“Stay still,” Anthony said, carefully inserting the needle into my p. “This will take a few minutes…”


    They weren’t lying; even with the anesthetic, it was still quite ufortable. I hissed through my teeth and looked around the room for something to upy myself with; my eyes caught that picture of Maria again, and without thinking, I asked Tony, ” Did you ever have to do this with Maria?”


    Both doctors‘ faces paled, although Anthony continued working.


    Tony’s throat bobbed. “Once<b>,</b>” he said quietly. His hand, which had been wrapped around mine tofort me, tightened a little. “She was <b>a </b>trooper.”


    I studied the girl’s portrait, wondering what sort of illness she had endured. Perhaps she hadid on this same table, in this same position, undergoing the same difort. For those reasons, I felt an unexpected connection to the girl I’d never met.


    I wanted to ask more, but I decided not to. Whenever I brought up Maria<b>, </b>it seemed that they didn’t want to talk about her. They must have been quite close, and it was painful for them<b>, </b>so I decided to let them focus on their work.


    It was around the time that Anthony said they’d reached the bone that it happened.


    I couldn’t exin it. It was almost as if the anesthetic had suddenly worn off, leaving mepletely prone to the natural pain of the procedure. The agony suddenly shot through me like I had been shot in the hip, and before I could even speak to let them know that the anesthetic stopped working, my vision began to ebb


    Before I knew it, the world went dark.


    When I opened my eyes, I was no longer in theb, but somewhere else entirely. Somewhere that was bing all too familiar at this point.


    The sea of souls.


    I knew<b>, </b>somehow, that I wasn’t dead–just visiting. Maybe it was because of the faint warmth that I felt pulsing in my chest where the crystal resided, or maybe it was because I wasn’t standing on the precipice of the cliff, but rather back a ways.


    Still, why I was here was unknown to me. The sea stretched out endlessly beneath a rolling sky of dark clouds and lightning. I instinctively wrapped my arms around myself, although it technically wasn’t cold here, and looked around. I was alone. Margaret was long gone by now.


    Then, I heard it: a faint voice on the wind. A female voice, barely audible and yet rising above the rest.


    I couldn’t make out what she was saying, though.


    “Hello?” I called out. <b>“</b>Is anyone there?”


    There was no answer; the female voice just kept speaking in the same tone as if she hadn’t even heard me.


    “Strange,” I muttered. “I wonder who…”


    I didn’t get a chance to finish that thought before reality came rushing back. I blinked, and suddenly, I wasn’t standing on the <b>cliff</b><b>, </b>but ratherying on the exam table again. My feet had been raised in stirrups to get them above my heart and Tony was fanning my flushed face with <b>a </b>concerned expression. <ul><li>P </li></ul>


    “Oh, good. You’re awake,” Tony said, looking relieved. “You gave is quite the scare. And that crystal in your chest…”


    <b>“</b>It glowed,” Anthony murmured.


    Alexander’s POV


    “Alpha? Are you alright?”


    Jane’s voice faded to a dull hum in the back of my mind as I sat rigly at the conference table. I had been in the midst of a final


    Chops 47<i>) </i>


    <b>+25 </b>Bonus


    interview, and was about to tell her that I had chosen her for the position of my new advisor when it happened.


    Somehow, just a minute ago, <b>I </b>swore I had heard E’s <b>voice </b>in my mind–as if she had sent me a mindlink.


    <b>“</b>Hello?” it had said. “Is anyone there?”


    I tried to respond, but by then, it was gone.


    If there was any chance that our mate bond had been restored, then it had been but for a moment. Now, I felt nothing in my


    <b>chest </b><b>except </b>the echo of a voice that was miles away.


    ??


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    Cede


    <strong>Cede</strong> is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a ir for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cede’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.