25. Sam

Tears stream down my face as I sit in silence inside the car, my heart shattered into a million jagged pieces. I wouldn’t dream of letting my brother see me cry, but I can’t seem to stop the flow of emotions that pour out of me, as unstoppable as a river in flood. Gavriil slides into the Rolls-Royce Phantom SUV. He sits beside me, his face stoic and unreadable, seemingly untouched by the situation now that his rampage against Nik has ended.

The sound of Dima closing the door barely registers through the haze of my grief, and I hear the crunch of gravel under his feet as he moves around the vehicle, the driver’s door opening and closing as he settles behind the wheel.

Through the blur of my tears, I catch a glimpse of Dima’s dark green eyes in the rearview mirror, shining with worry and concern as he watches me. But I can’t bear the weight of his gaze, can’t stand the pity I see there. So I turn away, staring out the tinted window at the world beyond, a world that feels cold and empty without Nik by my side.

As the car’s engine rumbles to life, I take a small measure of comfort in the knowledge that it’s just Gavriil, Dima, and Sasha following in his black BMW. My brother’s security detail is minimal, but then again, he hardly needs more than a fierce Enforcer and the head of the clan’s Elite. The rest is just for show, a display of power and strength that’s as much about intimidation as it is about protection.

And besides, I know Gavriil wouldn’t want word to get out about my relationship with Nik. The Ursa clan would be in an uproar if they knew I was sleeping with the enemy, and my brother’s position as leader would be called into question.

When the privacy screen rolls up with a soft whir, I heave a sigh, my shoulders slumping under the weight of my exhaustion and heartbreak. As if facing a frisky dragon wasn’t enough, now I have to deal with a rabid bear, my brother’s anger and disapproval like a physical presence in the car.

I shut my eyes, childishly hoping that by closing them, I can make Gavriil disappear, just like I used to do when we were kids and we’d get into a fight.

But of course, it didn’t work then, and it doesn’t work now.

“He’s a Draken, Samara!” Gavriil mutters, his voice tight with barely contained rage. “A Draken!”

I glare at him, too exhausted and hurt to speak, to defend myself or my choices. It’s not as if my brother expects me to say anything anyway. He’s the mighty Ursa King—he will be heard.

He combs his fingers through his long chestnut hair, a gesture of frustration and agitation, before leaning towards me, his face inches from mine. “Do you understand we’re at war with this family?” he says through clenched teeth, his voice low and deadly. “Why? Why would you tarnish our name with this... unspeakable betrayal?”

“Gavriil...” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper, but he cuts me off with a sharp gesture.

“No!” he explodes, his eyes flashing with fierce fury. “I don’t want to hear any excuses! Whatever you had with that monster is officially over.”

He straightens, returning to his seat, but his words linger in the air between us, a pronouncement of doom that makes my blood run cold.

“He’s not a monster...” I mutter, my voice small and broken, but filled with a quiet defiance.

Gavriil starts, his eyes widening in disbelief. “Excuse me?”

“No more than you and I are monsters,” I add, my tone gloomy and resigned. I know better than to meet his gaze, to challenge him openly.

“Samara!” he snaps, his voice cracking like a whip, silencing me. I jump, my heart racing in my chest. “You will never see him again. Is that understood?”

He searches my face, looking for some sign of acquiescence, but I refuse to meet his eyes, knowing that it will only fuel his anger. He’s the alpha, the leader of our clan, and his word is law.

I nod in silence, fresh tears spilling down my cheeks as I blink, too tired and heartbroken to explain that there’s nothing left between Nik and me anyway. He broke up with me, pushed me away... and the pain of it is almost more than I can bear.

“Say it,” Gavriil insists, his voice cold and unyielding. He’s become so cruel since Luciana’s death, so hard and unforgiving.

“Understood,” I say through gritted teeth, a low growl rumbling in my throat. I’m so furious, so hurt and angry, that I’m growling like a bear... and suddenly, the memory of Nik calling me his Little Bear floods my mind, bringing with it a fresh wave of grief.

Oh gods... what has he done? What have we done?

I lose my composure completely, sobbing into my hands. Then I hug my arms around myself, as if I can somehow hold the broken pieces of my heart together through sheer force of will.

Gavriil nods, satisfied. “Good.”

As the SUV drives down the long entrance to the property, the evidence of last night’s chaos is everywhere. Burnt trees and carbonized stone arches line the way, boulders and rubble piled up near the road. It looks like a war zone, like something out of a post-apocalyptic nightmare.

“Look at the state of this place,” my brother sneers, his lip curling in derision as he surveys the destruction. “The Drakens truly must be ruined if they can’t even afford good landscaping.”

I remain silent, too lost in my own misery to respond.

“I bet it’s that warlock’s fault, Bram,” Gavriil continues, his voice dripping with contempt. “He’s been splurging through the family’s fortune ever since he took over their clan. Some lousy leader he turned out to be, wasting his money on booze and women.”

Still, I say nothing, my gaze fixed on the world outside the window, a world that feels as bleak and empty as my own shattered heart.

“You’re better off away from them,” Gavriil adds, his tone softening just a fraction, as if he’s trying to comfort me in his own twisted way.

I bite my lower lip, fighting back a fresh wave of tears. Because the truth is, Nik feels exactly the same way. He thinks I’m better off without him, that I’m safer and happier far away from the chaos and danger of his world.

And maybe they’re both right. Maybe I am better off alone, without the constant threat of dragons and bears and the weight of centuries of hatred and mistrust.

But as the car speeds away from the only place I’ve ever truly felt at home, from the man who holds my heart in his hands... I can’t help but feel like I’m leaving a piece of myself behind, like I’m abandoning the one thing that makes me feel whole and alive.

And I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same again, don’t know if I’ll ever find my way back to the happiness and peace I found in Nik’s arms.

But I do know one thing, with a certainty that burns bright and fierce in my chest.

I will never stop loving him.