in the old edat


    etched is


    Tied my old book about polion and MIL


    It was her voice, faint and fading, had pierced through the fog of panic just moments a drepes, mor


    A piece of her soul that left behind


    Francesco needed help. Not just any help–magh, from the old world from the one who had once been mated to th


    Fighting for his side


    I pushed open the massive oak doors of the Ebrary with both hands. They groaned in protest, revealing spilled in through tall, arched windows, luminating the dust motes that danced in the air like tiny stars


    Books, lined invery wall.


    i


    stacked to the ceiling, others scattered on ancient tal


    hed by modern time. Moonlight


    hundred year ago and never returned. Shelves, creaked


    the weight of forgotten knowledge fomes of werewolf Gege


    the moon, forbidden alchemy.


    My heart pounded


    I had no idea what I was looking for


    But something would lead me. Had to lead me…


    I walked through the aisles, fingertips brushing spines cracked with age. Nothing felt right–until reached <b>a </b>darkened


    A tapestry hung across the wall, tattered and faded. I moved it aside–and there, tucked into a shallow alcove, was a shelf built i Covered in a thin vell of cobwebs, and ayer of time.


    On book stood out. ck leather cover. No title. No markings. But the moment I touched it, a jolt ran up my arm–warm, thrumming with energy


    I pulled in free, heart racing


    Inside, delicate script flowed across yellowed pages–notes scribbled in haste, careful diagrams of roots, powders, runes. And there, on the fourth pas in, a sketch of the same silver–capped syringe that had nearly killed Francesco


    Beneath it: “Antara Venom. Dark poison of corrupted bonds.”


    I clutched the book tighter


    This was what Luca had used. And this might be the only way to <b>save </b>Francesco,


    But the antidote…


    wasn’t easy


    The ingredients were rare, dangerous even.


    Wolfsbane flower in its purest form,


    Blood root soaked in moonlight


    Phoenix ash–Good God, how was I supposed to find that?


    And one final ingredient, scrawled with a trembling hard,


    “The essence of the one who bears the


    Thand


    Is that… Me.


    I swallowed hard,


    A sound startled me soft footsteps behind.


    I turned swiftly, heart jumping into my throat, but it was beta Alfonso, his massive frame backlit by the hall’s torches


    “You shouldn’t be alone,” he said gruffly


    “Thad to find this,” I replied, holding up the book. “I think it’s Anastasia’s She… told me,”


    The beta stepped closer, frowning at the cover. “That book hasn’t been touched in decades. Only she knew it existed


    “I think… she left it for me.


    He studied me for a moment, then nodded, “if it can help <b>him</b>, you’ll have the full support of the pack


    am d he trust me without thinking I am useless and just wasting my time “We’ll need to gather the ingredients. Some of them are dangerous. And


    He nodded again “alert the scouts. The healer. Whoever we need. But <b>you</b>… His voice lowered, “You’ll stay safe. He wouldn’t forgive me if something happened to you.”


    I give him a small smile before nodded my head. “I’m not <b>staying </b>behind, Alfonso. I won’t leave him.”


    He didn’t argue because he know how stubborn I am,


    Over the next two <b>days</b>, the estate became <b>a </b>whirlwind of movement.


    The healers continued trying to stabilize Francesco, but the ck veins kept spreading slowly–dark vines snaking across his chest and neck, pulsing with sick magic.


    Mother Lira, who is the healer who know magic, quite surprise when she saw the book in my hand, she never saw anything like that or know it’s exist


    I guess<b>, </b><b>Anastasia </b>truly try to act like human when she’s here, no one know anything about her power, I thought and try to keep focus.


    Each night, I stayed by his side, reading Anastasia’s book, memorizing every step of <b>the </b>potion that could save him.


    This is new for mee, I never knew something like this exist either and scare off do something bad that could harm my mate.


    No, I know Anastasia will lead me, I keep trying to positive.


    Help me, <b>Anastasia</b>…


    The <b>wolfsbane </b>was secured first–fresh, harvested under the full moon<b>, </b><b>as </b>the book required.


    Blood root proved harder. Only one grove in Northern Italy grew it under the right conditions: A scout team left immediately <b>to </b>retrieve it.


    Phoenix ash… That was nearly impossible.


    ording to <b>Anastasia’s </b>notes, it could oply be obtained from an eternal me in the ruins of Castello del Fuoco–an abandoned stronghold once ruled by a council of <b>magical </b>creatures before it was destroyed in a power struggle.


    Only fire bonded brings could


    Audrey volunteered to lead the mission


    “I’ll get the ash,” she told me b?fore leaving. “Stay alive


    1 I’m back. Both of you!


    She winked, but her eyes were seriout..


    And then, there was the final ingredient


    Me… Or I hope I was right.


    “The essence of the one who bears the new bond,” I whispered o


    through him.


    night, sitting at Francesco’s side, our hands


    pite the pain coursing


    i think she means blood, right?” I continued softly. “My blood. But not just that. Something deeper. Amitment. A choice.”


    y God, what if I made mistake!


    My


    Please guide and help me, God


    I watch how his eyelids fluttered, but he didn’t wake.


    I brushed a kiss against his forehead.


    “I choose you, Francesco,” I whispered into the silence. “Even if fate brought us together through pain and loss. I choose to love you. I choose to fight for you. Every time”


    And then, something incredible happened.


    A golden shimmer–taint, barely visible–began to <b>glow </b>around our joined hands. It was warm. Pure. And as it pulsed softly between us, Francesco


    stirred


    Is that my power? I thought shockingly and hope that with this hand I could save my mate


    Then, his eyes opened slowly. Bleary. Pain–filled.


    The he turn his eyes to meet mine,


    I choked on a sob. “I’m here. I never left,”


    His thumb moved weakly over my hand. “The dreams… I kept seeing you. Your voice… it kept me tethered.”


    Heaned down, tears spilling onto his chest. “You’reing <b>back </b>to me. Just hold on a little longer, my love.”


    He smiled faintly. “Always beautiful even when you cry.” And then he drifted off again, his breathing slow and shallow.


    I cupped his cheek, feeling the heat of the fever still burning through him.


    This has to work.


    I will save you, Francesca.