Ava twisted the dagger deep into his flesh, her power surging through the wound like a living thing. It slithered beneath his skin, coiling tighter, sinking into his very bones. The heat of it seared through him, an inferno consuming his veins, as tendrils of dark energy branched outward, poisoning him more from within. The acrid stench of scorched flesh thickened the air, sharp and suffocating, burning Ava's nostrils. His body convulsed against hers, trembling violently with unbearable pain, his ragged breaths breaking into hoarse, choking gasps.
Then a sound broke through the haze of violence — a groan, low and guttural, filled with anguish.
Ava's head snapped up, her predatory instincts sharpening. Her gaze scanned the battlefield, desperate and alert, until her eyes locked onto him — the Alpha.
