Chapter 137: Forever Bound
**Avery**
The Ancient One materializes in the center of the chamber, his presence a palpable force that sends shivers down the spines of me and my mates. The ritual's remnants still linger—the scent of incense, the faint glow of enchanted runes—but the peace we had found is shattered by the entity's arrival. Like molten gold, the Ancient One's eyes scan the room, settling on each of us in turn, as if weighing our souls. Is this over, or is there more to his twisted game?
"You have proven your bond," the Ancient One intones, his voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance. "But the game is far from over. Your loyalty, your devotion—it must be tested further."
This is bullshit. I step forward, my eyes flashing with defiance. "What more do you want from us? We've faced your trials, endured your demands. Clint is free from the darkness, and our bond is stronger than ever. There is nothing left to prove. I am tired of your games. We owe you nothing!"
The Ancient One's lips curl into a faint, mocking smile. "Strength is not enough, Queen Avery. You need to understand that. True devotion requires sacrifice. A choice must be made, I told you that. You thought that if you removed the darkness, you wouldn’t have to make a choice, didn’t you? Life isn’t that easy, Avery. One of your mates must be bound to me, eternally. A tether that will test the limits of your love and their loyalty."
What in the fuck! I can’t make this choice. I won’t! I won’t force that on any of my mates and that would mean…no, no it can’t be. There is no way I could have such a monster as a mate, is there? A stunned silence falls over the room. Cassius's hand tightens into a fist, his blue eyes narrowing. Clint's jaw clenches, his eyes flickering with a mix of anger and fear. Conner's reserved demeanor cracks, his blue eyes widening in disbelief.
James steps forward, "You would dare to tear us apart?" James growls, his voice low and dangerous. "We've faced worse and emerged victorious. What makes you think this will break us?"
The Ancient One's smile widens, a chilling sight. "Not to break you, King James, but to refine you. The choice is Avery's. She must decide which of her mates will be bound to me. A decision that will expose the cracks in your foundation, the insecurities you all hide. Who will she choose to sacrifice? Who will she trust to endure my presence for eternity?"
My heart pounds in my chest, my mind racing. I glanced at each of my mates, seeing the fear and determination in their eyes. "This is cruel, even for you, Ancient Dark One," I whisper, my voice trembling with anger. "You're asking me to choose between the men I love, to condemn one of them to an eternity of suffering."
"Suffering?" The Ancient One chuckles, a sound that grates on my nerves. "Or perhaps enlightenment. The choice is yours, Avery. And remember, the consequences of your decision will shape not only your bond but the fate of your kingdom." Enlightenment? How could he possibly offer that? Yes, he isn’t bound to the cave anymore, but he isn’t in human form either. Is that what he needs one of my mates for? To possess them like a damn puppet...I will find a way out of this. There has to be a way.
Cassius steps forward, his leather armor creaking as he moves. "I'll do it," he declares, his voice steady. "I'll be the one. I can handle whatever this entity throws at me. My loyalty to you, Avery, is unwavering."
Clint's eyes flash with a mix of admiration and resentment. "No, Cassius. You're too proud. You'd rather die than admit you're struggling. I'll do it. I've faced my darkness before. I can face this."
Conner shakes his head, his expression grim. "Neither of you should bear this burden. I'll take it. I'm the most reserved, the most capable of handling isolation. It's the logical choice."
James's green eyes lock onto mine, his voice cutting through the chaos. "I am your king, your mate. I will protect you, no matter the cost. I'll be the one to face this trial."
My hands clenched into fists, my mind reeling. Each of them is willing to sacrifice himself for me, but at what cost? The Ancient One's binding is no simple tether—it's a chain that will drag one of them into the depths of the entity's realm, a place of shadows and torment.
"No," I said, my voice firm. "I won't let any of you do this. There has to be another way."
The Ancient One's gaze is unyielding. "There is no other way, Avery. The choice is yours, and time is running out. Who will it be?"
My eyes darted between my mates, my heart aching. I see the fear in Clint's eyes, the determination in Cassius's, the resignation in Conner's, the protectiveness in James's. Each of them is willing to step into the abyss for me, but she knows the choice will change them—change their dynamic, their bond.
"I need time," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I need to think."
The Ancient One's lips twist into a cruel smile. "Time is a luxury you don't have, Queen Avery. Choose now, or I will choose for you. And trust me, my choice will be far more painful."
My breath hitches as I realize the gravity of the situation. I can't let the Ancient One decide—I know the entity will choose the one who will suffer the most, the one whose torment will cause the greatest rift in our bond. My eyes fell on Clint, and I remembered the darkness we had fought so hard to expel. I see the vulnerability in his eyes, the fear that he might succumb to the shadows again. I know that binding him to the Ancient One would be a risk—a risk that could destroy him, destroy us.
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