Chapter 77

Aren opened his eyes sharply after feeling suffocated in his sleep, only for him to feel a heavy throbbing in his head.

He held his face in his hands, eyes wincing till the throbbing faded and the events of last night all came back; the fire, stone, Alpha Erv’s hand around his throat.

His jaw tightened, hating the memory. He tried to sit up but his body immediately protested. Every muscle felt torn open from the inside. His back burned where he’d hit the wall and his ribs screamed. His head rang so sharply, throbbing harder this time as it blurred his vision.

He swung his legs off the bed, stubborn and fighting the pain but the moment his feet touched the floor, his knees buckled.

Pain shot up his spine, making him stagger back as he caught himself on the edge of the bed, then sat back down, breath punching out of him.

He pressed a hand to his temple, finally accepting his body was too weak this time. He had faced an alpha after all.

Meanwhile, ac