''I don't believe in love''

I love you I'm sorry

As their lips parted, the moment hung in the air, electric and charged with the power of their bond. Riccardo gazed into Anastasia's eyes, a mixture of love and gratitude swelling in his chest. "Thank you for finding me," he whispered, his voice barely audible above the crashing waves.

But then he noticed the shift in her expression—confusion clouded her features as she looked away. "Ric, I..."

His heart raced as he searched her eyes, sensing that something was terribly wrong. "What is it?" he asked, panic rising within him.

And then he saw it—a thin line of crimson seeping from a small cut on her arm, the blood stark against her pale skin. "No!" he shouted, rushing to her side. "Please, no!"

Anastasia collapsed to the ground, her body hitting the sand as the world around them blurred. Riccardo knelt beside her, fear coursing through his veins. "Anastasia! Stay with me!" He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her gently, desperate to keep her conscious.

"I found a way to release you," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, the light in her eyes beginning to dim. "So when I pass, you won't pass with me."

"What are you talking about?" he cried, his heart shattering at the thought of losing her. "You can't leave me! I just found you!"

"I'm sorry, my love," she said, her voice cracking as tears spilled down her cheeks. "My depression... it won. I thought I could be strong enough to fight it, but I was wrong."

"No, please!" he pleaded, panic rising in his throat. "You're stronger than this! You can't give up on us!"

But she looked up at him, her eyes filled with sorrow and love, the warmth fading. "I love you, mi amore," she whispered, her voice a fragile echo of the strength it once held.

With a choking sob, Riccardo pressed his forehead against hers, feeling the warmth of her body slowly slip away. "No, no, no..." he murmured, desperately trying to infuse her with the energy of their bond, pouring every ounce of love he had into her. "You can't leave me. We just marked each other. We're bound! Fight this, Anastasia! Please!"

"I'm so tired, Ric," she said, her voice a fading whisper. "I fought for so long, but the darkness... it's too strong. Just promise me you'll be happy. Promise me you won't let this take you too."

"I can't do this without you!" he shouted, tears streaming down his face. "You're my mate! You're my everything!"

Anastasia's eyelids fluttered, and she struggled to hold on to consciousness. "You'll always be my heart, Ric," she said softly. "Even if I'm not here... I'll always be with you. Just look for me in the stars."

"Don't say that!" he cried, his heart racing in desperation. "I'll find a way to save you. I won't lose you!"

But as the light in her eyes began to fade, Riccardo felt the bond between them fraying, the warmth of her love slipping through his fingers like sand. "Anastasia, please! Stay with me!"

Her eyes began to close, and he could feel the connection that had once felt so unbreakable wane, the thread of their bond fraying as darkness began to claim her. "I love you, Riccardo," she breathed, her voice barely a whisper now. "Always."

And with those final words, the warmth left her body, and she fell still.

"No!" Riccardo screamed, the anguish tearing through him like a knife. He cradled her lifeless form in his arms, his heart shattering into a million pieces. "Anastasia!"

In that moment, the world around him faded, the sun slipping below the horizon, casting everything in shadows. He had finally found her, only to lose her in a heartbeat. The weight of grief crashed over him, a tsunami of despair swallowing him whole.