POV: Soraya
The fight is a blur of sand, metal, and blood.
Raevan and Zarek tear into each other with a violence that shakes the dunes. Wolves shout. Soldiers ready weapons. Kaide tries to hold the scouts in formation.
But all I see is Raevan. His fury. His claws. His desperation.
And I feel it—the energy inside me responding, expanding, spiraling out of control.
My palms glow. My chest tightens. The moon above pulses brighter. My wolf screams behind my ribs, demanding release.
Not again—not now… But the world is blurring. My skin prickles. My bones vibrate.
I stumble forward.
“Raevan!” I scream.
Neither man hears me. Zarek drives his blade toward Raevan’s ribs. Raevan twists, slamming Zarek into the sand. The energy surges in my veins—wild, burning, unstoppable.
“No, no, no—please—”
My vision floods with silver. My hands burst into light. Kaide’s voice reaches me from far away:
“Soraya—STOP—if you shift now, you’ll slaughter EVERYONE—!”
I can’t hear him. I can’t breathe. My wolf claws at my insides, screaming for blood, screaming for freedom. The light explodes.
Silver lightning cracks across the dunes, slamming into the sand between Raevan and Zarek. Both men are thrown backward like rag dolls. The dunes shake. Horses panic. Soldiers fall.
My knees buckle. I feel nothing and everything at the same time.
Raevan scrambles up first, eyes locking on me. He sprints.
“Soraya!”
His hand grabs my wrist—warm, steady, grounding.
The light flickers.
My wolf snarls silently.
“Look at me,” Raevan says, voice firm, low. “Eyes on me.”
“I—I can’t stop it,” I choke. “I can’t—Raevan, I can’t—”
“Yes, you can.” He presses his forehead to mine, breathing slowly, forcing me to mirror him. “Breathe. Feel your human bones. Your human skin.”
The light pulses again—dangerously bright.
Raevan grabs my face. “Soraya—focus on my voice.”
Zarek pushes himself to his feet but freezes when Kaide puts a blade to his back.
“Move and I’ll gut you,” Kaide hisses.
The scouts surround us, forming a protective ring.
My breath stutters. “Raevan—it’s—too—much—”
His thumb strokes my cheek. “I’m here. I’m not leaving you. Not now, not ever.”
The wolf inside me bucks viciously.
“It wants blood,” I whisper.
“I know,” he murmurs. “But you’re stronger than it.”
Another surge of light erupts—and Raevan’s arms wrap around me, holding me tightly, absorbing the brunt of it. His body trembles, but he doesn’t let go. I feel the way it's hurting him, the way it burns and aches on his skin, but he doesn't pull back, and I can't describe how thankful I am that he doesn't.
“Soraya,” he whispers, “come back.”
I clutch his shirt, gasping.
The world narrows—to his scent, his heartbeat, his voice.
“Soraya,” he breathes against my temple. “Stay with me.”
The light finally breaks.
It flickers once.
Twice.
Then dies.
My body collapses into his arms. He catches me smoothly, lowering me into the sand, brushing hair from my face.
“You did it,” he whispers. “You stopped it.”
I shake uncontrollably. “I—I almost—”
“You didn’t,” Raevan says firmly. “You saved us all.”
I don’t feel like I saved anyone. I feel like I almost snapped and turned into a violent creature that nearly killed everyone around here. Not just Zarek and his men, but also Raevan, Kaide, the scouts…
I wouldn't forgive myself if I did. Ever.
I have to learn how to control my powers… Before they learn how to control me.
Zarek spits blood into the sand. “This isn’t over.”
Raevan stands, placing himself between me and Zarek. “You’re right. It’s not.”
Kaide kicks Zarek’s dropped weapon away. “We’re leaving. Now.”
Raevan lifts me into his arms without another word. I cling to him weakly, feeling safe for the first time since the palace walls closed around me.
The scouts form an escort. Kaide walks beside Raevan, blade still ready.
As we disappear into the dunes, Zarek shouts after us:
“This desert will burn before I let you keep her!”
Raevan doesn’t turn back. His voice rumbles against my ear:
“He’ll try. We’ll end him first.”
And the dunes swallow us whole.