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A risky choice
Last Updated:
2025-01-03 13:21:29
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Melissa’s POVEvery breath felt sharp and heavy, and the air was heavy with stress. The ancient relics were humming with an odd hum, and the trap Kael had created was blazing faintly. My sigils were burning hot against my skin as I stood in the middle, pulsing brighter than before. Even though my heart was racing, I was too scared to show it. I had everyone's trust.With a harsh voice, Kael yelled, "Stay in position!" while repositioning an artefact. "We can’t afford any mistakes."Damon's fists were clenched as he paced restlessly on the circle's edge. "We pull her out if it's failing," he snarled, gazing at Kael.Kael retorted, "If you do that, you'll ruin everything." "Are you in favour of releasing the Void?""I want Melissa to live! Damon retorted. My gut twisted as his voice reverberated around the clearing."Stop it, you two! With my voice failing, I yelled. In answer, the sigils flashed, sending a ripple of energy outward. The abrupt power surge interrupted their argument, cau
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Melissa’s POVThe air around me crackled with dark energy as the Void’s voice slithered into my mind.“See your legacy, Melissa. Witness the truth your bloodline has hidden for generations.”Before I could react, my vision blurred, and the world around me shifted. I stood in an ancient clearing surrounded by towering trees, their twisted branches clawing at the sky. Shadows flickered like living things, and in the centre of the clearing, two figures knelt before a swirling black vortex.One of them, a woman with the same fiery hair as mine, clutched a small child to her chest.“Please,” she begged, her voice trembling. “Spare my pack. I’ll give you anything.”The vortex’s voice bellowed, dark and booming. “Anything, you say? Then I will claim your bloodline. Your descendants will carry my mark and fulfil my purpose.”“No!” I cried, but my voice was drowned out by the woman’s cries as she bowed in acquiescence.The Void pushed forward, surrounding the lady and her child in tendrils of
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Melissa’s POV“Kael, we need to talk. Now!” I snapped, storming toward him.Kael looked up from the circle of sigils he had been studying, his face calm but his eyes heavy with unspoken words. “What is it, Melissa?”“What is it?” I said, my voice rising. “You knew, didn’t you? You knew something about my family and the Void. You knew this curse was tied to my bloodline, and you didn’t tell me!”He groaned, massaging the back of his neck. “Melissa, I didn’t know for sure. I had suspicions, yes, but I didn’t want to burden you with something I couldn’t prove.”“Suspicions?!” My voice shook with rage. “You let me walk into this blind! You let me believe these sigils were just marks of power when all along they were a curse, binding me to that... that thing!”Kael walked nearer, his demeanour softening. “I was trying to protect you. You’ve already been through so much, Melissa. I didn’t want to add to your pain unless I was certain.”I took a step back, folding my arms tightly over my che
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Melissa’s POVWith my arms folded tightly across my chest, I stood close to the meeting room. The air was nearly oppressively tense. I didn't want another surprise after everything that transpired last night. However, Kael had precisely that in mind for us.As he entered the hall with a woman by his side, Kael declared, "She's here to help."I had never seen a stranger like this before. Tall and slender, she had piercing green eyes that seemed to be able to see every secret we were keeping. She had short black hair, and the pack shift felt uneasy around her because of the danger she exuded.“This is Liora, everyone,” Kael added. Despite being a rogue wolf, she is knowledgeable about the Void that we are not. She is, in my opinion, the secret to beating it."A rebel? From the rear of the room, someone whispered."We cannot rely on her!” another voice called out.“She’s here to help,” Kael continued, his tone stern. “We don’t have the luxury of turning away allies right now.”Liora step
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Melissa’s POVI sat on the edge of my bed and gazed at the moonlit sky outside my window. I had a heavy heart, but I was determined. Even though the ritual was risky, it was my best chance to free myself and everyone I cared about from the Void's hold.I was startled by a gentle knock on my door. Liora was sneaking inside, her dark cloak blending with the darkness, when I turned around.I said in a low voice so no one could hear, "You came."With her sharp green eyes meeting mine, she answered, "I don't have much time." "You must realize what is at stake if we are to proceed."With a dry throat, I nodded. "Explain the ritual to me."Liora, whose voice was hardly more than a whisper, came across the room and sat across from me. “The ritual requires an artefact powerful amulet hidden deep within the Forbidden Woods. It’s the only thing that can sever the Void’s connection to you. But retrieving it won’t be easy.”“The Forbidden Woods…” I shivered at the name. Everyone in the pack knew i
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Melissa’s POVThe red eyes of the shadows glowed like embers as they raced toward us. They surrounded us, their claws tearing at the air, and their growls sent chills down my spine.“Behind you, Melissa! I whirled just in time to avoid a creature's strike as Damon's voice erupted. I tightened my hold on the shimmering amulet, feeling its warmth pulse in my hand, my heart racing.As a wolf, Kael growled and lunged toward the closest shadow. The thing dissipated into mist and reformed seconds after his claws ripped through it."They simply never stop coming! Damon yelled as he swung his blade in broad arcs to block another wave.Liora shouted, "Keep moving!" in a steady, crisp voice. They cannot ensnare us here! She moved quickly and precisely as she stabbed one of the beasts with her blade.But despite our best efforts, the shadows persisted. They went on and on."To your left, Kael!It was already too late when I screamed. He was attacked by a shadow that scoured his side with its claw
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Melissa’s POVWith the amulet glowing dimly in my hands, I sat on the edge of my bed. I was still troubled by the vision from earlier—the power, the darkness, the warped me. I kept worrying that this artefact—the very item we had put our lives in danger to recover—might prove to be my downfall.I was startled out of my reverie by a gentle knock on my door. Melissa? Damon spoke in a soft but tentative tone.I said, my voice just above a whisper, "Come in."With an anxious look on his face, he entered. You haven't said anything since we returned. What's happening?"I looked down at the amulet and hesitated. "I noticed something, Damon. I got a glimpse of the future when I touched this. A terrible future.”His brow furrowed, and he sat beside me. “What kind of vision?"I took a deep breath. “I saw myself… consumed by the Void. It was like I wasn’t me anymore. I was… something else. Something dark.”Damon reached out and placed a hand over mine, steadying me. “Melissa, it was just a visio
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Melissa’s POVThe first thing I noticed when I woke up was the silence. It wasn’t the calm, peaceful sort. No, it felt thick, and tense, like the air was holding its breath. I blinked, peering up at the wooden beams of the ceiling. My body felt strange—light and heavy all at once.Melissa?” Damon’s voice broke through my haze. I turned my head to see him seated next to me, his face pallid and tight with worry.“I’m… I’m fine,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure whether it was true. I pulled myself up, but a rush of disorientation made me falter. Damon was there in an instant, steadying me.“You collapsed during the ritual,” he added, his voice low. "Everyone was scared of you."I spoke slowly as if I were dragging my words through molasses, "I had to finish it."Damon looked at my face for a moment before answering. "You seem different in some way.""What are you saying?"Kael and Liora showed up at the doorway before he could respond. Kael seemed suspicious, his eyes narrowing as he g
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Melissa’s POVI felt the weight of the truth like a mountain.This cycle had begun with me.Everything: the suffering, the loss, the never-ending cycle of fate—I was solely to blame.My hands were shivering as I sat on the chilly stone floor.Damon had not returned.I was by myself thinking.And I heard the voice of my former self."You are unable to change who you are."No.That was not acceptable to me.I needed to figure out how to shatter this.However, how?I felt my heart thumping and gripped my chest."What should I do?" I said.A sorrowful, quiet voice answered."You have to make a decision."I pivoted.In front of me was the oracle.Time itself weighed heavily on her beautiful blue eyes, and her long silver hair flowed like water.I took a deep breath. "What do you choose?"She took a step forward."You have to rewrite the past to break the cycle," she stated.I scowled. "Rewrite?"She gave a nod."You have to take back what you did."My thoughts were racing as I blinked.Wa
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Melissa’s POVDarkness.Then—A gentle wind.Slowly, I opened my eyes.Everything around me had changed.I was no longer in the temple.I was in a magnificent hall that was higher than anything I had ever seen. Overhead, I could see golden chandeliers glimmering across the marble floors. Strange symbols were engraved on tall pillars that lined the walls.I lowered my look to myself.My outfit was heavy, with gold embroidery and luxurious silk.My fingertips were coated in jewels.I wasn't myself.I let out a gasp. "Where am I?"Behind me came a strong voice."My Queen."I whirled—and stopped.Damon was standing there.However, he was... unique.He wore a platinum clip to secure his longer hair. His eyes were colder and darker. He was dressed in an armour-lined robe of gold and black that shone in the candlelight.Unreadable, he looked at me.I got a chill from something about him.He stepped closer and said, "Melissa," with ease. "Are you ill?"I stepped back. "I..."What should I hav
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Melissa’s POVThere was silence in the air.I was having trouble breathing.Damon's golden eyes were dimly gleaming as he stood in front of me.He remained still.He merely looked.Through me, not at me.I took a measured stride forward. "Damon?"No answer.His fingers twitched as if he were struggling with something inside of him, and his body tightened.Then all of a sudden—His body gave a powerful jerk.His breath came in rough gasps as he gripped his chest.Deep within him sounded a rumbling growl.I hurried over to join him. "Damon, what is going on?"His jaw was so clinched that it appeared painful when he shook his head.“I—” He gulped and clutched my arm as if it were a lifeline. It's excessive. I have no control over it.I could feel the heat rising beneath his fingers.He got burns on his skin.Despite my wince, I didn't back down.I begged, "You have to fight it."His breath became laboured. "I don't know who I am anymore, Melissa."Fear took hold of my chest."You're Damo
Bound by faith : the rise of a rejected mate A heart brake away
Melissa’s POV"Damon!" I shook him as I yelled.He was chilly. He breathed shallowly.“Remain with me—no, no, no!” Even when I applied pressure to his wound, his blood continued to flow.He hardly moved his chest. He fluttered his lashes.The world seemed to be sliding away from me.My voice broke as I said quietly, "You must wake up." "You said you would."Damon made a feeble attempt at a smile. "I'm exhausted, Melissa."I shook my head, "No." "You are not allowed to feel fatigued. You cannot abandon me.I gave him all of my energy in an attempt to heal him.My hands sparkled with golden light. However—It wasn't functioning.The injury persisted.His complexion became paler.I was in a panic.I made another attempt, pushing harder and using all of my remaining strength.Nothing."No," I said.In the wreckage of the temple came a slow laugh.The Harbinger watched from the shadows. Unmoved.With ease, he stated, "He cannot exist in this world." "His destiny has already been decided."
Bound by faith : the rise of a rejected mate The fury of the harbinger
Melissa’s POVAll around us, darkness swirled. With their hollow eyes shining dimly and their whispers filling the air, the lost souls emerged from the emptiness.I clenched my chest, attempting to ignore the unsettling whispers. Every syllable sent shivers down my spine like ice."I lost... I forgot. Doomed.Damon gripped his blade more tightly. "Remain close, Melissa."Like a tide of hopelessness, the lost souls glided toward us rather than walking. Their spectral hands grabbed for my flesh, and as soon as they made contact, memories that weren't mine exploded in my head.The scream of a lady.A fighter going down on his knees.It was an already lost war.I gasped and staggered back.Damon took hold of my wrist. "Hey, Melissa! What's the matter?With blurred eyesight, I gripped his arm. "These souls—they're more than just spirits." I trembled when I spoke. They resembled us. Warriors from earlier cycles.Damon tightened his jaw. "Then they didn't succeed."The closest lost soul scre
Bound by faith : the rise of a rejected mate A shifted world
Melissa’s POVA chilly, stinging wind slapped my skin, and I struggled for breath. I opened my eyes and discovered that I was on firm ground. Grass. Trees. The scent of rain. We had returned."Damon?" With my heart racing, I turned to my side.He moaned and sat up next to me. "I'm here," he said. There was a spark of bewilderment in his silver eyes. "Are we... home?"I took a look around. As we left it, the city appeared in the distance. However, something seemed... strange.I said, "We should go," and got to my feet. Despite my trembling legs, I pushed forward. "We need to see if—"Damon took hold of my wrist. "I'm Melissa. There's a problem."I understood his meaning perfectly. The air had a new feel. Less heavy? More substantial? I was unable to tell.We made it swiftly to the city gates, but my breath caught when we entered.It was too quiet on the streets. The colors were brighter, and the stores appeared more recent. Nobody glanced at us as they passed us.Damon tensed up next t
Bound by faith : the rise of a rejected mate The truth of life after death
Melissa’s POVMy surroundings became hazy, fluctuating between darkness and brightness. As though the realm itself breathed around us, the air seemed heavy.And my mother was in front of me.It was so unbelievable to me. "You... Have you visited here? All this time?Both sadness and warmth were in her eyes when they met mine. "Yes, my kid. I have kept an eye on you from a distance.My throat constricted. "Why? Why didn't you return?With a sigh, she took a step forward. "Because I was unable to."Damon, standing next to me, stiff. "What do you mean?"She ignored me, lost in the infinite emptiness of this world. "Melissa, this is a prison. A place of the forgotten. There is no way out once you're inside.A shiver went down my back. "So, how have we arrived here?"She faced me once again. "Because you are unique."I scowled. "In a different way?"She lowered her voice. "You weren't supposed to go down the same route as your predecessors. You were supposed to make all the difference.I g
Bound by faith : the rise of a rejected mate The forgetting realms
Melissa’s POVI felt weightless as soon as the portal engulfed us.Everything blurred as cold air rushed past me. Even though we didn't move at all, it felt like we were falling.I firmly grasped Damon's hand. "Where are we heading?"His resolute golden eyes locked with mine. "I won't let go, wherever it may be."Light burst around us before I could reply.We were jerked forward by a sudden pull and hit soft ground with a hard thud.I sat up, gasping. Something I couldn't identify was heavy and thick in the air. Beside me, Damon moaned and rubbed his head."Are you alright?" I inquired.He nodded, pushing himself up. “Yeah. But where the hell are we?”I took a look around.The sky was a deep shade of violet, streaked with gold. Strange silver trees surrounded us, their foliage shimmering softly. A tranquil river flowed close, reflecting the glittering sky.It was beautiful. But… incorrect.Everything was too still. Too perfect.I took a swallow. “This place… it feels…”Damon’s gaze cl
Bound by faith : the rise of a rejected mate Dismantling the pattern
Melissa’s POVAs he held the sword over Damon's heart, Astrael's golden eyes shone. Thick and oppressive, the dark energy flowed all about us. My hands were shaking, and I was breathing quickly and shallowly."Make a decision, Melissa." Even though his voice was gentle, I shuddered at the malice in it. "Watch your beloved perish, or be my queen."Damon's face contorted in agony as he fought against the magic that restrained him. "Don't—" says Melissa.My eyes were burning with tears. I yelled with all my strength to save him. However, I was aware that allowing Astrael to win would result in my permanent loss of identity.I balled my fists up. No.With a louder voice than I had anticipated, I declared, "I won't let you control me."Astrael's forehead raised. "Is that correct?"As he brought the sword closer to Damon's chest, the air crackled. "Then, I hope you're ready to face the repercussions.""No!" Something snapped inside me as I screamed.Deep within my spirit, a powerful wave of
