AURORA
The room was in semi darkness and the candle above the desk danced and jumped, showing great long shadows against the walls.
Dane lay in bed, white and shining with sweat. A frame that once had been strong and powerful now showed so fragile; an agonising reminder that this poison was steadily draining his life force.
I sat beside him, holding onto his hand as he struggled to stay awake.
âYou shouldnât be here,â Dane croaked, sounding weak but resolute.
âWhere else would I be?â I snapped, my voice cracked.
âYou must keep a clear mind, Aurora,â he said, his hand clenching around mine with such weakness. âDonât let her manipulate you. I. I can take this.â
I shook my head, brushed away a tear before it could fall.
âTake? Dane, youâre barely hanging on. And she knows it. Sheâs using your condition against me, backing me into a corner.â
Chapter 299
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His lips thinned, and a flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. âThis is my fault. I was reckless, and now youâre paying for it. I wish I would just diâ¦â
âStop,â I whispered, leaning closer. âYouâre not dying on me. I wonât allow it.â
Daneâs breath caught, and he turned his face away. His silence. was deafening, and I knew he blamed himself for the situation. we were in.
It was almost nightfall, I went back to Kaida, Trajan, Evelyn with a few warriors by my side.
Before me stood Kaida, I couldnât see Orion around. I donât like this, I hated to stand before Kaida, I just canât stand her.
I took a deep breath and stepped closer, steeled my resolve against her smug expression.
âBack so soon?â she asked, lounging lazily in her chair. âI didnât expect you to crumble this quickly.â
âIâm not crumbling,â I said sharply, stepping forward. âIâm here with a counterâoffer.â
Her eyebrows arched, and she beckoned me to go on. Amusement danced in her eyes.
âWe shared control of the disputed territory,â I began, my voice
straight. âYour pack gets access to resources, and we form a permanent alliance. No more bloodshed.â