Mara's POV
Three days.
Mara could not breathe. Could not think. Could not do anything except stare at the road ahead and count down the hours until her entire world burned.
Three days before the testing. Three days before they discovered the bond magic still singing in her veins. Three days before they tied her to a stake and set her on fire.
Just like they did to her mother.
She was going to die screaming in the town square and everyone she had ever tried to help would watch it happen.
Kael walked beside her, his hand still holding hers. He kept glancing at her face like he was trying to read something written in invisible ink. His concern was making it worse. Making her want to confess everything. Making her want to beg him to help her.
But he could not help her. Nobody could.
"Talk to me," Kael said quietly as they moved through the evening streets. "Tell me what is happening. Tell me why you looked like you were about to die when Morrison mentioned the testing."
Mara tried to pull her hand away from his. She needed distance. Needed to think. Needed to figure out if there was any way to survive this that did not involve telling him the truth.
But Kael caught her wrist before she could get far.
"You are terrified," he said, stopping her in the middle of the street. "Tell me why."
His amber eyes were so concerned. So genuine. Like he actually cared what happened to her. Like he wanted to help even though she was the one who had lied to him and destroyed everything with her forbidden magic.
Mara's throat closed up.
She wanted to tell him. Wanted to spill out the entire truth about her mother and the magic and the years of hiding and Thane's blackmail and the fact that she was going to burn in three days. Wanted to let him know that every moment she spent looking at his face was another moment she was memorizing it because after three days she would not have any more moments.
His hand came up to cup her face. Gentle. Like she was something fragile.
"Whatever it is, we will face it together," he said. "You are my mate. That means something. It means I will not let anything happen to you."
She almost broke then.
Almost told him everything. Almost let herself believe that an Alpha who had spent his entire life executing magic users would somehow choose her over his laws. His pack. His reputation.
But then they rounded the corner to her clinic and every thought fled her mind.
The door was covered in red paint.
WITCH.
The word was large and violent and dripping like blood down the white clinic door. Around it, someone had drawn symbols. Warnings. Curses. The kind of marks people put on places they wanted to destroy.
Mara's legs stopped working.
She stared at the painted door, unable to process what she was seeing. Someone knew. Someone had painted this. Someone wanted everyone in the neutral territory to know exactly what she was.
Thane.
It had to be Thane. This was part of his plan. Another layer of pressure. Another way to make her more desperate. Another reminder that he controlled everything about her life.
Kael's hand tightened on her face, forcing her to look at him instead of the door.
His eyes were blazing amber. His jaw had gone hard. Every muscle in his body had gone rigid with fury.
Then he turned and looked at the painted door.
For a moment, nothing happened. Kael just stared at it like he could not quite process what he was seeing. Then his chest expanded with a breath that seemed to go on forever.
And he roared.
It was not a human sound. It was not even really a wolf sound. It was something primal and ancient and so full of rage that the windows in the clinic actually rattled in their frames.
Every head on the street turned toward them. Warriors came running. Innocent people stopped walking and looked for danger.
Kael roared again, pointing at the clinic door.
"Who did this?" His voice was pure fury. "Who marked my mate's home? Who dares?"
Finn appeared, running at full speed with warriors at his back. "Alpha, what happened?"
"Find whoever painted this," Kael snarled. "Find them now. I want to know who they are. I want to know where they live. I want to know every single place they have ever been. And I want them brought to me alive."
Mara felt something break inside her chest.
He thought this was about protecting her. Thought this was about an Alpha defending his mate's property. He was furious because someone had disrespected her territory.
He did not know that the word WITCH was a death sentence. He did not know that someone was counting down to her execution. He did not know that this was all part of a larger trap designed to force her into choices that would destroy him.
Kael turned back to her, his rage shifting into something softer but no less intense.
"Come with me," he said, taking her hand again. "We are not staying here tonight. You are coming to Ironwood territory. You are coming home."
He said it like it was the solution to everything. Like moving her under his protection and his pack's roof would somehow save her from the testing. From the truth. From the magic that was carved into her very bones.
Mara wanted to say no. Wanted to tell him that she could not go with him. Could not watch her presence destroy his reputation and his position and everything he had built.
But she was so tired of running.
Maybe staying would be better. Maybe being with him for the next three days would be worth the pain that came after. Maybe she deserved that small mercy before everything ended.
"Okay," she whispered. "I will go with you."
Kael's expression softened. He pulled her close and held her against his chest. His heart was still racing from the rage but his touch was gentle.
"I will protect you from whatever this is," he said quietly. "I do not know what you are so afraid of, but I swear to you, nothing will happen to you on my watch."
Mara closed her eyes and let herself believe the lie for just a moment.
Three days. She had three days to memorize the feel of his heartbeat. Three days to pretend that love could be enough to overcome laws and death and the terrible choices ahead.
Three days before everything burned.