Lyra clutched Cassian’s lifeless body, her fingers running through his blood-matted hair as tears streamed down her face. The warmth was already leaving him, his once powerful frame limp in her arms. She rocked slightly, her grief so consuming it left no room for the chaos raging around her.
“You monster,” she spat, her silver eyes blazing with fury as she looked up at Adrian. Her voice trembled, but it carried the full force of her pain. “I’ll never love you. You’ve taken everything from me.”
Adrian’s expression hardened, his jaw tightening, though his hands trembled at his sides. “I do what’s necessary, Lyra,” he said quietly, his voice heavy with a grim resignation. “Always.”
Lyra shook her head, her body trembling with anger and despair. She pressed her forehead to Cassian’s, her tears falling onto his pale skin. “You didn’t deserve this,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “You gave everything for me, and I couldn’t save you.”
Cassian’s chest rose weakly with a final, shallow breath. His golden eyes fluttered open, hazy but focused on Lyra. “I’m sorry,” he rasped, his voice faint but steady. “I couldn’t… protect you.”
Lyra sobbed, her hand cupping his cheek. “You did, Cassian. You always did.”
He smiled faintly, his gaze softening as he looked at her. “You’re my Luna,” he murmured, his voice barely audible. “My strong, beautiful Luna. Protect our child. Protect… our heir.”
Lyra’s heart broke at his words, her throat tightening as she fought to hold back another sob. “I will,” she promised, her voice trembling. “I will, Cassian.”
His lips curved into the faintest smile, and for a moment, he looked at peace. “What an honor… it was… to be your mate,” he whispered, his voice fading with each word.
Lyra pressed her forehead to his, her tears mingling with his blood. “It’s your child, Cassian,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “It was always yours.”
The words were a lie, but they were a gift, one she gave him in his final moments. Cassian’s golden eyes dimmed, his body stilling in her arms. Lyra let out a strangled cry, her grief spilling out in waves as she clung to him.
Adrian watched in silence, his crimson eyes dark with emotions he couldn’t express. He took a step back, his hands curling into fists as he turned away from the sight. The Vampire King’s laughter echoed faintly in his ears, but Adrian didn’t acknowledge it. His own actions weighed heavily on him, but he buried the turmoil deep inside, as he always did.
Lyra’s fury simmered beneath her grief, her gaze shifting to Adrian’s retreating form. “I’ll make you pay for this,” she whispered, her voice raw with a promise. “I’ll make you suffer for everything you’ve done.”