Chapter 12

Chapter

Twelve

A riana stood frozen. Her breath caught in her chest as the echoes of Colt’s words settled into the marrow of her bones. The stillness between them was heavy with the weight of his admission—a vulnerability she hadn’t expected from the alpha, who commanded with such unwavering strength. It was as if the ground beneath her wobbled, no longer steady, for everything she thought she knew shifted in that heartbeat.

Her pulse pounded beneath her skin. She had always known, deep down, that this connection between them went far beyond raw attraction. It was a pull that defied logic, fated, written in the stars and sealed by the gods themselves. But hearing him speak the words aloud, like an oath, took her breath away.

He still held her as though he feared that at any minute, the universe would rip her from his grasp. The wolf in him wouldn’t let go, not even for a second. Yet, her own resolve surged just as passionately, a guardian through and through, bound by an oath of her own—a promise made long before she ever set foot on the Moonshadow pack’s land.

She searched his eyes now, blue as a stormy sea, swirling with a thousand contradictions. And she knew there was no wishing this away. We’re stronger together, not apart. The truth was undeniable. She would never turn back. She couldn’t. Her power, her instincts, every fiber of her being roared in unison—this was destiny, inevitable and wild.

Tears threatened to brim, but she blinked them away. She couldn’t afford the luxury of losing herself in emotion now. She had to stay strong, to hold the line between them and the darkness that loomed. Still, her heart ached in a way that was both fierce and tender.

She tenderly traced the edge of his strong jaw, a gesture soaked in both reassurance and tenderness. “Colt,” she whispered, her voice steady now, though her heart felt anything but. “You won’t lose me. This is bigger than both of us, but we fight together. Always together.”

His grip tightened for an instant, as though her words weren’t enough to soothe the storm inside him, and she understood that fear. Because although she was the daughter of guardians and trusted the strength woven into her very soul, she feared loss, too. She feared the way her heart had already entwined itself with his—even in such a short time—and how fragile it all seemed when faced with the looming unknowns of their path. But closing her heart to him now, when the cosmos had intricately woven their fates together, would be the true betrayal.

A shift in the air, subtle but undeniable, pulsed between them. The kind souls who walked between realms, touched by gods and bound to stars, had always known a life of destiny, of duty—but this was different. This wasn’t some preordained duty etched into her inheritance. This was a choice. Her choice to stand with him, to share his burden, and to fight for more than just the pack—it was fighting for them.

And she knew, as well as she knew the stars in the sky, that she would never let him fight alone.

She leaned in, the warmth of her breath mingling with his as her lips brushed against his ear, her voice a steady murmur despite the storm raging in both their hearts. “You are my choice, Colt. Not the fate written by gods or the prophecy that demanded my path—I choose you. With everything that I am, I choose this.” Her eyes locked with his. “So stop assuming that you alone carry this weight. It’s ours. I share it. You will never bear it alone.”

For a moment, he stared at her, his chest rising and falling as though the weight of her admission, her choice, shuddered through him. And then, a part of him seemed to crack open. He caressed her cheek, rough yet gentle, as though memorizing her face. She could see it now, the vulnerability that lurked beneath the formidable alpha, the protector whose soul had tasted too much loss, seen too much suffering. He wasn’t just scared of losing her—he was terrified of losing himself in the fallout.

“Ariana…” Her name fell from his lips like the last breath before a storm, a prayer, a plea. Unsure. Unsteady. Wrapped in everything, he dared not say aloud.

But she wasn’t afraid of that bold, undeniable truth any longer. And as her hand slid over his heart, she felt it—a heartbeat that mirrored her own, racing in tandem, pulsing in time, the force of their connection. Her parents had warned of how intense a fated match was, but it had not prepared her. As difficult as it was for her, she pulled her hand away and took a step back.

“I understand your fear of losing me. I carry that same one. Mating will only worsen that fear, so we agree to fight together, but we take this thing between us no further. For now.” The words stung, each syllable a wound she inflicted on herself as much as him. But it was the right decision, for now, however painful it might be.

He clenched his jaw. The storm in his eyes cut through with disbelief and a raw suffering that made her heart ache.

“You’re asking me to ignore this,” he ground out, his voice low but shaking with intensity. “You’re asking me to stand here, knowing you’re mine, knowing we’re destined to be one, but to wait.” His eyes glinted with the frustration of a wolf caged, torn between his instinct to claim and the iron will required to hold back.

She grabbed his hands, trembling, trying to ground them in the situation’s seriousness. “I’m not asking you to ignore it,” she said, every word a thin thread of resolve. “I’m asking us to choose the time, Colt. When the storm passes, when the danger isn’t knocking at every door. I want this—gods, I want this—but we have to be smart. We have to be strong.”

His fingers twitched under hers, and she felt his desperation, his desire to fight back, to demand more. But his thumb brushed against her wrist, and he exhaled sharply, as though surrendering to the wisdom in her words, even if every fiber of his being roared against it.

“This isn’t finished,” he whispered, looking at her as though he was staking a claim not just with his words, but with his very soul. “You’re mine, Ariana. Fate or choice, you’re mine. And when this is all over… when we come out the other side alive and victorious, I won’t hold back any longer.”

His declaration sent a shiver down her spine. She wouldn’t have expected anything less from Colt—relentless, protective, to a fault. And despite the urgency still thrumming in her veins, a part of her found solace that this battle was no longer just one of survival—it was a battle for something far more sacred. For them.

She nodded, her resolve bittersweet as she took another step back, the cold absence of his touch like a blade to her soul, yet this had been the right call—for the moment. “I wouldn’t expect you to hold back,” she whispered. Her words were more than a promise. They were an admission of the bond they would one day fully give into.

The sound of approaching footsteps broke the tension between them, and they both turned their heads as Jaxon walked toward them.

“I got a demigod here who says she needs to see both of you.” He looked at Colt. “She also says that she’s being polite by not simply popping in here. Our wards mean nothing to her.”

Colt growled.

“She must have news. I can go to her if you’d like,” Ariana offered, knowing that Hannah made him uncomfortable.

“No, she may enter.”

Colt barely uttered the words when Hannah appeared. Her blue eyes held what Ariana knew to be panic.

“I stayed after you guys left to continue looking for more information on this blade.” She swallowed and Ariana knew it wasn’t good news.

“There was a group called the Sentinels of Balance. They were a secretive group of powerful immortals dedicated to maintaining harmony in the supernatural world. The sentinels operated with a high degree of autonomy, often keeping their activities and members hidden, even from the gods. While the gods were aware of their existence, they didn’t interfere with their operations, trusting them to uphold balance. Selene was their leader, but apparently, an incident occurred that led to several under her command being slaughtered.”

Hannah looked between the two of them. “No one knows where she went after that. It was written that she took those deaths hard and had even whispered words of revenge.”

Colt’s brows dipped. “You think she is connected to all of this?” He shook his head. “Why come after my pack?”

Hannah’s gaze intensified and locked on him as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Because one of your ancestors was responsible for the massacre of her team.” She then looked at Ariana. “That isn’t the worst of it. The deeper I dug, the less even I could read, so I had to ask Liam for help.”

Ariana looked at Colt. “Liam is the son of Zarek and Qadira.” She realized having to call in the son of the king and queen of gods meant this wasn’t good at all.

“And?” she asked.

Hannah swallowed and leaned in closer. “This blade, crafted from a dying star, was created by Imseti and Anubis to destroy some ancient threat. It is so powerful, it can sever entire destinies.”

Ariana’s breath caught. “What do you mean?”

Hannah glanced between them. “If that blade isn’t stopped, it won’t just claim individual lives. It could unravel the threads of fate that bind us all. Our destinies, our connections—particularly those tied to the supernatural. This blade… it could sever more than flesh and bones. It could end fated bonds.”

Colt’s growl rumbled low in his throat, the fury, and protectiveness in his gaze renewed, darker now. Ariana clutched her stomach at the very thought of a force that could sever their connection—the bond that neither of them had chosen but had anchored them both in a way that was far stronger than any mere mortal tie—was unbearable. Unimaginable.

“But that’s impossible,” she whispered. “Fated bonds are gifts from the gods; they can’t just be destroyed.”

“That’s what I thought too,” Hannah replied. “This means our parents… fuck, everyone we know and love could be ripped apart!”

Colt’s hands trembled at his sides, fists clenching so tight his knuckles ached. Hannah’s words—borne from the lips of a demigoddess, no less. The blade could sever more than flesh and bone. It could end fated bonds.

He couldn’t fully grasp it. The thought was obscene, unnatural. Fated bonds were sacred gifts, eternal, binding souls together, so even death couldn’t touch it. He rubbed his chest as though he could massage away the dread gnawing at his heart. But there was no escaping the truth. Selene had the blade, and if she wielded it, she wouldn’t just destroy him and his pack. She could unravel the very fabric of the world they knew—the delicate web that held the supernatural in place.

And she could destroy everything between him and Ariana.

That thought struck the hardest. More than the fate of his pack, or even the amassed power of the gods that had brought them all crashing down this path. That something—someone—could sever the bond between him and his mate stabbed deeper into his core than any cursed weapon ever could.

Hannah’s voice faded into the background as his wolf rose—an overpowering force, insistent, primitive. His soul was chained to hers, and more than anything now, his wolf demanded action. Demanded they protect that bond at all costs.

Mating. Now.

His instincts told him that mating—claiming Ariana fully was the only way to secure what he could still control. They might not be able to fight destiny, might not outrun this ancient cosmic threat, but he could damn well do something now to protect what was his.

Ariana stood nearby, still listening, but that slight furrow in her brow revealed her thoughts were elsewhere. She stared at Hannah, fear etched into her features, her mind no doubt racing toward all the worst-case scenarios that could unravel before them. He knew she was strong—knew it deep within his bones—and yet he couldn’t shake the blistering thought of losing her.

He had to act now. Had to secure their bond before anything else ripped them apart.

He stepped forward without thinking, interrupting Hannah’s continued explanation. His fingers wrapped around Ariana’s wrist, firm but not forceful, needing her attention. He needed her in a way that was almost painful now.

“Ariana,” he rasped, his voice shaking but steady with determination. She snapped her attention to him, eyes widening slightly at his intensity. His heart rattled against its ribcage, skin thrumming under the weight of his wolf’s rising need. The urgency of that ancient beast inside him clawed at his every thought.

“We need to do this,” he said, his words rough and rushed. His fingers tightened around her wrist, emphasizing his silent plea for her to understand what he hadn’t been able to voice properly until now.

Her brow furrowed. “Do what?”

“Mating.” The word came out harsher than he intended, not because he was angry, but because every ounce of his soul screamed that this was the only option left. “If I lose you—if that blade severs what’s between us—if it cuts our bond…” His voice trailed off, choked by the emotion lodged in his throat.

Hannah looked between the two. “You are fated?”

“Yes.” He never even looked at the demigoddess. He was too afraid if he took his eyes off Ariana, he might lose her forever.

“If we mate… maybe it’ll strengthen our bond, keep it from severing.” He swallowed hard and dared to voice what he felt in his very soul. “I refuse to let anyone or anything take you from me. If mating is the only way to protect that, then I need you to agree.”

She stood there, her beautiful face contorted by raw emotions—uncertainty, fear, and an aching understanding—wiping away the surge of desire that had been between them moments ago. Now their bond was at stake, encompassing more than just their bodies and hearts; it involved their entire essence, intertwined by a force greater than themselves.

“I don’t know if mating will be enough,” she whispered, her voice soft yet filled with fierce resolve.

He cupped her cheek, as if trying to memorize the very feel of her warmth under his fingertips. “I don’t care if ‘enough’ is even possible. We’ll take every measure, Ariana. Every single measure until we’ve done everything we can. I won’t stand here and do nothing while that blade could… could…” His voice faltered again, unable to finish the thought aloud. Severing their bond was a fate worse than death.

“He has a valid point. You have nothing to lose by bonding now,” Hannah said. “It is possible it may take more to break a couple bonded than one who is not yet.”

A guttural growl tore from Colt’s throat as Hannah’s words hit him like a hammer to the chest. He struggled to breathe for the panic rising inside him, tightening his lungs, seizing his heart. His wolf snapped and howled within him, urging him to claim her, make her his now before the universe ripped her from his grasp.

It made sense, damn it. If fated bonds could be severed by that blade—this cursed cosmic weapon built to shatter destinies—then mating wasn’t just some impulsive solution. It was their best defense, maybe their only one. The wolf in him knew nothing of possibilities or doubts; it only knew the instinct to protect. And the man—the alpha—was just as desperate. But as he looked into Ariana’s eyes, saw the whirlwind of emotions swirling in them, he knew she wasn’t as certain. Her hands were trembling, just slight enough that only he would notice. He had seen her wield unimaginable power, face down unnatural forces with steel in her spine. But this? This was different. This was personal—their bond, their hearts, their souls.

“Ariana,” he said again, softer this time, but no less urgent. His thumb brushed along her cheek as if to comfort her, ground her. Yet his own heart was racing like wildfire, fear twisting his insides, igniting every nerve.

“I’m asking you to trust me,” he continued, his voice gravelly and raw. “I’m asking you to believe that this…” He gestured between them, his fingers tightening ever so slightly, “…this is worth fighting for. If there’s even a chance that mating will protect what we have, what we could have, then how can we not?”

Her eyes clouded with doubt as she looked away, and his breath hitched. He waited for her to meet his gaze again. When she didn’t, he felt a sharp pang of fear. Was she afraid? Did she hold back because of what mating meant? Was it a deeper issue—did she still have doubts about this bond, about him?

“I know you’re scared,” he murmured. Hell, this discovery between them was new. They’d spent the first days denying its existence and only moments ago allowed themselves to admit it was real. Now, everything was on the line.

She glanced up, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of fear and resolve. “I’m not scared of us, Colt,” she whispered, her voice like a fragile thread holding back her emotions. “It’s everything else… the weight of it all.” She turned her hand, her fingers gently wrapping around the hand he’d placed on her cheek. Her touch was tender—as if grounding herself in the enormity of the decision before her, of what it meant to fully tie herself to him, to what this bond would demand.

The energy between them crackled like a tether stretched at the brink, threatening to snap under the weight of everything unspoken. The blade, Selene… it all faded in this moment between heartbeats, where the only thing that grounded Colt to the present was Ariana’s hand resting atop his.

“You belong to me, Ariana.” His voice was low, almost guttural now, the primal possessiveness of his wolf breaking through his tightly held control. His breath mingled with hers, and for a moment, the world seemed to still. Whatever happened beyond this—beyond their bond—didn’t matter right now. What mattered was keeping her safe, keeping them safe from whatever cosmic force wanted to pull them apart. He just prayed he could keep her safe.

Ariana didn’t flinch, didn’t retreat from the ferocity in his words. Instead, she stepped closer, their foreheads touching as her warm breath ghosted over his lips. The faintest quiver of vulnerability flickered in her expression, but it was overshadowed by a stronger, fiercer emotion—commitment.

“I know,” she whispered.

Those words stirred a force within him, stronger than his wolf’s primal instincts. It was an awakening, a shift that vibrated through his bones, his blood. His fingers softened on her cheek even as every muscle in his body screamed for action.

“There’s no turning back once we do this.” He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. His heart was pounding with the weight of what he was about to ask—what he needed to do. “You become part of me, and I become part of you. Mating… it’s forever.”

Hannah cleared her throat. “Look, whatever you two decide, do it quickly. Meantime, I will keep digging. I left Liam at the library to see if he could learn anything else while I came here.”

“What about Vilkas?” Ariana asked. “His life depends on our actions.”

Colt wanted to feel guilt, and he did, but this was bigger than all of them.

“I can talk to your father. With Colt’s permission, Marcus can come see to your patient. Besides, they need to know what’s going on.”

At that moment, Colt finally pulled his gaze from Ariana to look at the demigoddess. “Do it.”