Page 88 of My Fated Mate

With a surge of dark energy, he throws me back with a telekinetic blast.

Pain explodes in my shoulder as I slam against a nearby tree, the impact momentarily stealing my breath.

Thorne growls in anger and attacks with savage fury. Kain flanks Varis, his movements swift and precise as he maneuvers around the blasts of dark energy.

Frustration gnaws at me. I want to do more, to use my power to help them. But without the moon's light, I'm just another target, another body to be thrown into the fray.

Suddenly, an opening appears. Varis throws a fireball toward Kain, momentarily distracted. Seeing the opportunity, Thorne lunges, aiming for a bite at Varis' exposed shoulder.

A surge of relief washes over me.

Thorne will stop him!

He'll break the spell, and the moon will return!

But before Thorne's fangs can connect, Varis whips around, a cruel smile twisting his obscured face. He raises his other hand, and a wave of dark energy slams into Thorne with a sickening thud.

My world grinds to a halt. A scream tears from my throat as Thorne goes flying through the air, a broken puppet tossed aside. He crashes into a nearby tree with a sickening crack, his golden fur now stained crimson.

"Thorne!" I roar. Panic claws at my throat, threatening to suffocate me. No. Not Thorne. He can't be hurt.

Ignoring the primal scream of fear echoing within me, I surge forward. I may not have my full power, but I have my anger, my desperation, and my love for Thorne. What does Varis have? Power? Arrogance. I will make them his undoing.

As I charge towards him, fueled by a desperate need for revenge, a wave of dark energy slams into me. The impact sends me flying like a ragdoll through the air. Pain blossoms across my back, the breath momentarily knocked from my lungs.

I crash against the ground, tasting dirt and blood. Dazed, I struggle to my knees, my vision swimming. Varis looms over me, a dark silhouette against the green glow.

"A brave attempt," he scoffs, his voice dripping with disdain. "But ultimately futile."

He raises his hand, preparing to deliver the final blow. This is it. This is where it ends. I close my eyes, accepting the inevitable.

But the blow never comes. Instead, I hear a guttural roar, followed by a clash of teeth. Opening my eyes, I see Kain locked in a brutal fight with Varis.

Disoriented and driven by a surge of renewed hope, I push myself to my feet. Ignoring the throbbing pain in my back and the dizziness clouding my vision, I scan the clearing for Thorne.

And then I see him.

He lies sprawled beneath the tree, unmoving, his fur matted with blood. My heart stutters to a halt, a cold dread creeping into my limbs.

"Thorne!" I scream, the word a desperate plea ripping through the air. My plea seems to slow everything down. Time stretches, each second an agonizing eternity—until everything falls still.

Thorne doesn't move. He doesn't even breathe.

Terror explodes within me. Ignoring the burning pain in my lungs, I stumble towards him, my legs threatening to buckle beneath the weight of my grief.

Reaching him, I fall to my knees beside his still form. My hands tremble as I reach out, brushing a bloody lock of fur from his face.

"Thorne," I whisper, my voice cracking with despair. "No. Please, no."

Tears stream down my face, blurring my vision. His golden fur, usually so vibrant, now lies dull and lifeless. There's no rise and fall of his chest, no flash of sapphire in his eyes.

Despair threatens to engulf me. I can't breathe, can't think.

The world shrinks down to the cold, unmoving form beneath my touch.

He's gone. Thorne is gone.

And it's all my fault.

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