Colliding Dreams

Chapter Twenty-Six: In the Ashes of Battle

[Darius POV]

The battlefield was eerily silent.

I stood where Ulferix had been just moments ago, watching as the last embers of his body flickered out. There was nothing left of him—no body, no blood, just ash scattered in the wind, as though he had never existed at all. But the victory felt hollow.

My eyes darted to Luna.

She lay a few feet away, crumpled on the ground, pale and still. My heart dropped, a leaden weight dragging me down with it. I had to remind myself to breathe.

"Luna!" I rushed to her, my voice tight, hoarse. Dropping to my knees beside her, I gathered her limp body into my arms. She felt too cold, too fragile. Her chest barely moved as she breathed in shallow gasps, and the sight of her like this... it tore me apart.

"Luna, come on, stay with me." My voice shook, the words more of a plea than a command. I brushed her hair away from her face, my fingers trembling as I tucked the strands behind her ear. She didn't stir.

I had watched her push herself beyond her limits—watched as she drew on powers she hadn't fully understood, powers that shouldn't have been unleashed so soon. She had saved us all, but at what cost?

She looked broken, her skin ashen and cold beneath my fingertips. I felt my chest constrict with panic, a sensation that was foreign to me. I was the Alpha, the one who protected, who fought, who survived. But right now, as I held her, I felt utterly helpless.

"I can't lose you, ma cherie," I whispered against her forehead, holding her close to me as though my touch alone could keep her tethered to this world.

With a deep breath, I stood, lifting her into my arms as gently as I could. Her head rested against my shoulder, her body limp and unresponsive. The weight of her, usually so full of life and energy, now felt wrong—too light. Like something vital had already slipped away.

The battle was over, but my fight for her was just beginning. I had to get her to safety.

I moved quickly, my strides long and sure as I carried Luna back to the pack town. The field was littered with debris, remnants of a war fought for our lives, but I couldn't focus on anything other than the steady rise and fall of Luna's chest against mine. Each breath she took seemed too shallow, too weak.

I held her closer, feeling the weight of her fragility. My own injuries throbbed, but I ignored them. Nothing else mattered.

When the gates of the pack town came into view, I shouted for them to open. The guards on duty scrambled at the sound of my voice, swinging the gates wide as I rushed through. The murmurs of my packmates filled the air as they saw Luna in my arms, but I didn't stop. They could wait. She couldn't.

"Freya!" I bellowed, my voice echoing through the town square. My mother appeared almost instantly, her eyes widening when she saw the state Luna was in. She hurried over, her hands already glowing with that familiar aura of magic, assessing Luna as I lowered her onto a cot inside our home.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice tight, her eyes full of concern as they darted over Luna's unconscious form.

"She used too much power, more than she could handle," I said through clenched teeth. "I tried to stop her, but... I couldn't. She's burning out, Mum. You have to help her."

Freya nodded, her expression hardening with determination. "We'll do what we can. She's strong, Darius. She just needs time."

Time. That was the one thing I didn't have. My hands tightened into fists as I paced the room, my eyes flicking from Freya's movements to Luna's still face. Freya moved quickly, gathering herbs and tools from her cabinet, muttering spells under her breath as she placed her hands over Luna's chest.