Scarlett POV
The ritual room doors felt heavier than they should have as I pushed them open. My legs were still shaking, every step sending fresh sparks of pain through my ribs like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my chest and left the cracks wide open. The bond severance wasn’t some clean cut—it was a brutal tear, and my body was still screaming from it. Sweat cooled on the back of my neck, and my vision kept blurring at the edges.
Inside me, Lydia was a mess. My wolf curled tight in a ball of agony, her tail wrapped around herself as she thumped it weakly against the ground of my mind. Why? she whimpered, the sound raw and broken. He was our mate. This is our mate. Why did we break it? We’re supposed to stay together. It hurts… it hurts so much. Why, Scarlett?
Her claws dug deep
