"Unchosen Bonds: Between the Alpha and the Angel"

Chapter 001 Aurora's POV The air was still heavy with the smoky smell of burnt wood. It stuck to my skin, my hair, and even the insides of my lungs. With each shallow breath, I could feel it scratching. With one arm beneath my knees and the other securely around my back, Luciano carried me through the forest. His footsteps were soft and silent, as if the ground were bending beneath them. I wanted to know our destination. I wanted to talk. However, the world continued to spin while my throat burned. He remained silent. His heartbeat was steady but quick beneath my cheek. He appeared to be composed on the outside, but he was barely suppressing it. I muttered in a rough voice, "I can walk." "No," he said without lowering his gaze. "Not just yet." We passed through a wall of fog so cold it felt like a sheet of ice. There was a building on the opposite side. The building was of modest size. It bears a resemblance to an ancient stone and dark ivy chapel, partially engulfed by vines and shadows. The place has remained untouched for years. He used his boot to force the door open. "Where are we?" I inquired. "Safe." That wasn't a response. That wasn't a response at all. However, I lacked the energy to argue. He placed me on a couch covered in dust. The old velvet blanketed my skin. I clutched my arms to my chest as I sat up, trembling. My fingertips still glowed faint gold. "What's going on?" Just above a whisper, I inquired. At first, Luciano remained silent. He knelt before the hearth and tossed in dried leaves and broken branches. The shadows changed as the fire began. For a second, I thought I saw a face in the flames. At last, he said, "I told them not to hurry you." "They attempted to restrain me." "I understand." "They would have taken everything." He tightened his jaw. "They may still do so." "No," I said, raising my voice. "No longer." He glanced in my direction. Take a look. He had warm eyes. Simply exhausted. "You shattered the connection. Rejection like that doesn't go unnoticed. Matteo won't let the matter go. I blinked slowly. "Then give him a chance." He nearly grinned. Nearly. I stood unsteadily. I could hardly move my legs. Shortly, he was beside me, supporting me. I didn't back off. "What brought you here?" I inquired. "You could have avoided getting involved." He didn't respond. He reached for my hand instead. Slowly. With caution. I acted as if I were about to incinerate him. He whispered, "You said you didn't belong to anyone." "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have any protection." I gazed at our fingers. His touch was neither warm nor cold. It was simply the truth. I'm not sure what prompted me to approach him; perhaps it was the way he gazed at me or the fact that my chest was still hurting. Too near. He remained motionless. I gasped. My thoughts tangled. I muttered, "You looked like you were going to kill him." "I might still." I nearly missed his voice because it was so quiet and low. However, I sensed it. Within my bones, I sensed it. I tucked my fingers into his shirt. " I changed in some way. It was more than just magic. I sensed it snap, like a twig breaking underfoot. He gave a nod. "Your seal, was it?" "What does that mean?" "It indicates that you are awakening." He removed a fragment of ash from my hair. He kept his fingers on my temple. I muttered, "I don't know who I am anymore." "You'll." "What if I don't like her?" "You then rewrite her." It wasn't until he gently wiped a tear from my eyes with his thumb that I realized they were wet. A floorboard creaked behind us. Both of us turned. Nothing. It's just the wind blowing through broken windows. He tensed. "We're not by ourselves." With my heart pounding, I retreated toward the wall. Luciano moved out of my line of sight. The darkness drew farther. changed. An unspoken, unbreathed voice reverberated throughout the room. Right there. "Such small hands have so much power." Before I could blink, Luciano's blade was out. It pulsed softly, glowing with black runes. "Prove yourself," he snarled. There was soft, cruel laughter. Then there was quiet. The shadows fell back on themselves. Lost. The blade was not lowered by Luciano. "What was that?" I inquired. "Not Kronos. However, it is close. "Kronos?" He turned to face me, and there it was: genuine fear. "When you break things, his hunger awakens." You just broke a bond stronger than most bloodlines. I collapsed back onto the sofa. Under it, my skin hummed and tingled like electricity. I said, "I didn't mean to." "However, you did." "And he is aware of my existence now." Luciano remained silent. He was not required to speak. I was aware already. Hours went by. He brewed tea. It was warm but bitter. With my knees drawn up to my chest, I took a slow sip. He sat opposite me, watching all the time. Always prepared. He always gave me half-answers when I asked, and there was a lot I didn't understand. However, I could see the storm hidden behind his eyes. It wasn't for self-defense, whatever he wasn't telling me. It was for my safety. "What if I hadn't prevented it?" Abruptly, I asked. Luciano looked up. "The bond?" I gave a nod. "He would have had you." "Indefinitely?" "Yes." "Could it have altered who I am?" "Definitely." He stated it as if it were true. He spoke as though he had personally witnessed it. "You claimed that I had broken something inside of me. What if I break something that I need? He approached me slowly, got up, and knelt down. You didn't break anything important. You were able to save yourself. I looked him in the eyes. "So why do I still feel empty?" He didn’t have an answer. He simply reached for my hand once more, and I held on to it this time. Not when his fingers moved across mine. Not when his breath came closer. Even when his lips gently brushed mine, it felt like a whisper to me. It wasn’t a kiss. Not really. It was a promise. And then— BANG. The door's hinges broke off. Splinters of wood flew. Luciano pushed me behind him. Figures with glowing eyes, dark cloaks, and symbols I couldn't make out entered the chapel. They were without Matteo. However, I recognized one face. Chiara. Her smile was sharp. "I found you," she said. "And we're not here to converse." Luciano raised his blade. I held up my hand. My fingers pulsed with light. Nobody made a move. Nobody breathed. Since everyone was aware— Such an operation would not be a rescue. It was a reckoning. Now, what will happen when the Bloodborne shuts down?