Chapter 5 Dark Abyss

Valtor stepped into the dimly lit room, his presence commanding yet cautious. Gaia was sitting up on the bed, her eyes wide with confusion and a touch of fear. Damon lingered by the door, silently observing their interaction, while occasionally glancing at Valtor's still-throbbing wound.

Gaia lay on the simple bed, her eyes half-closed, but the moment Valtor entered, she stirred. The air around her seemed to hum with a faint energy, causing Valtor to pause for a moment, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

Gaia's gaze locked onto Valtor as he approached, her voice hoarse but resolute. "What do you want from me?" she demanded, her fists clenching around the bed sheets.

Valtor raised his hands in a placating gesture, a rare softness in his otherwise steely eyes. "Whoa... stay calm," he replied, his tone steady and measured. "I don't mean any harm. You're safe here."

"Safe?" Gaia scoffed, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "You dragged me into your world, into your battles, and now you expect me to believe I'm safe? After everything-"

Valtor cut her off, his voice gentle yet firm. "Listen, Gaia, I didn't have a choice. If I hadn't brought you here, you would've been captured, or worse."

Gaia's eyes darted to Damon, then back to Valtor. "So you're saying you're my protector now? What do you get out of this?"

Could this truly be a joke? For years, this man had haunted her dreams, his threats lingering like shadows in the corners of her mind. But were the dreams even real? Of course they were.

Valtor let out a quiet sigh, lowering himself to her eye level. "It's not about what I get. It's about keeping you alive, and maybe... understanding why you're so important to all of this." He gestured vaguely, indicating the trouble she had unwittingly been drawn into.

Gaia's expression flickered with something-fear, or perhaps reluctance. She glanced at Damon, who stood silently by the door. His eyes were locked on Valtor's wound, a hint of panic in them as he noticed the dark veins spreading outward.

Damon finally spoke, unable to contain his concern any longer. "Alpha, whatever that intruder used on you-it's not natural. We need to figure out what's in your system before it..."

Valtor raised a hand to silence him. "I'll deal with it later," he growled. Turning back to Gaia, he leaned in closer, his eyes piercing hers. "Who are you really? Why do the elders fear you so much?"

Gaia hesitated, her fingers instinctively clutching the sheets. "I don't have all the answers you seek, Valtor. But I know one thing-I was hidden away for a reason. There's something in my bloodline, something that terrifies even the strongest among you."

Damon's eyes widened slightly. "The prophecy is real," he whispered, almost to himself.

Valtor's patience was wearing thin. "And what is this prophecy?" he demanded, his voice rising slightly. "You're no mate of mine. So why am I risking everything to protect you?"

The words echoed in his mind as he recalled the strange pull that had led him to Gaia.

Before he had charged into the intruder's clutches to save her, his wolf had been restless-agitated in a way he had never experienced. It was as though something far beyond his control was guiding him, pulling him relentlessly toward a place he had never intended to go. No amount of willpower or logic could shake off the magnetic force that had coursed through his veins, urging him forward.

This wasn't the familiar bond he shared with his mate. No, it was something deeper, more primal, as if the very essence of his being had been summoned. His instincts told him it was Gaia's doing, though he couldn't explain how or why.

Gaia's eyes flashed with a mix of hurt and anger at his words, but she quickly composed herself. "You're protecting me because you know there's something bigger at stake. If they find out what I'm truly capable of... it won't just be my life at risk, but yours too."

Before Valtor could press her further, his vision blurred. The pain in his arm flared, sending waves of agony through his body. Damon rushed to his side, his voice filled with urgency. "Alpha, we can't ignore this any longer! Whatever poison that intruder used-it's spreading!"

Gaia swung her legs off the side of the bed, her movements slow but determined. Valtor watched her, puzzled.

Suddenly, she grabbed a small, sharp piece of metal hidden beneath the pillow and pricked her finger, drawing a bead of blood. The sight of it made both Valtor and Damon gasp.

"What the hell are you doing?" Valtor demanded, his eyes widening.

Gaia ignored him, letting the crimson droplet drip onto her palm. "It's the only way to help you," she muttered, her voice cold and unwavering.

"No!" Damon barked, stepping forward, his eyes wild with concern. "You can't use your blood. We don't even understand what it might do. You could be risking your life for him!"

Gaia shot him a sharp, defiant glare. "Then let him die. But don't expect me to sit by and watch when I can do something about it."

The room was tense, Damon's eyes flicking between her and Valtor, who remained silent but pained. With a reluctant growl, Damon stepped back, his fists clenched at his sides. "Fine. But if anything goes wrong, it's on your head," he warned.

Gaia pressed her bleeding finger against Valtor's wound, the blood seeping into his skin. For a moment, nothing happened. Then Valtor's body convulsed violently, the veins around his wound turning a shade darker. A strange energy rippled through the air, extinguishing the candles with a sudden gust.

Damon's eyes widened in horror. "What did you just do?" he shouted, but before he could reach her, a dark mist began swirling around Gaia. Her eyes turned glassy, and a bone-chilling wind filled the room. Without warning, she was yanked into an abyss, her scream abruptly cut off.

Valtor reached out instinctively, but before he could even rise, a searing pain tore through him, and his vision went black. He collapsed, unconscious, leaving Damon shouting his name in the darkness.