73-Ben


    A sudden chill crawls across my skin, making me shiver involuntarily. The storm must have finally broken around us, leaving a sharp, cold breeze in its wake. Why does my head pound so relentlessly? I lift a hand to rub the sleep from my eyes, only to feel something soft-fur. Confused, my eyes snap open, and I inhale deeply. The familiar blend ofvender and lemon fills my nostrils, a scent that has been my sanctuary amid all this chaos for months. But why is ra in her wolf form?


    Attempting to sit up, I immediately regret the movement as pain res sharply down my right shoulder. "What the hell happened?" I croak, my voice dry and rough. ra''s wolf rises to peer at me, then settles back down, fixated with steady eyes. "Are you not going to answer me because I made us bait and it worked?" I send the thought to her mind, half-hearted sarcasmcing my words. Her wolf tilts her head, as if weighing a response. I try again. "I don''t remember much from the fight. How did we end up here?" I nce around, but the burning in my shoulder intensifies with movement, and I groan in frustration.


    That reaction draws ra and her wolf closer. They circle behind me, the wolf sniffing cautiously at my injured shoulder. Then, gently, her wolf licks the wound- and a jolt of electricity surges through my body. Suddenly, memories crash back like a tidal wave: the fight, the two rogue wolves, our heated argument over whether to kill them, gaining the upper hand, and then the unnatural turn of the wolf I was defending against as it sank its fangs into my shoulder. My right arm seized instantly, rendered useless by the bite.


    "What was in their fangs?" I ask, staring into the green eyes that remain the only human part of ra''s form. "What did it do to me?" Panic creeps into my voice, betraying the fear I try so hard to mask. There''s a reason she hasn''t shifted back yet. Is she afraid of me? Did something else happen? Could I be infected? I sense my wolf inside, but he''s unresponsive-weak, maybe from trying to heal me.


    "ra! What happened?!" I demand, my voice echoing in the cramped, rocky cave. I try to stand, but dizziness makes me stumble. Grasping the cave wall for support, I realize my body feels fuzzy, numb-I can''t quite tell which.


    "I''m so sorry, Ben," she says softly. "I know you didn''t want this. You said as much right before we were attacked. I didn''t know what else to do. You were dying, and no one was answering me..."


    "What are you talking about?” I snap aloud, frustration bubbling up because she''s hiding something. "Will you shift? Your wolf probably needs a break if she kept us both warm all night, or day, or whatever time it is now."


    "We''ve been here about a day. The snow''s gotten worse. You need a healer-the bite was bad. But I''m not sure it''s safe to move you yet."


    "What do you mean ''was bad''?” I press again, irritation growing. “It''ll be easier to talk if you shift."


    "I don''t think that''s a good idea, not yet."


    I pace, leaning against the cave wall to steady myself, but my impatience with this vague back-and-forth is mounting. "Exin. Now. What did you mean the bite ''was'' bad? Why won''t you shift? Those are two direct questions. I want direct answers."


    "The bite wound looks healed on the outside, but I don''t know if there''s more going on inside. You still look pale, which means your body is still fighting whatever toxin got into your bloodstream. I don''t want to shift because I''m afraid of what might happen."


    I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling like I''m pulling teeth to get any rity. She''s right—I feel awful. I''m in no mood for games. "Please, just tell me what you''re afraid of." My irritation is clear; I''m still angry after our conversation before the attack, and I want to put distance between us before this maic pull drags me closer. Even after spending the day next to her, the urge to be near her, to touch her, is nearly overwhelming.


    "My wolf tried to heal you by cleaning the wound,” she admits quietly. "It wasn''t enough. You were in so much pain and barely responding barely breathing. I had no choice. I couldn''t let you die. Not after..."


    "ra, spit it out." I drop my hands to my sides, drained. I slump onto the cold cave floor, rubbing my temples to ease the headache behind my eyes.


    "I''m so sorry, Ben. I know you don''t want me. You want her. You''ll always love her. But to save you, I had to mark you..."


    She trails off, and I freeze. Did I just hear that right? Mark me? Why would she mark me? She doesn''t want me. She never wanted a mate. She''s only tolerated me because my Alpha—and her father-made me join this pack. Slowly, I raise my head, nails scraping against my cheeks as I try to convince myself I''m not dreaming. "Can you say that again, please?" I whisper, staring deep into her wolf''s eyes. "I''m so sorry..."


    "Not the apology. You saved my life—I''m not asking you to apologize for that. Thest part. Say that again, please." My voice barely holds steady.


    "I had to mark you. I''m sorry. I know you don''t want this..."


    Before her wolf can react, I move swiftly, gripping her wolf''s face in my hands. "Shift... now." Imand, infusing my Beta aura into the order so she knows this isn''t up for negotiation.


    "No! Once I shift, the bond will take over and..."


    “And nothing! It will take over, and I want it to. You marked me... now let me finish the bonding."