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The pain was still there, sharp and biting, like a never-ending electric pulse.
I groaned, twisting my neck to look at the wound on my back.
The gash, though not bleeding, was a gruesome shade of purple, marring my otherwise flawless skin.
Touching it sent waves of discomfort down my spine.
Frantic, my gaze darted around, searching for Aurora.
But her pod was ominously empty.
My heart rate soared, panic setting in.
Where was she?
Had she already been released?
Or worse, had she not made it back?
My head swiveled, looking at the other alien competitors in their pods.
There was only one other.
That meant the remaining three were still down there, in the game.
Trying to mate with my Aurora.
I glanced at the light bulbs mounted on the front of each pod, indicators of a successful Claim.
All were dim.
My heart thundered with hope.
As long as those bulbs remained unlit, there was a chance Aurora was still free, still Unclaimed.
But time was not my ally.
The wound on my back screamed for attention.
I needed to heal, and fast.
Each moment I remained incapacitated increased the risk of one of those bulbs lighting up, signaling Aurora’s capture.
I hissed through gritted teeth, trying to summon my strength.
Back on our home planet, our kind had developed the ability to heal quickly, but it required intense concentration.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the wound, channeling my energy to the damaged tissue.
Minutes turned into what felt like hours.
My concentration wavered as my thoughts drifted back to Aurora.
Every inch of my being ached to be with her, to protect her.
She was out there, alone, vulnerable.
And I was trapped here, healing.
