Eclipsed Destiny

Celia gasped as the betrayer's blade struck true, the pain sharp and searing as it sliced through her side. Her mark flared in response, the blessing's energy surging wildly as though fighting to keep her upright. She stumbled, her blade falling from her grasp as she clutched at the wound.

"Celia!" Aziel's voice cut through the chaos, raw and filled with anguish.

The betrayer stepped back, their cold smile faltering as Aziel rushed forward, his claws extended. His movements were a blur of fury and desperation, his blue eyes blazing with unrestrained rage.

"You'll pay for this," Aziel snarled, his voice low and dangerous.

The betrayer smirked, their blade flashing as they prepared to meet his attack. But Celia's mark flared again, brighter than ever, the light blinding as the blessing's energy surged.

"Aziel, stop!" Celia somehow managed to strangle out the words, her voice shaking with the effort. "Don't... give them what they want."

Aziel halted, his claws inches from the betrayer's throat. His gaze leaped to Celia, and his face twisted. The bond between them thrummed with a steady pulse, grounding him in the maelstrom of emotions.

"Celia..." he whispered, his voice breaking.

The betrayer took the moment. With a mocking laugh, they slipped away into the shadows. "You cannot stop what is coming, Luna," they called out. Their voice faded off into the darkness as they disappeared.

Aziel was beside Celia instantly, his hands steady despite his voice's slight tremor. "You're wounded," he said, his chest heaving with emotion. "Why didn't you let me finish it?

Celia's breath caught as he pressed his hand against her wound. His touch was warm and grounding. "Because... it's not about revenge," she whispered, her voice weak. "It's about the pack."

Aziel's jaw clenched in guilt and frustration. "You always think of everyone else," he said softly. "But who thinks about you?

Her chest tightened at his words, the warmth of his presence cutting through the pain. "I don't need anyone to," she said, her voice trembling. "As long as the pack is safe, that's all that matters."

Aziel shook his head, his gaze locking onto hers. "No, Celia. You matter. To me."

It sat between them like a heavy pendulum, and Celia couldn't help the ache in her heart as she looked up to his eyes-the bond that sat between them a warmth almost overbearing.

He said in such a whisper Celia could hardly believe he was talking. "I can't lose you. Now. Ever.

She catches her breath as a rush of fear and desire knots up inside her. "You won't," she whispers, though her voice betrays the fear threatening to prick tears down her cheeks. "I swear."

It was a stillness within the camp that greeted Aziel's slow step in carrying Celia back into her tent, and he navigated through them, each member looking concerned and at the same time relieved that Luna, as they still saw her, seemed okay.

Inside the tent, Aziel set her down gently, his hands lingering on her shoulders. "Stay here," he said firmly. "I'll get Marcus."

"Aziel," Celia said, her voice soft but insistent. "Thank you."

He hesitated, his gaze meeting hers. "For what?"

"For being here," she said, her voice trembling. "For always being here."

Aziel's expression softened, his hand brushing against her cheek. "I'll always be here, Celia," he said, his voice steady. "As long as you'll have me."

Her heart ached at his words, the bond between them pulsing with a warmth that was both comforting and terrifying. She reached up, her fingers brushing against his hand as she held his gaze.

"I will," she said softly, her voice filled with emotion. "Always."

The night deepened, and the pain in her side receded to a dull ache, and exhaustion pulled at her like a heavyweight. Yet even as she drifted into sleep, the warmth of Aziel's presence lingered, a steady reminder that she wasn't alone.

When she woke the following morning, she found Aziel sitting beside her, his features soft and pensive. The camp was still, the night's tension being replaced by an uneasy calm.

"You didn't have to stay," she rasped.

Aziel looked down at her. His blue eyes were warm. "I wanted to."

Her chest tightened, a weight settling on her like a blanket of warmth. "Aziel...

He reached for her hand, his touch gentle but firm. "Celia, I know that a lot of things

are happening right now pack, the rogues, the blessing. But none of those things change how I feel about you."noveldrama

Her breath hitched, her heart pounding as she met his gaze. "Aziel, I..."

"You don't have to say anything," he said softly, his thumb brushing against her knuckles. "I just needed you to know.

Celia's chest swelled as a mix of gratitude and longings welled up inside it. She clenched his hand tighter, speaking in a nearly inaudible whisper, her voice trembling "I know. And I do too."

Aziel smiled a little, warming the eyes bright enough to shake off the residual shadows in Celia's brain. "So that's it for now."

But then Marcus strode into the tent, his face grim. "They are reassembling," he said in a low voice. "The traitor is still on the loose, and we don't have much time left."

Celia sat up straight, the mark on her skin tingling with renewed strength as the power of the blessing surged. "Then we leave now," she said firmly, trying to sound steadier than the fear beating in her chest.

The battle wasn't over. And neither was their story.