Asher
I stare at Selena for a few fleeting moments, even before she says it, I know what she’s implying. The Blood Bond ritual. The thought sends a chill through me, but I hope not; I pray that she has another solution. Anything but this.
My wolf, Kaidos, stirs restlessly in my mind. “You know this is the only way,” he growls, but I shove him aside.
I step closer to Selena. “What is it? Tell me, Selena. What do I need to do?”
Selena doesn’t answer right away. She studies me with a piercing gaze as if she’s weighing the options. Finally, she speaks.
“You need to perform the Blood Bond ritual, It’s the only way to flush the poison from her system and heal her,” she says firmly.
I freeze, my breath hitching as what she says hits me. The Blood Bond ritual is no small matter.
It’s ancient, sacred, and irreversible. Once performed, Ally and I would be bound for life. Her pain would become my pain. Her strength would fuel mine. There would be no turning back.
“You’re asking me to bind her to me forever?” I ask, with a low voice as if speaking too loudly might make it all too real.
“Yes,” Selena replies. “This isn’t just about saving her, Asher. The poison in her veins isn’t ordinary. It’s designed to kill a wolf, and she doesn’t even have hers yet. Without a wolf’s healing abilities, she’s helpless. If she survives this, there will be more threats. More enemies. She needs your strength, and you need hers.”
I take a step back, the implications of the ritual are immense. Not only would Ally become my bonded mate in every sense, but she would also inherit part of my power, my strength, my heightened senses, and even my vulnerabilities.
Kaidos snarls in frustration. ‘Why are you hesitating? She’s our mate, Asher. This is what the Moon Goddess destined for us. Protect her.’
I rejected Ally once and pushed her away to protect the pack and maintain order. Now I’m being asked to bring her to me in the most intimate way possible.
Selena’s voice cuts through my turmoil. “You don’t have much time, Alpha. The poison is spreading. If you wait any longer, it won’t matter what choice you make. She’ll be gone.” The finality in Selena’s voice shakes me, making me clench my fists.
I, Asher Knight, Alpha of the Redwood Pack, do not bow to problems. I face them head-on, crush them, and move forward. Yet here I am, at a crossroads where life and death hang in the balance-not just hers, but my own in a way that matters more than I can admit.
The thought of binding myself to Ally churns in my mind. My thoughts drift to Maya, her loyalty, and the years we’ve spent together. How will she feel when she learns of this? Binding my soul to Ally.
She has always had her doubts about Zoe, her accusing words echo in my mind: ‘She looks at you like she wishes she could be more than just someone passing through your life.’
‘Asher. And you-you’re no better. You look at her like she’s a piece of you that you lost and can’t live without.’
I had dismissed her rants, brushing them off as insecurities. But now, I question it all. Is it true? Have I been looking at Ally like she’s the missing part of me?
I glance at Selena, she is calm but expectant. She knows what I’m about to decide, and she says nothing to sway me further.
How can I explain to her that there is a dark truth that keeps me from fully claiming my mate? We’ve all heard the stories-Alphas who lose everything after bonding with their destined mates. Power was stripped away. Territory lost. Packs destroyed. I can’t let that happen to me, to Redwood.
But is Ally dying? That would destroy me too.
I clench my fists, power has always been my goal-gaining territory, expanding the pack, ensuring we’re untouchable. Yet, what use is power if I lose one person?
Kaidos snarls, restless in my mind. ‘Stop hesitating! You know what must be done. Do it now, Asher. Forget the moon, forget tradition. Do it.’
My wolf’s rage fuels me, and I don’t need the moon for this. I’m not waiting. If this is the only way to save her, then I’ll do it now.
I stride into the pack hospital, I can feel Selena trailing behind me, but I don’t bother to glance back. This isn’t the time for distractions. My focus is on Ally.
As I approach the ward, I catch sight of Liam standing at the hallway’s edge, his eyes filled with concern. He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off with a sharp mind.
“Go check on the warriors.”
“Yes, Alpha,” he replies instantly, though I can sense his reluctance. His loyalty is unquestionable, but right now, I don’t have time to deal with his curiosity.
I push the door open, stepping into Ally’s room. Her petite frame lies motionless, hooked up to machines beeping in rhythm. An oxygen mask covers her pale face, and I can still perceive the faint scent of her blood.
I step closer, my fingers grazing hers as I take her hand in mine. The contact is electric, faint sparks igniting along my skin. It’s weak, but there. Even in her fragile state, it stirs something deep inside me, something I’ve been fighting to ignore.
She’s my mate. But I didn’t want her. Or at least that’s the lie I’ve been telling myself.
I stare at her face, her closed eyes hiding the fiery determination I know so well. ‘Why the hell did you come to me, Ally?’
My mind races back to the battle, to the moment I saw her pushing through the chaos just to warn me about something she never got the chance to say.
Stupid, reckless woman. She had no wolf to protect her, no enhanced strength to fight back. And yet, she came anyway.
My grip on her hand tightens as Kaidos growls in my mind. ‘She’s more than you realize, she’s everything, Asher. Stop fighting it.’
I shake my head, forcing his voice to the back of my mind. I can’t afford to think like that. The bond might make my heart race and my wolf crave her presence, but it’s dangerous. This bond could cost me everything-my power, my pack, my sanity.
But the thought of letting her go… letting her die…
It’s unthinkable.
“This life is fucking absurd,” I mutter under my breath, my gaze locked on her face. “You’re my mate, Ally, but you’ve turned everything upside down.”
Without hesitation, I bring my wrist to my mouth, with my claws shooting out. I bite down hard, piercing my skin, and warm blood begins to gush out. The metallic scent fills the room, and I barely register Selena moving beside me.
She gently lifts Ally’s frail body, cradling her head like a fragile doll. She coaxes Ally’s mouth open. I don’t know how she manages, but somehow, she ensures my blood flows steadily into Ally’s mouth, drop by drop.
Selena keeps a steady hand on Ally’s jaw, making sure she swallows. I stand there, watching.
Selena finally lays Ally back down, steadying her on the bed, my eyes remain locked on her lifeless form.
I expect something-anything-to happen. A spark of life, a shudder, a gasp. But there’s nothing.
“Are you sure this is the right thing to do?” I ask, with impatience and frustration.
My claws retract, but the tension in my body doesn’t ease. I was expecting the ritual to work immediately, for her to stir as soon as my blood entered her system.
Selena didn’t answer right away, her focus still on Ally. She presses her fingers against Ally’s pulse.
I scoff under my breath, turning toward the door. ‘I have other pack matters to deal with. I can’t stand here waiting for something that might not even work.’
Just as my hand touches the doorknob, Selena’s panicked voice cuts through the room.