Adrien.

I woke suddenly, a strange jolt running through me, my mind sharp, my senses alive in a way I hadn’t felt in weeks. The fog, the poison, the dizzying haze that had clouded my thoughts, all gone.

I sat up in bed, my heart hammering, and instinctively reached for my wolf. The bond that had been dormant, restrained by the toxin coursing through my veins, pulsed back to life. My wolf was back. Fully, unmistakably, alive.

A rush of disbelief coursed through me. Could it really be that simple? Was I finally free from the poison’s grasp? Without another thought, I sprang from the bed, moving with purpose toward the healer’s quarters.

My claws flexed unconsciously, my senses heightened as I tracked every sound and scent along the way. I needed to know for certain—my sanity, my strength, my control—all of it.

The moment I stepped into the healer’s room, I didn’t waste a second. "Check my vitals!" I barked, my voice sharp, resonant with the authority I hadn’t felt in what felt like forever.

The healer, a calm figure with practiced hands, looked up at me. His eyes widened slightly at the sudden urgency in my tone, but he complied without hesitation. Moving his hands to my pulse and eyes scanning my vitals, he felt the rapid yet steady beat of my heart, the warmth of my skin.

Then his eyes lit up. "Everything is... surprisingly back to normal. Did you take anything?"

I shook my head, almost defensively. "No," I replied, trying to hide the mixture of relief and pride that surged through me.

"No way. There has to be something," he said, scanning me again with a more critical eye.

His brow furrowed, and then suddenly, like a spark lighting up a dark room, understanding seemed to strike him. His jaw dropped slightly, and his voice went quieter, almost incredulous. "You... you made out with your mate."

I froze.

Heat climbed my neck, shame and disbelief crashing over me like a tidal wave.

"Shut up! I didn’t," I spat, my voice snapping sharper than intended.

Yet even as I denied it, Maria’s image, the scent of her, the feel of her beneath my touch, spread through my mind with vivid intensity. The memory clawed at my thoughts unbidden. I swallowed hard, trying to shove it away, but my body betrayed me with a shiver of longing I couldn’t hide.

The healer’s expression didn’t change, but his voice carried that quiet certainty that made my blood run hotter. "Then you drank your mate’s blood," he said slowly, almost as if savoring the revelation. "Those are the only two possibilities I can think of."

And then it clicked. The realization struck me like a thunderbolt, and my heart skipped. My pulse raced in a way that wasn’t just relief, it was desire, shame, and a deep, unshakable connection all at once. I really had taken her blood. It wasn’t a mistake, it wasn’t random, it was when I marked her.

My wolf stirred beneath my skin, growling softly, sensing the bond fully cemented now, stronger than any chain, any poison, any obstacle that had tried to control me. I pressed my hands to my head, trying to steady my racing thoughts, but Maria’s face, her warmth, her scent, it was everywhere, and I couldn’t fight it.

I took a shaky breath. This bond, this mark—it had changed everything.

I hurriedly left the healer’s room, my heart hammering against my chest. Every second felt like an eternity as I raced down the corridor.

My steps were loud, echoing in the hallways, but I didn’t care. I just needed to reach her.

Then I saw them—a group of men, dark figures moving with frightening precision, dragging her away. My chest tightened, and rage burned hot in my veins. I wanted to tear them apart, to grab them and beat the hell out of anyone who dared touch her. But before I could even move, they were gone, vanishing into the shadows like smoke.

Damn it. I was too late.

I clenched my fists, gritting my teeth, and quickly cast a tracking spell. My eyes followed the faint, shimmering trail they left behind, twisting through the corridors, down the stairs, and into the night. I ran as fast as I could, my legs pumping, my mind a storm of fear and anger.

By the time I reached them, I was still too late. Maria stood there, soaked from head to toe, her hair plastered to her face, her clothes dripping, and her body trembling. I didn’t need anyone to tell me what had happened. I could feel it, every instinct in me screaming that she had been hurt, that she had endured something I couldn’t stop.

But at last, I am here now. I was still in time to release her, to make sure she was safe.

I stood by her side, grabbing her hands, pulling her gently into my arms, and turning her to face me fully.

"Maria! I... Did you...?" My words stumbled out in a jumble, my throat tight.

Why was it so hard to form the simplest sentence when all I wanted was to scream that I was glad she was alive, that I was here?

Her eyes met mine, wide and searching, and instead of answering, she tilted her head, concern flashing in her expression. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Adrein... how did you get your wolf back?" she asked softly, her voice trembling just enough to send a thrill through me.

I opened my mouth to explain, to tell her everything, but then a mischievous idea took root in my mind. A selfish, possessive thought that made my pulse race. I wanted her—all of her—for myself.

I coughed slightly, bringing a hand to my chest, pretending as though I were weak, as though my strength had drained. "The healer said... your blood healed me," I murmured, my voice low, rough with emotion. "But it’s only temporary. Staying close... to my mate... is the only way I’ll recover fully, quickly."

Her brows furrowed as she processed my words. There was a long pause, her eyes flicking up to mine, then slowly, deliberately, she nodded.

"And one more thing, Maria," I said, leaning a little closer, my voice dropping even further, carrying a weight she couldn’t ignore.

Her eyes locked on mine immediately, curiosity and apprehension mingling there.

"What?" she asked, her breath catching slightly.

"To be completely healed..." I whispered, letting my words hang between us, heavy and intimate. I inched closer still, our breaths mingling, until I could feel the warmth radiating from her body. "...We have to make out!" I blurted out, the words coming out in a rush I couldn’t stop.

Her face paled instantly, and for a heartbeat, I panicked. Would she reject me? Would she push me away after everything?

I didn’t wait to find out. Acting on instinct, on the raw need that had consumed me the moment I saw her, I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her flush against me. I claimed her lips with a hunger I had been holding back far too long, possessive, demanding, desperate.

You are mine, Maria, I thought, my lips moving against hers, my heart hammering like a war drum. I swear, I am going to fight for your love. I don’t care what stands in our way. You’re mine, and I won’t let anything take you from me.

I deepened the kiss, pouring everything into it—the longing, the fear, the desire, the promise. And as I held her close, I knew, without a doubt, that I would never let go.