Shattered Bonds: A Second Chance Mate - Chapter 55: Chapter 55

The next morning, Audrey returned—covered in soot, her clothes torn, her arm wrapped hastily in gauze and visibly burned. Her steps were uneven, but her expression was triumphant.
In her pouch: a small vial filled with glowing orange powder that shimmered like dying embers.
“Phoenix ash,” she rasped hoarsely, just before collapsing into Beta Alfonso’s arms. “That place… it nearly killed us. But we got it.”
Gasps of awe and disbelief echoed around the room.
Phoenix ash was believed to be a myth, a relic of ancient times when witches still walked openly among us. But Audrey had done it. She’d returned with the final ingredient.
With all the rare and perilous components finally gathered, the healers and I set to work, brewing the potion described in Anastasia’s forbidden grimoire. No witch alive had laid eyes on such a recipe for centuries. Perhaps Anastasia had truly been the last of her kind.
Which only deepened the question that gnawed at me: how did Luca get his hands on this kind of magic?
As we worked, I tried to stay focused, but questions swirled in my mind. I was learning, piece by piece, that my role in this world was bigger than I thought. I had trained to become stronger, faster—more capable of defending myself. But magic… that was a different beast. A power I barely understood, yet knew I needed to master. I couldn’t allow anything like this to happen again. Not to Francesco. Not to anyone I loved.
I made a mental note to revisit the ancient texts. There were still books in Anastasia’s collection—books I hadn’t yet dared to open. Maybe they held the answers.
The potion took hours to brew. We infused the herbs under moonlight, stirred the phoenix ash in careful spirals, and heated the cauldron with enchanted flame.
I stood with the healers the entire time, refusing to leave Francesco’s side for even a moment. My hands trembled, but my resolve held firm. I prayed silently, over and over, for the Goddess to guide us.
Finally, the potion reached its final stage. Lira, the lead healer, turned to me.
I held out my arm without hesitation.
The last thing….
“My blood,” I said firmly. “It’s time.”
Lira hesitated. “Once this bond is sealed, it cannot be undone.”
“It already is,” I replied. “I’m his. He’s mine.”
She nodded…
A clean blade nicked my skin make me wince a bit, and a few drops of my blood mixed with the potion—turning it from amber to gold.
It shimmered like dawn.
We rushed to Francesco’s bedside.
He was weaker than ever now—his skin cold, his body barely responsive. Panic clutched at my chest. But I refused to believe we were too late.
Lira carefully poured a small dose of the potion onto his lips.
When the golden potion touched his lips, his body arched. A low growl escaped him—feral, defiant.
The veins pulsed—once, twice—and then slowly began to retreat, fading like smoke against sunlight.
Everyone, including me held their breath.
Oh God, please make it work!
I keep my eyes locked on him, wondering if its going to work or not.
He stilled.
And then…
I watch when he opened his eyes.
Fully.
Clear.
Bright gold.
“Ellaine?” he whispered, voice raspier than usual but stronger than before.
His gaze met mine, and I saw recognition. Warmth. Life.
Tears burst from my eyes as I collapsed into his arms, sobbing openly. “Oh God… you’re okay. You’re really okay…”
He wrapped his arms around me weakly but firmly. “What? Amore Luna… you saved me.”
I pulled back just enough to cup his face. “You saved me first. This was just payback.”
He let out a soft laugh. It was hoarse, but it was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.
Relief washed over everyone in the room. Lira and the other healers approached to check his vitals, then connected the remaining potion through an IV to complete the healing process. Lira looked stunned at how quickly his condition stabilized. The toxin that had once consumed him was now gone, and Francesco’s body—strong as ever—was fighting its way back.
Beta Alfonso, Marlow, Dario, and the rest of the high-ranking warriors stepped forward, each offering a respectful bow to their Alpha. Relief was etched across their faces.
Alfonso tapped my shoulder, nodding in quiet acknowledgement. He had seen my sleepless nights, my silent tears, my desperate prayers. He knew what this had cost me.
And now that it was finally over… the adrenaline Fatigue hit me like a crashing wave.
Francesco gently pulled me beside him in bed, his arms wrapping protectively around my waist. I didn’t resist. I let myself rest against him, lulled by the familiar rhythm of his heartbeat.
Sleep claimed me almost instantly..
Later that night, as the pack celebrated his recovery, Francesco pulled me aside and led me to the quiet balcony of his chambers. The moon hung low in the sky, casting silver light across his features.
He looked tired—but alive. And more importantly, whole.
“I owe you everything,” he said softly, his voice carrying over the quiet. “Everyone keeps telling me what you did. How you never gave up. Thank you, El.”
My heart swelled with emotion.
“I can’t imagine life without you,” I whispered. “I had to do everything I could.”
He nodded and took a step closer, wrapping his arms around me from behind.
We stood in silence, watching the moon together. “Luca and I… We were close. Not by blood, but closer than brothers because of power we have--Dangerous power”
I was shock when I hear him start speaking and stood there while listening without saying anything “We did terrible things together. Things I regret every single day. At first, I thought we were the same. But then I saw the way he smiled while torturing innocents… I knew I had to stop him.”
I listened silently, heart heavy but open.
“I thought he was dead. After Anastasia came, after everything that happened… I believed he was gone. I wanted to believe it. But deep down, I always feared… and now I know. He was behind all of it.”
“So, these time with the rogues is all him..” I made comment.
He nodded “Anastasia too… He was the one who order her to… ” he stopped.
I turned to face him, cupping his cheek gently. “Then let him come.”
Francesco’s eyes searched mine. “You’re not afraid? Not even after everything I just told you?”
“I was,” I admitted. “But not anymore. I have you. And you have me. That makes us dangerous.”
He smiled then—slow, genuine, laced with pride and longing before leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine. “My moon and stars.”
I give him a smile “My Lycan Alpha,” I whispered.
We leaned in, our foreheads resting together, a promise spoken in silence.
The night was quiet, filled only with the sound of distant laughter and wind rustling the trees.
But far beyond the hills and forests that surrounded Florence, something darker stirred.
Luca was still out there.
And the war was far from over.