Chapter 19: A Silent Prayer (Ariana’s POV)
The days in Redwood had grown heavier since Shadowstone‘ s arrival, I had managed to blend in among the wolves, keeping a low profile and avoiding any situation where Scott might sense my presence. He couldn’t feel me anymore, not since the mate bond was severed, but I couldn’t take any chances.
It wasn’t just my safety at stake anymore. -it was my child‘ s.
My wolf had been silent since that fateful day, retreating deep within me. The absence was deafening. It was as if the severed bond with Scott had taken more than just my connection to him; it had stolen a part of me. Still, I refused to let that void consume me. I had a child to protect, and no matter what, I would ensure they grew up free of the burdens of curses, legacies, and bloodline feuds.
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Chapter 19: A Silent Prayer (Ariana’s POV)
I had seen Scott from a distance several times.
He was… different. His shoulders carried a new weight, his eyes shadowed with a pain I couldn’t quite place. But his presence still commanded respect.
Even injured as he was after the last rogue skirmish, the wolves around him moved with a purpose to protect and serve their Alpha.
I had been among the crowd when they brought him back, his body slumped over his Beta’s shoulders. My heart clenched at the sight of him, bloodied and
unconscious, but I stayed rooted in place.
“Alpha Scott is in critical condition,” the Beta announced to the gathered wolves, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes.
The murmurs among the pack were laced with panic.
Winona was at his side instantly, her face a mask of worry. “Take him to the healer’s
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tent immediately,” she commanded, her voice trembling just enough to betray her fear.
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I watched from the shadows as they carried him away, my hands trembling at my sides. For all my anger, all my pain, I didn‘ t want to see him like this.
“He won’t last much longer,” one of them said grimly.
“The curse is taking hold,” another added. “If he doesn‘ t bond with a mate soon, we’ll lose him.”
Winona’s voice was sharp and insistent.
“Then let it be me. I’ve stood by his side. for years. I can heal him.”
The silence that followed made my heart ache. They were considering it.
“He has to choose,” the Beta finally said. “The bond will only work if it‘ s his decision.”
“Moon Goddess,” I whispered under my
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breath, “please, don‘ t take him yet. Let him heal.”
That night, I dreamt of her. The Moon Goddess appeared in a shimmering forest bathed in silver light, her form both ethereal and commanding.
“My child,” she said, her voice soft but echoing with power. “Why do you call upon me for the one who severed your bond?”
I hesitated, unsure how to explain the tangled mess of emotions inside me.
“Because… because he’s still part of me. Even if the bond is gone, even if he doesn‘ t know about our child, he is still the father of my child.”
The goddess‘ s eyes glimmered with something between pity and admiration.
“Your love for him runs deeper than any bond I could weave. But his fate and yours are intertwined far more than you
realize.”
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Chapter 19: A Silent Prayer (Ariana’s POV)
I frowned, confusion knotting my brow.
“What do you mean?”
“The curse that lies within your bloodlines grows stronger with each passing day. It festers within Scott, even now, weakening him. The only way to break it is through unity–through a bond stronger than the curse itself.”
A chill ran down my spine. “I tried. I tried to be there for him, but he pushed me away. He severed the bond. How can I fix what’s broken?”
The Moon Goddess stepped closer, her hand brushing against my cheek. The touch was warm, soothing.
“You carry the key,” she said, her gaze flicking downward to my stomach. “His bloodline’s legacy converge in the life growing within you. But the path ahead will not be easy. He must choose you, Ariana. Not as his mate, but as his equal.”
The dream began to dissolve, the
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goddess‘ s form fading into moonlight.
Scott’s condition was worse than I’d realized. The curse wasn’t just a lingering threat it was actively killing him. And now, the pack council wanted him to bond with someone, anyone, to save his life.
But could he even choose me if he didn’t
know I was there? If the bond between us
was severed?
I thought of the Moon Goddess‘ s words: *Your love for him runs deeper than any bond I could weave.*
Perhaps there was still hope.
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