Page 51

The night was cold, the kind of chill that sank into your bones and refused to let go. The moon hung low in the sky, its silver light barely piercing through the thick canopy of trees. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing in my ears as I struggled against the ropes digging into my wrists.

Adrian had planned this. Every move, every deception, every betrayal—it had all led to this moment. And I had walked right into his trap.

“You always were predictable,” Adrian mused, circling me like a predator savoring its meal. His voice was smooth, almost amused, as if he wasn’t holding me captive, as if he hadn’t orchestrated everything. “So easy to manipulate.”

I gritted my teeth, my wrists burning as I fought against my restraints. “You’re a coward,” I spat, my voice hoarse. “You could never face Alec fairly, so you played your games in the shadows.”

His smirk widened. “And look where that’s gotten me.” He knelt beside me, his dark eyes gleaming. “And look where it’s gotten you.”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small device. With a lazy flick of his thumb, he activated it. Static crackled before a familiar voice rang through the air.

“Adrian,” Alec’s voice was low, lethal. “Where is she?”

Adrian chuckled. “Patience, Alexander. You’ll see her soon enough.” He let the words hang in the air before continuing, “Meet me at the clearing by the river at midnight. Bring your army. Let’s end this.”

A pause. Then Alec’s voice, sharp as a blade. “You’ll regret this.”

Adrian ended the call, his smirk deepening as he pocketed the device. “Now, we wait.”

Midnight came too soon.

The battlefield was a vast, open stretch of land, the river glinting under the moonlight. The air was thick with tension, both sides standing poised for war. Shadows moved restlessly, claws gleamed, and the scent of impending bloodshed tainted the wind.

Then, they arrived.

Alec led the charge, his silver eyes burning with fury, his presence commanding. Jack, Damon, and Sophie flanked him, their expressions hardened, their bodies coiled for battle. The moment Adrian’s men moved, the war began.

Claws clashed, blades met steel, and growls filled the air as both armies collided. Chaos erupted around me, the fight a blur of movement and violence. I struggled against my restraints, my breath coming in sharp bursts as I tried to break free.

Sophie found me first, her dagger quick against my bindings. “Come on!” she urged, shoving a blade into my hand.

I didn’t hesitate.

Alec and Adrian were locked in combat. It was a vicious dance, one that had been years in the making. Adrian was strong, but Alec was stronger. He wasn’t just fighting for revenge—he was fighting for me.

Adrian faltered, just for a second. Alec seized the opening, slamming him into the ground with a force that sent cracks through the earth. Blood dripped from Adrian’s lips, yet his smirk remained.

“You think you’ve won?” he rasped.

Alec bared his teeth. “You’re finished.”

Then—

Adrian’s hand moved too fast. A glint of silver, a wicked grin, and before I could react—

The dagger plunged into Alec’s side.

The world shattered.

“ALEC!” My scream ripped through the night as he staggered, his breath catching, his eyes going wide. He looked down at the blade buried in his flesh, at the black poison slicking its edges.

I moved without thinking, my hands catching him just as his legs gave out. He collapsed against me, his weight heavy, too heavy. His breathing was shallow, uneven.

“No, no, no, no,” I whispered, pressing my hands to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, trying to do anything to keep him here. “Stay with me. Please, stay with me.”

His silver eyes found mine, softer now, unfocused. “Cass…”

Adrian stood above us, wiping blood from his lips. “A fitting end, don’t you think?” he mused, tilting his head. “I could kill him now, but where’s the satisfaction in that? No, I’d rather let you watch him wither away.”

Something inside me snapped.

I wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t breathing. I was moving.

In one swift motion, I ripped the dagger from Alec’s side and turned, my grip steady, my heart pounding. Adrian’s smirk barely had time to falter before I drove the blade straight into his chest.

He choked, his eyes widening in shock, in rage. “You—”

I twisted the dagger deeper, watching as the life drained from his face, as the power he had clung to for so long slipped through his fingers.

“You lose,” I whispered.

And then—I shoved him back.

Adrian’s body crumpled to the forest floor, unmoving, unbreathing. The silence that followed was deafening.

I turned back to Alec, my hands shaking as I cupped his face. “You’re going to be okay,” I murmured, my voice breaking. “You have to be okay.”

His lips barely moved. “Cass…”

Tears blurred my vision. “Don’t talk. Just—just stay with me.”

Alec gave me a weak smile, the kind that barely reached his eyes. His hand, trembling, reached up to brush my cheek, his touch featherlight, as if he was already slipping away. “Don’t cry, love…” His voice was nothing but a whisper, fragile like the last ember of a dying flame.

Then, his body went limp.

For a moment, my mind refused to understand what had happened. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.

But then the warmth started to fade from his skin.

“No,” I gasped, shaking my head wildly as I grabbed his face between my hands. “No, no, no, Alexander, please! Please, I beg you. Wake up! Look at me! Please!” My voice cracked, shattering like glass, but he didn’t move.

His silver eyes—those storm-filled, beautiful, impossible eyes—stared up at me, but they no longer saw me.

A sob ripped through me, violent and raw. “You promised,” I choked, my forehead pressing against his. “You promised you’d always come back to me.”

Jack and Damon were suddenly there, their hands on my shoulders, their voices distant echoes against the crushing silence. Someone was trying to pry me away, but I fought against them with everything I had.

“No!” I screamed. “I can fix this—I can—I just need more time! He can’t be gone! He can’t—” My breath hitched, and then there was nothing but agony, spreading through my chest like fire, like ice, like something that would never heal.

I buried my face in his neck, clutching onto him as if I could will him back to me, as if I could force his heart to beat again. But his scent, once warm and steady, was already fading, slipping through my fingers like sand.

A sob wracked through me so hard I thought I might break apart.

Alec had to live.

Because if he didn’t—

I wasn’t sure I would, either.