°•♡Chapter 144~ Rescue Mission

《》 Ronan’s POV

I caught him just as he tried to slip past the ridge. Quick, sharp movement, a ghost in the dark. He didn’t hear me until my hand was already at his collar, dragging him back against me with the silver dagger pressed to his spine. He froze, muscles locked, and then immediately twisted, trying to elbow me away. I shoved him harder against the rock wall.

“Don’t,” I growled, my voice low enough to cut but steady enough to leave no doubt. “You move again, you bleed out here.”

His breathing was harsh, sharp exhales through his nose. I felt the tension in him, that rigid line of a man calculating if death was worth the risk. My hand pressed harder into the dagger, the silver edge kissing his skin. The faint hiss of his breath told me he felt the burn.

“Peacefully,” I said, leaning close to his ear. “Or I drag your corpse back instead. Your choice.”

He stilled. Not submission, not fear—just a begrudging calculation. Then he muttered through clenched teeth, “Fine.”

I bound his