Chapter 108

Harper’s POV

It feels as if I’m always watching Lucas fight for me.

First, he fought rogues on his land to keep me safe, then he fought guards at the Domain to rescue me and the wolf souls, and now, he’s fighting this… this nightmare of a monster.

Without a thought of his own safety, Lucas throws himself between me and danger.

Torn between awe and terror, I watch him now. Muscles tight, claws extended, and teeth bared, Lucas slashes at the monster’s legs. Ronan and the other warriors move in sync, darting around the monster with slashes of their own, like they’ve done it a million times.

They act as if this nine-foot beast is nothing as two of them move in front of the enemy and the other two move behind it. The monster follows the two in front of him, swiping out a massive set of claws.

Erie growls beside me, the sound filling me with a sense of urgency. I need to move, but my feet won’t obey. I’m frozen in place, my heart clawing at my ribs as if it wants to be free.

Ronan sinks a blade into the monster’s thigh, but it kicks, sending him flying again. He hits a tree with a thud, and I gasp. I rush to his side and do my best to heal his back, letting my healing magic fill him until he gasps for air and starts moving again.

“Thank you, Luna,” he mutters while he pushes himself to his feet again. “You should hide.”

Then, he’s off again, catching a blade that Lucas tosses to him. I’m not sure where they were hiding the blades, but I’m grateful they thought to bring weapons. It gives them a bit of an advantage against the enormous creature.

Ducking behind a tree, I pull Erie with me and watch as Lucas charges at the creature. He runs full speed and leaps into the air with a roar that shakes the ground. Every part of me stops and a cold sweat breaks out across my body. He lands on the creature’s head, flips over to its back, and sinks the blade of his knife into the monster’s neck.

At the same time, Ronan and the other three warriors land their knives in the monster’s legs and sides. It shrieks and swings its arms back at Lucas. A flash of silver glints in the dim light of the clearing, and the monster staggers. The men scatter, and I watch Lucas sink his knife into the monster’s skull.

One last strike, and the monster collapses with a ground-shattering thud. Lucas stands on its back like a triumphant conqueror, and I feel like a weight is lifted off my chest.

It’s over. They won.

“Luc—”

My man takes a step, then crumples. His body hits the ground and rolls only a few inches away onto the grass before stopping. The weight slams back into me, and I stumble out from behind the trees, my focus only on Lucas.

“No,” I gasp, already running for him. My feet carry me across the clearing, my heart a loud pounding in my ears, and my body burning like it’s on fire. Everything around me falls away as I fall to my knees, sliding across the grass until I nearly run into him. I grab his shoulders and shake, “Lucas!”

This can’t be happening.

He can’t die.

Not like this.

Not without…

Shaking my head, I focus on Lucas’s broad frame lying in the grass. Blood coats the side of his shredded shirt, and I try to ignore the red liquid that’s beginning to pool beneath him. Breathe, Harper! Breathe!

I can’t stop my hands from shaking. They tremble so badly that I struggle to grip his shirt. It slips from my fingers, and a broken whimper resonates from my chest.

“Useless,” I curse myself as the metallic scent of his blood fills the air. My stomach churns, and a thick ball forms in my throat as I finally get a grip on his shirt.

“Is he…” Ronan drops to the ground at my side, helping me lift Lucas’s shirt. The other men surround us, two keeping their eyes on the monster just in case. Erie pads to my side and nudges Lucas’s body with her nose, whining when he doesn’t move.

The keening cry tears at my heart but not as much as the sight before me.

Jagged gashes span the length of Lucas’s chest from the left all the way down to his right side. Blood steadily seeps from the wounds. There’s too much blood. Too much red. Too much…

“Luc-as,” I croak, my voice breaking. I lay my hands on Lucas’s chest, sending all my magic into Lucas and praying that it’s enough. It flows from my hands into his torso, the drain tugging at my body, but I keep going. I don’t care if my energy is drained.

Lucas must be healed.

If he doesn’t wake up, I don’t know what I’ll do. I only just decided to forgive him, and now I might lose him? How is that fair?

Slowly—slower than I’d like—the wounds begin to pull together. An irritating buzzing feeling whizzes around my head and my vision blurs a bit as I continue adding more magic.

“Harper, you’re bleeding,” Ronan says from my side. A hand touches my back, and I notice something wet dripping down my chin. I swipe a hand under my nose to find blood smeared across he back of my hand.

“It’ll be fine.”

“You should—”

“I have to heal him,” I growl, pinning a glare on the warrior. He moves back, giving me space, but doesn’t go too far. Erie lays beside Lucas, her head resting on her shoulder. The moment she touches him, the healing speeds up and Lucas’s chest heaves.

Lucas coughs. A rattle shakes his chest and blood splatters across his lips. Leaning in, I try to ignore the way my body sways and my vision blurs.

“Lucas?”

Blue eyes find mine, still shining bright with determination even as they flicker with pain.

“L-Looks like I need yo-ur help again.” The raspy words scrape against my nerves just as the little smirk pulls at his lips.

I blink against my blurry vision, making sure to keep my magic working in his body. With Erie’s help, it’s easier, but another feeling fills me as Lucas smiles at me.

“Don’t joke right now, you… you bastard,” I sniffle.

He chuckles, then coughs. More blood dribbles from his mouth, that death rattle still singing in his chest, and my panic swells again as his eyelids droop. It claws at my insides, tearing me to shreds with each slow blink of his eyes.

“Stay with me, Lucas,” I whisper, sliding my hands to his face. Blood smears across his cheeks as I cup them. “Don’t you dare leave me now.”

Lucas’s hand twitches at his side just before he lifts it. Blood-stained fingers brush my cheek, his eyes hooded and pained. They soften as he gazes up at me.

“Not going anywhere, m-mate.”

“You… You shouldn’t have…” A sob forces its way out of my chest, broken and raspy.

“If it means you’re safe, I’d d-do it every time.”

Then, his hand slips from my cheek, hitting the grass with a soft thunk.