"You don't have a choice, Kaelen."
Alaric's voice was calm, but his golden eyes burned with certainty. The old werewolf stood before the flickering fire, his cloak billowing slightly from the night breeze. The flames danced, casting an orange glow that flickered against the trees surrounding them. Ariana stood beside him, her breath unsteady, her fingers curling into fists, as if to ground herself amid the storm of emotions swirling within her. The air was thick with tension, every moment feeling like a taut string ready to snap.
Kaelen clenched his jaw, the muscles in his face tightening. His entire body tensed as if bracing for a blow, ready to fight against the inevitable.
"I will find another way," Kaelen growled, defiance lacing his words.
Alaric shook his head, his expression solemn. "There is no other way."
Ariana swallowed hard. The weight of Alaric's words pressed down on her chest, suffocating. She barely understood the world she had been pulled into, yet the implications were clear—Kaelen's curse could only be broken by a sacrifice.
Something most precious to him.
Her heart pounded, each beat resonating with the gravity of the situation.
"You're lying." Kaelen's voice was dangerously low, a growl that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Am I?" Alaric's eyes bore into his, unwavering. "Have I ever lied to you before?"
Kaelen's silence was answer enough, a chasm of unspoken truths hanging between them.
Ariana took a slow step forward, her heart racing. "What does that even mean?" her voice wavered slightly, but she forced herself to hold Alaric's gaze, fueled by a mix of fear and determination. "A sacrifice? What exactly are you saying?"
Alaric sighed deeply, the fire casting shadows across his aged face, emphasizing the lines of wisdom and sorrow etched there. "The curse was never just about power, Kaelen. It was a punishment. To break it, you must surrender what anchors you to this world."
Kaelen let out a bitter laugh, his anger bubbling to the surface. "And what, exactly, do you think that is?"
Alaric didn't hesitate. "Her."
Ariana's breath caught in her throat, the word slicing through her like a blade. The world around her felt suddenly smaller, as if the trees had closed in, as if the fire had dimmed, leaving only the chilling reality of Alaric's declaration.
"No," Kaelen snapped, stepping protectively between her and Alaric. His body was rigid with fury, a wall of resolve that shielded her, yet exposed the turmoil within him. "That is not an option."
Alaric studied him with an intensity that made the air crackle. "And yet, it is the only one you have."
Ariana felt her stomach twist, the gravity of Alaric's words weighing heavily on her. She had known from the moment she met Kaelen that he carried a darkness, a curse that clung to him like a second skin. But never had she thought—
"You knew this would happen," she whispered, her voice barely audible, staring at Kaelen as realization dawned upon her. "Didn't you?"
His hands curled into fists at his sides, trembling with suppressed rage and fear. "I didn't think it would involve you."
"But it does." Her voice was firm, a lifeline thrown into the turbulent waters between them.
Silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating. Kaelen's stormy eyes locked onto hers, and for the first time, she saw something raw beneath his anger—a quiet desperation that echoed her own fears.
Alaric exhaled heavily, the sound filled with the weight of knowledge and loss. "The bond between you two is undeniable. And the curse feeds on what matters most. If you want your wolf back, Kaelen, you must decide."
Kaelen turned sharply, his fists trembling with the force of his emotions. "You think I would ever hurt her?"
Alaric's expression remained unreadable, a mask that concealed the centuries of experience etched into his being. "That is not what I said. But you must choose—your freedom, or her."
The fire crackled, filling the silence with an eerie pop, amplifying the tension that hung like a storm cloud above them.
Ariana's heart pounded in her ears, threatening to drown out the world around her.
She had spent years running from people who saw her as nothing more than a tool. A pawn to be used and discarded. And now, she was here—facing a fate she had never asked for. The realization struck her, sharp and unforgiving.
"There has to be another way," she said softly, her voice a whisper against the roaring wind.
Alaric shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "Not one that you will like."
Kaelen turned to her then, his expression a storm of conflict, his inner turmoil laid bare. "Ariana, I won't let anything happen to you."
"And if the price is your life?" Her voice trembled, the truth of the situation crashing down around them.
Kaelen's eyes darkened, a fierce light igniting within them. "I don't care."
Ariana's chest ached with the weight of his words. She had never meant to become something precious to him. She had never intended to matter in this way, yet here they were, bound together by fate and circumstance.
But she did.
And that terrified her.
"How long do we have?" she asked, turning back to Alaric, desperate for answers.
The old werewolf hesitated, his demeanor shifting as he felt the gravity of the situation. "Not long. The curse is reaching its breaking point. If you do not act, Kaelen will never shift again. And the enemy will come for him, vulnerable and weak."
Lucian.
The name lingered unspoken between them like a dark omen, a reminder of the danger that loomed closer with each passing moment.
Kaelen exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair, his frustration palpable. "Get out."
Alaric frowned, sensing the turmoil within Kaelen. "Kaelen—"
"Out."
Alaric studied him for a moment, the weight of centuries of wisdom behind his gaze, before nodding slowly. He turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving only the sound of the wind rustling through the trees, a haunting echo of what had just transpired.
Ariana let out a shaky breath, the air around her feeling thick with unsaid words and emotions.
Kaelen didn't move. His fists were still clenched, his entire body wound tight like a beast barely restrained, ready to lash out or flee.
"You should leave," he said without looking at her, his voice low and strained.
Ariana frowned, confusion mixing with determination. "Excuse me?"
"You heard him." His voice was controlled, but the underlying pain was evident. "You're the price."
She took a step closer, refusing to back down. "And you think I'm just going to run?"
His jaw clenched, the tension radiating from him. "That's exactly what you should do."
Ariana shook her head vehemently, her heart racing. "No."
Kaelen finally turned, his gaze burning with intensity, a tempest of emotions swirling within. "Ariana—"
"You said you wouldn't let anything happen to me. And I believe you." Her voice was steady, a foundation of trust amidst the chaos.
His expression flickered, uncertainty crossing his features for a fleeting moment.
"But I also know you," she continued, stepping closer, feeling the warmth of his presence. "You'd rather suffer than let anyone in. You'd rather push me away than face the fact that maybe—just maybe—you don't have to do this alone."
His breathing was heavy, each inhale a struggle. "This isn't about choice anymore."
Ariana swallowed hard, her resolve unwavering. "Then let's find a way together."
Kaelen stared at her, and for a moment, something in his eyes softened, a glimmer of hope breaking through the darkness.
But only for a moment.
"You don't understand what you're asking," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, laced with a mixture of fear and longing.
Ariana met his gaze head-on, her heart pounding in her chest. "Then make me understand."
The silence between them stretched again, heavier than before, as if the very air held its breath. The fire crackled, throwing shadows against Kaelen's sharp features, illuminating the inner battle raging within him.
Ariana could see the conflict—the desire to protect her warring with the truth of his curse.
And then, finally—
"If I told you," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, "that the only way to break this curse is for me to give you up—would you let me?"
The question hung in the air, a dagger poised to strike.
Ariana felt the ground shift beneath her feet. The weight of his words settled in her mind, each syllable a reminder of the stakes they faced. She took a deep breath, steadying herself against the tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.
"I would never let you go," she replied firmly, her voice unwavering. "Not now, not ever."