Bryn POV
We should be celebrating. Thora's army lay defeated. All the witches in Thora's bloodline, once fervently supporting her evil plan, now lay fallen, their powers extinguished. Thora herself was trapped in a place where she could no longer cause harm.
But this victory came at a cost, and that cost was Mia. She had selflessly sacrificed herself, locking herself away from us all. For the past three days, Leo has been tirelessly preparing to break the spell that binds Thora to Atlas, while our allies have been working diligently to restore safety to this realm, knowing that acceptance of this change would take time.

Through a spell cast by Leo, I uncovered my life and Mia’s were linked together as well. The spells used to bind our lives were so powerful that even the spell I had cast to check for enchantments couldn’t uncover them. Leo knew the truth behind Mia's original demise. He claimed she had taken her own life to stop the evil that threatened us all. Thus, we assumed that this time, my life was linked to hers as a safeguard against a similar fate. Instead of sacrificing herself in death, Mia made the brave choice to trap herself with Thora.
Luckily Leo stumbled upon an ancient text that revealed the existence of a cave, said to block all power. To seal someone within its depths, a great sacrifice was required. Mia, it seemed, had sacrificed her own power to seal this cave, preserving herself in an eternal slumber. While she remains alive, she is trapped, unable to free herself or establish contact with Atlas.
Atlas dedicated countless hours to researching ways to free Mia. He spent most of his time in the library, hoping to find answers. I joined Atlas in the library, accompanied by Flint. As I placed my hand on his shoulder, I assured him we would bring Mia back. The weight of worry was evident in his voice as he expressed his concerns, "If we break open the cave, Thora will awaken with her power. But what about Mia? She sacrificed to close it. Will she regain her power? Will she even wake?"
"I believe she will wake, Atlas. However, she will need us, and she will require our support when the time comes to fight. But you must remember, Mia grew up with the understanding her power was not safe, so she rarely used it. Her strength and fighting abilities do not solely rely on her power. They stem from years of training. She is strong without it, and that is precisely why she is and will continue to be a remarkable leader."
"I understand," he said, his voice filled with weariness, as he put his head in his hands.
"You need rest, Atlas," Flint offered, his voice gentle and comforting. "We all want to learn as much as we can so we can free Mia, but working on no rest won't help. Get some sleep, and we will take over for a little."

Atlas sighed, his shoulders slumping under the weight of exhaustion. "It's impossible to sleep without her," he admitted, his voice tinged with sadness. "Brutus can't even feel a connection to her anymore, as if it has been completely severed. When we went into battle, I could taste victory. I thought we would win, yet I feel as if I failed her yet again. Mia is always the one sacrificing herself."
Flint shook his head, his eyes filled with understanding. "You did not fail her, Atlas," he reassured. "In fact, knowing Mia, she would say you supported her well, especially if you accept the sacrifice she made. She made it knowing you would come to save her in the end, that we all would. She always fought battles on her own when she was younger, but she has learned that fighting as a team is better. Mia is smart, and she trusts us, so we won't let her down."
As Flint spoke, I reached for a small vial and handed it to Atlas. "Take this and lay down," I insisted. "It's a sleep potion that Leo helped me make. You need sleep, and this will aid in that. You never know, maybe you will be able to link with Mia in your sleep. I'm sure she is trying just as hard to reach you."
Atlas nodded gratefully, his fingers closing around the vial. "Thanks, I will," he said softly, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and exhaustion. He stood up and left for his room, the sound of his footsteps fading away.

Flint sighed, his worry evident in his touch as he placed his hand on mine. "I'm worried about him," he admitted. "It's as if he is shutting down without Mia. He's also upset over the sacrifice Leo has to make." The warmth of his hand brought a sense of comfort, grounding us in this moment of uncertainty.
"You know well the strength of a mate bond," I began, my voice filled with a mix of concern and urgency. "And that some don't survive losing a mate when it is strong. Brutus and Atlas can't sense their bond with Mia right now. That cave and the deep slumber she has been placed in is almost mimicking Death itself. They are the original couple, their love burning fiercely. Atlas, too, is a good person, shaped by his upbringing as a human. It made him appreciate the preciousness of life, something that immortals often overlook."
"Leo may have lied to Mia, but in the end, he has always been her friend and ally," I continued, my words laced with a sense of loyalty. "He proved that in this battle, when he saved her. Mia made the sacrifice of locking herself away to protect everyone, yet Leo may sacrifice his own life for her. Atlas, understands the devastating effect it would have on Mia if she were to learn that Leo lost his life to save her, especially after she had already experienced such loss when her pack was attacked."
I explained the situation to Flint, and he asked about Leo's chances of survival. "Good, because we are going to help him," I replied, determination resonating in my voice. "But his power will be stripped away. He will retain his immortality, but otherwise, he will be rendered human."
"Then we protect him," Flint asserted, his voice firm and resolute.
"I see I've grown on you," Leo interjected, his sudden presence catching Flint off guard.
"Damn, you're good at sneaking up," Flint blurted out. "Your sense of smell is just off right now, as you heal. I've never seen anyone survive with that much dark power ripping through their body."
"Well, I wasn't leaving Bryn. She's stuck with me," Flint declared proudly, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.
"Did you give Atlas the potion?" Leo questioned me, his eyes searching for confirmation.
"Yes," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. "Good. Hopefully, it will help him connect with the Goddess, so we get clearer guidance." Leo Said.
"But after deciphering all the text in the book we found," Leo continued, his words filled with concern, "I do believe that is the cave holding Mia and my mother." My heart tightened with worry as I imagined Mia's plight.
"And I do worry about how Mia will be when Atlas frees her," he admitted, his voice catching. "Based on the text, it is only a mate with a pure bond that can break the seal. But freeing Mia won't undo her sacrifice. It may not wake her, but it will wake the one she trapped with her. The only one to ever survive lost there wolf, based on the text."
Leo's head hung low, his voice filled with sorrow. "The wolf in the book never woke up. They remained in a comatose state, based on the text, and died shortly after. We can only hope Inara was strong enough to stay with Mia."
Just then, a loud growl reverberated from outside the library, shattering the tense silence. "Fuck, Atlas overheard," Flint muttered under his breath. "I'll go to him," I declared, my voice steady. "Keep researching. I'll be back."
As I stepped out into the hall, Atlas stood there, his hand healing from him punching the wall. The sight of his wounded hand tugged at my heart.
"I'm sorry, Atlas," I whispered, my voice filled with empathy. "We must all stay calm now and do our best to free her. We will find a way to save her, Atlas, as she does not deserve such a fate." I reached out to touch his arm, offering what little comfort I could.
"If I could, I would take her spot," he whispered, his voice trembling with despair. "I would end all of this now by stabbing my own heart, so Thora was gone." The air was heavy with the scent of desperation as he spoke. "But I doubt doing so will free Mia from this fate now. Why were we given another chance, only for it to end like this?" The sound of his anguished sigh echoed through the empty hallway.
"I don't want to be here if Mia isn't," he confessed, his voice filled with longing. "I know that sounds selfish, and I will, in the end, continue on without her if I must. But I will only do so because I promised to stand by her. So I will help create the world she dreamed of, for her." The weight of his words hung in the air, suffocating and bittersweet.
"We only have limited knowledge, Atlas, so don't lose faith in Mia," I reassured him, my voice soft but hopeful. "I, for one, believe we will save her. And even if it takes time, she will wake, and her wolf will be with her."
"Now, let's get you to bed," I suggested, my hand gently guiding him forward. "That potion will help you reach out to the moon goddess, speak with her, Atlas. She may not often offer aid, but you may also hold the power to alter your mate's fate."
"Thank you, Bryn," Atlas expressed his gratitude, his voice filled with determination. "I will do whatever it takes to return Mia to us." As he turned and walked away.
My heart ached for him and Mia, but I also held onto the unwavering belief in both of them. This was far from the end of their story. Maybe, just maybe, it's possible for us to even return some of the power she gifted us with the relics to help her. There has to be a way.