ns you, Ariana. You are the prophecy reborn. The

to grasp what he was saying. "

were hidden, kept from your true power

He pushed her, challenged her to tap into the fire that burned inside her. At first, Ariana struggl

Drayce's presence made her feel somethi

outstretched. Drayce stood by, his crimson eyes watching he

nded. "Channel the

long. The air seemed to hum, and slowly, a flicker of flame appeared in he

ames, her body glowing with the power she had un

been drawn to fire, perhaps because it mirrored the chaos and intensity that raged within her. The fire she had inherited from her mother, the fl

ed her heart, only to push her away. His words echoed in he

g they had shared. Was it because of her power? Was it because she was no longer just a wolf, but a

s warmth wash over her. It felt like a comfort, a reminder that she was

and there, standing in the doorway of the chamber, was Kael. His presence immediate

her heart beating fast

as dressed in his usual armor, the gleaming metal catching the light in a way that made him seem almost otherwor

he finally said, his voi

d longed for this moment, but now that he was here, it felt like too

asked, her voice breaking.

through his hair, frustration evident in his posture. "It's not you. It's me. It's who I am. I am the future of the Drakon

are not just our responsibilities, Kael. We are m

mitted quietly. "I feel it, Aria. But I cannot be what you need. You deserve someone who c

ns overwhelm her. She had been raised to be strong, to fight for what s

despite the storm raging inside her. "A chance to choose my own fu

ght say something more. But then, his expression hardened

duty is to my people. If I give in to my feelings for you, everything I've worked for, everything my father has

ty would come first, that the weight of his crown would prevent him from living a life

ing back finally slipping down her cheeks. "But I can't wait for you forever. I c

h-the man who had held her close, whispered promises, and shown her a world of possibility. But

e distant. "But this is not our

surrounded by the flickering flames that mirrored the pain in her heart

et it rage. She let it consume her, allowing the heat to wash over her, burning away the p

ould she wait for anyone to choose her. She wou

s ready to embrace it fully. She was ready to fight-for herself,