Shattered Bonds: A Second Chance Mate - Chapter 72: Chapter 72

Third Party Point of View:
Luca limped through the darkened woods, pain radiating from every inch of his torn body. Blood crusted along his ribs, and one of his arms hung useless at his side. The wind carried the stench of burnt rogues and ash, a reminder of the chaos he’d unleashed—and lost control over.
But it wasn’t Francesco who had turned the tide.
It was her.
Ellaine.
He clenched his jaw, the memory of her glowing form etched into his vision like a curse.
A Moon Wolf.
A creature out of myth and nightmare.
He had heard rumors—whispers of her strange power, the inherited remnants of that blasted witch, Anastasia. He had even dismissed them, once, scoffing at the idea of such legacy surviving in that timid girl who had once merely been the background in Francesco's orbit.
But tonight, everything changed.
She had emerged like a divine punishment. A streak of silver fury. The Moon Wolf with a witch’s soul.
And she had ruined everything.
His pack—slaughtered.
His allies—scattered.
His pride—shattered.
He collapsed against the trunk of a tree, panting. His fingers reached into the hidden pocket in his torn vest, pulling out a small vial. His last dose of scent-masking potion.
Without it, he wouldn’t survive another hour. Francesco would find him. And this time, there would be no escape.
He uncorked the vial with trembling fingers and downed it. The liquid seared his throat, burning like fire. Within seconds, his scent vanished, swallowed by the forest.
He could feel the panic of his surviving warriors as they stumbled behind him. Idiots. Most of them would be caught before dawn.
But not him.
I am Luca.
The one with a plan.
He forced himself upright, gritting his teeth against the pain. Somewhere deep in the forest was a hidden ruin—his final sanctuary. An ancient structure veiled by enchantments, protected by blood seals and illusion. A place even Francesco didn’t know about.
He made it there just as his legs gave out. The door creaked open on its own, responding to his presence. He dragged himself inside and collapsed onto the stone floor.
Minutes passed or hours.
He didn’t care.
When his head finally cleared, he rose and walked to the back wall, brushing aside vines to reveal a hidden compartment. Behind it lay the remains of his greatest failure—and now, his greatest opportunity.
The Forgotten Poison.
He stared at the small glass vial, its contents a swirling mixture of red and black. The last time he used it, it had been meant for Francesco. Slipped into Ellaine blood, masked with magic. Designed to wear down his senses, cloud his judgment, erode his instincts.
It had almost worked.
Almost.
Until she interfered.
Ellaine had unknowingly sabotaged it. Her presence, her closeness, had disrupted the magic’s effectiveness. Something about her energy, her purity, her bond with Francesco—it had shielded him.
Luca had learned his lesson.
If he wanted the poison to succeed, this time it wouldn’t be aimed at Francesco.
It would be aimed at her.
He lifted the vial, watching it shimmer in the low light. “A Moon Wolf and a witch,” he muttered. “No wonder she survived the first attack.”
His lips curled into a twisted smile. “But let’s see how long you last once your mind begins to turn on itself.”
He could already picture it—Ellaine growing distant, paranoid. Her trust in Francesco crumbling. Her loyalty fraying.
And when the bond weakened?
He would be there.
To offer understanding.
To offer comfort.
To exploit the crack and drive a wedge so deep Francesco would never recover.
He would turn her against him.
And Francesco would suffer.
Not through death.
But through the slow, agonizing loss of the one person who gave his life meaning.
Luca ran a finger down the side of the vial.
“Yes… I don’t want your death anymore, Francesco. I want your destruction. And I’ll use her to do it.”
He tucked the poison away, lips still curled in a cruel smile.
“Soon.”
The forest was quiet.
But darkness had begun to move.
Go back to Ellaine point of view:
It was already past one o’clock when I finally stirred awake.
Soft sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a golden hue across the room. The scent of pine, clean linens, and something faintly masculine surrounded me—familiar, calming. It was his scent. Francesco.
I blinked slowly, groggy, my body still sore but warm under the thick covers. Each limb felt heavy, not from pain, but from deep exhaustion. The kind that follows a storm.
For a long moment, I didn’t move. I simply lay there, listening to the faint sounds beyond the window—birds chirping, distant laughter, the rustle of leaves stirred by the wind. Peace.
But my mind wasn’t ready for peace.
Memories surged like crashing waves—jagged and overwhelming. The rogues. The blood. The earth vibrating beneath my paws. My first shift. The power that tore through me, wild and uncontrollable. Mika’s voice—strong and furious—howling into the night.
And then… Francesco.
I turned slightly, my hand searching instinctively for the warmth I’d come to rely on. The space beside me was empty. Cold. His arm—wrapped around me for most of the night—was gone. The imprint on the sheets had already faded.
Alpha duties. Of course.
A soft knock broke the quiet.
Before I could answer, the door opened and in swept Audrey, Maria, and Monica, like sunlight bursting through the clouds. Audrey’s grin was bright, her excitement barely contained.
“When I heard movement, I knew it was time,” she said with a triumphant laugh.
Behind her, Maria pushed a cart stacked high with food—warm bread, roasted chicken, creamy soup, fresh fruits. The delicious scent hit me like a wave, and my stomach growled in betrayal.
“Well, someone’s hungry,” Monica teased gently as she approached. “How are you feeling?”
I sat up slowly, wincing slightly at the soreness that still lingered in my muscles. “I’m okay,” I said honestly. “Stronger, I guess.”
“That’s because your human side finally connected to your wolf,” Audrey said, beaming with pride. “And not just any wolf—the white wolf.” She helped me out of bed and guided me to the nearby couch, where Maria was already setting the table.
“People are still howling your name in awe. You should’ve seen the pack this morning—everyone’s buzzing.”
I gave her a shy smile and murmured a thank-you to Maria, who began laying out plates like a proud mother hen.
“Alpha Francesco also told me,” Maria said as she set down a steaming bowl of soup, “that the burial ceremony for the Blackpine Pack was completed this morning.”
I paused, heart twisting.
Our old pack.
“I know,” I said softly. “It means a lot. What Francesco did… it mattered. It’s the least we could do for them.”
Maria nodded, her voice thick with emotion. “They were our people.”
“They still are,” I whispered. “Even in death.”
Maria wiped a tear from her cheek. “You’ve grown so much, El,” she said with a watery smile. “I remember the girl who came to me, broken after Ruben rejected you. Now here you are, honoring the fallen—even the ones who once hurt you.”
I looked away, a bittersweet ache blooming in my chest.
She was the only one who knew the full story. The only one who gave me the chance to leave—to escape to Italy with an art scholarship, to begin healing.
“I don’t forget the pain,” I said softly. “But I don’t want to be ruled by it anymore.”
We ate together in comfortable silence after that. I insisted they share the food with me—there was no way I could finish it alone, and it felt right to sit among these women who had, in so many ways, become my found family.
Eventually, I asked the question I’d been holding back.
“Where’s Alpha?”
“Out checking the perimeter since early morning,” Audrey answered, already expecting it. “And he’s been on and off the phone with the Council.”
“Trying to figure out how rogues got into the territory, I’m guessing?” I said, leaning back, still processing everything.
Monica nodded, serious now. “Exactly that. It doesn’t make sense. There should have been patrols. Council guards. Even magical wards. But they slipped through everything like it was nothing.”
“Do they think someone helped him?” I asked.
“They’re starting to,” Audrey replied. “They found strange symbols at the eastern border. Old markings. Barely visible, like someone tried to erase them. Alpha had the enchanters check them.”
“And?”
“They’re linked to blood magic,” Monica said grimly. “Powerful. Forbidden. Someone let them in. This wasn’t just a breach—it was a betrayal.”
My heart sank.
“The Blackpine Pack…” I whispered, dread curling in my gut. “They didn’t just fall. They were ambushed. No allies came. No one even responded to their distress.”
“They were left to die,” Maria said bitterly. “The rogues made sure of it.”
Rage stirred in my chest. That was my old pack. My people. Despite everything that had happened—despite Ruben’s betrayal—I hadn’t wanted them dead.
“I think the Council’s compromised,” I said aloud.
All three women looked at me.
“It’s the only explanation that fits. The Council didn’t send reinforcements. They’ve been oddly silent. And the rogues knew exactly how to exploit our weaknesses.”
Audrey exhaled slowly. “I heard Alpha thinks so too. That’s why he’s been pushing for answers. He’s furious.”
“He should be.” I looked down at my hands, still faintly trembling. “This isn’t over.”
“No,” Monica said. “And something tells me they’re not done either.”
By late afternoon, I needed air.
I wandered into the courtyard garden behind the main house. The sun hung low in the sky, casting golden shadows across the stone path. Warriors trained in the distance, their movements fluid and sharp. Life continued. Despite the loss. Despite the danger.
I sat on the bench beneath the old olive tree, my thoughts drifting between past and present.
I’d shifted.
I had become the white wolf whispered of in legends—rare, powerful, marked by the moon.
And yet… I still felt like Ellaine.
The same girl who once stood trembling in front of Ruben, begging him not to reject her. The same girl who ran away to Italy with nothing but a broken heart and a sketchpad.
But I wasn’t that girl anymore either.
I closed my eyes.
Mika stirred within me—strong, calm, watchful. She hadn’t spoken since the battle, but her presence was steady now, no longer distant. No longer buried.
I wasn’t alone anymore.
The scent of cedar and fire reached me before I heard his steps.
I opened my eyes.
Francesco stood before me, freshly changed into a black shirt and jacket, sleeves rolled up. He looked tired—his jaw tense, his hair mussed from running his hands through it too many times. But his eyes… his silver eyes found me immediately.
I stood.
“You should still be resting,” he murmured softly, closing the distance between us and wrap his arm on my back.
“I needed air.”
He reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering just a second longer than necessary.
“And you?” I asked. “You’ve been gone all day, you just arrived.”
“Too much to clean up,” he said. “Too many lies to unravel.”
He pulled something from his pocket—a folded cloth. He unwrapped it slowly to reveal a broken silver pendant, shaped like a crescent moon with faint runes etched along its edge.
“This was found near the breach. Where Luca entered.”
I took it from him carefully. The metal was cold. Wrong.
“Magic?” I whispered in shock.
“Our seer said the same,” Francesco said. “Luca had help. Someone with access. Someone who knew how to bypass both warriors and enchantments.”
“Someone on the inside?!” I was shocked.
He nodded.
“This wasn’t just an attack. It was a message,” I said, feeling the chill seep into my bones.
Oh God...
“And we heard it,” Francesco replied, voice low. “But they didn’t count on one thing.”
I looked up at him.
What does he mean?
“You,” he said simply.
I froze.
“You shifted. You survived him. And more than that, you changed everything. The pack sees you now, El. Not just as my mate. But as ours. Their Luna. As mine.”
His voice dropped on that last word, possessive and tender.
And my heart did something dangerous.
I didn’t speak. I couldn’t.
Instead, I stepped forward—slowly, hesitantly—and placed my hand over his.
He closed his fingers around mine, firm and warm.
We stood in silence for a while, beneath the olive tree, as the sun sank behind the hills. Warriors trained. Children laughed. The pack moved on.
But we knew better.
This was just the calm before the next storm.
And like always… we will face it together.