NATALIA
The first light of dawn painted the sky in hues of pink and orange, stirring me from my sleep. Euphoria from my night with James still hummed beneath my skin. What started off in the worst possible way only strengthened our bond. The memory sent waves of exhilaration surging through me—how he let me dominate him, the taste of his lips... that mind-shattering orgasm.
A sleepy smile tugged at my mouth as his scent clung to the pillows, comforting in its familiarity. My hand slid over to his side of the bed, eager to touch him, but it only met cool sheets.
I blinked my eyes open, a flicker of worry sparking in my mind.
"James?"
Anxiety knotted inside me as I wrapped the bedsheet around me and called again, louder. But there was no response, and the joy of last night began to fade slowly, replaced by a growing sense of unease.
"Where could he be?" I muttered to myself as I pulled on a robe and rushed through the cottage, every room as empty as the one before.
My wolf was restless, pacing inside me as my heart pounded against my ribs. James had let me mark him, and now he was gone. Just vanished without a word. After I had made it clear I would not give up on us, on our mating. I thought we were making progress, not moving backwards.
Did he...leave me?
The idea alone was unbearable, clawing at my insides and leaving a bitter flavour in my mouth.
No, I refused to entertain that possibility. I knew he loved me. There was no doubt about that.
Perhaps he got called to some Alpha duties, I reasoned, attempting to placate my frazzled nerves.
Yet, the foreboding feeling that clung to me wouldn't go away. I couldn't shake the sensation that something was terribly wrong. Ciara felt it too, her concern for James and Aron bleeding into my own emotions. The bond between mates let us sense danger, and right now, mine was screaming.
The sudden knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts, making me jump. Hope fluttered in my chest that it was James on the other side. But when I opened, I found Max and Rai standing on the doorstep with grim expressions, their usual good humour gone, and my heart sank.
"What are you two doing here so early?" I asked, trying to suppress my disappointment and maintain composure.
"Sorry to disturb you, Natalia," Max said, his expression full of concern. "We're looking for James. Poachers were spotted on the borders of the skulk."
Poachers.
Bile rose in my throat as tendrils of terror curled into my stomach. "He's not here. I thought he was perhaps with you."
"We haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon." Rai shook her head, her expression stark. "Do you want us to look for him?"
I swallowed hard, gathering the unravelling threads of my strength. My mate needed me. I could feel it.
"No, do what he would have told you to do—take care of the skulk and keep everyone away from the poachers. I'll find him," I instructed, striving for a tone of confidence despite the fear threatening to strangle my words.
"Are you sure?" Max's brow furrowed with concern. "It could be dangerous out there. One of us should come with you."
"James is my mate. As Betas, it's your duty to guard the skulk, so do what you need to do to protect the Red Tails in your Alpha's absence." I paused, letting the words hang in the air while I held their gaze. "I don't need a bodyguard."
Max shook his head. "You know he'll kill us if anything happens to you, right?"
"Then you'll have to trust me that I will be okay and I'll find him quickly. For everyone's sake."
"Alright," Rai nodded with understanding. "We'll keep the skulk safe. You go find James."
"Thank you."
I shut the door behind me and stripped once they were gone. The cold air stung my skin, but it only served to sharpen my focus on the task at hand. My bones cracked, fur erupting as I dropped to all fours. I tuned into the sensations of the earth under my paws, the crisp dew, as Ciara emerged with a snarl.
My mate's lingering scent outside the cottage was a lifeline, pulling us deeper into the shadowy undergrowth. My pulse raced while Ciara sprinted through the forest; my only thought—to find him. I couldn't lose him, not when we had finally found our way to each other.
As we ventured further, the shadows grew darker, and an oppressive silence blanketed the woods. Every instinct screamed danger, like there was a predator lurking nearby; yet nothing was going to stop me from tearing this place apart to ensure James' safety.
Still, seconds felt like an eternity. His scent was fading, being swept away by the wind, leaving Ciara and me racing against time, frantically following the faint trail he had left behind.
An ominous feeling crept over me, a chilling whisper in the air warning me that danger was near. Ciara stilled, her senses in overdrive, scrutinising every sound for potential threats.
Then a gunshot rang out through the trees, a bullet whistling past us. My wolf yelped and dropped into a crouch, peering through the bushes. In a small glade ahead, a poacher had his rifle aimed at a very naked James.
The world tilted as a primal rage rose in me at the sight of the man threatening my mate. Ciara's snarl echoed through the forest, the overpowering instinct to protect our mates demanding the poacher suffered the consequences. Her gaze was locked on the threat, muscles tensed and primed for the kill. I could already taste the tang of his blood as she launched herself at the man. But just as she was about to sink her teeth into him, my mate's voice rang in my mind.
Stop, little wolf! That man is innocent.
James' plea jolted me, cutting through the red haze of my anger. It was like a bucket of cold water, dousing the flames of my fury and leaving me shivering in its wake. Inches from the man's jugular, Ciara and I faltered, both of us perplexed. Why would he defend the life of the person who sought to harm him?
There's more to this than you know, Natalia. Trust me, he implored through our mind link.
Ciara whipped around, her gaze meeting his, the distress reflected in his eyes halting her assault. My confusion grew, but I obliged him.
Stand down, I mindlinked my wolf.
But this man wanted to hurt our mates. If he had shot James in the head, both of them with Aron would be...
Dead. She didn't dare say what we both knew would have been the likely outcome if we hadn't intervened.
James asked us to trust him, Ciara, so that's what we're going to do.
I could sense that she wasn't fully on board with the idea of sparing the man, but her teeth snapped shut and she retreated, allowing the poacher to run away.
The early morning stillness closed back around us once I shifted to my human form. Tension knotted in my stomach as I looked at James with confusion. "Why did you stop us? And why did you leave the house? What's happening?"
"That man had no idea what he was doing. He was under compulsion."
"What? Why would a human poacher be under compulsion?"
A heavy sigh escaped his lips, his eyes shadowed with regret.
"I need to know what's going on," I pleaded, my words laden with emotion. "Please."
He hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. "It's... A mistake I made long ago. Something I did without realising the consequences."
"A mistake?" A cold dread settled in my stomach. "What are you talking about?"
"I was young, reckless... and I made a deal with a fox demon."
His confession hit me like a punch in the gut. "You're saying you're...working with a demon?"
"No! I'm not working with them," he hurried to clarify. "It was a foolish decision. I didn't understand the implications then—I was injured and Kerrin offered to save my life," he explained, anguish etched into every line of his face.
A whirlwind of emotions stormed inside me. "What kind of deal?"
He looked back at me, his face a mask of raw torment that seared my heart. "Kerrin asked for my mate's innocence as payment for my survival."
"My innocence?" My mind reeled in disbelief.
"I didn't know... I didn't know it was going to be you. I assumed it would be another fox, someone unlikely to wait until they met their mate. That day in the dungeon changed everything. I realised then you were my mate. An innocent Omega wolf."
Suddenly, it all made sense. The way he had dismissed me when I first brought up the possibility of us being mates, the walls he built between us in the beginning. All the times he had been distant, the guilt that sometimes clouded his eyes. It all fell into place, a jigsaw puzzle of betrayal. Every fibre of my being ached as the reality of his confession sunk in. A hollow emptiness spread through me, consuming the happiness and love that had filled me hours ago.
"I swear, little wolf, I never intended things to turn out this way. I thought the deal for something more... carnal, and when you insisted we give things between us a try, that you wanted to try everything, I thought I could perhaps fulfil the deal and have Kerrin leave us alone. But I was wrong."
"What do you mean, you were wrong?"
His gaze wavered, masking his expression. "Your soul, Natalia—the demon wants its magic to enhance their own powers. They wanted me to manipulate you into taking an innocent life, tainting your soul."
My world splintered as the crushing weight of his betrayal pinned me down. I tried to process his words, a sickening realisation dawning on me. The man I had given my heart to, the man I trusted with my life, had betrayed me in the most unimaginable way. The shock of his revelation was like a wound, raw and painful, ravaging my heart and soul. He had used me to complete his deal, a means to an end...
A surge of anger welled up in me, a fiery tide that threatened to sweep me away. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my nails digging into my palms as I struggled to control the rage that roiled within me.
"No..." I choked out, struggling to keep my emotions in check. "How could you make such a deal with that monster?"
"I didn't know, little wolf. I swear." His fingers tightened around mine, the anguish evident in his touch. "I didn't know it would be you. I didn't understand what I was truly agreeing to when I took it," his voice cracked, "but I won't let anything happen to you. I will fix this."
As much as I wanted to rage against him, to unleash the storm of emotions brewing beneath the surface, I knew I couldn't change the past. All I could do was face the present, no matter how terrifying it was. And as I looked at James, at the guilt and regret written on his face, my anger ebbed. I could feel his desperation, his need for me to trust him. I remembered how he did try to warn me that day at the clearing. But above all, I remembered the love I had seen in his eyes, the one I knew was genuine because I had felt it, and slowly, painfully, I realised that this was just as hard for him.
A harsh laugh broke the silence, and a figure began to appear beside us. "Isn't it delightful?" it croaked. Each word was drawn out, savoured, as if they were tasting the fear that hung in the air. "The oh-so mighty Alpha, willing to die for his mate." The creature paused, a malicious smile curling on its lips. "To protect her precious, pure soul."
My wolf bristled inside my mind, growling at the unnatural being.
"Who... who are you?" I stammered, instinctively gravitating towards James. I could feel him tense, his body rigid with dread and anger.
The world seemed to slow down, each second stretching out as the shape continued circling us, their eyes glinting greedily, as if appraising my worth. "Your soul, so pure, so powerful... It's going to make me unstoppable."
A gasp escaped me. "You're Kerrin," I breathed out, the realisation dawning as the demon transformed into an elderly woman, a wicked grin etched on her face.
"Yes. It is such a pleasure to finally meet you, my dear. I've been waiting for a long time. A very long time, courtesy of your mate's futile attempts at keeping you away."
James' grip on me tightened as I pressed against him. "I will make this right—I won't let anything happen to you."
"How touching." Kerrin scoffed. "Now, if you're quite finished, I'll be taking what's mine. Your soul or your mate's life, Natalia—it's your call."
"Don't trust them, little wolf." My mate stepped in front of me, shielding me from the demon. "I won't let you take her soul, Kerrin. Over my dead body."
The demon straightened, examining us with a calculating look. "Now, now. No need to be hasty. I'm sure we can come to an arrangement that satisfies all parties."
"I can't let you die, James," I declared as my eyes locked onto the demon. "You want my innocence, my soul? Then take it and leave him alone."
A low, delighted chuckle echoed in the clearing. "That's not how it works, dear Natalia. I can't take your soul," they taunted. "But you can surrender it."
"Surrender it? What does that mean?"
"You'll lose the innocence of your soul, its pureness. The very essence that fuels your Omega powers. You just need to embrace the darkness, letting it consume the light within you," they explained. "But it's a small price to pay for love, isn't it?"
The thought of losing the very core of my soul was terrifying. Memories flooded back—the isolation that my Omega status brought in my childhood, the desperate wish to be like everyone else. Yet over time, I had learned to embrace who I was, how my abilities had changed lives. I wouldn't have saved James' sister if I hadn't had them.
My Omega abilities didn't define me, but they were part of who I was. A part I couldn't fathom living without.
But for my mate, I was ready to make that sacrifice.
"Do it." The words crumbled to ash on my tongue. I steeled myself and took a step toward Kerrin, a surrender from which there was no return. "Take my soul and spare his life."
"Natalia, no." James rushed towards me, but an invisible force flung him back. He crashed onto the ground, his face contorted with pain, his eyes filled with pure anguish and despair.
"What did you do?" I snarled at the demon.
"A little spell to encourage cooperation," they purred. "The more he resists, the more it hurts. Now, shall we continue?"
Tears blurred my vision; rage engulfed my soul. I wanted to tear Kerrin apart for causing my mate to suffer but I knew there was only one way I could end this.
"Just get it over with and get out of here."
A satisfied grin spread across the demon's face. "So be it."
As if on cue, clouds rolled in, obscuring the sky under a blanket of gloom. The soft whisper of leaves and the cold, damp earth beneath my feet became pronounced. Terror and adrenaline pulsed through me, each beat of my heart a drumroll leading up to my impending doom. But I had to stay strong, for James and for myself.
"Stand inside the circle," Kerrin commanded, pointing at a ring of ancient stones that had materialised seemingly out of nowhere. They were worn and weathered, as if they had witnessed countless rituals over the centuries, and a chill ran down my spine as I wondered what dark magic they had been a part of.
I looked at James, his face marred by anguish and regret. But there was also a flicker of hope, a tiny flame that refused to be extinguished. It was that hope that I clung to as I faced the unknown.
Taking a deep breath, I made my way to the circle. Each step felt like a mile, the ground beneath me seeming to shift and sway. The air grew colder as I approached the stones; the wind carrying whispers of ancient incantations and long-forgotten spells.
With a final glance at James, I stepped into the circle.
"Now, hold out your hand." Kerrin circled the perimeter like a predator ready to pounce on me.
Shaking, I did as I was told. The elderly woman produced a small, sharp blade, and without warning, sliced it across my palm. Pain shot through me, my blood dripping onto the earth below.
"Excellent," Kerrin exclaimed, their focus fixed on the crimson liquid pooling at my feet. "Now, repeat after me."
They began to chant in a language that felt ancient and terrifying. With each word, a cold hand seemed to clasp my soul. Yet, I repeated the words, even if my attention was focused on James.
"Enough," he protested, but Kerrin silenced him with a flick of their wrist.
The spell seeped into my being. It was as if my essence was under attack, my very self fracturing. A scream tore from my lips as agony savaged every fibre of my being. My vision blurred, the world spinning. I was losing myself, being sucked into a vortex of shadows, a frosty tentacle clawing at my very soul. Kerrin's power wrapped around it, prying at its seams, seeking to rip it out.
For a moment, I stood there, feeling strangely weightless, as if I was suspended between two worlds – the old life of light I'd once known, and the dark, uncertain future that lay ahead. Then, just as suddenly as it had vanished, the sound came flooding back, and I found myself on my knees, gasping for breath.
"Natalia!" James let out a cry, a primal sound that was half relief, half terror. He tried to move, to reach for me, but the invisible restraints kept him in place. I could see the guilt in his eyes, despite the suffering Kerrin's magic was causing him.
Time seemed to slow as the darkness continued to envelop me. And when I thought I would succumb, a surge of warmth radiated from within me. It felt like a beacon of light in the stormy sea of murk. My love for James, my determination to protect him—they transformed into a shield, a fortress against the demon's dark magic.
Kerrin's triumphant laughter faltered. They clutched their chest, their form wavering as if a glitch in a hologram.
"Wh-what is happening?" Dismay replaced their confidence.
The shadows that had threatened to consume me receded, my soul resisting Kerrin's attempts to take away its lightness.
"You reap what you sow," I choked out.
"Impossible." The fox demon shrieked with panic as their form contorted. "You cannot defeat me."
Bright light erupted from the wound on my palm, intertwining with the dark essence Kerrin had summoned. It was as if a mirror shattered, fragments of wickedness disappearing in the radiance of my light. Kerrin's form disintegrated, their defeated scream echoing through the forest.
The dark clouds parted swiftly, allowing the sunrays to filter through. The only sound was the gentle rustling of leaves, and the ragged breaths escaping my lips. My heart leapt in my chest as I saw my mate, standing unharmed after the chaos.
A wave of relief swept over me, so powerful it nearly brought me to my knees.
"Natalia!" James was at my side, his hands cradling my face. He blinked, his gaze darting around the clearing as if he was trying to take in that we made it one piece, and the fox demon was gone forever. "What happened? How did you...?"
"I used what Kerrin sought to destroy. My love for you, my sacrifice, my Omega soul... it was stronger than their dark magic."
He pulled me close, his warm breath mingling with mine. His lips pressed against my forehead, but as I rested against him, a cold realisation hit me.
"James," I whispered, fear creeping into my soul. "I can't feel you anymore."
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🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️Runs to hide after ending the chapter with that cliffhanger. 🙈
Soooo, any thoughts on the whole rollecoaster of a chapter?🫣 Do you think Nat will forgive James? And what is going on with her? Is it their bond? 😭
That's all I have for this AN because it is waaaay past my bedtime and after hours of editing, my brain is officially fried, so I will just go get a few hours of sleep and hopefully I can wake up to your comments and theories. 😉
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Iveto xx