In a world where only soulmates could share thoughts, this bond was sacred and rare. Most waited their entire lives for a sign, unsure if they'd ever meet their soulmate. The connection was undeniable and irreversible. Once established, it could never be severed.

But for Jason and her, the idea of being soulmates was laughable. Enemies from the start, they could barely tolerate each other, always on opposite sides of a fight. The hatred between them was palpable, solidified through countless clashes that sparked tension with every encounter. So, when fate forced them together in the dangerous woods of Eldara, neither was pleased.

Wolves had been tracking them for hours. Both Jason and she noticed but didn’t speak; they were too focused on surviving each other. The wolves complicated things, each hoping the other would falter. She shot Jason a sidelong glance, hand resting on her blade as they trudged through the dense forest. The danger thickened, the wolves closing in.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. They were hunting the same target: a rogue mage their factions wanted dead. Instead of outsmarting each other, they found themselves in a forest full of wolves, their prey nowhere in sight.

Twilight engulfed the forest as shadows stretched between trees, wolf howls echoing closer. Before she could think, a low growl reverberated through the trees. The first wolf emerged, massive and menacing, its amber eyes glowing in the dim light. Kaela counted six of them, circling in the dark.

Her pulse raced, blood pounding in her ears. She slashed at one wolf, but they were too fast, too numerous. Just as panic set in, a voice—familiar yet startling—rang out in her mind.

“Run!”

Her heart froze, breath caught. The voice wasn’t her own; it was Jason's.

She couldn’t believe it. This wasn’t possible. They couldn’t be soulmates. Not her. Not Jason. Anyone but him.