Chapter 112 The Forbidden Bond 2
Chapter 112 The Forbidden Bond 2
"They would have let me die." He met her eyes, and something in his gaze made her breath catch. "They would have watched me bleed out and called it justice."
"Maybe they would have." Seraphina looked away, her heart pounding. "But I couldn't. I don't know why. I just... couldn't."
He was silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, he said, "I'm Gideon."
She looked back at him, startled. "What?"
"My name." His lips curved into a small, crooked smile. "Gideon. And I'm grateful to you, witch. More grateful than you can imagine."
Seraphina hesitated.
She had been taught never to give her name to a wolf. Names had power, and the enemy could use that power against you.
But something about the way he looked at her made her want to trust him.
"Seraphina," she said finally. "My name is Seraphina."
His smile widened. "Seraphina. It's a beautiful name."
She felt heat rise to her cheeks, and she looked away, embarrassed. "You should rest. You still need to regain your strength."
"Will you stay?" he asked, his voice softer now. "At least until I can stand?"
She opened her mouth to refuse, to tell him that she had to return to the coven before her mother noticed she was gone. But the words wouldn't come. Instead, she found herself nodding.
"Fine," she said. "But only until you can stand. Then I'm leaving."
He smiled again, and this time, it was different. Warmer and more intimate.
"Thank you, Seraphina," he said. "I won't forget this."
\---
Over the following weeks, they met in secret.
Seraphina would slip away from the coven, using her magic to disguise her movements, and make her way to the clearing where she had found him. Gideon would be waiting for her, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw her.
She told herself it was only to check on his recovery. That the only reason she kept returning was to make sure he was healing properly. But she knew it was a lie.
She returned because she wanted to see him. Because the hours they spent together were the only ones that made her feel truly alive.
They talked for hours, sharing stories about their lives, their hopes, their fears. Gideon spoke of his father, the Alpha of the Shadowfang pack, a cold and distant man who valued strength above all else. He spoke of his brothers, who resented him for being the heir, who would do anything to see him fall.
Seraphina listened, her heart aching for the pain he had endured. She had thought her life was hard, but Gideon's was a constant battle for survival. He was surrounded by enemies, even within his own family.
"I never wanted to be Alpha," he admitted one night, his voice quiet and distant. "I never wanted to lead. I just wanted to live."
"Then why do you stay?" she asked. "Why don't you leave?"
He laughed, the sound hollow and bitter. "Where would I go? I'm a wolf. The world is full of people who would kill me just for what I am. At least here, I have a home. Even if it's a home I never wanted."
She reached out, her hand covering his. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through her, and she saw the same shock reflected in his eyes.
"Then we stay together," she said softly. "We survive together."
He looked at her, his eyes filled with something that looked almost like hope. "You mean that?"
"I mean it."
\---
As the months passed, their friendship deepened into something more. Something neither of them dared to name.
They would meet in the clearing, their conversations growing more intimate, their touches lingering longer.
Seraphina found herself thinking about him constantly, her mind wandering to the curve of his smile, the warmth of his gaze.
She knew it was dangerous. She knew the consequences would be devastating if anyone discovered their secret. But she couldn't stop, she didn't want to stop.
One night, under the light of a full moon, they shared their first kiss. It was soft, tentative, a question more than a demand. And when they pulled apart, Seraphina saw the fear in his eyes.
"What have we done?" he whispered.
She didn't answer. She just pulled him closer, her lips finding his again.
Whatever came next, they would face it together.
\---
The truth came out on a cold winter night.
Seraphina's mother had suspected something was wrong for weeks. The coven had seen her sneaking out, had whispered about her strange behavior. And when they followed her to the clearing, they found the truth.
Gideon was there, his arm wrapped around Seraphina's waist, his face buried in her hair. The coven descended upon them with fury, their magic crackling through the air like lightning.
“You have betrayed us," her mother said, her voice cold and sharp. "You have consorted with the enemy. You have brought shame upon our coven."
Seraphina stepped forward, her hands raised in defense. "It's not what it looks like. Gideon is not our enemy. He's—"
“He's a wolf!" her mother screamed. "He is the Alpha's son, the heir to the throne that has slaughtered our people for centuries. And you have brought him into our midst."
Gideon stepped forward, his eyes blazing. "She's not to blame. If you want to punish someone, punish me."
Seraphina's mother laughed, the sound cold and cruel. "Oh, we will. But your punishment will come later. For now, you will watch as we take your precious witch back to the coven. You will watch as we tear her apart, piece by piece, until there's nothing left."
Gideon lunged forward, but the witches' magic slammed into him, throwing him back against the tree. He fell to the ground, dazed and bleeding.
"No!" Seraphina screamed, struggling against the witches who held her. "Leave him alone! He's done nothing wrong!"
“He's a wolf," her mother said, her voice cold. "That's enough."
They dragged Seraphina back to the coven, her screams echoing through the forest. Gideon was left behind, wounded and helpless, the last image of her face burned into his memory.
Days passed. Then weeks. Seraphina was monitored, while her magic bound, even her spirit was broken. She refused to speak, refused to eat, refused to do anything but stare at the walls and remember the warmth of Gideon's embrace.