All Chapters of Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine: Chapter 281 - Chapter 290

ARDEN “Have I gotten fat?”The question slipped out before I could stop myself. I sat on the edge of our bed, one hand resting on the bump on my stomach, the other fiddling with the hem of my loose dress because none of my other clothes fit now. My reflection in the mirror across the room made me wince. My face looked fuller, my ankles had disappeared weeks ago, and every part of me felt swollen, stretched, and heavy.Cade turned to me from where he was buttoning his shirt, his brow lifting just slightly. Then a small smile appeared on his lips. “You’re not,” he said gently. “But even if you are, I’ll still love you.”I pouted, crossing my arms like a petulant child. He always knew the right words to say, and somehow, that annoyed me as much as it comforted me. Gosh, being pregnant was not easy. My body didn’t feel like mine anymore. Some days, I swore I could hear my bones creaking under the weight of this child.I thought about Tessa and how she had gone through this without her m

TESSAWe arrived at the neutral clearing just before midnight. The moon hung low, casting its glow over the circle where the four territories had agreed to meet in times of dire need. And, like a cruel reminder, the place where Cade and Arden got married. Tonight, the air was filled with unease, every Alpha carrying the weight of their people—and now, the weight of Arden’s disappearance.Cade was already there. Even in the dim light, his posture betrayed him. His shoulders were tense, and his eyes were shadowed with exhaustion. Beside him stood Honey and her beekeeper boyfriend—the same pair Arden had once spoken about with so much light in her eyes. Arden truly had this way of clinging to little joys, of elevating ordinary people and their stories until they became something extraordinary. It was who she was, and maybe that was why everyone here was so invested in finding her.I felt my throat burn. Arden had already gone through so much—betrayal, loss, and the harrowing fight agai

TESSA “No,” Rowan whispered by my side, his voice breaking in the process.I turned my head toward him, and for a second, I could only see him. The man who taught me how to love again when I thought I’d suffocate from loneliness. Rowan looked utterly destroyed, his eyes wet and jaw tight with desperation. I wanted to collapse into his arms, to tell him we’d run away from all of this, that love should be enough to fight every war. However, it wasn’t. As I looked back at Arden, her stomach rising with the fragile life inside her, I felt my decision carve itself into stone.It wasn’t because I didn’t love Rowan. In fact, I loved him so much that my chest felt too small to contain it. But I couldn’t let that love chain me into selfishness. I couldn’t let my fear of losing him—or of him losing me—cost Arden her life. Or her baby’s.Arden had been there for me four years ago, when Mr. Winters captured me and stripped me of every ounce of hope. She had stormed into the fire without hesita

TESSA I see it now. Azalea’s power was dependent upon detoxification. Because it was so strong, because it took up so much energy in her body, specifically dark energy, she needed frequent detoxification. Along with the power to wield dark magic, she had two gifts—teleportation and foreknowledge. Aside from being able to transport from one place to another, she had visions that allowed her to see what the future brought. Because of such a skill, she saw that a daughter would change her life. So, she abandoned her infertile husband and made sure she got what she wanted. She treasured Ellana a lot, and she cast Kyle to the side as nothing more than a mistake—one born from a one-night stand to satisfy her bodily pleasures. However, in the end, it was clear that she didn’t love Ellana. I didn’t feel it at all in that memory. I could feel the loneliness she felt despite being coddled by her mother instead. The one emotion that rose above all was Azalea’s love for herself. She loved E

TESSAWas I going insane?For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating. My knees weakened beneath me, and my grip faltered against Kyle’s arm at my throat. My daughter couldn’t be here. I left her behind in Fenra—safe with Noelle, Sol, and her grandparents. I made sure of it. I burned the image into my mind before stepping into this nightmare, reminding myself over and over—Calla is safe. She is away from this darkness. She is not here.However, the small figure at the far end of the hall wasn’t a mirage. “Mommy?”My blood froze.It wasn’t only me. Everyone stared at her. I even felt Kyle’s breath hitch against my ear, his blade faltering at my throat. His entire body trembled for the briefest of seconds, betraying a crack in his hardened mask.Then, before I could process what was happening, Calla was right in front of me. One second she stood across the hall, the next she was here, slipping her small hand into mine. My body jolted, every instinct screaming at me that this was imposs