🩸 Chapter Seven: The Awakening and the Price I woke to darkness, the scent of antiseptic, and the low, frantic rhythm of a heartbeat that wasn't mine. My body felt strangely heavy, yet simultaneously weightless. The pain from the Claiming Bite was a dull throb, but the rest of my aches—the bruises from Shadow Creek, the constant low-level fatigue—were gone. I felt… clean. I blinked, the room slowly coming into focus. I was lying on a cot in the corner of the small lodge, covered by heavy blankets. Kael Blackwood was sitting on the floor beside me, his back propped against the wall. He was shirtless, his shoulders broad and corded with muscle, and he was staring, wide-eyed, at my unconscious hand. I followed his gaze. My hand was clenched. Around my wrist, a delicate, icy cuff of pure silver metal was visible, glinting even in the dim light. It was beautiful, ornate, and clearly magical. "What happened?" I asked, my voice thin and dry. Kael didn't look at me, still star
Last Updated : 2025-11-14 Read more