The Blood Moon hung heavy in the sky, casting its crimson glow over the ancient forest. Liora stood on the balcony of Killian's tower, her silk nightgown fluttering in the wind. Every instinct screamed that tonight would change everything.
Behind her, Killian watched, arms folded tightly across his bare chest, muscles taut, the scar on his shoulder gleaming silver in the moonlight. "It's time," he said, voice hoarse, laced with an emotion she couldn't quite place—fear, desire, desperation?
Liora turned slowly, her heart racing. "You're going to do it, aren't you? The ritual."
Killian stepped closer. "If I don't, you'll die."
"I don't want you to bind yourself to me out of guilt, Killian. This curse—my curse—isn't your responsibility."
"I'm not doing it because I have to," he growled. "I'm doing it because I want to. Because the thought of losing you—" He broke off, jaw tightening. "Liora, when I found out the curse was killing you slowly... I felt like the ground was ripped from under me. You are mine. I won't let the moon take you."
Her breath caught. She wanted to believe him—so badly it hurt.
"I've never done this ritual before," he continued. "It's ancient magic, primal. If we complete it under the Blood Moon, your curse will pass to me. I'll bear it in your place."
She stumbled back, eyes wide. "You'll—what? No! Killian, that's insane. You'll die!"
He reached for her, cradling her face in his hands. "I'm not afraid of death, Liora. I've lived a long time in the shadows. But you—you're the first light I've known in centuries. Let me do this. Let me save you."
Tears spilled down her cheeks. "There has to be another way."
"There isn't. Not unless we find the original caster and force them to reverse it. And that witch... she vanished long before you were born."
The silence was heavy. Only the distant howls of wolves echoed in the wind, reminding them that time was running out.
"Tell me what I have to do," Liora whispered.
Killian's eyes glowed with a deep, eerie red as the Blood Moon reached its peak. "You just have to say yes."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."
In a flash, he pulled her into his arms and whispered an incantation in an ancient language. The wind roared around them. The red moonlight thickened like a mist, enveloping their bodies. Liora felt heat seep into her bones, as if her very soul was being unraveled.
Their lips met—not out of passion, but power.
It was a kiss that seared her skin, one that awakened every nerve in her body. She gasped into his mouth as energy surged between them, raw and electric. Her fingertips dug into his shoulders as the spell took root.
Suddenly, her chest tightened. The mark—the cursed birthmark that had haunted her since childhood—began to burn.
Killian staggered back, clutching his chest as a mirror image of the same mark branded itself on his skin. He groaned, falling to one knee. "It's working," he gritted out. "I can feel it leaving you."
Liora collapsed, overwhelmed by the sensation. The darkness that had always lingered inside her began to fade. For the first time in her life, she felt free.
And Killian—he was the one now trembling, bearing the curse like a crown of thorns.
"You fool," she cried, crawling to him. "You took it—you really took it."
He looked up at her, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "I'd do it again."
She kissed him again, softer this time, not for magic—but for love. For sacrifice. For the man who chose her over his own fate.
But as their lips parted, a loud crash echoed from the forest below.
Liora tensed. "What was that?"
Killian stood, eyes narrowed. "We're not alone."
A figure cloaked in black stepped out from the shadows beyond the trees. Her long hair shimmered white under the moonlight. A twisted smile curled her lips.
"The ritual was touching," the woman said, voice cold and sharp. "But unfortunately... it wasn't enough."
Killian moved protectively in front of Liora. "Who are you?"
The woman raised a pale hand. "I'm the one you should have come to first. The curse was never yours to take, Alpha. And now... you've triggered something far worse."
Liora's heart dropped. "Worse than death?"
The woman smiled darkly. "Worse than destiny."
A sudden blast of energy sent them both flying back, the balcony cracking beneath them. Killian's eyes flared red as he sprang to his feet, snarling.
But Liora couldn't move. Her limbs were frozen, her breath caught in her throat.
The woman's voice echoed in her mind. "The curse was only the beginning, girl. You have no idea who you really are. But you will. Soon."
Then, with a blink, she vanished.
Killian caught Liora just before she collapsed again. His heartbeat thundered in her ears as he held her tightly.
"What did she mean?" she gasped.
He shook his head, fear clouding his expression. "I don't know. But whatever comes next, we face it together."