Xander finds himself in the midst of chaos as the Academy’s courtyard splits open with a glowing, molten rift that threatens to consume everything. The atmosphere is charged with destruction, and despite orders to retreat, Xander refuses to leave Rory behind. His fury, fueled by Azrien’s presence within him, drives him forward through collapsing structures and swirling elemental forces.
Ahead, Dhara and Castor are fighting to hold back the Venatorum forces using their combined powers of earth and lightning, creating a fierce storm that temporarily stabilizes the situation. However, the ground beneath them collapses into the rift, escalating the danger. Xander, desperate and determined, pushes through the hazardous environment, feeling Rory’s faint heartbeat and knowing she is trapped inside the circle formed by the rift.
Reaching the Solstice chamber, Xander sees Rory wielding immense, radiant power in a struggle against Durnham, who is caught within the circle as well. Despite warnings from Vallin about the danger of the circle collapsing, Xander refuses to back down. With Azrien’s strength bolstering him, he dives into the chaos, pulling Rory into his arms as the chamber fractures violently around them.
As the rift threatens to swallow them, Dhara’s storm strikes again, creating a protective fortress of wind, lightning, and earth that finally causes the rift to vanish. In the aftermath, Xander holds Rory, who is weak but alive, her bond with him faintly pulsing. Though the immediate threat has passed, Xander knows the war is far from over, especially with Durnham still alive somewhere in the ruins. Standing amidst the devastation, he no longer fears the storm, feeling ready to face whatever comes next.
Xander
The world felt like it was unraveling at its seams.
The initial shock struck me like a sudden thunderclap beneath my skin, knocking me off balance before I could even brace myself. The courtyard tore apart right down its center—a jagged, glowing fissure of molten light cleaving through stone and earth. The very atmosphere screamed in agony, the wind pulling inward violently, dragging breath and debris toward the glowing rift at its core.
“Fall back!” Vallin’s voice echoed faintly through the chaos, somewhere beyond the protective wards. But retreat wasn’t an option—I couldn’t leave Rory behind.
Azrien’s fury surged through me like a wild tempest, raw and unfiltered. She’s there. I have to move!
I didn’t hesitate. Pushing through the choking dust, the searing heat licking up my arms, I forced my way forward. The Academy was crumbling around me—arches collapsing into rubble, banners reduced to smoldering ash. The sharp scent of ozone burned my throat, and every shadow seemed alive, twisted by the chaos.
Ahead of me, Dhara and Castor were already engaged, their combined power a tempest made manifest. Dhara knelt with her palms pressed firmly against the cracked earth, glowing veins of stone radiating outward from her fingers like lifeblood. Castor hovered just above her, the air shimmering as lightning coiled through the storm clouds he summoned.
“Go!” Dhara shouted over the roar, her dark hair whipping wildly across her face. “We’ll hold the line!”
“I’m not leaving you!” I yelled back, desperation thick in my voice.
Castor landed beside her with a heavy thud, his eyes flashing brilliant white. “You’ll leave us in pieces if you stay here, Alpha!”
He slammed his hands together, unleashing a cyclone that spiraled upward, tearing chunks of stone and fire into the air. Dhara’s power followed, anchoring the storm, transforming chaos into a protective shield. Together, their elemental fury tore through the Venatorum forces attempting to breach the east gate.
For a moment—just a heartbeat—it was breathtaking. Lightning and earth danced in perfect harmony, creation and destruction entwined in a fierce ballet.
Then the beauty turned deadly.
The ground beneath them gave way entirely, swallowed by the ever-widening crack. The sound that accompanied it wasn’t natural—it was as if the world itself was inhaling, drawing everything into the abyss. I stumbled, caught by the irresistible pull, a force dragging all toward the fracture’s heart.
“Rory!” I shouted, my voice cracking with panic.
Azrien howled within me, clawing at my ribs, the phantom thread scorching across my chest. Every pulse screamed her name.
Dhara glanced up briefly, her jaw clenched tight. “She’s inside the circle!”
The rift flared again—red and gold and horribly wrong.
“Then I’m going to her,” I said, resolve hardening my voice.
Before either of them could stop me, I sprinted forward.
The heat was suffocating, the air thick and heavy, making every breath a struggle. Dust and sparks rained down from a collapsing beam above. My boots slipped on shattered tile, my lungs burned from the smoke, but I kept pushing—each step driven by a force beyond will, a command written in blood and desperation.
Rory was alive. I could feel her heartbeat—faint, yet steady—a fragile rhythm amid the chaos.
Behind me, Dhara and Castor’s cyclone reached its full fury, the roar deafening. Lightning ripped through the air, striking the ground around the surviving Venatorum soldiers. The earth surged upward in jagged walls and spikes, sealing the Academy’s core against the invading tide.
Mona’s voice cut sharply through the storm. “This way! Move them!”
She and Matt were shepherding the wounded toward the inner hall, their movements swift and precise despite the turmoil. Blood streaked Mona’s cheek, but her hands glowed with healing light as she passed them over a fallen soldier. Matt’s blade was slick with Venatorum black, his eyes blazing with fierce determination.
They were saving who they could. I was racing toward the one I couldn’t lose.
The halls trembled and warped with every aftershock. When I reached the Solstice chamber, the doorway was nearly destroyed—half melted, half consumed by the blinding light pouring from within. The sound emanating from inside nearly brought me to my knees.
There stood Rory.
Her hair whipped wildly in the raging wind, strands glowing with golden light that seemed to sear through every fiber. Runes spun around her like living stars, their radiant glow clashing violently against the red pulse of the rift behind her. Durnham was trapped within the circle as well, his power clawing at hers, two forces locked in a spiraling collision that bent the very air.
The bond thrummed once, faint but unmistakably alive.
She was still with me.
Outside, the wind howled through the broken halls, carrying the scent of storm and blood. The fracture had closed, but the war was far from over—not while Durnham still breathed somewhere in the ruins.
I lifted my head, eyes narrowing toward the shattered horizon. “He’s not finished,” I said, my voice rough and hoarse. “Not yet.”
Azrien growled in agreement, low and eager.
And for the first time since the Solstice, I didn’t fear the storm.
Because I was already standing in its very heart.
Though the immediate threat has been quelled, the lingering tension and the scars left by this battle serve as a reminder that the struggle is far from over. Yet, within the storm’s eye, Xander’s resolve burns brighter than ever, fueled by love, loyalty, and the unyielding spirit of those who refuse to surrender. The chapter leaves us suspended between destruction and hope, a testament to the enduring power of connection in the face of overwhelming adversity.
The next chapter promises to plunge even deeper into the aftermath of the devastating rift’s closure, where the fragile calm conceals simmering tensions and unresolved dangers. Xander’s fierce determination to protect Rory, now weakened but alive, will test the limits of their bond and the strength of their allies. Amidst the ruins of the Academy, old wounds may reopen, and new alliances could be forged—or broken—as the true cost of the battle begins to reveal itself.
Expect emotions to run high as the characters grapple with the consequences of their choices and the looming threat of Durnham’s lingering presence. The interplay between power and vulnerability will be at the forefront, with Azrien’s wild energy still pulsing beneath the surface, ready to ignite when needed. Every moment will be charged with uncertainty, as hope and despair intertwine in a delicate dance that could tip the balance of the war.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Alpha Xander's Undoing Chasing my Unknown Mate Back