เข้าสู่ระบบTheodora's POV
Pain was the first thing I felt. Sharp. Consuming. Every nerve ending screamed. My body remembered what I had done to it and refused to forgive me. I tried to move. Could not. My limbs would not obey.
Then I felt it. The pull. Deep in my core. In my bones. In my very soul. The full moon was rising. I could not see it through the walls but I knew. Every werewolf knew when the moon reached its peak. It called t
Nate's POVI had seen Dora broken before. Bleeding. Desperate. But watching her walk into that courtyard knowing she was dying was different. It carved something hollow in my chest. Left me raw.She glowed. Silver moonlight poured from her skin like she had swallowed the moon itself. But beneath the glow I saw the truth. Saw how her legs trembled. How each step cost her everything. How blood still seeped through her clothes from wounds that refused to close.Richard stood in the courtyard's center. Around him stretched a massive ritual circle. Symbols drawn in blood. Candles positioned at precise points. Crystals that pulsed with dark energy. Vincent moved along the circle's edge. His lips moved in chants I could not understand. Ancient words that made my wolf recoil."There she is." Richard's smile was victory. Pure satisfaction. "Right on time.""I a
Theodora's POVPain was the first thing I felt. Sharp. Consuming. Every nerve ending screamed. My body remembered what I had done to it and refused to forgive me. I tried to move. Could not. My limbs would not obey.Then I felt it. The pull. Deep in my core. In my bones. In my very soul. The full moon was rising. I could not see it through the walls but I knew. Every werewolf knew when the moon reached its peak. It called to us. Amplified everything we were.Power trickled into me. Not much. Just drops where I needed an ocean. But it was something. My silver wolf stirred. Weak. Injured. But alive."Dora." Nate's face hovered above mine. Beautiful. Terrified. "You are awake. Thank god you are awake."I tried to speak. My throat was raw. Torn. Like I had swallowed glass. "The moon.""I know. I feel it too." He kissed my forehead. My
Nate's POVShe went limp in my arms. Total dead weight. Her head lolled back. Eyes rolled up showing only whites. Blood ran from her nose and ears in steady streams that soaked into my shirt and I did not care. Did not notice. Could only focus on the bond between us.It flickered. Weak. Fading like a candle in wind. She was dying. My mate was dying and I could do nothing but hold her."Dora. Dora stay with me." I shook her gently. Then harder. Nothing. No response. No flutter of eyelids. No catch of breath. "Please. Please do not do this. Do not leave me."Elder Moira dropped to her knees beside us. Her hands moved over Dora's body. Checking pulse. Breathing. Temperature. Her face grew more worried with each second. "The power strain. It nearly destroyed her from the inside. Her organs are shutting down. Her brain is swelling. She needs a healer immediately.""Then heal her." My voice broke. Shattered. "Fix her. Do something.""I am not that kind of healer. I can set bones. Stitch wo
Theodora's POVI stood in the center of the room. Every eye watched me. Judged me. Waited to see if I would save them or fail spectacularly. The blanket had slipped again but I did not care anymore. Modesty seemed ridiculous when we were all about to die.Council members formed a circle around me. Magistrate Thorne. Elder Moira. Draeven. Others whose names I barely knew. Guards and warriors filled the gaps. Their faces were grim. Determined. They knew this was our last chance.Nate moved behind me. His hands settled on my shoulders. Warm. Steady. Grounding. "I am not leaving you.""I know." I covered his hands with mine. Felt the bond pulse between us. Strong. Unbreakable. "I need you here."Elder Moira stepped forward. Her voice carried authority. Command. "Listen carefully. What we are about to attempt requires absolute focus. You must channel your power toward Theodora. Do not hold back. Do not hesitate. Give her everything.""What if it is too much?" A young guard. Barely twenty.
Nate's POVThe shift happened so fast I barely processed it. One second Dora was a massive silver wolf tearing through enemies. The next she was human. Naked. Vulnerable. Kneeling on blood soaked ground in the middle of a battlefield.Every eye turned toward her. Rogues. Mercenaries. Vampires. They saw the opportunity. Saw weakness where moments before there had been unstoppable power. They moved as one. Converging on her position like sharks scenting blood in water.I did not think. Did not plan. I shifted mid run and threw myself over her. My body covered hers. Shielded her from the claws and teeth and eyes that wanted to tear her apart. Pain exploded across my back as something sharp raked across my shoulders. I felt blood. Hot. Wet. Pouring down my spine."Nate." Her voice. Confused. Disoriented. Like she was waking from a dream. "What happened? Why am I?""Stay down." I took another hit. This one deeper. Felt it scrape bone. My vision blurred. How long could I hold them off? Not
Theodora's POVEyes turned toward me. Every single person in that room looked at the massive silver wolf standing beside Nate. They were calculating. I could see it in their faces. The way their gazes shifted. The way some of them stepped back. Others leaned forward. They were weighing my life against theirs.Elder Moira spoke first. Her voice was quiet. Defeated. "We cannot win this fight. Richard has too many. We are barely holding on as it is.""So we surrender?" A young guard I did not know the name of. His face was pale. Scared. "We just give her up and hope he keeps his word?""He will keep it." Another Council member. Older. Gray haired. "Richard is many things but he is not wasteful. He wants the Silver Wolf. Nothing else. Why would he risk his army fighting us when he can just take what he came for?"My wolf growled. Low. Threatening. Nate moved closer. Put his hand on my head. "She is not a bargaining chip. She is a person.""She is a weapon." The gray haired man did not b







