She swore she'd never need anyone. He was born to serve a destiny he never chose. Together, they're the only hope against the void. Aryssa Flamehart has spent the last few years proving she can lead Ignara alone-the first female Alpha in three centuries shouldn't need help from anyone. But when the Seal of Flame begins to fail and void-creatures breach her realm's defenses, she faces an impossible choice: accept a bonded mate forced upon her by prophecy, or watch everything she loves burn to ash. Evric Stormborne has prepared his entire life for this moment-finding his fated mate and saving the realms. But the fierce fire Alpha wants nothing to do with him, with bonding, or with the destiny that brought them together. As his storm magic slowly tears him apart from the inside, he realizes that love earned is worth more than love commanded. When they discover that Ignara's Seal is bound to another realm in ways that could doom them all, partnership becomes not just preferable, but essential for survival. Fire and storm must learn to dance before the Void Queen manifests and destroys everything they've fought to protect. But accepting the bond means confronting their deepest fears: Aryssa must risk becoming the kind of woman she swore she'd never be, and Evric must convince her that choosing him freely is the only destiny that matters. Some bonds are written in the stars. Others are forged in fire. Perfect for readers who love: ¿Enemies to lovers with high stakes ¿Fated mates who choose each other anyway ¿Strong heroines learning to accept partnership ¿Elemental magic systems and prophecy ¿Found family and cross-realm alliances ¿Steam with emotional depth Following the events of Bound by Shadow, the Sealed Realms face their greatest threat yet. When one realm falls, they all fall-unless love proves stronger than the void itself.