LOGINLEVI'S POVThe impact of the trailer slamming into us was violent enough to rattle my bones.One second Brooks was beside me, and the next, the trailer came crashing into the left side of the car with enough force to send us spinning across the road.Theo had partially transformed behind the wheel, forcing his wolf through just enough to reduce the full impact.The entire world tilted violently after the impact, metal screaming around us as the car was thrown off balance and the sound of the crash swallowed everything else.Smoke filled the air almost immediately, burning at my lungs, while a sharp ringing took over my ears and drowned out every other sound.For a second, I couldn’t process anything beyond the chaos.Then my gaze snapped to Brooks.“Brooks.”Her head had slumped against the seat, completely still, and the sight of blood running down her side hit me harder than the crash itself ever could. A sharp, immediate dread tightened in my chest and refused to loosen.I reached
BROOK'S POV“What prophecy, Levi?”He didn’t answer me immediately, and the silence that followed felt heavier than anything Seraphina had said on television.I stared at him harder. “Levi.”“Ignore her.”That only irritated me more. “I’m not going to ignore my name being dragged in the mud like that.”He sighed tiredly before dragging a hand through his hair.“It’s nothing,” he muttered.“It clearly isn’t nothing if the entire kingdom knows about it and I don't.”His jaw tightened slightly. “Brooks—”“No.” I stepped closer to him. “Tell me the truth.”For a second, he just looked at me like he was debating whether to say anything at all. Then he finally exhaled heavily.“There was a prophecy shortly after we discovered we were mates,” he admitted quietly.I felt my chest tighten harder, and I just stared at him. For a second, I genuinely couldn’t process the words properly. Then everything suddenly started clicking together in the worst possible way.“Is that why you discarded me? B
LEVI'S POVThe next few days became an absolute hell.Every single hour brought another report. Another death count. Another healer admitting they still had no idea what they were dealing with.And no matter how many resources I threw at the plague, nothing changed.The royal healers worked around the clock with barely any sleep, but the sickness kept spreading through Gravel End and Black Pike faster than anyone could contain it.Entire streets were being quarantined now. Businesses were shutting down. Families were fleeing infected areas in panic, only to spread the plague further into neighboring districts.Every morning, I woke up to worse numbers, and every night, I went to sleep hearing people scream outside palace gates demanding answers.The public scrutiny only worsened with each passing day. At first, the criticism had been directed at the palace generally. Now it was directed entirely at me.I spent most of my time moving between emergency meetings, plague sites, and clinic
LEVI'S POVThe second the words left the sorceress’ mouth, rage hit me so hard that my chair scraped violently against the floor as I stood.I stared at her across the table, my pulse pounding so aggressively that it felt like my wolf was seconds away from tearing loose beneath my skin. For a moment, I genuinely wondered if she had completely lost her mind.“You must have a fucking death wish if you think you can sit there, look me in the eye, and tell me my mate should be killed.”The sorceress didn’t flinch.“That is the only solution left. The bond has already rooted itself because she marked you. If the prophecy has truly begun, millions of lives are at risk now. And you cannot do that.”Everyone in the room immediately started speaking at once in agreement with the sorceress.One older councilman finally leaned forward, his expression grave as he addressed me carefully.“Your Majesty, you cannot risk the entire kingdom for one woman.”One woman.Those words hit me instantly in a
LEVI'S POVThe door had barely shut behind us before Theo started speaking; the urgency in his voice immediately put me on edge.“It’s a plague outbreak.”I stopped so abruptly that Theo nearly walked into me.“What the fuck did you just say?”“A plague outbreak. And it’s the first outbreak of its kind in centuries. It started in Gravel End and Black Pike, but it’s spreading fast. They’ve already reported ten casualties already.”“Fuck.”The word left me under my breath, as we started moving again, both of us striding quickly through the corridor now.A plague?By the time we entered my room, irritation and dread were already pounding through my skull. I put my clothes on quickly while Theo continued briefing me from behind.“The council is already gathered for an emergency meeting.”I shoved my arms into a shirt harder than necessary, my mind already racing ahead. Gravel End and Black Pike were poor neighborhoods, already crowded enough on normal days. If something were spreading the
BROOKSLevi finally pulled away from my neck with visible effort, like everything inside him was fighting against it, and the moment the pressure of his mouth disappeared from my skin, I felt the loss of it immediately.His breathing was rough against my throat as he lifted his head to look at me, his hand still gripping my leg on his shoulder tightly while the other remained braced beside my head against the wall.Then slowly, he pulled out of me and brought my legs down, and I had to stifle the moan that almost left me.“What do you mean by that’s never going to happen?” he asked, his voice low and strained.“I’m not going to let you mark me, Levi,” I said quietly.His brows pulled together instantly.“Why?”“Because there won’t be any way out of this relationship after that.”The atmosphere around us shifted immediately.Levi went completely still, and the look in his eyes darkened slowly as my words settled between us.“You’re still thinking about a way out?” he asked quietly, but







