All Chapters of Ruined by my Bully Stepbrother: Chapter 121 - Chapter 130

Theodora's POVThe silence woke me.After the explosion. After the blinding light. After my father detonated himself to save us. The silence was absolute and crushing. My ears rang. My body ached. But I was alive. The paralysis that had locked my muscles was gone. Faded with the ritual's destruction. I could move again."Dora." Nate's voice. Rough. Desperate. "Baby please open your eyes."I did. Found his face above mine. Bruised. Bleeding. Beautiful. He was crying. Tears cutting tracks through dirt and blood on his cheeks. His hands cupped my face. Gentle. Shaking."I am here." My voice cracked. "I am okay."He pulled me up. Crushed me against his chest. Held me so tight I could barely breathe. The mate bond pulsed between us. Bruised. Battered. But intact. Still strong. Still connecting us. We had survived. Barely. But we had survived."I thought I lost you." He buried his face in my hair. "I felt the bond breaking. Felt you slipping away. I could not reach you.""I am not going any

 Theodora's POV Burying my father was harder than almost dying. We returned to New York with his body wrapped and cold and so terribly still. The flight felt endless. I sat beside Nate and could not stop shaking. He held my hand the entire time. Did not let go even when I squeezed so hard I must have hurt him. The bond between us was the only thing keeping me from falling apart completely. The funeral was small. Just family and close friends. My mother wore black and looked fragile. Like she might shatter if touched too hard. I understood. I felt the same way. We stood side by side at the graveside and watched them lower my father into the ground. Into darkness. Into forever. Elder Moira spoke first. Her voice was steady and formal. "Thomas Stone was a brilliant researcher. A dedicated father. A man who gave his life to protect those he loved. His sacrifice will not be forgotten. His con

 Theodora's POV Sharing my consciousness with someone else terrified me more than dying. I stared at Moira across the cafe table and felt the weight of her words crushing down. The First Wolf would be in my head. Forever. Sharing my thoughts. My emotions. My most private moments. There would be no secrets. No privacy. No space that was just mine. "That is insane." Nate's voice was tight. "You cannot ask her to do that. To give up her own mind." "I am not asking." Moira's expression was sad. "I am explaining the cost. What waking the First Wolf means. Dora needs to know before she makes this decision." "What decision?" I found my voice finally. "You said my father believed something was coming. Something that needed the First Wolf to stop. Do I even have a choice?" "There is always a choice." Moira reached across the table. Touched my hand. "But c

 Nate's POV Erik reminded me of myself before Dora. Lost. Isolated. Trying to be normal when everything inside screamed otherwise. We sat on the training facility roof. Shared a beer. Watched the sun set over distant mountains. He had been quiet all day. Distant. I recognized that look. That need to escape. "You okay man?" I asked. Kept my tone casual. "You seem off." "Just thinking." He took a long drink. "About how different my life is now. A month ago I was just a guy. Working construction. Dating a nice girl. Planning a future. Now I am a Silver Wolf. Training to fight threats I do not understand. And completely alone." "You are not alone." I bumped his shoulder. "You have Dora. Yuki. The whole pack if you need them." "I know." He smiled slightly. "But it is not the same. You have Dora. A mate. Someone who understands you completely. Someone

 Nate's POV The First Wolf moved like lightning wrapped in fury. One second she was standing still. The next she was airborne. Launching herself at us with speed that should not have been possible. She hit Marcus first. Sent him flying across the chamber. He slammed into the ice wall. Did not get up. Jake fired his weapon. Bullets that should have slowed her down. She did not even flinch. "Scatter," I yelled. "Do not let her pin us down." Everyone moved. Years of training kicked in. We spread out. Made ourselves harder targets. But the First Wolf was not hunting normally. She was rage given form. She wanted to hurt us. Wanted to make us pay for centuries of imprisonment. I shifted fast. Let my wolf take over. Put myself between Dora and the massive white beast. She saw me. Those gold eyes locked on. She charged. I braced for impact. Hoped I was strong enough. I was n