[Kieran's POV]
"Elara!" I tore through the door, my breath burning in my lungs. The scent of blood hit me at first, followed by the sounds—growls, shouts, stone cracking—and in the middle of it all, her.
Elara half-shifted, eyes glowing.
Bodies covered in their own blood surrounded, as I noticed some wounds and the blood that trickled from her—the one that stirred my wolf in rage.
But she was still standing, still fighting.
Her wolf had broken free from the seal—the same one those elders had said wasn't possible, but this wasn't the time to think.
I caught sight of a blade aimed for Elara's back. I moved without a second thought, blocking it with mine as it grazed my shoulder. I didn't care.
"Elara, are you okay?" I asked, but the moment I touched her, the bond snapped taut. "She's mine," I whispered.
We moved, fighting side by side, holding each other's back as we carved our way out of the circle of robed attackers.
