Dr. Mira Chen's POV
I wake up screaming.
Kael's hands are on my shoulders, his golden eyes wide with terror. "Mira! Can you hear me? Look at me!"
My arm burns like it's on fire. I look down and see black veins crawling up from my wrist, pulsing with sickly darkness. The Feral curse. It's inside me.
"No," I gasp. "No, no, no—"
Golden light explodes from my chest before I can even think. It rushes down my arm, chasing the black veins back, burning them away. The corruption fights back, but my power is stronger. Within seconds, the veins disappear completely.
I'm panting, my whole body shaking.
"It's gone," Kael breathes. "You healed yourself."
"It almost took me." I stare at my clean arm. "I could feel it trying to get into my brain, make me crazy. If I'd been asleep a few more seconds—"
"But you weren't." He pulls me against his chest, and I feel his heart hammering. "You fought it. You won."
"This time." I push back to look at him. "What about next time? What if I'm sleeping and can't wake up fast enough? What if the curse gets stronger?"
His jaw clenches. "Then I'll watch you every second. I won't let you fall asleep alone. I'll keep you safe."
Something about his intensity makes me pause. "You're terrified."
"Of course I am!" The words burst out of him. "You almost—I almost lost—" He stops, his hands trembling where they grip my arms. "I can't do this again."
"Again?"
He looks away, but not before I see the pain in his eyes. "My first mate. Sera. The curse took her five years ago. I watched her fight it for months, watched the black veins spread, watched her lose her mind piece by piece." His voice cracks. "In the end, I had to... I had to end her suffering myself."
My heart breaks for him. "Kael—"
"I won't survive losing you too." He meets my eyes again. "So yes, I'm terrified. And yes, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you alive, even if you hate me for it."
Before I can respond, Maya bursts into the den. "Kael! The tribes are getting restless. They're demanding to see Mira or they'll attack at dawn."
I stand up quickly. "Then I'll go talk to them—"
"Absolutely not," Kael growls.
"They need help. I can heal them—"
"They'll tear you apart trying to get close!" He stands too, blocking my path to the door. "You don't understand how desperate they are. How dangerous."
"So what, I just hide in here forever?"
"Until we figure out how to keep you safe, yes!"
Anger flares in my chest. "I'm not a prisoner!"
"I never said you were—"
"Then let me leave!" I try to push past him, but he doesn't budge. "Get out of my way, Kael."
"No."
"I said MOVE!" My power flares, and golden light pushes him back a step. His eyes widen in shock.
I run for the entrance.
Two huge wolf warriors block the doorway, their arms crossed. When they see me, they immediately bow but don't move aside.
"Let me pass," I say.
"Alpha's orders, Blessed One. You're not to leave without an escort."
"I don't need permission!"
"Please don't make this difficult," one says gently. "We're only trying to protect you."
"By locking me up?" My voice rises. "By treating me like property?"
Kael appears behind me. "Stand down. Let me talk to her."
The guards reluctantly step back. Kael reaches for my arm, but I jerk away.
"Don't touch me."
Hurt flashes across his face. "Mira, please understand—"
"I understand perfectly. You're scared of losing another mate, so you're going to control every aspect of my life. Where I go, who I see, what I do. Well, I've been controlled before, Kael. By Marcus. By people who claimed they knew what was best for me. And I swore I'd never let anyone do that again."
"This is different—"
"How?" I demand. "How is this different from Marcus trying to possess me? At least he's honest about what he wants!"
Kael's face goes pale. "You think I'm like him?"
"I think you're both trying to cage me for different reasons." Tears burn my eyes. "I get it. You're traumatized. You lost someone you loved. But I'm not Sera! I'm me, and I can make my own choices!"
"Even choices that get you killed?" His voice is rough with emotion.
"Yes! Even those!"
"I can't—" He swallows hard. "I can't watch you die. Don't ask me to do that."
We stare at each other, the air thick with tension and hurt.
"Your Blessed One needs fresh air," a smooth voice says from outside. Zephyr appears in the doorway, his amber eyes flicking between us. "The guards outside mentioned raised voices. Trouble in paradise already?"
"This doesn't concern you, snake," Kael snarls.
"Doesn't it? We're all bonded to her." Zephyr shows his wrist—a mark matching one of mine. "Which means her wellbeing concerns all four of us. If she wants to leave, perhaps we should let her. With proper protection, of course."
"She's safer here—"
"She's suffocating here," Zephyr corrects. "I can see it in her eyes."
"Thank you," I say, surprised he's defending me.
Zephyr's lips quirk. "Don't thank me yet. I have my own selfish reasons for wanting you healthy and cooperative."
At least he's honest.
Draven lands outside with a rush of wings. "The bear tribe just issued an ultimatum. If Mira doesn't heal at least ten of their cursed warriors by sunset tomorrow, they'll consider it an act of war."
"She's not their healer!" Kael roars.
"But I could be," I say quietly. "I could help them."
"And then what? Every tribe makes demands? You heal hundreds until you drop dead from exhaustion?" Kael's eyes are desperate. "Where does it end?"
"I don't know," I admit. "But I have to try."
"Why?" He grabs my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. "Why do you have to sacrifice yourself for strangers?"
"Because it's who I am!" The words come out fierce. "I'm a doctor, Kael. I dedicated my life to helping people. That didn't change just because I fell into another world. I have power now—real power to save lives—and you want me to hide it away because you're scared?"
"Yes!" The admission tears out of him. "Yes, I'm scared! I'm terrified every second because you're human and fragile and the curse can take you, and I—" His voice breaks. "I can't lose you. I can't."
My anger wavers. He's not trying to control me out of cruelty. He's trying to protect me out of love.
But I can't live in a cage, even a gilded one.
"I'm sorry," I say softly. "I'm sorry you lost Sera. I'm sorry you're scared. But I'm not going to stop being who I am just to make you feel safer."
He stares at me for a long moment. Then he lets go and steps back.
"Fine." His voice is flat. Cold. "Do what you want. Heal everyone. Burn yourself out. Get yourself killed. But don't expect me to watch."
He turns and walks away, disappearing into the darkness beyond the den.
The silence he leaves behind is deafening.
"Well," Zephyr says dryly. "That went well."
"Shut up."
Maya touches my arm gently. "He'll come around. He just needs time."
"I don't have time," I say, frustration bubbling up. "People are dying. Tribes are threatening war. And I'm standing here arguing about permission to help them."
"Then help them," Draven says simply. "We'll protect you. All three of us."
I look at my three remaining mates—snake, dragon, and somewhere out there, a fox I've barely met. United in their determination to keep me safe.
But Kael, the first one who caught me, the one whose mark burns brightest on my wrist—he's gone.
And part of me feels like I just made a terrible mistake.
Before I can dwell on it, a commotion erupts outside. Shouting. Running footsteps.
One of the guards bursts in, his face pale. "Blessed One! It's the human male—Marcus. He's broken through the wards somehow. He has hostages from the deer tribe. He says if you don't come to him willingly in the next hour, he'll execute them one by one."
My blood runs cold. "What?"
"He's using those weapons from your world. Our magic can't stop them." The guard's voice shakes. "Please. He's already killed two. The youngest is only fifteen."
I'm moving before I finish thinking. "Take me to him."
"Mira, wait—" Zephyr grabs my arm.
"He'll kill them!" I pull free. "I won't let innocent people die because of me."
"It's obviously a trap," Draven warns.
"I know." I meet their eyes. "But I'm going anyway."
Because that's who I am. Even if it gets me killed.
Even if Kael was right to be scared.