<b>CHAPTER </b><b>57 </b>


    I stood still, watching Elias and the rest of the pack as they looked around in confusion, trying to figure out where I had disappeared to–until I stepped back through the barrier to where they were.


    The moment I crossed back over, Elias pulled me into a tight bear hug and refused to let go.


    “You couldn’t get through?” I asked him.


    “I tried to follow you, but I just ended up walking straight into the forest. It blocked us,” Elias


    said.


    “I have royal blood. Only someone like me can pass through,” I exined.


    “How the hell does that help the rest of us?” one of the girls snapped.


    “If you keep speaking to me like that, then I won’t f<b>*****</b>g help you at all,” I snapped back. Elias leaned his head back and stared at me, clearly surprised.


    “Damn,” he muttered.


    “Sorry. But those bitches are seriously starting to get on my nerves,” I said.


    “Don’t be sorry. That was f<b>*****</b>g hot,” Elias said, wrapping his arm around my waist.


    <b>I </b>walked over to arge boulder nearby and sat down, pulling out the royal family’s book.


    I started flipping through the pages, searching for any reference to the castle, a protective barrier, or a spell. I wasn’t sure if the magic had been cast by a royal with powers or by a


    witch on their behalf.


    Elias instructed the rest of the pack to head down to the beach while we tried to sort this out.


    They didn’t hesitate for even a second. They took off in a hurry, and Elias settled down beside me, helping meb through the book.


    “You don’t have to stay here with me,” I said.


    “I know. I want to,” he replied.


    Eventually, I came across a page near the back that had the royal crest at the top. It didn’t say where the castle was, but it did exin that a barrier spell had been ced around it–one that only allowed royals to pass in and out. The spell had been cast about a hundred years ago, and it was done by the royals themselves.


    < CHAPTER 57


    “Noir, do you know anything about this<b>?</b><b>” </b>I asked.


    More Rewards <b>> </b>


    “I know royals can cast barrier spells,” she replied, “but I’m not sure we’re able to undo one.”


    In the back of the book, the exact wording of the barrier spell was written, so I studied it intently. I figured if I wanted to remove it, maybe I could reverse the incantation–say it backward in intent, turning the spell from sealing to unsealing.


    I wrote down the reversed version of the spell and went over it several times before stepping in front of the castle.


    I raised both hands and called Noir toe stand with me–I would need every ounce of strength I had if this was going to work.


    I began reciting the spell I’d rewritten myself, focusing intensely, eyes shut tight, until I started to feel the warm trickle of blood running from my nose.


    I could sense Elias stiffen beside me, but I pushed away his concern and kept all my focus locked onto the spell.


    I kept repeating it until I finally heard Elias gasp–and when I opened my eyes, the castle stood clearly before us.


    A towering five–story gray stone fortress perched on the cliff, surrounded by perfectly kept gardens and trimmedwns.


    As soon as the castle came into view, the rest of the pack rushed over to join us, staring in disbelief. None of them could believe what they were seeing–it was thergest and most stunning house they had everid eyes on.


    I began climbing the staircase that led up to the castle, and when I reached the top of the fifty stone steps, I paused to take in the breathtaking view.


    From the front terrace, I could see straight out over the forest below and all the way to the ocean. The sight was absolutely beautiful.


    I moved toward the door and reached for the handle. It wasn’t locked. I pushed it open and stepped inside, surprised to see it wasn’t as dusty as I had expected.


    The rest of the pack scattered throughout the grand castle, eager to explore. The ce was enormous, and with so many rooms and corridors, we didn’t even know where to begin. It would be incredibly easy to get lost here.


    Elias stayed close by my side while the others headed off in the opposite direction. We decided to go left.


    < CHAPTER 57


    We followed a long corridor and made a turn into another hallway.


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    The furniture throughout the space was all covered in white sheets, and framed portraits


    lined the walls.


    Each painting had a golden que beneath it, and every one began with the title ‘King Alpha.’ They must’ve been portraits of the former Kings.


    As I continued further along the hallway, I started to recognize some of the faces in the portraits–ones I had seen before in my dreams.


    We were almost at the end of the hallway when I caught a strange scent in the air. It didn’t belong to anyone from our pack. I turned to Elias, and his face had gone dark with concern.


    He was thinking the same thing I was: someone else was in this castle.


    We walked quickly to the end of the corridor and turned the corner, where the unfamiliar


    scent grew much stronger.


    Following the trail, we went deeper inside until we turned another corner and entered what looked like a sitting room–just in time to see a door closing on the far side of it.


    Without hesitation, we dashed across the room and burst through that door as well, racing through a formal dining area, a spacious kitchen, and into a butler’s pantry.


    Whoever we were following, they were quick–much faster than we anticipated.


    We chased them to the end of the pantry, where we entered arge library.


    There were no obvious exits in this room, so we paused and carefully examined our surroundings.


    “Do you think there’s a hidden passage?” I asked, ncing around.


    “Maybe. These old ces are full of surprises,” Elias replied.


    “No. She hasn’t left. She’s still here, hiding,” I said, sniffing the air again.


    We spread out, each of us searching opposite sides of the room.


    A few momentster, I heard a scream from the other side of the enormous library, and I ran


    in that direction.


    When I reached the far end, I saw Elias gripping the woman who had been running from us. I stopped in my tracks,pletely frozen.


    “You’ll have to do better than that if you want to outrun us,” Elias said, pulling her out from


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    where she had been trying to hide. Then he turned to me, and I just stood there, my eyes wide, stunned by who I was seeing. <fn5195> Checktest chapters at findnovel</fn5195>


    “Mom,” I whispered.


    < CHAPTER 58