James's POV
The pain in my arm was excruciating, a deep, throbbing ache that pulsed with every beat of my heart. Blood trickled down from the gash, soaking into the dirt beneath me as I struggled to catch my breath. My vision blurred, but I could still make out the figure of Carla, one of the Lycan ancestors, approaching me with swift, graceful strides.
"Hold still," she commanded, her voice firm but laced with concern. Without waiting for a response, she knelt beside me and gently took my arm in her hands. The touch was surprisingly soft, considering the power she wielded, but it did little to ease the pain that radiated from the wound.
