Asher's pulse thundered as he soaked his shirt again, wringing it out before gently pressing it to Bella’s burning forehead. The cold cloth brought her a brief moment of relief, but her body quickly spasmed again, twisting in agony. Her pained cries echoed through the cave, each one cutting deeper into Asher’s heart. Desperate and at a complete loss, he didn’t notice the figure approaching from behind until he heard a low voice.
"She has a binding curse on her."
Asher whirled around, muscles tense, ready to protect Bella. Standing at the entrance of the cave was the young man he'd fought moments earlier, the werebear. Only now, in his human form, he looked entirely different: tall and thin, his body covered in wounds and scars, his face roughened from hardship, yet his eyes held a quiet,
