Page 30 of Bloodween

A small gasp left me. “I thought turned wolves couldn’t imprint⁠—”

“We can’t. Not the way born wolves do. But we can choose. When we feel something deep enough, it happens. He fucking trusted you. I kept him in control for you, and to you it was all a game.”

Silence. Then the echo of his breath where my neck remembered it—the bite that had felt different from all the others.

And now I knew why.

My cold heart twisted.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated, eyes on Varek. “You’re not wrong. I did feel something, and that’s what made it hard.”

Dorian stepped closer. The movement was soundless, unreal. For a moment I thought he’d vanish if I blinked, but he didn’t. He only stopped in front of me, studying my face like he was memorizing it. His expression eased, the fury draining until only weariness remained.

When his hand lifted, I didn’t move away. Rough fingers traced my jaw, slid along my cheek, and the warmth of his touch burned through the cold, making my magic coil.

I relaxed into it, eyes closing for a breath. It wasn’t forgiveness, but it was peace—and that was enough.

“Dorian. Varek.” I breathed out their names. “I meant what I said—you’ll always be my little wolf, and I’ll always be your little witch. Both of you will always be part of me. But…” I looked between them. “You have to let your blood nourish me. Save me, please. Let go. Die for me.”

October 31st, 11:58 p.m. — Seventeen Hours Post-Ritual

The air tasted like hot metal and death, and my skin burned like fire.

Not like before; this time, my magic was expelling from my body.

There was relief.

My eyes flew open as someone yelled, “Master Vale! The sacrifice!”

My head dropped toward the wolf—my wolf, the one who had marked me. Chosen me.

He was transforming.

His fur faded as he shifted back into Dorian’s lifeless human body.

For a split second, my heart ached, but the eyes on me didn’t give me long to dwell.

Eira’s scowl.

Master Vale’s muted pride.

The others whispered in awe.

I glanced at my reflection in a shard of broken glass on the floor and saw my eyes glowing. Not crimson. Not ruby. Blood red.

the ascension

"BLOODBORN."

“Iam Armisha Devane of the Crimson Witches of the Blood Coven.

Descendant of the Bound.

Through the Crimson Elixor that awakened me, through the wolf that fed the hunger in me, through the darkness that crowned me⁠—

I am reborn.

I welcome in the blood of those before me.