Chapter 12: Chapter 12

JASMINE

Sebastian’s declaration sent a chill of terror down my spine. My eyes darted to my father, then back to Sebastian, as if seeking confirmation.

“Dad, it’s been ages since we’ve had any trouble with witches…”

The witches had been nothing more than scary bedtime stories for the longest time.

It had been over forty years since their last attack. They were hardly seen these days, but when they did show up, they left nothing but devastation in their wake. I shivered, recalling the whispered stories of their destruction.

Three packs wiped out, turned to dust, leaving nothing but a desolate wasteland behind. Where once there were lush trees, now there was only rubble and ruin—a dead, cursed land. Our magic was internal, linked to the wolves that resided within us.

The witches, however, were different—they were sorcerers who had succumbed to the allure of dark magic. Their power came at a terrible price, and they survived by feeding on the souls of others. They were the monsters that haunted every young wolf’s dreams.

The stories of their dark magic had always hung over us like a dark cloud, but no one had anticipated their return. Until now.

“My pack is under attack.” Sebastian’s voice wavered as he spoke. His usual calm demeanor was shattered, and desperation seeped into his words.

“I need to go back, Jasmine.”

His pain resonated within me. His people were under attack, and he wasn’t there to defend them. He was their future alpha, their leader-to-be.

But when they needed him the most, he was here with me.

“Of course, you need to go,” I said, my voice trembling as I moved closer to him. “Do you need me to—?”

“No!” His response was sharp, almost frantic, and the sheer terror in his eyes stopped me in my tracks.

“I can’t stand the thought of you being there…in the midst of all that chaos.”

I could feel his fear through our bond, could sense his mind spinning at the thought of me stepping into danger. His hands clung to mine, as if trying to ground himself, and the contact sent a shiver up my spine.

“I need you to stay here, safe,” Sebastian implored, his voice softer now but no less urgent. “I’ll go, find out what’s going on, and come back as soon as I can.”

Before I could respond, my father stepped in, placing a reassuring hand on Sebastian’s shoulder.

“Our guards will accompany you. I’ll have Reynald rally the troops right away.”

My father’s voice was steady, but I could sense the undercurrent of fear. Without another word, he left the room, leaving Sebastian and me alone.

In the quiet of my father’s office, I could feel the weight of Sebastian’s distress. He was torn between his duty and his love for me, and I was caught in the crossfire.

“I’m so sorry you’re not there already,” I murmured, my voice choked with emotion as I looked into his eyes for answers. “You must be in so much pain.”

“Jazzy, don’t,” he pleaded, his voice cracking as he met my gaze. “I chose to be here with you. But now I have to leave.”

The reality of his words made my heart splinter. The thought of him leaving—especially now—was too much to bear. I longed for his presence.

I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his chest, and felt his deep sigh resonate against me.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” I mumbled into his shirt, holding him tighter.

“I’ll miss you too,” Sebastian whispered, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes. His hands cradled my face, his thumbs wiping away tears I hadn’t realized I’d shed.

Then, he lifted my chin, ensuring I saw the sincerity in his eyes. “You have no idea how much it pains me to leave,” he said softly. “But I’ll always be here.”

He placed a hand over my heart, making me catch my breath. “And here,” he murmured, tapping my forehead before leaning in to plant a gentle kiss there.

A shiver coursed through me at his touch, my body responding to his nearness. His words made my heart squeeze, and a tightness settled in my chest that only his touch could alleviate.

“The truth, my Angel,” Sebastian continued, his voice heavy with emotion, “is that I loved you. I will always love you—with every fiber of my being. Even when I’m not physically with you, know that my mind, my heart, my soul… They’re always with you.”

His words flowed over me, a warm tide of affection and connection. Yet, they also brought a painful awareness of our deep bond and the difficulty of letting him go.

My hands instinctively reached for his face, drawing him closer. Our lips met in a desperate dance of longing. His kiss was a paradox—gentle yet insistent.

His lips moved against mine as if they were a lifeline, as if the thought of separation was unbearable. His mouth took mine as if he were trying to absorb every bit of me, and I was insatiable.

Sebastian’s hands explored my back, drawing me nearer. His fingers dug into my waist as if he couldn’t bear to let go. Each touch sparked a jolt of electricity within me, a primal heat that pulsed between us.

My skin was aflame with the need for more—more of him, more of us, more of everything. I could sense his desperation, his need to etch every moment of this kiss into his memory before he had to depart.

My legs turned to jelly as his tongue flirted with mine, deepening the kiss and quickening my pulse. Every nerve in my body cried out for him, and I could sense the same hunger in him—his body taut with desire, his grip firm and unyielding.

I looped my arms around his neck, drawing him even closer, our bodies melding together as if we were designed to fit. The kiss was everything—passion, love, desperation, and fear.

I could taste the urgency on his lips, and it mirrored my own.

“The troops are ready. They’re leaving at your command,” my father’s voice sliced through the fog, yanking us back to reality.

Sebastian pulled back, but not before pressing his forehead against mine, our breaths intermingling in the tiny space between us. His lips were swollen, his breathing uneven, and I knew mine mirrored his.

“I’ll come back to you, Jasmine. Before you even realize I’m gone,” he murmured, brushing one last kiss across my lips, this one gentler, filled with all the love he couldn’t express in words.

“I love you.”

“I love you,” I whispered back, my voice barely a whisper as tears clouded my vision.

He stepped back, his hand slipping from mine, and I felt a pang so deep it nearly brought me to my knees.

As he walked away, I realized that a part of me was leaving with him.

My mate. My love.

And then he was gone, taking a piece of my heart with him.

I prayed to the Moon Goddess that he would return to me safe.