Crossing the Border (Rania) novel Chapter 245

**He Asked Me to Leave My Dreams, So I Decided to Make Him One of Them**
*by Mira Lorian*

Maximus cradled Rania in his arms with a tenderness that belied the chaos around them. His lips brushed against her forehead, a gentle kiss laden with desperation, as he fought to staunch the flow of blood that marred her neck. “Rania,” he called out, his voice breaking with emotion, the name escaping his lips like a prayer. Countless times he pleaded, but the silence that enveloped her was deafening.

“Please, open your eyes… please, wake up.” He pressed his lips to the tip of her nose, then to her lips, which had grown cold, devoid of life. His heart raced, each beat echoing the fear that threatened to consume him. Her long, raven hair lay matted with blood, a stark contrast to the vibrant life she once radiated.

“I want to hear your voice… ask me anything, everything, and I will do it for you. I will give you whatever you desire… but, please, just wake up…” With a trembling hand, he pressed his lips against her forehead, shaking her gently, as if his very touch could coax her back from the abyss.

Meanwhile, Letto, ever the strategist, had discreetly summoned one of his warriors to fetch Karin. He and the others knelt low, their bodies trembling with uncertainty. They were acutely aware of the tempest brewing within Maximus, not daring to interrupt this heartbreaking moment, fearing what madness might unfold if the king’s sorrow transformed into wrath.

Maximus was a portrait of devastation, his grief palpable, but little did they know how quickly that sorrow could morph into something far more terrifying. “Rania…” he whispered again, his voice barely above a breath, yet still, she remained unresponsive.

He pressed his forehead against hers, lost in that moment, refusing to move, to accept the reality that had shattered his world. Time seemed to stretch infinitely until Karin finally arrived, her heart pounding in her chest as she approached the king with utmost caution. “My king…” she spoke softly, her voice trembling, a reflection of the fear that gripped her. She knew that in a moment of blind rage, he could easily turn against her.

Hugging Rania tightly, Maximus obscured the wound from Karin’s view, but she could sense the finality of death in the air. A wave of anguish washed over her, and she fought to keep her tears at bay. “My king… let me check her.” The words felt futile, a desperate attempt to redirect his focus, to pry him away from the lifeless body of his mate.

But when Maximus finally lifted his gaze, a single glance was enough to silence her. Karin dropped to her knees, her head bowed in submission, trembling from the weight of her fear and overwhelming sorrow. Guilt gnawed at her insides; she replayed the events that led to this moment over and over in her mind.

If only she hadn’t urged Rania to accompany the three warriors, perhaps she would still be alive. She had wanted to keep her safe, to protect her, but in that moment, she had believed it was the right choice. Now, it felt like the gravest error of her life.

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