Blood and binding

Virelle’s POV

Kai suddenly pulled away, staring at me for a long silent second. After a long silence, he asked, voice laced with worry and hesitation, “What really happened… after you were exiled?”

I locked my eyes with his and exhaled slowly.

“Rodrick found me three weeks after I had wandered the woods alone. I was starved and weak, sleeping in a hollow log like an animal. At first, he treated me well—He offered me food, safety.” I smiled but it was bitter. “I was stupid enough to believe him.”

Kairox stayed silent. Listening but I could hear him grit his teeth.

“He collared me the second night with silver leather and burned me every time I shifted from his commanded spot. After that… he started renting me out to his friends for money. To travelers passing through. When I fought back he beat me until I stopped fighting.”

I paused and sniffed. “He got tired of me one day and took me to the black-market auction in the neutral territories. I was labelled number seventeen and drugged and naked. Until you found me. You brought me out of that hellhole”

My voice cracked on the last word.

Kairox’s hands clenched on his thighs. Knuckles pale from the intensity of his fisting.

“I remember your hand closing around my wrist. You didn’t even look at the auctioneer. You just paid and dragged me out.”

He breathed harder. Chest rising and falling like he was holding back his rage.

“I should have killed him then,” he said, voice guttural. “Rodrick. I should have torn his throat out the moment I saw the brand on your hip, if I knew who you truly were.”

I turned to him.

His golden eyes squinted slightly.

“You still can,” I said quietly. “But I don’t want that, being with my people these past days has made me realize that I have lots of love to give. I’ve healed Kai.”

He stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

“He broke you—”

“He didn’t break me,” I cut in. “He hurt me. Badly. But I’m still here. And if you go after him now, you’ll start another war we can’t afford. Not when we just barely survived this one, it’s going to affect many innocent lives, Kai, I don’t want to go through that chapter anymore.”

He looked away, staring into the dark forest—slowly releasing his tensed shoulders.

“I’ll let it go. For you,” he finally said. The words sounded like they cost him every strength he had.

I reached over and touched his clenched fist until he was completely calm.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up smiling, but turned, and Kai was nowhere to be found.

Sunlight spilled across the net curtains clinging to the window. My body felt warm, and sated in a way I hadn’t known was possible.

I had slept off in his arms all night, and I never imagined a day like this could come. I never thought I'd ever feel something for him again but it happened. I dressed up quickly, eager to find him just to plan the departure back to the crescent pack even though I wasn't ready to leave my home.

Just then, I saw him roaming the training yard.

“Kai,“ I called but he didn’t turn.

“Kairox?” He ignored me.

I walked closer to him watching him sharpen his blade with brutal strokes. Shoulders rigid. Something about him was off.

“Kairox, what—”

“Leave me alone,” he paused and glared at me. “Can I have my space? I’m busy and won’t like to be disturbed”

The words stung my heart like a piercing knife. A while back we were good, everything was sweet—filled with love, and now he is cold.

I froze.

“What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer. Just kept dragging the whetstone along the edge.

“Talk to me.”

He slammed the blade down so hard the table cracked.

“I said leave,” he yelled and I was startled.

The shout echoed across the yard, drawing the villagers’ attention to us, warriors nearby glanced over and quickly looked away.

Humiliation burned my cheeks. I stood there another second—waiting for him to take what he said back but he didn’t.

I have never felt so humiliated all my life without a solid reason. Rage gathered in my throat as I turned to my heels and ran into the woods.

“Stupid!” I murmured half way through the thick forest, trying to relieve myself from the rage burning inside me. I kicked at the dry leaves innocently lying around when a familiar voice called.

“Virelle, this is a bad idea, you need to leave the forest right now” she stated.

“Nyzarelle? About time you spoke. Uhmp!” I scoffed and ignored her words. She just knows how to show up in odd hours.

“I’m warning you, there is a vampire sighting ahead. You can’t be in the woods right now.”

I didn’t listen. I needed air. Anything to stop the ache in my chest.

Soon the forest swallowed me until I smelled a dark old blood, then a dry branch cracking sound followed, it was like I was being trailed. I could hear footsteps from a distance a bit closer to me. My pulse throbbed at the base of my throat.

I paused, heart beating faster as I felt a presence behind me. I wanted to turn but I hesitated but I turned anyway. He was standing right there, panting like he was retraining—hungry.

Black cloak, his eyes were bright red burning through me, his fangs were out sharp, ready to devour me like a prey.

“Run!” Nyzarelle whispered. But before I could run, he slammed me to the ground, his claws dug into my throat. I screamed at the unbearable sharp pain it sent through my veins.

I tried to fight, I shifted into my wolf form—clawed, kicked, screamed but none worked.

His fangs sank into my neck, pain exploded all over my skin, he kept drinking until i was too weak to fight but then, he suddenly jerked back. Slapping his chest violently like he had just swallowed a pile of poison. Choking, he couched so hard and uncontrollably. Eyes bulging.

He gagged violently. Convulsed, and fell dead beside me, skin blistering black and instantly turning pale.

I stared at the corpse, feeling a bit relieved and scared as the real agony hit. My whole body seized. I felt a rush of heat racing through my veins. I shifted back to my human form but my wolf howled inside my skull—wild—tearing at the cage of my ribs.

My body shivered like i was possessed

“KAIROX…” I screamed until everything blurred, my eyes shuttered slowly as a strong arm suddenly scooped me up pressing me against his chest. Kairox’s scents filled my nose ever so sharply.

“Hold on,” he growled. “Hold on, damn it. Virelle… stay with me please.” he whispered. I heard his voice faintly in my head before blacking out.

When I woke I was laid on a healer’s cot, the scent of wet herbs struck my nose and my body ached so bad as I struggled to open my eyes, staring straight at the trunk roof—couldn’t blink, couldn’t speak a word. I only listened.

Kairox stood at the foot of the bed, face ashen as he listened to the pack healer.

“Nothing’s working. The venom—it’s not normal. It’s… awakening something supernatural inside her. It’s nothing I've ever handled before alpha.”

The door flung open after her words, and an old woman walked in—silver hair braided with raven feathers. I recognised her from a child, she was the pack’s witch.

She took just one look at me and sucked in a breath.

“The bite triggered her reactions,” she said. “A dormant power. Ancient. Buried deep in the moon’s bloodline. Only her wolf can’t carry it. No one else does. It’s ripping her apart from the inside.”

Kairox’s voice was hoarse. “What does she need?”

The witch met his eyes.

“She needs to be mated and marked. Fully claimed. The bond will anchor the power, give her wolf something to hold onto. Else she dies.”

“How long?”

“Two hours. Maybe less.”

Silence filled the air.

Kairox looked at me—eyes wild with torment.

I started to shake again. Convulsions rolling through me harder.

He turned to the healer and the witch.

“Out everyone.”

They hesitated for a second and left.

The door clicked shut. Kairox quickly knelt beside the cot.

“I swore I’d never do this again, until you truly want me, but I'm left with no choice,”

Tears slipped down my temples as I struggled with the pain inside me—muted. At that moment, I wasn't thinking about anything, I just did not want to die. I forgot every anger I felt. Even though he was the reason I was in that situation. I wanted him, I felt drawn to him, I wanted all of him.

Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead before pulling off his clothes.

His smooth skin met mine as he moved over me carefully at first—every touch felt like he was asking for permission.

I arched into him as he sank into me slowly, then deeper.

The pain in my veins began to recede with each thrust. My body started to relax.

When he buried his face in my neck I felt his canines lengthen.

“Do it,” I breathed.

He bit down, marking me as his own. I felt like a new person.

The power inside me settled, folded itself around the new bond like a sleeping dragon.

My body went limp, and I felt him shudder above me, still locked inside, breathing hard against my throat.

Then I slept off.