Chapter 5 Bound by blood

Lia's vision swam as the cursed mark on her collarbone pulsed, its jagged crescent searing her skin. The clearing was a battlefield of shadows, violet light crackling from Seraphine's magic and Kael's amber eyes blazing through the mist. The witch conjured a spell and bound his legs with roots, but his dark energy filled claws sliced through them. Seraphine's offer rang in Lia's mind: Join me and my coven, and I'll remove the curse. Save your child. But her cold violet eyes promised chains as much as salvation.

Kael's betas circled, their growls vibrating in the air, while another cramp gripped Lia's abdomen, a stark reminder of her unborn child's danger. She had to choose-now.Kael's voice cut through her panic, raw and desperate. "Lia, don't trust her!" He broke free of the roots, staggering forward, his face a storm of fury and something softer-regret. "Whatever she's promised, it's a lie."Seraphine laughed, the sound sharp as shattered glass. "And you're so trustworthy, Alpha? You cursed her, rejected her, hunted her. Yet here you stand, begging." Her violet eyes locked on Lia. "Choose, hybrid. My coven or his mercy. One will save your child."Lia's hand pressed to her stomach, the faint pulse of life grounding her. The curse was killing her, and her baby with it-Mara's herbs and Seraphine's blood pact had only slowed its spread. Kael's betrayal had shattered her, but the flicker of pain in his eyes now stirred the broken bond between them. Could he know about the child? Did he care? Or was this another trick to control her?"I don't need your mercy," Lia spat at Kael, her silver eyes blazing. She turned to Seraphine. "Take me to your coven. Break the curse."Seraphine's smile was predatory. "Good girl." She raised a hand, and a portal of violet light swirling open. "Step through. The Bloodmoon Grove awaits."Kael roared, lunging forward, but Seraphine's magic flared, roots shooting up to bind him again. His betas charged, only to be thrown back by an invisible force. Lia hesitated, her dagger trembling in her grip. Kael's eyes met hers, pleading. "Lia, the child-if it's mine, I need to know. I can protect you."The words hit like a blade. Protect her? After he'd branded her with a curse? Yet the bond tugged, a ghost of warmth in her chest. Another cramp hit, sharper, and Lia gasped, doubling over. The curse was winning. She had no time to trust Kael's sudden remorse. With a final glance at his tormented face, she stepped through Seraphine's portal.The world twisted, colors bleeding into darkness. Lia stumbled onto soft earth, the air thick with the scent of moss and blood. The Bloodmoon Grove was a circle of twisted trees, their branches dripping red sap under a crimson-tinted sky. Seraphine was standing in the middle, surrounded by three figures, witches. A stone altar marked with runes, the energy from the altar humming against Lia's skin."Welcome," Seraphine said, her voice silky. "The coven of the Bloodmoon will break your curse-but first, you serve us."Lia's stomach twisted, not from the curse but from dread. "Serve how?" she asked, gripping her dagger tighter. The blood pact burned in her palm, a reminder of her hasty choice.Seraphine gestured to the altar. "Your hybrid blood-wolf and witch-is rare. Offer it to the Bloodmoon, and we'll sever Kael's curse. Refuse, and the pact will bind you to us forever."Lia's heart sank. A blood sacrifice? She'd traded one trap for another. "And my child?" she asked, her voice steady despite her fear."Safe," Seraphine said, but her eyes gleamed with hunger. "If you comply."One of the witches, a gaunt woman with green eyes, stepped forward. "The Alpha's curse is tied to his blood," she rasped. "To break it, you must face him. Blood for blood. But first, the Bloodmoon demands its due."Lia's mind raced. Seraphine's pact had saved her from Kael, but at what cost? The cramps in her abdomen were fainter now, the blood pact's magic holding the curse at bay, but her child wasn't safe yet. She needed time to think, to plan. "How do I face him?" she asked, stalling. "What does blood for blood mean?"Seraphine's eyes narrowed, sensing her hesitation. "You'll spill his blood or offer your own. The curse binds your life to his-only one can survive." She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But the Bloodmoon can amplify your power, hybrid. Join us fully, and Kael will kneel."Lia's breath caught. Kill Kael? The father of her child? Despite his betrayal, the bond's ghost stirred, a flicker of longing she hated herself for feeling. But the curse's burn and the memory of his rejection steeled her. "And if I refuse?" she asked.The gaunt witch hissed, her green eyes flaring. "The pact binds you. Refuse, and your blood feeds the grove anyway."A chill ran through Lia. The coven's hunger for her hybrid blood was clear-Seraphine hadn't saved her out of kindness. She was a pawn in a larger game. The mark flared, and another cramp hit, weaker but ominous. She needed the coven's power to save her child, but trusting them was a death sentence.Before she could respond, the air crackled, and the grove trembled. A howl pierced the crimson sky-Kael's. The witches spun, their cloaks billowing, as a portal tore open behind the altar. Kael stumbled through, blood streaking his arm, his amber eyes wild with fury. "Lia!" he roared, his claws glowing. "You can't escape me!"Seraphine snarled, raising her hands, but Kael's betas followed, their teeth bared. The grove erupted into chaos-witches chanting, roots bursting from the earth, wolves lunging. Lia backed toward the altar, her dagger raised, her body screaming with pain. The blood pact's magic surged, giving her a burst of strength, but the curse fought back, its tendrils tightening around her heart.Kael's eyes locked on her, ignoring the witches. "You're carrying my child," he said, his voice breaking. "I felt it. Lia, come back with me. I'll find a way to break the curse."His words shook her, the bond flaring despite her anger. But Seraphine's voice cut through, cold and commanding. "He lies, Lia. His blood made the curse. Only the Bloodmoon can save you now."Lia's vision blurred, the curse and cramps overwhelming her. Kael's betas clashed with the witches, blood and magic staining the grove. She had to choose: trust Kael, whose regret might be a trap, or surrender to the coven, whose power came with chains. As Kael fought toward her, a witch's spell grazed his side, and he stumbled, blood dripping. The sight tore at Lia's heart, but the altar's runes pulsed, calling her blood.A new voice whispered in her mind, soft and ancient-the Moon Goddess? "Choose your heart, child." Lia gasped, holding her stomach. The life of the child hung in the balance, and the grove was about to become a slaughter. With Kael bleeding and Seraphine's magic rising, Lia raised her dagger, her choice unclear even to herself.