bChapter /bb82 /b

    ra’s POV

    My voice cracked as used toward him, desperate for this nightmare to end, but the cold truth smacked me in the face. Serena’s attack. Thorne taking the blow for me. The blood–ch, the blood, soaking through his shirt, staining him in red.

    bI /bcouldn’t breathe, I couldn’t think. My body felt like it was moving in slow motion while my heart raced. He was there, swaying, and I had to hold up. putting all my strength into stopping him from copsing. His face had turned ashen, and his grip was fading.

    Triss’s voice sliced through my has “Get him on a chair, now.”

    She pulled over a chair and helped him sit. Her hands moved quickly, but I barely registered them

    “Poison!” Triss hissed, herce pale as she looked at the dagger still embedded in Thorne “This dagger–it’s poisoned!”

    locked down at the wound, the blood darkening, bsinking /binto the white fabric like ink spreading through paper, it was turning ck, the flesh already rotting. My hands trembled, useless in the face of it.

    My mind went nk.

    I was supposed to be calm. I should’ve known what to do. But I didn’t.

    Without thinking, Freached for the dagger, but Thorne’s bhand /bshot out, grabbing mine with surprising force.

    “Don’t he murmured, his voice weak but bclear/b. “if you pull it out now, I might bleed out.”

    My breath caught in my throat. “Then what the hell do we do? Let it stay there?!”

    I could hear the desperation in my own voice, the panic that didn’t feel like mine. But it was. It was all me, raw and unfiltered.

    Thorne’s fingers tightened around my wrist, band /bI could see it in his eyes–something that didn’t belong in this moment. A soft smile tugged at his blips/b.

    “Are you worried about me? His voice was almost yful.

    My chest squeezed, but I couldn’t focus on that. “You’re joking, right?” My words came out sharp, and whirled toward the others. “Someone get a

    doctor!

    Theo snapped into action, rushing out of the tent, his face painted with urgency,

    But Roman bwasn’t /bbwaiting /bfor anyone. He spun, roaring, and grabbed Serena by the throat. “Where’s the cure, you damn bwitch/b!”

    Serena didn’t even flinchb. /bShe stared bpast /bhim, her gaze fixed on Thorne as if the world was already slipping away from her.

    “You’re Alpha Thome… the Rogue King’s biggest bfear/bb,/b” she said, her voice trembling, her lips curling into augh that was both hysterical and broken. “And you’re still willing to throw it all away for her?”

    Roman shook her, his grip tightening. “Answer mej

    But Serena bbarely /bnoticed. She whispered, almost to herself, “Rogue King…I’ve done it for youb… /bso bplease /bplease forgive me

    She bit down on something hidden in her mouth.

    The world went still. Bex’s eyes shot to her, and a look of horror spread across bhis /bbface/b. He moved faster than I could blink, grabbing her jay, forcing her mouth open.

    “Not Don’t” he cried, his voice breaking. “Spit it out, Serena. Now”.

    “What’s going on?” Roman growled, his voice thick with frustration

    Bex was shaking. “Rogues hide poison in their teeth, for situations like this. She can’t be allowed to swallow it

    With trembling hands, they forced her mouth open. Dex reached inside, pulling out half of a pill. The other half had already been swallound.

    “Damn it“Descried, his tears streaming feely as he held Serena’s limp body. “Why did you do this?”

    Triss pushed forward, directing everyone. The doctor finally rushed in, looking over Thoma’s wound, his hands shaking as he wiped the sweat of his

    brow.

    “It’s poison,” the doctor said, his voice filled with dread, “I need to operate now

    “Will he be alright?b” /bI asked, my voice shaky, my heart in my bthroat/b.

    The doctor nced bat /bme, his expression prim. “if he weren’t Alpha, he’d be gone already. His bwolf’s /bkeeping him alive for now, but we’ll have to wait and

    Flet out a breath I didn’t know I was holding

    Thorne’s voice was soft, his bhand /bweakly squeezing mine. “Told you I’d be fine.”

    I red at him, though the fear in my chest tightened even more. “Don’t get cocky.”

    The doctor was already setting up. “Let’sy him down.”

    We moved him, gently cing him on a table. Theo was pacing boutside/b, still in a panic. “Are you serious? You’re doing this here?! Can’t we find a proper

    room?

    “There’s no time, the doctor snappedb, /balready pulling open his surgical t

    “Well, at least give him something for the pain!” Theo demanded, his voice rising.

    “There’s no time for that either Thorne’s voice cut through the air, strong despite his condition. ” be fine. I just need her.”

    He pulled my hand to his, his fingers threading through mine.

    be fine bas /blong as byou’re /bhere,” he whisperedb, /band for a moment, the world outside disappeared.

    bI /bnodded, trying to ignore the pressure building in my chest.

    The doctor began. The first cut made Thorne’s body jerk, his face turning even paler. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and my heart shattered with each sharp intake of his breath.

    I should’ve been the one on that table. It should’ve been me, I knew it. If it weren’t for him, I’d already be bdead /b

    But Thorne had taken the hit for me. My mind raced, my chest heavy.

    And as his hand tightened around mine, I realized domething

    He cared for me. More than I ever bknew /b

    The pain, the fear–it all made sense. Every moment, every decision he’d made had been forme

    The doctor continued, pulling the dagger gut and cleaning the wound, But Thorne wouldn’t let anyone else handle it.

    “Gamma ra can do it,” he said softly, nodding at me,

    I hesitated, but I took the cloth from the doctor, my hands trembling.

    “Please, keep an eye mii him tonight,” the doctor said, his voice grim. “We’ve sing

    getting better, but there might be aftereffects.”

    “Whereffects basked/b, but

    doctor didn’t offer anyfort

    As the others cleared out, Triss ordered guards in tako Serena and Bex away. They’d he dealt with nece Thoma wi

    But Jory suddenly appeared at the door, hisce pale and his eyes filled with somethi

    “Gamma ra,” he called, his voice tight. “Can’t speak with you!

    I turned to him, but Thorne’s prip tightened around my waist.

    “TIL be back soon,” I promised him, squeezing his hand.

    But Thorne’s voice was icy, stronger than before “Stay”

    turned, giving him a smile, but he wouldn’t let go

    “It’s an order, ra,” he said, his voice low butmanding.

    I smiled at him softly, pulling away from his grip. “Don’t worry, I won’t be long”

    As I stepped outside, Jory wasted no time.

    “I heard about the bpoison/b,” he bsaid /bquickly. “Do you know what it does?”

    I nodded. “The rogue’s poison. It almost killed him.”

    Jory’s face tightened, and he ced a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm and urgent. “Then don’t stay by his side

    [frowned. “Why?”

    “Please, just listen to me,” he urged, his voice breaking

    “Ineed a reason.”

    Jory’s expression was torn. “The poison… it’ll make him go into heat

    Comment