Chapter Seventy – The Breath Between Us
Chapter Seventy – The Breath Between Us
The void was quiet. Too quiet.
Angelica’s body lay limp in Arthur’s arms, her silver fire guttering low, flickering like a dying candle. The silver threads around them dimmed, some snapping, some barely glowing. Her wolf was silent, too silent.
Arthur’s chest cracked with terror. His shadow trembled, spilling black mist around them, his amber eyes burning wet. He pressed his forehead to hers, his voice raw through the bond.
Don’t you leave me. Not like this. Not after everything.
But the bond whispered faint, fading.
Arthur I’m so tired.
“No.” His voice broke, fierce, shaking. “No, don’t you dare. You don’t get to leave me. Not after you’ve carried me through every wound, every shadow. Don’t make me walk this world without you. I can’t.”
His tears fell hot, soaking her skin, dripping into her silver light.
The void shifted. For a moment, Arthur wasn’t in the bond-space anymore he was back on the battlefield.
Stone cliffs. Wolves watching. Angelica’s body sprawled in his arms, her fur matted with blood, her silver fire faint under her skin. The packs stood silent, breathless, eyes wide with horror.
“Is she gone?” a Stonefang wolf whispered.
Arthur snarled, his voice raw. “She is not gone.”
He pressed his muzzle to her neck, his wolf trembling. Angelica, hear me. Breathe. For me. Please.
Back in the void, he clutched her tighter, silver and black threads sparking faint. His voice poured through the bond, not fierce now, but broken, human.
Do you remember the first time I touched your hand? How it felt like fire and home all at once? Do you remember the way you looked at me, like I was worth something?
Her fire flickered faintly, a thread sparking.
He pressed harder, desperate. Do you remember the nights you held me when I was too broken to stand? The way you told me I wasn’t a burden? You believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. Angelica, if you leave now, all of that burns away. And I need it. I need you.
Her silver light trembled, faint but present.
Arthur’s voice cracked, deeper now, spilling confessions he’d never dared.
I’ve been so afraid, Angelica. Afraid that I was too weak, too broken to be the Alpha you deserve. Afraid that one day you’d see me slowing you down, holding you back. Afraid that you’d wake up and realize you could be fire without me. But gods, I can’t stop loving you. It terrifies me how much I need you. And if that makes me weak, then let me be weak. Just stay.
His tears spilled, his wolf howling raw into the void.
Her silver light flickered again, stronger this time, threads sparking faintly.
Through the bond, her voice whispered faint, fragile. Arthur you’re not weak. You’ve always been my strength.
He gasped, clutching her tighter, sobbing against her. Then breathe for me. Just one more breath. Always.
Her light wavered then steadied, faint but steady. A single breath.
The void shivered, silver threads knitting faint, black mist coiling tighter.
Arthur’s sob broke, relief and love flooding him. He kissed her temple, his voice raw. That’s it. Stay with me. Always.
On the battlefield, wolves gasped.
Angelica’s chest rose faintly under Arthur’s muzzle, a shallow breath. Silver light flickered under her fur, dim but alive.
“She breathes,” someone whispered.
The packs howled, low and shaky, relief flooding through the air.
Arthur didn’t hear them. His entire world was her. He pressed closer, whispering again and again, “Always, always, always,” until the word became a heartbeat.
But inside the void, not all was healed.
The silver-black bond still trembled, threads frayed, mist thin. And deep in its weave, faint golden cracks pulsed Seraphine’s touch, burned into them.
Arthur saw it, his chest tightening. He kissed Angelica’s hand, whispering, We’ve pushed her out. But she left something behind.
Her silver eyes flickered open faintly, wet with tears, her voice weak. Then we fight it. Together. Always.
He nodded, clutching her close, their wolves pressed as one.
The bond pulsed faint, alive but scarred.
And in the shadows of its weave, something golden stirred.