CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Pain sears through my veins like wildfire, its embers scorching every inch of my being. My breath comes in short, ragged gasps as I lie on the cold forest floor, my vision a blur of green canopies and patches of sky. The bite, laced with venom, pulses at my ankle—a cruel reminder of the attack that should have sealed my fate.
"Stay with me, Isla," Alex's voice—urgent, laced with an undercurrent of something tender—cuts through the haze of agony. His hands are gentle yet frantic as they cradle my face, commanding my focus. "Look at me."
I force my heavy eyelids to obey, finding solace in his deep blue eyes, so full of resolve. They anchor me, holding back the tide of darkness threatening to drag me under.
"Alex," I manage to whisper, the edges of my consciousness fra
