his throat torn but not destroyed, blood pouring down his chest. He laughed even as it spilled, his voice rough. “Good. Let her see what you are.”Maeve sobbed behind me, her hand reaching weakly, her body broken on the floor. The sound of her tears cut deeper than any claw.“I am not a monster,” I snarled, advancing, claws dripping.Rivan wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes burning pale. “Then prove it. Spare me. But you cannot, can you? The curse eats you alive. She will never love you when she sees what you really are.”I lunged, the curse tearing at my skin, veins burning black, my wolf howling in my chest. My claws slashed again and again, each strike tearing flesh, stone, air. Rivan blocked, countered, blood flying with every clash, but stil
Maeve.Pain was the first thing I felt. White hot, sharp, burning deep in my side. I gasped, my knees giving out, and the world tilted until Carson’s arms caught me, strong but trembling.“Maeve, no, stay with me,” his voice was broken, raw with fear. His hands pressed hard against the wound, blood rushing hot through his fingers.I clawed at his arm, my breath shallow. “I am here,” I whispered, even as my body weakened.His face was pale, his eyes wild. “You should not have taken that blow. It was meant for me. It should have been me.”I forced a weak smile through the pain. “Then who would save me from myself?”Tears filled his eyes as he pressed his forehead to mine. “I cannot lose you. Do you hear me? I will not lose you.”Behind us Rivan laughed, low and cruel. “So tragic. The mighty Alpha brought to his knees, holding his broken mate. You cannot protect her, Carson. She bleeds because of you.”Carson snarled, his claws flashing, but I caught his face with my trembling hand. “Loo