CHAPTER 4

Ava's POV:

I turned around and saw a big brown wolf, snarling at me. He was huge, with big red eyes and saliva dripping from his sharp yellow canning. He was growling, and ready to pounce on me.

As I frantically retreated, the rogue's menacing silhouette closed in, each step echoing my escalating heartbeat. Desperation fueled my sprint, but his deliberate advance betrayed a calculated predator. Suddenly, with the precision of a shadowy hunter, he lunged, his razor-sharp claws sinking into my flesh. Agony erupted, my scream harmonizing with the macabre symphony of the night.

Blood painted a gruesome tableau as it dripped from the savage wound, staining the ground beneath. Instinctively, my trembling hand clamped over the gash, a feeble attempt to stanch the crimson river. The pain reverberated through my body, a cruel reminder of the peril that now clung to me like a vengeful specter.

The wolf again aimed for a bite, but I evaded him. I kicked him in the face, and he snarled back, I sprinted towards the woods. I was running as fast as my legs could take me. I tried to shift into my wolf, but the pain was too much to bear. I tried mind-linking Cora and Fleur but I couldn’t.

The ominous snarls reverberated through the enchanted woods, accompanied by the thunderous cadence of colossal paws pounding the mystical earth. My heart quickened its rhythm, a desperate melody seeking harmony with the ethereal cacophony. With every stride, the forest's secrets whispered, urging me to hasten my escape.

Yet, as I delved deeper into the ancient thicket, the shadows themselves seemed to conspire against me. Suddenly, an enchanted root coiled around my ankle, casting a spell of imbalance. I stumbled, my world shifting in a chaotic ballet of magic and misfortune. The once graceful dance of evasion became a tumble, a collision with the enchanted realm's unseen obstacles.

As I sprawled over the enchanted forest floor, my ethereal gown transformed into thorns, each stitch a living tendril seeking revenge. The fabric clung to me like a malevolent spirit, while the ground, imbued with its brand of sorcery, kissed my knees with a painful graze. In the twilight of fantasy and reality, I lay tangled, a mere intruder in the mystical ballet of the enchanted woods.

All of a sudden, everything fell silent, I felt a harsh breath on my neck. I didn’t dare to look back. Snarling and hissing were the only sounds to be heard.

I reluctantly looked over my shoulder, and there was the ugly wolf, ready to attack. I took stagnant steps back, not to anger the monster more. Is this my end? I tried to link them once again, but due to fear, I couldn’t. Just as the wolf was about to pounce on me, he was thrown back mercilessly, he collided with a tree with a loud thud.

A black wolf was standing in front of me. He was gigantic, with glowing red eyes. He was growling at the rogue. Not only that, but he looked back at me and his eyes fell on my wound, he growled loudly and charged towards the rogue.

By now the wolf was standing, growling at the black wolf. Both the wolves were encircled each other, looking for any deformity. The black wolf had a powerful aura like someone of high rank. The brown wolf pounced on the black wolf, but he was quick to dodge him. The black wolf kicked him, sending him flying across trees. The rogue again rose, but the black wolf was quick to attack, he bit the rogue in his neck, cutting his veins, and blood started gushing out of his neck like a fountain, but the black wolf didn’t let go. There was madness in his eyes, and that shook me to the core, but there was a certain satisfaction and belief in my heart that he wouldn’t hurt me. The wolf's eyes bulged out, he was shaking, and after a few moments, his body fell to the ground. He was dead, but his eyes were wide open looking straight at me.

I felt light-headed, and just as I was about to kiss the ground, two strong arms were wrapped around me, bringing me to his warm chest. His scent filled my senses, heaven, that’s what I felt that time, tingles shot through my body. I looked up at the mesmerizing eyes of the person who was responsible for my sleepless nights, my mate, but his eyes were a shade dark, glowing. I trembled in his stronghold, his warm breath hitting my temple as I stood frozen, not knowing what to expect from his wolf. Will he reject me the same way? Tears brimmed my eyes at the thought. Why can't they love me?

His hands tightened around my waist. I gazed into his glowing eyes, absolutely mesmerized by their wild beauty. His hands went up to my face, and cupped it gently in his calloused hands, eyes running over the length of my face as he came impossibly closer to me.

“Beautiful,” he spoke softly into the silence, his voice deeper than usual.

“Al-Alpha Xavier? I stuttered out, not knowing what to do. This wasn’t what I expected.

"Zion, not Xavier,” he said, his stance still not completely broken. He was looking at me as if mesmerized by every single detail. Like I’m his most precious possession. I shuffled under his intense gaze.

“Zion loves mate, mate is beautiful,” his eyes glowing. He was still hugging me close to his body. His eyes went towards my wound, and it darkened.

“Mate is hurt? Mats is in pain,” he panicked, seeing my wound. He took my arm and licked it.

“I’m fin…, Just as I was saying, I was fine, I heard a tearing sound. He tore his shirt and tied it around my wound.

My heart swelled, seeing my mate care for me. I've always seen him caring for Jessica, but today, with his caring nature towards me, I couldn’t control my tears. They were flowing freely from my eyes. A sob racked through my body, this caught my mate’s attention, who was glaring at the wound as if threatening it to heal quickly.

His hands cradled my face, worry etched in every line on his brow, tears threatening to escape his eyes. Overwhelmed, I surrendered to a tight embrace, seeking solace on his shoulder. In that tear-soaked moment, his gentle back rub felt like an unspoken language, decoding my silent sobs. Each tear carried the weight of my longing for his love and the ache of feeling irreparable. In the embrace, I wept not just for my pain but for the fragments of my heart scattered, yearning for restoration.

Don’t know for how long we sat there, me crying and him holding me and consoling me. I hugged him more tightly when I felt my fingers wet, I looked down to see blood on my fingers. I backed away a little and took his arm to see a large gash on his arm and chest.

“You’re hurt,” I said through my tears while holding his hand.

“Zion isn’t hurt. Zion is big bad alpha,” he said proudly while pulling his chest out.

A burst of laughter escaped me as I beheld my endearing mate, a moment I vowed to etch into my memory. Aware that the future's tapestry is uncertain, I chose to playfully tease him, savoring the present with an intensity that echoed my realization of life's fleeting nature. In the echoes of my laughter, there was a profound decision to extract every drop of joy from these moments, recognizing their fragility and vowing to enshrine them in the treasury of everlasting memories.

“You’re adorable,” I said while pulling his cheeks.

“Huh, Zion's not adorable, Zion is mate’s big bad alpha, Zion protects mate” " he pouted while crossing his arms over his chest. I pretended to be sad. Seeing this, he pulled me closer, as if we were not close enough.

“Mate is sad? Zion is adorable,” He said quickly, to cheer me up. I laughed and hugged him, he hugged back. His heartbeat is my favorite music, that brings me Serenity and peace. He's my heaven.

Suddenly, I remembered his wound, I pulled back, and Zion looked at me confused. I looked for something to tie his wound, but there wasn’t any. Then I remembered this special herb that helps in healing.

I tried to get up, keyword tried, but this big wolf wasn’t in the mood to let me go. I tried to wiggle, but he tightened his hold more. I huffed and asked him to let go.

“Zion loves mate, but mate doesn’t love Zion. Mate wants away from Zion,” his beautiful eyes turning to a dim sadness. Tears clouded his eyes and a lone tear escaped. My heart constricted, seeing this.

“Mate loves Zion more than anything. Mate loves Xavier and Zion both. I will never leave you,” I said while cupping his cheek and wiping his tears away, I kissed his temple. How can I leave this man when he has become my reason to live?

“Mate do?” He asked softly. I nodded my head in affirmation. He hugged me close to his chest nuzzled my neck, and started peppering butterfly kisses on my neck. I gasped at his sudden action, I could feel him smirking at my neck. This pervert alpha.

Electricity shoots through my body. My heartbeat went haywire. I was getting lost in this feeling. The feeling of being loved by him, the feeling of being wanted. I want time to stop, and it’ll be just the two of us, but I can’t, his wound needs to be treated. As an alpha, it’s nothing for him, but I can’t let him. I can’t let him be in the slightest pain. If he wasn’t here today to save me, I don’t know what to have happened. I don’t know how he found me, but I’m glad he did.

“I-I have to-to treat your-your wound,” I stuttered because of his sweet torture. He still didn’t make any effort to pull away. I sighed, and put my hands on his shoulder to create some space between us. Before he could react, I stood up and ran for the herbs.

I giggled when I heard a growl, but I knew he wouldn’t have let me go. I was looking for that special herb, chervil, they’re known for their properties and have been used for centuries. I found chervil, took them and cobnuts. I made an ointment by pounding them into stones.

I was making the ointment when I was roughly turned around. Someone hugged me tightly while placing his head on my neck. By the sparks I knew, it was the adorable alpha. I smiled and when I was about to tease him, he looked in my eyes and my heart broke, seeing tears falling freely from his eyes.

“Mate leaves Zion, Zion loves mate,” he took my hand and placed it on his heart while placing his head on my chest, “Zion's heart beats only for mate,” he said with so much love and sincerity that I almost cried. I hugged him back tightly.

I tried to pull back, but he only whined. I glared and he let me go. Guess, this bad boy has a weakness. I took the ointment and applied it to his arm, when I moved to his chest, I froze. I haven’t seen a male naked and now this, I was hesitant but when I looked up, this pervert was smirking.

“Can you please take the shirt off? I asked shyly.

“Zion is hurt. Zion can’t do this. Mate do,” I was shocked, by the audacity of this ugly wolf.

I slowly unbuttoned his shirt with shaky hands. After taking off his shirt, I started applying the ointment. I was applying it with trembling hands when he suddenly bent down and took my earlobe in his mouth. Sucking it slowly, a moan escaped my mouth. This man was making me go crazy.

“It hurts, mate, apply the ointment,” he said innocently, but I knew that he was far from being innocent. I was applying the ointment while he was kissing and nipping my neck.

“Done,” I stepped back from his warm embrace. He approximately is toxic to me. My heart beats so fast and my mind can't think rationally. I had become a trembling leaf in his strong yet loving hold. He smiled, stepped forward, and bowed down a little.

“May I have this dance with mate”? He said in his cute British accent.

I giggled and placed my hand in his. He wrapped his arms around my waist while I placed my hand on his shoulder. My face was pressed against his chest, damn, for being a shortie. He nuzzled my neck and purred. He slowly started swaying our bodies.

We were dancing without music, but do we need some? NO!

Resting my head upon his chest, I found solace in the rhythmic cadence of his heartbeat—a melody that transcended the mundane. In that intimate moment, the symphony of the rushing wind and dancing trees joined forces with our connection, creating a harmonious composition that resonated with the profound beauty of our shared existence. The universe, in all its vastness, became our ethereal orchestra, playing a timeless and heartwarming melody that encapsulated the essence of our connection.

He twirled me around and hugged me from the back. He nuzzled my neck and a growled rumbled in his chest. I don't remember how long we danced, but that doesn't matter. Today's day is my most valuable possession, and I'll cherish it forever. Don't know what the future holds for us, but right at this moment, he's mine. Sporadically our delusions are more beautiful than reality. At this moment we were one. I closed my eyes and rested back on his chest, my mate, my heaven.

The universe is singing, and our hearts in a dream.

Take my hand, let's dance in the twilight glow,

Love's melody guides, as our spirits flow.

Come and take my hand,

Let's dance in this wonderland.

Moving to the music of love,

In the meadows, under stars above.

The music of love has no end,

As we dance, a symphony begins to transcend.

Passionate and full of life's sweet song,

Our hearts entwined, forever strong.

As the night turns to dawn,

In love's embrace, forever drawn.

Dancing through eternity,

Becoming one, in perfect harmony.