Chapter 37

LEAH

The garden that was once filled with smiles and happiness was now filled with screams of maids and clashes of swords, where in the world were the men?

My heart raced in my chest, each beat pounding louder than the last as I gripped the hilt of my dagger. The air was thick with the clash of metal, the frantic shouts of warriors, and the sickening scent of blood. The garden filled with the echo of growls, snarls, and the frantic thud of boots hitting the ground as bodies collided.

Around me, the Lunas were fighting fiercely. I could hear their grunts and the sharp sounds of blades cutting through the air, their bodies swift and agile as they moved with the precision of warriors. No one was screaming, not out of fear, but because the battle had already begun. There was no room for panic. Not here. Not now

I couldn't help but turn around for even a glimpse of Dante but I didn't see and I knew too well that i needed to handle this alone

I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, every muscle tense as I parried the strike of a rogue, my dagger slipping through the air with practiced ease. He wasn’t prepared for the speed at which I reacted. I pushed him back, a quick twist of my wrist sending him stumbling.

The taste of victory was short-lived, though. Another rogue, bigger and more reckless, came charging at me from the left. I barely dodged the swing of his blade, the sharp steel slicing through the air with a deadly hiss. I managed to get in close, slashing at his arm before he could take another swing.

He howled, retreating. I didn’t let him go too far, but my thoughts, my focus, kept slipping.

Why was this happening now? What had triggered this? Was this just some rogue attack, or was there something more? I had heard whispers of unrest, but nothing had prepared me for this level of coordination. This was no random strike. It was an orchestrated attack.

Another rogue lunged at me from the shadows, his eyes wild with desperation. I kicked him back, trying to clear my head, trying to focus on the here and now.

But then I saw him.

Through the smoke, through the chaos, Hans. He moved like a shadow, cutting through the madness with the same calm precision I had always admired. His eyes flicked to me across the garden, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down. The world felt smaller, the noise less deafening. His gaze locked with mine, no words exchanged, but the connection was there, undeniable

I didn't know where he had been the entire time, hell I haven't seen him since morning but now I couldn't help but be happy about seeing him in the midst of this even if it was still much of a surprise that the men were still not here, were they really that engrossed in the meeting?

But I couldn’t afford to get distracted. Not now. Not when everything around me was falling apart.

I pushed myself harder, fighting off rogue after rogue, my body screaming in protest. There was no time to think about what might be coming next, no time to wonder why they were here. I just needed to survive. I needed to protect those around me.

And then, I felt it.

A searing pain, slicing through my side. The rogue’s blade struck with the speed of a lightning bolt, the impact sending shockwaves through my ribs. I gasped, stumbling back, the air rushing from my lungs as blood began to drip from the wound. My vision blurred for a split second, but I refused to let it take me down. I couldn’t fall. Not now.

My mind was foggy, the adrenaline starting to wear off as my body screamed at me to stop. To give in. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.

Another rogue, his grin twisted in malice, came at me again. This time, my limbs felt sluggish. My arms didn’t respond as quickly as they should, my dagger slipping in my grasp as I tried to defend myself. Something was wrong. The pain in my side wasn’t just from the strike anymore. My body felt like it was turning against me.

I reached for my dagger again, but my hand trembled, my fingers unable to grasp the weapon firmly. I tried to push through it, to ignore the fog that clouded my mind. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t stay upright.

Everything started to slip. My head grew heavy, my thoughts scattered and disjointed. The battle seemed to blur, turning into flashes of chaotic movement and the distant sounds of shouts. A cold dread gripped my chest as I realized I was losing control.

And then, through the haze, I saw Hans again, thank the heavens for this man or I would have probably been dead with the about of times he had saved me from close death

His figure emerged from the chaos, pushing through the throng of bodies. His eyes were locked on me, desperation in his every movement. He was too far away. The battle was too loud. But I could see him. I could feel his gaze on me.

But it was too late.

A rogue leader appeared out of nowhere, stepping into my line of sight. He moved fast, his hand quick and efficient as he pressed something to my face something soft, something foul.

Wolfsbane.

I inhaled deeply, and the poison rushed into my system, too fast, too strong. It burned through me, clamping down on my consciousness, stealing the very air from my lungs. I struggled, my body seizing as the world around me began to spin.

I couldn’t fight it. I couldn’t fight him.

I saw Hans reach for me, his hand outstretched, his lips moving, but I couldn’t hear him. His voice was distant, muffled, as though I were submerged underwater. His features were a blur now, fading in and out as the fog crept in, taking everything.

The pain in my side flared again, sharper this time. My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, unable to hold myself up anymore. My vision darkened, and my thoughts scattered like leaves in a storm.

I heard him then, his voice, barely a whisper, calling my name.

But it was too late. I tried to pull on to the mate bond to reach Dante but it was hopeless, I couldn't reach it no matter how much I tried

Before Hans's hands could reach me, before I could feel his touch I felt my body being pulled and everything went black.