ra’s POV

    b65 /b

    55 vouchers

    “Thorne!” The word barely escaped my lips, trembling with desperation, as I watched him from a distance. The gap between us felt like a chasm, but there was no mistaking the pain and urgency in his eyes.

    I opened my mouth to call again, but before the sound could form, something hit me from behind a force so sudden and sharp it mmed me to the cold, hard ground.

    I twisted my head, trying tosh out, but the next moment, the pain in my neck was unbearable. A scream tore through me, but the sound didn’te. My body writhed beneath the agony as I shifted, painfully, back to my human form.

    Iy there, kicking my legs in desperation, gasping for breath, only to have my throat seized by a strong hand.

    The moonlight barely touched the figure above me, but I knew who it was before I saw his face.

    Dario.

    “Cle…” I barely whispered, before a hand was pressed firmly over my mouth.

    I tried to scream, to fight, but he dragged me into the bushes with ease.

    I fought him with everything I had, my body trembling with rage. But he had me pinned to the ground in seconds, my arms and legs bound tight, my mouth sealed with tape.

    “Don’t force me to knock you out,” he hissed, his voice low and cold.

    Footsteps echoed from the edge of the forest, the sound drawing nearer, and my heart skipped a beat.

    “ra!” Thorne’s voice rang out, thick with panic.

    His voice–so familiar, so close–brought tears to my eyes. I could see him, standing just behind the bushes. His handsome face twisted with fear and urgency.

    “ra! Is that you?” His voice cracked as he called my name.

    I twisted my body, struggling to make any sound–anything to reach him. But then Dario pressed a cold dagger to my belly.

    My entire body went rigid.

    How did he know?

    A chill of horror crawled over my skin, and my mind raced. How did Dario know about my pregnancy?

    His cold, grey eyes locked with mine, a silent warning in them. His gaze spoke volumes, like he knew everything I was thinking.

    …

    9:26 bThu/b, bSep /bb4 /bB.

    Thorne’s voice broke through the silence again. “ra! Please… answer me!”

    b65 /b

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    “You looking for someone, King Thorne?” A cold voice slithered through the air, chilling my veins.

    A tall figure emerged from the darkness, stepping into the pale moonlight with a mocking smile.

    Dorian.

    Thorne’s face twisted into a mask of fury. “Dorian,” he growled, his fists clenching at his sides.

    Dorian chuckled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I haven’t personally congratted you on your coronation yet,” he said, his smile thin and cruel. “Congrattions, King. You’ve got what you wanted. But that doesn’t give you the right to make a scene in mynd.”

    “Where is ra?” Thorne’s voice was thick with demand.

    Dorian spread his hands, feigning innocence. “What makes you think I have her? Maybe she got tired of you and ran off. You know, you’ve always been a bit… obnoxious.”

    “Cut the crap!” Thorne’s eyes burned with rage. “You took her. Hand her over now, ior—/i”

    “Or what?” Dorian taunted, unfazed by Thorne’s fury.

    “Or I’ll spill your kingdom’s blood, starting with you!” Thorne’s growl was primal as he leapt into the air, shifting into his wolf form mid–flight.

    The transformation was terrifying–his ck wolf, streaked with gold fur, seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly power.

    Dorian’s eyes widened with shock, but he recovered quickly, his own transformation swift as he became a massive silver wolf.

    They collided mid–air, fangs bared, and the sound of their battle echoing through the trees. Dorian was thrown back, crashing into a pine tree with a deafening crack.

    Thorne wasted no time. He lunged again, his jaws snapping viciously at Dorian’s nk. The silver wolf howled in pain as Thorne tore into him, ripping flesh from bone.

    I could barely believe my eyes. When Thorne first met Dorian, he stood no chance. But now… now, he was stronger than I ever imagined.

    My heart pounded, and part of me wanted to run to him, to see this fight through.

    But Dario’s grip on me was relentless. In the chaos of the battle, he hauled me onto his back, dashing deeper into the forest.

    “No!” I screamed in my mind, fighting against the pounding fear. I can’t leave now… I’m so close to him…

    The sounds of the battle grew quieter as we moved further away.

    Dario didn’t stop until we reached the heart of the misted forest. He set me down on a jagged rock, the cold

    9:26 Thu, Sep 4 G

    :

    bite of the earth grounding me in the harsh reality of my situation.

    He ripped the tape from my mouth, and I gasped for air, ring at him with everything I had.

    “Don’t touch me,” I snarled as he bent to untie my legs.

    b65 /b

    55 vouchers

    He paused, his hands hovering over me for a second before he slowly withdrew them, a cold smirk tugging at his lips.

    “You’re making this harder than it has to be,” he said in a low tone. “Stupid idea to run.”

    “Stupid?” My voice cracked with fury. “You’re the one who kidnapped me. You’re the one keeping me from Thorne!”

    Dario’s expression didn’t change. “He won’t kill Dorian,” he said tly. “I know that for a fact.”

    Iughed bitterly. “You’re delusional if you think he won’t.”

    He didn’t respond right away, just looked at me with those pitying eyes. “You better pray his rage doesn’t cloud his judgment,” he warned.

    We sat in silence then, the weight of the night pressing down on me. My eyes stayed on the dark woods, hoping against hope that Thorne would burst through the trees,e to rescue me, and take me home.

    Minutes, or maybe hours, passed before a figure appeared, stumbling toward us through the mist. My heart leapt–Thorne?

    But as he stepped closer, my heart sank. It wasn’t him.

    It was Dorian.

    He limped toward me, covered in cuts and bruises, his silver fur matted with blood. His once–gentle eyes were now clouded with a storm, dark and full of rage.

    I couldn’t help the sneer that pulled at my lips. “Fuck you,” I hissed.

    Dorian smiled, his lips curling in that infuriatingly calm way, “I love you, ra,” he said softly, his voice almost tender. “I could be iso /igood for you, you know. But why do you have to turn me into a monster?”

    I trembled under his touch as he caressed my chin with his thumb. I couldn’t hide the disgust in my voice. “You are a monster,” I spat.

    Dorian’s smile faded slightly, but he held my gaze, his eyes cold and calcting. “You’ve made a big mistake, my love. And now, you’re in more trouble than you know.”

    I didn’t flinch. I couldn’t. Not now.

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