Xander’s breath came in ragged gasps as the pain seared through his body. Every bruise, every cut was a reminder of his failure. All he had wanted was to be with her, his forbidden lover, the one who had always been his secret in the shadows. But now he was here, chained, a captive of those who would never understand.

His limbs trembled as he hung there, wrists shackled above him, and the weight of his bloodied body made him dizzy. The cell was cold, the stone walls silent except for the echo of his labored breathing. He closed his eyes, the vision of her all that kept him anchored to the world outside the pain.

Then, the sound of soft footsteps broke through the haze, bringing a rush of desperate hope. His head lifted, despite the dizziness, his heart pounding in his chest.

"My love..." His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper, as he finally saw her—her figure emerging from the shadows like an apparition. His heart skipped, even in the agony, and he reached out, though the chains mocked him.

Her presence, both a comfort and a torment, sent a rush of conflicting emotions through him.