《Saved, Then Rejected by my Ice Hockey Mate 》全部章節：第 71 章 - 第 80 章

Aya's POVThe forest felt like it was breathing. Not metaphorically.Not in the poetic, it’s just the wind through the trees kind of way.No…I could literally feel it in my bones.The ground beneath my feet shifted ever so slightly, like something vast and ancient was stirring underneath the soil. The air was thick. Heavy. It pressed against my lungs with every breath I tried to take.And the silence—It wasn’t quiet.It was watching.My grip tightened around Lily as she leaned against me, still weak but more alert now, her fingers clutching the fabric of my sleeve.“Aya…” she whispered. “This place… I don’t like it.”“I know,” I said softly.Because I didn’t like it either.Every instinct in my body was screaming at me to run. But there was nowhere to run to. Because this place..is so hard to find where the exit is. It looks and feels like it's never-ending..“Johanis…”My voice came out smaller than I intended. He didn’t look at me right away.Still standing in front of us, still

Aya's POV.For a moment, everything held. The forest. The creatures. Even the air. It was like the entire world had paused just to watch us.To watch him.Johanis’ arms were still wrapped around me, tight but careful, like he didn’t trust himself not to break something if he held on any harder. His chest rose and fell against mine, uneven, sharp breaths that hadn’t settled yet.And I could feel it.Through the bond.The instability.The way something inside him hadn’t fully gone quiet.Just… waiting.“Aya…” His voice was rough, low, right above my head.“I’m here,” I whispered again, tightening my grip just slightly.Behind us—The forest shifted. Not violently this time. Not lunging. Not attacking.Just…Moving.Like it was adjusting.Adapting.My stomach dropped.“Johanis…” I murmured, pulling back just enough to look up at him. His eyes met mine immediately. Still dark. Still unstable. But clearer than before. Like he was now present and that was enough for now.“We have to move,”

Aya's POVI looked around and a slow, deliberate pulse moved through the ground beneath me—steady, ancient, aware. It wasn’t chaos anymore. It was control.And then—It reached for me.Not with claws. Not with force.With knowing..Something slipped into my mind, quiet and absolute.‘Not all of you can leave…’My breath caught. My fingers tightened around Johanis’ face, grounding myself in the warmth that was still slipping away. Blood stained my hands, tacky and real.Not this again.Not another choice carved out of cruelty.I swallowed hard, but the weight didn’t move. It pressed deeper, settling into my chest like something final.A path must be paid for.A balance must be kept.My vision blurred.A tear fell before I could stop it.I dragged in a breath, sharp and unsteady, forcing myself to stay present—to stay here, with him.Because if I didn’t—I wouldn’t be able to do what came next.“Aya…?”His voice was barely there. But it was enough.. I leaned closer, resting my forehead

Johanis' POVThe first thing I saw when I woke up—Was her.Not Aya.But Lily.Close enough that for a split second, my brain tried to lie to me. Tried to fill in the wrong face, the wrong presence, the wrong warmth.But it didn’t last.Because the bond—Still stretched. Still thin. Still there.And it didn’t lead to her.It led somewhere far away.Lily gave me a small, sad smile. “Hey.”My throat felt dry. Raw. “How long?”“Three days.”Three.Days.My chest tightened immediately. My body reacted before logic could catch up—I pushed myself up, muscles screaming in protest, ribs protesting every movement.“Johanis—”“I have to go.”The words came out automatic. Instinct. Not thought. Lily’s hand shot out, pressing firmly against my chest before I could swing my legs off the bed. Not hard.But enough.“Sit down.”“No.”“Sit. Down.”Her voice cracked. That was what made me stop. Not the force. Not the command.The fear.I looked at her properly then. Her eyes were red. Not fresh. Not fr

Johanis' POVI didn’t let go.I couldn’t even dare to think so.Not when she was finally in my arms again—real, solid, warm in a way that no memory could ever replicate. My fingers tightened slightly against her back, pressing her closer like I could anchor her here if I just held on long enough.Like I could stop this from becoming another goodbye..Her breath was soft against my neck.Steady.Alive.I closed my eyes, letting it sink in. Every second. Every heartbeat. Every small shift of her body against mine. Every single damn moment..Because I knew—This wouldn’t last.“…Joha.”Her voice was quiet.Gentle.A warning.I exhaled slowly, my grip tightening for just a second before I forced myself to loosen it. Just enough to pull back.Just enough to see her.My hands slid up—one settling at her waist, the other rising to her face, cupping her cheek like I needed to remind myself she was still here.Her eyes met mine.Goddess..That broke me more than anything.Because they were sti