Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Chains and Promises
Kyra’s POV
“Mine.”
The word slipped out before I could stop it. The camp went still. Sparks from the fire hung in the air as if frozen. Every pair of eyes turned toward me.
Ryder’s knife hovered at Damon’s throat. His jaw was tight, his gaze unblinking.
“What did you just say?”
“He’s mine.” My hands tightened around the knife. The chains around my wrists rattled.
Shouts erupted.
“She’s lost it!”
“Kill her with him!”
“Traitor!”
“Witch!”
Ryder slammed his hand down. The camp quieted instantly, murmurs fading under the weight of his presence. Sparks danced from the fire as soldiers exchanged uneasy glances.
“Say it again,” Ryder said, voice low and dangerous.
The metal cut into my skin. My fingers shook. “He’s mine.”
Damon coughed, blood streaking his face. He laughed, a crooked, defiant sound. “Now you’ve done it.”
“Shut up,” Ryder snapped, pressing the knife closer.
“Make me,” Damon said, voice hoarse but steady. Blood smeared across his teeth.
The guards jerked on his chains, but he didn’t struggle. His eyes never left mine.
Ryder’s lips twisted. “Do you understand what claiming him means?”
“I do.”
The knife pressed toward me again. “Then prove it. Kill him. Now.”
“Kill him! Kill her mate!” the soldiers shouted.
I looked down at Damon. His wrists were raw, his face streaked with blood. He smirked, still alive, still daring me.
“Go on,” he rasped. “End this.”
The knife wobbled in my grip. I caught it again, fingers trembling.
“Do it! Or I’ll kill you both!” Ryder roared.
I stepped forward. The air inside me thrummed, a fire I couldn’t ignore. “You’re afraid,” I hissed. “Afraid of what we are.”
Gasps ran through the camp. Soldiers muttered under their breath.
Ryder’s face darkened. He kicked Damon, who grunted but laughed anyway.
“That’s my mate,” Damon said, voice rough.
“Shut up!” Ryder barked.
He tore the knife from my hand. The guards slammed iron around my wrists. I pressed close to Damon; the heat of him flared against me, our connection impossible to ignore.
“When dawn comes, you’ll both be dead,” Ryder said, crouching. “Lovers in chains. Double the watch. No one sleeps tonight!”
The camp stirred again. Some stared, eyes softened with pity. Most sneered, their glares sharp and cold.
Damon leaned toward me, blood streaking his face. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Not without you,” I whispered.
“Better me than you,” he said, low and urgent.
“We go together,” I said. “Or not at all.”
A low howl rose from the trees. Ryder barked orders. Soldiers scrambled.
Damon pressed close, whispering, “Not Ethan’s pack.”
A chill ran through me. Another howl, closer this time. Red eyes glimmered from the shadows.
A soldier stumbled into the firelight. His chest was torn open. He collapsed.
“Attack!”
“Shields!”
“Wolves!”
The darkness exploded with movement. Wolves, black as smoke with eyes like coals, leapt through the trees, tearing into soldiers. Screams pierced the night.
I yanked Damon behind me as a wolf snapped at his shoulder. Sparks flew where iron clashed.
Damon swung at the beast, blood mixing with fur, and it staggered back. Another wolf landed on a fallen soldier; I shoved it off with my shoulder, teeth grazing my arm. Pain flared, but I didn’t cry out.
“Kyra!” Damon yelled. “Left side!”
I kicked another wolf back as it lunged. Damon roared, fists swinging. Sparks caught in the firelight; the wolves hesitated, just for a heartbeat.
Soldiers tried to regroup, shields clanging, but the wolves moved faster, more precise. Chaos reigned: smoke, fire, claws, blood, screams blending into a single, terrifying rhythm.
Chains pressed against my wrists. Damon and I leaned together, heat radiating between us. Our bond was raw, tense, and undeniable.
A massive wolf circled, even darker than the night, eyes burning red. Muscles coiled, ready to strike.
I gritted my teeth. My fists clenched the chains. I tugged Damon toward the treeline.
“If we run, we run together,” he whispered.
“I won’t leave you,” I said, jaw tight.
The wolf lunged. I twisted, yanking Damon sideways. Chains rattled violently. Teeth snapped inches from us. Smoke, sparks, and the red glow of the wolves collided in the night.
Another wolf slammed to the ground nearby. I shoved it off, teeth grazing my arm. Pain burned sharp, but I kept moving.
Damon swung again, knocking one wolf off balance. Another lunged; I kicked it away.
Ryder screamed orders, soldiers scattered, but Damon and I pressed together, moving as one.
The largest wolf crouched, muscles taut, eyes fixed on us. My breath came fast. My heart hammered. I tightened my grip on Damon, and together, we braced for the strike.
