Chapter 22%
Rebecca’s POVE
The air in Maximus’s room was thick with a tension I could almost taste a mix of anticipation, fear, and something deeper, unspoken Only a handful of us were there: the elders who knew the truth behind the alpha’s secret about waking up at midnight, Beta Yuan, and me The others were kept away it was a private moment, a fragile thread of hope we all dared to hold onto.
Outside, the moon hung high, casting pale silver light through the curtains. It was almost midnight, the hour when everything shifted, when Maximus’s wolf would rise and, maybe, he’d awaken fully – just enough to take this next step with me.
I sat quietly on the edge of a heavy wooden chair, my hands clasped tightly in my lap. My wolf was restless, heart pounding in my chest like the drums of war. Every nerve was alert.
in the heavy silence. “Are you ready?”
“Rebecca” Beta Yuan’s voice was calm but low, a steady presence in the heavy
I met his gaze and nodded. “I’m ready.”
The elders murmured quietly, their words a blessing, a prayer – something ancient, old as the moon itself. I could feel the weight of their eyes, the unspoken hopes of the pack resting on this moment.
Then, the room shifted.
Maximus’s eyelids fluttered, trembling at first, then slowly opened to reveal those fierce, fiery red eyes- the eyes of an alpha wolf that refused to be extinguished. Our gazes locked instantly, and the world outside that small room seemed to vanish.!!
–
I could see the pain etched deep in those eyes, but also a flicker of recognition of something that said, You’re here.
“Rebecca,” his voice was rough, as if scraping through years of silence. “You came.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I promised I would ”
He tried to smile, but the effort was clear. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll last.. but I want this. I want us.”
Tears stung the comers of my eyes, but I blinked them back. “Me too
Beta Yuan stepped forward, his voice carrying the weight of tradition. The bond between alpha and mate is sacred. Now, you will seal it with a kiss, and mark one another as packmates for life.”
surprisingly steady against my cheek. The heat of his skin sent a
My heart hammered as Maximus reached for me, his hand warm and surprisin jolt through me wolf to wolf, soul to soul!
Our lips met softly at first, a tentative touch in the quiet room. But then the kiss deepened, fierce and hungry–like we v years of loneliness and longing into that single moment
I could feel his wolf stirring inside him, wild and hungry, desperate to reclaim what was rightfully his.
were trying to pour
When we finally parted, breathless, he leaned closer and bit gently into my neck – the sacred mark, a promise sealed in blood and spirit.
I returned the gesture, biting into his shoulder. The sharp sting ignited something primal inside us both.
But then, as I pulled away, a sudden cough shook him violently. His body convulsed, and a flash of bright red stained the sheets beneath
US
“Maximus!” I cried, panic crashing through my veins.
He gasped, blood trembling on his lips. “It’s.. it’s nothing,” he insisted weakly, bull could see the truth in his eyes- the poison was still there, clawing at him from inside
Beta Yuan moved quickly, stepping to his side, pressing a hand over Maximus’s chest, murmuring words of comfort and command to the alpha’s wolf.
I held Maximus’s hand tightly, my wolf howling inside me, aching to fight
“You’re stronger than this, I whispered fiercely. “Please.“”
whatever was tearing him apart.!!
Maximus looked at me, eyes gleaming with a mixture of pain and something fierce- hope, “Save me,” he breathed.
The room seemned to shrink, the weight of that single word crushing and sacred all at once.
I nodded, tears slipping down my cheeks. “I will.”
The elders gathered around, their presence a shield of strength and ancient power. Beta Y Incantation – a blessing and a battle cry against the darkness inside Maximus. X
Yuan’s grip lightened as he muttered an
I leaned in close, feeling the heat of his breath, the steady beat of his heart beneath his trembling skin.!!
We’re bound now,” I said softly, “so don’t die on me. Please.”
The room settled into a quiet hum, the kind that comes when the world holds its breath–waiting.
But when he coughed blood again, I felt like my world was collapsing. It was more painful now because he was already my fated mate. He marked me alread
