<h4>Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Darian’s Choice</h4>


    The person in ck armor rode closer, and ra’s heart nearly stopped beating. She recognized that presence—cold, calcting, hungry for power in a way that made even shadow-Marcus seem innocent. But before she could warn the others, Darian’s spirit form suddenly flickered and became solid again.


    "No," he whispered, staring at the oing rider. "It can’t be." "Darian?" ra reached for him, but he stepped back. "Don’t touch me. Not yet." His face was twisted with pain and shame. "There’s something I never told you. Something I’ve been hiding since the day we first met." Kael spun around. "We don’t have time for confessions. The enemy is almost here." "This IS about the enemy," Darian said desperately. "That person in ck armor? I know who it is because I’ve been talking to it for months." The words hit like a physical blow. ra felt sick. "What?" "The voice in my head, the one that made me jealous and angry? It wasn’t just my own thoughts. Someone was feeding me those feelings, making them stronger, pushing me to betray you." Tobias raised his silver de. "You’ve been working with them?" "No! Yes. I don’t know." Darian ran his hands through his hair. "It started small. Just whispers when I was alone.


    ’Why should you share her? You’re smarter than your brothers. You deserve to be picked.’ I thought it was just normal jealousy." Ronan’s spirit flickered with anger. "But it wasn’t." "The whispers got stronger. Started showing me visions of what life could be like if ra picked only me. Power, honor, a pack that feared and obeyed." Darian’s voice cracked. "I wanted it so badly that I didn’t question where the visions wereing from." The ck-armored figure was close enough now that they could see its face. Or rather, the total absence of a face. Just smooth ck metal where details should be. "Who is it?" Evelyn demanded. Darian swallowed hard. "The Void Walker. The thing that lies between life and death, feeding on broken bonds and shattered love. It’s been hunting our family for generations, waiting for the promise toe true so it could im the power for itself." Understanding dawned on ra’s face. "The real enemy wasn’t Marcus. It was this thing, using him as a prop." "Using all of us," Darian revealed. "It whispered to Marcus about getting power. It whispered to Celeste about deserving to be Luna. It whispered to me about betraying you." His eyes filled with tears. "And I listened." The enemy packs were spreading out around the town now, surrounding thempletely.


    But none of them moved to attack. They were waiting for their true boss to arrive. The Void Walker dismounted from its huge wolf and walked toward them with steps that made no sound. When it spoke, its voice came from everywhere at once. "My faithful servant," it said, looking straight at Darian. "It’s time toplete your bargain." "What bargain?" Kael snarled. Darian closed his eyes in shame. "I promised to give ra’s power in exchange for bing the sole Alpha. The whispers said if I betrayed her at the right moment, I could im everything—her powers, the pack, unlimited strength." "And you believed it?" Celeste asked in fear. "I wanted to believe it," Darian whispered. "I was so tired of sharing, so tired of being the youngest, the ignored one. The thing told me I could be first for once in my life." The Void Walker stretched one armored hand. "The time hase. Deliver the Moon Alpha to me, and receive your prize." For a moment, Darian stared at that raised hand. ra could feel the temptation radiating from him—decades of being third best, of watching his brothers get attention while he faded into the background, of wanting something that waspletely his own. The power being offered was real. She could sense it flowing from the Void Walker like a dark river. If Darian took that hand, he would be stronger than any Alpha who had ever lived. "Darian," she said softly. "Whatever you choose, I’ll understand."


    He looked at her with surprise. "You’ll understand? Even if I betray you?" "You’ve already died protecting me once. Whatever doubts you have, whatever promises this thing made you, I know who you really are." Tears streamed down his face. "I wanted to be your only choice so badly. The jealousy was eating me alive." "But you fought it," Ronan pointed out. "Every time it mattered, you chose us over yourself." "I chose wrong plenty of times too," Darian said bitterly. Kael stepped forward. "We all did. I rejected ra because of pride. Ronan nearly got us all killed because of recklessness. You’re not the only one who made mistakes." The Void Walker’s patience was running out. "Choose now, young Alpha. Power beyond belief, or death with the rest of your pathetic family." Darian looked at the offered hand one more time.


    Then he looked at ra, at his brothers, at the pack members who had decided to stand and fight despite being outnumbered ten to one. "I’ve spent my whole life wanting to be special," he said softly. "Wanting to stand out, to be chosen, to matter." He smiled through his tears. "But I already am special. Because I’m part of something bigger than myself." He turned to face the Void Walker directly. "I reject your offer. I choose love over power. I choose my family over my goals." His voice grew stronger. "And I choose to fight beside them, even if it means we all die together." The Void Walker’s metal form began to shake with rage. "Foolish child. You have no idea what you’ve just given up." "Yes, I do," Darian answered calmly. "I’ve given up the chance to be a monster like you." Silver light began to glow around Darian’s spirit form as his choice broke whatever hold the Void Walker had on him. But instead of making him stronger, the light started to fade. "What’s happening?" ra asked in fear. "The corruption runs too deep," Tobias said sadly. "Breaking free from that thing’s influence is killing him." Darian nodded, his form bing more translucent by the second. "I made too many deals, listened to too many whispers. Choosing love doesn’t erase the hurt that’s already done." "No," ra reached for him, but her hand passed right through his disappearing body. "I won’t lose you again." "You’re not losing me," he said with a peaceful smile. "You’re setting me free."


    As his spirit started to dissolvepletely, Darian looked at the Void Walker one final time. "You want to know the real reason I rejected your offer?" he said. "Because I finally realized something important." "What?" the creature snarled. Darian’s smile turned sharp as his form faded to almost nothing. "I was never the one you were really after. I was just the distraction." The Void Walker spun around just in time to see Tobias raising a weapon that zed with pure silver fire.


    But it wasn’t pointed at the thing. It was pointed at the ground beneath its feet, where old symbols had been carved into the earth while everyone was focused on Darian’s confession. "Goodbye, sister," Tobias whispered. And brought the weapon down.