The ground trembled beneath us, the cracks widening with every second, threatening to split the earth apart. I could hear the ominous rumble, like the belly of the beast, ready to devour everything in its path. My heart raced, the vampires still circling us, their red eyes gleaming with hunger. They weren't giving up, not now, not when they were so close.
Kieran stood protectively in front of me, his massive wolf form snarling at the vampires. His fur bristled, the primal energy radiating from him like a force of nature. Even in this chaos, he was breathtaking—powerful, fierce, and entirely mine. But the weight of our bond, or rather the lack of it, hung heavy between us.
I could see the determination in his eyes, the same unspoken promise he always carried: he’d protect me, no matter w
