Chapter 0003

Adrian Blackthrone.

Blood.

I can’t breathe.

I could feel my lungs tightening.

Pain.

So consuming.

My gaze fixed on my trembling hands, which were covered in blood. Her blood.

NO!

This can’t be happening.

Everything around me stilled.

I tore my eyes from my hands and landed them on her. Swallowing the lump that formed in my throat, I gazed at her unconscious body lying on my lap. I can’t do this. My whole body began to tremble. Never in my life had I felt something like this before—this terrible pain, sharp and deep.

Ugly fear began to eat my insides at a slow pace and threatened to consume me whole. I can’t lose her. Panic gripped my heart as I looked into her eyes—her beautiful brown eyes, once bright with life but now replaced by fear and pain.

“No…” I whispered, my voice choked with tears rolling down my eyes. I shook my head in denial, refusing to accept what was happening in front of my eyes. I pushed a few strands of her blond hair off her face, pulled her body closer to mine, and held her tightly.

“Please, stay with me,” I pleaded, my voice desperate. “Please, please, don’t leave me.”

I could feel her breath grow shallower with each passing moment, her heartbeat slowing to a faint rhythm.

“I love you,” She murmured and pulled back. She held my face in her hands and gazed into my eyes.

“Thank you….Adrian…” Tears filled her eyes as she looked into my eyes with a weak smile on her lips, “for everything.” I shook my head while wiping the blood off the corner of her lips as she gazed at me. Her smile began turning into a painful cry as she pressed her forehead against mine.

“We… We almost made it.” She murmured as her tears choked her words.

“Please, please, I need you.” Tears streamed down my face as I held her close to my body, refusing to let her go. “I still need you.”

My body froze as I felt her take her last breath.

“No… NO!!” A strangled cry escaped my lips as I held her lifeless body in my arms, the reality of her death crushing me down like a tidal wave.

~

With a jolt, I woke up.

My heart slammed against my chest as I continued breathing heavily. The remnants of my nightmare clung to my consciousness like a suffocating fog. It has been years since I lost her that day, but every night, every single night, that nightmare followed me. The memory is etched into my mind like a haunting tattoo.

Losing my mate over and over again through all those years completely changed me. I was back to the person I was before her—to be honest, worse than before. The heartbreak, the pain, and the horror keep coming back. Stabbing me again and again every single night.

I’m just a living corpse with no heart inside. A killing machine whose only existence is to rule. I have lived for centuries and ruled the werewolf kingdom ruthlessly. I was the only Lycan among us who couldn’t be killed. The moon goddess’s favorite creation, certainly.

I pushed my fingers through my hair and controlled my breathing; my eyes roamed around the unfamiliar surroundings. I was lying on the couch, and it looked like an attic. I quickly tried to stand up, but my muscles protested. Looking around, I cursed under my breath in frustration.

How did I end up here? I thought.

Suddenly, everything that happened rushed through my mind. I remembered the attack on the cliff, and anger surged through my system. A low growl escaped through my lips.

We should fucking kill that bastard!

My beast, Morus, growled.

We will rip him limb by limb. I promised.

I struggled to get up from the couch, every moment sending spikes of agony shooting through me. But something caught my attention. My ears perked at the sounds, and my legs moved on their own, following the feminine voice coming from downstairs. I climbed down the stairs quietly; my senses were on alert as my eyes moved around the room.

I caught sight of long, luxurious, firey locks. My legs were glued to the floor as I watched the woman in the hallway. Her back was facing me, and she was unaware of my presence. Her beautiful locks bounced at her every action, catching the moonlight with every moment.

Morus was quiet and curious. He kept pushing at me to go to her. Her angelic voice reached me as she argued with the man, whom I remember asking me questions about myself earlier. What’s happening? What are they arguing for?

My eyes zeroed in on her, and everything else disappeared at the moment. She suddenly exclaimed in happiness and placed a kiss on his cheek. My wolf growled at the scene, and I noticed my claws rushing out. I was confused at the reaction my wolf had at the sight of her kissing other men, but before I could question him about it, I noticed her turning towards the door.

I shut my door and stepped back, behind the door. When everyone left, hugging her and saying bye to her, I saw her walking inside the room, towards the table near the window.

My legs moved on their own, and I was curious.

Who is she? Last time, when I woke up, I saw three guys and a girl, but she wasn’t there. I still remember a presence behind the guy who asked my name, but I couldn’t point it out since I was still weak and was losing blood.

As I stood behind her, I watched her slender fingers mix some kind of yellow paste in a bowl. I inhaled her scent, and my body stilled. The enchanting, sweet smell filled my nostrils. My entire body started tingling with her intoxicating smell.

So good! Morus murmured, inhaling deeply.

I noticed her stopping whatever she was doing, and her body froze as she sensed my presence behind her. Her hand darted out with lightning speed, the glint of metal flashing in the air as she aimed for me. I caught her wrist in a firm grip, stopping the knife mere inches from my neck. Her striking blue eyes widened in surprise as our gazes locked.

She’s utterly stunning.

A vision of beauty.

“You’re awake,” A warm smile spread across her lips as she gazed at me. Her voice was soft, like a melody floating on the breeze.

I tried to hold my breath in an attempt not to smell that sweet jasmine smell coming from her skin and hair.

She’s divine.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” I said, my tone harder than I intended. I could feel the weight of her gaze upon me, her blue eyes boring into mine. For a moment, there was silence between us, the tension thickening like a fog around us. I cursed myself inwardly for my rude response, knowing that I had come off as arrogant and dismissive.

Fuck.

I released her hand, and we quickly stepped back from each other.

“Your wounds are not healed completely; you should take rest.” She added, and her eyes were roaming over my face.

“Where am I?” I asked while looking around.

“In my bedroom.” She replied. "I, along with my friends, have found you lying unconscious under the cliff and brought you here.”

I turned to her and said, “Thank you.”

A small smile appeared on her lips. Her blue eyes were shining with warmth. My eyes dropped to her lips, lush and inviting. She turned around and held the bowl in her hands as she faced me again.

“You don’t need to thank me,” she said softly. “Just focus on getting better.”

My heart clenched inside my chest for some reason as I realized the extent of her kindness. I don’t deserve it. Not hers, not anyone's. I’m a monster. A cruel and emotionless beast.

“I’d been applying the moonflower portion to your wounds after I found you.” She stepped forward, pulling me from my thoughts.

“This portion has been helping with the healing process, but it may take a few days for you to completely heal.” She gestured for me to lie down on her bed, and I obeyed. She placed the bowl on the bedside table and turned to me.

“You’ve been unconscious... You had stab wounds all over your back that didn’t heal the way they normally should... I had to stop the bleeding using bandages.” She said this while her eyes moved to the shirt I was wearing, and she hesitantly unbuttoned it. I noticed her cheeks turning red as she felt my gaze. As she began to apply the portion to my wounds, her touch sent tingles of electricity coursing through my veins.

The corner of my lips pulled upward as I noticed the tip of her nose turning crimson. Her soothing touch filled me with a sense of comfort and warmth I hadn’t felt in decades. I knew I didn’t deserve it; my mind was screaming at me to push her away.

Looking at the enchanting beauty in front of me, a strange feeling washed over me. My vision blurred, my breathing stuck in my throat, and for a moment, I felt as though I was pulled back in time. Painful memories of my love, my mate, and heartbreak intertwined in my mind like delicate threads.

All of a sudden, before me stood Enya, my first mate, my love, who was taken from me. Her image overlapped with that of the breathtaking red-haired woman in front of me. I watched their features blend seamlessly together, blurring the lines between the past and present.

“Enya."