At the entrance, Dex stood frozen. Not quite himself. But coming to.
He knew Serena's name and that he loved her. He knew he rescued her from the forest weeks ago. But he couldn't remember her face or her scent. Or anything else.
He didn't fully understand what the hell happened. Or why his memories felt like shattered glass being reassembled by a drunk.
But when he entered the tent, he knew immediately. That was her. Her scent pulled something deep in his chest. His wolf knew too.
Mate.
Then he saw she was being held in silver chains. And his father was trying to negotiate to get her back.
What the hell? Why wasn't Hyran doing more? Why was Gav just standing there?
He saw Viremont's blade slice into her neck. Her blood hit him like a battering ram. The scent and sight both.
He'd seen that blood before. It was gold and unforgettable.
Then it came back to him, he'd seen that blood when she was initiated as a pack member. More than that, he saw it when she was crowned.
Memories started to come back in fragments.
Flashes of her laughing with him. Flashes of a kiss on an island in middle of a lake underground. Flashes of holding her against his chest in the bath. Flashes of picking her up and carrying her.
Like a bowstring, something snapped back into place where a void had been.
He could feel her emotions through their matebond.
The terror she felt.
Viremont scared her.
Why the hell was she in this situation? Why couldn't she burn someone who held a knife up to her throat?
Was this the plan? He was having a hard time remembering.
No. He never would've approved of that plan.
Viremont raised his blade. Dex roared, lunging for her.
But when the blade came down, she vanished.
Dex continued moving towards him, murder in his eyes.
But Bastion Grimward stepped into his path, blade already swinging. The slash caught Dex across the throat.
Or it would have. His cuff vibrated. Gold light swallowed him before the blade made contact with his skin.
Grimward's blade sliced through empty air. He stumbled forward, off-balance, snarling. "What the fuck."
Fin's hands were already around Viremont's neck.
"How. Dare. You." he snarled, shaking with rage.
Viremont's hands clawed at Fin's wrists, trying to pry them loose. His face purpled. His legs kicked uselessly against the ground.
Fin squeezed harder.
Garrett: Don't kill him, Fin. We need to question him.
Fin's wolf howled for blood. Every instinct screamed to crush this man's windpipe and watch the light leave his eyes.
Hyran: Shadowclaw, we need him alive.
Fin shook with the effort of restraint. Viremont's body went slack and Fin let go and immediately tied him in the silver chains he used to restrain Serena. Not caring that his hands burned while he did it.
Fin: He's alive.
King Tiberon buried his sword in Grimward's shoulder. "On your knees," he commanded, voice like thunder. "Now."
Grimward dropped, screaming, blood pouring down his arm.
"That was my son," he said coldly. "The shoulder was mercy. The next one won't be."
Dravian Hollowcrown smiled. Actually smiled. Like this was entertaining. He drew twin daggers and lunged for Gavriel, who was closest.
Gavriel sidestepped, grabbed a chair, and smashed it across Hollowcrown's face.
Hollowcrown spat blood. Still smiling. "I'm going to enjoy skinning you."
"Weird thing to say out loud, but okay," Gavriel said.
Hollowcrown lunged again. Gavriel ducked, drove the chair leg into his kneecap, and watched him crumble.
"Ironholt," Gav called. "I need rope. Or honestly just sit on him, I don't care."
Hale crossed the space in three strides and planted himself on Hollowcrown's chest.
"Done," Hale said.
"Perfect. Don't let him up. He's into weird shit."
✦✦✦
"Shit!" Alaric and the healers were already stationed at the rune.
Serena had her hand pressed to her neck. Blood was gushing through her fingers, pulsing hot and fast with every heartbeat.
Her breaths came out as wet, gurgling sounds, each one a fight. The chains had cut deep enough to be lethal without magic intervention, even with the gold cuff.
Her Hidden Flame mark was searing hot, burning like someone had pressed a brand into her skin.
"Hang on, Serena. Keep pressure on it," Alaric instructed, his voice calm even as his hands moved with desperate speed.
He poured healing magic into her wound. She closed her eyes, tears falling down her cheeks.
It hurt, but that wasn't the only reason she was crying.
She found Viremont disturbing. His voice reminded her of being trapped, of walls closing in, of years she had tried to bury.
The silver around her neck and wrists didn't help. It felt like being back in that cell.
She had put on a brave face. She had done what a good queen would do. But to say he didn't frighten her would be a lie.
Then out of nowhere, someone else appeared on the rune circle next to her. Her eyes were shut and senses dulled, so it barely registered.
"Why isn't she healing?" he roared, voice ragged.
Serena didn't realize she was still holding her neck or that she sounded like she was drowning in her own blood.
"The silver he restrained her with," Alaric answered, still calm. "Move out of the way."
Not bothering with explanation, he scooped Serena up and carried her toward the lake. Healer's instinct.
A fuming alpha prince followed.
Alaric waded into the lake quickly, water rising to his chest, and let go of her. "Fully submerge, Serena."
She couldn't nod or speak, but she understood. She went under.
The gold water closed over her head, warm and strange and alive. Her neck slowly started to heal, tissue knitting back together in a way that should have been impossible. The silver had dulled her senses and her entire body ached from it. She was also bruised and sore from battle two nights prior, even with the healing and tonics.
Her lungs started to burn.
She wondered how long wolves could hold their breath. Or someone like her, without a wolf but still with one.
She was vaguely aware of Alaric pulling her up, and a second pair of arms grabbing her.
Then everything went dark.