Chapter 28
Kora’s POV
Night fell fast in the forest, swallowing what little warmth the day had given us. We made camp beneath a cluster of ancient pines, their branches heavy with mist. The pack was exhausted, every movement sluggish, but Edward wouldn’t let anyone light a fire. Too risky. Too easy for Aaron to find us.
So we sat in the dark, the air damp and cold, our breaths rising in faint clouds. I pulled my cloak tighter around me, my hand instinctively resting over my stomach. The baby shifted faintly, as though sensing my unease.
“You’re awake too?” Mara’s voice came softly from my left. She was curled against a tree, her knees drawn to her chest. In the shadows, her face looked older, worn down by too many battles.
“Couldn’t sleep,” I admitted.
“Me neither.” She exhaled slowly. “Every time I close my eyes, I see Aaron’s face. The way he looked at you last night...” Her voice trailed off, and she shook her head. “It was like you were the only person in the room.”
A shiver ran through me, not from the cold. “I know.” Mara studied me quietly. “Are you afraid of him?”
I thought about it. About the way Aaron’s voice had slid under my skin, dragging up old memories I wished I’d buried. About how my heart had raced, not with love or bond, but with fury.
“Yes,” I said finally. “But not the way I used to be. I’m not afraid of what he’ll do to me anymore. I’m afraid of what he’ll do to the people around me. To Edward. To all of you.”
Mara reached out, her hand brushing mine briefly. “You’re stronger than you think, Kora.”
Before I could answer, a low whistle cut through the night. Edward’s signal. Instantly the pack snapped to alert, weapons in hand.
Edward appeared out of the darkness, his eyes scanning us, sharp and alert. “Scouts,” he said curtly. “Three of them, less than half a mile out. Probably rogues again, but they’re circling.”
My pulse spiked. “Aaron?”
“Could be,” Edward replied. “Could be bait. Either way, we move now.”
Within minutes the camp was broken. No fire, no trace left behind but footprints quickly swept away. We moved in silence, shadows among shadows. The moon hung low and silver, its light fractured through the branches.
The forest thickened as we pressed west, roots twisting underfoot. My legs ached, but I kept going, one hand steady on the small pack slung over my shoulder. Luka limped along ahead of me, jaw clenched against the pain in his side. He refused to let anyone help him. Stubborn fool.
It was nearly dawn when we stumbled upon the ruins.
At first, I thought it was just rocks — jagged shapes breaking through the earth. But as we drew closer, I saw the outlines of walls, collapsed but still holding their form. Old stone, covered in moss. A forgotten watchtower maybe, or part of a settlement long abandoned.
Edward halted, raising a hand. “We rest here,” he said. “One hour. No more.”
The pack moved gratefully toward the shelter of the stones. I lingered at the edge, my eyes tracing the ruins. Something about them felt... wrong. Too quiet, too empty.
“You see it too,” Edward murmured, coming up beside me. I nodded. “It feels like it’s waiting for something.”
He glanced at me, his expression unreadable. “Stay close.”
We settled inside what might once have been a hall, the roof long since collapsed. The stones radiated cold, damp with years of rain. Mara dozed against a wall, her hand still clutching her dagger. Luka finally let himself sit, his head tilted back, eyes closed.
I tried to rest, but my body wouldn’t obey. My mind kept circling back to Aaron — his smirk, his voice, the way he had leaned so close as if daring me to break.
I must have dozed off eventually, because the next thing I knew, Edward was shaking me gently. “Time’s up,” he said. His voice was low, urgent.
I blinked, disoriented. The ruins were darker now, shadows stretching longer than they should have in the pale morning light. The air was thick, almost suffocating.
And then I heard it. A whisper.
Soft at first, like wind through leaves, but growing louder. It wasn’t just in my ears — it was inside my head.
Kora...
I froze. My heart slammed against my ribs. I knew that voice.
Aaron.
I whipped my head toward Edward, panic clawing at my throat. “Do you hear that?”
He frowned. “Hear what?”
The whisper came again, smoother this time, curling around my mind like smoke. Kora... you can’t hide from me. I’ll always find you.
“No,” I whispered, pressing my hands to my ears. “Get out of my head!” Edward gripped my shoulders, shaking me once. “Kora! Look at me.”
I forced my eyes open. His face swam into focus, sharp and steady. “He’s in my head,” I gasped. “I can hear him—he’s speaking to me.”
Edward’s eyes darkened. “He’s using the bond. Whatever thread still lingers between you... He’s pulling it.”
My stomach lurched. “I thought it was gone.”
“It should be,” Edward growled. “But he’s forcing it open.”
The whispers grew louder, pressing against the edges of my mind. I could feel Aaron’s presence, oily and suffocating. He was close. Too close.
You can run west, east, it doesn’t matter. I’ll come for you. You were mine once, Kora. You’ll be mine again.
“No!” I shouted, the sound tearing from my throat.
The pack stirred, eyes snapping open, weapons raised. Luka struggled to his feet, confusion written across his face. “What’s happening?”
Edward didn’t take his eyes off me. “Aaron’s trying to reach her. Stay alert.”
I trembled, fighting to push Aaron’s voice out of my head. But the harder I fought, the stronger it became. My vision blurred, the ruins around me dissolving into shadows. I could almost see him — Aaron’s face, his smile, his hand reaching out.
And then Edward’s voice cut through it all, hard and commanding. “Listen to me, Kora. You’re not his. Not anymore. Look at me!”
I did. My gaze locked on Edward’s, and something inside me steadied. The whispers faltered, wavering like smoke in a gust of wind.
“You’re mine,” Edward said fiercely. “Not because of a bond. Not because of fate. Because you chose me. Do you hear me? You. Chose. Me.”
The last words slammed through me like a hammer. The bond — that poisoned thread Aaron was trying to use — snapped tight and then loosened, as if the very core of me had chosen its direction.
And just like that, Aaron’s voice vanished.
I gasped, sucking in air as though I’d been drowning. My whole body shook, sweat dripping down my temples.
Edward caught me before I collapsed, holding me against his chest. His voice was low, steady in my ear. “He won’t take you again. Not while I’m breathing.”
I buried my face against him, my tears hot and silent. For a long moment, it was just his heartbeat and mine, steadying in unison.
When I finally pulled back, the ruins seemed lighter, less suffocating. The shadows had retreated.
But deep down, I knew the truth.
This was only the beginning. Aaron wasn’t just chasing us. He was inside the cracks of my soul, testing every weakness, searching for a way in.
And I had no idea how long I could keep him out.
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