The crowd watched, some turning away in discomfort, others leaning in with morbid fascination.
Gasping through the pain, I forced the words out through trembling lips. “I… Ariana James… accept your rejection.”
And with that, the bond shattered completely.
The emptiness that followed was worse than the pain. It was a void so deep, so consuming, that for a moment, I thought it might swallow me whole.
Owen dusted off his robes, his smirk never fading. “Take her away. And make sure she understands—she is never to set foot in our territory again.”
The guards yanked the wagon forward, forcing me past the borders. I stumbled, barely catching myself, but I didn’t look back.
Not until I had one last thing to say.
Turning sharply, I locked eyes with Owen, my body trembling not with fear—but with fury. “You think this is the end?” My voice was low, laced with something dangerous. “You think you’ve won? You’re wrong, Owen. This is just the beginning.”
I felt my wolf’s power surge within me, wild and unchecked. “One day, you will regret this. I swear at it. You haven’t broken me—you’ve only made me stronger.”