Chapter 14: The Dream of Loss (Scott’s POV)
The taste of tea lingered faintly on my tongue, bitter and earthy. A heaviness crept over me, starting at the back of my head and pulling me under before I could rise from my chair. My vision blurred as the world tilted sideways, and the last thing I remembered was the sound of my heartbeat, loud and insistent, like the ticking of a clock running out of time.
When I opened my eyes, I wasn‘ t in my training ground anymore.
The air was cool, the faint scent of pine and earth drifting around me. I was standing in the middle of the forest, the moon high above, casting silver light on everything. At first, I thought I had gone on a patrol without realizing it, but then I saw
her.
Ariana.
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Chapter 14: The Dream of Loss (Scott’s POV)
She stood a few feet away, bathed in moonlight, her eyes glowing softly with an emotion I couldn’t quite place. She didn’t say a word, but her gaze pinned me in place, as if she was searching for something in me–something I wasn’t sure I still had.
“Ariana,” I breathed, stepping toward
her.
She didn’t move, and for a moment, I thought she was waiting for me. My heart leaped in my chest as I reached out, desperate to touch her, to feel her warmth and remind myself that she wasn’t gone.
But just as my fingers brushed the edge of her hair, she faded, slipping into the shadows like mist dissipating under the
sun.
“No!” I shouted, spinning around. “Ariana, don‘ t leave!”
The forest seemed to close in around me, the silence oppressive. Then, she appeared
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Chapter 14: The Dream of Loss (Scott’s POV)
again, farther away this time, holding something in her arms. My breath caught as I realized it was a child–a boy with dark hair and eyes that mirrored her own.
“Ariana,” I called, my voice breaking. “Who… is he?”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she cradled the child closer, her expression one of quiet sorrow. The sight of them together sent a sharp pain through my chest.
Was this the life she could have had? The life she deserved–one free of me and the chaos I brought into her world?
I took another step forward, my hands. trembling. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure she could hear me.
“For everything. I–I never meant to hurt you.”
She looked at me then, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came. Her image flickered like a dying flame, and panic surged through me.
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Chapter 14: The Dream of Loss (Scott’s POV)
“No,” I rasped, reaching for her again. “Don’t go. Please.”
But no matter how fast I ran or how loudly
I called, I couldn‘ t reach her. The connection between us was slipping away, a thread unraveling before my eyes.
I tried to summon my wolf, hoping its strength would help me close the distance, but it didn’t respond. No matter how hard I called, there was only silence.
That’s when it hit me.
This wasn’t real.
The forest. Ariana. Even the child. None of it was real.
The realization made my knees buckle, and I collapsed to the ground, my hands. clawing at the dirt.
The dream began to dissolve around me, the forest fading into darkness. My wolf finally stirred, a low growl echoing in the back of my mind, filled with rage and
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Chapter 14: The Dream of Loss (Scott’s POV)
anguish.
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The moment my eyes snapped open, a fire ignited in my chest. It wasn‘ t the dull ache of regret or the quiet sorrow that had plagued me since Ariana left. This was pure, unbridled fury.
My wolf surged forward, taking over before I could stop it. My bones cracked and reformed, my body shifting with a speed and violence that left me breathless.
When the transformation was complete, I didn’t recognize myself. My vision was tinged red, my senses overwhelmed by the scent of fear and confusion as the pack. scrambled to contain me.
“Scott!” someone shouted, their voice. distant and panicked. “You need to calm down!”
But I couldn‘ t.
I let out a guttural snarl, lashing out at the nearest figure. They barely dodged in time, their eyes wide with terror.
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Chapter 14: The Dream of Loss (Scott’s POV)
“Stand down!” another voice
commanded, but it was useless. My wolf was in control now, driven by an instinct I couldn’t suppress.
It wasn’t until the pack council intervened, their combined power forcing me back into my human form, that I finally regained a shred of clarity.
“What the hell happene to me?” I demanded, my voice hoarse.
One of the elders stepped forward, his expression grave. “You severed your mate bond,” he said simply. “The rage you‘ re feeling is a result of that severance. Your wolf is reacting to the loss of its other half.”
My stomach dropped. “What?”
Another elder nodded. “The bond
between mates is sacred. Severing it is unnatural, especially for someone of your bloodline.”
My wolf stirred again, eager for retribution,
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Chapter 14: The Dream of Loss (Scott’s POV)
but I forced it down. I couldn’t lose
control–not now.
Winona had crossed a line, and I would
deal with her. But first, I had to fix what she had broken.
I had to find Ariana.
I didn’t know how or where to start, but one thing was certain: I wouldn’t give up.
Ariana was out there somewhere, and I wasn’t going to stop until she was back where she belonged–with me.
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