Shattered Bonds

The battlefield still smoldered, the scent of blood and burned earth thick in the air. Leah barely noticed the chaos around her—her mind was consumed by one thing.

Damon had betrayed her.

Her body still hummed with the remnants of the power she had unleashed, golden energy flickering at her fingertips. She wasn't the same anymore. She wasn't even sure what she was anymore.

"Leah!" Kai's voice was sharp, bringing her back to the moment.

She turned just in time to see an enemy charging toward her, a silver blade glinting in the moonlight. Her instincts kicked in before her mind could catch up—she sidestepped, and with a flick of her wrist, a pulse of golden energy shot from her palm, slamming the attacker back.

Silence fell as the remaining warriors hesitated, staring at her in shock. Even Kai's eyes widened slightly.

She was no longer just a human.

She was something else entirely.

---

A sudden, bone-chilling wind swept through the battlefield. A dark presence descended, suffocating the air with its sheer power.

The shadows at the edge of the clearing shifted, and a figure emerged.

Tall and draped in a long, flowing black coat, his silver hair cascaded over broad shoulders, contrasting with the inky darkness surrounding him. His eyes—cold and abyssal—locked onto Leah with a knowing smirk.

"Leah Weir," he drawled, his voice a smooth, eerie melody. "You are finally awake."

Kai stiffened beside her. His voice was laced with fury when he spoke. "Azrael."

Leah swallowed. That name. She had heard it before—whispers of the Shadow Prince, a ruler of the Forgotten Lands, a being even the Elders feared.

Azrael's smirk deepened as he took a slow step forward. "Your blood sings with power. A true heir to the Primordial Line."

Leah clenched her fists. "I don't belong to you."

A dark chuckle escaped him. "No, not yet. But you will."

A tendril of shadow shot from his fingertips, racing toward her with terrifying speed. Leah barely had time to react before something blurred in front of her—blocking the attack.

Damon.

Her breath caught.

Damon stood between her and Azrael, his stance rigid, his crimson eyes locked onto the Shadow Prince with deadly intent.

"You're not taking her," Damon said, his voice low and dangerous.

Azrael's smirk faded slightly. "Ah, so that's why you turned against us." His gaze flicked to Leah before returning to Damon. "You've gone soft for the girl."

Leah's stomach twisted.

"Damon," she whispered, searching his face for answers.

He didn't look at her. His jaw was tight, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Azrael sighed dramatically. "Such wasted potential."

With a flick of his wrist, darkness surged toward Damon. Leah reacted instinctively—her power flared, golden light colliding with Azrael's attack. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the battlefield.

Azrael's expression shifted—curiosity flickering in his abyss-like eyes. "Fascinating."

---

Kai stepped beside Leah, his wolf growling low in his throat. "You need to leave. Now."

Azrael chuckled. "I don't need to take her. She will come to me willingly when she learns the truth about you, Damon."

Damon's entire body went rigid. Leah felt it—his hesitation, his guilt.

She turned to him. "What is he talking about?"

Damon didn't answer.

Azrael's smirk widened. "You'll find out soon enough."

Before she could demand more, Azrael lifted his hand, and a swirling void of darkness enveloped him. Within seconds, he was gone.

Silence fell over the battlefield. The fight was over.

But the real war had just begun.

---

Leah turned to Damon, her heart pounding. "Tell me what he meant."

He finally met her gaze, and for the first time, she saw conflict in his eyes. Regret. Pain.

But instead of answering, he did the one thing that shattered her completely.

He turned and walked away.

Leah took a step forward, her throat tightening. "Damon, don't—"

He kept walking.

She felt her chest tighten, something deep inside her breaking as he disappeared into the night.

The battle had ended.

But nothing would ever be the same again.

---

The air was still thick with the scent of war, but Leah's mind was consumed by one question.

What had Damon done?

And worse… why did she still feel drawn to him?