All Chapters of Dreamt My Alpha Mate: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

“Hold her still,” Kyle snapped, his voice like iron scraping against stone.Two guards pressed down on my shoulders, their claws biting through my tunic as they forced me against the cold slab of the altar. Silver chains glowed across my wrists and ankles, the runes carved into them searing hot against my skin. I gritted my teeth, choking back the scream. I would not give him the satisfaction.Kyle leaned over me, his eyes sharp, his hand gripping a dagger coated in some black resin that stank of rot. “Do you feel that?” he asked softly, almost kindly, dragging the blade’s tip along my collarbone. “That is the edge of destiny. You’ve been caged long enough. Tonight, you’ll bleed, and the city will finally be free of your poison.”I forced a laugh, my voice hoarse but steady. “Funny. You sound afraid of someone pretending to be in control.”His jaw twitched, the mask cracking just slightly. He pressed harder with the blade until blood welled up, trickling down my chest. “Keep talkin

“Get her up,” I rasped, blood dripping from my side as the sound of battle grew louder outside the fortress. “We’re leaving now.”Gemma moved first, tearing the last chain from Ivy’s ankle. Ivy tried to stand but her legs buckled. I caught her before she hit the ground, her body cold, her breathing shallow. “Easy,” I said quietly, pressing my hand to her cheek. “You’re safe now.” It was a lie, and we both knew it. Nothing about this place was safe.“Rowan’s on the outer line,” Asher called from the doorway, voice tight. “He’s buying us time, but there’s too much.”I could already smell his blood. My jaw locked. “We go now,” I said. “Gemma, Kara, clear the east corridor.”Kara moved without hesitation, her blade flashing as she cut down the first guard that turned the corner. She didn’t even flinch when blood splattered her face. For once, Gemma didn’t say a word against her; she just followed, cutting a path beside her.I shifted Ivy’s weight against me. “Hold on to me,” I told her.

The first thing I felt was heat. Not fire or pain, just heat under my skin, pulsing slow and steady like a second heartbeat. The air smelled like smoke and pine, and someone was whispering my name.“Ivy.” Damon’s voice. Close. Rough around the edges. My eyes fluttered open, and light flooded in.He was sitting beside the bed, elbows on his knees, head bowed like he’d been holding his breath for hours. His shirt was torn, streaked with dirt and blood, his knuckles raw. When he looked up, the sight hit me like a punch, his eyes silver-bright and lined with exhaustion.“You’re awake,” he said quietly.I tried to move, but the motion sent a tremor through me. He caught my hand before I could lift it. “Easy,” he said. “You’ve been out for almost a day.”A day. My head spun. “Where are we?”“Vale’s southern border,” he said. “Old hunting cabin Rowan used years ago. We cleared it.”His tone was clipped, too steady for what I could feel burning beneath his control. The tension sat heavy be

The council’s arrival was like a wound reopening. Their silver-trimmed robes glowed in the dim light, their faces hidden beneath hoods etched with runes. The air inside the hall was heavy, charged, the scent of old magic clashing with the musk of wolves.The matriarch stepped forward, her voice calm but sharp enough to cut stone. “Alpha Damon. You were warned. The hybrid must be surrendered to the Council for containment and purification.”Those words tasted like poison.Damon stood beside me, broad shoulders squared, eyes cold. “You’ll get neither.”A murmur rippled through the witches. The matriarch’s gaze shifted to me. “Child, you carry a force that threatens balance itself. The words falter when you breathe. The earth trembles when you dream. You are a danger to both worlds.”“I didn’t ask for any of this,” I said quietly.“No,” she replied. “But power never waits for permission.”Damon’s growl rumbled low. “Enough.” He stepped closer to her, and every wolf in the hall followed

Gemma slammed the door behind me so hard the walls shook. “You’re not going alone,” she snapped, blocking the exit. “You walk into his territory without backup, you don’t walk out.”I tightened the strap on my wrist blade, ignoring her. “If I bring the pack, it turns into a war. Jace wants me alone, fine. He’ll get me alone.”“Damon..”“I’m not arguing.” My tone came out colder than I meant, but I didn’t stop. “He’s got Kara. Every second we waste, she gets closer to breaking again. I’m ending this.”Gemma’s jaw clenched, but Asher’s hand on her shoulder stopped her from lunging. “If he doesn’t come back in an hour, we go after him,” he said quietly.I gave a brief nod and pushed past them.The night outside was thick with mist, the scent of rain and ash heavy in the air. My wolf was restless under my skin, pacing, growling, ready to tear through whatever trap Jace had waiting. I didn’t care if it was one, I was done being led by threats.The coordinates on the message led to the old