Chapter 81
Chapter 81
I threw my head back, chest heaving as I gulped the air, desperate to catch even the faintest hint of my Mate’s scent on the swirling wind. Suddenly, it hit me—his sweet, intoxicating aroma, so faint yet unmistakable, curled around my senses and ignited a wildfire of longing deep inside me. My heart pounded, and my body trembled with anticipation, every nerve ending alive with lust. Panic surged through me as I raced forward, feet pounding the earth and heart hammering in my chest. The scent grew stronger with each frantic stride—I was close, so close. All around, the air vibrated with growls, snarls, and the brutal clash of swords on muscle, but I tuned it all out. Nothing else existed except the pull of that irresistible fragrance, guiding me like a beacon through chaos. It felt as if I was sprinting through a long, pitch-black tunnel, the world narrowing to a single, urgent purpose: reach Mateo.
Time lost all shape as I tore through the forest, every muscle screaming, every heartbeat echoing Mateo’s agony. His pain thundered through our bond—raw, relentless, impossible to ignore. Suddenly, the woods erupted with guttural roars and savage snarls, a brutal symphony that raised the hair along my spine. I crashed into a wall of branches and stumbled onto the edge of a clearing, painted in blood and chaos—Mateo’s battleground. My lips peeled back in a feral snarl as I searched for his enemy. And there he stood. Of course—it was my brother! Suddenly, a lone wolf burst into the chaos, freezing at the edge of the blood-soaked clearing. She stood transfixed, eyes wide with shock. I narrowed my gaze, trying to place her, and then the earthy scent hit me—it was one of Elena’s friends. What was she doing here, risking everything? Did she really think she could stand against the Vaewolfe?
I turned my gaze back to the frenzied fight, my breath catching as I studied Mateo and my brother locked in a brutal struggle. The pain that had racked my body finally faded, but I knew I couldn’t just charge in blindly—I needed a plan. That’s when I saw it: Mateo’s fur slicked with gleaming blood, muscles coiling and rippling as he fought with savage determination. He bared his razor-sharp fangs, snapping at Keiran, who was desperately trying to fend off the onslaught. Even from here, I could see the tide turning; Keiran’s movements grew sluggish, frantic. This was my moment—the perfect chance to end it all.
With a thunderous crash, three more wolves hurled themselves into the fray, snarling as they closed ranks beside Mateo. Keiran was hopelessly outnumbered now—the end was inevitable, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away, hungry for a front-row seat to his demise. Suddenly, a desperate howl pierced the chaos. My gaze snapped back to the edge of the clearing, where the lone wolf still lingered, eyes wild with fear and purpose. Was she calling for help? Foolish girl—no reinforcements could arrive in time. Before I could react, she shifted, fur receding and bones cracking as she transformed into her fragile human form. Brooke. Did she have a death wish? The sharp tang of fresh blood hit me as she dragged a jagged rock across her chest, crimson spilling down her skin—an offering meant to distract the vampire in Mateo. As if that would work. She was a wolf; her blood would never tempt him. Or would it?
"Arrgghh!" Brooke gasped, her eyes blazing with defiance even as blood gushed in a crimson river down her chest, splattering onto the forest floor.
Mateo went rigid, every muscle tensed as his head swung toward Brooke. He inhaled, nostrils flaring, the scent of fresh blood electrifying the air between them. Slowly, he stalked forward, the dim light etching every sinew and shadow across his powerful frame. He moved with the measured grace of a predator, gaze locked on Brooke as if nothing else existed. My stomach twisted as realisation set in. It didn’t matter that she was a wolf—Mateo’s vampiric side craved blood, and Brooke had just offered herself as prey.
"Stay back!" Brooke’s voice shook, fear leaking through her bravado as she pressed a trembling hand to her bleeding chest.
Mateo halted, head tilted, eyes narrowed as he weighed whether Brooke was a threat or a meal. The air vibrated with tension, every second stretching thin. I was rooted to the spot, unable to move—caught in the electric charge of fear and awe.
Keiran groaned from the ground, struggling to rise. “Brooke! No! Shift back, now! Damn it—you can’t, can you? You’re too hurt! What are you doing?!”
Just as I braced myself to leap into the fight, a searing jolt of pain shot through my body, slamming me to the ground. My limbs went numb, every muscle locked in place—I couldn’t move, couldn’t even cry out. Panic surged. Mateo needed me. Something invisible was pinning me down, holding me apart from him. Then, a violet mist clouded my vision, swirling until the faint, ethereal image of the Moon Goddess shimmered before me—only to vanish as quickly as she appeared. Was this her doing? Was the Goddess herself keeping me from my Mate? Confusion and fear warred inside me. Why was I being stopped now, when he needed me most?