One Night
One Night 237

Chapter 237

Audrey

The silver had spread so rapidly throughout Peter’s body. Whereas my mother’s poisoning had been slow, subtle, this was violent. Quick. Painful.

Not to mention the fact that the wound in his side was still oozing with thick red blood.

“We’re running out of time,” I whispered, looking up at Edwin with terror in my eyes. I didn’t know how to heal yet, how to channel my powers in that way. All of this was still so new, so fresh. What if I couldn’t manage to do it in time? What if it wasn’t enough?

“Hey. You can do this.” Edwin’s hand slid into mine. “I’m right here.”

I swallowed hard and nodded, my throat too tight to respond. Closing my eyes, I searched for the well of power inside of me -the same power that had awakened during the mating ritual, the same power that had flickered to life and protected me like armor when the arrow had struck my skin.

The silver magic responded eagerly to my call, flooding through me like a rush of liquid moonlight, cool and tingling beneath my skin. I directed it toward Peter, willing the silver in his blood to yield.

But something resisted.

No matter how hard I tried, it was as if there was an invisible brick wall inside of me, keeping me from using the full extent of my power. Wounds this deep, with this much silver in Peter’s veins… I couldn’t get it all out.

“I… I can’t,” I gasped, my voice trembling as I snapped my eyes open. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. The silver should have bent to my will, but it clung to him like poison, refusing to release its grip. “It’s not working.”

Edwin’s grip on my hand tightened. “Use me,” he urged. “Take my strength. We’re mates-what’s mine is yours.”

For a heartbeat, I hesitated. The deepened bond between us was still new, still strange. I didn’t know how to draw on his power, not like this, or how to stop it if I went too far.

But there was no time for doubt, not when Peter’s chest was hardly moving. I nodded, and in that moment, I let the barriers between us fall. I opened myself to the bond, and my mate’s strength flowed into me.

It felt like taking a breath of fresh air after being submerged underwater for too long.

Taking a deep breath, I turned my attention back to Peter. This time, when I reached for the silver, it shifted beneath my power, like metal being drawn to a magnet.

Slowly, agonizingly, it began to seep from his body. Beads of molten silver formed on his skin, shimmering in the dim afternoon light, coalescing into droplets that rolled away from him like liquid mercury.

The effort was excruciating. Sweat trickled down my temples, and my entire body trembled with the strain of maintaining control. I could feel Edwin shaking beside me too, his muscles taut with the effort of lending me his strength.

But we didn’t stop. We couldn’t stop.

Each second stretched on endlessly, like a never ending battle. My head pounded, and black spots danced at the edges of my, vision. I could feel Peter’s life force ebbing and flowing, hanging in a tentative balance.

One moment he was on the mend, the next he was dipping. Too much silver, too much blood loss…

But I kept going. And so did Edwin.

10:05 Sun, Oct 20

Chapter 237

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last trace of silver seeped from his veins, the angry wound closing between his ribs.

Only then, once I saw the flesh sew itself back together, did I release my hold on the magic, gasping for air as if I’d been holding my breath the entire time.

To my relief, Peter’s chest rose and fell almost immediately.

His eyelids fluttered, revealing the familiar color of his irises, dulled with exhaustion. His gaze found mine, and for a moment, confusion clouded his expression before relief washed over his features.

He took another deep breath, and the tension I hadn’t realized I was holding in my chest finally released.

“It worked,” I whispered, my voice cracking. My body suddenly felt too heavy to stay upright, and I slumped forward onto Peter’s blood-soaked torso, tears of exhaustion and relief spilling down my cheeks. “He’s okay.”

Edwin crumpled as well. He pulled his brother into a tight embrace, clutching Peter’s shoulders like both of their lives depended on it.

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” he muttered, more of a command than a request.

Peter, still weak but alive, returned the hug with what little strength he had. “Wouldn’t dream of it, big brother,” he rasped, managing a faint smirk.

Watching them, my heart swelled. But then I remembered that we weren’t alone.

My gaze drifted across the clearing, landing on Fiona, who sat beside Axel, both bound and guarded by Charles.

Her face was pale, her hair disheveled, and for the first time, she looked… small. Defeated.

Our eyes met, and a fresh wave of fury overtook me.

I rose slowly, every muscle in my body protesting in exhaustion, and made my way over to her. She didn’t flinch as I approached, although her jaw clenched tight as if she were bracing herself.

“Why?” The word slipped out before I could stop it. “Why did you do all of this?”

Fiona’s laugh was bitter and hollow. “You wouldn’t understand,” she spat. “You, with your special powers and your perfect mate. You’ve never had to fight for a place in this world.”

Anger flared in my chest. Ignorant, as always. “Try me,” I bit out.

For a long moment she said nothing, her eyes cast to the ground. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she began to speak “I thought I was special. That I had a purpose. Being the Silver Wolf was everything to me. It was all I had… and then you came along.” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard before continuing. “You took that from me. Left me with nothing.”

“That’s not true,” I countered, shaking my head. “You had something that I didn’t have for so long: a mother. Claudia. She loved you, despite everything. You could’ve had a family, a home.”

Fiona’s eyes

darkened. “A lie,” she hissed. “All of it was a lie.”

My patience was wearing thin. “And this wasn’t?” I gestured at the chaos around us. “Allying with rogues? Betraying your pack? Hurting innocent people? Was that better for you?”

Her silence was deafening.

I sighed, my shoulders sagging under the weight of it all. “I thought I could try to forgive you,” I admitted quietly, my voice heavy with regret. “I thought I could be like Claudia and see the good in you.”

10:05 Sun, Oct zu

Chapter 237

I glanced back at Edwinrand Peter, and felt my resolve harden. “But you nearly killed my mother. When that didn’t work, you nearly killed Peter. And then you tried to kill Edwin. I can’t forgive that.”

Fiona’s lips twisted into a sneer. “I don’t recall asking for your forgiveness.”

“No,” I said softly, “you didn’t. But even if you had, I’d never give it to you. And if anyone ever does, then it’s underserved.”

I turned away from her, not caring to see her reaction. As I did, something cold and wet touched my cheek. I looked up, and delicate snowflakes were falling from the sky.

Across the clearing, Edwin was helping Peter to his feet, snow dusting his dark hair and shoulders. When his eyes met mine, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and I felt warmth blossom in my chest.

With that, the four of us-me, Edwin, Charles, and Peter-exchanged glances and solemn nods. Time was ticking, and we had two prisoners to handle.

“We should go,” Charles said, “before we get snowed in.”

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