Bloodbound to the Beastly King

Pain.

It was everywhere.

Thorne's eyes snapped open as a sharp ache ripped through his abdomen. He sucked in a ragged breath, his vision blurring before slowly coming into focus.

"…He's awake." Someone yelled, the voice reached him from somewhere nearby.

Before he could move, another wave of pain shot through his body, forcing a low groan from his throat.

His mind was a mess, unable to focus on one thing. The memories crashed onto him at once. The blood red moon, the witches a chanting, the light connecting to the moon. Khaos, Adina and her eyes, her pitch black eyes. The blade sinking into him.

Thorne jerked upright, everything making sense all at once.

"Adina!" He growled. Agony exploded through his wound. He barely caught himself before falling from the bed.

"Your Majesty!" Several healers rushed toward him at once, trying to ease him back down.

"You mustn't move. The wound hasn't healed. It'll reopen." They screamed but he wasn't listening. His ears ringing with just one name.

"Adina! Where's Adina!" He asked, eyes roaming around the room, the pain hitting him at once too.

"Your majesty!"

"Where is Adina!" He growled so deep, his alpha aura exploded, it had the healers dropping to their knees.

Thorne held his head, it was pounding heavily, his eyes were heavy and achy yet he refused to stay back.

He staggered forward, his vision blurring slightly. "Adina!" He yelled again.

Strong hands caught him before he could take another step.

"Stop!" one of the healers cried. "Your Majesty, you'll kill yourself!"

Thorne shoved him away with enough force to send the man stumbling backward.

"I said—" His breathing came in harsh pants. "Where is my mate?"

The room fell deathly still and no one answered. The fear in their eyes told him everything.

His chest tightened painfully. "No…" he whispered.

A familiar voice finally broke the silence.

"Khaos took her."

Thorne turned sharply toward the doorway.

Thessara stood there, exhaustion etched across every feature. Her robes were still stained with dried blood, her silver hair loose around her shoulders as though she hadn't found the strength to tie it back.

Behind her stood Caelum, Mason, Kora and several commanders, each wearing the same defeated expression.

The moment Thorne saw them…his heart sank, for he already knew.

"Gods, no, please." He croaked out, his knees nearly giving out. How was this possible? How could he have let this happen?

Khaos has taken two of his mates. Two people he loved more than life.

Thorne's heart ached, he sobbed like a child, the sound deafening to the ears. Everyone present looked down, their own eyes filled with tears too.

Thessara was quick to disperse the healers and everyone present that wasn't her or Caelum.

Thorne's shoulders shook violently as another broken sob tore from his chest.

"I failed her…" he whispered hoarsely.

His fingers dug into his own hair until his knuckles turned white.

"I promised…" His voice cracked. "I promised no one would ever take her from me again."

The mighty Lycan King had been reduced to a broken man. Thessara watched him quietly before walking forward.

She stopped in front of him, lowering herself until they were at eye level.

"Thorne." She called but he didn't answer.

"I failed…" he repeated, shaking his head. "I watched her beg me with her eyes…"

His breathing hitched. "She was there. I saw her. She called my name." His shoulders trembled again.

"And I couldn't save her."

A tear slipped down Thessara's cheek. "I know."

"No…" He laughed bitterly through his tears. "You don't."

He covered his face. "I wasn't strong enough."

Thessara reached forward and gently pulled his hands away.

"No." Her voice was firm. "You were."

He looked at her through tear-filled eyes.

"You bought her something far more valuable than victory. You bought her time and even if you don't know it, this is good still."

Thessara continued quietly.

"Khaos wanted Adina long before yesterday. He has been waiting for the moment her blood awakened. He corrupted her source and awakened the darkness sleeping inside her."

She took a slow breath. "But he did not destroy her."

Hope flickered weakly inside Thorne. "…She's still there?"

"I know she still is but she doesn't have the luxury of time."

"How do you mean?" He asked and Thessara cleared her throat.

"She is Khaos's own child," Thessara continued quietly. "She carries as much of his blood as she does her mother's. Right now… he has corrupted her energy source. Every second she remains by his side, that corruption spreads deeper."

Thorne's jaw tightened.

"But she's still in there." Thessara's voice softened. "I know she is."

"Then we'll bring her back." Thorne answered immediately. "We'll storm his abode if we have to."

"No."

He stared at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

Thessara slowly shook her head. "You cannot rescue Adina the way you rescued Virelle."

"The darkness is no longer around her, Thorne." She placed a hand over her own chest. "It is here."

"In her soul."

"The Adina you saw hesitate… the one who whispered your name… that was her fighting. She is trapped inside her own mind, battling something no sword can kill."

Thorne swallowed hard. "What do I do then? What can I do?"

"You fight Khaos." Thessara replied "And Adina…" Thessara closed her eyes briefly.

"…must fight herself."

His expression crumpled, he shook his head. "There has to be another way."

"I have searched every ancient text in the archives. I have studied every record left by the First Sages. There is no spell that can purge this."

"No ritual. No healer. No miracle. She alone must choose which blood will rule her."

"The blood of her mother…or the blood of her father."

Thorne's hands slowly clenched into fists."She won't lose."

Thessara looked at him. "I know your faith in her is unwavering."

"It isn't faith." He looked up, fresh determination on his face.

"I know my mate. She has survived abandonment. She survived death. She survived my curse. She survived learning the truth about who she is."

"She has never stopped fighting and I refuse to believe she'll stop now."

Before Thessara could reply, the doors burst open. Caelum came rushing in, eyes filled with panic.

Thorne stood straight, judging by the look on Caelum's face. He could tell there was yet another trouble.

"Your majesty." He bowed, eyes flickering to Thessara who slowly shook her head.

"We've received reports from across the realm." He continued instead.

"Khaos has already destroyed four villages. He executed every Alpha who refused to kneel. Thousands of healthy men have disappeared."

"The survivors claim they're being taken alive…to build an army."

Thorne shut his eyes, taking a deep breath. It was time he took over his kingdom now.

He ripped off the bandages tied to his abdomen, ignoring Thessara's protests.

"We must act now. This war is no longer about my throne." His eyes hardened.

"It is about every innocent life Khaos will destroy if we do nothing…it is about bringing my mate home."

He straightened despite the pain.

"So gather every warrior who still has the courage to fight, because this time… We are not waiting for Khaos to come to us."