All Chapters of FATED BY FIRE: Chapter 51 - Chapter 53

Lucian’s POVThe scent of blood still lingered long after the battle ended. It mixed with rain and earth, sharp enough to burn my lungs. I stood over the last rogue’s body, chest heaving, trying to steady my thoughts, but all I saw was Cara disappearing into the forest again.She hadn’t looked back.I knew I should’ve chased her. Every part of me screamed to follow. But something in her eyes before she left—calm, resigned, almost free—had stopped me.I’d spent years learning how to command others. But nothing had prepared me for how powerless it felt to love a woman who refused to be owned.Jayden appeared behind me, his scent cutting through the damp air. “She’s gone east,” he said quietly.“I know.”“Are you going after her?”I turned slowly to face him. His face was bruised from the fight, his jaw tight, but his voice was steady. “You think she’ll come back if you chase her?”My hands clenched. “You think she’ll come back to you if I don’t?”He didn’t flinch. “This isn’t about me.

Cara’s POV The night sky over the Silvercrest borders was heavy with clouds, a low rumble echoing through the forest. The air smelled like rain and blood. My hands trembled as I wiped Lucian’s wounds with a damp cloth, each stroke sending a ripple of fear through me. His skin was cold. His breathing uneven. He had taken the hit meant for me. Again. “Stop frowning, little wolf,” he murmured, voice hoarse but teasing. “You’re ruining that fierce look you wear so well.” “You almost died,” I said, not hiding the anger in my voice. “There’s nothing funny about that.” Lucian tried to smile, but his body flinched. The scent of iron was thick in the room. I pressed harder against the gash on his shoulder, forcing myself not to cry. I couldn’t afford weakness, not now. He caught my wrist before I could move away. His grip was weak, but his eyes—those deep, burning gray eyes—were the same. “I’d do it again,” he said. “Every time.” The words hit me harder than the battle had. I looked awa