Chapter 171
Deckard
I try to control the hot surge moving through me, but I can’t.
It’s too strong. It’s more than rage or power. It’s force, Raw, untamed.
This is Dragon Fire. I feel it deep in my bones, in the cracks of my soul. It burns with a fury I’ve never imagined, let alone wielded.
And I unleash it.
But at the very last moment, I fight it forcing the blast to swerve away from where Amica stood. I don’t know if it worked. All I know is that the fire was released
A scream shreds through the air. “No!”
I fall hard onto the scorched floor, flames dying down around me. Smoke clouds my lungs. My chest rising and falling like I’ve run a thousand battles back to back. But I don’t have time to breathe, or to fall apart.
Amica.
Where is she?
I stumble out of the circle, vision still blurred with smoke and ash. “Amica!” I cal panic tightening in my throat.
Then I hear another voice–loud, furious.
“Look what you’ve done!” Freya storms toward me, eyes wild,
“Why did you swerve the fire? You’ve destroyed my things!” She yells to the wreckage-
“What the hell is wrong with you?!”
I ignore her, still seeking for Amic And when I finally spot her–curled up, covered in ash but breathing–1 drop to my knees beside her, my hands shaking as I reach out.
“Amica,” I whisper, voice cracking. “Please…”
My heart seizes.
Just seeing Amica like that–still, quiet, surrounded by the aftermath of my fire–makes my entire world freeze.
“Amica, my love?” I whisper. I rush forward, gently lifting her warm, limp body from the ground.
Her skin is smudged with ash, her breathing shallow, but she’s still warm.
I cradle her tightly, carrying her out of the thick smoke, desperate to get her to clean air, to safety.
“Amica.. wake up! Please–wake up, now!” I plead, my voice trembling as I shake her gently.
Then–thank the gods–she coughs. A soft, raspy sound, but it’s everything to me. Relief floods my chest,
I lower us both to the ground, brushing the hair from her face. “Are you okay? What do you need? Talk to me,” I say quickly, my eyes scanning her for wounds.
“Deckard…” she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper.
Then she opens her eyes.
“Did it work?” she asks.
She’s asking if it worked? Not even a second of concern for herself. Just… me.
Before I can answer, Freya appears, hurrying toward us, her expression tight with frustration.
“Of course it worked!” she snaps. “Didn’t you see how the fire burned half the side of my building?!”
Then I turn on Freya
1 rise slowly to my feet. gently setting, Amica down “You.” I growl, walking toward her. “What the hell were you trying to achieve?”
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Chapter 171
She takes a step back, then another, until her back hits the wall.
“You knew I would lose control. You knew I might hurt her–you wanted me to hurt her. You wanted me to kill her, didn’t you?”
Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t speak.
“I don’t know why you’re saying that, Alpha,” she stutters, voice shaky. “There was a protective shield around the door. That’s why I wanted you to concentrate your energy there…”
“Amica was also standing there!” I snap, stepping toward her again. “Why the hell didn’t you warn us that this would be so dangerous? You knew exactly what you were doing–and you’re going to pay for it.”
I glare down at her, my fury radiating off me like heat from the fire I just released. I don’t know what I’m going to do with her–but I know she’s not getting away with this.
Before I can say another word, a familiar voice breaks through
“Deck…” Amica coughs weakly, drawing my attention. “It’s alright… all that matters is that it worked… Don’t worry. I’m not hurt, only a bit startled.”
She pushes herself upright slowly, her voice soft but steady. “Please, Deckard… come to me.”
In a heartbeat, I’m at her side..I kneel beside her, taking her hand in mine, heart still pounding from everything that’s just happened.
The door–once sealed shut–is now wide open before us, the magical barrier gone.
The best time to leave.
We owe Freya nothing now–not after this. Not after she nearly killed Amica.
Not after she gambled with our lives.
“You’ve destroyed some of my precious things, Deckard!” Freya yells, her voice sharp with rage. “Now you owe me more than you did before!”
“I don’t owe you shit!” I snap, my voice cold and final. “My Luna and I are taking our leave now, and I’d advise you not to try and stop us.”
Her face twists with fury. “You cannot leave this place without paying your debt. The consequences will be dire!” she roars,
I lift Amica gently in my arms, shielding her from the smoke. I move toward the exit, ignoring Freya’s tantrum behind me.
But just as I step out of the house, I see someone rushing toward us–Leonard, wide–eyed and breathless.
“Alpha!” he calls, sprinting over to me with disbelief in his eyes. He pulls me into a quick embrace. “You’re healed! Oh, thank the Goddess!”
He looks around, confused “What happened here? Where’s Freya?”
Before I can speak, Freya storms forward, standing between us with wild eyes and shaky breath.
“Your Alpha is trying to leave without giving me my payment!” she snaps, pointing a trembling finger at me. “You’d better advise him otherwise, Leonard. No one owes Freya and walks away!”
She’s breathing hard, her voice strained and trembling. Her mascara has smeared beneath her eyes, like she’s been crying–whether from rage, fear, or desperation, I can’t tell.
“That’s not possibie,” Leonard says firmly “Deckard would never owe anyone.”
“If he doesn’t pay me,” Freya growls, “I’ll bring this whole place down and make sure we all die in it!”
Leonard turns to me, confused and growing concerned. “What do we owe her, Alpha
“She’s being ridiculous,” I say through clenched teeth. “Don’t listen to her. We’re leaving this place now. I’ll send my men with her payment in full. I don’t owe anyone either.”
But Freya is shaking her head
“He owes me a bond!” she screams. “You can’t repay that with material things!”
Leonard’s confusion deepens. “That’s not possible. The Alpha is already bonded to his Luna. So why would he owe you a bond?”
Freya’s mouth twists bitterly. “Well, he agreed—when he was weak, when I was nursing him back—he promised that I could ask for my payment when he was healed. And this is what I deinand!”
She steps forward, her voice dark, commanding. “Tell him to unbond his Luna.. and mark me instead.
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7:14 AM S
Chapter 171
“That is not possible. Deckard would never owe anyone!” Leonard says, standing his ground.
“Well, he owes me! And if he doesn’t pay, I will bring down this entire place and make sure we all die in it!” Freya threatens, her voice cracking
“What exactly do we owe her?” Leonard asks, turning to me.
“She’s being ridiculous. Don’t listen to her. We’re leaving this place now,” I say sharply. “I’ll send my men to deliver her payment in full. I do not owe anyone anything.”
“He owes me a bond!” Freya screams. “That’s not something you can repay with gold or soldiers or promises!”
Leonard shakes his head, clearly confused. “That’s not possible. The Alpha is already bonded to his Luna, so why would he owe you a bond?”
Freya steps forward, her expression twisted with spite. “He agreed–when I told him I would ask for my payment once he was healed, and he said yes. That was a promise. Now I’ll tell you how to fulfill it.”
She glares at me, her voice sharp and final.
“Tell him to unbond his Luna… and mark me.”
“Please, do not be ridiculous,” Leonard says, stepping forward. “Lady Freya, you never told us you would ask for something impossible!“/
He draws closer to her, eyes firm but pleading. “You should’ve asked me instead of a dying man. You know I would have done anything to see my Alpha live again!”
He places a hand on his chest. “Let it not be him. I would like to take the place of my Alpha and be bound to you instead. Please, accept me!”
Silence falls over the room like a heavy cloud. Freya stares at him–stunned, almost amused.
Then she scoffs, a twisted grin curling on her lips as she sizes him up from head to toe.
“Why would I want you?” she spits. “You are nobody.”
