《Triple Moon Rising: An Omega's Destiny》


 Chapter 1: The Invisible Girl

    <h4>Chapter 1: The Invisible Girl</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I ducked as the snowball flew past my head and smashed against the nursery wall.


    "Sorry, omega!" a young wolf pup called out, not sounding sorry at all. His friendsughed as they ran off to y elsewhere, already forgetting I existed.


    That¡¯s how it always was in Silver Peak Pack. As an omega ¨C the lowest rank ¨C I was either invisible or a subject for jokes. Never anything in between.


    I sighed and picked up the fallen basket of supplies I¡¯d been bringing to the nursery. Another day, another chance to be ignored by everyone who counted.


    My name is Lily Carter, and today is my eighteenth birthday. Not that anyone remembered. Oh, and it¡¯s also the first day of the Winter Moon Festival ¨C the biggest party of the year when wolves find their true mates under the special winter moon.


    "Careful with those nkets, Lily!" Mrs. Reed called from inside the nursery. "We need them clean for the pups¡¯ nap time."


    "Yes, ma¡¯am," I answered, brushing off the snow and running inside.


    The nursery was warm and smelled like wood and milk. Five wolf pups were ying on the floor, their little faces lighting up when they saw me.


    "Lily!" the smallest one named Max ran over and hugged my legs. "Will you tell us a story?"


    At least someone was happy to see me. I smiled and ruffled his hair. "After you¡¯ve had your lunch, I promise."


    Unlike the rest of the pack, the pups didn¡¯t care that I was just an omega. They liked my stories and the special way I could calm them when they had bad dreams. It was the one ce I felt useful.


    I had just finished setting up the lunch table when loudughing came from outside. I couldn¡¯t help myself ¨C I peeked through the window.


    There she was. Luna Morrison. The Beta¡¯s daughter, with her perfect hair and perfect smile. She stood in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by admirers. And right beside her were the three most important wolves in our pack ¨C the Alpha¡¯s triplet kids.


    Aiden, Brock, and Caleb Silver. Eighteen years old and already more powerful than most adult wolves. They would lead our pack someday, and everyone knew Luna would be the next Luna ¨C our pack¡¯s female boss ¨C by mating with one of them.


    I watched as Luna touched Aiden¡¯s arm,ughing at something he said. Even from here, I could see how her eyes sparkled when she looked at him. Everyone expected her to choose him ¨C the future Alpha.


    "Daydreaming again, omega?" Mrs. Reed¡¯s sharp voice made me jump. "Those lunch tes won¡¯t fill themselves."


    "Sorry," I mumbled, turning back to my work.


    That¡¯s how my morning went. Feeding pups, cleaning up messes, and trying not to think about the festival celebration tonight ¨C a party where I¡¯d sit alone in the corner while everyone else had fun.


    By afternoon, I was tired. The pups were napping, and I finally had a moment to myself. I slipped outside for some fresh air, trying to avoid running into anyone.


    The pack grounds were beautiful, covered in fresh snow with brightnterns being hung between cabins. Wolves were busy setting up for tonight¡¯s opening ceremony.


    I took a path behind the supply shed, only to freeze when I heard voices.


    "Are you nervous about tonight?" a girl asked. Luna¡¯s voice.


    "Why would I be nervous?" That was Aiden¡¯s deep voice.


    "Because tonight starts the festival where you¡¯ll find your mate," Luna responded. "Though we all know who that will be."


    I should have walked away. Instead, I peeked around the corner. Luna stood close to Aiden, smiling up at him. Brock and Caleb stood nearby, looking bored.


    "Nothing¡¯s decided yet," Aiden said carefully.


    Luna¡¯s smile faltered. "But everyone expects¡ª"


    "My brothers and I will follow the moon¡¯s choice," Aiden cut her off.


    I must have made a noise because suddenly Caleb¡¯s head turned in my direction. His eyes ¨C silver-blue like his brothers¡¯ ¨C met mine for a split second.


    I panicked and spun around, crashing right into a pile of firewood. The logs fell down with a loud crash.


    "Who¡¯s there?" Brock called out.


    I scrambled to my feet and ran, cheeks burning with shame. Great job, Lily. Now they¡¯ll think you were watching.


    Later that evening, I returned to my tiny cabin at the edge of pack area where omegas lived. A small package wrapped in leaves sat on my bed ¨C nts from Elder Iris, the only person who remembered my birthday.


    The message read: "Happy 18th, dear one. The full moon brings changes. Be ready."


    Elder Iris always said strange things like that. She was our oldest omega and knew more about pack history than anyone.


    I changed into my cleanest dress for the wedding. Nothing fancy like what Luna would wear, but at least it wasn¡¯t covered in pup food.


    The meeting hall was packed when I arrived. I slipped in through the side door, finding a spot against the wall where nobody would notice me. The room buzzed with excitement about the event and which wolves might find their mates.


    Alpha Marcus stood at the front with his three boys. Even though they were triplets, you could tell them apart if you paid attention. Aiden stood tall and strong in the middle. Brock crossed his arms, looking tough and serious. Caleb seemed distracted, possibly thinking about some book.


    Luna arrived wearing a stunning blue dress that matched the triplets¡¯ eyes. Everyone turned to watch her as she walked to the front row, exactly where I¡¯d never be allowed to sit.


    "Wee to the Winter Moon Festival!" Alpha Marcus called out, his deep voice quiet the room. "For three days, we party under the winter moon. Tomorrow night, the mating ceremony will begin. May the moon bless our pack with strong unions."


    He looked proudly at his kids. "This year is special as my boys will find their mates. The future of Silver Peak depends on these groups."


    Luna turned to smile at her friends, as if she already wore the Luna crown.


    I felt someone sit beside me and turned to find Elder Iris. Her kind eyes crinkled as she smiled.


    "Happy birthday, Lily," she whispered. "How does it feel to be eighteen?"


    "The same as seventeen," I shrugged. "Still just an omega."


    She patted my hand. "The moon has ns for all of us, even omegas."


    I nodded nicely, though I didn¡¯t believe her. My future was already set ¨C I¡¯d probably mate with another lost omega and keep working in the nursery forever.


    As the ceremony finished, everyone moved outside for food and dancing. I chose to slip away. Parties weren¡¯t fun when you¡¯re unseen.


    On my way out, I passed the pack¡¯s holy Moon Pool ¨C a small pond that glowed silver under the moonlight. Legend said it was rted to moon magic and mating bonds.


    No one was around, so I knelt beside it. The water mirrored the rising moon, making it sparkle like magic. On instinct, I whispered my birthday wish to the water.


    "Just once, I wish someone would see me ¨C really see me."


    My wrist suddenly burned like fire. I gasped and pulled back my sleeve. There on my skin, something impossible was happening.


    A mark was appearing ¨C three crescent moons making a circle, surrounded by tiny stars. It glowed silver in the moonlight.


    I couldn¡¯t move. This was a mate mark. But not just any mate mark ¨C I¡¯d seen pictures of this in Elder Iris¡¯s old books.


    The Triple Moon Mark.


    My heart hammered against my ribs as the message hit me. This mark meant my mate was one of the Alpha¡¯s triplets.


    "Well, well. What are you doing out here all alone, omega?"


    I spun around to find Luna standing behind me, her eyes cold as ice.


    "Nothing," I said quickly, pulling my sleeve down to hide the mark. "Just getting some air."


    She stepped closer, looking at my arm suspiciously. "What¡¯s that on your wrist?"


    My guts dropped as I realized ¨C the mark was glowing right through my sleeve.

 Chapter 2: The Three Brothers

    <h4>Chapter 2: The Three Brothers</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I yanked my sleeve down, but it was toote. Luna¡¯s eyes narrowed as she saw the silver glow on my wrist.


    "What is that?" she asked, grabbing for my arm.


    I stumbled backward, nearly falling into the Moon Pool. My heart pounded so hard I could barely breathe.


    "Nothing! I¡ªI scratched myself," I lied.


    Luna didn¡¯t believe me. "Show me your wrist, omega."


    Before she could grab me again, a deep voice called out, "Luna? Are you out here?"


    We both froze. Aiden Silver stepped into the opening, his silver-blue eyes reflecting the moonlight. Behind him were his brothers, Brock and Caleb.


    The three most important wolves in our pack had just saved me without even knowing it.


    Luna¡¯s face quickly changed from angry to sweet. "Aiden! I was just about toe find you."


    She moved away from me like I was nothing ¨C which to her, I was. I used that moment to slip my hand into my pocket, hiding the bright mark.


    "The dancing is starting," Aiden said, offering Luna his arm. "Father wants us all there."


    Luna took his arm with a smile that would melt snow. "Of course."


    As she walked past me, she whispered so only I could hear: "This isn¡¯t over, omega."


    I stood frozen, hoping the triplets would follow her and not notice me standing there like a scared rabbit. No such luck.


    "You¡¯re Lily, right?" Caleb asked, staying behind while his brothers walked ahead with Luna. "From the nursery?"


    I nearly choked in surprise. He knew my name?


    "Y-yes," I managed to say, keeping my hand firmly in my pocket.


    Caleb tilted his head, studying me with curious eyes. Unlike his brothers, who always seemed busy and important, Caleb had a quieter way about him. Like he was always thinking about something interesting.


    "Aren¡¯t youing to the celebration?" he asked.


    I shook my head. "I don¡¯t really like big parties."


    "Me neither," he admitted with a small smile. "Too loud to think."


    For a moment, we just looked at each other. My marked wrist burned inside my pocket, and I wondered what would happen if I showed it to him right now. Would he believe it? Would he want an omega mate?


    "Caleb!" Brock called from ahead. "Come on!"


    "Well," Caleb said, backing away, "happy birthday, Lily."


    My mouth fell open. How did he know?


    Before I could ask, he was gone, leaving me alone by the Moon Pool with my impossible mate mark and a million questions.


    I barely slept that night. I wrapped a bandage around my wrist to hide the glowing mark and spent hours looking at my ceiling, trying to make sense of what had happened.


    The Triple Moon Mark meant I was set to mate with one of the Alpha¡¯s sons. But which one? And how could the moon choose an omega like me for someone so important?


    By morning, I had chosen to talk to Elder Iris. If anyone would know about this mark, she would.


    As I rushed across the pack grounds toward Elder Iris¡¯s cabin, I heard shoutinging from the training field. Despite needing to run, I couldn¡¯t help but peek.


    The three Silver brothers were training, surrounded by a crowd of fans. Even this early, Luna was there looking from the sidelines, cheering loudly.


    Aiden stood in the center of the field leading younger wolves inbat moves. His voice carried with natural authority as he demonstrated the right way to defend against an attack.


    "Bnce is key," he said, standing perfectly straight. "An Alpha leads not just with strength, but with control."


    The smaller wolves nodded eagerly, copying his stance. Everything about Aiden screamed "future Alpha" ¨C the way he stood, the way others looked to him for direction.


    On the far side of the field, Brock was showing fighting techniques to another group. Where Aiden was all about control, Brock was pure power. He moved like a storm, fast and strong.


    "An enemy won¡¯t give you time to think," he growled, easily flipping a wolf twice his size. "You need to be ready to protect the pack at all times."


    His kids looked both scared and impressed. No one would dare challenge Brock Silver.


    And then there was Caleb, sitting under a tree with a small group. Instead of physical training, he looked to be teaching strategy, using sticks to draw maps in the dirt. His voice was too quiet for me to hear, but the wolves around him leaned in, fully focused on whatever he was saying.


    Three brothers, so different yet equally strong in their own ways.


    Luna moved between the groups,fortable in this world of power and luxury that I could only watch from the outside. When she reached Aiden, she touched his shoulder and whispered something that made him smile. With Brock, she teased andughed at his jokes. But with Caleb, she seemed to try extra hard, bringing him a drink and sitting close as he described something from his book.


    I should have kept walking to Elder Iris¡¯s home. Instead, I stayed hidden behind a tree, watching and wondering which of these powerful dogs might be my mate. The very idea seemed impossible.


    Suddenly, Caleb¡¯s head snapped up. He looked right at my hiding spot, his nose slightly raised as if catching a smell. My scent.


    I ducked away quickly, but not before seeing the curious look in his eyes. Somehow, he always seemed to notice me when no one else did.


    I finally made it to Elder Iris¡¯s cabin, only to find a note pinned to her door: "Gone to pick moon herbs. Back tomorrow."


    Perfect. The one person who could help me understand this mark was gone, and the festival¡¯s mating event was tomorrow night.


    I turned away, only to smack straight into someone¡¯s chest.


    "Whoa there," said a deep voice.


    I looked up into Brock Silver¡¯s shocked face. His training session must have ended while I was at Elder Iris¡¯s door.


    "S-sorry," I stammered, quickly stepping back and lowering my eyes as omegas were supposed to do around higher-ranked wolves.


    "You¡¯re the nursery girl," he said, not unkindly. "Lily, right?"


    That was twice now. Two of the Silver triplets knew my name.


    "Yes," I answered, keeping my bandaged hand hidden in the folds of my dress.


    Brock nodded toward Elder Iris¡¯s home. "Looking for the old omega?"


    I nodded. "It¡¯s not important. I¡¯lle back tomorrow."


    His eyes narrowed slightly. "You smell... different today."


    My heart skipped. Could he smell the mate mark? Was that even possible?


    Before I could reply, Luna¡¯s voice called out, "Brock! Your father wants you at the main house!"


    Brock looked over his shoulder and nodded, then turned back to me with a curious face. "See you around, nursery girl."


    I rushed away, my face burning. First Caleb knew my birthday, and now Brock had actually talked to me. After being invisible for so long, it felt strange to be recognized by the Silver brothers.


    Back at my cabin, I removed the bandage to check my mark. The three moons glowed even brighter than before, pulsing like a heartbeat. One moon seemed to shine slightly brighter than the others, but I couldn¡¯t tell which one.


    A knock at my door made me jump. I quickly covered my wrist again and opened the door a crack.


    Caleb Silver stood on my porch, holding a small package wrapped in brown paper.


    "I brought you something," he said quietly. "For your birthday."


    I stared at him in shock. No one had ever given me a birthday gift except Elder Iris.


    "How did you know it was my birthday?" I asked, taking the package with my unmarked hand.


    Caleb smiled, a gentle look that made his silver-blue eyes crinkle at the corners. "I notice things others don¡¯t."


    As I stood there speechless, his eyes drifted to my bandaged wrist. Something shed in his eyes ¨C curiosity? Recognition?


    "What happened to your arm?" he asked.


    Before I could answer, a howl sounded through the pack grounds ¨C the call for an emergency meeting.


    "That¡¯s Father calling," Caleb said, already turning to go. "Open itter and let me know what you think."


    He jogged away, leaving me holding his gift and wondering why the quiet, thoughtful brother of the three most powerful wolves in our pack had noticed me at all.


    I closed my door and unwrapped the package with shaking hands. Inside was a small, leather-bound book named "Forgotten Omega Wisdom." I opened it to find a note slipped between the pages: "Some say the moon remembers what the pack has forgotten. Meet me at the old library t


    onight at midnight. I think we need to talk about what¡¯s on your wrist."

 Chapter 3: Midnight Wish

    <h4>Chapter 3: Midnight Wish</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I clutched the book to my chest and paced my tiny house. My mind ran with a thousand thoughts.


    "He knows," I whispered to myself. "Caleb knows about my mark."


    The emergency howl had called all pack members to the main lodge¡ªeveryone except omegas, of course. We weren¡¯t important enough for emergency talks.


    I stared at the note again. "Meet me at the old library tonight at midnight."


    Should I go? What if it was a trap? What if Luna had somehow gotten Caleb to trick me?


    But deep down, I knew Caleb wasn¡¯t like that. Of the three brothers, he was the one who actually seemed to see people others overlooked.


    The clock showed only 8 PM. Four hours until midnight. Four hours to decide what to do.


    I unwrapped my wrist again and gasped. The mark was changing. One of the three moons now glowed distinctly brighter than the others. What did that mean?


    A sharp knock at my door made me jump. I quickly wrapped my wrist and hid the book under my pillow.


    "Lily! Are you in there?" It was Max¡¯s mother, sounding frantic.


    I yanked open the door to find her holding Max, who was whimpering in pain.


    "He fell from a tree," she exined quickly. "The pack healer is at the emergency meeting, and I remembered you know about herbs and¡ª"


    "Bring him in," I said, immediately clearing room on my small table.


    Max¡¯s arm was badly scraped, and a nasty bruise was already forming on his brow. His little face was streaked with tears.


    "Hey buddy," I said softly, studying his injuries. "That must have been some climb."


    "I was trying to hang festivalnterns like the big wolves," he sniffled.


    I smiled and reached for my nt box¡ªthe one my grandmother had given me before she died. Inside were nts and mixtures I¡¯d gathered over years of learning the healing ways omegas once practiced before they were relegated to just childcare and cleaning.


    "This might sting a little," I warned as I cleaned his cuts with a mixture of yarrow and clean water.


    Max was brave, only crying slightly as I worked. Next, I applied a paste of arnica andfrey to reduce the swelling and help heal the bruises.


    "You¡¯re so good at this," his mother gushed. "Where did you learn?"


    "My grandmother taught me," I exined while wrapping Max¡¯s arm with clean cloth. "She said omegas were once the pack¡¯s healers before..."


    I trailed off, not wanting to say before alphas took over everything.


    "Well, you have a real gift," she said, sounding truly impressed.


    As they left, Max hugged me with his good arm. "Thanks, Lily. You¡¯re my favorite."


    His words warmed me in a way few things did. It wasn¡¯t often anyone in the pack valued an omega¡¯s skills.


    I checked the clock again. 9 PM. The meeting must have finished because I could hear music andughter from the festival resuming in the distance.


    I chose to walk to the Moon Pool before meeting Caleb. Something about that holy ce called to me, especially now that I bore this strange mark.


    The night was clear and cold, stars sparkling like diamonds above the snow-covered ground. Most pack members were at the gathering, so the path to the Moon Pool was deserted.


    I approached the small pond carefully, almost afraid of what might happen this time. The water glowed silver under the moonlight, just as it had when my mark appeared.


    I knelt beside it, unwrapping my wrist. The mark¡¯s glow mirrored in the water, making ripples of light dance across the surface.


    "What are you trying to tell me?" I whispered to the moon. "Why me? Why now?"


    Only silence answered, but as I stared into the water, images started to form. Three wolves running through snow, a sh of danger, a hidden cave with old markings. The visions came so fast I could barely understand them.


    A twig snapped behind me. I spun around, half-expecting to see Caleb or Luna.


    Instead, I found myself face-to-face with an unknown wolf. He was tall and rough-looking, certainly not from our pack.


    "Well, what do we have here?" he growled, his eyes glinting dangerously in the moonlight. "A little omega all alone?"


    I scrambled to my feet, backing away. "Who are you?"


    "Just a visitor," he said with a smile that showed too many teeth. "From beyond the northern border."


    A wild wolf. My pulse quickened. Rogues were dogs without packs, dangerous and unpredictable. What was one doing in ournd during the festival?


    "The celebration is that way," I said, pointing toward the faraway lights and music. "This area is sacred."


    He stepped closer, sniffing the air. "You smell different. Special."


    I realized with fear that he could smell my mark. I backed away further, but he followed, his eyes never leaving my covered wrist.


    "What¡¯s on your arm, little omega?" he asked, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.


    "Nothing," I lied, heart racing. I was no match for a wild wolf. I needed to run, to call for help.


    Before I could move, he grabbed my arm, pulling at the bandage. "Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re hiding."


    I screamed and kicked, catching him by surprise. He rxed his grip just enough for me to twist free and run.


    I dashed through the trees, the rogue close behind. The festival grounds were too far, but the old library was nearby. Maybe Caleb would already be there.


    The old library stood on the edge of pack territory, a stone building mostly ignored except by Caleb and a few others who valued books more than fighting.


    I burst through the door, shutting it behind me.


    "Hello?" I called out, hoping Caleb was already here. "Anyone?"


    Only silence met me. It was still before midnight¡ªtoo early for our meeting.


    I pushed a heavy shelf against the door and moved deeper into the library, looking for a ce to hide. Outside, I could hear the rogue sniffing around the building.


    "I know you¡¯re in there, omega," he called. "I just want to talk about that special mark of yours."


    How did he know about my mark? Had someone sent him?


    The back of the library held a small reading room with a firece. I slipped inside, looking for any way out. There was a window, but it was too small for me to fit through.


    As I frantically searched for choices, my eyes fell on a book lying open on the table. The page showed an image of my exact mark¡ªthree crescent moons in a circle.


    Below the picture were words that made my blood run cold: "The Triple Moon Mark shows only in times of great danger to the pack. It binds the bearer to the pack¡¯s strongest defenders, making a bond that cannot be broken. In wolf history, only five omegas have ever carried this mark. Each promised aing darkness that threatened to destroy the pack."


    My hands shook as I read. My mark wasn¡¯t just about finding a mate¡ªit was a warning.


    The sound of breaking ss came from the front of the library. The thief was breaking in.


    I grabbed the book and looked for somewhere to hide. A small door behind a bookshelf caught my eye¡ªa storage room I hadn¡¯t noticed before.


    I slipped inside just as heavy footsteps entered the reading room.


    "I can smell you, omega," the rogue called, his voice closer now. "And I can smell your fear."


    I held my breath, holding the book to my chest. My mark burned beneath the bandage, burning brighter than ever.


    Suddenly, the closet door was yanked open. I screamed as rough hands grabbed me, pulling me into the light.


    But instead of the rogue, I found myself looking into Caleb¡¯s scared face.


    "Lily! Are you okay?" he asked, pulling me to safety. "I saw a rogue wolf breaking into the library and I¡ª"


    A growl stopped him. We both turned to see the rogue standing in the doorway, his eyes now glowing red in a way no normal wolf¡¯s eyes should.


    "So the rumors are true," the rogue said, looking between us. "The Triple Moon Omega has appeared."


    Caleb stepped in front of me protectively. "Who sent you?"


    The rogue smiled. "Those who remember the old ways. Those who won¡¯t let history repeat itself." He pointed at my wrist. "That mark means the end of everything you know, little omega. And there are many who would kill to prevent that change."


    Caleb¡¯s hands began to shift, ws extending as he prepared to fight. "You need to leave. Now."


    The rogueughed. "I¡¯m just the messenger. There are othersing." He backed toward the door. "The Triple Moon Omega must die before the final ceremony."


    With those chilling words, he darted away into the night.


    I stood frozen in shock. "They want to kill me? Why?"


    Caleb turned to me, his face grim. "Because your mark threatens to change everything. And Lily..." He pointed to the book I was still holding. "ording to the old texts, thest omega who bore that mark died before she couldplete the bond."


    My mark shed brightly, one moon still shining stronger than the others as if in warning.


    "Which means," Caleb continued softly, "someone in our pack has been waiting for this mark to appear again. Someone who doesn¡¯t want change."


    A howl heard in the distance¡ªnot a pack howl, but something wilder and more dangerous.


    "More rogues," Caleb whispered. "We need to get you to safety."


    The mark on my wrist burned like fire as the moonlight through the window lit the open book in my hands. There on the page was a line I hadn¡¯t noticed before: "The Triple Moon Bearer must unite with all three brothers before the festival¡¯s end, or all will be lost."


    I looked up at Caleb in shock. "All three brothers? But that¡¯s impossible!"


    His silver-blue eyes mirrored the moonlight as he said, "Nothing is impossible under the Winter Moon, Lily. Including the fall of Silver Peak Pack if we don¡¯t figure this out."


    More howls rose in the night, closer now. My birthday wish hade true in th


    e worst possible way¡ªnow everyone would see me, including those who wanted me dead.

 Chapter 4: The Mark Appears

    <h4>Chapter 4: The Mark Appears</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I woke up yelling, the pain on my wrist so intense it felt like someone was burning me with hot iron. Morning sunlight streamed through my window, but I barely noticed as I clutched my arm to my chest.


    The bandage I¡¯d wrapped around my markst night had fallen off, showing the three moons glowing bright silver against my skin. Each pulse of light sent waves of pain shooting up my arm.


    I stumbled out of bed, knocking over my small nightstand in my rush to reach the water bowl. The cold water did nothing to ease the pain. If anything, the mark glowed brighter when wet, like moon reflected on water.


    A anxious knock came at my door.


    "Lily! Open up!" Elder Iris¡¯s voice called. "I felt the mark awakening!"


    I yanked open the door with my good hand. Elder Iris stood there, her white hair wild around her face like she¡¯d run all the way to my house. Her eyes immediately fixed on my bright wrist.


    "Oh, child," she whispered. "It¡¯s true then. The Triple Moon Mark has picked you."


    "What¡¯s happening to me?" I gasped, the pain making it hard to think. "It hurts so much!"


    Elder Iris rushed inside, closing the door behind her. From her pocket, she pulled a small jar of green paste that smelled like mint and something earthy.


    "This will help with the pain," she said, gently putting it to my wrist. Almost instantly, the burning eased to a dull throb. "The mark is finishing itself. Last night was just the beginning."


    "The beginning of what?" I asked, remembering the book I¡¯d found in the library and the wild wolf¡¯s warning. "Elder Iris, a rogue tried to attack mest night. He knew about my mark."


    Her eyes widened. "Already? They¡¯re moving faster than I expected."


    "Who¡¯s going faster? What does this mark mean?" I held out my wrist, where the three moons now pulsed in time with my heartbeat. "The book in the library said it¡¯s a warning of danger."


    Elder Iris sat heavily on my bed. "It¡¯s that and more, child. The Triple Moon Mark is the rarest mate mark in wolf history. It shows only when the pack needs great change."


    She touched the mark gently. "This links you to the Alpha¡¯s triplet sons. One of them is your true mate."


    Despite having assumed this since the mark first appeared, hearing it confirmed made my head spin. "But that¡¯s impossible! I¡¯m just an omega. Luna is supposed to¡ª"


    "The moon chooses, not us," Elder Iris interrupted. "For generations, alphas have nned marriages to keep power within certain families. But the moon magic remembers the old ways, when all wolves were equal."


    I shook my head in disbelief. "But which brother is my mate? And why would the mark choose me?"


    "The Triple Moon Mark is special," she stated. "It won¡¯t reveal your true mate until you¡¯ve proven yourself worthy and until they have proven themselves worthy of you."


    I remembered how one moon had glowed brighter than the others. "One of the moons was brighterst night when I was with Caleb."


    Elder Iris looked interested. "That¡¯s unusual. The mark usually keeps its secret until the final event." She studied my face. "What happened with Caleb?"


    I told her about our midnight meeting, the wild wolf, and the book we¡¯d found. With each word, her expression grew more worried.


    "This is moving too quickly," she muttered. "You need protection."


    She stood up and started pacing my small cabin. "Today is the second day of the event. Tonight, all unmated wolves will gather for the Scenting Ceremony, where possible mates catch each other¡¯s scents. Your mark will be hard to hide then."


    My stomach twisted with fear. "Everyone will know."


    "Yes," she nodded grimly. "Including those who would stop this match from happening."


    "Like Luna?" I asked.


    "Luna is the least of your worries," Elder Iris said. "There are those in our pack who have worked for generations to keep omegas in their ce. The Triple Moon Mark risks everything they¡¯ve built."


    A thought hit me. "The rogue said others wereing. That they would kill me before the closing ceremony."


    Elder Iris grabbed my shoulders. "Listen carefully, Lily. You must tell Alpha Marcus about the mark quickly. By packw, he must protect you until your mate is exposed."


    "But what if he doesn¡¯t want an omega for his son?" I whispered my biggest fear.


    "The Alpha follows moonw above all else," she said, though she didn¡¯t sound entirely sure. "Now run and dress. The morning meal will be starting, and you need to speak with him before the Scenting Ceremony tonight."


    My hands shook as I quickly changed into clean clothes, trying to understand everything. Me, mated to one of the Silver brothers? It seemed like a dream¡ªor a nightmare, given people apparently wanted me dead because of it.


    As we left my cabin, the pain in my wrist suddenly spiked again. I gasped and looked down to see the mark shining brighter than ever.


    "What¡¯s happening?" I asked through gritted teeth.


    Elder Iris looked around, her face pale. "They¡¯re near. The mark warns when danger approaches." She pointed toward the woods. "Go to the pack house through the back way. Don¡¯t let anyone see your hand."


    "Where are you going?" I asked as she started in the opposite direction.


    "To create a distraction," she said, her old face determined. "Now go!"


    I ran toward the main pack grounds, sticking to the shadows of trees. The festival was in full swing, with wolvesughing and preparing for the day¡¯s events. None of them recognized the danger lurking nearby¡ªdanger meant for me.


    As I neared the Alpha¡¯s house, I spotted the three brothers in the training field. Aiden was guiding younger wolves inbat positions. Brock was showing fighting moves with impressive strength. And Caleb¡ªCaleb was looking directly at me, worry written across his face.


    Had he told his brothers aboutst night? About the rogue wolf and the mark?


    I gave him a small nod, trying to signal that I was okay, then hurried toward the Alpha¡¯s house. I needed to reach Alpha Marcus before anything else happened.


    Just as I neared the steps, a hand grabbed my arm, yanking me behind a snow-covered bush.


    "Where do you think you¡¯re going, omega?" Luna hissed, her eyes narrowed to angry slits.


    "Let me go," I said, trying to pull away. "I need to see the Alpha."


    "About this?" she snarled, grabbing my wrist and turning it over to show the Triple Moon Mark. "Caleb told us everything this morning."


    My heart sank. Of course he would tell his brothers. But I hadn¡¯t expected them to tell Luna.


    "It¡¯s not what you think," I started, but she cut me off with a hardugh.


    "Oh, I know exactly what it is. Some weak omega trick to climb the pack ranks." Her grip tightened painfully. "You think you can steal what¡¯s rightfully mine?"


    "The moon chose me," I said, finding courage I didn¡¯t know I had. "I didn¡¯t ask for this."


    "The moon made a mistake," she spat. "And I¡¯m going to make sure everyone knows it."


    Suddenly, my mark red with blinding light. Luna jumped back with a yelp, freeing my arm. At the same moment, amotion erupted near the pack house door.


    "Rogues!" someone yelled. "Rogues in our territory!"


    Wolves began running toward the northern border, including the Silver brothers. Alpha Marcus came from his house, shouting orders.


    Luna looked from me to the chaos, uncertainty on her face. Finally, she leaned in close, her voice deadly quiet.


    "This isn¡¯t over. Tonight at the Scenting Ceremony, everyone will see you for what you really are¡ªa nothing omega trying to rise above her ce."


    She turned and ran toward the noise, leaving me shaking with fear and anger.


    I needed to find Elder Iris. If rogues had indeed entered our area, it was almost certainly because of me and my mark.


    As I turned to go back to my cabin, I almost shed with Caleb, who appeared suddenly before me.


    "Lily," he said, his voice frantic. "Come with me. Now."


    "But the rogues¡ª"


    "It¡¯s a distraction," he said, taking my arm lightly. "They¡¯re trying to draw us away from you."


    He led me quickly toward the library, checking over his shoulder constantly. Once inside, he locked the door behind us.


    "My brothers know," he said instantly. "I had to tell them afterst night."


    "And they told Luna," I said, unable to keep the hurt from my voice.


    Caleb¡¯s eyes widened. "No. We agreed to keep it secret until we could speak with Father."


    A chill ran through me. "But Luna just told me that you told them everything."


    "I haven¡¯t spoken to Luna since yesterday," Caleb said slowly. "Which means..."


    The truth hit us both at the same time.


    "There¡¯s a traitor in the pack," I whispered. "Someone working with the rogues."


    Caleb nodded grimly. "And they¡¯re using Luna to get to you."


    He took my marked wrist gently, studying the three moons. As his fingers touched my skin, one moon glowed distinctly brighter.


    "The middle moon," he whispered. "It¡¯s responding to me."


    Our eyes met in shocked understanding. If the middle moon was linked to Caleb, then the other two...


    "My brothers," he said, voicing my thought. "But how can you have three mates? It¡¯s not possible."


    Before I could reply, a deafening howl shook the library windows¡ªthe rm signaling that rogues had breached the inner pack territory.


    Caleb pulled me toward a secret door behind a bookshelf. "We need to hide you until the Scenting Ceremony. Once your mark is publicly known, killing you would break packw."


    "But the rogues don¡¯t follow packw," I told him.


    His grip on my hand tightened. "No, but if they¡¯re working with someone inside our pack, that wolf does. It¡¯s your only safety."


    As the door closed behind us, plunging us into darkness, my mark illuminated the small area with silver light.


    "Caleb," I whispered, watching as the middle moon pulsed in time with his heartbeat. "If you¡¯re connected to the middle moon, then who¡ª"


    A second howl cut me off, this one closer and more desperate. Not the pack¡¯s rm call, but something different. Something old.


    "The Triple Moon Call," Caleb breathed, his eyes wide with shock. "It hasn¡¯t been heard in seven generations."


    The hidden door suddenly burst open, showing Aiden and Brock, their eyes glowing silver in the darkness.


    "We heard the call," Aiden said, looking at my glowing mark.


    "We felt the pull," Brock added, his voice strangely gentle.


    As all three brothers gathered around me, my mark answered with blinding light. The three moons separated slightly, each one glowing in reaction to the brother closest to it.


    "This is impossible," Aiden whispered.


    "The Triple Moon Bearer," Brock said in awe.


    "Isn¡¯t just connected to one of us," Caleb finished.


    The truth hit me like a physical blow as I looked from one simr face to another.


    "I¡¯m connected to all three of you."

 Chapter 5: The Healer’s Touch

    <h4>Chapter 5: The Healer¡¯s Touch</h4>


    <strong>Caleb Silver POV</strong>


    Blood dripped onto the old book as I yanked my hand away from the de hidden between its pages. The cut burned like fire across my palm. Someone had booby-trapped the old text about Triple Moon Bearers.


    "Who would do this?" I muttered, watching crimson stain the yellowed leaves. The library around me was empty and quiet, but my mind raced with dark thoughts. This was no chance. Someone had put that thin, sharp metal deliberately to hurt whoever searched for information about Lily¡¯s mark.


    I wrapped my hand in my shirt to stop the blood, but it soaked through quickly. The cut was deep. I needed help, but Father and my brothers were busy with security afterst night¡¯s rogue attack. And I couldn¡¯t trust just anyone with what I¡¯d found.


    Lily. I needed to find Lily.


    I shoved the damaged book into my bag and rushed toward the nursery where Lily worked. My head felt light from blood loss by the time I pushed through the door.


    "Can I help¡ª" Lily¡¯s words stopped when she saw me. "Caleb! What happened?"


    The tiny house was warm and smelled like milk and baby powder. Three wolf pups slept in small cribs against the far wall. Lily rushed forward, her eyes wide with worry.


    "Someone left a surprise in an old book," I said, showing my bloody hand.


    Lily didn¡¯t waste time with questions. "Sit," she demanded, pointing to a small chair. Her voice was strong ¨C not what I expected from the quiet omega I¡¯d watched from afar for years.


    She moved with quick, sure steps, taking a wooden box from a shelf and filling a bowl with clean water. Nothing like the nervous girl fromst night who had just learned she was linked to all three of us brothers.


    "This will hurt," she warned, taking my hand gently.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong. I bit back a howl as she cleaned the wound. The cut ran from my thumb across my palm ¨C deep enough to need stitches.


    "Who would put a de in a library book?" she asked, her fingers cool against my hot skin.


    "Someone who doesn¡¯t want us learning about Triple Moon Bearers," I said. "The same people who want to hurt you."


    Her hands stopped for just a second before continuing their work. "What did the book say?"


    "That¡¯s the strange part. It stated that the Triple Moon Bearer isn¡¯t just connected to one mate, but to the pack¡¯s future itself." I watched her face carefully. "Last night wasn¡¯t a mistake, Lily. The mark choosing all three of us means something important."


    She opened her wooden box, revealing dozens of small pouches filled with dried nts. The scents hit me at once ¨C mint,vender, and others I couldn¡¯t name.


    "This will stop the bleeding and fight infection," she said, mixing three different herbs with honey. "My grandmother taught me before she died."


    I hadn¡¯t known that about her. "You¡¯re good at this."


    "When you¡¯re an omega, you learn to be useful," she replied, not meeting my eyes.


    "Is that why you work in the nursery? To be useful?"


    Her hands stilled. "I work here because I love the pups. Nobody watches an omega in the nursery, so I can be myself here." She spread the sticky paste across my cut. The pain immediately lessened.


    "You hide who you are?" I asked.


    "Wouldn¡¯t you, if being yourself made people treat you worse?" She wrapped clean cloth around my hand with practiced movements. "Everyone sees what they expect to see. Alpha¡¯s son. Beta¡¯s daughter. Worthless omega."


    Her bitter words surprised me. I¡¯d always thought she was just shy.


    "I saw you," I said quietly. "In the library sometimes. Reading books nobody else touched. Making notes."


    Her cheeks turned pink. "I didn¡¯t think anyone noticed."


    "I notice a lot of things people think I don¡¯t see," I admitted. "It¡¯s easier to learn when others underestimate you."


    One of the pups whimpered in sleep. Lily instantly went to him, stroking his forehead until he settled. Her touch was so gentle it made my chest ache.


    "The book I found," I continued, "said the Triple Moon Mark emerges during times of great danger to the pack. When change must happen or the pack will fall."


    "What kind of danger?" Lily asked, returning to finish bandaging my hand.


    "The kind thates from inside," I said. "The book was damaged, but it mentioned pack bnce being broken when omegas lose their voice."


    She tied off the cloth with a small, neat knot. "Omegas never have a voice in Silver Peak."


    "But they used to," I argued. "That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been studying. Generations ago, pack leadership included all ranks ¨C alpha for strength, beta for loyalty, and omega for knowledge."


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened. "That¡¯s nothing like what we have now."


    "No," I agreed. "And maybe that¡¯s why the mark chose you ¨C to help restore bnce."


    She shook her head. "I¡¯m just me. I can¡¯t change pack rules that have existed for decades."


    "But what if thews themselves are wrong?" I leaned forward, excited despite the pain in my hand. "What if¡ª"


    The nursery door burst open. Aiden stood there, his face tight with worry.


    "There you are," he said, eyes moving between us. "Father¡¯s called an emergency meeting. More rogues have been spotted, and Luna¡¯s missing."


    My blood ran cold. "Missing how?"


    "Her room is empty, and her things are gone," Aiden said. "And there¡¯s more. Someone broke into Elder Iris¡¯s home and attacked her."


    Lily gasped. "Is she¡ª"


    "She¡¯s alive, but hurt badly," Aiden said grimly. "Before she passed out, she said one word: ¡¯Traitor.¡¯"


    I stood quickly. "Someone inside the pack is working with the rogues."


    "And they know about Lily¡¯s mark," Aiden agreed. "Father¡¯s ordered both of you to the pack house instantly. Brock is guarding the borders."


    Lily gathered her herb box, hands shaking slightly. "The pups¡ª"


    "Other caregivers areing," Aiden told her. "We need to move now."


    As we hurried through the snowy path toward the pack house, my newly patched hand brushed against Lily¡¯s. The middle moon on her mark glowed brighter, reacting to my touch.


    "I¡¯m scared," she whispered so only I could hear.


    "Stay close to me," I said. "My brothers and I will protect you."


    The main clearing was chaos as we arrived. Pack members rushed in all directions, some changing to wolf form to join patrols. Others gathered belongings, ready for possible evacuation.


    Father stood on the pack house steps, his face grim as we neared. Brock emerged from the tree line, blood on his shirt.


    "Border¡¯s secure for now," he reported. "But they¡¯re out there waiting. At least twenty rogues."


    Father nodded, his eyes moving to my wrapped hand. "What happened?"


    "Trap in a book about Triple Moon Bearers," I exined. "Someone doesn¡¯t want us learning the mark¡¯s true meaning."


    "Or they wanted to slow you down," Brock suggested grimly.


    A chilling howl cut through the air ¨C the distress call of a pack wolf under attack.


    "That¡¯s from the eastern border," Aiden said.


    "Where Elder Iris¡¯s cabin is," Lily added, her face pale.


    Father straightened. "Aiden, take Lily inside. Brock, with me to check the border. Caleb, get that hand properly fixed, then join us."


    "I can help," Lily argued. "My herbs¡ª"


    "You¡¯re the target," Father cut her off. "You stay protected."


    As Aiden led Lily up the steps, she looked back at me with worried eyes. The connection between us hummed like a pulled string.


    "We¡¯ll figure this out," I called after her. "Together."


    I turned to follow Father and Brock toward the howls, but stopped when my foot hit something half-buried in snow. Bending down, I found a small pouch of nts ¨C identical to the ones in Lily¡¯s wooden box.


    The same nts she¡¯d just used to treat my wound.


    And beside it, Luna¡¯s silver hair clip, covered in fresh blood.


    My heart stopped as I realized what this meant. I spun to call a warning, but Aiden and Lily had already disappeared inside the pack house.


    The pack house where a spy waited.

 Chapter 6: Unwanted Attention

    <h4>Chapter 6: Unwanted Attention</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I barely dodged the knife that whizzed past my head, embedding itself in the wooden wall behind me. It had missed by inches.


    "That omega is a liar!" yelled a wolf from the back of the crowded hall. "She can¡¯t be mate to an Alpha¡¯s son!"


    My heart raced as I pressed myself against the wall of the pack house. What should have been a safe ce had turned into a trap. Someone had been waiting for us, just as Caleb had tried to warn us before the doors closed.


    "Everyone calm down!" Aiden¡¯s voice boomed through the hall. He stepped in front of me, protecting me from the angry crowd. "This is pack business, not a mob trial!"


    Faces I¡¯d known my whole life looked back at me with anger and disbelief. Some even showed disgust. All because of the mark on my wrist that I¡¯d tried to hide.


    Alpha Marcus pushed through the crowd, his strong presence making wolves step back. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked.


    "The omega ims to have the Triple Moon Mark," someone called out. "She¡¯s trying to trick her way into power!"


    "I never imed anything," I said, my voice shaking. "I tried to hide it."


    Alpha Marcus¡¯s eyesnded on my bound wrist. "Show me," he ordered.


    With shaking fingers, I unwrapped the cloth Caleb had carefully tied just minutes ago. The three crescent moons glowed silver in the dim light of the hall. Gasps spread through the crowd.


    "It¡¯s true," Alpha Marcus whispered, his eyes wide. "The Triple Moon Mark returns to Silver Peak."


    "It can¡¯t be real," came a familiar voice. Luna pushed her way to the front, her usually perfect hair wild around her face. A small cut showed on her face. "She must have found a way to fake it."


    "Moon marks cannot be faked," Alpha Marcus stated clearly. "You know this, Luna."


    Luna¡¯s face twisted with rage. "But she¡¯s nothing! Just an omega nursemaid! The mark is meant for me!"


    Something about her words sparked a bravery I didn¡¯t know I had. "The moon picks, Luna. Not you. Not me. Not even the Alpha."


    The crowd fell silent at my words. No omega had ever spoken so freely in public before.


    Alpha Marcus studied my face. "Where did you learn that saying, omega?"


    "From Elder Iris," I answered. "And my name is Lily."


    "Elder Iris who was just attacked," Aiden added thoughtfully. "By someone who doesn¡¯t want the truth about this mark known."


    The main doors burst open, and Caleb rushed in, his bandaged hand holding something small. His eyes found mine instantly, filled with rm.


    "Father," he called to Alpha Marcus. "We have proof of treachery."


    He held up a small bag and a bloody silver hair clip. I recognized both instantly - my healing herbs and Luna¡¯s favorite clip.


    Luna¡¯s face went white. "That¡¯s not mine," she said quickly. "Someone is framing me!"


    "Then why does it smell like you?" Brock growled, appearing behind Caleb. "And why does it have Elder Iris¡¯s blood on it?"


    "I was collecting herbs in the forest," Luna stammered. "I must have dropped it. Someone else could have found it."


    "Enough!" Alpha Marcus¡¯s words silenced the hall. "Luna Morrison, you will be questioned about Elder Iris¡¯s attack. Until then, you are confined to your cell under guard."


    Two strong beta wolves moved to Luna¡¯s sides. She looked around wildly, like a trapped animal.


    "This isn¡¯t right!" she screamed. "That omega is destroying everything! She¡¯ll ruin the pack!"


    As they dragged Luna away, her final words echoed through the hall: "You¡¯ll regret this, Lily Carter! The rogues will make sure of it!"


    A stunned silence fell over the crowd. Alpha Marcus turned to address the crowd, his face grave.


    "The Triple Moon Mark has appeared for a reason," he stated. "Our pack has lost old traditions. The mark is a sign that change muste."


    The Alpha turned to face me. "ording to ancientw, when the Triple Moon Mark appears, the bearer must spend time with each possible mate. The mark will show the true mate when the time is right."


    Whispers broke out among the pack members. I felt my face burn with embarrassment as everyone stared at me.


    "The Winter Moon Festival will continue," Alpha Marcus stated. "Tonight, at the Scenting Ceremony, Lily Carter will take her ce as the Triple Moon Bearer."


    He turned to his kids. "Aiden, Brock, and Caleb - by packw, each of you will court Lily until the mark reveals which of you is her true mate."


    The brothers traded looks I couldn¡¯t read. Did they hate this idea? Were they disgusted at the thought of dating an omega?


    "What about Luna?" someone called out. "She was supposed to be the next Luna!"


    "The moon has chosen differently," Alpha Marcus said firmly. "And we must respect that choice."


    As the crowd slowly dispersed, still muttering about the shocking turn of events, I found myself circled by the three Silver brothers. My knees felt weak. This couldn¡¯t be happening.


    "You¡¯ll move to the guest room in our house," Aiden said politely. "For your safety."


    "I can keep working in the nursery, right?" I asked, terrified at the thought of losing my one safe ce.


    "Of course," Caleb replied before his brother could speak. "But one of us will escort you at all times."


    "The rogues still want her," Brock reminded them. "And Luna might have allies."


    "You think Luna is working with rogues?" I asked in shock.


    "The evidence points that way," Caleb said, showing me the bloodied hair clip again. "But something doesn¡¯t feel right about it."


    "It¡¯s too obvious," Aiden agreed.


    "Either way, you¡¯re in danger," Brock stated frankly. "Someone wants to stop this mark from doing whatever it¡¯s meant to do."


    Alpha Marcus neared us, looking tired suddenly. "Lily, there¡¯s something you should know about the Triple Moon Mark. It¡¯s not just about finding a mate. It shows in times of great danger to the pack."


    "What danger?" I asked, my mouth dry with fear.


    "That¡¯s what we need to discover," he answered. "Tonight¡¯s Scenting Ceremony might show more. The triple moon magic is strongest during events."


    As they led me to my new room in the Alpha¡¯s house, I felt like I was walking in a dream. Yesterday I was unseen. Today, everyone saw me - and some wanted me dead because of it.


    The extra room was bigger than my entire cabin. The three brothers lingered ufortably at the door.


    "We¡¯ll pick you up for the ceremony tonight," Aiden said stiffly.


    "Thank you," I whispered, not knowing what else to say.


    After they left, I sat on the big bed, looking at my mark. The three moons pulsed gently, like they were living.


    "What do you want from me?" I asked the mark. "Why me?"


    A soft knock on my window made me jump. When I rushed over and pulled back the curtain, I gasped.


    Luna stood outside, her face streaked with tears, a pup from the nursery clutched in her arms.


    "Let me in," she mouthed. "They¡¯ll kill him if you don¡¯t help me."


    Behind her in the darkness, a pair of glowing yellow eyes watched us both.


    I had seconds to decide - open the window to my enemy or let the pup suffer.


    The mark on my wrist burned like fire as I reached for thetch.

 Chapter 7: Wolves at the Window

    <h4>Chapter 7: Wolves at the Window</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I mmed the bedroom door shut and pressed my back against it, my heart racing madly. The growling outside grew louder. Three sets of yellow eyes stared at me through the window - wild wolves had found me even here, inside the Alpha¡¯s house.


    "Help!" I shouted, hoping someone would hear me. "Rogues!"


    I grabbed a heavy silver candlestick from the cab, the only weapon I could find. My hands shook as the first wolf mmed its body against the window ss, making it crack. I¡¯d only been in this fancy bedroom for one night, and already I was under attack.


    The door behind me vibrated as someone beat on it.


    "Lily! Let me in!" It was Brock¡¯s deep voice, urgent and dominating.


    I jumped away and opened the door. Brock burst in, already half-shifted with ws extended. Behind him came Aiden and Caleb, their eyes glowing with protective rage.


    "Get back," Aiden demanded, pushing me behind them.


    The window broke inward. ss sprayed across the soft carpet I¡¯d been afraid to walk on just hours before. A massive ck wolf jumped into the room, teeth bared.


    Brock met the attack head-on, changing fully into his silver wolf form. The two rolled across the floor in a blur of growling and snapping. Aiden rushed to join the fight while Caleb pulled me toward the door.


    "Wait," I said, stopping him. "I can help!"


    Without thinking, I grabbed a handful of driedvender from the box Elder Iris had given me and tossed it toward the window. The nt burst into blue mes when it hit the air - an old omega defense trick my grandmother had taught me that I¡¯d never had reason to use before.


    The remaining wolves at the window howled in pain as the smoke hit their sensitive noses. They backed away, giving Aiden and Brock the edge they needed to drive the first attacker back toward the window.


    "That¡¯s... impossible," Caleb whispered, looking at the blue mes. "Only the old omegas knew that magic."


    In seconds, it was over. The rogues fled, melting into the darkness outside. Brock changed back to human form, blood trickling from a cut on his shoulder.


    "How did they get past our guards?" Aiden ordered, his voice tight with anger.


    "They had help," Brock growled, pointing to something on the floor. A silver hair clipy among the ss bits - Luna¡¯s clip.


    "We don¡¯t know that for sure," Caleb said, always the sane one. He bent down to pick up the clip.


    My legs suddenly felt weak, and I sat on the edge of the huge bed. Just yesterday, I¡¯d been sleeping in my tiny cabin on the edge of pack territory. Now I was in the Alpha¡¯s house, in a room bigger than my entire old home, with three strong brothers arguing about who had just tried to kill me.


    "Are you hurt?" Caleb asked, sitting beside me.


    I shook my head. "Just scared. And confused. Why would anyone help rogues get to me?"


    "The Triple Moon Mark threatens those who like things exactly as they are," Aiden said, pacing the room. "Change ising to Silver Peak, and not everyone wants it."


    Guards rushed in, rmed by the noise. Alpha Marcus emerged in the doorway, hismanding presence filling the room.


    "What happened?" he asked.


    While Aiden exined, I looked around at my new room. The fancy curtains now hung in tatters. ss covered the expensive rug. The beautiful room that had made me feel so out of ce was now ruined.


    "You can¡¯t stay here," Alpha Marcus said when Aiden finished. "It¡¯s not safe."


    My heart sank. Would I be sent back to my cabin, left vulnerable after all?


    "She¡¯ll stay in my quarters," Caleb said suddenly. Everyone stared at him. "I have the best security system, and my rooms connect to the library. We can study the Triple Moon Mark together."


    "That¡¯s not proper," Alpha Marcus frowned.


    "I¡¯ll sleep in the study," Caleb added quickly, his cheeks going pink. "Lily can have my bedroom."


    After a moment of thought, Alpha Marcus nodded. "Very well. But guards at the door at all times."


    An hourter, I stood in Caleb¡¯s personal rooms, amazed at the wall-to-wall bookshelves and thefortable, lived-in feeling so different from the fancy guest room. Papers and books were stacked everywhere, but in a way that seemed organized to Caleb.


    "Sorry about the mess," he said, moving books from a cozy chair. "I don¡¯t usually have visitors."


    "It¡¯s perfect," I said honestly. This room felt like safety in a way the posh guest room never had.


    As Caleb showed me around, I noticed how he kept a respectful space, unlike Brock¡¯s protective hovering or Aiden¡¯s formal politeness. There was something almost shy about the way Caleb watched me touch his books.


    "I¡¯ve got something to show you," he said, pulling an old leather book from a high shelf. "I found it after Elder Iris was attacked. It¡¯s about the Triple Moon Mark."


    He opened it carefully to reveal old pictures of wolves with marks like mine.


    "The mark has appeared seven times in our pack¡¯s history," he exined, his voice getting excited. "Always on an omega, always during times when the pack needed to change."


    "Change how?" I asked, sitting beside him to see better.


    "That¡¯s what I haven¡¯t worked out yet. But each time, there was pushback." His eyes met mine. "Dangerous resistance."


    A knock at the door stopped us. A nervous-looking servant enters with a tray of food.


    "Luna Morrison requests to speak with you, Miss Carter," the servant said, not meeting my eyes. "She¡¯s waiting in the main hall."


    I traded looks with Caleb.


    "I¡¯lle with you," he said strongly.


    "No," I surprised myself by saying. "I need to face her alone."


    Caleb looked worried but nodded. "I¡¯ll be right outside if you need me."


    The main hall felt huge and cold as I walked in. Luna stood by the firece, her beautiful hair shining in the firelight. When she turned to face me, I expected rage. Instead, her eyes were red from crying.


    "Why you?" she asked, her voice breaking. "I¡¯ve trained my whole life to be Luna. I¡¯ve done everything right. And you... you¡¯re just an omega!"


    "I didn¡¯t ask for this mark," I said quietly.


    "Do you even understand what it means?" Luna stepped closer. "The power you could have?"


    "It¡¯s not about power."


    "It¡¯s always about power!" She grabbed my arm, pulling up my sleeve to reveal the Triple Moon Mark. "This should have been mine!"


    As her fingers touched my mark, a strange force surged between us. Luna gasped and jumped back as if burned. The mark glowed brightly, sending silver light dancing across the walls.


    "What was that?" she whispered, suddenly looking afraid.


    Before I could answer, the doors burst open. Elder Iris hobbled in, looking pale and weak. Blood stained the patch on her head from the attack.


    "Get away from her!" she yelled at Luna with unexpected strength.


    "Elder Iris, you should be resting," I said, moving to help her.


    The old woman ignored me, her eyes fixed on Luna. "I remember now," she said, her voice shaking. "I remember what I saw before I was attacked. It wasn¡¯t rogues working with Luna."


    Luna backed away, her face drained of color.


    "It was Luna working with someone else," Elder Iris continued. "Someone inside the Alpha¡¯s family."


    I felt the blood drain from my face as Elder Iris¡¯s words hung in the air. Someone in the Alpha¡¯s family? That would mean one of the triplets or even Alpha Marcus himself.


    "That¡¯s a lie!" Luna shouted.


    "Then exin this," Elder Iris pulled something from her pocket ¨C a torn piece of fabric with the Alpha family crest. "Found outside my cabin after the attack."


    Luna¡¯s eyes widened in what looked like real shock.


    My mind raced. If not Luna, then which of the Silver men was abandoning the pack? Which one was trying to court me while plotting against me?


    The Triple Moon Mark on my wrist suddenly burned like fire, as if trying to warn me of something ¨C or someone ¨Cing from behind.


    I spun around just in time to see a figure in the shadows, watching us.


    "Who¡¯s there?" I called out, my voice stronger than I felt.


    The figure stepped into the light, and my heart stopped.


    "I think," they said with a cold smile, "we need to have a private conversation about your future in this pack, Lily Carter."

 Chapter 8: Secrets and Shadows

    <h4>Chapter 8: Secrets and Shadows</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I ducked just in time as Luna threw a vase that smashed against the wall behind me. Tiny pieces of ss rained down onto the floor of the empty meeting room where I¡¯d followed the mystery figure¡ªwho turned out to be Luna.


    "You think you can just walk into my life and take everything?" Luna screamed, her face red with anger. Her beautiful hair was messy, and her eyes were wild. "I was supposed to be Luna!"


    "I didn¡¯t ask for any of this," I said, backing away as Luna grabbed another small object from a shelf. "The mark just appeared."


    "Liar!" She threw a small wooden wolf figure that hit my shoulder. "You must have done something, used some forbidden omega magic!"


    I rubbed my shoulder and tried to stay calm. "Luna, please. I don¡¯t want to fight you."


    "Oh, I know exactly what happens when you fight," Luna said, her voice suddenly dropping to a whisper. Her angry face changed to a cold smile that sent shivers down my spine. "Isn¡¯t that right, Lily? Or should I ask Tommy Reed about that?"


    My blood turned to ice. Tommy Reed. A name I hadn¡¯t heard in three years. A name I tried hard to forget.


    "How do you know about Tommy?" I whispered.


    Luna circled me like an animal. "I know everything about you, Lily Carter. I¡¯ve been watching you for years, waiting for you to make one wrong move."


    I pressed my back against the wall. The Triple Moon Mark on my wrist burned, but it felt different¡ªalmost like a warning.


    "Three years ago," Luna continued, "little Tommy Reed was being bullied by bigger wolves. You stepped in to protect him."


    I closed my eyes, memories rushing back. Tommy had been only six, a small pup crying as three bigger boys pushed him around. I was fifteen then, still learning to control my wolf.


    "You shifted to scare them off," Luna went on, her voice almost delighted. "But something went wrong, didn¡¯t it? Your omega wolf wasn¡¯t meant to be so powerful."


    "It was an ident," I whispered.


    "You nearly ripped Damon Reed¡¯s throat out!" Luna¡¯s eyes glittered. "An omega who can¡¯t handle her strength. Imagine what the pack would think if they knew."


    My hands started to shake. I¡¯d only meant to growl at the bullies, to scare them away from Tommy. But when Damon hadughed and kicked the pup again, something inside me had snapped. My omega wolf had lunged, teeth bared, and caught Damon¡¯s neck. If Elder Iris hadn¡¯t pulled me back... "Elder Iris covered it up," Luna said, reading my thoughts. "Told everyone Damon fell on a sharp rock. Made you promise never to lose control again."


    I looked at her. "How could you possibly know all this?"


    "I have my sources." Luna smirked. "What do you think would happen if everyone knew? If they knew the sweet, gentle omega nearly killed a pup?"


    "He wasn¡¯t a pup. He was thirteen and hurting someone smaller," I said, but my voice faltered. The memory still haunted me. The feeling of losing control, of my wolf taking over with a power no omega should have.


    "Details, details." Luna waved her hand. "What counts is what people will believe. And they¡¯ll believe the worst about you once I tell them."


    "What do you want, Luna?" I asked, my voice steady now.


    "I want you gone." She stepped closer. "Refuse the trio. Tell Alpha Marcus the mark was a mistake. Leave Silver Peak forever."


    "Or what?"


    "Or I tell everyone about Tommy Reed. About how scary you really are." Luna¡¯s eyes narrowed. "I¡¯ll tell them you hit me too. Who will they believe? The Beta¡¯s daughter or the omega with a violent past?"


    My mind raced. I couldn¡¯t leave ¨C the mark on my wrist proved I belonged here. But if everyone knew what happened with Tommy...


    "You have until tomorrow night," Luna said, headed for the door. "Make your choice. Your future, or your secret."


    As she reached for the handle, the door swung open. Caleb stood there, his face nk.


    "Everything okay in here?" he asked, looking between us.


    Luna¡¯s face quickly changed to a sweet smile. "Just girl talk," she said, brushing past him.


    When she was gone, Caleb studied the broken ss on the floor, then me.


    "What did she want?" he asked softly.


    I couldn¡¯t tell him. Not yet. Not until I figured out what to do.


    "Nothing important," I lied.


    Caleb didn¡¯t look convinced but didn¡¯t push. "Come on. My father wants to see you before dinner." As we walked through the halls of the Alpha¡¯s house, my mind spun with Luna¡¯s threat. If the pack knew what I¡¯d done, they¡¯d fear me. Omegas weren¡¯t supposed to be dangerous. We were supposed to be gentle, quiet, helpful. What I¡¯d done went against everything omegas were meant to be.


    But was that really true? In the ancient books Caleb had shown me, omegas had been fighters too, protectors in their own right.


    We reached Alpha Marcus¡¯s study, and Caleb knocked on the door.


    "Enter," came the Alpha¡¯s deep voice.


    Alpha Marcus sat behind a big desk covered with maps. He looked tired, with dark rings under his eyes.


    "Lily," he said, nodding at me. "Please sit."


    I took the chair across from him, my hands folded in myp to hide their shaking.


    "There¡¯s something we need to discuss," Alpha Marcus said, his voice serious. "Something about your past."


    My heart stopped. Had Luna already told him?


    "Your parents," he continued, startling me. "I knew them well."


    I blinked in confusion. "My parents? But they died when I was a baby."


    "Yes," Alpha Marcus nodded. "In a rogue attack. At least, that¡¯s what everyone was told."


    "What do you mean?"


    Alpha Marcus exchanged a look with Caleb, who had remained by the door.


    "Your parents weren¡¯t killed by rogues, Lily," the Alpha said gently. "They were killed because your mother had the Triple Moon Mark."


    The room seemed to spin around me. "What?"


    "Your mother was thest bearer of the mark," Alpha Marcus continued. "She and your father were trying to bring change to Silver Peak, just as the mark intended. But there were those who didn¡¯t want change."


    "Who?" I whispered, my throat tight.


    "That¡¯s what we¡¯ve been trying to discover," Caleb said, moving to stand beside me. "The old records were destroyed. Someone wanted to erase all memory of your mother¡¯s mark."


    "The same someone who might want to harm you now," Alpha Marcus added. "Which is why we need to know if Luna has threatened you."


    I stared at my hands. Should I tell them about Tommy Reed? About Luna¡¯s ckmail?


    Before I could decide, a howl echoed through the night ¨C the pack¡¯s warning signal. Alpha Marcus was on his feet instantly.


    "Rogues," he said grimly. "At the northern border."


    Caleb pulled me up. "Stay here. You¡¯ll be okay."


    "No," I said, finding my confidence. "I¡¯ming with you."


    Alpha Marcus looked like he might argue, but something in my face changed his mind. He nodded once.


    "Stay close to Caleb," he ordered.


    As we rushed out, I caught a glimpse of Luna watching from a shadowy corner, a satisfied smile on her face.


    The strikes were a distraction, I realized suddenly. But for what?


    We reached the main hall where wolves were gathered. Aiden was already giving orders, while Brock checked guns. The front doors burst open as a bloodied guard stumbled in.


    "They¡¯ve breached the nursery!" he gasped. "They¡¯re taking the pups!"


    My blood ran cold. The nursery. My pups.


    Without thinking, I broke away from Caleb and ran toward the door. Behind me, I heard him call my name, but I didn¡¯t stop.


    If rogues were targeting the nursery, I knew why. Luna had found my weakness, my real secret ¨C not that I¡¯d hurt someone once, but that I would do anything to protect those pups. Even reveal the full power no omega was meant to have.


    As I ran through the night toward the nursery, the Mark on my wrist burned brighter than ever before. Something was awakening inside me ¨C something powerful and old, something that had been sleeping in my blood since my mother¡¯s death.


    And deep down, I knew that after tonight, nothing would ever be the same again.

 Chapter 9: Unexpected Allies

    <h4>Chapter 9: Unexpected Allies</h4>


    <strong>Lily Carter POV</strong>


    My heart was racing as I rushed through the nursery doors to find the puppies safe and sound. I looked around and saw two confused guards looking at me. There was no attack and no bad guys. Just two sleepy dogs in their beds.


    One of them asked, "Miss Carter?" "Is everything wrong?"


    I took a deep breath and looked around. "The rm... someone said rogues were taking the pups."


    The guards looked at each other. "Don¡¯t attack here. The warning went off at the northern border.


    Before I could figure out what this meant, I heard heavy footsteps behind me. I turned to see Caleb, followed by Aiden and Brock, all breathing hard from running.


    "The pups?" Caleb asked quickly.


    "They¡¯re fine," I said, my mind running. "But someone lied about an attack here."


    Aiden¡¯s eyes narrowed. "A trap. To separate you from us."


    "We need to get you back to the house," Brock growled, already turning to the door.


    Suddenly, the nursery windows burst inward. ss flew everywhere as dark shapes leaped through. Not rogues¡ªthese dogs wore masks carved from bone.


    "Run!" Caleb yelled, pushing me behind him.


    But I couldn¡¯t leave the pups. As the brothers shifted to wolf form to fight the attackers, I ran to the back room where the youngest pups slept. A masked animal was already there, leaning over the smallest crib.


    Without thinking, I grabbed a big wooden toy and swung it hard. It connected with the attacker¡¯s head with a crack. The wolf turned, growling, eyes glowing behind the mask.


    "Get away from them!" I shouted.


    The wolf lunged at me. I felt that same dangerous energy from years ago rise inside me¡ªthe power I¡¯d tried to keep locked away since the Tommy Reed incident. But this time, I didn¡¯t fight it.


    My shift came faster than it ever had before. My omega wolf was smaller than an alpha or beta, but somehow I knocked the attacker backward through sheer force of will. The Triple Moon Mark burned like fire on my wolf¡¯s leg.


    The fight finished quickly after that. The masked wolves fled as quickly as they¡¯de, leaving destruction in their wake. Miraculously, none of the pups were hurt.


    As we returned to human form, the brothers stared at me with new eyes.


    "How did you..." Brock started, then stopped, looking confused.


    I didn¡¯t answer. I couldn¡¯t exin what I barely understood myself.


    The dining room felt too quiet the next morning. I sat stiffly at the huge table, aware of every clink of silverware against tes. Afterst night¡¯s attack and my strange power, no one seemed to know what to say.


    Alpha Marcus had left at dawn to track the masked wolves with a hunting group, leaving me alone with the triplets for breakfast.


    Aiden sat at the head of the table, his back straight, cutting his food into perfect little pieces. Every few minutes, he looked at me, then away. Polite, but absent.


    Brock kept his eyes on his te, shoveling food into his mouth. asionally, he¡¯d look up and study me like I was a puzzle he couldn¡¯t answer. The suspicious stares made my skin crawl.


    Caleb sat directly across from me, a thick book propped against the water jug. He flipped pages as he ate, barely looking at his food. But unlike his boys, he didn¡¯t seem ufortable around me.


    "You should eat," Aiden finally said, breaking the quiet. "You need your strength afterst night."


    I nodded and picked at my food. I¡¯d never seen so much on one breakfast te¡ªeggs, bacon, fresh bread, and veggies. In my old house, breakfast was usually just a small bowl of oatmeal.


    "The masked wolves," I started, wanting to get past the awkwardness. "Have they attacked before?"


    "No," Aiden answered. "They¡¯re not rogues. Their masks and nned attack suggest something more organized."


    "And they specifically wanted you," Brock added bluntly. "Why?"


    I cringed at his tone. "I don¡¯t know."


    "They targeted the nursery to draw you out," Aiden said carefully. "Someone knows your attachment to the pups."


    My fork ttered to my te as I remembered Luna¡¯s threat. Had she nned the attack?


    "What happenedst night," Brock said, leaning forward, "when you shifted. Omegas aren¡¯t meant to be that strong."


    I stared at my te, shame washing over me. "I know."


    "Actually," Caleb spoke up, pushing the book he¡¯d been reading across the table to me, "that¡¯s not true."


    I looked down at the book. The page showed an ancient picture of omega wolves fighting alongside alphas and betas. The description read "The Guardians of Bnce: Omega Protectors."


    "What is this?" I asked, touching the page carefully.


    "Our real history," Caleb said, excitement creeping into his voice. "Before the Great Division three hundred years ago, omegas weren¡¯t just nursemaids and ves. They were healers, yes, but also protectors of the young and keepers of pack knowledge."


    Aiden frowned. "That contradicts everything we¡¯ve been taught."


    "Because someone wanted it forgotten," Caleb dered. "Look at this."


    He flipped a few pages to show another image¡ªan omega wolf with three moons glowing on its nk, standing between a pack of wolves and some shadowy danger.


    "The Triple Moon Bearer," he said. "Always an omega, always appearing when the pack faces a hidden danger."


    My heart beat faster as I studied the picture. "This looks like my mark."


    "Exactly." Caleb nodded. "And ording to this text, the Bearer has skills other omegas don¡¯t. Enhanced strength, healing powers, and something called ¡¯truth sight.¡¯"


    "Truth sight?" Brock repeated skeptically.


    "The ability to see through deception," Caleb exined. "To know when someone is lying or hiding something."


    A memory shed in my mind¡ªhow I¡¯d always been able to tell which pups were lying about who started fights or took treats. I¡¯d thought it was just good observation, but what if it was more?


    "Where did you find this book?" Aiden asked, now looking interested despite himself.


    "In a hiddenpartment in the library wall," Caleb admitted. "I¡¯ve been searching for information since Lily¡¯s mark appeared."


    As they talked the book, I felt something shift inside me¡ªa weight lifting. If Caleb was right, my strength wasn¡¯t something to fear or hide. It was part of who I was meant to be.


    "There¡¯s more," Caleb said softly. He turned to a page showing a circr table with wolves of all ranks sitting equally. "Before the Division, our pack was ruled differently. Alpha, beta, and omega leaders had equal say."


    "That¡¯s ridiculous," Brock scoffed. "Alphas lead because we¡¯re strongest."


    "Strength isn¡¯t everything," I said before I could stop myself.


    To my surprise, Aiden nodded slowly. "Maybe that¡¯s why the mark appeared now. Our pack has been suffering. Maybe we need to restore bnce."


    A knock at the door stopped us. A nervous-looking servant entered.


    "Miss Carter," he said with a bow that still felt wrong to me. "Elder Iris asks for you immediately. She says it¡¯s about your mother¡¯s book."


    "My mother¡¯s journal?" I repeated, confused. "But I don¡¯t have¡ª"


    "She said you¡¯d understand when you saw it," the helper continued. "She¡¯s waiting in the healing cabin."


    The brothers exchanged looks.


    "I¡¯ll go with you," Caleb offered quickly.


    "We all will," Aiden decided.


    As we walked through the pack grounds, folks stared and whispered. Word ofst night¡¯s attack¡ªand my unusual strength¡ªhad clearly spread.


    The healing cabin was at the edge of the area, surrounded by herb gardens. Elder Iris had taught me everything I knew about healing nts here.


    When we arrived, the door stood slightly open. I called out but heard no answer.


    "Something¡¯s wrong," Brock said, his body tensing.


    I pushed the door open wider. The cabin was empty, herbs and bottles scattered across the floor as if there had been a fight.


    "Elder Iris?" I called again, fear rising in my throat.


    A soft groan came from behind a curtain. I ran over to find Elder Iris lying on the floor, blood seeping from a wound on her head.


    "Lily," she whispered as I knelt beside her. "They took it. They took your mother¡¯s book."


    "Who?" I asked, putting a clean cloth to her wound. "Who did this?"


    Elder Iris grabbed my wrist with surprising strength, pulling me closer. Her eyes were wide with fear.


    "Trust no one," she hissed. "Not even the boys. One of them knows the truth about your mother¡¯s death."


    "Which one?" I asked, my blood running cold.


    Elder Iris¡¯s eyes fluttered. "The one who carries the moon shade. The one who¡ª"


    Her words cut off as a low growl came from the opening behind us. I turned to see the three Silver brothers standing there, their faces nk.


    One of them was a rogue. One of them might have killed my mother.


    But which one?

 Chapter 10: Dangerous Borders

    <h4>Chapter 10: Dangerous Borders</h4>


    Aiden Silver POV


    I pushed Lily behind me as the rogue dogs burst from the trees. Three of them, snarling and wild-eyed, blocked our way along the eastern border.


    "Stay back," I directed, stepping forward to face the danger.


    This was supposed to be a simple tour of packnds, not a fight. I¡¯d nned to show Lily the boundaries, introduce her to nearby pack representatives, teach her about Silver Peak politics. Now I had to protect her.


    The biggest rogue lunged first. I shifted instantly, my wolf form meeting him mid-air. We crashed together, teeth snapping. I was stronger, but he fought dirty, scratching at my eyes.


    A second rogue circled toward Lily. I tried to break free to help her, but the boss held me down. To my shock, Lily didn¡¯t run. She shifted easily into her wolf form - smaller than mine but quick. She dodged the rogue¡¯s attack with surprising skill.


    Working together, we drove the rogues back across the line. When they finally withdrew, I shifted back to human form, breathing hard.


    "Are you hurt?" I asked, checking Lily for damage.


    She shook her head, her wolf eyes meeting mine before she shifted back. "I¡¯m fine. That wasn¡¯t how I expected our tour to start."


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. "Not exactly the diplomatic introduction I nned."


    The morning sunshine broke through the clouds as we continued our walk along the border. I studied Lily carefully. She¡¯d handled herself well in the fight - not what I expected from an omega.


    "You¡¯ve been here before," I said, noticing how she handled the trails. Not a question.


    Lily nodded. "I used to pick herbs along the borders. Elder Iris taught me which nts grow where."


    "That¡¯s dangerous. Rogues cross these lines often."


    "I know." She pointed to an old oak tree. "That¡¯s why I made friends with the River Pack guards who patrol there. They¡¯ve saved me more than once."


    I stopped walking. "You know the River Pack guards?"


    "Of course. That¡¯s Damon¡¯s post - he has three pups in our nursery. And Sara usually takes the night shift. Her mother is sick, so I send healing teas with her when shees home."


    My mind raced. The River Pack had been our enemies for generations. Last month¡¯s area talks nearly ended in fights. Yet Lily casually noted friendships with their guards.


    "Show me," I said.


    Lily led me confidently through the woods to a small clearing split by a stream - the exact border between our territories. She whistled a simple tune, and momentster, a River Pack guard appeared among the trees.


    "Lily!" The guard called happily before noticing me. His smile vanished. "Alpha¡¯s son."


    The tension was thick enough to cut with a w. I prepared for anger, but Lily stepped forward.


    "Damon, how are the pups? Is Maya¡¯s cough better with the honey mixture?"


    The guard¡¯s stance softened at the mention of his children. "Much better. She¡¯s sleeping through the night now. My mate thanks you."


    I watched in wonder as Lily chatted with the rival pack member like an old friend. When she described a birthday gift she was preparing for his youngest, the guard¡¯s eyes actually misted.


    "Your Alpha knows you¡¯re here?" Damon asked me straight.


    "Yes. I¡¯m showing Lily our limits."


    "Good. Keep her safe." His protective tone surprised me. "Lots of strange wolves going throughtely. Not just rogues. Organized groups wearing bone masks."


    My blood ran cold. Bone masks fit the description of the wolves who attacked our nursery.


    "Have they approached your pack?" I asked.


    Damon paused, then nodded. "Tried to recruit some of our younger members. Said they¡¯re building a new order. Our Alpha turned them away."


    After sharing more information, we continued our trip. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what I¡¯d watched. Lily had achieved what our formal diplomatic meetings couldn¡¯t - a friendly conversation with a River Pack guard who willingly shared important information.


    "How did you do that?" I finally asked.


    "Do what?"


    "Get him to trust you."


    Lily shrugged. "I just treat them like people, not enemies. Their pups need the same care as ours. Their parents suffer the same illnesses."


    We reached the northern lookout by noon. From this hill, we could see much of our area spread out below. I pointed outndmarks, exining their importance, surprised when Lily often finished my sentences.


    "And that valley is where the Great Pack War ended three generations ago," I said.


    "When Alpha Ss and River Alpha Kora signed the first treaty," Lily added. "Elder Iris says they were secret mates, but their packs wouldn¡¯t allow the union."


    I looked at her. "That¡¯s not in our official history."


    "The omegas keep different stories. The ones told while treating wounds or caring for pups when no one important is listening."


    The way she said "important" made me wince. Had we really made omegas feel so insignificant?


    "What other stories do you know?" I asked.


    For the next hour, Lily shared omega views on pack history that left me stunned. Hidden alliances, secret heroes, diplomatic blunders - all missing from the lessons my father taught us.


    "We could prevent so many mistakes if we listened to these stories," I said.


    Lily¡¯s smile was sad. "That¡¯s what Elder Iris always says."


    As sunset approached, we headed toward our final stop - the Western Ridge where our area met the Mountain Packnds. Our smallest neighbor but tactically important because they controlled the high passes.


    "I¡¯ve been thinking," Lily said carefully. "About the Mountain Pack."


    "What about them?"


    "They¡¯re suffering this winter. Their shooting grounds were damaged in the floods. But they¡¯re too proud to ask for help."


    I nodded. This was a well-known problem with no solution. "My father offered help. They refused."


    "Because it came as charity from a stronger pack," Lily stated. "But what if we approached it differently? Their weavers make the best winter nkets. Our pack needs those for the new pups. We could trade extra meat for nkets and call it a fair swap."


    I stopped walking, looking at her. The idea was brilliant - allowing the Mountain Pack to keep pride while getting the food they desperately needed.


    "How did you know about their weaving?"


    "One of the omega moms in our nursery came from Mountain Pack. She still has family there."


    Again and again, Lily revealed connections and knowledge I never thought existed in our pack. Quiet informationworks kept by the omegas we barely noticed.


    As darkness fell, we reached the Western Ridge. Lights from the Mountain Pack town twinkled in the distance.


    "We should head back," I said. "It¡¯s not safe after dark."


    Lily pointed to a small path I¡¯d never noticed. "This way is faster."


    The narrow path wound between rock formations. I tensed, sensing we weren¡¯t alone. The wind shifted, bringing a familiar smell that made my hackles rise.


    "Lily, run!" I shouted, just as shapes melted from the shadows ahead and behind us.


    Wolves wearing bone masks circled us, closing in from all sides. At least ten of them, too many to fight.


    Thergest stepped forward, his mask carved with strange symbols that seemed to glow in the moonlight.


    "The Triple Moon bearer," he said, his eyes fixed on Lily. "You wille with us now."


    "She¡¯s under my protection," I growled, stepping in front of her.


    The masked leaderughed. "The Alpha¡¯s son. Perfect. We¡¯ll take you both."


    "What do you want?" Lily ordered, her voice surprisingly steady.


    "To restore the old ways," the leader responded. "And you, Omega, are the key."


    The masked wolves moved closer, pushing us toward the edge of a steep ravine. I reached for Lily¡¯s hand, mind racing for a getaway n. There were too many to fight, nowhere to run.


    "Trust me," Lily whispered, squeezing my fingers.


    Before I could answer, she pulled me backward, and we plunged together into the darkness of the ravine below.

 Chapter 11: Whispers in the Dark

    <h4>Chapter 11: Whispers in the Dark</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I crashed to the ground with Aiden, rolling through mud and falling leaves at the bottom of the ravine. The hooded wolves howled above us, their bone faces gleaming in the moonlight.


    "Run!" Aiden grabbed my hand and pulled me into the thick forest. We zigzagged between trees, sshed through a shallow stream, and finally fell in a small cave hidden behind a waterfall.


    "Did we lose them?" I gasped, my lungs burning.


    Aiden peered through the sheet of water. "For now."


    We waited until morning before sneaking back to the pack grounds. Wolves stopped and stared as we limped through the main area, covered in mud and scratches. Their words followed us like angry bees.


    "Look at her,ing back at dawn with the Alpha¡¯s son..."


    "Probably faked that mark to trap him..."


    "No omega should live in the Alpha¡¯s house..."


    I kept my head high, pretending not to hear. Three days had passed since that night in the valley, but the whispers hadn¡¯t stopped. If anything, they¡¯d gotten louder.


    After washing up and changing clothes, I went to the nursery. The pups, at least, didn¡¯t judge me. They swarmed around me, barking happy greets.


    "Miss Lily! Miss Lily! Can we y Moon Chase?"


    I smiled, kneeling to hug the smallest pup. "Not today, sweetie. I need to check on Timmy¡¯s leg first."


    As I moved through my normal routine, I noticed two women watching me from the corner. Their eyes followed my every move.


    "Can I help you?" I asked politely.


    "We¡¯re fine," one said coldly. She pulled her pup away when I neared. "My son doesn¡¯t need omega medicine anymore. Not when the Alpha¡¯s doctors are avable to us now."


    My cheeks burned. "I¡¯ve been caring for your son since he was born."


    "That was before." She sniffed. "Before you decided you were too good for your ce."


    The second mother at least had the grace to look embarrassed, but she didn¡¯t argue.


    I swallowed hard and turned away. This wasn¡¯t the first time pack members had made their views clear. Half treated me like I¡¯d suddenly be king, bowing their heads when I passed. The other half acted like I¡¯d taken something that wasn¡¯t mine.


    Maybe they were right.


    I wrapped a fresh bandage around Timmy¡¯s healing leg, trying to focus on the work rather than the hurt in my chest.


    "Does it still hurt?" I asked the pup.


    "Nope!" Timmy smiled, showing his missing front tooth. "I¡¯m brave, just like you, Miss Lily! My mom said you fought off ten bad dogs with Alpha Aiden!"


    I smiled despite myself. "It wasn¡¯t quite ten."


    "Was it scary in the ravine? Did the bone faces catch you?"


    News spread fast in the pack. "A little scary," I admitted. "But we outsmarted them."


    A throat cleared behind me. I turned to find Luna standing in the doorway, looking ufortable. "Lily. The Alpha wants to see you." Her voice was stiff but not openly aggressive like before.


    I followed her outside, bracing myself for more nasty words. To my surprise, she spoke quietly.


    "Be careful around Olivia and her friends," Luna warned, nodding toward the mothers I¡¯d just met. "They¡¯ve always wanted their girls to catch the triplets¡¯ attention. They¡¯re not happy about you."


    I blinked in surprise. "Why are you telling me this?"


    Luna shrugged. "The masked dogs asked for you specifically. That means you¡¯re important somehow. And if you¡¯re important..." She didn¡¯t finish, but I understood. If I had value to our enemies, I had value to the pack.


    Not friendship then. Just strategy.


    Alpha Marcus was waiting in the main hall with all three brothers. Their serious faces made my stomach tighten.


    "Lily," Alpha Marcus nodded. "Please, sit. We need to discuss what happened with the masked dogs."


    For the next hour, I exined everything I remembered about our encounter. The strange symbols on their faces. How they called me "the Triple Moon bearer." Their talk about "restoring the old ways."


    "We¡¯ve had reports of simr groups approaching other packs," Brock said, pacing the room. "Always asking about omega wolves with special marks."


    "They seem to know about you specifically," Caleb added. He¡¯d been quiet until now, watching me with serious eyes. "The question is how."


    "Someone must be feeding them information," Aiden decided.


    A cold feeling settled in my stomach. "You think someone in our pack is helping them?"


    Alpha Marcus sighed. "It¡¯s possible. These are tough times. The old rules are changing."


    I nced at my wrist where the Triple Moon mark glowed softly. Change. That¡¯s what Elder Iris said the mark brought. Not everyone weed change.


    "Until we know more, you need protection," the Alpha continued. "One of my sons will be with you at all times."


    I opened my mouth to protest but stopped. The masked dogs had terrified me. If they came back, I wanted someone strong close.


    "Thank you," I said instead.


    That afternoon, Caleb walked me back to the nursery. Unlike his brothers, he didn¡¯t try to fill the quiet with talk. We walked quietly, but I felt his eyes on me.


    "People are staring again," I murmured.


    "Let them," Caleb answered. "Their opinions don¡¯t matter."


    "Easy for you to say. You¡¯ve always fit."


    Caleb stopped walking, turning to face me. "Do you really believe that?"


    Something in his voice made me look at him properly. Behind the confident appearance of an Alpha¡¯s son, I saw unexpected pain.


    "Being a triplet means never being seen as just yourself," he said softly. "People look at me and see ¡¯one of the Silver boys.¡¯ The quiet one. The smart one. Not Caleb."


    I¡¯d never thought about it that way. "I guess we¡¯re both used to being judged without being known."


    A tiny smile touched his lips. "Maybe that¡¯s why the mark chose us."


    Us. Not you. The way he said it sent warmth spreading through my chest.


    The moment broke when we reached the nursery. A crowd had gathered outside. In the middle stood Olivia, her voice carrying across the clearing.


    "¡ªdon¡¯t want her touching our pups! An omega who uses dark magic to make false mate marks can¡¯t be trusted with our children!"


    My breath caught in my throat. Other parents nodded in agreement.


    "That¡¯s enough." Caleb¡¯s words cut through the noise. The crowd parted as we neared. "These ims are serious, Olivia. Do you have proof?"


    Olivia lifted her chin. "Everyone knows omegas can¡¯t mate with alphas. It¡¯s strange. She must have done something to trick the moon."


    "I didn¡¯t¡ª" I started, but another voice interrupted.


    "She was seen gathering strange herbs at midnight during thest full moon." A beta woman I barely knew stepped forward. "My cousin saw her dancing naked in the Moon Pool before the festival."


    Laughter rippled through the crowd. My face burned with shame. I¡¯d never done any such thing.


    "This is ridiculous," Caleb said, his voice dangerously low.


    A small voice piped up from the nursery doorway. "Miss Lily wouldn¡¯t do bad magic." Timmy stood on his healed leg, looking fierce despite his small size. "She¡¯s good and kind and she tells the best stories."


    The crowd¡¯s mood changed slightly at the pup¡¯s defense. Children were precious in wolf society, their instincts often trusted.


    "Perhaps," Olivia said smoothly, "but caution is still smart. We¡¯re taking our pups home. The nursery will stay closed until a proper investigation can be conducted."


    Parents began getting their children. The pups looked confused, some crying as they were taken away. Timmy clung to my legs until his father came to get him.


    "I¡¯m sorry," he whispered, hugging me. "I believe in you."


    After everyone left, I slumped onto the nursery steps. "They¡¯ve taken my pups away."


    Caleb sat beside me. "It¡¯s temporary. Once the Alpha makes a public statement¡ª"


    "It won¡¯t matter," I said angrily. "They¡¯ve already decided I¡¯m guilty."


    We sat in silence as the sun began to set. Then Caleb spoke softly.


    "What if we could show your mark is real? Show everyone that the Triple Moon Bearer is mentioned in old pack texts?"


    Hope flickered inside me. "How?"


    "There¡¯s one ce we haven¡¯t looked," Caleb said. "The Sacred Vault beneath the Alpha¡¯s house. No one but the Alpha family has entered it for generations. But it holds the oldest pack records."


    "Your father would never let me in there."


    "My father doesn¡¯t need to know." Caleb¡¯s eyes glinted with purpose. "Meet me at midnight. We¡¯ll find the truth together."


    Before I could answer, a blood-curdling scream split the air. We jumped up as a pack guard ran toward us.


    "The pups!" he gasped. "Masked dogs took them from their homes! All of them!"


    My heart stopped. I met Caleb¡¯s terrified gaze as one terrible thought crashed through my mind.


    This is my fault.

 Chapter 12: Wolves in the Shadows

    <h4>Chapter 12: Wolves in the Shadows</h4>


    <strong>Lily Carter POV</strong>


    A rock broke the nursery window and ss flew all over the ce. As the shards fell around us, I threw myself over little Emma to protect her.


    "Everyone under the tables!" My heart was pounding so hard that I screamed.


    The dogs hid under some wooden tables while I looked at Emma¡¯s scared face for cuts. I rushed her to safety with the others when I couldn¡¯t find any.


    Outside, people were getting more angry.


    "The omega witch can¡¯t have our pups!"


    "Send her back to the lowest dens where she belongs!"


    I looked in through the broken window. At least twenty wolves stood in the open, faces twisted with anger. Some held rocks, others waved sticks. My stomach turned to ice.


    Yesterday¡¯s theft had terrified the pack. All twelve missing pups had been found shivering in a cave three miles from our area, abandoned by the masked dogs who¡¯d taken them. The pups were safe but scared, remembering only bone-faced wolves who¡¯d whispered about "the Triple Moon child."


    Now everyone med me.


    "Stay here," I told the five pups who¡¯d been brave enough to return to the nursery today. "Don¡¯t move until Ie back."


    I stepped outside, closed the door firmly behind me. The crowd grew quiet as I faced them alone.


    "Go home," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt. "These pups need peace after what happened."


    A burly beta man stepped forward. "They need safety from you! The masked dogs came for you, not them!"


    "Yeah!" yelled another. "My son still has nightmares about those bone faces."


    More angry shouts followed. I stood my ground even as my legs shook.


    "I would die before letting any pupe to harm," I said, loud enough for all to hear. "I¡¯ve looked for your children since they were born. You know me."


    "We thought we did," said a woman whose twins had been taken. "Before that mark appeared."


    She pointed at my wrist where the Triple Moon sign glowed softly. I couldn¡¯t hide it anymore - the more I tried to cover it, the brighter it shone.


    The crowd moved closer. Fear climbed up my throat, but I refused to back away from the nursery door. They¡¯d have to go through me to reach the pups inside.


    A deep voice cut through the stress. "That¡¯s enough."


    The crowd split as Caleb walked forward. Unlike his brothers, he didn¡¯t need to shout to demand attention. His quiet power made people listen.


    "These pups have been through enough," he said, standing beside me. "Go home to your families. The Alpha Council will address your worries this evening."


    For a moment, no one moved. Then slowly, grumbling under their breaths, the crowd began to move away.


    When thest wolf vanished, my legs finally gave out. Caleb caught me before I hit the ground.


    "Are you okay?" he asked, steadying me.


    I nodded, though I wasn¡¯t sure if it was true. "Thank you."


    "I should have been here sooner. After what happened with the pups..."


    "You can¡¯t be everywhere," I said, pulling away to stand on my own. "And they have a point. The masked dogs came because of me."


    Caleb frowned. "They came because of what your mark represents - change. Some wolves fear change more than anything."


    Inside the nursery, the pups peeked out from under tables. When they saw Caleb, their eyes went wide.


    "Is that the Alpha¡¯s son?" whispered Emma.


    "One of them," I said, trying a smile. "This is Caleb. He¡¯se to help us today."


    The pups stared in wonder as Caleb knelt to their level. Alpha family rarely visited the nursery.


    "I heard you all had a scary night," he said gently. "Want to help me fix this window so you¡¯ll feel safer?"


    The pups nodded eagerly. Soon, Caleb had them collecting broken ss (carefully, in thick gloves) while he measured the window for a temporary cover. I watched in wonder as he worked quickly, hammering a wooden board over the broken space.


    "I didn¡¯t know you were good at fixing things," I said.


    Caleb shrugged. "There¡¯s a lot we don¡¯t know about each other."


    When the window was safe, I gathered the pups for story time. To my surprise, Caleb didn¡¯t leave.


    "Do you mind if I stay?" he asked, almost shy. "I used toe here sometimes, before..."


    "Before what?"


    "Before I was told Alpha sons had more important things to do."


    I nodded for him to join us. The pups made space in their circle, excited to have such an important guest.


    As I opened our favorite tale, Caleb spoke softly. "I used to read to the lost pups, you know. Late at night when no one was watching. They needed someone, and I..." He trailed off.


    "You needed them too," I finished, knowing perfectly.


    He met my eyes with surprise, as if I¡¯d seen something in him no one else noticed.


    I began reading about brave wolves who went beyond the mountains. The pups listened, wide-eyed, asionally looking at Caleb as if they couldn¡¯t believe he was really there.


    Halfway through the story, I stopped to help Timmy with his bandage. When I returned, I found Caleb reading in my ce, different sounds for each character making the pups giggle.


    "You¡¯re good at this," I said when he finished.


    "So are you," he responded. "They love you."


    "Miss Lily is the best!" Emma dered. "She¡¯s going to be our Luna someday!"


    The nursery went quiet. Luna was the title for the Alpha¡¯s mate - the female pack leader. Though the Triple Moon mark meant I might mate with one of the brothers, hearing it spoken aloud made my face burn.


    "Sorry," Emma whispered, feeling she¡¯d said something wrong.


    "It¡¯s okay," I told her, though my heart raced. "Time for lunch, everyone."


    While the pups ate sandwiches, Caleb helped me clean up scattered toys.


    "They trust youpletely," he said. "That¡¯s rare."


    "Children see things adults miss," I responded. "They don¡¯t care about ranks or marks."


    "Is that why you came back here? After everything that¡¯s happened?"


    I nodded. "The nursery is the only ce I¡¯ve ever belonged. Besides, these pups need someone who isn¡¯t afraid of them after what happened."


    "Afraid of them?" Caleb asked, confused.


    "The masked dogs spoke to them," I exined. "Some parents worry their children might be... changed somehow. Touched by whatever dark magic those bone-faced dogs use."


    Caleb looked worried. "That¡¯s ridiculous."


    "Is it? We still don¡¯t know why they took the pups instead ofing after me directly."


    Before Caleb could answer, the nursery door burst open. Elder Iris stood there, breathing hard.


    "You need toe quickly," she gasped. "Both of you."


    "What¡¯s wrong?" I asked, fear squeezing my chest.


    "They found something in the forest," she said. "Where the pups were taken. Symbols cut into the trees. Ancient signs that haven¡¯t been seen in generations."


    "What kind of symbols?" Caleb asked.


    Elder Iris looked straight at me. "Triple Moons. Dozens of them. And a message written in blood: ¡¯The Bearer must choose or the children will pay.¡¯"


    My blood turned cold. "Choose what?"


    "That¡¯s not all," Elder Iris continued. "The masked dogs left something else. A box with three locks. The note says only the Triple Moon Bearer can open it."


    "Where is it now?" Caleb demanded.


    "Your father has it. He¡¯s calling a pack meeting." Elder Iris grabbed my arm. "But Lily, there¡¯s something you should know first. Two pups are missing again."


    "What? Who?" I cried.


    "Emma and Timmy. They vanished during the confusion at lunch. And this was left in their ce."


    She gave me a small wooden token carved with a bone face. On the back, three words were burned into the wood: "Time to choose."


    My mark burned like fire against my skin as I clutched the piece. The pups I loved most in the world were gone, taken because of me.


    And I had no idea what choice I was supposed to make to save them.

 Chapter 13: Predator Becomes Prey

    <h4>Chapter 13: Predator Bes Prey</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    "Get down!"


    Brock shoved me into the snow as an arrow whistled over our heads. It thudded into a tree stem inches from where I¡¯d been standing.


    "Move!" he growled, pulling me by the arm. We crashed through the underbrush, sprinting between trees as more arrows flew past us.


    This wasn¡¯t the hunting trip I¡¯d expected.


    Three hours earlier, Brock had arrived at my door at dawn. His face was grim. "Get your boots. We¡¯re going hunting."


    "Now? But the lost pups¡ª"


    "Every search party is looking for them," he cut me off. "My father thinks you need safety. I¡¯m it for today."


    I wanted to argue, but the wooden symbol with the bone face weighed heavy in my pocket. Emma and Timmy had been missing for twelve hours. The masked dogs wanted me to make some strange choice, but no one knew what they meant.


    Now, running for our lives, I understood this wasn¡¯t about protection at all.


    "Stop," I gasped after we¡¯d put space between us and the arrows. "Who¡¯s shooting at us?"


    Brock¡¯s silver-blue eyes searched the forest. "Rogues. They¡¯ve been slipping onto our area since the pups were taken."


    "Or maybe you walked us straight into danger on purpose," I snapped.


    His head whipped around. "What?"


    "Don¡¯t act. You brought me out here hoping I¡¯d fail. Prove I¡¯m just a weak omega who doesn¡¯t deserve the Triple Moon mark."


    For a second, Brock looked like I¡¯d pped him. Then his face toughened. "You don¡¯t know anything about me."


    "I know you¡¯ve watched me like I¡¯m a bug since the mark appeared."


    A twig snapped in the distance. Brock grabbed my arm again, pulling me behind a fallen log. We crouched in silence, listening to footsteps crunching through snow.


    "Three of them," I whispered, startling myself. I¡¯d always had good hearing, but now I could pick out each separate set of feet.


    Brock raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"


    "Two big steps, one lighter. They¡¯re spreading out to circle us."


    He studied me with new interest. "Can you tell which direction?"


    I closed my eyes, focused on the sounds. "North, northeast, and oneing from the west."


    "That¡¯s... impressive," Brock admitted unwillingly.


    "I¡¯m full of surprises," I muttered.


    A n formed in my mind. "The stream is south of here. If we reach it, we can hide our smell."


    Brock frowned. "That¡¯s at least a mile away."


    "I know a route. Through the bramble patch."


    "That¡¯s death. The thorns will tear us to pieces."


    I smiled for the first time. "Not if you know the hidden path."


    Years of gathering nts had taught me every secret of these woods. ces alphas never thought to explore were my escape when pack life became too harsh.


    "Trust me," I said.


    The look on Brock¡¯s face was priceless. The mighty alpha son, asked to trust an omega.


    "Fine," he growled. "Lead the way."


    I moved quietly through the snow, ducking under trees and stepping carefully where I knew ice hid beneath the white powder. Brock followed, his bigger frame trying to match my silent movements.


    At the edge of a massive bramble thicket, I stopped. To anyone else, it looked like an impossible wall of thorns. I pointed to a small opening near the ground.


    "We crawl through there."


    "You¡¯re joking," Brock said simply.


    I was already on my hands and knees, slipping into the tiny tunnel. "Stay close. Don¡¯t touch the sides."


    The road twisted through the brambles like a tunnel. Behind me, I heard Brock curse under his breath as he squeezed his broad shoulders through the tight space.


    We emerged on the other side just as shouts exploded behind us. The rogues had found our tracks.


    "This way," I whispered, leading Brock to the stream. We waded through the icy water for several minutes before climbing onto a rocky bank that wouldn¡¯t hold our smell.


    Safe for the moment, I leaned against a rock, catching my breath. Brock stood watching me with a strange look.


    "You¡¯re not what I expected," he said eventually.


    "Sorry to disappoint."


    "I didn¡¯t say I was disappointed." He crossed his arms. "Where did you learn to move like that? To track like that?"


    I shrugged. "When you¡¯re at the bottom of the pack, you learn to be unnoticeable. To see things others miss."


    "Like clear paths through thorn bushes?"


    "Like which wolves are dangerous and which just want to seem important." I gave him a sharp look.


    To my surprise, Brockughed. It changed his serious face, making him look younger, more like his brothers.


    "Fair hit," he admitted. "I¡¯ve been hard on you."


    "You¡¯ve been a jerk."


    He nodded. "That too."


    A howl cut through the air - the warning from a search party. Brock stiffened, listening.


    "They¡¯ve found something about the pups," he said. "We need to get back."


    We moved quickly, no longer worried about being tracked. As we neared pack grounds, Brock stopped suddenly.


    "Wait," he said. "Before we return... I need to know something."


    "What?"


    "The mark on your wrist. When you¡¯re near me, does it... feel anything?"


    I paused. The Triple Moon mark had softened when I was around each brother, but differently every time. With Aiden, it felt like standing near a warm fire. With Caleb, it tingled like excitement.


    With Brock, it pulsed, strong and steady like a heartbeat.


    "Yes," I admitted. "It reacts to you."


    He nodded, his face unreadable. "Let¡¯s go."


    The pack grounds were in chaos when we arrived. Wolves ran in all directions, screaming orders. Alpha Marcus stood in the center, barking orders at search parties.


    "Father!" Brock called, pushing through the crowd. "What¡¯s happened?"


    The Alpha¡¯s face was grim. "We found something at the eastern border. You both need to see this."


    He led us to the pack house, where Aiden, Caleb, and Luna already waited. On the tabley a small wooden box with three locks, just as Elder Iris had exined.


    Beside it was something that made my blood freeze - Emma¡¯s little beaded bracelet, covered in blood.


    "Is she..." I couldn¡¯t finish the question.


    "We don¡¯t know," Aiden said softly. "There was no body, just this."


    Caleb pointed to the box. "The note says only the Triple Moon Bearer can open it. We think the key to finding the pups is inside."


    "I don¡¯t have any key," I said hopelessly.


    Luna stepped forward, her face surprisingly gentle. "Not a metal key. We think it means this." She touched my marked wrist.


    "What am I supposed to do?"


    "We¡¯re not sure," Caleb revealed. "But there¡¯s something else you should see."


    He unfolded a piece of paper covered in strange symbols. At the bottom was a warning written in red: "Three brothers, three choices. The Bearer must choose one road, one brother, one fate before the full moon rises. Or the young will join the Bone Path forever."


    My heart stopped. "The full moon is tonight."


    "There¡¯s more," Luna said quietly. "A message came while you were gone. The masked dogs will trade the pups for you. They want the Triple Moon Bearer to surrender at midnight at the Moon Pool."


    Everyone looked at me, waiting for my answer. I stared at Emma¡¯s bloody band, feeling sick.


    "I¡¯ll do it," I said. "Of course I will."


    "No," all three boys said together.


    Brock stepped closer, his voice firm. "There has to be another way."


    "What if there isn¡¯t?" I asked. "I won¡¯t let those pups die because of me."


    "And we won¡¯t let you sacrifice yourself," Aiden dered.


    I looked at each brother - polite Aiden, fierce Brock, thoughtful Caleb. ording to the message, I needed to choose one of them. But why? And how would that save the pups?


    "I need to think," I said, backing toward the door.


    "Lily, wait¡ª" Caleb reached for me, but I was already running.


    I fled into the forest, my safe ce since youth. Tears blurred my view as I ran without direction. When I finally stopped, panting and lost, I realized with horror where my feet had taken me.


    The Moon Pool gleamed in the fading daylight, its surface strangely still. As I approached, the water began to bubble and churn.


    A figure rose from the middle of the pool - a wolf with a bone face, water streaming from its fur.


    "The Bearer hase," it rasped. "Are you ready to choose?"


    Behind it, more bone-masked wolves emerged from the trees. And in their middle, trembling with cold and fear, stood Emma and Timmy.


    "Let them go," I begged.


    "Choose," the wolf repeated. "One brother. One fate."


    "I don¡¯t understand what you want!"


    The bone-faced wolf stepped closer. "The mark tests not just you, but them. Only one is worthy. Choose wrong, and all will die."


    I backed away, but other masked wolves circled behind me. Trapped.


    "You have until midnight," the boss said. "Return with your chosen mate, or the pups join us beneath the moon."


    The bone-faced wolves melted back into the forest, taking the crying pups with them. I fell to my knees in the snow, alone with an impossible choice.


    How could I choose one brother when I barely knew my own heart? And what would happen to the others if I did?

 Chapter 14: The Storm Hits

    <h4>Chapter 14: The Storm Hits</h4>


    <strong>Lily Carter POV</strong>


    The arrow whizzed past my ear so close I felt the feathers brush my hair.


    "Down!" Brock shouted, tackling me into the snow just as another arrow thudded into the tree where I¡¯d been stood.


    My heart hammered against my ribs. This wasn¡¯t the peaceful hunting trip Alpha Marcus had promised when he assigned Brock to protect me while the search teams looked for Emma and Timmy.


    "Stay low," Brock growled, his silver-blue eyes scanning the trees around us. "Three rogues, maybe four."


    I pressed myself deeper into the snow, trying to make myself as small as possible. The wooden token with the bone face felt heavy in my pocket - a warning that dangerous wolves wanted me for something I didn¡¯t understand.


    "Can you see the others?" I whispered, looking for the rest of our hunting party.


    Brock¡¯s jaw tightened. "Too far ahead. We¡¯re on our own."


    Another arrow flew over our heads. This time I heard the gun moving through the trees to our left. My improved hearing picked up footsteps in the snow - heavy boots, at least two pairs.


    "They¡¯re trying to circle us," I said.


    Brock looked surprised. "How do you know?"


    "I can hear them. Two from the left, one from the right."


    His eyes shot up, but he didn¡¯t have time to ask questions. The wind was picking up, and the first snowkes of what looked like a major storm started to fall.


    "We need to move," he said. "Now."


    We crawled through the snow until we hit a cluster of rocks that gave us cover. The shots had stopped, but I could still hear the rogues moving closer.


    "There¡¯s a cave system up the mountain," Brock said, pointing to a hill about half a mile away. "If we can reach it..."


    "That¡¯s a big if," I mumbled, watching the snow fall harder.


    "You got a better idea?"


    I thought fast. The cave was our best shot, but getting there meant crossing open ground where the rogues could easily pick us off. Unless...


    "The stream," I said. "It runs along the base of that hill. If we follow it, we¡¯ll have cover from the trees and rocks."


    Brock frowned. "That stream is half-frozen. One bad step and we¡¯ll fall through."


    "Better than being target practice."


    He studied my face for a moment, and I saw something shift in his expression. Maybe he was finally understanding I wasn¡¯tpletely helpless.


    "Lead the way," he said.


    We belly-crawled to the stream¡¯s edge. The water moved fast enough that it hadn¡¯t frozen fully, but ice covered the shallow parts near the banks. I tested each step carefully, feeling for solid ground beneath the snow and slush.


    Behind us, I heard the rogues breaking through the underbrush. They¡¯d found our hidden spot.


    "Faster," Brock pushed.


    I picked up the pace, jumping from rock to rock where the stream was bigger. My boots slipped on the icy stones, but I managed to keep my bnce. Years of picking herbs in all kinds of weather had taught me how to move on treacherous ground.


    The snow was falling so thick now I could barely see ten feet ahead. That was good - it meant the rogues couldn¡¯t see us either. But it also meant we might miss the cave opening.


    "There!" Brock pointed to a dark opening in the rock face, barely visible through the whirling snow.


    We scrambled up the bank and ran for the cave. Just as we reached it, I heard an angry shout behind us. The rogues had spotted us.


    "Get inside!" Brock pushed me ahead of him.


    The cave was bigger than it looked from outside, stretching back into darkness. But it was also freezing cold, and the wind was howling through the opening like a wild animal.


    Brock paced near the mouth of the cave, watching for signs of chase. "I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll follow us in this storm," he said. "But we might be stuck here for hours."


    I was already gathering dry wood and fuel from deeper in the cave. Someone had used this ce before - probably hunters taking cover just like us.


    "What are you doing?" Brock asked.


    "Making a fire before we freeze to death."


    He watched skeptically as I arranged the wood and used flint from my herb-gathering kit to spark the fire. Within minutes, mes were dancing against the cave walls.


    "Where did you learn to do that?" he asked, sitting down near the fire with obvious relief.


    "My grandma taught me. She said an omega who couldn¡¯t take care of herself was no good to anyone."


    Brock was quiet for a moment. "I never knew you were so... practical."


    "There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know about me."


    As if to prove my point, I noticed he was favoring his left foot. When he¡¯d hit me earlier, he must have twisted something.


    "Let me see your ankle," I said.


    "It¡¯s fine."


    "You¡¯re walking. Let me see."


    He reluctantly pulled off his boot. His ankle was already growing, and I could see him wince when he moved it.


    I dug through my nt pouch and pulled out some dried willow bark andfrey root. "This will help with the pain and swelling."


    "You just carry medicine around?"


    "I work in the nursery, remember? Pups are always getting hurt."


    I crushed the herbs between two rocks and mixed them with a little water from my bottle to make a paste. When I started putting it to his ankle, Brock jerked back.


    "That stings!"


    "Don¡¯t be such a baby. It¡¯s helping."


    To my surprise, he actually smiled. "Yes, ma¡¯am."


    As I wrapped his ankle with strips torn from my scarf, something strange happened. The Triple Moon mark on my wrist began to pulse with warmth. Not the gentle heat I¡¯d felt around Aiden or the excited tingle from being near Caleb. This was different - steady and strong, like a beating.


    Brock must have noticed something too, because he was looking at me with an odd expression.


    "Lily," he said quietly, "there¡¯s something I need to tell you about the hunting trip today."


    The way he said it made my stomach drop. "What do you mean?"


    "My father didn¡¯t really send us hunting. He sent me to test you."


    "Test me how?"


    Brock looked ufortable. "He wanted to see if you could handle yourself in trouble. If you were really worthy of the Triple Moon mark."


    I felt like he¡¯d pped me. "So this whole thing was fake? Even the rogues?"


    "No, the rogues are real. But..." He took a deep breath. "I was supposed to make sure you failed. To prove you weren¡¯t strong enough to be Luna."


    The fire crackled between us as his words sank in. I¡¯d been set up. The Alpha wanted me to fail, and he¡¯d sent his own son to make sure it happened.


    "Why are you telling me this?" I asked.


    "Because you didn¡¯t fail. You saved both our lives today, and I..." He looked down at his wrapped ankle. "I was wrong about you."


    The mark on my wrist pulsed brighter, and I saw Brock¡¯s eyes widen as he noticed the glow through my sleeve.


    "Lily, what is that?"


    Before I could answer, a bone-chilling howl sounded from somewhere deep in the cave behind us. Not the yelp of a regr wolf - this sounded like something else entirely.


    We both froze, looking into the darkness beyond our fire¡¯s light. The howl came again, closer this time.


    "Please tell me that¡¯s just the wind," I whispered.


    Brock was already reaching for his knife. "That¡¯s no wind."


    Glowing red eyes emerged in the darkness at the back of the cave. Then another pair. And another.


    We weren¡¯t alone.


    "The bone-faced wolves," I breathed, remembering the covered figures from the forest. "They followed us."


    The eyes moved closer, and I could make out shapes in the shadows - wolves wearing skull masks, just like the ones who had taken Emma and Timmy.


    One of them stepped into our firelight, and when it spoke, its voice was like gravel scraping stone.


    "The Bearer wille with us. The choice cannot wait until midnight."


    Brock moved protectively in front of me despite his hurt ankle. "She¡¯s not going anywhere."


    The bone-faced wolf tilted its head. "The Alpha¡¯s son protects her? Interesting. Perhaps the test was more sessful than nned."


    My blood turned to ice. They knew about the test. They¡¯d been watching us the whole time.


    "What do you want with me?" I asked.


    "You will choose, Bearer. But not when you expected. Not where you expected. The moon rises early tonight, and the pups¡¯ time grows short."


    More bone-faced dogs emerged from the darkness. We werepletely trapped.


    The leader¡¯s red eyes fixed on me. "Come freely, and the wounded Alpha son lives. Resist, and he joins the pups in our world."


    Brock¡¯s hand found mine, squeezing tight. His voice was fierce despite the odds against us.


    "Whatever happens, don¡¯t go with them, Lily. The pack needs you."


    The bone-faced wolfughed, a sound like breaking ss. "The pack? The pack sent her here to fail. But we... we know her true worth."


    The creature took another step forward, and I saw something that made my heart stop. Hanging from its neck was a small beaded band - Emma¡¯s bracelet, still stained with blood.


    "Choose now, Bearer. Come with us to save the pups, or watch this Alpha son die by our ws."


    The fire shed between us and the masked wolves, casting dancing shadows on the cave walls. Brock squeezed my hand again, and I felt the mark on my wrist burn like fire.


    Time was up. The choice I¡¯d been fearing had arrived, but not the way anyone expected.


    And somehow, I knew that whatever I decided in the next few seconds would change everything - not just for me and Brock, but for the entire Silver Peak Pack.

 Chapter 15: Night Conversations

    <h4>Chapter 15: Night Conversations</h4>


    Brock Silver POV


    "Get back!" I lunged forward, swinging a burning branch at the bone-faced wolves circling us.


    The masked creatures hissed and retreated into the darkness, their red eyes glowing like embers. But they didn¡¯t leave. They stayed just beyond the firelight, watching. Waiting.


    "Why aren¡¯t they attacking?" Lily whispered behind me.


    I kept the ming branch raised, my wounded ankle throbbing with each movement. "I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯m not whining."


    The lead wolf with Emma¡¯s bloody band around its neck tilted its skull-masked head. "We can wait, Alpha son. The storm traps you here with us. When your fire dies, the choice will be made."


    Then, like smoke, they melted back into the darkness of the cave. Gone, but not really gone. I could still smell their wild scent and hear the soft click of ws on stone somewhere in the dark.


    "Are they really gone?" Lily asked.


    "No." I lowered the branch but kept it burning. "They¡¯re still here. Waiting for us to get tired or let our guard down."


    Lily fed more wood to our fire, making it burn higher. Smart. The bigger the fire, the more it would keep those things away.


    "How long until dawn?" she asked.


    I looked toward the cave mouth where snow was still falling thick and fast. "Six hours. Maybe seven."


    Her face went pale. "We can¡¯t stay awake that long. And we don¡¯t have enough wood to keep the fire going all night."


    She was right. We had maybe three hours of wood left, and I was already trying to keep my eyes open. The adrenaline from the attack was wearing off, leaving me tired.


    "I¡¯ll take first watch," I said. "You sleep."


    "With those things out there? I couldn¡¯t sleep if I wanted to."


    Lily sat down across from me, the fire sparking between us. In the orange light, I could see she was trying to look brave, but her hands were shaking.


    "I¡¯m sorry," I said suddenly.


    "For what?"


    "For everything. For the test. For bringing you out here." I stared into the fire. "My father told me you weren¡¯t strong enough to be Luna. That you¡¯d panic when things got scary."


    "And you believed him?"


    I looked up at her, this small omega girl who¡¯d saved both our lives today. "I wanted to believe him."


    "Why?"


    The question hit me like a punch to the gut. Why had I wanted her to fail? Why had I been so determined to prove she wasn¡¯t worthy?


    "Because if you¡¯re not strong enough," I said slowly, "then my brothers won¡¯t choose you. And if they don¡¯t choose you..."


    "What?"


    "Then maybe one of them will see that I..." I stopped, heat rushing to my face.


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened. "You what?"


    I¡¯d never said it out loud before. Never even admitted it to myselfpletely. But sitting here, probably about to die, the truth came spilling out.


    "I¡¯ve been watching you for years, Lily. Long before the Triple Moon mark appeared. When you worked in the nursery, when you collected herbs, when you sat alone at pack meetings." I couldn¡¯t meet her eyes. "I told myself it was just because you were different. Quiet. But really..."


    "Really what?"


    "Really, I think I was falling for you. And that scared me more than any rogue or bone-faced wolf ever could."


    The silence stretched between us, broken only by the crackling fire and faraway sound of wind howling outside.


    "But you¡¯re an Alpha¡¯s son," Lily said finally. "You could have any girl in the pack. Why would you notice someone like me?"


    "Someone like you?" Iughed, but it came out bitter. "Lily, do you know what it¡¯s like being the middle brother? Aiden¡¯s the future Alpha - everyone respects him. Caleb¡¯s the smart one - everyone goes to him for help. But me? I¡¯m just the strength. The enforcer. Good for fighting and not much else."


    She frowned. "That¡¯s not true."


    "Isn¡¯t it? When¡¯s thest time someone asked my opinion about anything important? When has anyone ever looked at me and seen more than just a pair of fists?"


    "I do."


    The words were so quiet I almost missed them.


    "What?"


    "I see more than that." Lily¡¯s voice grew stronger. "I see the way you check on the younger wolves during training, making sure they don¡¯t get hurt. I see how you always walk Luna home from parties even though she¡¯s mean to you, because it¡¯s the right thing to do. I see how you read stories to the pups when you think no one¡¯s watching."


    My throat felt tight. "You noticed that?"


    "I notice everything about you, Brock. I always have."


    Something warm spread through my chest - warmer than the fire, warmer than anything I¡¯d ever felt. My Triple Moon mark, the one that had appeared when Lily¡¯s did, began to pulse against my skin.


    "Why didn¡¯t you ever say anything?" I asked.


    "Because you¡¯re an Alpha¡¯s son, and I¡¯m just an omega. Because girls like me don¡¯t get boys like you." She looked down at her hands. "Because I was scared you¡¯dugh at me."


    "I would neverugh at you."


    "Really? Even knowing I used to write your name in my diary? Even knowing I used to pretend we were mates when I was alone in my cabin?"


    My heart hammered against my ribs. "You did?"


    She nodded, blushing bright red. "Pretty pathetic, right?"


    "No," I said furiously. "Not pathetic at all."


    I wanted to move closer to her, to tell her how I felt, but a sound from the darkness made us both freeze. The bone-faced wolves were moving again, circling us just beyond the firelight.


    "The fire¡¯s getting lower," Lily whispered.


    She was right. We¡¯d been talking so long that the mes had died down to half their original size. In another hour, they¡¯d be nothing but mes.


    "There¡¯s something else," I said, knowing I might not get another chance. "Something I haven¡¯t told you about the test."


    "What now?"


    "My father didn¡¯t just want me to make you fail. He wanted me to..." I swallowed hard. "He wanted me to scare you enough that you¡¯d give up the Triple Moon markpletely. Run away from Silver Peak and nevere back."


    Lily¡¯s face went white. "Why would he want that?"


    "Because he¡¯s afraid of what you represent. Change. The old waysing back. Omegas having real power again." I met her eyes. "He¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll make the pack better than it is now."


    "That¡¯s crazy. I¡¯m nobody special."


    "You¡¯re everything special," I said. "And that terrifies him."


    A low growl echoed from the darkness. The bone-faced wolves were getting antsy, and our fire was dying fast.


    "Brock," Lily said suddenly, "what if the test wasn¡¯t really about me at all?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "What if it was about you? About whether you¡¯d follow orders or follow your heart?"


    The thought hit me like lightning. My father had always said I was too sensitive, too quick to act on feelings instead of logic. What if this whole thing had been meant to test my loyalty to the pack versus my feelings for Lily? "If that¡¯s true," I said slowly, "then I failed the minute I told you the truth."


    "Or maybe you passed the minute you chose to protect me instead of following orders."


    A bone-chilling howl rose from somewhere deep in the cave. Our fire flickered dangerously low.


    "They¡¯reing," I said, taking thest piece of unburned wood.


    But before I could throw it on the fire, Lily caught my arm. Her Triple Moon mark was glowing bright silver through her sleeve, pulsing in beat with something I couldn¡¯t see.


    "Wait," she whispered. "Listen."


    I strained my ears. Beyond the growls of the bone-faced dogs, I heard something else. Footsteps. Human footsteps, going through the snow outside the cave.


    "Someone¡¯sing," I breathed.


    "Who?"


    Before I could answer, a familiar voice called from the cave opening.


    "Brock! Lily! Are you in there?"


    It was Aiden. My brother had found us.


    But as relief flooded through me, I saw the bone-faced wolves emerge from the shadows, their red eyes zing with anger. They¡¯d been waiting for this moment - for more victims to add to their collection.


    "Don¡¯te in!" I shouted. "It¡¯s a trap!"


    Toote. Aiden emerged at the cave mouth, and behind him were Caleb and three other pack members. They were armed, but they had no idea what they were going into.


    The lead bone-faced wolf raised its head and howled - a signal that brought answering calls from outside the cave. More masked wolves surrounded the entrance, cutting off any exit.


    "Well, well," the thing rasped. "The Bearer¡¯s other mates havee to join the party. How perfect."


    My blood turned to ice as I realized the horrible truth. This had all been nned. The bone-faced wolves had wanted us to call for help. They¡¯d been guiding us toward this moment all along.


    Now they had not just me and Lily, but Aiden and Caleb too. All three brothers, all possible mates to the Triple Moon Bearer, trapped in one ce.


    "Choose now, Bearer," the lead wolf ordered, its voice echoing off the cave walls. "Which brother lives, and which two die? The moon will not wait, and neither will we."

 Chapter 16: The Library Secret

    <h4>Chapter 16: The Library Secret</h4>


    Caleb Silver POV


    "Move!" I shoved Lily behind a bookshelf just as the old tome exploded in a burst of silver light.


    The book I¡¯d been reading about Triple Moon bearers was now floating in mid-air, its pages flipping wildly on their own. Words glowed and shifted across the yellowed paper like they were alive.


    "What¡¯s happening?" Lily gasped, pressed against my back.


    "I don¡¯t know!" The book had been absolutely normal two seconds ago. Now it was acting like it contained some kind of magic.


    The flying book suddenly mmed shut and dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. The library fell silent except for our heavy breaths.


    "Is it over?" Lily whispered.


    I stepped out carefully, keeping her behind me. The booky idly on the reading table where I¡¯d left it, lookingpletely ordinary again.


    "That was definitely not normal," I said.


    This was supposed to be a quiet research time. After yesterday¡¯s disaster with the bone-faced wolves at the cave, I¡¯d got Lily to help me look through the pack¡¯s oldest records. We needed to understand what the Triple Moon mark really meant before the final mating ceremony tomorrow night.


    But the old books weren¡¯t cooperating.


    "Maybe we should leave," Lily said, eyeing the book nervously.


    "No." I picked up the tome carefully. "This happened for a reason. The book responded to something."


    "To what?"


    "To you being here. To your mark." I looked at her wrist where the Triple Moon sign glowed faintly through her sleeve. "I think it was trying to show us something."


    Lily stepped closer, her fear giving way to interest. "What kind of something?"


    I opened the book again, and instantly the pages began to flutter. But this time, instead of chaos, they agreed on a specific Chapter. Words appeared on the page in sparkling silver text that definitely hadn¡¯t been there before.


    "The Last Bearer of the Triple Moon," I read aloud. "Sarah Moonwhisper, year 1847."


    "There was another one?" Lily leaned over my shoulder to see better.


    "Listen to this." I began reading from the bright text. " ¡¯Sarah appeared during the Great Pack War, when Alpha rule had gotten so harsh that omegas were forbidden to speak in council meetings. The Triple Moon mark chose her to restore bnce.¡¯"


    "What happened to her?"


    I kept reading, my excitement rising with each line. "She didn¡¯t just be Luna. She changed everything. Made newws that gave omegas equal rights. Created healing ces run by omega wisdom. Turned Silver Peak into the most powerful pack in the area."


    "And then?"


    My smile faded as I reached the end of the article. "And then she disappeared. The night after her mating ceremony, she disappeared without a trace. No one ever saw her again."


    Lily¡¯s face went pale. "That¡¯s not exactly encouraging."


    "Wait, there¡¯s more." The pages flipped on their own to another glowing area. "Look at this."


    The new page showed a family tree with names and dates going back centuries. Every few generations, one name glowed brighter than the others.


    "Triple Moon bearers," I breathed. "There¡¯s been one every seventy-five to a hundred years."


    "They all disappeared," Lily said, pointing to the dates. "Look - each one vanished within a year of receiving their mark."


    My stomach dropped. She was right. Every single Triple Moon bearer in the family tree had a birth date but no death date. Just the word "Vanished" written in faded ink.


    "Why?" Lily asked. "What happened to them?"


    Before I could answer, the book flipped to a new page. This one showed a map of our territory with strange symbols marked at different ces.


    "Moon pools," I realized. "These are all the sacred ces where mating ceremonies happen."


    "What are those red X¡¯s?"


    I studied the marks more carefully. Each red X was written over a moon pool, and beside each one was a date and a name.


    "Those are the dates the Triple Moon bearers vanished," I said slowly. "They all disappeared from moon pools."


    "From their own mating ceremonies?"


    "Not from their rituals. After them." I traced the design with my finger. "Look at the dates. Each bearer vanished exactly one month after bing mated."


    Lily sank into a chair, her face white as snow. "Caleb, what if the Triple Moon mark isn¡¯t a blessing? What if it¡¯s some kind of curse?"


    "Don¡¯t say that."


    "But what if it is? What if something terrible happens to every omega who gets chosen?"


    I wanted to argue with her, but the proof was right there in ck and white. Every Triple Moon bearer for the past three hundred years had vanished without reason.


    "There has to be more," I said, looking through more pages. "Some exnation for why they disappeared."


    The book seemed to hear me. Pages fluttered until theynded on a section named "The Shadow Covenant."


    "What¡¯s a Shadow Covenant?" Lily asked.


    I read quickly, my heart sinking with every word. "¡¯In the year 1823, Alpha Jeremiah Silver made a deal with the Shadow Wolves to protect Silver Peak from the Great Pack War. In exchange for their security, he promised them a tribute - the most powerful omega from each generation.¡¯"


    "No," Lily whispered.


    "¡¯The Shadow Wolves marked these omegas with the Triple Moon symbol, making them attractive to Alpha sons. Once mated and their power fully awakened, the Shadow Wolves would im them for their own world.¡¯"


    The book mmed shut so hard it made us both jump.


    "That can¡¯t be true," Lily said, but her voice shook. "Your father wouldn¡¯t know about something like that."


    "Wouldn¡¯t he?" I thought about all the times my father had seemed worried about Lily¡¯s mark. How he¡¯d insisted on the test yesterday. How he¡¯d been meeting secretly with Elder Iris. "What if he does know? What if that¡¯s why he wanted you to fail?"


    "To protect me?"


    "Or to protect the deal his great-great-grandfather made."


    Lily stood up suddenly, pacing across the small library. "This is crazy. Shadow Wolves aren¡¯t real. They¡¯re just stories to scare pups."


    "Are they?" I grabbed another book from the shelf, one I¡¯d seen my father reading in secret. "What if everything we think we know about our pack history is wrong?"


    This book opened easily, but what I found inside made my blood turn cold.


    "Lily," I said quietly. "Come look at this."


    She came over reluctantly. The page showed a detailed picture of wolves wearing bone masks - the same masks we¡¯d seen yesterday at the cave.


    "Those are the things that took Emma and Timmy," she breathed.


    "They¡¯re not just random rogues," I said, reading the words below the picture. "¡¯Shadow Wolves serve as collectors for their realm, appearing in the mortal world to take what was promised. They are recognizable by their bone masks and their ability to move between worlds.¡¯"


    "Move between worlds?"


    "That¡¯s why they disappeared so easily yesterday. They¡¯re not entirely from our world."


    Lily grabbed my arm. "Caleb, if this is true, then tomorrow night..."


    "Tomorrow night they¡¯lle for you."


    We stared at each other in horror. Everything made sense now. The bone-faced wolves weren¡¯t trying to stop the mating ceremony - they were waiting for it. They needed Lily to be fully mated before they could im her.


    "We have to tell someone," Lily said.


    "Who? If my father knows about the covenant, he might try to stop us from meddling. And if he doesn¡¯t know..."


    "Then telling him could make things worse."


    I nodded grimly. "Either way, we¡¯re on our own."


    "What do we do?"


    Before I could answer, footsteps sounded in the hallway outside the library. Heavy boots, going fast.


    "Someone¡¯sing," I whispered.


    The door burst open and my father strode in with two pack guards behind him. His face was thunderous.


    "Step away from her, Caleb," he ordered.


    "Father, we need to talk. We found something¡ª"


    "I know what you found." He pointed at the ancient books spread across our table. "And I know what you think it means."


    "So you do know about the Shadow Covenant," I said.


    His face went even darker. "Guards, lead Miss Carter to her room. She¡¯s not to leave until tomorrow night¡¯s service."


    "You can¡¯t do this!" Lilyined as the guards moved toward her.


    "I can and I will. For the good of the pack."


    "Father, please," I stepped between him and Lily. "If you know what happens to Triple Moon bearers, how can you let this continue?"


    Alpha Marcus looked older than I¡¯d ever seen him. "Because, son, some sacrifices are necessary to protect the many."


    The guards grabbed Lily¡¯s arms despite her struggles. As they dragged her toward the door, she looked back at me with desperate eyes.


    "Caleb! Don¡¯t let them¡ª"


    The door mmed shut, cutting off her words. I started after her, but my father¡¯s hand mped down on my shoulder.


    "You will not interfere with tomorrow night¡¯s ceremony," he said coldly. "That¡¯s an order."


    "And if I refuse?"


    "Then you¡¯ll join Miss Carter in confinement until it¡¯s over."


    I looked at the ancient books spread across the table, all their terrible secrets now revealed. Lily was going to be sacrificed to beings from another world, and my own father was helping it happen.


    "Why?" I asked. "Why are you doing this?"


    "Because seventy-five years ago, my grandfather failed to provide the tribute the Shadow Wolves requested. Do you know what happened then?"


    I shook my head.


    "They took twelve pack members instead of one. Twelve of our best wolves, including my own father." His voice broke slightly. "I won¡¯t let that happen again. One life to save hundreds - it¡¯s the only choice."


    As the truth hit me, I realized something horrible. My father wasn¡¯t the evil in this story. He was trapped just like the rest of us, bound by a vow made generations ago.


    But that didn¡¯t mean I had to let Lily die.


    "I understand, Father," I said quietly.


    He squeezed my shoulder. "I knew you would, son. You always were the reasonable one."


    He left me alone in the library with the old books and their terrible secrets. As soon as his footsteps faded, I grabbed the most important tome and headed for the window.


    If my father thought I was the reasonable son, he was about to be very unhappy.


    I had less than twenty-four hours to break a centuries-old covenant and save the girl I loved from creatures that lived between worlds.


    And I had no idea how to do either one.

 Chapter 17: Dancing Lessons

    <h4>Chapter 17: Dancing Lessons</h4>


    Aiden Silver POV


    The old book mmed shut in my hands just as footsteps echoed down the hallway toward the library. My heart hammered against my ribs as I quickly shoved the dusty tome under a stack of fresher books.


    "Aiden?" Lily¡¯s voice called softly from the doorway. "Your father said you wanted to see me?"


    I forced my breathing to slow down and turned toward her with what I hoped looked like a normal smile. The book I¡¯d just hidden contained information about the Shadow Covenant that would terrify her. She couldn¡¯t know about it. Not yet.


    "Yes,e in," I said, my voice only slightly shaky. "I thought we should practice dancing for tomorrow night¡¯s ceremony."


    Lily stepped into the library, looking confused. "Dancing? I don¡¯t know how to dance the traditional steps."


    Perfect. This would keep her busy and away from asking questions about why I¡¯d been spending so much time in the librarytely. Ever since Caleb had discovered the truth about the Shadow Wolves, I¡¯d been desperately searching for a way to break the covenant without losing Lily forever.


    "That¡¯s exactly why we need to practice," I said, walking over to her. "As Luna, you¡¯ll be expected to lead the ceremonial dance with your mate."


    Her cheeks turned pink. "We still don¡¯t know which brother is my true mate."


    "Right, but whoever it is will need you to know the steps." I held out my hand to her. "Besides, I¡¯m the best dancer of the three of us."


    Sheughed, which made my chest feel warm despite everything. "That¡¯s not saying much. I¡¯ve seen Brock try to dance."


    "Hey, my brother has many talents. Dancing just isn¡¯t one of them."


    Lily took my offered hand, and I felt that familiar tingle where our skin touched. Her Triple Moon mark was hidden under her sleeve, but I knew it was there. Glowing. Calling to whatever ancient magic bound our pack to creatures from another realm.


    "The traditional dance is called the Moon¡¯s Embrace," I exined, trying to focus on normal things instead of the terror eating at my insides. "It tells the story of how the first wolves learned to dance by watching moonbeams move across water."


    I ced my hand on her waist, keeping a respectful distance between us. She was so smallpared to me, so delicate. How could she possibly survive what wasing?


    "Your left hand goes on my shoulder," I instructed. "Good. Now, we start with three steps to the right, following the moon¡¯s path across the sky."


    We began moving slowly, and I counted out loud. "One, two, three, and turn. One, two, three, and turn."


    Lily bit her lip in concentration, staring down at her feet. "I feel like I¡¯m going to trip and embarrass myself in front of the whole pack."


    "You won¡¯t," I said firmly. "You¡¯re stronger than you think, Lily. You¡¯ve already proven that."


    She looked up at me with those trusting eyes, and guilt crashed through me like a wave. She had no idea that tomorrow night might be thest time anyone ever saw her. That the Shadow Wolves were waiting to im her the moment the mating ceremony ended.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" she asked, stopping mid-step. "You look upset."


    Think fast, Aiden. "Just nervous about the ceremony," I lied. "It¡¯s a big responsibility, bing Alpha and all."


    She nodded understandingly. "I can¡¯t imagine the pressure you¡¯re under."


    If only she knew. The pressure of keeping her safe while pretending everything was normal. The pressure of finding a solution when centuries of Alphas before me had failed. The pressure of possibly watching the girl I cared about disappear into another realm.


    "Let¡¯s try the spin sequence," I said, desperate to change the subject. "You¡¯ll turn under my arm three times, like the moon spinning through the seasons."


    I lifted our joined hands above her head and guided her through the first turn. She was actually graceful, her movements flowing naturally despite her nervousness.


    "See? You¡¯re a natural," I said, meaning it.


    On the second turn, she stumbled slightly, and I caught her around the waist, pulling her closer to steady her. For a moment, we stood there, much closer than we¡¯d been before. I could smell her shampoo and see the tiny freckles across her nose.


    "Sorry," she whispered, but she didn¡¯t pull away.


    "Don¡¯t be sorry. That¡¯s what partners are for - catching each other when we fall."


    The words came out more serious than I¡¯d intended. Her eyes searched my face like she was trying to read my thoughts.


    "Aiden, is there something you¡¯re not telling me? You¡¯ve been acting strangetely. So have Caleb and Brock, actually."


    My heart stopped. She was too observant for her own good.


    "Strange how?" I asked carefully.


    "Worried. Secretive. Like you¡¯re all keeping something from me." She stepped back, putting space between us. "Does it have to do with the Triple Moon mark? Have you found something in these books that scares you?"


    I opened my mouth to lie again, but the words wouldn¡¯te. She deserved the truth. But the truth would send her running, and then the Shadow Wolves would hunt her down anyway.


    "Lily¡ª"


    "Tell me," she said firmly. "I¡¯m not as fragile as everyone thinks. I can handle whatever it is."


    Before I could answer, footsteps pounded down the hallway. Heavy boots, running fast. My father burst through the library door, his face pale with panic.


    "Where¡¯s Caleb?" he demanded.


    "I don¡¯t know. Why?" Fear shot through me. "Father, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "He¡¯s gone. His room is empty, his window¡¯s open, and there are signs of a struggle." Alpha Marcus ran his hands through his hair. "The pack guards found tracks leading into the forest. Wolf tracks, but not from our pack."


    Lily gasped. "The Shadow Wolves?"


    My father¡¯s eyes snapped to her in shock. "How do you know about¡ª" He stopped, his face growing even paler. "You told her?"


    "No, I¡ª"


    "I overheard you and Caleb talking yesterday," Lily interrupted. "About some kind of covenant and creatures that take omegas. I thought it was just old stories, but..." She looked between us with growing horror. "It¡¯s real, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s why you¡¯ve all been acting strange."


    My father closed his eyes in defeat. "They weren¡¯t supposed toe until after the ceremony. The deal was one month after mating, not before."


    "What deal?" Lily¡¯s voice rose with panic.


    I grabbed her shoulders. "Lily, listen to me. We¡¯re going to figure this out. We¡¯re going to save Caleb and¡ª"


    "And what?" she demanded. "Save me from being taken next? That¡¯s what this is about, isn¡¯t it? The Shadow Wolves want me because of my mark."


    My father nodded grimly. "The covenant requires the sacrifice of the most powerful omega from each generation. The Triple Moon mark identifies you as that omega."


    Lily swayed on her feet, and I steadied her. "So tomorrow night, after the ceremony..."


    "They would havee for you," I finished quietly.


    "But they took Caleb instead," she whispered. "Why?"


    My father¡¯s expression grew darker. "Because he¡¯s been researching ways to break the covenant. They must have seen him as a threat."


    Terror and determination warred in Lily¡¯s eyes. "Then we have to go after them. We have to save him."


    "Absolutely not," I said immediately. "It¡¯s too dangerous. We¡¯ll find another way."


    "There is no other way!" she snapped, showing more fire than I¡¯d ever seen from her. "Don¡¯t you understand? If we don¡¯t get Caleb back, if we don¡¯t stop this, then even if you somehow save me tomorrow night, they¡¯ll just keep taking other omegas. This has to end."


    She was right, and I hated that she was right.


    "Father," I said slowly. "The old texts describe moon pools in other territories. ces where the Shadow Wolves might take prisoners."


    "The Whispering Canyon," he said with a nod. "But son, those beings aren¡¯t bound by our world¡¯s rules. Even if we find where they took him..."


    "We bring him home," I said firmly. "All of us. Together."


    Lily looked at me with something like admiration. "You¡¯d risk your life for Caleb? Even though we don¡¯t know which brother is my true mate?"


    "He¡¯s my brother," I said simply. "Of course I would."


    But even as I said the words, dread filled my stomach. Because I had a terrible feeling that saving Caleb was going to take a sacrifice none of us were prepared to make.


    And somewhere in the darkness beyond our area, my brother was waiting for us to either save him or join him in whatever nightmare the Shadow Wolves had nned.

 Chapter 18: Elder’s Wisdom

    <h4>Chapter 18: Elder¡¯s Wisdom</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    The hot tea sshed across my wrist as I jerked backward, gasping. My Triple Moon mark had suddenly red with burning pain, like someone had pressed a hot iron against my skin.


    "What¡¯s happening?" I cried, holding my arm.


    Elder Iris set down her teapot quietly, as if omegas screaming in pain was perfectly normal. "Your mark is trying to tell you something important. Show me."


    I rolled up my sleeve with shaking fingers. The three crescents glowed bright silver, pulsing like a heartbeat. But something was different - one of the moons was shing between silver and deep red.


    "Oh my," Elder Iris breathed, leaning closer. "I haven¡¯t seen a mark react like this in seventy years."


    "React to what?" Panic filled my voice. "Elder Iris, what¡¯s wrong with me?"


    "Nothing¡¯s wrong, child. Your mark is warning you." She stood and walked to her bookshelf, pulling out a leather notebook. "One of your potential mates is in terrible danger."


    My stomach dropped. "Which one?"


    "The mark will tell us." She opened the notebook to a page covered with strange symbols. "ce your hand here and think about each brother."


    I pressed my palm against the page and pictured Aiden first. My mark warmed slightly, a gentle heat like sunshine on skin. Then I thought of Brock. Again, warmth, but nothing frightening.


    When I focused on Caleb, pain shot through my wrist so intense I nearly screamed.


    "Caleb," I whispered. "Something terrible is happening to Caleb."


    "The connection is stronger with him," Elder Iris said thoughtfully. "Interesting."


    "What do you mean, connection?"


    She sat back down, studying me with old eyes. "Child, has no one exined what the Triple Moon mark really does?"


    "Everyone just says it means I¡¯m mated to one of the Alpha¡¯s sons."


    "That¡¯s only part of the truth." Elder Iris flipped through her notebook until she found a drawing of three intertwined crescents. "The Triple Moon mark doesn¡¯t just recognize your mate. It forms a bond that lets you share strength, feelings, even danger with all three brothers until your true mate is revealed."


    I stared at her in shock. "You mean I can feel what they feel?"


    "In times of great need, yes. That¡¯s why your mark is burning - Caleb is afraid, probably hurt, and your bond is trying to help him."


    "How can I help him from here?"


    "You can¡¯t. But understanding your link might help you make the right choice when the timees." She turned to another page in her notebook. "Tell me, Lily, what do you know about omega gifts?"


    "Gifts?" I felt confused and overloaded. "Omegas don¡¯t have gifts. We¡¯re just... omegas."


    Elder Iris made a displeased sound. "Foolish modern thought. Omegas have the greatest gifts of all - we see what others miss, heal what others can¡¯t fix, and bring peace where others cause conflict."


    "I can¡¯t do any of those things."


    "Can¡¯t you?" She looked at me knowingly. "You knew the rogues wereing before anyone else during the pack run. You noticed Luna¡¯s betrayal before she acted. You calmed the scared pups during the attack without even trying."


    Now that she mentioned it, those things had happened. But I¡¯d thought they were just chances.


    "The Triple Moon mark appears only when the pack needs an omega with fully awakened gifts," Elder Iris continued. "Your abilities are still growing, which is why your connection to the brothers is so strong."


    My mark pulsed again, and suddenly I could feel something else - determination mixed with fear, like someone making a brave but dangerous choice.


    "That¡¯s Aiden," I said without thinking. "He¡¯s nning something risky."


    "Good. You¡¯re learning to tell them apart." Elder Iris smiled happily. "Now, let me teach you something that might save all their lives."


    She reached into a small wooden box and pulled out a pendant made like the Triple Moon symbol. "This belonged to thest omega who bore your mark, Sarah Moonwhisper."


    "What happened to her?"


    "She made a choice that saved our pack but cost her everything." Elder Iris held up the pendant, and it began to glow with soft silver light. "She learned to use her connection to give her strength to others across great distances."


    "How?"


    "Focus on the brother you¡¯re most worried about. Picture him clearly in your mind, then imagine sending him your courage, your drive, your love."


    I closed my eyes and thought about Caleb. Sweet, gentle Caleb who always helped the younger pups and never made me feel stupid for asking questions. In my thoughts, I could see him tied up somewhere dark, scared but trying to be brave.


    My mark grew warm, but this time it felt good, like wrapping someone in a soft nket. I imagined all my strength moving toward him, telling him he wasn¡¯t alone.


    "Excellent," Elder Iris said. "He can feel that, you know. Your support will help him stay strong."


    I opened my eyes, feeling tired but hopeful. "Will this help me figure out which brother is my true mate?"


    "The mark will reveal that when you prove yourself worthy."


    "Worthy how?"


    Elder Iris got serious. "By showing you can put the pack¡¯s needs before your own wants. By showing wisdom beyond your years. By showing you understand what it truly means to be Luna."


    "What if I¡¯m not worthy? What if the mark was wrong about me?"


    "Child, look at me." Her speech was firm but kind. "You¡¯ve already shown more wisdom and guts than wolves twice your age. You saved the pups during battle. You stood up to Luna¡¯s bullying. You epted this burden even though it scared you."


    My mark suddenly red with new pain, different from before. This felt like sadness mixed with desperate determination.


    "Brock," I gasped. "Something¡¯s wrong with Brock too."


    Before Elder Iris could reply, the door burst open. Alpha Marcus stood there, his face pale with fear.


    "They¡¯re gone," he said. "All three of my sons are gone."


    My world turned sideways. "What do you mean, gone?" " Aiden and Brock went to help Caleb. I just found their tracks going to the Whispering Canyon, but the trail ends at the cliff edge. There¡¯s no sign of them anywhere."


    "The Shadow Wolves," Elder Iris whispered. "They¡¯ve taken all three."


    I jumped to my feet, my mark now burning like fire. "We have to go after them!"


    "Absolutely not," Alpha Marcus said strongly. "I won¡¯t lose you too."


    "You don¡¯t understand!" I could feel all three brothers now - their fear, their anger, their hopeless hope that somehow I would save them. "They¡¯re counting on me. The mark links us, and I can feel them calling for help."


    "It¡¯s too dangerous," the Alpha maintained.


    "It¡¯s more dangerous to leave them there," I shot back, surprising myself with my bravado. "The Shadow Wolves took them to get to me, right? So let¡¯s give them what they want."


    "Lily, no," Elder Iris said quickly. "You¡¯re not ready. Your skills are still awakening, and without knowing which brother is your true mate¡ª"


    "Then I¡¯ll have to figure it out while I save them." I walked toward the door, my mark burning brighter with each step. "I won¡¯t let them die because I was too scared to act."


    Alpha Marcus grabbed my arm. "I can¡¯t let you do this."


    The moment his hand touched me, my mark burst with silver light that filled the entire room. When the light faded, all three of us were looking at each other in shock.


    "What just happened?" I whispered.


    Elder Iris looked at me with something like awe. "Your power just awakened fully. But child, this changes everything. You¡¯re not just any Triple Moon bearer."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You¡¯re the one the prophecy spoke of. The omega who will either save both realms or destroy them totally."


    Before I could ask what forecast she meant, the window exploded inward. Three bone-faced creatures poured through the hole, their eyes glowing red in the darkness.


    "Toote," one of them hissed. "The ritual begins now, whether you¡¯re ready or not."


    As shadowy ws reached for me, I realized with increasing terror that everything we¡¯d nned was about to go horribly wrong.

 Chapter 19: Kitchen Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 19: Kitchen Disaster</h4>


    <strong>Lily Carter POV</strong>


    The smoke rm screamed like an injured animal as I yanked the oven door open. ck smoke poured out, making me cough and wave my hands wildly. The roast I¡¯d been trying to cook for three hours looked like a burnt rock.


    "No, no, no!" I grabbed the smoking pan with my bare hands, then instantly dropped it with a yelp of pain. The burnt meat hit the floor with a thud, spreading charcoal pieces across the kitchen tiles.


    This was meant to be perfect. My first real dinner as part of the Alpha family. I¡¯d wanted to prove I could do traditional Luna things, not just heal cuts andfort crying pups. But instead of a beautiful feast, I¡¯d made a disaster zone.


    The kitchen door burst open. "What¡¯s burning?" Aiden ran in, followed closely by Brock and Caleb. All three brothers stopped dead, taking in the scene: smoke everywhere, burnt food on the floor, and me standing in the middle of it all with tears running down my face.


    "I ruined everything," I whispered, holding my burnt fingers. "I wanted to make something special for your family, but I can¡¯t even cook a simple roast."


    Instead of the anger or disappointment I expected, Caleb stepped forward and gently took my hands to study the burns. "These need cold water right away."


    While he led me to the sink, Aiden opened all the windows to clear the smoke. Brock picked up the falling roast, poking it with a fork.


    "Well," Brock said with a straight face, "I think it¡¯s done."


    Despite my embarrassment, I let out a wetugh. "It¡¯spletely ruined. Your father ising for dinner in an hour, and I have nothing to serve him."


    "Hey," Caleb said softly, running cold water over my burnt fingers. "It¡¯s just food. Dad won¡¯t care."


    "But I will!" The words burst out before I could stop them. "Everyone already thinks I don¡¯t belong here. Luna keeps saying that I¡¯m just a pretend Luna who can¡¯t do anything right. I thought if I could at least cook one perfect meal..."


    The three brothers exchanged looks. Aiden turned off the still-shrieking smoke rm while Brock opened the back door to let more smoke escape.


    "Luna doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s talking about," Aiden said strongly. "You saved our pack from rogues. You brought order back to Silver Peak. I think you can handle one burnt roast."


    "But look at this mess!" I pointed around the destroyed kitchen. Pots and pans covered every surface, flour dusted the counters like snow, and something green and sticky dripped from the cab doors.


    "What were you trying to make?" Caleb asked, wrapping my fingers in a clean towel.


    "Traditional Alpha family feast," I mumbled. "Honey-zed roast, moon-blessed potatoes, winter root veggies, and elderberry pie. Elder Iris gave me the recipes, but I guess I¡¯m just not cut out for this."


    Brock snorted. "Those recipes are impossible. Mom used to spend two full days making that meal, and she had the pack cooks helping her."


    "You tried to make all of that by yourself?" Aiden looked impressed rather than angry. "In one afternoon?"


    "I wanted it to be perfect." My voice cracked. "I wanted your father to see that I could be a real Luna, not just the omega who got lucky with a magic mark."


    "Lily," Caleb said gently, "you are a real Luna. Magic mark or not, you¡¯ve proven yourself a hundred times over."


    "Not in the kitchen, apparently." I looked at the burnt remains of my attempts.


    "None of us can cook either," Brock admitted with a grin. "We usually just eat whatever the pack cooks make, or we hunt for fresh meat."


    "Remember when you tried to make eggs for breakfast?" Aiden asked Brock. "You somehow managed to burn water."


    "That was one time!" Brock objected. "And the pan was broken!"


    Despite my anger, I found myself smiling. "You really burnt water?"


    "The eggs exploded," Caleb added helpfully. "We found pieces stuck to the ceiling for weeks."


    This made me giggle, which turned into fullughter. Soon all four of us wereughing at the silly situation. The smoke was clearing, and suddenly the disaster didn¡¯t seem so terrible.


    "Okay," Aiden said, rolling up his sleeves. "We have one hour before Dades. Let¡¯s see what we can rescue."


    "We?" I asked, shocked.


    "We¡¯re a team, right?" Caleb squeezed my unhurt hand. "Teams help each other."


    For the next hour, chaos ruled in the Alpha family kitchen, but it was good chaos. Brock tried to make new potatoes, somehow managing to both undercook and burn them simultaneously. Aiden tried to prepare veggies but couldn¡¯t figure out how to work the fancy knife, nearly cutting his own fingers instead of the carrots.


    Caleb and I worked on a simple meat pie using extra ingredients, but our pie crust looked more like abstract art than food. We kept bumping into each other in the small space, flour ending up in our hair and on our faces.


    "I think your pie is trying to escape," Brock noted as our lumpy creation oozed filling from several cracks.


    "It¡¯s not supposed to do that, is it?" I asked, poking the stubborn crust.


    "Definitely not," Caleb agreed, but he was grinning.


    When Alpha Marcus arrived, he found us covered in flour and food stains, standing around a table that held the weirdest meal in pack history. Burnt-but-edible potatoes, veggies cut into wildly different sizes, and a pie that looked like it had been in a fight.


    "Well," the Alpha said, observing our creation, "this is... unique."


    "I¡¯m so sorry," I began, but he held up his hand.


    "Son," he said to Caleb, "your mate tried to prepare a traditional feast by herself. That¡¯s something even experienced cooks deal with." He picked up a piece of our disaster pie and took a bite. "And you know what? It tastes like love and care, which makes it perfect."


    Relief flooded through me. Maybe I wasn¡¯t a failure after all.


    We sat down to eat our strange meal, sharing stories andughing at our kitchen antics. I was feeling truly happy for the first time in days when Caleb suddenly went rigid beside me, his fork halfway to his mouth.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" I asked, but before he could answer, my Triple Moon mark exploded in searing pain.


    Through the windows, I could see dark forms moving between the trees. Lots of them. And they were surrounding the Alpha house.


    "Shadow Wolves," Alpha Marcus whispered, his face going pale. "They¡¯ve found us."


    The lights went out, plunging us into darkness as something started scratching at the doors and windows. In the dark, I heard Caleb¡¯s terrified whisper: "They¡¯re not here for the pack. They¡¯re here for Lily."

 Chapter 20: Luna’s Schemes

    <h4>Chapter 20: Luna¡¯s Schemes</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    The young pup¡¯s scream split the morning air as I knelt beside him in the nursery. Blood poured from a deep gash on his leg where he¡¯d fallen on broken ss. Without thinking, I pressed my hands against the cut and closed my eyes, focusing like Elder Iris had taught me.


    Heat flowed from my hands into the little boy¡¯s injury. When I opened my eyes secondster, the blood had stopped and the cut was already closing. The pup blinked up at me in wonder.


    "How did you do that?" he whispered.


    Before I could exin about basic omega healing skills, footsteps rushed into the nursery. Three pack mothers stood in the doorway, their faces pale with fear. Behind them lurked Luna, her eyes sparkling with something that made my stomach twist.


    "I saw the whole thing," Luna announced loudly. "Lily used dark magic to heal that wound instantly. No normal omega can do that."


    "It¡¯s not dark magic," I protested, standing up quickly. "It¡¯s just traditional healing. Elder Iris taught me¡ª"


    "Elder Iris teaches herb medicine," one of the mothers interrupted, backing away from me. "Not magic that closes wounds with a touch."


    The other mothers grabbed their children, pulling them away from me like I was dangerous. The little boy I¡¯d just helped looked confused as his mother scooped him up.


    "Mama, Lily fixed my hurt," he said simply.


    "Shh," his mother whispered, shooting me a scared nce. "Don¡¯t talk about it."


    Luna stepped forward with fake worry on her face. "I¡¯m worried about you, Lily. Using illegal magic could put the whole pack in danger. Maybe you should talk to Alpha Marcus about this."


    "There¡¯s nothing to talk about!" My voice came out louder than I meant. "I was helping a hurt child. That¡¯s what pack members do for each other."


    But the mothers were already leaving, whispering hurriedly among themselves. Luna followed them out, and I heard her voice carrying back: "I¡¯ve seen her do other strange things too. The way her mark glows, how she knew about the rogue attack before it happened..."


    Left alone in the empty nursery, I sank onto a small chair made for children. My hands shook as I stared at them. Had I really done something wrong? The healing had felt normal, like breathing. But the fear in those moms¡¯ eyes said otherwise.


    Over the next few days, Luna¡¯s poison spread through the pack like wildfire. Conversations stopped when I walked by. Pack members crossed to the other side of roads to avoid me. Even the children I¡¯d cared for in the nursery seemed scared toe near me.


    During lunch in the main hall, I sat alone at a table while other pack members clustered together, throwing nervous nces in my way. Their whispered words drifted over: "She made that wound disappear like it never happened."


    "My cousin said she can read thoughts. That¡¯s how she knew about the rogues."


    "Dark power runs in families. Maybe her grandmother taught her more than nts."


    "What if she cursed the Alpha¡¯s sons to think they¡¯re her mates?"


    Each word felt like a knife in my heart. I pushed away my unfinished food, no longer hungry. Across the room, Luna sat with a group of beta females, chatting in low, urgent tones. Every few words, they¡¯d look my way and nod seriously.


    I stood to leave, but Luna¡¯s voice rose just loud enough for everyone to hear: "I¡¯m just saying, we should be careful. Forbidden magic corrupts the person. She might not even know how dangerous she¡¯s bing."


    The hall fell silent. Everyone stared at me, their faces showing mixtures of fear, suspicion, and sorrow. Heat burned my cheeks as I rushed toward the exit.


    "Lily, wait." Caleb appeared at my side, his hand gentle on my arm.


    "Did you hear what they¡¯re saying about me?" I whispered, not trusting my voice to stay steady.


    "I heard lies and fear," he said firmly. "What you did for that pup was beautiful. You have a gift, not a curse."


    "A gift that¡¯s scaring everyone away from me." I looked around the silent hall. "Maybe Luna¡¯s right. Maybe I am dangerous."


    "Hey, look at me." Caleb turned my face toward his. "You are not scary. You¡¯re powerful, and some people fear power they don¡¯t understand."


    But even as he spokefort, I could see doubting into his eyes. Not question about me, but worry about what this meant for our future. How could he be with someone the pack feared?


    That evening, Elder Iris found me hiding in the yard behind the Alpha house. I was crying into my knees, feeling more alone than ever.


    "Child, what¡¯s troubling you?" She sat beside me on the stone bench.


    "Everyone thinks I¡¯m using dark magic," I sobbed. "They¡¯re afraid of me. Maybe they¡¯re right to be."


    "Show me what you did for the injured pup," Elder Iris said softly.


    I hesitated, then put my hands on a wilted flower nearby. Warmth flowed through me, and the flower straightened, its blooms bright and healthy again.


    Elder Iris gulped, but not in fear. In awe.


    "Lily, this isn¡¯t illegal magic. This is the ancient skill of the True Healers. It¡¯s been lost to our pack for generations."


    "Then why is everyone so scared?"


    "Because they¡¯ve forgotten what real omega power looks like." Her voice grew serious. "But child, you must be careful. There are those who would use this fear against you."


    As if summoned by her words, Luna emerged from behind a nearby tree. "I knew I¡¯d find you practicing your dark arts," she said triumphantly.


    "Luna, you don¡¯t understand¡ª" I started.


    "I understand perfectly." Luna¡¯s voice held the authority of someone used to being obeyed. "You¡¯ve been deceiving everyone, making them think you¡¯re just a harmless omega while secretly practicing forbidden magic."


    "That¡¯s not true!"


    "Isn¡¯t it?" Luna stepped closer, her eyes cold. "You caused the Triple Moon mark to appear on your wrist. You used magic to make the Alpha¡¯s kids think they care about you. And now you¡¯re corrupting our pack with your dark skills."


    "Stop," Elder Iris said sharply, but Luna ignored her.


    "I¡¯ve called a pack meeting for tomorrow night," Luna stated. "The pack deserves to know what kind of creature they¡¯re housing. They deserve to decide if you should be banished before you kill us all."


    My blood turned to ice. Pack meetings could vote on major choices, including exile. If Luna had convinced enough dogs that I was dangerous...


    "You can¡¯t do this," I whispered.


    "I can and I will." Luna smiled coldly. "Unless, of course, you leave willingly. Tonight. Save yourself the embarrassment of being thrown out like the threat you are."


    She walked away, leaving me shaking with fear and anger. Elder Iris put her arm around my shoulders.


    "What am I going to do?" I asked. "If the pack votes to exile me..."


    "We¡¯ll figure something out," she promised, but I could hear the worry in her voice.


    Later that night, Iy in bed looking at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Through my window, I could see pack members meeting in small groups, talking seriously. Luna¡¯s drug was working.


    My Triple Moon mark suddenly burned with warning pain. I sat up, putting my hand to my wrist. Something was wrong. Very wrong.


    A soft scratching at my window made me freeze. Slowly, I turned to look.


    A pair of bright red eyes stared back at me from the darkness. Shadow Wolf eyes.


    The thing pressed its face against the ss, and when it spoke, its voice was like grinding stone: "The pack fears you now, little omega. Perfect. Fear makes people do stupid things. Tomorrow night, when they meet to banish you, we¡¯ll be waiting."


    The Shadow Wolf smiled, showing teeth like ck knives. "Luna has served us well, spreading fear and doubt. But her usefulness is ending. Tomorrow, the pack meeting bes a trap - and you¡¯ll watch everyone you care about die before we take you home."


    The creature disappeared into the night, leaving me alone with the terrible realization that Luna¡¯s schemes had yed right into our enemies¡¯ hands.

 Chapter 21: Rogue Wolf Signs

    <h4>Chapter 21: Rogue Wolf Signs</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    The emergency siren howled through Silver Peak as I ran toward the Alpha house. Pack warriors rushed past me, their faces grim with fear. Something bad was happening at our borders.


    I burst through the front door to find Alpha Marcus shouting directions while Aiden, Brock, and Caleb gathered their patrol gear. Maps covered the dinner table, marked with red X¡¯s showing trouble spots.


    "What¡¯s going on?" I gasped, trying to catch my breath.


    "Border patrol found signs of rogue wolves," Alpha Marcus said without looking up from his maps. "Fresh tracks, scent markers, signs they¡¯ve been watching us for days."


    My stomach dropped. After Luna¡¯s ims yesterday and the Shadow Wolf¡¯s threatst night, rogue wolves felt like the final piece of a terrible puzzle.


    "How many?" I asked.


    "We don¡¯t know yet," Aiden said, putting on his patrol pack. "That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to find out."


    "I¡¯ming with you."


    All four guys turned to stare at me. Alpha Marcus shook his head instantly.


    "Absolutely not. It¡¯s too dangerous, especially with the pack meeting tonight. If these rogues are connected to Luna¡¯s usations¡ª"


    "That¡¯s exactly why I need toe," I interrupted, shocking myself with my boldness. "If this is a trap, you¡¯ll need someone who can sense things others miss."


    "Lily," Caleb said gently, "you¡¯re not trained for patrol duty."


    "But I am trained to notice details," I argued. "And my omega senses might pick up things warrior senses don¡¯t."


    Aiden looked serious. "She has a point. During thest rogue attack, she felt danger before any of us."


    "It¡¯s too risky," Brock growled. "If something happens to her¡ª"


    "Something will happen to all of us if we miss important clues," I said firmly. "Please. Let me help."


    Alpha Marcus studied me for a long moment. Finally, he nodded. "Stay close to Aiden. Follow his orders perfectly. And if things get dangerous, you run back here instantly."


    Twenty minutester, Aiden and I ran toward the northern border where the patrol had found the tracks. The morning air felt cold and sharp, making every sound seem louder. My Triple Moon mark tingled with worried energy.


    "Are you scared?" Aiden asked as we ran.


    "Terrified," I admitted. "But I¡¯m more scared of sitting here doing nothing while danger threatens the pack."


    He smiled at that. "You¡¯re braver than you think, Lily."


    We reached the border patrol checkpoint where three warriors waited with worried faces. The boss, Jake, pointed toward a cluster of pine trees.


    "Tracks start about fifty yards that way," he reported. "At least four different dogs, maybe more. They circled our area for hours, testing our defenses."


    "Show us," Aiden ordered.


    As we approached the woods, I immediately smelled something wrong. Not just the smell of unfamiliar wolves, but something else. Something that made my mark burn with warning.


    "Wait," I said, grabbing Aiden¡¯s arm. "Something¡¯s not right here."


    The patrol warriors looked at me with barely hidden doubt. Jake actually rolled his eyes.


    "What do you mean?" Aiden asked seriously, ignoring the others¡¯ emotions.


    I knelt beside the first set of tracks, running my fingers near but not touching the disturbed dirt. My omega senses screamed danger.


    "These tracks are wrong," I said slowly, trying to understand what I was feeling. "They¡¯re too obvious. Like someone wanted us to find them easily."


    "Tracks are tracks," Jake said dismissively. "Four rogue wolves circled ournd. That¡¯s the threat we need to deal with."


    But I shook my head, moving to study other areas around the trees. "Look at this." I pointed to a patch of disturbed leaves. "The tracks go in a circle, but there are no scent marks. Rogue wolves always marknd they¡¯re scouting."


    Aiden crouched beside me, his face growing serious. "You¡¯re right. No wolf patrols for hours without leaving smell signs."


    "Maybe they were being extra careful," another warrior offered.


    I moved deeper into the trees, following a feeling I couldn¡¯t exin. My mark got warmer as I walked, like it was guiding me toward something important.


    "Lily, don¡¯t go too far," Aiden called.


    But I¡¯d found something that made my blood freeze. Hidden behind a fallen log were different tracks ¨C much bigger than the obvious ones near the border. These prints were deeper, wider, and gave off a smell that made me gag.


    "Aiden!" I called urgently. "Come here! Now!"


    He ran over, the patrol warriors following hesitantly. When they saw what I¡¯d found, their dismissive attitudes vanished quickly.


    "Shadow Wolf tracks," Jake whispered, his face going pale.


    The prints were massive, almost twice the size of average wolf paws. But worse than their size was what surrounded them ¨C dead grass, withered flowers, and small animals that looked like they¡¯d simply stopped living.


    "They¡¯ve been here recently," I said, feeling a ckened leaf that crumbled at my touch. "Maybe just hours ago."


    "This changes everything," Aiden said sadly. "The rogue tracks were meant to distract us from these."


    I stood up, my mind racing. "It¡¯s a trap. The Shadow Wolves left fake rogue signs to draw our patrols away from the real risk."


    "What real danger?" Jake asked.


    My Triple Moon mark suddenly red with burning pain. Through the trees, I could see movement ¨C shapes that didn¡¯t belong to any normal dog. My omega senses screamed warnings so loud I nearly doubled over.


    "They¡¯re here," I gasped. "Right now. They¡¯re surrounding us."


    The warriors immediately went into defensive positions, but I realized with increasing horror that we were already toote. Red eyes gleamed from the shadows between trees. Lots of them.


    "How many?" Aiden asked softly, his hand on his weapon.


    I counted the glowing eyes, my heart dropping with each pair. "At least a dozen. Maybe more."


    "We need to get back to the pack house," Jake said. "Warn everyone."


    But as we turned to run, more red eyes appeared behind us. We werepletely trapped.


    A voice like grinding stone echoed from the shadows: "Toote, little omega. You found our real tracks, but now you¡¯ll never leave to warn anyone."


    The biggest Shadow Wolf I¡¯d ever seen stepped into view. Its eyes burned like hot coals, and its breath made nearby nts ck.


    "You¡¯ve served your purpose," it continued, speaking directly to me. "Your mate bond led us straight to the Alpha¡¯s son. Now we can take you both."


    "Run, Lily!" Aiden shouted, drawing his silver knife.


    But there was nowhere to run. Shadow Wolves emerged from every direction, their supernatural speed cutting off any escape route. The patrol warriors readied their guns, but I could see the fear in their eyes. We were outnumbered and outmatched.


    My Triple Moon mark zed with urgent heat. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I felt Brock and Caleb responding to my fear, but they were too far away to help.


    The lead Shadow Wolf smiled, showing teeth like ck daggers. "The pack meeting tonight will continue as nned. But instead of banishing you, they¡¯ll find your torn bodies as a warning of what happens to those who house forbidden magic users."


    As the creatures closed in around us, I realized Luna¡¯s ns had worked perfectly. While the pack prepared to vote on my removal, we were about to be the first victims of a trap that would destroy everyone I loved.


    The Shadow Wolf lunged forward, and I knew our time had run out.

 Chapter 22: The Alpha’s Council

    <h4>Chapter 22: The Alpha¡¯s Council</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    "Get down!" I screamed as a silver arrow whistled past my ear.


    I threw myself behind the thick wood table in the Alpha¡¯s meeting room, my heart hammering against my ribs. Around me, the pack council members dove for cover as more arrows crashed through the windows.


    "Shadow Wolves!" someone shouted. "They found us!"


    This was going to be my first real council meeting. I¡¯d been so scared about speaking up, about proving I belonged here. Now I was just trying not to die.


    Alpha Marcus crouched beside me, his face grim. "How many?"


    I peeked over the table¡¯s edge, counting the dark shapes moving outside. My Triple Moon mark burned hot against my wrist, warning me of danger.


    "At least eight," I whispered. "Maybe more hiding in the trees."


    Beta Morrison - Luna¡¯s father - red at me from across the room. "This is her fault," he growled. "Ever since that omega joined our council, we¡¯ve had nothing but trouble."


    "Enough!" Alpha Marcus snapped. "Save your me forter."


    Another arrow smashed through the window above us, raining ss everywhere. I flinched as tiny pieces cut my face. This was all wrong. The emergency from this morning at the borders was meant to be handled. Aiden, Brock, and Caleb were out there dealing with the rogue wolf danger.


    So why were Shadow Wolves attacking the Alpha house?


    "The boys," I gasped, fear making my voice shake. "If the Shadow Wolves are here, what happened to the patrol?"


    Alpha Marcus¡¯s face went pale. He grabbed his radio. "Aiden, report. Aiden, do you copy?"


    Static crackled back at us. Nothing else.


    "Brock, Caleb, anyone respond," the Alpha tried again.


    Still nothing.


    My stomach dropped like a stone. Something terrible had happened to them. I could feel it through the mate bond with Caleb - a cold void where his presence should be.


    "We have to help them," I said, beginning to stand.


    Elder Thomas, the pack¡¯s oldest council member, grabbed my arm. "Stay down, girl. You¡¯re not a fighter."


    "But I can sense things you can¡¯t," I argued. "My omega instincts-"


    "Will get you killed," Beta Morrison cut me off harshly. "This is what happens when we let omegas think they¡¯re important."


    Anger red in my chest. Even now, with arrows flying and the triplets missing, he was still treating me like I was useless.


    "My instincts saved the pack during the rogue attackst week," I shot back. "Maybe if you listened instead of dismissing everything I say, we wouldn¡¯t be trapped right now."


    "How dare you-" Beta Morrison started.


    A loud crash stopped him as the front door exploded inward. Three Shadow Wolves walked into the room, their red eyes glowing like hot coals. Their very presence made the air feel thick and deadly.


    "Looking for someone?" the biggest one asked, his voice like grinding stone.


    Everyone froze. I¡¯d never seen Shadow Wolves this close before. They were huge, twice the size of normal wolves, with fur so ck it seemed to swallow light. When they breathed, close nts wilted and died.


    The lead Shadow Wolf¡¯s gaze found me instantly. "There she is. The little omega who thinks she¡¯s special."


    My blood turned to ice. They were here for me.


    "Leave the girl alone," Alpha Marcus growled, stepping protectively in front of me.


    The Shadow Wolfughed, a sound like broken ss. "Oh, we¡¯re not here to hurt her. We¡¯re here to make her an offer."


    An offer? That didn¡¯t make any sense.


    "You see," the thing continued, circling our hiding spot like a predator, "someone very important wants to meet you, Lily Carter. Someone who knows the truth about your little Triple Moon mark."


    I touched my wrist automatically. "What truth?"


    "That it¡¯s not a blessing," the Shadow Wolf grinned, showing teeth like ck des. "It¡¯s a curse. And we know how to remove it."


    The other council members looked at me with confusion and fear. Even Alpha Marcus seemed shaken by this news.


    "You¡¯re lying," I said, but my voice came out smaller than I wanted.


    "Am I?" The Shadow Wolf pulled something from behind his back - a silver chain with three moon charms. The rings were cracked and ck, like they¡¯d been burned. "This belonged to thest Triple Moon holder. She begged us to take her mark away before it destroyed everyone she loved."


    My mark suddenly red with pain so intense I nearly screamed. Images shed through my mind - another girl, about my age, screaming as silver light poured from her skin. Pack members running in fear. Bodies lying still in the snow.


    "What did you show me?" I gasped.


    "The truth," the Shadow Wolf said simply. "Every Triple Moon carrier brings destruction. It¡¯s not order you¡¯re meant to restore, little omega. It¡¯s chaos."


    "Don¡¯t listen to him," Alpha Marcus said strongly. "Shadow Wolves are masters of lies."


    But doubt crept into my heart like poison. What if they were right? What if all the strange things happeningtely - the rogue attacks, the pack problems, even this assault on the Alpha house - were somehow my fault?


    "Where are the triplets?" I demanded, trying to sound stronger than I felt.


    The Shadow Wolf¡¯s grin widened. "Safe. For now. But that depends entirely on your cooperation."


    "What do you want?"


    "Come with us freely, and we¡¯ll show you how to break the Triple Moon curse before it kills everyone in Silver Peak. Refuse, and your precious mates will pay the price."


    The room fell deadly silent except for the sound of my own rapid breathing. Around me, the council members watched with scared eyes. Some looked like they wanted me to go. Others seemed torn between protecting me and saving themselves.


    My mark burned hotter, and suddenly I could feel something through the mate bond - Caleb was alive, but barely. He was hurt, maybe dying. The same feeling came from the ties with Aiden and Brock. They were all in terrible danger.


    "How do I know you¡¯ll keep your word?" I asked.


    "You don¡¯t," the Shadow Wolf admitted. "But you know we¡¯ll kill them if you refuse."


    I looked at Alpha Marcus, hoping he¡¯d have an answer, some way out of this impossible choice. But even he looked helpless.


    "I need time to think," I said desperately.


    "Time is something your mates don¡¯t have," the Shadow Wolf responded. "Choose now, little omega. Come with us and learn the truth, or watch everyone you love die because of what you are."


    My hands shook as I stared at the cracked moon rings. Was I really bringing destruction to Silver Peak? Had I been kidding myself into thinking I was helping the pack?


    Through the broken windows, I could see more Shadow Wolves surrounding the Alpha house. There was no escape, no troopsing to save us. Just me and an impossible choice.


    Save the triplets by believing creatures of pure evil, or stay and watch them die.


    The Shadow Wolf stretched his wed hand toward me. "What¡¯s it going to be, Triple Moon bearer?"


    I took a big breath, knowing that whatever I chose next would change everything forever.

 Chapter 23: Caleb’s Research

    <h4>Chapter 23: Caleb¡¯s Research</h4>


    Caleb Silver POV


    The book mmed shut by itself, making me jump back from the library table.


    "What the¡ª" I started, then froze as I saw the old leather cover smoking. Actual smoke was rising from the binding like it was on fire, but there were no mes.


    Lily looked up from her stack of rogue attack reports, her eyes wide with concern. "Caleb, what did you just read?"


    I stared at the smoking book, my heart racing. "It was about Shadow Wolf roots. The moment I read the word ¡¯Darkmore,¡¯ the book just..." I gestured weakly at the still-smoking cover.


    We¡¯d been researching all night, trying to find trends in the recent rogue attacks. Dad wanted answers before tomorrow¡¯s emergency pack meeting, and I¡¯d offered to help since I knew the library better than anyone. When Lily offered to help, I¡¯d felt that familiar flutter of excitement mixed with nervousness.


    Now I was wondering if we¡¯d stumbled onto something we shouldn¡¯t have.


    "Darkmore," Lily repeated slowly. As soon as she said the word, her Triple Moon mark shed silver under her sleeve. She gasped, pulling back her arm to stare at the glowing pattern.


    "Your mark reacted to that name," I said, moving closer. "Just like the book did."


    She nodded, looking scared. "It¡¯s never done that before. Not even during the mate ceremony."


    I reached for another book about Shadow Wolf history, but the moment my fingers touched it, that one started smoking too. I jerked my hand back.


    "This is impossible," I grumbled. "Books don¡¯t just react to being read."


    "Unless they¡¯re enchanted," Lily said quietly. "My grandmother used to tell stories about magic books that protected their secrets."


    That made sense, actually. Our pack library was old, filled with books passed down through generations. Some of them might have protective spells to keep dangerous information from falling into the wrong hands.


    But why were they responding now? And what was so important about the name Darkmore?


    "Maybe we should tell your father," Lily offered, backing away from the smoking books.


    "Not yet," I said, taking a different book from a higher shelf. "If these books are trying to hide something, it might be something we need to know. The rogue attacks, the Shadow Wolf sightings¡ªwhat if they¡¯re all linked to this Darkmore thing?"


    Lily bit her lip nervously. "What if the books are trying to protect us from something dangerous?"


    "Or protect something dangerous from us," I replied. "Look, we¡¯ll be careful. But if there¡¯s information here that could help the pack, we have to try."


    She nodded slowly, though I could see the worry in her eyes. It made me want to protect her, but I also admired that she was brave enough to stay and help despite being scared.


    I opened the new book carefully, ready to m it shut if it started smoking. This one was about ancient pack rtionships, and it seemed normal at first. Page after page of boring political agreements and territory conflicts.


    Then I found a Chapter named "The Darkmore Betrayal," and everything changed.


    "Lily," I called softly. "Come look at this."


    She moved to stand beside me, close enough that I could smell her shampoo. When she leaned over to read, her shoulder brushed mine, sending a warm tingle through my chest.


    " ¡¯In the year 1847,¡¯" I read aloud, "the Darkmore Pack made a deal with Shadow Wolves, trading pack members for dark magic powers.¡¯"


    Lily¡¯s mark shed again, brighter this time. "Keep reading," she whispered.


    "¡¯The Darkmore Alpha believed Shadow Wolf magic would make his pack the best in the mountains. Instead, it corrupted every member, changing them into something neither human nor wolf. When other packs found the betrayal, they united to destroy Darkmore territory.¡¯"


    "That¡¯s horrible," Lily breathed. "But what does it have to do with us?"


    I turned the page and found a hand-drawn map. My blood went cold as I recognized the mountain ranges and river systems.


    "Lily," I said slowly. "Look at this picture. Look where Darkmorend used to be."


    She studied the drawing, then gasped. "That¡¯s our area. Silver Peak is built right on top of where the Darkmore Pack used to live."


    The consequences hit me like a punch to the gut. Our pack had been living on doomednd for generations without knowing it. No wonder we¡¯d been having trouble with Shadow Wolves and rogue attacks.


    "There¡¯s more," I said, continuing to read. "¡¯Before their destruction, the Darkmore Pack hid something of great value in the sacred moon pool. Something the Shadow Wolves wanted but never found.¡¯"


    Lily grabbed my arm, her touch sending electricity through my skin. "Our moon pool. The one where the mating ceremonies happen."


    I nodded, feeling pieces of a terrible puzzle clicking together. "What if the Shadow Wolves aren¡¯t just randomly attacking packs? What if they¡¯re looking for whatever the Darkmore Pack hid?"


    "And what if my Triple Moon mark is connected to it somehow?" Lily added, her voice barely a whisper.


    Before I could answer, we heard footsteps in the hallway outside the library. Heavy boots, going with purpose. Lily and I looked at each other in fear.


    "Hide the books," I hissed, quickly shoving the burning volumes under other papers.


    The library door burst open, and Beta Morrison strode in with two other pack members I didn¡¯t know. They were dressed like fighters, but something about them felt wrong. Their eyes were too bright, and they moved with an unnatural quiet.


    "Caleb," Beta Morrison said, his voice strangely t. "Your father wants to see you immediately."


    I frowned. "It¡¯s the middle of the night. Can¡¯t it wait until morning?"


    "No," one of the people said. "It cannot wait."


    Lily stepped closer to me, her mark now shining so brightly I could see it through her sleeve. She was feeling danger, and her instincts were never wrong.


    "Actually," I said slowly, "I think I¡¯ll finish up here first. Tell Dad I¡¯ll see him in the morning."


    Beta Morrison¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, but something cold flickered in his eyes. "That wasn¡¯t a request, boy."


    The two men moved to block the library exit. Now I was sure something was very wrong. These weren¡¯t pack members at all.


    "Lily," I whispered without taking my eyes off the strangers, "when I say run, head for the back window."


    "I¡¯m not leaving you," she whispered back.


    "You have to. Get to my father. Tell him about Darkmore, about everything we found."


    One of the fake fighters stepped forward, and I caught a glimpse of red in his eyes. Shadow Wolves. They¡¯d entered our pack house, probably using some kind of disguise magic.


    "Enough talking," the thing said in a voice like grinding stone. "The girles with us. The boy too, if he cooperates."


    My heart hammered against my ribs. They wanted Lily, just like I¡¯d feared. Whatever secret was hidden in our moon pool, they needed her Triple Moon mark to find it.


    "Never," I growled, moving protectively in front of her.


    The Shadow Wolf smiled, showing teeth that were too sharp. "We hoped you¡¯d say that. It makes this so much more fun."


    Behind me, Lily gasped. "Caleb, there are more of them. Outside the windows."


    I looked and saw red eyes shining in the darkness beyond the ss. We werepletely trapped.


    "What do you want?" I ordered, desperately trying to think of a way out.


    "What the Darkmore Pack promised us long ago," the lead creature answered. "And your little omega is the key to finding it."


    The creature lunged forward, faster than any normal wolf. I shoved Lily toward the back of the library, screaming for help, but I knew we were too far from the main house for anyone to hear.


    As ws reached for my throat, I had one terrible thought: we¡¯d found the truth about Darkmore, but it might be thest thing we¡¯d ever discover.

 Chapter 24: Training Day

    <h4>Chapter 24: Training Day</h4>


    Brock Silver POV


    The wooden practice sword whizzed past my ear as Lily spun away from my attack.


    "Not bad," I grunted, impressed despite myself. "But you¡¯re still telegraphing your moves."


    She wiped sweat from her face, breathing hard. We¡¯d been training for two hours, and I had to admit, the little omega was tougher than I¡¯d expected.


    "What do you mean, telegraphing?" she asked, changing her grip on the practice weapon.


    "You look where you¡¯re going to strike before you do it," I exined, circling her slowly. "Watch my eyes during your next attack. I¡¯ll know exactly what you¡¯re nning."


    Lily nodded, then suddenly lunged forward without any notice at all. Her wooden sword caught me in the ribs before I could block it.


    "Like that?" she asked with a small smile.


    I rubbed my side, truly shocked. "Yeah, exactly like that. How did you¡ª"


    "I watch people," she said simply. "You always shift your weight to your right foot before you hit. And you blink twice when you¡¯re about to do something tricky."


    I stared at her. In all my years of training fighters, no one had picked up on my habits that quickly. Most attackers focused on power and speed. Lily was thinking three steps ahead.


    "Again," I said, raising my practice sword. "This time, I won¡¯t go easy on you."


    She got into position, and I could see her studying my stance, looking for tells. When I moved, she was already sliding away from my hit, using my own speed against me.


    For the next several minutes, we moved in a dangerous dance. I was bigger and faster, but she was unreliable. Every time I thought I had her caught, she¡¯d slip away like water.


    Finally, I managed to pin her against the training room wall, my sword at her throat.


    "Dead," I announced.


    "Are you sure?" she asked quietly.


    I looked down and saw her practice knife pressed against my stomach. If this had been a real fight, we would have killed each other.


    "How long have you been carrying that?" I asked.


    "Since the beginning," she admitted. "I noticed you never check for secret weapons. You assume everyone fights fair."


    I stepped back, shaking my head in amazement. "You¡¯re not what I expected, omega."


    "What did you expect?"


    "Someone who needed protection," I said honestly. "Someone weak."


    Her face darkened. "Everyone thinks that about omegas. That¡¯s why Luna almost seeded in getting rid of me."


    The mention of Luna¡¯s recent betrayal made my jaw clench. My brother¡¯s former intended mate had allied with rogue wolves to attack Lily during the Winter Moon Festival. She¡¯d nearly gotten everyone killed.


    "Luna was wrong about a lot of things," I said carefully. "Including what makes someone strong."


    Before Lily could speak, the training room door mmed open. Aiden burst in, his face pale with fear.


    "We have a problem," he announced. "A big one."


    I immediately went on alert. "What kind of problem?"


    "The kind where three pack members just disappeared without a trace," Aiden said grimly. "Including Elder Thomas."


    My stomach dropped. Elder Thomas was one of our most experienced council members. He wouldn¡¯t just disappear.


    "When?" I asked, already moving toward the guns rack.


    "Sometimest night. They were meant to check the eastern border, but they never reported back. When the morning shift went to check on them, they found signs of a fight and..." Aiden paused.


    "And what?" Lily pressed.


    "Shadow Wolf tracks. Lots of them."


    I cursed under my breath. Shadow Wolves were worse than normal rogues. They had supernatural skills and left corruption wherever they went.


    "How many?" I asked, putting on my real guns.


    "At least six, maybe more. Dad wants us to investigate immediately."


    I nodded, then looked at Lily. "You should go back to the main house. Stay with Caleb where it¡¯s safe."


    "No," she said firmly. "I¡¯ming with you."


    "Absolutely not. This isn¡¯t training, Lily. Shadow Wolves are scary."


    "So are rogue wolves, and I survived them," she pointed out. "Besides, my omega senses might pick up things you miss."


    Aiden looked torn. "She has a point, Brock. During thest attack, she felt danger before any of us."


    I wanted to argue, but I couldn¡¯t deny that Lily had proven herself useful in dangerous cases. And after watching her train, I knew she could handle herself better than most pack members.


    "Fine," I said grudgingly. "But you follow my orders exactly. No heroics."


    Twenty minutester, we were running through the bush toward the eastern border. Lily kept pace with us easily, her breathing steady. I found myself looking at her, amazed by her endurance.


    "There," Aiden pointed ahead. "That¡¯s where they were supposed to set up patrol."


    We approached carefully, and I instantly smelled something wrong. The smell of fear, anger, and something else¡ªsomething that made my nose burn.


    "Shadow Wolf scent," I confirmed grimly. "Recent too."


    Lily knelt beside some disturbed ground, moving her fingers near but not touching the dirt. "Three different dogs struggled here. But look at this."


    She pointed to a set of tracks going away from the fight scene. "These aren¡¯t Shadow Wolf prints. They¡¯re from pack members, but they¡¯re walking, not running."


    "So?" Aiden asked.


    "If they were being pushed to go somewhere, they¡¯d be dragged or carried. If they were running away, the tracks would be darker, more spread out. These look like they were walking willingly."


    I studied the tracks and realized she was right. "You think they went with the Shadow Wolves on purpose?"


    "Or they were under some kind of spell," Lily offered. "Shadow Wolves can mess with people¡¯s minds, right?"


    A chill ran down my spine. If the Shadow Wolves had learned to control pack members, we were in big trouble.


    We followed the tracks deeper into the forest, moving carefully. My warrior senses yelled that we were being watched, but I couldn¡¯t see anyone.


    "This feels like a trap," I mumbled.


    "Everything feels like a traptely," Aiden answered grimly.


    After an hour of tracking, we came to an area where the path simply... ended. No more tracks, no scent marks, nothing.


    "They just vanished," Aiden said, confused.


    But Lily was looking at something else. "Look at the trees."


    I followed her look and felt my blood freeze. Every tree around the clearing was dead. Not just dyingpletely dead, as if something had sucked all the life out of them.


    "Shadow Wolf magic," I realized. "They held some kind of ritual here."


    Lily¡¯s Triple Moon mark was shining through her sleeve, pulsing like a heartbeat. "Something¡¯s still here," she whispered. "Something watching us."


    That¡¯s when I heard it¡ªa low humming sound that seemed toe from deep. The dead trees began to sway despite theck of wind.


    "We need to leave," I said quickly. "Now."


    But as we turned to go, Shadow Wolves stepped out from behind the dead trees. Six of them, their red eyes glowing with evil.


    "Toote," one of them said in a voice like grinding stone. "You¡¯ve found our sacred ground."


    I drew my guns, cing myself protectively in front of Lily. Aiden did the same, but we were outnumbered and surrounded.


    "What did you do with our pack members?" I asked.


    The lead Shadow Wolf smiled, showing teeth like ck des. "They¡¯ve joined us willingly. Just as you will."


    "Never," I snarled.


    "Oh, but you will," the creature said strongly. "You see, we know something you don¡¯t. Something about your precious omega and her pretty mark."


    Lily stepped forward, her mark burning with silver light. "What are you talking about?"


    "Your mark isn¡¯t just about finding mates, little one. It¡¯s a key. A key to power that¡¯s been sleeping under this rock for over a century."


    My mind raced. What power? What had been hidden here?


    The Shadow Wolf continued, "The Darkmore Pack hid something valuable before we destroyed them. Something we¡¯ve been looking for ever since. And now, thanks to your mark, we¡¯ve finally found it."


    The humming sound got louder, and the ground beneath our feet started to crack. Something was waking up down there, something that had been asleep for a very long time.


    "What is it?" Lily asked, her voice shaking.


    The Shadow Wolf¡¯s grin widened. "The source of all Shadow Wolf power. And once we im it, every pack in these mountains will bow to us."


    The ground split open with a sound like thunder, showing a deep pit that glowed with sickly green light. And from that pit, something old and terrible began to rise.

 Chapter 25: River Pack Diplomacy

    <h4>Chapter 25: River Pack Diplomacy</h4>


    <strong>Aiden Silver POV</strong>


    The arrow whizzed past my ear so close I felt the feathers brush my hair.


    "Get down!" I shouted, pushing Lily behind the fallen log as more arrows rained from the trees around us. We¡¯d been walking the forest road to meet the River Pack leaders when the attack started.


    "Who¡¯s shooting at us?" Lily whispered, pressing close to my back.


    "I don¡¯t know, but they¡¯re not trying to miss." Another arrow thudded into the wood above our heads. My mind raced through options. Rogues? River Pack fighters testing us? Or something worse?


    The arrows stopped suddenly. In the quiet that followed, I heard footsteps approaching through the underbrush. Multiple sets, moving carefully but not trying to hide their position.


    "Come out, Silver Pack wolves," a deep voice called. "We know you¡¯re there."


    I recognized the voice - River Pack Alpha Jake Morrison. Luna¡¯s uncle. My stomach tightened with worry. Why was he hitting us?


    "Stay behind me," I told Lily, then stood slowly with my hands exposed. "Alpha Morrison. This is unexpected."


    Jake stepped into view with five River Pack warriors, all holding bows with arrows ready. His face was grim, eyes cold in a way I¡¯d never seen before.


    "Unexpected?" he snarled. "You bring that cursed omega to our territory and call it unexpected?"


    My protective instincts red. "Lily is under my pack¡¯s care. She¡¯s done nothing wrong."


    "Nothing wrong?" Jakeughed bitterly. "She destroyed my niece¡¯s future! Luna was going to be your Luna, unite our packs through marriage. Now what do we have?"


    I felt Lily tense behind me. The guilt she carried about Luna¡¯s situation still weighed on her, even though none of it was her fault.


    "Luna made her own choices," I said carefully. "The mate mark doesn¡¯t lie."


    "The mate mark," Jake spat. "Convenient magic that appeared right when an omega needed power. How do we know she didn¡¯t fake it?"


    "You can¡¯t fake a Triple Moon Mark," I responded. "Your own pack historians would tell you that."


    "Our historians are dead," Jake said quietly.


    The words hit me like a physical blow. "What?"


    "Three days ago. Rogues attacked our main vige. They targeted our adults first - the ones who carry our pack¡¯s knowledge and history." Jake¡¯s voice cracked slightly. "My father was among them."


    I felt Lily gasp behind me. Elder Morrison had been one of the most respected wolves in the area, known for his wisdom and fairness.


    "Jake, I¡¯m sorry. We had no idea-"


    "Of course you didn¡¯t!" he shouted. "You¡¯ve been too busy ying with your new omega toy to notice what¡¯s happening to your allies!"


    The insult made my temper re, but I forced myself to stay cool. Grieving dogs oftenshed out at the wrong targets.


    "We came here to discuss the alliance between our packs," I said. "If you¡¯re facing rogue attacks, we want to help."


    "Help?" Jake¡¯sugh was harsh. "Like you helped Luna? Like you helped when we needed you most?"


    I felt confused. "We never got any requests for help. When did you ask us?"


    "We sent three messengers over the past week," one of the River Pack fighters spoke up. "None returned."


    A chill ran down my spine. Three missing messengers,bined with what Brock had found about missing pack members and Shadow Wolves... this was all connected somehow. " Jake, I swear on my pack¡¯s honor, we never got any messages. If we had-"


    "Your pack¡¯s honor means nothing now," Jake interrupted. "Not when you choose magic tricks over real alliances."


    Behind me, Lily suddenly stepped forward. "May I speak?"


    "Lily, no," I warned, but she moved to stand beside me.


    "Alpha Morrison," she said softly. "I can feel your pain. The loss of your father, the fear for your pack. It¡¯s like a dark cloud around you."


    Jake¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Don¡¯t try your omega maniption on me, girl."


    "I¡¯m not trying to manipte anyone," Lily responded. "I¡¯m just telling you what I sense. You¡¯re not really angry at me or Aiden. You¡¯re scared."


    "I¡¯m not scared of anything!" Jake growled, but his voice wavered.


    "You¡¯re scared because the rogues killed your historians first," Lily continued gently. "That means they knew exactly who to target. Someone gave them information about your pack¡¯s ws."


    The River Pack warriors traded worried nces. I realized Lily was right - random rogue attacks didn¡¯t target specific people with that kind of precision.


    "You think we have a traitor," Jake said slowly.


    "I think you have the same problem we do," Lily answered. "Someone¡¯s been intercepting texts between our packs. Someone wanted us separated from each other when the real attack came."


    Jake dropped his bow slightly. "What real attack?"


    Before anyone could answer, howls emerged from the direction of the River Pack settlement. Not celebration howls or wee calls - these were warning cries, full of terror and pain.


    "The settlement!" one of the fighters shouted.


    Jake¡¯s face went white. "It¡¯s happening again. The rogues are back."


    More howls joined the first, creating a chorus of grief that made my wolf pace anxiously inside me. Whatever was hitting the River Pack settlement was big and organized.


    "We have to help them," I said instantly.


    "This could be a trap," Jake responded, though his voicecked conviction. "How do we know you¡¯re not working with the rogues?"


    "Because I¡¯m going to run toward the danger to help your people," I said simply. "Rogues wouldn¡¯t do that."


    Lily grabbed my arm. "Aiden, if this is connected to the Shadow Wolves Brock found, we might be walking into something worse than rogues."


    She was right, but I couldn¡¯t ignore dogs in danger. "Then we face it together."


    Jake studied us for a long moment as the howls continued. Finally, he nodded grimly. "If you¡¯re lying to me, I¡¯ll kill you both myself. But my packes first."


    We raced through the forest toward the River Pack settlement, the sound of battle getting louder with each step. Smoke began to rise above the trees ahead of us.


    "There!" Jake pointed as we topped a hill.


    Below us, the River Pack vige was under attack. But these weren¡¯t regr rogues. Dark shapes moved between the buildings - creatures that seemed to absorb light around them, leaving lines of shadow in their wake.


    "Shadow Wolves," I breathed.


    "What are Shadow Wolves?" Jake demanded.


    "Worse than rogues," Lily answered, her Triple Moon mark beginning to glow slightly through her sleeve. "They corrupt everything they touch."


    As we watched, one of the shadow creatures touched a River Pack fighter. The wolf instantly stopped fighting his fellow pack members and turned to attack them instead.


    "They¡¯re controlling our people," Jake said in fear.


    "We need a n," I started to say, but Lily was already moving.


    "There¡¯s no time," she called back. "Every second we wait, more of your pack falls under their control."


    She ran down the hill toward the chaos, her mark now zing with silver light. Jake and I shared a look of mutual understanding - whatever our differences, we had to protect her.


    We chased after Lily, but as we reached the edge of the settlement, more Shadow Wolves appeared from the smoke. They surrounded us, cutting off our way to help the River Pack.


    The lead Shadow Wolf stepped forward, its red eyes sparkling with evil intelligence. When it spoke, its voice was like grinding stone.


    "Perfect," it said, looking directly at Lily. "The Triple Moon beareres to us freely. Our master will be pleased."


    Lily¡¯s mark sparked brighter, and suddenly I understood with terrible rity - this whole thing had been a trap. The intercepted messages, the attack on the River Pack, even Jake¡¯s anger... all of it intended to get Lily here.


    "Run," I told her quickly.


    But it was toote. The Shadow Wolves were already closing in, and behind us, I could hear more corrupted River Pack wolvesing, no longer in control of their own minds.


    We were surrounded, outnumbered, and facing an enemy that could turn our friends against us with a single touch.


    The Shadow Wolf smiled, showing teeth like ck ss. "Wee to your new home, Triple Moon bearer. You¡¯re going to help us wake something that¡¯s been sleeping far too long."

 Chapter 26: The Poisoned Cup

    <h4>Chapter 26: The Poisoned Cup</h4>


    Caleb Silver POV


    The cup flew from Lily¡¯s hand, spilling dark liquid across the feast table as I knocked it away. The sweet smell of berries couldn¡¯t hide the sour scent underneath - wolfsbane mixed with something else, something that made my stomach turn.


    "What are you doing?" Lily asked, shocked.


    "Don¡¯t drink anything else," I said quickly, grabbing her wrist to check her pulse. "That was poisoned."


    Around us, the pack feast continued. Wolvesughed and talked, celebrating another good hunt. No one noticed our quiet scene at the corner table. That worried me more than the drug itself.


    "Poisoned?" Lily¡¯s eyes went wide. "Are you sure?"


    I picked up the dropped cup, sniffing carefully. The smell hit me again - wolfsbane for weakness, nightshade for sleep, and something else I couldn¡¯t name. "Definitely. This would have put you in aa within minutes."


    "But who would..." Lily¡¯s words trailed off as she looked around the room. Any of the fifty dogs here could have poisoned her drink. The thought made her face pale.


    "We need to figure this out," I said, my mind already working through options. "Quietly. If the poisoner knows we found their n, they might try something more direct."


    Lily nodded, trust in her eyes that made my heart skip. She believed I could protect her, solve this problem. I couldn¡¯t let her down.


    "The cup came from the main serving table," she said. "I remember the server handing it to me specifically."


    "Who was serving?"


    "Maria, I think. The beta wolf with the red hair."


    I frowned. Maria had been with our pack for years. She had three young pups and a mate she loved. Why would she harm Lily?


    "Let¡¯s talk to her," I offered.


    We found Maria in the kitchen, washing dishes with quick, nervous movements. When she saw us, she dropped a te.


    "Oh! You scared me," she said, bending to pick up the pieces.


    "Maria, do you remember serving Lily a drink earlier?" I asked gently.


    "Of course. The special berry juice. Someone asked me to make sure she got it properly." Maria¡¯s face was innocent, confused.


    "Who asked you?" Lily pressed.


    "I... I don¡¯t remember exactly. There were so many suggestions tonight. Someone said it was a gift for the Triple Moon carrier." Maria looked between us. "Did I do something wrong?"


    The fear in her voice was real. Maria wasn¡¯t the poisoner - she was another victim, used without knowing it.


    "You did nothing wrong," I told her. "Can you remember anything about who gave you the instruction? Male or female voice? Tall or short?"


    Maria screwed up her face in focus. "It was... crowded. Someone whispered to me during the food preparation. I think it was a woman¡¯s voice, but I¡¯m not certain."


    A woman¡¯s words. That narrowed it down some, but not enough. Too many female dogs were at the feast tonight.


    "The juice," Lily said suddenly. "Where did ite from?"


    "The store. There was a special jug marked for you. I thought it was so sweet that someone wanted to honor you with your own drink."


    My blood cooled. Someone had nned this carefully, not a spur-of-the-moment attack. They¡¯d prepared the poison ahead of time and nned for Maria to serve it without suspicion.


    "Show us the jug," I said.


    In the kitchen, Maria pointed to an empty ss container on the high shelf. I carefully pulled it down, sniffing the residue inside. The same sour smell under the berry scent.


    "Maria, who has ess to the pantry?" I asked.


    "Well... all the kitchen helpers, the pack hunters who store game, anyone helping with feast preparation. Maybe twenty wolves?"


    Twenty suspects. This was getting more difficult.


    "We need a list," I told Lily as we left Maria to her work.


    "Caleb," Lily said quietly, "what if this is rted to what happened with Aiden and the River Pack? The Shadow Wolf attack?"


    I¡¯d been thinking the same thing. Aiden and Lily had barely dodged the trap three days ago. Now someone was trying to poison her at our own pack feast. Too much chance.


    "It¡¯s possible. But Shadow Wolves can¡¯t enter our territory without us feeling them. This has to be someone from inside our pack."


    The thought made me sick. One of our own dogs, someone we trusted, wanted to hurt Lily. Or worse - maybe one of our pack members was being controlled by Shadow Wolf magic.


    "We should tell your father," Lily offered.


    "Not yet. If word gets that someone tried to poison you, panic will start. We need proof first."


    Lily nodded, but I could see the fear she was trying to hide. Someone wanted her dead or unconscious. Either way, she wasn¡¯t safe.


    "Let¡¯s check the kitchen storage area," I said. "Maybe we can find where the poison came from."


    In the storage room behind the kitchen, we looked through jars and containers. Most held normal cooking tools, but in the back corner, I found something troubling.


    "Lily, look at this."


    Hidden behind sacks of flour was a small wooden box. Inside were dried herbs I recognized from my research - wolfsbane, nightshade, and something I¡¯d only read about in old books.


    "Shadow Root," I whispered, holding up a twisting ck nt. "This is what I couldn¡¯t identify in the poison."


    "What does it do?"


    "ording to the old books, it makes a wolf subject to mental control. Combined with the other nts, it would have put you into a deep sleep and left your mind open to outside influence."


    Lily stepped back, terrified. "Someone wanted to control me? Like what happened to the River Pack wolves?"


    "It looks that way. But who in our pack would have ess to Shadow Root? It doesn¡¯t grow naturally in our area."


    A sound from the main storage room made us both freeze. Footsteps, moving quietly but getting closer. Someone was looking for something.


    I put my finger to my lips, telling Lily to stay quiet. Carefully, I moved toward the door to peek out.


    A figure in a dark cloak walked through the storage area, checking containers and shelves. They moved with purpose, like they knew exactly what they were looking for.


    The person turned toward our hiding spot, and moonlight from a small window showed their face. My heart stopped.


    Elder Thomas.


    But that was impossible. Elder Thomas was one of the missing pack members Brock had been looking for. He¡¯d disappeared days ago, along with two others. We¡¯d assumed Shadow Wolves had taken them.


    Yet here he was, moving through our storage room like he belonged here. Moving like he was searching for something special.


    "The poison box," Lily breathed in my ear, understanding instantly.


    Elder Thomas was the poisoner. But if he¡¯d been missing for days, how was he here now? And why were his eyes glowing with that strange red light I¡¯d only seen in ounts of Shadow Wolf victims?


    The elder moved closer to our hidden spot. In seconds, he would find us. I had to make a choice - confront him and risk a fight, or try to run and warn the pack.


    Elder Thomas stopped right outside our door. When he spoke, his voice sounded wrong, like two people talking at once.


    "I know you¡¯re in there, little thinker. Come out, and bring the Triple Moon carrier with you. Our master grows impatient."


    My worst fears were proven. Elder Thomas was under Shadow Wolf control, and somehow they¡¯d managed to enter our pack without anyone knowing.


    "The feast," I realized with rising horror. "This isn¡¯t just about harming Lily. It¡¯s about getting all the pack leaders in one ce."


    Through the thin walls, I could hear the party continuing in the main hall. My father, my brothers, all the most important pack members, eating and drinking without knowing they were in danger.


    Elder Thomasughed, a sound that made my skin crawl. "Toote, young Silver. The real danger was never in the cup. It was in the feast wine. Every leader who drank tonight will be under our power within the hour."


    The blood drained from my face. We hadn¡¯t just found a plot against Lily - we¡¯d stumbled into the middle of a massive attack on our entire pack leadership.


    "What do we do?" Lily whispered, her face white with fear.


    Before I could answer, Elder Thomas kicked down our hiding spot door, his red eyes burning with evil light.


    "You do nothing," he said with that awful double voice. "Except join your pack leaders in glorious service to the Shadow Realm."

 Chapter 27: Connecting Threads

    <h4>Chapter 27: Connecting Threads</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    The scroll fell from my hands as Luna¡¯s voice carried through the library window. I pressed myself against the wall, heart beating, as I listened to her talking with someone outside.


    "The eastern border patrol changes shifts at midnight," Luna was saying. "That¡¯s your best chance to get through undetected."


    A male voice answered, rough and foreign. "And you¡¯re sure about the guard positions?"


    "I¡¯ve been watching for weeks. Trust me, I know every weakness in our barriers."


    My blood turned to ice. Luna was giving information to strangers about our pack¡¯s protection. After everything that had happened - the poisoned feast, Elder Thomas being controlled by Shadow Wolves, the attacks on nearby packs - she was helping enemies get into our territory.


    I crept closer to the window, trying to see who she was talking to. Through the ss, I spotted Luna standing near the tree line with two men I didn¡¯t know. They wore dark clothes and moved like fighters, but something about them felt wrong. Their scents were off, like they¡¯d been rolling in dirt to hide their real smells.


    "When do we move on the Triple Moon bearer?" one of them asked.


    "Soon. But we need her separated first. She¡¯s too protected when she¡¯s with the Silver boys."


    My hands shook as I realized they were nning to kidnap me. Or worse.


    "The Shadow Wolves promised us good payment for delivering her," the second man said. "She better be worth all this trouble."


    "She is," Luna answered coldly. "That mark of hers is the key to everything. Once the Shadow Wolves have her, they can wake up whatever¡¯s buried under the mountain."


    I bit my lip to keep from screaming. What was hidden under the mountain? And why did they need my mark to wake it up?


    The men started walking away, but Luna called after them. "Remember - no one gets hurt except her. I still have to live in this pack after you¡¯re gone."


    "Don¡¯t worry, princess. We¡¯ll make it look like rogues took her. No one will suspect you."


    Luna¡¯sugh was bitter. "Good. I¡¯m tired of watching everyone treat an omega like she¡¯s special. After tomorrow night, things will go back to the way they should be."


    They vanished into the forest, leaving me alone with terrible knowledge. Luna had been working with Shadow Wolves and rogues all along. The missing pack members, the attacks on other areas, even the poisoned feast - she¡¯d probably helped n all of it.


    I slumped against the library wall, feeling sick. How long had Luna been betraying us? How many wolves had been hurt because of her anger and jealousy?


    But more seriously - what was going to happen tomorrow night?


    I spent the rest of the day trying to act normal while my mind raced. During dinner, I watched Luna carefully. She sat with Aiden¡¯s foreign team, smiling andughing like nothing was wrong. When she caught me looking, she waved friendly.


    "Everything okay, Lily?" she asked sweetly. "You look worried about something."


    "Just tired," I managed to say.


    "You should get some rest. Big day tomorrow with the Council meeting."


    The Council meeting. My stomach dropped. Tomorrow night, all the pack leaders from three territories were meeting at Silver Peak to discuss the rogue attacks and n their defense. I would be there as the Triple Moon bearer, representing omega values.


    It was the best time for Luna¡¯s friends to grab me. Everyone would be focused on the meeting, security would be spread thin, and I¡¯d be in one predictable ce.


    After dinner, I tried to find Caleb to tell him what I¡¯d learned. But when I reached his study, I heard voices inside. Through the crack in the door, I saw him talking with Brock and Aiden.


    "The attacks are definitely coordinated," Brock was saying. "Too organized to be random rogues."


    "And the timing is suspicious," Aiden added. "Every attack happened right when our allies needed help most."


    "Someone¡¯s been feeding information to our enemies," Caleb decided. "Someone who knows our patrol schedules, our alliance meetings, our weaknesses."


    I started to push open the door, but Aiden kept talking.


    "We need to think that the traitor might be someone we trust. Someone with ess to pack leadership meetings."


    "You think it¡¯s one of the Council members?" Brock asked.


    "I think we can¡¯t rule anyone out," Aiden answered grimly.


    I paused. If I told them about Luna now, would they believe me? Or would they think I was just a jealous omega trying to cause trouble? Luna was the Beta¡¯s daughter, admired by everyone. I was still new to this whole Triple Moon carrier thing.


    And what if I was wrong? What if Luna was innocent and I¡¯d misread what I heard?


    But deep down, I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong. The pieces fit too well - Luna¡¯s resentment, her ess to pack information, her family ties that would give her credibility with other territories.


    I chose to gather more proof before using her. Tomorrow, I¡¯d watch Luna carefully during the Council meeting. If she was really nning something, I¡¯d be ready.


    The next evening, pack leaders arrived from three regions. The great hall filled with important wolves talking strategy and sharing information about the attacks. I sat with the Silver family, trying to pay attention while keeping one eye on Luna.


    She walked through the crowd like a perfect hostess, bringing food and drinks to guests, chatting pleasantly with everyone. But I noticed things others missed - how she lingered near talks about security, how she asked casual questions about patrol routes, how she always seemed to be listening when she thought no one was watching.


    As the meeting continued, I felt increasingly nervous. When would Luna¡¯s friends make their move? How would they get past our guards?


    My answer came during a break in the talks. Luna approached me with a friendly smile.


    "Lily, could you help me with something? I need to check on the guest rooms upstairs, make sure everything¡¯s ready for the visiting leaders."


    Every sense I had screamed danger, but I couldn¡¯t refuse without seeming rude. "Of course."


    We climbed the steps together, Luna chatting about meaningless things. But as we reached the second floor, I noticed the hallway was empty. Too empty. Where were the guards who should be stationed here?


    "Luna," I started to say, but she suddenly grabbed my arm.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Lily. I really am. But this is the only way things can go back to normal."


    Before I could react, two guys stepped out of a guest room - the same rogues I¡¯d seen her talking to in the forest. They moved fast, one grabbing my other arm while the second pulled out rope.


    "Let me go!" I fought, but they were too strong.


    "Nothing personal, omega," one of them said. "We¡¯re just following orders."


    They started pulling me toward a window at the end of the hall. I realized they nned to take me out that way, avoiding the main ces where the meeting was happening.


    "Luna, please," I begged. "You don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re doing. The Shadow Wolves aren¡¯t going to help you. They¡¯re going to destroy everyone!"


    "I don¡¯t care anymore," Luna said, her face twisted with hatred. "I¡¯ve spent my whole life preparing to be Luna of this pack. Then you showed up with your special mark and took everything from me. At least this way, I get some payback."


    The rogues had the window open now. Below us, I could see more dark forms waiting in the forest. Too many to count.


    "This isn¡¯t just about kidnapping me," I realized with increasing horror. "You¡¯re letting them attack the Council meeting. All those pack leaders..."


    Luna¡¯s face went pale. "No, that wasn¡¯t the n. They just wanted you."


    "Look outside," I told her frantically. "Count how many dogs are out there. Does that look like a simple kidnapping to you?"


    Luna looked out the window and gasped. Dozens of rogues and Shadow Wolves circled the building. This wasn¡¯t a kidnapping - it was a full attack on the pack leadership.


    "You said no one would get hurt!" Luna yelled at the rogues.


    "We lied," one of them answered with an evil grin. "Thanks for making this so easy."


    At that time, howls of attack rose from downstairs. The meeting had turned into a fight, and our most important wolves were trapped inside with enemies.


    Luna stared at the chaos below, finally understanding what she¡¯d done. "I... I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen."


    But it was toote. The rogues threw me over the windowsill toward their friends below, and as I fell, I saw the great hall¡¯s windows glowing with fire.


    The entire pack leadership was under attack, and it was all because Luna¡¯s anger had made her the perfect tool for our enemies.

 Chapter 28: Brock’s Secret Art

    <h4>Chapter 28: Brock¡¯s Secret Art</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    The wooden wolf crashed to the floor as Brock spun around, his face going bright red. I stood frozen in the doorway of what I thought was an empty storage room, staring at dozens of beautiful wooden animals spread across tables and shelves.


    "Lily! I... this isn¡¯t..." Brock scrambled to pick up the carved wolf, his huge hands surprisingly gentle as he held the delicate figure. "You weren¡¯t supposed to see this."


    I stepped inside, my mouth hanging open. Tiny rabbits sat next to fierce bears. Graceful deer stood beside yful otters. Each carving was perfect, showing every detail from whiskers to fur patterns. But what shocked me most were the three human figures in the center of the main table - Aiden, Caleb, and Brock himself, captured in wood with amazing skill.


    "Brock, these are amazing!" I whispered, reaching toward a small fox. "Did you make all of these?"


    He pulled the fox away before I could touch it. "It¡¯s nothing. Just... stupid hobby stuff."


    "Stupid? Are you crazy? These are the most beautiful things I¡¯ve ever seen!"


    Brock¡¯s jaw tightened. "Warriors don¡¯t make pretty things, Lily. I should be practicing or protecting the pack, not ying with wood chips."


    The pain in his voice made my heart hurt. "Who told you that?"


    "Everyone knows it. Alpha men fight. We don¡¯t sit around making things like... like some omega housewife."


    His words stung, but I could see he was hurting too. "Is that really what you think omegas do? Make decorations?"


    Brock winced. "I didn¡¯t mean..."


    "My grandma wasn¡¯t just making decorations when she carved healing tools from special wood. Elder Iris isn¡¯t just decoration when she carves memory stones for pack history." I picked up one of his bunnies despite his protest. "And you¡¯re not just making decorations. You¡¯re making life in wood."


    The rabbit felt warm in my hands, smooth and perfect. I could almost see it breathing.


    "My father would lose his mind if he knew," Brock whispered. "The future Alpha¡¯s son, wasting time on crafts."


    "Your father stepped down, remember? Aiden¡¯s Alpha now. And I bet he¡¯d be proud of this ability."


    "You don¡¯t understand." Brock sank onto a wooden stool that looked homemade. "Ever since we were kids, I was the strong one. Aiden got the brains, Caleb got the books, and I got the strength. That¡¯s my job - being the tool the pack points at its enemies."


    I sat on another stool, still holding his rabbit. "Is that all you want to be?"


    "It¡¯s all I¡¯m good at."


    "That¡¯s not true. Look around you! This room is full of proof that you¡¯re good at something beautiful and peaceful."


    Brock¡¯s hands twisted together. "I started cutting when I was eight. Found a piece of wood and a knife, and somehow a bird appeared. I hid it under my bed, afraid someone would find it and think I was weak."


    "Eight years old," I said softly. "You¡¯ve been hiding this for twelve years?"


    He nodded sadly. "The pack needs me to be strong and scary. If they knew I spent my free time making cute animals..."


    "They¡¯d know you have a heart as well as muscles."


    A loud crash came from outside, followed by yelling. We both jumped up, my hands still holding his rabbit carving.


    "What was that?" I asked.


    Brock was already moving toward the door, his warrior reflexes taking over. "Stay here."


    "Not a chance." I followed him out of the hidden room and toward the noise.


    In the main za, pack members ran in all directions. Aiden¡¯s voice boomed over the chaos: "Form protective positions! Protect the children!"


    My blood turned cold. "Another attack?"


    But as we got closer, I realized the yelling wasn¡¯t from fear - it was from anger. Two groups of pack members faced each other in the center of the field, shouting and pushing.


    "The old ways were better!" someone yelled.


    "Omegas shouldn¡¯t have equal say!" another person added.


    Elder Thomas, who I thought had recovered from being ruled by Shadow Wolves, stood at the front of one group. His eyes looked strange again - not quite his own.


    "The Triple Moon mark has cursed our pack!" he announced. "We¡¯ve lost our strength by letting omegas pretend they¡¯re important!"


    Several wolves nodded agreement. I spotted some faces I recognized - pack members who had always seemed nice to me before. Now they red with hate.


    "This is bad," Brock mumbled beside me.


    Caleb appeared next to us, his face pale. "It¡¯s not natural," he said urgently. "Half the pack woke up this morning with changed thoughts about our new system. Someone¡¯s influencing them."


    "Shadow Wolves again?" I asked.


    "Has to be. But I can¡¯t figure out how."


    The two groups pressed closer together, wolves on both sides beginning to growl low in their throats. I could smell the tension rising toward violence.


    "Where¡¯s Luna?" I asked suddenly.


    Brock and Caleb looked around nervously. In all the chaos, none of us had seen her.


    "She was supposed to meet with the River Pack representatives this morning," Caleb said. "But that was hours ago."


    A horrible thought hit me. "What if they didn¡¯t just affect our pack members? What if they took Luna to stop her international work?"


    Before anyone could answer, Elder Thomas pointed straight at me. "There¡¯s the source of our problems! The fake Triple Moon holder who¡¯s destroyed our pack¡¯s strength!"


    The angry group started moving toward us, their eyes zed with unnatural hate. Brock stepped in front of me, his body changing into protective mode.


    "Nobody touches her," he growled.


    "Stand aside, boy," Elder Thomas ordered. "We¡¯re taking her to the old Sacred Grove where she¡¯ll be cleansed of whatever dark magic she¡¯s using."


    I knew what the Sacred Grove was - a ce where the pack used to exile or execute wolves for major crimes. My heart hammered against my ribs.


    "Brock," I whispered, still holding his wooden rabbit in my shaking hands. "I think we¡¯re in serious trouble."


    The influenced pack members circled us, cutting off exit routes. Aiden and our friends were trapped on the other side of the courtyard, too far away to help.


    Elder Thomas smiled, but it wasn¡¯t his real smile. "The Shadow Wolves send their thanks, little omega. They¡¯ve been waiting for this moment."


    That¡¯s when I realized the truth - the Shadow Wolves hadn¡¯t just affected random pack members. They¡¯d been nning this exact trap, using our own people against us while removing Luna from the equation.


    And now we were surrounded, outnumbered, and totally cut off from help.


    The wooden rabbit in my hands felt like it might be thest beautiful thing I¡¯d ever hold.

 Chapter 29: Midnight Swim

    <h4>Chapter 29: Midnight Swim</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I bolted upright in bed, sweat dripping down my face as the nightmare faded. In my dream, Elder Thomas had been chasing me through the forest while Shadow Wolvesughed from the trees. Even though we¡¯d escaped the courtyard trap three days ago, I still couldn¡¯t sleep properly.


    My hands shook as I pushed back the covers. The clock showed midnight, but I knew I wouldn¡¯t fall asleep again anytime soon. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw those zed faces of pack members who¡¯d turned against us.


    I slipped out of my room and tiptoed through the Alpha house. Maybe some fresh air would help calm my rushing heart. The Moon Pool always made me feel peaceful, and tonight I badly needed that peace.


    But as I approached the holy pool, I heard a ssh. Someone was already there.


    I crept closer, staying hidden behind the trees. In the moonlight, I could see Caleb swimming smooth strokes across the pool¡¯s surface. His movements looked angry, like he was fighting the water instead of going through it.


    He pulled himself onto the pool¡¯s edge, breathing hard. Even from my hiding spot, I could see the tightness in his shoulders.


    "I know you¡¯re there, Lily," he said without turning around. "Your scent gives you away."


    Heat rushed to my face as I stepped out from behind the trees. "Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to watch. I just couldn¡¯t sleep."


    "Neither could I." Caleb¡¯s voice sounded tired and angry. "Haven¡¯t slept right since the courtyard incident."


    I sat beside him at the pool¡¯s edge, letting my feet dangle in the surprisingly warm water. "Keep having nightmares about our own pack trying to hurt us?"


    "Among other things." He hit the water with his foot. "I keep thinking about how quickly they turned against you. People who¡¯ve known you for months, who¡¯ve seen the good changes in our pack."


    "The Shadow Wolves are getting stronger," I said quietly. "Their mind control is harder to break now."


    "That¡¯s what scares me." Caleb turned to look at me, his silver-blue eyes reflecting the moonlight. "What if next time they can control more pack members? What if they can control us?"


    The thought made my stomach twist. "Don¡¯t say that."


    "I have to say it. We need to prepare for the possibility." He stood up suddenly and dove back into the pool, swimming away from me like he was trying to escape his own words.


    I watched him for a moment, then made a choice. I pulled off my shoes and jumped into the pool fully dressed. The warm water felt great against my skin, washing away some of my fear and tension.


    "What are you doing?" Caleb asked when I surfaced near him.


    "Swimming away from nightmares," I said, floating on my back to look at the stars. "My grandmother used to say water washes away bad thoughts."


    Caleb floated beside me. "Smart grandmother."


    "She was. I wish she was here now to tell us how to fight Shadow Wolves."


    "Tell me about her," Caleb said softly.


    As we floated together under the moon, I shared memories of my grandmother¡¯s healing lessons, her stories about omega history, and her quiet strength that had shaped who I became. Caleb listened without stopping, asionally asking gentle questions that showed he really cared about understanding my past.


    "She sounds amazing," he said when I finished. "I wish I could have met her."


    "She would have loved you. She always said the best leaders are the ones who listen more than they talk."


    Caleb smiled, the first real smile I¡¯d seen from him in days. "What about your dreams for the future? Before all this Shadow Wolf chaos started, what did you want?"


    I thought about it as we swamzy loops around each other. "I wanted to be useful. To matter to someone. Pretty simple dreams for a girl who thought she¡¯d always be unseen."


    "And now?"


    "Now I want to protect what we¡¯ve built. Our new pack bnce, the friendships we¡¯ve made, the hope we¡¯ve given other omegas." I paused. "I want our future children to grow up in a world where no one tells them they¡¯re less important because of their rank."


    "Our children?" Caleb¡¯s voice got soft and warm.


    I blushed, realizing what I¡¯d said. "I mean... if we have children someday..."


    "I¡¯d like that," he said simply. "Children who get your wisdom and courage."


    We swam closer together, the room between us shrinking. I could feel the mate bond humming stronger in the moonlight, drawing us together like unseen threads.


    "Caleb," I started to say, but he suddenly went rigid in the water.


    "Do you smell that?" he whispered anxiously.


    I breathed deeply and my blood turned to ice. The smell of Shadow Wolves drifted through the air, getting stronger by the second.


    "They¡¯re here," I breathed.


    We swam quickly to the pool¡¯s edge, but before we could climb out, dark shapes appeared from the forest around us. At least a dozen Shadow Wolves circled the Moon Pool, their red eyes glowing in the darkness.


    "Well, well," said a familiar voice. Thergest Shadow Wolf stepped forward, and I recognized the leader who¡¯d tried to take me before. "The Triple Moon bearer and her mate, all alone and perfectly vulnerable."


    Caleb moved protectively in front of me in the water. "What do you want?"


    "What we¡¯ve always wanted. The girl and her mark." The Shadow Wolf¡¯s smile showed too many teeth. "But first, we¡¯re going to have some fun with your precious pack."


    That¡¯s when I heard the screams starting from the direction of the pack houses. Distant howls of pain and fear carried on the night wind.


    "What are you doing to them?" I asked.


    "Testing our new control methods," the leader answered cheerfully. "We¡¯ve learned to make the effect permanent now. No more temporary mind control - once we touch a wolf¡¯s mind, they belong to us forever."


    Horror washed over me. "You¡¯re destroying their free willpletely."


    "Exactly. And we started with your dear friend Luna. She¡¯s currently leading an attack on the nursery where all those sweet pups sleep."


    My heart stopped. Luna would never hurt children, which meant the Shadow Wolves had fully taken over her mind.


    "Don¡¯t worry," the boss continued. "We¡¯ll let the pups live if youe quietly. Refuse, and we¡¯ll let Luna tear them apart while you watch."


    The screams from the pack houses grew louder. I could hear fighting now, the sounds of wolves attacking each other. Our own people, turned against each other by Shadow Wolf rule.


    Caleb grabbed my hand under the water. "There has to be another way."


    "There is," the Shadow Wolf said. "The girl can surrender now, or we can take her after we¡¯ve killed everyone she cares about. Either way, we get what we came for."


    I looked at Caleb, seeing my own desperation mirrored in his eyes. Save myself and hope the pack survived, or sacrifice myself and believe that somehow they¡¯d find a way to break free from Shadow Wolf control.


    But then I noticed something that made my blood freeze totally. Behind the circle of Shadow Wolves, more forms moved in the darkness. Not Shadow Wolves - pack members with those same zed, controlled eyes I¡¯d seen in the courtyard.


    Aiden stumbled into view, his moves jerky like a puppet on strings. Brock appeared beside him, a nk look on his face. Even Elder Iris shuffled forward, her aged eyes empty of recognition.


    "You see?" the Shadow Wolf bossughed. "Your entire pack belongs to us now. The only question is whether you¡¯lle freely or watch us use them to tear each other apart."


    I was stuck in the Moon Pool with my mate, surrounded by enemies and mind-controlled friends, while somewhere in the distance Luna was being forced to attack innocent children.


    And the worst part? I realized this had all been nned perfectly - they¡¯d waited until Caleb and I were alone and defenseless, then struck at the pack when we couldn¡¯t help defend them.


    The Triple Moon mark on my wrist began to burn with silver fire, but I had no idea if its power would be enough to save everyone I loved.

 Chapter 30: The Marked Tree

    <h4>Chapter 30: The Marked Tree</h4>


    Lily Carter POV


    I stumbled backward as the knife cut through the air where my head had been a second before. The controlled pack member - Mrs. Chen from the bakery - swung again with jerky, puppet-like motions.


    "Mrs. Chen, it¡¯s me! Lily!" I dodged behind a tree, my heart pounding. "You taught me to make bread when I was little!"


    Her eyes stayed nk and sparkling as she advanced. "Must... eliminate... Triple Moon... bearer..."


    I¡¯d been trying to reach the nursery to help the trapped pups when she¡¯d struck me out of nowhere. Now I was running deeper into the bush, leading her away from the children but getting dangerously close to pack borders.


    The knife whizzed past my ear as I ducked around another tree. This one was huge and old, with deep lines in its bark that caught my attention even while running for my life. Strange symbols were cut into the wood - circles and lines that looked fresh.


    Mrs. Chen lunged forward, but I rolled away and her knife stuck deep in the marked tree. While she fought to pull it free, I got my first good look at the carved symbols.


    My blood turned cold. These weren¡¯t random scratches. They were too neat, too purposeful. Someone had spent time carefully cutting these marks.


    "Help... me..." Mrs. Chen¡¯s voice cracked through the Shadow Wolf control for just a second. Her real self was fighting to break free. "Can¡¯t... stop... myself..."


    "I¡¯m trying!" I grabbed her arms, trying to keep the knife away from both of us. "Fight it, Mrs. Chen! Remember who you are!"


    Her face twisted in pain as she fought against the mind control. For a moment, her eyes cleared and she looked at me with recognition and fear.


    "Lily? What¡¯s happening to me? I can¡¯t control my own body!"


    "Shadow Wolves are controlling pack members," I said quickly. "You have to fight it!"


    But then the glow returned to her eyes and she broke free from my grip, raising the knife again. I had no choice but to run deeper into the forest.


    As I fled, I spotted more trees with simr markings. Not just one or two - dozens of them, forming a trail along the pack border. Someone had been tagging trees for weeks, maybe months.


    I finally lost Mrs. Chen by climbing high into a pine tree and waiting until she walked away, still muttering about eliminating the Triple Moon bearer. When I was sure she was gone, I climbed down and started examining the marked trees more closely.


    Each tree had different marks, but they all looked like some kind of code. Circles with lines through them, X marks with dots, triangles going in different directions. They formed a pattern that led deeper into the jungle toward the mountain.


    My hands shook as I traced one of the marks with my finger. Someone had been nning something big, and these marks were part of it. But what did they mean?


    "Lily!" Caleb¡¯s words echoed through the trees.


    "Over here!" I called back, relief rushing through me.


    He crashed through the underbrush, looking terrified. "Thank the moon you¡¯re safe. I lost track of you during the chaos."


    "Caleb, look at this." I pointed to the closest marked tree. "Have you ever seen symbols like these?"


    He moved closer, studying the carved marks. His face went pale. "Where did you find these?"


    "They¡¯re everywhere along the line. What are they?"


    Caleb ran his fingers over the symbols, his expression getting more worried. "These are rogue transmission marks. Different rogue packs use them to leave signs for each other."


    "What kind of messages?"


    "Territory ims, warnings, meeting locations." He pointed to a circle with three lines. "This one means ¡¯safe meeting ce.¡¯ And this triangle means ¡¯enemies nearby.¡¯"


    I felt sick. "So rogues have been using our border as a message board?"


    "It¡¯s worse than that." Caleb moved to another tree, reading the marks like a book. "These marks are new, but they follow a pattern. Someone¡¯s been coordinating rogue movements around our area for months."


    "The Shadow Wolves," I breathed.


    "Has to be. They¡¯ve been using rogues to scout our defenses and n strikes." He stopped at a tree covered in fresh marks. "Lily, these newest symbols... they¡¯re meeting coordinates."


    "Meeting for what?"


    "Look at the pattern." Caleb¡¯s voice got tense. "All these marks point toward the old Sacred Grove. There¡¯s going to be a huge gathering tonight."


    The Sacred Grove - the same ce Elder Thomas had threatened to take me for "cleansing." My stomach dropped.


    "How massive?" I asked.


    Caleb counted symbols on several trees, his face turning paler. "At least fifty rogues, maybe more. Plus Shadow Wolves leading them." He looked at me with fear in his eyes. "This isn¡¯t just an attack on our pack, Lily. They¡¯re nning something huge."


    A branch snapped behind us. We spun around to see three pack members emerging from the trees - all with those terrible glowing eyes of Shadow Wolf control.


    "Found... the... targets..." one of them said in a robotic voice.


    "We have to go," Caleb whispered. "Now."


    We ran, but more controlled pack members emerged from different directions. They moved in perfect harmony, like they were all controlled by the same mind. Which, I realized with horror, they probably were.


    "This way!" I grabbed Caleb¡¯s hand and led him toward the mountain path.


    But as we ran, I noticed something that made my heart stop. Every tree we passed now had fresh marks cut into them. Not the old rogue symbols - new ones, carved so recently that wood chips still dotted the ground.


    "Caleb," I gasped as we ran. "Someone¡¯s been following us. Marking our path."


    He looked around and saw what I meant. "They¡¯re herding us somewhere specific."


    We were being driven toward the mountain, away from the pack and toward whatever was waiting at the Sacred Grove. The controlled pack members weren¡¯t trying to catch us - they were pushing us exactly where someone wanted us to go.


    "It¡¯s a trap," I said.


    "The whole thing¡¯s been a trap," Caleb answered grimly. "The attack on the pack, the mind control, even us finding these symbols. They wanted us to discover the rogue meeting."


    "But why?"


    We reached a clearing where the mountain path split in three ways. In the center stood a giant oak tree, its trunk carved with so many symbols it looked like a book written in wood.


    Caleb read the marks quickly, his face going white with fear.


    "What does it say?" I asked.


    "It¡¯s... it¡¯s a contract," he whispered. "Written in the old roguenguage. The Shadow Wolves have made a deal with every rogue pack in three areas."


    "What kind of deal?"


    "They¡¯re offering the rogues permanent territory and hunting rights if they help destroy all the established packs." Caleb¡¯s voice shook. "Not just our pack, Lily. Every pack for hundreds of miles."


    The pieces clicked together in my mind. "That¡¯s why they needed to control our pack members. To make us too weak to help our friends when the rogues attack them."


    "And they needed us to find this tree," Caleb said slowly. "Because this is where they¡¯re going to make their final offer to the rogues tonight."


    "What final offer?"


    Caleb pointed to the newest symbols, still leaking sap. "You, Lily. They¡¯re offering your Triple Moon power to any rogue pack that can catch you alive."


    Horror washed over me. "They¡¯re turning me into a prize for rogues to fight over."


    "Fifty rogue packs, allpeting to capture the Triple Moon bearer." Caleb grabbed my shoulders. "They¡¯re going to tear each other apart trying to get to you first."


    That¡¯s when we heard the howls starting from the Sacred Grove - dozens of different wolf voices, all howling at once. The rogue meeting had started.


    And somewhere in that chaos of enemy wolves, they were deciding which pack would get the honor of hunting me down.


    "We have to warn the other territories," I said desperately.


    "With what?" Caleb¡¯s voice cracked. "Our pack is controlled, our allies don¡¯t know what¡¯sing, and we¡¯re trapped between rogues and Shadow Wolves."


    The screaming grew louder, and I realized we could hear individual voices now. The rogues were spreading out from their meeting, starting their hunt.


    For me.

 Chapter 31: Cornered Prey

    <h4>Chapter 31: Cornered Prey</h4>


    <strong>Lily Carter POV</strong>


    Just as three more controlled pack members came out from behind the bushes, the branch broke under my foot. Their bright eyes looked at us like we were targets.


    "Run!" Caleb took my hand and led me up the mountain path.


    Our hearts were racing as we ran through the forest. The controlled dogs behind us moved in perfect sync with each other. Their footsteps matched like they were all talking to the same mind. Which they most likely were.


    "They¡¯re not after us," I gasped as we ran. "They¡¯re pushing us somewhere."


    "I know," Caleb said with a pout. "Toward the Sacred Grove. Just like we figured."


    A new voice called out from our left. "Lily! Help me!"


    I skidded to a stop. It was Mrs. Chen, but her voice sounded different - urgent instead of robotic.


    "Lily, don¡¯t!" Caleb yanked on my arm. "It¡¯s a trap!"


    But Mrs. Chen stumbled into view, tears running down her face. The glow in her eyes flickered on and off like a broken light.


    "Please," she sobbed. "I can feel them in my head. They¡¯re making me do things I don¡¯t want to do."


    My heart broke seeing her fight. Mrs. Chen had taught me to bake bread when I was seven. She¡¯d always been kind to me, even when other pack members ignored me.


    "Fight it, Mrs. Chen!" I stepped toward her despite Caleb¡¯s warnings. "Remember who you are!"


    For a moment, her eyes cleared totally. "Lily? Oh god, what have I done? I tried to hurt you!"


    "It wasn¡¯t your fault," I said quickly. "The Shadow Wolves are controlling you."


    Mrs. Chen grabbed my shoulders, her grip desperate. "Listen to me while I can still think clearly. The power gets weaker when we remember who we love. When Tommy was in danger yesterday, I broke free for almost a minute."


    Tommy was her grandson. I¡¯d helped take care of him in the nursery when he was smaller.


    "Strong emotions," Caleb breathed. "That¡¯s the weakness."


    Mrs. Chen nodded furiously. "Love, fear for family, anger about protecting pack - anything that makes us feel like ourselves instead of just puppets." Her eyes started glowing again. "No, not yet! Lily, they¡¯re nning something terrible at the Grove. More than just the rogue meeting. They¡¯re going to-"


    The glow took over her eyes totally. She let go of me and stepped back, her face going nk.


    "Must... capture... Triple Moon... bearer..." she said in that awful robotic voice.


    More managed pack members emerged from different directions. We were trapped.


    "Mrs. Chen, remember Tommy!" I shouted desperately. "Remember teaching me to make cinnamon rolls!"


    For just a second, she paused. The glow flickered.


    "I... I can¡¯t..." She shook her head furiously. "Get away from me, child. Run before I hurt you again."


    That was all the opening we needed. Caleb and I bolted deeper into the forest.


    "She was right about emotions breaking the control," Caleb panted as we ran. "If we could reach enough pack members with strong memories-"


    "There¡¯s no time," I cut him off. "Listen."


    The howling from the Sacred Grove was getting louder and more ordered. Different wolf sounds were joining together in hunting calls. The rogue meeting wasn¡¯t just starting - it was turning into a hunt.


    For me.


    We reached a steep rocky slope where the mountain path split into three ways. I was about to ask Caleb which way to go when I heard a familiar voice from above.


    "Well, well. Look what we have here."


    Elder Thomas stood on a ledge above us, but something was wrong with him too. His eyes held the same glow as the other controlled pack members, but his smile was cruel in a way that seemed more like him.


    "Elder Thomas," I called up. "Fight the power! You¡¯re bigger than this!"


    Heughed, a sound that made my skin crawl. "Control? Child, I asked for this. The Shadow Wolves offered me everything I wanted - power over ungrateful omegas like you."


    My blood turned cold. Elder Thomas hadn¡¯t been managed. He¡¯d decided to work with the Shadow Wolves.


    "You betrayed our pack," Caleb growled.


    "I saved our pack from the corruption of omega influence," Thomas answered. "When the Triple Moon bearer is gone, things will return to the natural order."


    He whistled sharply. Controlled pack members came from all three path directions, trapping us on the rocky slope.


    "The beautiful part," Thomas added, "is that when this is over, no one will remember that I helped. The Shadow Wolves will erase those thoughts. I¡¯ll be the hero who tried to save you from the rogues."


    "You¡¯re sick," I spat.


    "I¡¯m traditional," he corrected. "Omegas serve. Alphas lead. That¡¯s how it should be."


    The managed pack members started climbing toward us. We had nowhere to run except up the steep rocky face of the mountain.


    "Can you climb?" Caleb asked quickly.


    I looked at the sharp rocks and my heart sank. "Not fast enough."


    That¡¯s when I heard barking from below. Real barking, not the robotic sounds of controlled wolves. Three wolves raced up the mountain path - and I recognized them instantly.


    Aiden, Brock, and another pack member I didn¡¯t recognize were fighting their way through the controlled wolves to reach us.


    "The cavalry arrives," Elder Thomas said mockingly. "How sweet. Too bad it won¡¯t matter."


    He raised his hand and made a signal. Suddenly, the screaming from the Sacred Grove changed. Instead of multiple voices, it became one massive sound - like fifty wolves howling in perfect sync.


    The sound was so loud and scary that even the controlled pack members looked scared.


    "What is that?" Caleb whispered.


    Elder Thomas smiled wider. "That, my dear children, is the sound of a Shadow Wolf boss calling its pack to hunt. Every rogue within ten miles just got the orders to find and capture the Triple Moon bearer."


    The unified howling stopped, leaving an eerie quiet.


    Then I heard it - the sound of dozens of paws hitting the ground, all running in our direction.


    "They¡¯re alling for me," I realized with horror.


    "Not just rogues," Elder Thomas said enthusiastically. "Every managed pack member too. You have about three minutes before this mountain is filled with wolves who want to drag you back to their masters."


    Below us, Aiden, Brock, and theirpanion were still fighting controlled pack members, but more kepting. They couldn¡¯t reach us in time.


    "Up," Caleb said grimly. "We have to go up."


    We started climbing the rocky slope, but I could already hear the thunder ofing paws getting closer. My hands slipped on the cold stone and I almost fell.


    "I can¡¯t do this fast enough," I gasped.


    "Yes, you can," Caleb said furiously. "You¡¯re stronger than you know."


    A new sound made us both freeze - the soft whistle of an arrow cutting through air.


    "Get down!" Caleb tackled me just as the arrow hit the rock where my head had been.


    Elder Thomas stood above us with a bow, already loading another shot. "Can¡¯t have you escaping before the fun starts," he called down.


    The sound of running wolves was getting closer. Any second now, we¡¯d be trapped by dozens of enemies with nowhere to run.


    But then I noticed something that made my heart race with a different kind of fear.


    My Triple Moon mark was burning against my skin, shining so brightly I could see it through my sleeve. It had never done that before.


    And in the distance, something was answering its call.


    A howl rose from the direction of our pack territory - but this wasn¡¯t like the Shadow Wolf¡¯s united call. This was wild, ancient, and strong in a way that made every wolf on the mountain freeze in recognition.


    "What was that?" Elder Thomas¡¯s confident smile wavered.


    I looked at Caleb with wide eyes. Neither of us knew, but whatever had made that sound was big, old, anding our way fast.


    The thunder ofing enemy paws mixed with something else now - a rhythmic pounding that shook the ground like giant footsteps.


    "Lily," Caleb whispered, looking at my glowing mark. "What did you call?"

 Chapter 32: The Alpha’s Dilemma

    <h4>Chapter 32: The Alpha¡¯s Dilemma</h4>


    Aiden Silver POV


    I ducked just as my own father¡¯s ws swiped through the air where my head had been a second before. The man who¡¯d taught me everything about leadership was now trying to kill me with glowing eyes and no recognition on his face.


    "Dad, it¡¯s me!" I rolled away as he lunged again. "It¡¯s Aiden!"


    "Must... eliminate... Alpha... threat..." he growled in that awful robotic voice.


    This was a nightmare. Twenty minutes ago, I¡¯d been nning rescue missions to find Lily and Caleb. Now I was fighting for my life against my own father in our family home.


    Brock burst through the door, striking Dad from behind. "The whole pack house ispromised!" he yelled. "Everyone¡¯s been taken except us!"


    Dad twisted in Brock¡¯s grip, stronger than he should be. The Shadow Wolf control was making him fight like a wild animal instead of the cunning leader I knew.


    "We can¡¯t hurt him," I said desperately, grabbing a chair to block Dad¡¯s next attack. "There has to be another way!"


    "Tell that to him!" Brock grunted, trying to hold Dad back. "He¡¯s trying to rip my throat out!"


    The front door mmed open. Three more pack members stumbled in, all with those terrible glowing eyes. I recognized them - Beta Morrison, Elder Williams, and Sarah from the kitchen staff. People I¡¯d grown up with, now looking at me like I was their enemy.


    "We¡¯re outnumbered," Brock said sadly.


    I thought fast. As future Alpha, I¡¯d been trained for crisis situations, but nothing had prepared me for fighting my own family. Everything I¡¯d learned about leadership seemed useless when the people I was meant to protect wanted to destroy me.


    "The basement," I said. "There¡¯s only one door. We can defend it better."


    We fought our way toward the basement steps, using furniture as shields. It broke my heart to see Dad stumbling after us, his face nk and lifeless. This wasn¡¯t the father who¡¯d taught me to be strong but fair, who¡¯d shown me that true leadership meant protecting everyone in the pack.


    "Aiden!" Brock called out. "Behind you!"


    I spun around to see little Tommy Chen running toward me with a kitchen knife raised. He couldn¡¯t be more than ten years old, but his eyes glowed with the same control as everyone else.


    "Tommy, stop!" I caught his hands, careful not to hurt him. "You don¡¯t want to do this!"


    "Must... stop... Alpha..." he said in a voice too old for his young face.


    Seeing a child under this control made something snap inside me. These Shadow Wolves weren¡¯t just taking our pack - they were stealing the innocence of our children.


    "Get him to the basement," I told Brock. "Gently. We need to figure out how to break this power."


    We shut ourselves in the basement storage room. Tommy sat in the corner, the glow in his eyes shing on and off like a broken light. Sometimes he looked like himself, confused and scared. Other times, he tried to hit us with whatever he could find.


    "This is insane," Brock said, slumping against the wall. "We¡¯re hiding from our own pack."


    "Not our pack," I corrected firmly. "These aren¡¯t our people anymore. They¡¯re prisoners in their own bodies."


    Above us, I could hear footsteps moving back and forth. Dad and the others were waiting for us toe out. But they weren¡¯t breaking down the door or trying to dig us out. They were just... waiting.


    "Why aren¡¯t they attacking?" Brock wondered.


    Before I could answer, Tommy¡¯s eyes cleared fully. He looked around in fear.


    "Aiden? Brock? Where am I? What¡¯s happening?"


    I knelt down next to him. "Tommy, you¡¯re safe now. But I need you to tell me what you remember."


    "I... I was ying in the yard. Then everything went dark. When I woke up, I couldn¡¯t control my body. It was like watching someone else move me around." He started crying. "I tried to hurt you! I¡¯m sorry!"


    "It¡¯s not your fault," I said gently. "Can you remember anything else? Anything about the sounds in your head?"


    Tommy wiped his nose. "They were always talking to each other. Like they were all linked. But when I thought about Grandma Chen, they got quieter."


    That matched what Lily had found about strong emotions breaking the control. My mind raced, trying to figure out how to use this information.


    "Tommy, I need you to think about your grandmother. Really focus on her. Can you do that?"


    He nodded and closed his eyes. The glow in them stayed away longer this time.


    "It¡¯s working," Brock said. "But how do we do this for the whole pack?"


    A terrible thought hit me. "Brock, what if we can¡¯t save them? What if the only way to stop this is to..."


    I couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. The idea of having to fight - maybe even kill - our own pack members was too horrible to say out loud.


    "No," Brock said firmly. "There¡¯s always another way. We just have to find it."


    Tommy¡¯s eyes started glowing again. He looked at us with that nk face and reached for a screwdriver on a nearby shelf.


    "Must... eliminate... Alpha... threat..." he said.


    I gently took the screwdriver away from him. "Tommy, remember your grandmother¡¯s cookies. Remember how she used to let you lick the spoon."


    For a moment, he paused. Then his eyes cleared again.


    "This is exhausting," I said. "And it only works temporarily. We can¡¯t do this for everyone."


    That¡¯s when we heard it - a howl from outside that shook the entire house. But this wasn¡¯t the united Shadow Wolf call we¡¯d heard before. This was something else entirely.


    "What was that?" Brock asked.


    The footsteps above us stopped moving. Even the controlled pack members seemed confused by the sound.


    Then I heard Dad¡¯s voice, but it sounded different. Less fake, more like himself.


    "Boys? Are you down there? Something¡¯s wrong. I can¡¯t remember thest few hours."


    Hope flooded through me. "Dad?"


    "Aiden? What are you doing in the basement? And why does my head feel like it¡¯s full of cotton?"


    I looked at Brock with excitement. "The howl broke the control somehow."


    We rushed upstairs to find Dad looking around in confusion. The other controlled pack members were gone - they must have left when whatever made that howl appeared.


    "Dad, are you really you?" I asked carefully.


    "Of course I¡¯m me. What kind of question is that?" He rubbed his head. "Thest thing I remember is going to check on the border guards. Then everything¡¯s nk until now."


    I hugged him, relief washing over me. But my joy was short-lived when I understood what this meant.


    "Dad, if that howl broke the power over you, it probably broke it for everyone. Including the rogues and Shadow Wolves."


    His face went pale as the consequences hit him. "They¡¯ll be confused, disorganized. This might be our only chance to fight back."


    "Or," Brock said sadly, "they¡¯ll be even more dangerous because now they¡¯re angry."


    Another howl rang through the night, closer this time. Whatever had made that sound was moving toward the pack house.


    Dad grabbed his backup weapon from the closet. "Boys, I don¡¯t know what¡¯sing, but we need to be ready."


    I looked out the window and saw a huge shadow moving between the trees. It was bigger than any wolf I¡¯d ever seen, with eyes that glowed silver instead of the evil gold of the Shadow Wolves.


    "That¡¯s not a Shadow Wolf," I breathed.


    "Then what is it?" Brock asked.


    The shadow stepped into the moonlight, and my heart stopped. It wasn¡¯t a wolf at all.


    It was something much older and more powerful than anything I¡¯d ever imagined. Something that shouldn¡¯t exist in our world anymore.


    And it was looking straight at our house with old, intelligent eyes.


    "Dad," I whispered, "what legends did you never tell us about our pack?"


    Before he could answer, the thing opened its mouth and spoke in a voice that seemed toe from the earth itself: "Where is the Triple Moon bearer?"

 Chapter 33: Underground Resistance

    <h4>Chapter 33: Underground Resistance</h4>


    Brock Silver POV


    I barely dodged the rock that flew at my head as I reached the nursery building. A small voice yelled from somewhere in the darkness.


    "Stay back! We won¡¯t let you take any more of us!"


    "Wait!" I called out, raising my hands. "I¡¯m not managed! It¡¯s me, Brock!"


    A tiny figure emerged from behind an overturned table - little Emma, only six years old, carrying another rock ready to throw.


    "Prove it," she asked with the fierceness of someone much older.


    "Emma, remember when you broke your armst month? I carried you to the doctor because your mom was working. You cried on my shoulder the whole way."


    Her tough expression copsed. "Brock? Is it really you?"


    "It¡¯s really me." I knelt down to her level. "Are there others hiding here?"


    "Lots of us," Emma whispered. "The glowing-eyed people tried to catch us, but Elder Iris showed us the secret ce."


    My heart leaped. If Elder Iris was here and free, she might have answers we badly needed.


    "Can you take me to her?"


    Emma grabbed my hand and led me to what looked like a normal storage room. But when she pushed on a certain board, a hidden door swung open to show stairs going down into darkness.


    "We¡¯ve been hiding here since yesterday," Emma exined as we climbed down. "The bad people can¡¯t find us because the old magic protects this ce."


    The underground room was bigger than I¡¯d expected. Root cers linked by narrow tunnels stretched under several buildings. Soft candlelight showed me faces I¡¯d feared were lost - at least twenty children and a handful of senior pack members, all looking scared but determined.


    "Brock!" Elder Iris stepped forward, moving better than I¡¯d seen her move in years. "Thank the moon you¡¯re safe."


    "Elder Iris, how did you know to hide down here?"


    Her old eyes held secrets. "Because I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for seventy years, child. Come, we have much to talk and little time."


    She led me deeper into the tunnels while Emma stayed with the other children. We reached a small chamber where Elder Iris had set up what looked like amand center - old books, maps, and strange things I didn¡¯t recognize.


    "You knew this would happen?" I asked.


    "Not exactly, but I knew something like it would." She opened one of the old books. "The Shadow Wolves have tried to take Silver Peak before. Three times in thest two centuries."


    My blood ran cold. "Three times? Why didn¡¯t anyone tell us?"


    "Because each time, they used mind control to make the survivors forget. Only a few records remain, hidden in ces like this." She pointed to marks drawn on the tunnel walls. "Protection symbols, carved by those who remembered."


    "How do you remember if everyone forgets?"


    Elder Iris smiled sadly. "Because I was a child during thest attack, eighty years ago. Children¡¯s thoughts work differently - the control doesn¡¯t stick as well. Neither does the memory wiping."


    That exined why the children down here seemed more aware and less influenced than the adults.


    "What happened during the other attacks?" I asked.


    "The Shadow Wolves would take control of most of the pack, then use them to attack nearby territories. Each time, they were finally stopped, but not before causing tremendous damage." Her voice grew grim. "This time feels different, though. Stronger."


    "Because of Lily," I realized. "They want her Triple Moon power."


    "Partly. But there¡¯s something else." Elder Iris pulled out a very old notebook. "During each previous attack, the Shadow Wolves were led by a different king. This time, all the past alphas have joined together under one leader."


    The consequences hit me like a punch to the gut. "How many Shadow Wolf alphas are we talking about?"


    "At least five, maybe more. And their new leader..." She paused. "The children have heard whispers. They call him the First Shadow."


    "Who¡¯s the First Shadow?"


    "Legend says he was the first wolf to be corrupted by shadow magic, ages ago. If he¡¯s real and if he¡¯s leading this attack, then we¡¯re facing something far more dangerous than a normal Shadow Wolf pack."


    A small voice stopped us. "Elder Iris, someone¡¯sing!"


    Tommy Chen ran into the room, his eyes wide with fear. "I was watching through the crack upstairs. There¡¯s controlled pack members searching the nursery!"


    "How many?" I asked, my protective reflexes kicking in.


    "Six, maybe seven. And they¡¯re not looking randomly - they know we¡¯re here somewhere."


    Elder Iris swore under her breath. "Someone must have told them about the tunnels."


    "Or they forced it out of someone," I said grimly. "We need to move the children."


    "Where?" Elder Iris asked. "These tunnels are the only safe ce we know."


    Heavy footsteps sounded from somewhere above us. Then we heard a voice - robotic and lifeless like all the controlled pack members.


    "We know you¡¯re down there. Come out now and we won¡¯t hurt the children."


    I recognized the voice. It was Beta Morrison, Luna¡¯s father.


    "He¡¯s lying," Tommy whispered. "I saw what they did to Mrs. Peterson when she tried to protect her baby."


    My hands clenched into fists. The idea of these things threatening children made my protective impulses rage. But I couldn¡¯t fight six controlled adults while keeping twenty kids safe.


    "Is there another way out?" I asked Elder Iris.


    "One path leads to the old well behind the meeting hall. But it¡¯s been stopped for years."


    "I can clear it," I said. "Get the children ready to move."


    Elder Iris grabbed my arm. "Brock, there¡¯s something else you need to know. The children have been having dreams."


    "Dreams?"


    "The same dream, all of them. They see Lily at a ce with three stone pirs, surrounded by shadows. And something old ising to help her."


    Before I could ask what that meant, the footsteps above got louder. They¡¯d found the secret entry.


    "Go," Elder Iris pushed. "Take the girls to the well. I¡¯ll dy them here."


    "I¡¯m not leaving you."


    "You have to. These children are our future. Without them, even if we win, we¡¯ll have lost everything that counts."


    The sound of splintering wood rang through the tunnels. They were breaking through the secret door.


    I gathered the children quickly, trying to stay calm so I wouldn¡¯t scare them more. Emma grabbed my hand again.


    "Brock, will Elder Iris be okay?"


    I looked back at the old woman preparing to face the controlled pack members alone. She held something in her hand that glowed with soft silver light - something I¡¯d never seen before.


    "She¡¯s tougher than she looks," I told Emma, hoping it was true.


    We made it to the blocked tunnel just as I heard Elder Iris¡¯s words echoing behind us: "You want to know where the children are? Come and find out, you shadow-cursed fools!"


    I started pulling away rocks and debris from the tunnel mouth, working as fast as I could. Behind us, weird sounds echoed through the tunnels - sounds like Elder Iris was fighting, but also like she was casting some kind of spell.


    The children helped me clear the way, their small hands surprisingly strong. We were almost through when Tommy suddenly grabbed my arm.


    "Brock, look!"


    I turned to see a soft silver light filling the passage behind us. But it wasn¡¯ting from Elder Iris¡¯s direction - it wasing from the children themselves.


    Every single child was shining with the same silver light, their eyes bright but not controlled. They looked at me with looks far too old and wise for their ages.


    "The ancient magic is awakening," little Emma said in a voice that didn¡¯t sound like hers. "The First Shadow has made a terrible mistake."


    "What mistake?" I asked, chills running down my spine.


    All the children spoke at once, their voices forming an eerie harmony: "He thinks he can control the Silver Peak Pack. But he doesn¡¯t know what we really are."


    The silver light grew brighter, and I realized with shock that these weren¡¯t just regr pack children.


    They were something much more powerful than anyone had ever thought.


    And whatever they were bing, I had the feeling it was going to change everything.

 Chapter 34: Ancient Enemies

    <h4>Chapter 34: Ancient Enemies</h4>


    Lily POV


    The ground shook beneath my feet as another st echoed through the forest. I grabbed Caleb¡¯s hand and ran faster, my heart beating so hard I could hear it in my ears.


    "This way!" Caleb pulled me toward a cluster of rocks. "I see a cave!"


    Behind us, angry voices yelled orders. The Shadow Wolves were getting closer. My Triple Moon mark burned against my skin, warning me of risk everywhere.


    We squeezed through a tight opening between two huge stones. The cave beyond was pitch ck, but at least it was quiet. I pressed my back against the cold rock wall and tried to catch my breath.


    "Do you think they saw us?" I whispered.


    Caleb shook his head. "I don¡¯t know. But we can¡¯t stay here long. They¡¯ll search every cave until they find us."


    My stomach twisted with fear. Three days ago, everything had been great. Caleb and I were nning our mating ceremony. The pack was finally bnced and happy. Then the Shadow Wolves attacked without notice, taking control of half our pack members with their glowing eyes and empty stares.


    Now we were hiding like scared rabbits while our friends and family marched around like robots, looking for us.


    "I should have seen thising," I said, holding back tears. "The Triple Moon mark is supposed to protect the pack. But I failed everyone."


    "Hey." Caleb turned to face me in the darkness. "This isn¡¯t your fault. No one could have expected this."


    But I knew better. As the Triple Moon carrier, I was supposed to sense threats to the pack. Instead, I¡¯d been so focused on wedding ns that I missed all the warning signs.


    Caleb dug in his pocket and pulled out a small shlight. When he turned it on, I gasped.


    We weren¡¯t in an everyday cave. The walls were covered with paintings - hundreds of them going back into the darkness. Wolves running, fighting, growling at the moon. But these weren¡¯t normal dog pictures.


    "Caleb, look at their eyes," I breathed.


    In painting after painting, some dogs had normal eyes while others had bright, glowing circles where their eyes should be. The glowing-eyed wolves always stood over the normal ones, whoy on the ground or knelt in submission.


    "It¡¯s them," Caleb said, his voices tight with joy and fear. "The Shadow Wolves. But these drawings are ancient."


    We walked deeper into the cave, following the trail of pictures on the walls. The pictures seemed to tell a story. In the early images, all the wolves looked normal and happy. They hunted together, yed together, raised their pups together.


    Then something changed.


    "Look at this one," I said, pointing to a big painting near the back of the cave.


    It showed a group of wolves gathering around something that looked like a dark pool. Above the pool, strange symbols floated in the air - symbols that made my Triple Moon mark tingle with recognition.


    "Magic," Caleb whispered. "They¡¯re doing magic."


    The next picture was horrible. The dogs who had been around the dark pool now had glowing eyes. They stood over other wolves who were clearly afraid, clearly fighting against some unseen force.


    "They¡¯re controlling them," I realized. "Just like they¡¯re controlling our pack now."


    My hands shook as I touched the ancient picture. The wolf being controlled looked so scared, so powerless. Just like Brock had looked when the Shadow Wolves took him. Just like my friends in the nursery.


    "Keep going," Caleb urged. "There has to be more."


    The story continued along the cave walls. The normal dogs fought back against the controlled ones. There were fights, chases, terrible scenes of wolves turning against their own families.


    Then came the ending.


    The finished paintings showed the glowing-eyed wolves being driven away by the normal ones. But not killed - removed. Cast out into the desert beyond the mountains.


    "They were exiled," I said, understanding rushing through me. "The Shadow Wolves aren¡¯t just another pack. They¡¯re the descendants of wolves who were thrown out of all the areas generations ago."


    "Because they enved other wolves¡¯ minds," Caleb finished. "They¡¯ve been practicing this forbidden magic for centuries, waiting for their chance toe back."


    I felt sick. No wonder the Shadow Wolves were so good at controlling thoughts. They¡¯d had hundreds of years to perfect their dark magic.


    "Lily, look at thisst painting," Caleb called from the very back of the cave.


    I joined him in front of a huge picture that covered the entire back wall. It showed three wolves standing together - one much smaller than the others, but sparkling with silver light. Around her neck was a crescent moon charm.


    My hand flew to my own Triple Moon mark.


    "That¡¯s not just any omega," I whispered. "That¡¯s a Triple Moon baby. Like me."


    In the picture, the Triple Moon wolf stood between the normal wolves and the shadow ones. Silver light poured from her mark, pushing back the darkness that tried to rule the other wolves.


    "She saved them," Caleb said. "The Triple Moon bearer broke the shadow magic and drove the dark wolves away."


    But there was more. In the corner of the picture, barely visible, were symbols that looked like writing. Caleb shined his light on them and tried to sound out the old words.


    "When... shadow... returns..." he read slowly. "The moon... will... rise... again. But watch... the... first... shadow... hunts... the... light."


    A chill ran through my body. "The First Shadow. Elder Iris mentioned that name."


    "What if it¡¯s not just a title?" Caleb asked, his voice barely a whisper. "What if it¡¯s a real wolf? The first one to ever use shadow magic?"


    Before I could answer, footsteps echoed from the cave opening. Heavy boots on stone. Getting closer.


    "They found us," I breathed.


    We were stuck. The cave only had one entry, and the Shadow Wolves were blocking it. There was nowhere to run.


    But as the footsteps got louder, something strange happened. My Triple Moon mark started to glow, just like in the ancient painting. Silver light filled the cave, making the old pictures seem to move and dance on the walls.


    "Lily," Caleb grabbed my arm. "Your mark - it¡¯s responding to something."


    The silver light grew brighter, and suddenly I could hear voices - not from theing Shadow Wolves, but from the paintings themselves. Ancient wolves speaking across ages of time.


    "The circle closes," they whispered. "The First Shadow returns. The battle starts again."


    The footsteps were almost at the back of the cave now. In seconds, we¡¯d be caught. But the sounds from the paintings continued.


    "Beware, Moon Bearer. Hees for you. The one who started it all. The one who can never die."


    My blood turned to ice. Never die? What did that mean?


    Light flickered at the cave entrance - shlight beams looking for us. We pressed ourselves against the back wall, trying to hide in the dark.


    Then I heard a voice that made my heart stop.


    "I know you¡¯re in here, little omega."


    It was a man¡¯s voice, but wrong somehow. Too smooth, too cold. Like ice talking.


    "You cannot hide from me forever. I¡¯ve been waiting ages for another Triple Moon bearer to appear. And now that you have..."


    A figure stepped into view at the mouth of the cave. Tall, wearing a long dark coat. His face was hidden in darkness, but his eyes - his eyes glowed with an ancient, hungry light.


    "Now that you have," he continued, his voice echoing off the cave walls, "I can finallyplete what I started so long ago."


    He raised his hand, and dark power swirled around his fingers like smoke.


    "Come to me, child. Let me show you what real power looks like."


    My Triple Moon mark burned like fire against my skin. Every instinct yelled at me to run, but there was nowhere to go. The old paintings seemed to whisper warnings, but I couldn¡¯t understand them over the roar of terror in my ears.


    This wasn¡¯t just any Shadow Wolf.


    This was the First Shadow himself.


    And he¡¯de for me.

 Chapter 35: The Scholar’s Discovery

    <h4>Chapter 35: The Schr¡¯s Discovery</h4>


    Caleb POV


    Dark magic mmed into the cave wall inches from my head, sending rock chips flying everywhere. I grabbed Lily¡¯s hand and yanked her sideways just as another st hit where we¡¯d been standing.


    "Run!" I yelled, pulling her toward a crack in the cave wall I¡¯d spotted earlier.


    The First Shadow¡¯sughter echoed behind us as we squeezed through the tight opening. My heart hammered against my ribs. All my life, I¡¯d studied pack history and ancient tales, but I never thought I¡¯de face to face with something from those old stories.


    We fell out of the crack onto a ledge overlooking a deep valley. Below us, campfires dotted the darkness like falling stars. Hundreds of them.


    "Caleb, look," Lily whispered, looking down at the valley floor.


    My blood turned cold. It wasn¡¯t just Shadow Wolves down there. Wolves from dozens of different packs sat around those fires - River Pack, Mountain Pack, Forest Pack, and others I recognized from diplomatic talks. But they all had the same empty, glowing eyes.


    "He¡¯s been busy," I mumbled, my mind racing. "This isn¡¯t just about our pack."


    "What do you mean?" Lily asked, but I was already thinking hard, putting pieces together like a puzzle.


    Something had worried me about the ancient cave paintings. The way the Shadow Wolves had been exiled, the symbols around that dark pool, the talk of the First Shadow needing a Triple Moon bearer. None of it made sense unless...


    "Oh no," I breathed. "Lily, I think I know what he¡¯s really trying to do."


    Before she could ask, shouts burst from the cave behind us. The First Shadow had found our getaway route.


    "This way," I said, leading Lily along the narrow cliff. My head spun with terrible options, but I had to focus on getting us to safety first.


    We climbed down the rocky cliff face, using roots and ledges to avoid the main paths where Shadow Wolves roamed. Every few minutes, I got glimpses of the massive gathering below. There had to be a thousand controlled wolves down there, maybe more.


    "I¡¯ve never seen so many different packs in one ce," Lily said as we hid behind a rock.


    "That¡¯s because it¡¯s never happened before," I replied, my worst fears starting to prove themselves. "Not in recorded history."


    We found a small cave hidden by twisted tree roots. Inside, I pulled out my notebook - the one I always carried for jotting down historical facts and notes. My hands shook as I flipped through pages of notes I¡¯d made over the years.


    "Caleb, what are you looking for?" Lily asked.


    "Proof," I said grimly. "Proof that this is much worse than we thought."


    I found the page I wanted - notes about the Triple Moon mark from Elder Iris¡¯s old books. I¡¯d copied down everything I could find about past Triple Moon holders.


    "Listen to this," I said, reading from my notes. "The Triple Moon shows only during times of great need, when the bnce of wolf society is threatened. Each bearer has unique powers, but all share one shared ability."


    "What ability?" Lily asked.


    "They can break mind control magic," I said. "Not just for one or two wolves, but for entire packs at once."


    Lily looked at me. "That¡¯s why he wants me. The First Shadow needs my power for something."


    "Not to use it," I said, the horrible truth clicking into ce. "To steal it."


    I flipped to another page, one with information about forbidden magic techniques. "Look at this. Ancient texts describe a ritual called the Shadow Binding. It¡¯s supposed to make mind control permanent and unbreakable."


    "Permanent?" Lily¡¯s voice was barely a whisper.


    "Think about it," I said, my mind running ahead. "Right now, his power over those wolves takes constant energy. That¡¯s why Shadow Wolves usually stick to small packs - they can¡¯t keep control over too many minds at once."


    I pointed toward the valley full of tame wolves. "But if he could make the controlsting, he wouldn¡¯t need to constantly focus his power. He could control thousands of wolves forever."


    "And he needs my Triple Moon power to do it," Lily finished.


    "Exactly. The ritual demands the willing sacrifice of a Triple Moon bearer¡¯s power. Once he has it, every wolf in that valley bes his ve forever. Then he can use them to attack other packs, control more wolves, and keep growing his army."


    The full horror of it hit me like a punch to the gut. "Lily, he¡¯s not just trying to take over our pack. He¡¯s trying to control every wolf pack in existence."


    She was quiet for a long moment, looking out at the valley of controlled wolves. "That¡¯s why the old Triple Moon bearer fought them. She knew what they were nning."


    "And that¡¯s why they were exiled instead of killed," I added. "The other packs couldn¡¯t risk destroying thempletely - they needed to keep the knowledge of how to stop them."


    A new thought struck me, making me flip rapidly through my notebook. "There has to be more. The ancient wolves must have left directions, some way to break the Shadow Binding ritual."


    But as I read through page after page of notes, my heart sank. There were references to the ritual, warnings about its dangers, but no clear directions on how to stop it.


    "Caleb," Lily said softly. "If I don¡¯t give him my power willingly, what happens?"


    I didn¡¯t want to answer, but she deserved the truth. "The rite doesn¡¯t work if the power is taken by force. It has to be given freely."


    "So he can¡¯t just kill me and take it."


    "No. But..." I paused, then forged ahead. "He can torture people you care about until you agree to save them."


    Lily¡¯s face went pale. "Brock. Aiden. My friends in the nursery."


    "Everyone from our pack who¡¯s been controlled," I confirmed. "He¡¯s not just building an army down there. He¡¯s gathering prisoners."


    A sound made us both freeze - footsteps on the rocks outside our hiding ce. We pressed ourselves against the back of the small cave, hardly daring to breathe.


    A Shadow Wolf emerged at the entrance, his glowing eyes scanning the darkness. For a moment that felt like hours, he stood there looking straight at our hiding spot.


    Then he moved on.


    We waited until his footsteps faded before either of us spoke.


    "We have to warn the other packs," Lily whispered. "They need to know what¡¯sing."


    "How?" I asked. "Even if we could get past all those guards, who would believe us? And by the time we convinced anyone, it might be toote."


    "Then what do we do?"


    I looked at my notebook, filled with years of research and study. All that information, and I still didn¡¯t have the answer we needed most.


    "I need to find theplete ritual," I said finally. "There has to be a way to stop it. The ancient wolves wouldn¡¯t have just recorded the problem without leaving an answer."


    "Where would something like that be hidden?"


    "Somewhere the Shadow Wolves couldn¡¯t find it. Somewhere only a schr would think to look." I paused, an idea forming. "The Sacred Grove. There¡¯s a library there, older than any pack area. If answers exist, that¡¯s where they¡¯d be."


    "The Sacred Grove is three days¡¯ journey from here," Lily said. "And it¡¯s crawling with Shadow Wolf patrols."


    "I know. But it¡¯s our only chance." I closed my notebook and looked at her seriously. "Lily, I need you to promise me something. If I don¡¯t make it back, if they catch me..."


    "Don¡¯t say that."


    "Promise me you won¡¯t give them your power, no matter what they threaten. Even if they hurt me, even if they hurt everyone we love. The fate of every wolf pack rests on you keeping that power away from the First Shadow."


    Tears filled her eyes. "I can¡¯t promise that, Caleb. I can¡¯t watch them hurt you."


    "You have to," I said, taking her hands in mine. "Because if he gets your power, everyone dies anyway. At least this way, there¡¯s still hope."


    A new sound reached our ears - howling. Dozens of voices joining together in an eerie melody that made my skin crawl. The controlled wolves were calling to each other, nning for something big.


    "They¡¯re moving," I said, looking out of the cave. "The whole army is getting ready to march."


    "March where?" Lily asked.


    I watched the patterns of movement below, my schrly mind immediately analyzing the formations. "They¡¯re breaking into groups. Some moving east toward River Pack territory, others going west toward the Mountain Pack."


    "They¡¯re attacking multiple packs at once," Lily realized.


    "While keeping the strongest force here to guard you," I added grimly. "He¡¯s forcing a choice - either you surrender to save the other packs, or you watch them all fall one by one."


    The screaming grew louder, more urgent. In the distance, I could see controlled wolves from our own pack - Brock, Aiden, Luna, and others - being arranged into attack patterns.


    "How long before they reach the other packs?" Lily asked.


    I figured quickly in my head. "Two days, maybe three."


    "That¡¯s not enough time for you to reach the Sacred Grove and get back."


    "I know." I turned to face her, my heart breaking. "Lily, I think we¡¯re going to have to split up."


    Before she could protest, a new voice called out from the valley below. The First Shadow himself, his words carrying clearly in the cold night air.


    "Little omega! I know you can hear me! I¡¯m sending your friends to visit the surrounding packs. They¡¯re going to send a message - surrender to me, or watch their territories burn!"


    He paused, letting his words sink in.


    "You have until the next full moon to decide. Give me your power freely, and I¡¯ll let the other packs live as my servants. Refuse, and I¡¯ll kill them all before Ie for you."


    My blood turned to ice. The next full moon was only five days away.


    "And just so you know I¡¯m serious," the First Shadow continued, his voice filled with cruel humor, "I¡¯m going to start with the smaller pack first. The Sunset Pack has some very young pups, I hear. It would be such a shame if something happened to them."


    Lily gasped. The Sunset Pack was barely fifty wolves, most of them old or children. They couldn¡¯t possibly defend themselves against an army of controlled dogs.


    "You have five days to save them all," the First Shadow called out. "Choose wisely, little moon bearer. Choose quickly."


    Hisughter echoed through the valley as the massive army began to move out, moving toward innocent packs who had no idea what wasing for them.


    I looked at Lily, seeing my own desperation mirrored in her eyes. Five days to find a solution, save various packs, and stop an ancient evil from enving every wolf in existence.


    And we were just two wolves, alone and chased, with nowhere left to run.

 Chapter 36: Desperate Measures

    <h4>Chapter 36: Desperate Measures</h4>


    Aiden POV


    The emergency howl cut through the morning air like a knife through my chest. I dropped themunication crystal I¡¯d been holding and ran toward the sound, my heart beating so hard I could feel it in my throat.


    "What¡¯s happening?" I yelled to Marcus, one of our border guards, as he stumbled into the pack clearing.


    "River Pack," he gasped, blood spilling from a gash on his forehead. "They¡¯re striking our eastern border. But something¡¯s wrong with them, Alpha. Their eyes... they¡¯re sparkling."


    My blood turned ice cold. The Shadow Wolves had reached River Pack. We were toote.


    "How many?" I ordered, helping Marcus stay upright.


    "All of them," he whispered. "The entire River Pack is marching toward us like they¡¯re under someone else¡¯s control."


    I closed my eyes for a second, trying to think past the fear wing at my chest. River Pack had over two hundred wolves. They¡¯d been our friends for decades. Now they wereing to destroy us, and there was nothing we could do to fight them without hurting innocent wolves who weren¡¯t in control of their own actions.


    "Get everyone to the safe caves," I ordered. "Women, children, and elders first."


    As Marcus limped away, I grabbed the contact crystals from my study. These magical stones let pack leaders talk to each other across great distances. If River Pack had fallen, I needed to tell the other packs and ask for help.


    I pressed the first crystal, the one linked to Mountain Pack.


    "Alpha Stone, this is Alpha Aiden of Silver Peak. We have an emergency¡ª"


    The voice that answered wasn¡¯t Alpha Stone¡¯s. It was cold and lifeless, with that terrible t tone I¡¯d heard from our own controlled pack members.


    "Silver Peak Pack will surrender," the voice said. "The First Shadowmands it."


    I dropped the rock like it had burned me. Mountain Pack was gone too.


    My hands shaking, I tried the next crystal. Forest Pack.


    "Submit to the First Shadow," came another calm voice. "Resistance is useless."


    Sunset Pack. Same thing.


    Valley Pack. Same thing.


    One by one, I tried every pack partnership we had. Twelve different packs, twelve crystal connections we¡¯d made over years of careful diplomacy. Every single one answered with that same horrible, emotionless voice telling me to submit.


    I sank into my chair, looking at the pile of crystals. How was this possible? The First Shadow couldn¡¯t have taken over twelve different packs in just a few days. Unless...


    "Unless he¡¯s been nning this for months," I whispered to myself.


    The truth hit me like a punch to the stomach. All those diplomatic talks I¡¯d attended over the past year. All those times leaders from other packs had visited Silver Peak. The Shadow Wolves hadn¡¯t just been building an army in secret¡ªthey¡¯d been infiltrating pack leadership everywhere.


    How many of those diplomatic talks had I sat through with controlled wolves? How many times had I shaken hands with pack leaders who were already under the First Shadow¡¯s power?


    A new howl outside made me jump up. This one was different¡ªnot fear, but a signal. Three short howls, then one long one. It was the code for "iing messengers."


    I ran outside to find a small group of wolves nearing our territory border. But as they got closer, I could see the telltale glow in their eyes. They weren¡¯t messengers. They were controlled dogs from multiple different packs, all working together.


    The lead wolf, who I recognized as Beta Tom from Forest Pack, stopped just outside our territory line. When he spoke, his voice wasn¡¯t his own.


    "Alpha Aiden Silver," he called out, though his mouth barely moved. "The First Shadow offers you one chance to save your pack from destruction."


    I forced myself to walk closer, even though every sense told me to run. "What do you want?"


    "Give us the Triple Moon bearer," Beta Tom said. "Surrender Lily Carter freely, and your pack will be allowed to serve the First Shadow. Refuse, and we will take her anyway, after we kill everyone you¡¯ve ever cared about."


    "Lily isn¡¯t here," I said, which was true. She and Caleb were still missing.


    "We know," the controlled wolf answered. "But she will return. She cannot fight the pull to save those she loves."


    The wolf pointed behind him, and more controlled wolves stepped forward. I recognized faces from every pack I¡¯d tried to contact¡ªfriends I¡¯d known for years, partners I¡¯d trusted with my life. All of them looking at me with those terrible glowing eyes.


    "How many packs?" I asked, though I didn¡¯t really want to know the answer.


    "All of them," Beta Tom said. "Every pack within five hundred miles now serves the First Shadow. You are alone, Alpha Aiden. You have no friends left."


    The words hit me harder than any physical blow could have. Every pack alliance I¡¯d carefully built, every friendship I¡¯d nurtured, every diplomatic link that had taken years to create¡ªall of it was gone. Worse than gone. Turned against us.


    "We will give you until sunset to decide," the controlled wolf continued. "Surrender the Triple Moon bearer, or watch your pack die."


    The group turned and walked away, leaving me standing there feeling more useless than I¡¯d ever felt in my life. As the future Alpha, I was meant to protect my pack. I was supposed to have answers, friends, backup ns. Instead, I had nothing.


    I walked back toward our area, my mind racing. Every pack we could have turned to for help was now our enemy. Every getaway route I could think of would just lead us into more controlled wolves. Even if we tried to run, where could we go? The First Shadow¡¯s impact seemed to reach everywhere.


    A sound made me look up. More howls in the distance, but these wereing from various directions. North, south, east, and west. We were being trapped.


    I went up to our highest watchtower and looked out over thendscape. My heart sank. Hundreds of wolves wereing from every direction. Not just River Pack anymore, but wolves from all the packs I¡¯d tried to call. They moved in perfect formation, like pieces on a chess board controlled by a single thought.


    The First Shadow wasn¡¯t just making good on his threat to attack other packs. He was using all the packs he¡¯d already conquered to trap us here. There would be no escape, no fighting our way out, nost-minute rescue from friends.


    We were totally surrounded by an army of controlled wolves, and somewhere out there, Lily and Caleb had no idea they were walking into a trap that had been months in the making.


    I gripped the watchtower railing so hard my fingers turned white. As Alpha, I had to find a way to save my pack. But for the first time in my life, I couldn¡¯t see any way out.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something that made my blood freeze in my veins. Among theing wolves, I could see faces I recognized from our own pack. Wolves who should have been in the safe dens.


    The First Shadow hadn¡¯t just surrounded us from outside. Somehow, he¡¯d already gotten inside our area too.

 Chapter 37: The Hunter Becomes Hunted

    <h4>Chapter 37: The Hunter Bes Hunted</h4>


    Lily POV


    The arrow whizzed past my ear so close I felt the feathers brush my hair. I dove behind a fallen tree, my heart pounding as more arrows thudded into the wood above my head.


    "She went this way!" a voice yelled. "Don¡¯t let her reach the river!"


    I pressed my back against the rough bark, trying to catch my breath. Three days of running through the wilderness, barely stopping to eat or sleep, and the rogues were still following me. Every time I thought I¡¯d lost them, they came again like shadows that wouldn¡¯t fade.


    My Triple Moon mark burned against my wrist, pulsing with a strange heat that seemed to grow stronger every hour. Whatever power was building inside me, it was making me easy to find. Like a light calling to every enemy in the forest.


    Another arrow hit the tree. I had to move.


    I crawled along the ground, staying low as I made my way toward a clump of rocks. The rogues were getting closer. I could hear their footsteps crunching through the dried leaves, spreading out to surround me.


    "Come out, little omega," one of them called. "We know you¡¯re tired. Stop making this harder than it needs to be."


    I recognized the voice. It was Jake, the rogue leader who¡¯d been hunting me since I fled their camp. He sounded way too cocky, like he knew something I didn¡¯t.


    That¡¯s when I smelled it. More rogues. Not just the five who¡¯d been chasing me, but at least ten others. Fresh scentsing from the direction I¡¯d been going.


    My stomach dropped. They hadn¡¯t just been chasing me. They¡¯d been moving me. Driving me exactly where they wanted me to go.


    I was stuck.


    "Smart girl," Jake¡¯s voice came closer. "You found it out, didn¡¯t you? We¡¯ve been moving you toward this spot for two days. Every time you thought you were fleeing, you were really just following our n."


    I closed my eyes, fighting back fear. How could I have been so stupid? I¡¯d been so focused on running that I hadn¡¯t noticed the trend. Every time the rogues had gotten close, they¡¯d attacked from the same side, causing me to run in the same direction. Like wolves gathering sheep.


    "The First Shadow taught us well," Jake continued. "He said you¡¯d use your omega instincts to try to beat us. But we¡¯re not just rogues anymore. We¡¯re part of something bigger."


    That¡¯s when I noticed their smells were wrong. Not just rogue dogs, but something else mixed in. Something cold and dark that made my skin crawl.


    Shadow power. They¡¯d been touched by it.


    "You can¡¯t hide forever," another voice called. "We have your area surrounded. Twenty rogues, all strengthened by the First Shadow¡¯s power. You¡¯re just one little omega."


    Twenty. My heart sank even lower. I¡¯d never fought more than three wolves at once, and that was when Brock and Aiden were helping me. How could I possibly live against twenty enhanced rogues?


    But as the fear washed over me, something else rose up to meet it. Anger. These wolves were working with the monster who¡¯d taken control of my pack, my friends, my family. They were helping him hurt innocent people.


    My Triple Moon mark red brighter, and suddenly I could sense things I¡¯d never noticed before. The exact ce of every rogue around me. Their heartbeats. Their breaths. Even their feelings.


    And what I sensed shocked me. They weren¡¯t as sure as they sounded. Half of them were scared. Scared of me.


    Why would improved rogues be afraid of one omega?


    "She¡¯s not responding," I heard one of them whisper. "Maybe we should just grab her and go."


    "The First Shadow said to be careful," another responded. "Triple Moon bearers are dangerous when cornered."


    "She¡¯s just a kid," a third voice argued. "How dangerous could she be?"


    That¡¯s when I realized something important. These rogues had been told to catch me, but they didn¡¯t really understand what they were dealing with. The First Shadow had sent them to hunt me, but he hadn¡¯t told them everything about my power.


    I could use that.


    Taking a deep breath, I focused on the feelings flowing through my mark. Each rogue had a slightly different scent, a different heartbeat, a different amount of fear. And underneath the shadow magic that improved them, I could sense their true natures.


    Most rogues became outsiders because they couldn¡¯t get along with others. They were loners, distrustful, quick to fight even their own friends. The shadow magic was keeping them together as a group, but it was like a thin rope stretched too tight.


    What if I could snap that rope? "I know you can hear me, little omega," Jake yelled out. "Last chance to surrender quietly. Otherwise, things get ugly."


    Instead of answering, I did something that probably seemed crazy. I stood up, walked out from behind my hiding spot, and raised my hands.


    "I surrender," I called out.


    The rogues emerged from their hiding ces, making a circle around me. Twenty wolves, just like they¡¯d said. All of them bigger and stronger than me. All of them touched by shadow magic that made their eyes gleam with an eerie light.


    Jake smiled as he approached. "Smart choice. The First Shadow will be pleased."


    "Before we go," I said, keeping my voice steady, "I have a question. Who¡¯s really in charge here?"


    Jake¡¯s smile faltered. "I am, obviously."


    "Are you?" I looked around the circle. "Because Marcus over there keeps looking at you like he wants to challenge you. And Sarah¡¯s been questioning your choices for the past hour."


    Jake spun to re at Marcus, who instantly snarled back. "I haven¡¯t said anything!"


    "You don¡¯t have to say it," I continued, focusing my omega senses on the increasing tension. "Everyone can smell your fear. You think Jake¡¯s leading us into a trap."


    "That¡¯s not true!" Marcus snapped, but his defensive tone made it clear I¡¯d hit a nerve.


    "And Sarah," I turned to the female rogue, "you¡¯re worried Jake¡¯s going to take all the credit for capturing me. You think you deserve to be the leader just as much as he does."


    Sarah¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Maybe I do."


    "This is ridiculous," Jake growled. "She¡¯s trying to turn us against each other!"


    "Is she?" asked another thief. "Because I¡¯ve been thinking the same thing. Why do you get to make all the choices, Jake?"


    The shadow magic that had been holding them together like glue was starting to crack. I could feel it fading as their natural distrust of each other grew stronger.


    "You¡¯re all idiots," Jake growled. "The First Shadow chose me to lead this mission!"


    "Did he?" I asked innocently. "Or did you just tell everyone that? Because from what I heard, he just said to bring me back living. He never said you were in charge."


    That did it. Marcus stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists. "I¡¯m tired of taking orders from you, Jake. Maybe it¡¯s time for new leadership."


    "Try it," Jake dared.


    As the two rogues faced off, I felt the shadow magic binding the group together totally shatter. All around the circle, wolves were turning on each other, oldints and rivalries flooding back as the magical control faded.


    In the confusion that followed, I ran.


    But as I ran through the trees, my Triple Moon mark suddenly zed with light so bright it hurt my eyes. Behind me, the fighting stopped. An eerie silence fell over the forest.


    When I looked back, all twenty rogues were standing perfectly still, their eyes now shining with the same terrible light I¡¯d seen in the controlled pack members.


    A new voice rang through the forest, cold and ancient and filled with power.


    "Clever little omega. But did you really think I wouldn¡¯t be watching?"


    The First Shadow himself was here.

 Chapter 38: Brothers Divided

    <h4>Chapter 38: Brothers Divided</h4>


    Brock POV


    I mmed my fist against the cave wall so hard that rocks crumbled to the ground. "We can¡¯t just sit here while Lily and Caleb are out there!"


    "Keep your voice down!" Aiden hissed, grabbing my arm. "Do you want the controlled wolves to find us?"


    I jerked away from him, my whole body shaking with anger and rage. We¡¯d been hiding in this cramped cave for six hours while our pack members marched around outside with glowing eyes, looking for us like we were criminals.


    "They could be dead already," I said, trying to keep my words quiet but failing. "Every minute we waste talking is another minute they¡¯re in danger."


    "And charging out there like a crazy person will get us all killed," Aiden shot back. "Then who¡¯s going to save anyone?"


    Behind us, the twelve other pack members who¡¯d fled the mind control watched our argument with worried faces. Elder Iris sat against the cave wall, looking older and more tired than I¡¯d ever seen her. Three mothers held their young children close. A handful of teenage wolves gathered together, scared and confused.


    This was all that was left of our pack. Fifteen wolves hidden in a cave while hundreds of our friends and family served the First Shadow.


    "Brock¡¯s right," said Tom, one of the young wolves. "We should be fighting, not hiding."


    "Fighting with what?" Aiden demanded. "We have no tools, no n, and no idea how to break the mind control. What exactly do you want us to do?"


    "Something!" I burst, my control finally snapping. "Anything except sitting here like cowards while our people suffer!"


    The word ¡¯cowards¡¯ hung in the air between us like a p. Aiden¡¯s face went pale, then red with anger.


    "Cowards?" he repeated in a dangerous voice. "I¡¯m trying to keep these people alive, Brock. I¡¯m trying to find an answer that doesn¡¯t get everyone killed."


    "Your solutions aren¡¯t working!" I shouted back. "We tried calling other packs - they¡¯re all controlled. We tried hiding - they almost found us twice. We tried waiting for Lily and Caleb toe back - they¡¯re probably taken or worse!"


    "So what¡¯s your brilliant n?" Aiden stepped closer, his Alpha power making my wolf side want to back down. But I was too angry to care about pack rank right now.


    "We fight our way to them," I said simply. "We break through the controlled wolves, find Lily and Caleb, and figure out the rest together."


    "That¡¯s not a n, that¡¯s suicide!"


    "It¡¯s better than doing nothing!"


    Elder Iris struggled to her feet, her walking stick tapping against the cave floor. "Boys, please¡ª"


    "Stay out of this!" we both snapped at the same time, then red at each other even harder.


    "You want to know the real problem?" Aiden said, his voice getting colder. "You¡¯re not thinking like a boss. You¡¯re thinking like a warrior who only knows how to solve problems with his hands."


    The insult hit me right in the chest. "And you¡¯re thinking like a politician who¡¯s too scared to get his hands dirty!"


    "I¡¯m thinking like someone who actually cares about keeping people alive!"


    "You think I don¡¯t care?" I stepped right up to him, close enough that our noses almost touched. "Those tamed wolves out there include our parents, Aiden. Our friends. Luna. Everyone we¡¯ve ever thought about. And you want to sit here making ns while they suffer!"


    "Making ns is how we save them!" Aiden pushed me back. "Rushing in blind is how we get them killed!"


    "They¡¯re already as good as dead!" I pushed him back harder. "At least my way gives them a chance!"


    That¡¯s when Elder Iris did something I¡¯d never seen her do before. She whistled - a sharp, piercing sound that cut through our disagreement like a de.


    "Enough!" she snapped, her voice carrying more power than I¡¯d ever heard from any omega. "Both of you, sit down and listen."


    Something in her tone made us both freeze. Even angry as I was, I found myself sitting on the cave floor without meaning to.


    "You¡¯re both right," Elder Iris said, pointing her walking stick at each of us. "And you¡¯re both wrong."


    "What¡¯s that supposed to mean?" I muttered.


    "Brock, your heart is in the right ce, but Aiden¡¯s correct that charging recklessly into a fight will get everyone killed. Aiden, your caution is smart, but Brock¡¯s right that waiting too long will make any n useless."


    She looked around at the other pack members. "But more importantly, your fighting is splitting the only free wolves we have left. How do you expect to save anyone if you can¡¯t work together?"


    Shame washed over me as I realized she was right. While Aiden and I had been fighting, the other wolves had started taking sides. Tom and two other teenagers had moved closer to me, while the mothers with children had grouped near Aiden. We were physically splitting our tiny group in half.


    "I just..." I started, then stopped, not sure how to put my thoughts into words. "I can¡¯t stand not doing anything. Every time I close my eyes, I see Mom and Dad with those bright eyes, and I want to break something."


    Aiden¡¯s face softened a little. "I see them too," he said softly. "But I also see these people depending on us to make the right choice."


    "So what do we do?" asked Sarah, one of the moms. "My children are scared. We can¡¯t stay hidden forever."


    Before either of us could answer, a new sound reached our ears. Footsteps outside the cave. Multiple sets, moving slowly through the forest.


    We all froze, hardly daring to breathe. The controlled dogs had found us.


    "Stay quiet," Aiden whispered, motioning for everyone to move deeper into the cave.


    But as we crept backward, I heard something that made my blood run cold. Voices. Familiar sounds talking to each other in normal tones - not the t, emotionless way controlled wolves spoke.


    "I think I saw smokeing from this direction," someone said.


    I knew that voice. It was Marcus, one of our border guards. But Marcus had been controlled during the attack on ournd. I¡¯d seen his sparkling eyes myself.


    "Are you sure?" another voice answered. "The First Shadow said all the free wolves fled toward the river."


    That was David, another pack member who should have been under control.


    "Maybe the control is wearing off," Aiden whispered hopefully.


    But something felt wrong. The voices sounded too normal, too rxed. Like they were performing a y rather than having a real talk.


    "Hello?" Marcus called out, his voice bouncing off the cave walls. "Is anyone in there? We¡¯ve broken free from the mind control. It¡¯s safe toe out."


    Elder Iris grabbed my arm with surprising power. "Don¡¯t," she whispered desperately. "Something¡¯s not right."


    "We¡¯re friends," David added. "We¡¯re here to help you escape."


    I wanted to believe them. These were wolves I¡¯d known my whole life, wolves I¡¯d trained with andughed with and trusted with my life. But the way they were speaking, the perfect time of their arrival, the fact that they imed to be free when we¡¯d seen no sign that the control could be broken...


    "It¡¯s a trap," I realized.


    Aiden nodded grimly. "They¡¯re using our own pack members against us."


    "Please," Marcus called again. "We know you¡¯re scared, but we¡¯re really free. The First Shadow¡¯s power is fading. We can all escape together."


    The worst part was how much I wanted to believe him. How much I wanted to run out there and hug Marcus and David and pretend everything was going back to normal.


    But then I heard it - a sound so quiet I almost missed it. A third set of footsteps, moving around to the back of the cave. Someone was trying to surround us while Marcus and David kept us busy with their fake rescue.


    "There¡¯s someoneing around behind us," I whispered to Aiden.


    His face went white. We were stuck. Controlled pack members at the front entrance, more closing in from behind, and fifteen innocent wolves relying on us to keep them safe.


    "We have to choose," Aiden whispered. "Fight our way out the front, or try to slip past whoever¡¯sing from behind."


    Before I could answer, Marcus¡¯s voice changed. The fake friendliness vanished, reced by the cold, t tone of the controlled.


    "We know you¡¯re in there. Come out now, or we¡¯lle in and get you."


    Behind us, footsteps were getting closer to the back door.


    We were out of time, out of choices, and out of ces to run.


    That¡¯s when the footsteps behind us stopped, and a familiar voice called out from the cave¡¯s back entrance.


    "Brock? Aiden? Thank god you¡¯re alive."


    It was Caleb.

 Chapter 39: The Elder’s Secret

    <h4>Chapter 39: The Elder¡¯s Secret</h4>


    <strong>Elder Iris POV</strong>


    When I heard steps behind the cave, I put down my walking stick. It hurt like it hadn¡¯t hurt in fifty years, my heart. Those weren¡¯t tamed lionsing after us; I knew those dogs could walk anywhere.


    "Caleb?" I whispered it, almost afraid to believe it.


    The young wolf came out of the cave through the back door, but something was very wrong. His silver-blue eyes went back and forth between being normal and that awful controlled light. He was using all of his strength to fight the mind control at all costs.


    "Elder Iris!" he screamed and fell to his knees. "I can¡¯t..." I can¡¯t hold it much longer. The First Shadow¡¯s power is getting stronger."


    All fifteen of us pressed deeper into the cave as Caleb crawled inside. Blood dripped from his nose from the effort of fighting the control. I¡¯d seen this before, decades ago, and it meant only one thing - we were running out of time.


    "Where¡¯s Lily?" Brock ordered, grabbing his brother¡¯s shoulders.


    "Safe," Caleb panted. "Hidden where even I don¡¯t know. She made me forget the spot before the control took hold again. Smart girl."


    Aiden knelt beside his brother. "How long can you fight it?"


    "Minutes, maybe less." Caleb¡¯s eyes shed bright for a second before returning to normal. "The First Shadow isn¡¯t just controlling our pack anymore. He¡¯s joining all the controlled wolves across the country. Building an army."


    The cave fell silent except for the sound of controlled pack members still calling from the front entry. My hands shook as I realized what this meant. I¡¯d hoped we¡¯d have more time, but the signs were all there.


    "This is it," I whispered. "The darkest hour."


    "What are you talking about?" Sarah asked, holding her children closer.


    I looked around at the scared faces of our little group. These brave wolves had trusted me to guide them, but I¡¯d been keeping the biggest secret of all. My chest burned where an old mark had faded long ago, a mark I thought would never matter again.


    "There¡¯s something I never told anyone," I said, my voice shaking. "Something I¡¯ve kept hidden for fifty years."


    Tom stepped forward. "Elder Iris, whatever it is can wait. We need to figure out how to help Caleb."


    "No," I said strongly. "This can¡¯t wait another second. Because what¡¯s happening to Caleb, what¡¯s happening to our pack - I¡¯ve seen it all before."


    I pushed up the sleeve of my old sweater with shaky fingers. Where the skin was wrinkled and spotted with age, a faint silver pattern showed. Three crescent moons, barely noticeable but still there after all these years.


    "I was the Triple Moon bearer before Lily," I said quietly.


    The gasps echoed through the cave. Even Caleb, fighting the mind control, stared at me in shock.


    "That¡¯s impossible," Aiden breathed. "Triple Moon bearers are meant to be special. Chosen. You¡¯re just..."


    "Just an omega who worked in the kitchens?" I finished for him. "Yes, I was. Exactly like Lily. Exactly like every Triple Moon bearer throughout history."


    Brock shook his head. "But the stories say Triple Moon carriers bring peace and bnce. If you had the mark, why is our pack still run by alphas?"


    My heart ached as I remembered those terrible days fifty years ago. "Because I failed."


    The cave went dead quiet except for Caleb¡¯s heavy breathing as he fought the control that was trying to drag him back.


    "I was eighteen, just like Lily," I continued. "The mark emerged during a crisis - rogues had attacked three packs, controlled by something dark and powerful. Sound familiar?"


    "The First Shadow?" Sarah whispered.


    "His predecessor," I said. "The evil that threatens the wolf world doesn¡¯t die - it just finds new hosts. And it alwayses back when wolves forget that we¡¯re stronger together than apart."


    Elder memory flooded back. The fear, the confusion, the weight of duty I wasn¡¯t ready for. "I had three possible mates too. Strong, handsome alpha brothers who were meant to court me. But when the time came to choose, when the pack needed me to step up and join everyone..."


    I closed my eyes, the old shame burning in my chest. "I ran away."


    "What?" Tom said. "But you¡¯ve lived here your whole life."


    "I came back yearster, when it was toote. The dark wolf had been stopped by others, but the damage was done. The chance for bnce was lost. I spent the next fifty years watching our pack grow more and more split, knowing it was my fault."


    Caleb suddenly screamed, holding his head as his eyes zed bright. "He¡¯sing! The First Shadow knows where we are!"


    Outside, the fake friendly sounds of Marcus and David had stopped. Instead, we heard the emotionless march of many feet circling our cave.


    "Twenty years I waited," I continued desperately, "hoping another Triple Moon holder would appear. When Lily¡¯s mark showed, I thought I could guide her to seed where I failed."


    "And now?" Aiden asked.


    I looked at Caleb, whose human mind was losing the fight against the supernatural control. "Now the darkness is stronger than ever because I gave it fifty extra years to grow."


    The footsteps outside stopped. Through the cave opening, a voice spoke - not Marcus or David, but something cold and ancient and terrible.


    "Come out, little dogs. Your elder has already failed once. Why make her watch you all die for her mistakes?"


    My blood turned to ice. The First Shadow was here, in the flesh, speaking through one of our controlled pack members.


    "He knows," I whispered. "He knows what I am. What I was."


    "Elder Iris," Brock said quickly, "if you were a Triple Moon bearer, you must know how to fight this."


    I shook my head sadly. "I never learned. I was too scared, too young, too worried about what people would think. By the time I found courage, it was toote to matter."


    Caleb copsed, his eyes now forever glowing. When he looked at us, it wasn¡¯t our Caleb anymore.


    "Hello, old friend," the First Shadow spoke through Caleb¡¯s mouth, smiling with someone else¡¯s cruel face. "I¡¯ve been looking forward to finishing what we started fifty years ago."


    The controlled Caleb stood up slowly, his moves too fluid, too graceful. "You cost me greatly when you ran away, Iris. I had to wait decades for another Triple Moon child to appear. But this time, I¡¯ll make sure there are no dys."


    My worst fear wasing true. Not only had I failed fifty years ago, but now my failure was going to destroy the only hope our world had left.


    "Where is the girl?" the First Shadow asked through Caleb.


    I lifted my chin, finding strength I thought I¡¯d lost long ago. "I¡¯ll never tell you."


    "Oh, you will," he said, and Caleb¡¯s familiar face twisted into something terrible. "Because I¡¯m going to use these people you¡¯ve been guarding to make you talk. Starting with the children."


    The First Shadow looked straight at Sarah¡¯s two young cubs, and his smile was the most terrifying thing I¡¯d ever seen.


    That¡¯s when I realized the awful truth - he hadn¡¯t juste for Lily. He¡¯de for me. The failed Triple Moon bearer who¡¯d hidden her shame for fifty years.


    And now everyone I cared about was going to pay for my old weakness.

 Chapter 40: Shadows and Moonlight

    <h4>Chapter 40: Shadows and Moonlight</h4>


    Lily POV


    The howl that split the night air made my blood freeze. It wasn¡¯t like any wolf sound I¡¯d ever heard - too deep, too hollow, like it came from something that used to be alive but wasn¡¯t anymore.


    I pressed myself against the rocky cliff wall, trying to make myself invisible as three Shadow Wolves padded through the moonlight below me. Their eyes glowed that awful bright color, but worse than that was how they moved. Wrong. Like puppets being controlled by unseen strings.


    My Triple Moon mark suddenly zed with pain so sharp I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. The metal pattern on my wrist felt like it was burning through my skin. What was happening to me?


    "She¡¯s close," one of the Shadow Wolves said in a t, lifeless voice. "The mark calls to us."


    My heart hammered against my ribs. They could sense my mark? That was impossible. Nobody had ever told me Triple Moon marks could be tracked.


    I tried to move further up the cliff, but loose rocks scattered under my feet. The sound echoed through the mountain air like thunder. All three Shadow Wolves snapped their heads up toward my hidden spot.


    "There," another one said. "The bearer attempts to flee."


    I ran.


    My feet slipped on the icy mountain road as I scrambled higher up the cliff. Behind me, I heard the Shadow Wolves starting their climb. They moved too fast, too sure-footed, like the dangerous terrain meant nothing to them.


    My mark burned hotter with every step. The pain was so bad that tears streamed down my face, but I couldn¡¯t stop running. If they caught me, it wasn¡¯t just my life at stake - it was everyone¡¯s. The whole dog world.


    "You cannot escape us, Triple Moon bearer," called one of the creatures behind me. "We know your smell. We know your fear."


    That¡¯s when something strange happened. As the pain in my mark hit its worst point, images suddenly shed in my mind. Not my memories - someone else¡¯s.


    I saw Elder Iris as a young woman, running through these same mountains fifty years ago. I saw her Triple Moon mark shining just like mine was now. And I saw her making the same terrible mistake I was about to make.


    "No," I gasped, understanding rushing through me. The mark wasn¡¯t just causing me pain - it was trying to show me something. Warn me about something.


    Another image hit me like lightning. The Shadow Wolves below weren¡¯t trying to catch me. They were moving me. Driving me toward something much worse waiting at the top of the mountain.


    I skidded to a stop so suddenly that I almost fell off the narrow road. My mark¡¯s burning pain suddenly made sense. It wasn¡¯t reacting to the Shadow Wolves chasing me - it was reacting to whatever was waiting ahead.


    More images crashed through my mind. I saw the First Shadow¡¯s real n. He didn¡¯t just want to control dog packs. He wanted to damage the Triple Moon mark itself. Turn its power dark. Use it to handle not just hundreds of wolves, but thousands. Maybe all of them.


    And he needed me living to do it.


    "She¡¯s stopped," one of the Shadow Wolves said below me. "Why has she stopped?"


    I pressed my back against the cliff wall, my mind racing. If I kept running up the mountain, I¡¯d run straight into a trap. But if I went back down, I¡¯d run right into the Shadow Wolves.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something else in the shing pictures from my mark. A small crack in the cliff face just a few feet ahead. Elder Iris had hidden there fifty years ago when she was running from the same enemy.


    I squeezed into the crack just as the Shadow Wolves reached my level. The space was so tight I could barely breathe, but it was deep enough to hide me totally.


    "Where did she go?" one of them growled, and for the first time, feeling leaked into its voice. Frustration.


    "She cannot have vanished," another said. "The mark still calls."


    They were right. My mark was still burning, still sending out whatever signal they were following. But now that I was hidden, I could focus on the pictures it was showing me instead of just the pain.


    I saw the First Shadow waiting at the mountain¡¯s peak. He wasn¡¯t in dog form - he was something else entirely. Something that had once been wolf but was now made of darkness and hate and hunger. His n was easy and horrible: capture me, corrupt my mark, and use its power to spread his control across the entire world.


    But there was something else in the pictures. Something that gave me hope.


    I saw that the Triple Moon mark had a weakness the First Shadow didn¡¯t know about. If a bearer was ready to sacrifice herself, the mark could release all its stored power at once. It would destroy the darkness totally, but it would also...


    The image cut off as footsteps neared my hiding spot.


    "Search every crack, every shadow," the lead Shadow Wolf ordered. "She¡¯s here somewhere."


    I held my breath as hooked feet passed just inches from the crack where I hid. My mark kept showing me shes of the past and glimpses of possible futures. Most of them ended badly. Very badly.


    In one picture, I saw Caleb fighting the mind control, blood streaming from his nose as he tried to resist. In another, I saw Elder Iris surrounded by controlled pack members, her face full of old guilt and new purpose.


    But the worst picture was yet toe. I saw what would happen if the First Shadow seeded in altering my mark. Thousands of wolves with glowing eyes, moving across thend like an army. Human cities burning. The natural world itself starting to die as darkness spread like poison.


    "Found something," one of the Shadow Wolves said.


    My blood turned to ice. Had they found my hiding spot?


    "Human scent," it continued. "Recent. They¡¯ve been through this area."


    Wait. Humans? What people would be up here in the dangerous mountains during winter?


    Another sh from my mark answered that question, and what I saw made my stomach drop. A group of human hunters, armed with special weapons meant to kill supernatural creatures. They were working with the First Shadow, helping him track down any wolves who¡¯d fled his control.


    And they were going straight toward the cave where my pack was hiding.


    "The humans report sess," the Shadow Wolf said, like it was getting information from somewhere else. "The survivors¡¯ location is confirmed."


    No. No, no, no. This couldn¡¯t be happening.


    "Excellent," another Shadow Wolf answered. "While they eliminate the remaining free wolves, we continue hunting the Triple Moon bearer."


    I wanted to scream, to run down the mountain and warn everyone. But I was stuck. If I left my hiding spot, the Shadow Wolves would catch me immediately. But if I stayed here, my family and friends would walk into a trap.


    My mark burned hotter, showing me one final picture that made everything clear. The trap at the mountain¡¯s top wasn¡¯t just for me. It was bait. The First Shadow knew I¡¯d try to save my pack. He was counting on it.


    And the worst part? I could see Elder Iris in the vision, standing at the cave mouth with tears in her eyes. She knew it was a trap too. But she was going to walk into it anyway, because fifty years ago she¡¯d run away from this same choice.


    This time, she was determined not to be a wimp.


    Even if it killed her.


    The Shadow Wolves moved away from my hiding spot, moving back down the mountain toward my pack. In a few hours, it would all be over. Unless I did something impossible.


    Unless I figured out how to be in two ces at once.


    My mark suddenly wentpletely cold, and in that silence, I heard something that chilled me to the bone.


    Elder Iris, somewhere far below, starting to howl the old song of sacrifice.

 Chapter 41: The Price of Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 41: The Price of Freedom</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The rope around my wrists burned as they dragged me through the trees. My head throbbed where the rogue wolf had hit me, and every step sent pain shooting through my ribs. But the worst part wasn¡¯t the actual hurt - it was knowing I¡¯d failed.


    "Move faster," growled the Shadow Wolf behind me, pushing me forward so hard I stumbled.


    I tried to look back toward where we¡¯d left Lily hiding, but one of my attackers grabbed my chin and forced me to face forward. "Your mate is no longer your concern, schr."


    The way he said ¡¯schr¡¯ made it sound like an insult. These animals knew who I was, knew what I meant to the pack. That scared me more than the ropes or the pain.


    We¡¯d been walking for an hour when they finally stopped. I looked around and felt my blood turn cold. We were in the Sacred Grove - the most holy ce in all wolfnd. Ancient trees made a perfect circle around a stone altar that had been here since before anyone could remember.


    But something was badly wrong. The trees, which should have been green and full of life, were dead and ck. The altar, once clean white stone, was stained dark with something I didn¡¯t want to think about.


    "Wee to our sanctuary," said a voice that made my skin crawl.


    I turned and saw him. The First Shadow. Not controlling someone else this time, but standing there in his own terrible form. He looked like a wolf who had been stretched and bent, made taller and thinner than any wolf should be. His eyes weren¡¯t just sparkling - they were like holes filled with cold fire.


    "You¡¯re wondering why we brought you here instead of simply killing you," he said, walking in a slow circle around me. "The answer is quite easy. You¡¯re going to help us."


    "Never," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt.


    Heughed, and the sound made the dead trees shake. "Oh, but you will. Because if you don¡¯t, your precious Lily will face a fate much worse than death."


    My heart hammered against my ribs. "What are you talking about?"


    The First Shadow motioned to the corrupted altar. "Do you know what this ce once was, little schr?"


    I did know. Every wolf child learned the story. "It¡¯s where the first Triple Moon bearer received her power, thousands of years ago."


    "Correct," he said, sounding happy. "And do you know why the power was given to her?"


    That part of the story was less clear. The old tales said different things. "To bring bnce to the wolf world."


    "Wrong." His voice turned sharp. "The power was given to her as a tool. A way to control every wolf that ever lived. But she was weak, just like all the carriers who came after her. They used the power for peace instead of control."


    I felt sick. "You want to use Lily¡¯s power to control wolves."


    "Not just control them," the First Shadow said, his terrible eyes sparkling. "I want to drain every drop of Triple Moon power from her body and pour it into this."


    He held up something that made me gasp. It looked like a cor made of twisted ck metal, covered in symbols that hurt to look at.


    "The Dominion Cor," he continued. "Once her power fills this artifact, any wolf who wears it will demand absolute obedience from every other wolf in existence. Not just our pack, not just our territory - every wolf everywhere."


    The full horror of his n hit me like a physical blow. "You¡¯re going to kill her."


    "Eventually," he said lightly. "The draining process is quite painful and takes several days. But don¡¯t worry - you¡¯ll have a front row ce to watch."


    Rage rushed through me, stronger than fear. I lunged forward, not thinking about the ropes binding my hands. "I¡¯ll kill you before I let you touch her!"


    One of the Shadow Wolves hit me so hard I saw stars. I crashed to the ground, tasting blood.


    "Such passion," the First Shadow thought. "That¡¯s exactly why you¡¯re here, young Caleb. Your mate bond with Lily makes you the perfect bait."


    "What do you mean?"


    He smiled, showing teeth that were too sharp and too many. "Triple Moon children have one weakness that none of the old stories mention. They cannot avoid trying to save their true mate, even when it¡¯s obviously a trap."


    My stomach dropped. "You¡¯re using me to lure her here."


    "She¡¯s already on her way," he said, pulling out a small crystal that pulsed with sickly light. "This lovely device tracks mate ties. Yours is calling to hers like a light. She¡¯ll be here within the hour."


    I thrashed against my bonds, trying to break free. "She¡¯s smarter than that! She won¡¯te!"


    "Won¡¯t she?" The First Shadow¡¯sugh echoed through the dead wood. "Let¡¯s find out."


    He nodded to one of his followers, who stepped forward with a curved de that gleamed with strange light. Before I could respond, the Shadow Wolf sliced across my arm. I cried out as pain zed up my shoulder.


    "That de is enchanted," the First Shadow exined as my blood dripped onto the tainted ground. "Any wound it makes sends agony straight through the mate bond. Your lovely Lily is feeling every bit of your pain right now."


    Horror washed over me. Somewhere out there, Lily was feeling the same burning hurt I felt. And it would only get worse.


    "Stop!" I begged. "Please, just stop!"


    "When she arrives, the pain stops," he said simply. "Until then..."


    He nodded again. The Shadow Wolf made another cut, deeper this time. I screamed, knowing that Lily was screaming too, wherever she was.


    "This is what happens when wolves forget their ce," the First Shadow said, his voice cold as winter. "For too long, your kind has believed in equality, in bnce, in working together. But there is only one truth in this world - the strong rule the weak."


    Another cut. Another scream. I could feel my strength bleeding away with each cut.


    "Once I have the Dominion Cor," he continued, "there will be no more packs, no more regions, no more different ranks. Just one voice demanding absolute obedience. Mine."


    Through my pain, I managed to gasp out, "The other... the other Triple Moon bearers... they stopped you before..."


    "They tried," he admits. "Fifty years ago, that weak elder almost ruined everything by running away. But her cowardice gave me time to grow stronger, to gather more followers, to finish my n."


    Another cut. This one sent fire running through my entire body.


    "And now I have something none of my predecessors possessed," he said, his terrible smile getting wider. "I have the mate of a Triple Moon bearer, bleeding on sacred ground, calling to her with every drop of blood he spills."


    I felt awareness starting to slip away from the pain and blood loss. But just before everything went dark, I heard something that filled me with both hope and fear.


    A howl in the distance. Pure and strong and angry.


    Lily wasing.


    The First Shadow heard it too. "Excellent," he purred. "Right on schedule."


    He turned to his troops with the Dominion Cor gleaming in his hands. "Prepare the altar. Tonight, we drain a Triple Moon bearer, and tomorrow, every wolf in the world bows to me."


    As darkness closed over my vision, I realized the horrible truth. I wasn¡¯t just bait anymore.


    I was going to be forced to watch as they destroyed the only person I¡¯d ever loved.


    And there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop them.

 Chapter 42: Alone in the Dark

    <h4>Chapter 42: Alone in the Dark</h4>


    Lily POV


    The scream tore from my throat before I could stop it.


    Pain zed across my arm like fire, so sudden and sharp that I dropped to my knees in the snow. My hand flew to where it hurt most, but there was no wound on my skin. The pain wasing from somewhere else.


    From someone else.


    "Caleb," I whispered, understanding rushing through me like ice water.


    The mate bond. Whatever they were doing to him, I could feel every second of it. Another wave of pain crashed over me, and I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood to keep from yelling again.


    I had to move. I had to find him.


    But which way? The forest spread endlessly in every direction, dark and full of shadows that could hide anything. The rogues had taken him hours ago, and they could be anywhere by now.


    Think, Lily. Think.


    I closed my eyes and tried to focus past the pain. The mate tie was more than just shared hurt. Elder Iris had told me that true mates could sense each other¡¯s location if they concentrated hard enough.


    I pressed my hand to my chest, right over my heart, and reached out with everything I had. At first, there was only the burning pain from whatever they were doing to Caleb. But underneath that, like a whisper in the dark, I felt something else.


    A pull. Faint but real, pulling me toward the north.


    My eyes snapped open. The Sacred Grove. That had to be where they¡¯d taken him.


    Another scream of pain tried to escape as fresh agony shot through the bond. Caleb was hurting, and it was getting worse. I had to hurry.


    I changed into my wolf form and ran like I¡¯d never run before. Tree branches whipped past my face, and snow flew up around my paws, but I didn¡¯t slow down. The pull in my chest got stronger with each step, guiding me through the darkness.


    But as I got closer, doubt crept into my mind. What was I doing? I was just one small omega against a full pack of Shadow Wolves. They¡¯d caught Caleb, who was stronger and smarter than me. What chance did I have?


    The pain hit again, stronger this time, and I stumbled. Somewhere in the distance, I heard a real scream echo through the trees. Caleb¡¯s scream.


    All my doubts vanished. I didn¡¯t care if I was walking into a trap. I didn¡¯t care if they killed me. I couldn¡¯t leave him to face this alone.


    The trees began to thin, and I could see light ahead. Not the warm glow of a campfire, but something cold and pale green. I slowed down and crept forward on my belly, using the shadows to hide.


    What I saw made my blood freeze.


    The Sacred Grove looked like something from a nightmare. The old trees that should have been green and alive were ck and twisted. The stone pedestal in the center was stained dark, and strange symbols glowed with that sick green light all around it.


    And there, tied to a post near the altar, was Caleb.


    Even from a distance, I could see the blood on his clothes. One of the Shadow Wolves stood next to him, carrying a curved de that gleamed with unnatural light. Every few minutes, the thing would make another cut, and Caleb would cry out. Each time, I felt the pain like it was happening to my own body.


    But the worst part was the thing standing in front of Caleb. The First Shadow was even more scary in person than I¡¯d imagined. Too tall, too thin, with eyes like holes filled with cold fire. He was talking to Caleb, but I was too far away to hear the words.


    I counted at least eight other Shadow Wolves around the grove. Way too many for me to fight. But I had to do something. I couldn¡¯t just watch while they abused the person I loved most in the world.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something strange. The First Shadow kept looking toward the trees, like he was waiting for something. Or someone.


    He was waiting for me.


    My heart sank as I realized the truth. This wasn¡¯t just about hurting Caleb. He was bait. They wanted me toe, wanted me to walk right into their trap. And like an idiot, that¡¯s exactly what I was doing.


    But I couldn¡¯t turn around and leave him. Even knowing it was a trap, even knowing they¡¯d probably kill us both, I couldn¡¯t leave Caleb.


    The Shadow Wolf with the de raised it again, and I felt my mate¡¯s fear spike through our bond. Without thinking, I stepped out from behind the trees.


    "Stop!" I called out, my voice carrying across the grove.


    Every head turned toward me. The First Shadow¡¯s terrible smile spread, showing too many teeth.


    "Ah, there she is," he said, his voice like nails on stone. "Right on schedule."


    I walked into the grove, trying to look stronger than I felt. "Let him go. You want me, not him."


    "Oh, but I want both of you," the First Shadow said, gesturing for his troops to surround me. "Him for leverage, and you for your power."


    "What power?" I asked. "I¡¯m just an omega."


    Hisugh made the dead trees shake. "Just an omega? My dear child, you¡¯re the Triple Moon bearer. Do you have any idea how much power goes through your veins?"


    I felt the Shadow Wolves closing in around me, but I kept my eyes on Caleb. He was shaking his head, trying to tell me to run. But it was toote for that now.


    "The power to heal," the First Shadow continued, walking in a slow circle around me. "The power to bring bnce. The power to unite wolves across all regions. And soon, the power to make me invincible."


    He held up something that made me gasp. It looked like a cor made of twisted ck metal, covered in symbols that hurt to look at.


    "The Dominion Cor," he stated. "Once I drain your Triple Moon power into this, any wolf who wears it willmand absolute obedience from every other wolf in existence."


    "You¡¯re insane," I said, backing away. "That¡¯s not how the Triple Moon power works."


    "Isn¡¯t it?" His eyes shone. "Tell me, little omega, what happened when you first used your power during the fight with the rogues? Didn¡¯t every wolf in the area stop fighting and listen to you?"


    I remembered that night. The moment when my mark had zed with silver light, and every wolf on the battlefield had turned to look at me. But that wasn¡¯t power. That was...


    "That was bringing peace," I said. "Not controlling anyone."


    "Peace, control, what¡¯s the difference?" The First Shadow smiled. "The result is the same. Wolves doing what you want them to do."


    "No," I said strongly. "Peace is choice. Control is force. They¡¯repletely different."


    Heughed again. "You¡¯ll understand soon enough. The draining process is quite interesting."


    One of the Shadow Wolves grabbed my arms, and I felt something cold snap around my wrists. Shackles, just like the ones holding Caleb. But these were different. They felt wrong, like they were made to hold more than just a person¡¯s body.


    "These will prevent you from shifting or using your power," the First Shadow exined. "We can¡¯t have you escaping before the ceremony."


    "What ceremony?" I asked, though I was afraid I already knew.


    "The Draining Ritual," he said, pointing to the corrupted altar. "At midnight, when the moon is highest, I¡¯ll put you on that altar and slowly draw every drop of Triple Moon power from your body. It will take hours, and you¡¯ll feel every second of it. But don¡¯t worry ¨C your mate will be watching the entire time."


    I looked at Caleb, seeing the fear and rage in his eyes. Through our bond, I felt his desperate need to protect me, and his anger at being unable to break free.


    "You¡¯re a monster," I said to the First Shadow.


    "I¡¯m a realist," he responded. "The strong rule the weak. That¡¯s the normal order. Your Triple Moon talk about bnce and equality is just fantasy."


    He nodded to one of his servants, who grabbed me and started dragging me toward the altar. I fought, but the shackles made me weak as a regr human.


    "Don¡¯t worry," the First Shadow called after me. "You have a few hours to think about it. Maybe you¡¯lle to understand that resistance is useless."


    They chained me to a stone post near the altar, close enough to Caleb that we could see each other but too far apart to touch. The symbols cut into the altar glowed brighter as I got closer, and I felt something dark and hungry reaching for my power.


    "Lily," Caleb whispered, his voice hoarse from yelling. "I¡¯m so sorry. This is all my fault."


    "No," I said strongly. "This is their fault. Not ours."


    But as I looked around at the Shadow Wolves preparing for whatever horrible rite they had nned, I wondered if it mattered whose fault it was. We were trapped, helpless, and in a few hours they were going to kill me while forcing Caleb to watch.


    That¡¯s when I felt it. A tiny feeling in my chest, so small I almost missed it. My Triple Moon mark, even subdued by the shackles, was still there. Still connected to something bigger than just me.


    The First Shadow thought he knew my power, but he was wrong. The Triple Moon wasn¡¯t about ruling other wolves. It was about connecting with them. And right now, somewhere out there in the forest, there were dogs who cared about us.


    I closed my eyes and reached out through that tiny link, sending a silent message into the night.


    Help us.


    The First Shadow was checking something that looked like a bent clock. "Thirty minutes until midnight," he announced. "Time to begin the preparations."


    Two Shadow Wolves approached the altar holding bowls of something that glowed with the same sick green light as the symbols. The smell that rose from them made me gag.


    "What is that?" I asked, though I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to know.


    "The binding potion," one of the Shadow Wolves said with a cruel smile. "It will keep you aware during the entire draining process. We wouldn¡¯t want you to miss a moment of it."


    My heart hammered against my ribs as they set the bowls around the altar. This was really happening. In half an hour, they were going to chain me to that stone and slowly steal my strength while Caleb watched helplessly.


    Unless...


    I looked at my mate, meeting his eyes across the space between us. Even with everything that was happening, seeing his face made me feel stronger. Through our bond, I felt his love, his drive, and something else.


    A idea.


    Caleb gave me the smallest nod, so small that only someone watching very carefully would have noticed. He¡¯d figured out something. I didn¡¯t know what, but I trusted him totally.


    The First Shadow approaches with the Dominion Cor in his hands. Up close, it was even more horrible. The ck metal seemed to absorb light, and the figures carved into it moved and writhed like living things.


    "Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?" he said, lifting it up so both Caleb and I could see it clearly. "Soon it will hold all your power, little omega. And then every wolf in the world will kneel before me."


    He was so focused on boasting that he didn¡¯t notice Caleb slowly working his hands free from his bonds. The ropes were still tight, but my mate had found some way to loosen them just enough.


    Twenty minutes until midnight. Twenty minutes until they killed me.


    But as I watched Caleb continue his careful flight, I felt a spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we weren¡¯t as useless as they thought.


    The First Shadow turned toward the altar, and several Shadow Wolves moved to grab me.


    "It¡¯s time," he stated.


    That¡¯s when everything went wrong in the best possible way.


    Caleb broke free of his ropes just as howls erupted from the trees around us. Not the twisted howls of Shadow Wolves, but the pure, strong sounds of Silver Peak Pack.


    The cavalry had arrived.


    But before I could feel relief, the First Shadow spun toward me with the Dominion Cor, his eyes zing with rage.


    "If I can¡¯t drain you slowly," he snarled, "I¡¯ll take your power by force!"


    He lunged forward, the cor aiming at my throat.

 Chapter 43: The Resistance Grows

    <h4>Chapter 43: The Resistance Grows</h4>


    Aiden POV


    The emergency howl tore through the night air just as I was about to sleep.


    I shot up from my bed, my heart already racing. That wasn¡¯t just any howl ¨C it was the old call for help, the one used only when pack members were in deadly danger. And it wasing from the way Lily and Caleb had gone.


    "No, no, no," I mumbled, shifting into wolf form before I even reached my bedroom door.


    Brock was already in the hallway, his eyes wild with fear. "Did you hear that?"


    "We have to go," I said, but Father stepped in front of us, blocking our way.


    "Wait," he ordered, though I could see the worry in his eyes. "We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re running into. This could be a trick."


    "I don¡¯t care!" Brock snarled. "They have Lily and Caleb!"


    But before we could argue further, another sound made us all freeze. A different scream, deeper and more twisted than any wolf sound should be. It was answered by more of the same,ing from all around our area.


    Shadow Wolves. Lots of them.


    "They¡¯re surrounding us," Father said sadly. "If we leave now, they¡¯ll attack the pack while we¡¯re gone."


    My mind raced. This was exactly what the Shadow Wolves wanted ¨C to split our forces, make us choose between saving our family and protecting our pack. But there had to be another way.


    "The River Pack," I said suddenly. "We need to contact Alpha Rivers. If the Shadow Wolves are here, they might be attacking there too."


    Father nodded. "Do it. But hurry."


    I ran to our connection room and grabbed the special crystal we used to talk to other packs. My hands shook as I activated it, sending out the emergency signal to River Pack area.


    Static crackled for what felt like forever. Then a familiar voice came through, tense and panting.


    "Silver Peak, this is Rivers. Thank the moon you called."


    Relief flooded through me. "Alpha Rivers, we¡¯re under attack by Shadow Wolves. My brother and our Triple Moon bearer are missing, and¨C"


    "We¡¯re under attack too," he interrupted. "Have been for the past three hours. These things are everywhere."


    My blood went cold. "How many packs are they hitting?"


    "All of them, from what I can tell. This isn¡¯t chance, Aiden. This is coordinated. They¡¯re trying to wipe out every pack at once."


    The pieces clicked together in my mind. "It¡¯s a distraction. They want us all busy fighting for our lives while they do something with Lily."


    "The Triple Moon bearer," Rivers breathed. "Of course. If they can capture her power..."


    "They can control every wolf that survives the attacks," I ended. "We have to stop them."


    "Easier said than done," Rivers responded. "I¡¯ve got forty Shadow Wolves surrounding my area and half my pack wounded. How many fighters do you have?"


    I looked around at our gathered wolves. "Maybe thirty who aren¡¯t hurt. But Father¡¯s right ¨C if we leave to help Lily and Caleb, the Shadow Wolves will kill everyone else."


    There was silence on the other end. Then Rivers spoke again, his voice different. Determined.


    "What if we don¡¯t have to choose?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I¡¯ve been fighting these Shadow Wolves for months, Aiden. They¡¯ve been infiltrating my area bit by bit, turning some of my wolves against me. I know how they think, how they fight."


    Hope sparked in my chest. "Tell me."


    "They¡¯re strong, but they¡¯re not smart. They follow directions without thinking. If we can make them think their main force is under attack somewhere else, they¡¯ll leave their positions to help."


    I understood immediately. "A diversion."


    "Exactly. I¡¯ll take a small group and make a lot of noise on the eastern border. Make it look like a big attack. That should draw most of the Shadow Wolves away from both our areas."


    "But what about your pack? They¡¯ll be powerless."


    Riversughed bitterly. "Not as vulnerable as you think. The Shadow Wolves don¡¯t know about the tunnels under ournd. My people can hide there until this is over."


    It was risky. If the n failed, Rivers could lose everything. But it might be our only chance to save Lily and Caleb.


    "There¡¯s something else," Rivers continued. "Something you need to know about these Shadow Wolves."


    "What?"


    "They¡¯re not just regr dogs turned evil. They¡¯re being directed by something. Something that feeds on fear and pain. The more afraid we are, the stronger they get."


    My stomach dropped. "How do you know that?"


    "Because I¡¯ve seen it happen. When my wolves fled during the first attack, the Shadow Wolves got bigger, faster, more vicious. But when we stood our ground and fought with courage instead of fear..."


    "They got weaker," I breathed.


    "Exactly. Whatever¡¯s controlling them needs our terror to keep its power. That¡¯s why they took your brother and the Triple Moon carrier. They¡¯re going to hurt them where you can sense it, make you afraid, make you desperate."


    The mate bond. Of course. Every wolf in our pack could feel when Lily and Caleb were in danger. The Shadow Wolves were using our ties against us.


    "So how do we fight without fear?" I asked.


    "We remember what we¡¯re fighting for," Rivers said simply. "Not just survival, but the right to choose our own fate. The right to protect the people we love. The Shadow Wolves want to make us ves, but we¡¯re wolves. We bow to no one."


    His words sent strength flowing through me. This was why I¡¯d been trained to be Alpha ¨C not just to give orders, but to inspire others when everything seemed lost.


    "All right," I said. "Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. You build your diversion in one hour. That should give us time to gather a relief team. Once the Shadow Wolves leave to help with your fake attack, we¡¯ll strike at wherever they¡¯re holding Lily and Caleb."


    "And if it doesn¡¯t work?"


    I thought about my brother, tied up somewhere in the dark. About Lily, possibly terrified but trying to be brave. About our pack, looking to me for guidance in the darkest hour we¡¯d ever faced.


    "Then we make ourst stand count," I said.


    Rivers was quiet for a moment. Then: "You know, when this started, I thought my pack was the only one being attacked. I felt so alone, so hopeless. But knowing we¡¯re fighting together..."


    "Makes all the difference," I agreed. "We¡¯re stronger together than apart. That¡¯s something the Shadow Wolves will never understand."


    "One hour," Rivers stated. "Good luck, Alpha."


    The crystal went dark, and I turned to face my pack. Father looked proud but worried. Brock was walking like a caged animal, desperate for action. The other wolves watched me with trust and fear in their eyes.


    "Listen up," I called out, my voice carrying the power I¡¯d been training for my whole life. "This is bigger than just our pack. Shadow Wolves are attacking every area, trying to divide us, make us weak. But they made one mistake."


    I looked each wolf in the eye, making sure they understood.


    "They thought we¡¯d fight alone. They don¡¯t know about the ties between packs, the friendships we¡¯ve built. They think wolves are selfish creatures who only care about their own area."


    Murmurs of agreement spread through the group.


    "They¡¯re wrong. Tonight, we fight not just for Silver Peak, but for every pack under attack. We fight for the right to live free, to choose our own leaders, to protect our families. And we¡¯re going to win."


    A cheer went up from the gathered wolves, and I felt their fear begin to change into determination. Good. That¡¯s what we needed. " Brock, take fifteen wolves and ready for the rescue mission. The moment Rivers makes his diversion, we move. Father, I need you to organize the defense here with the remaining wolves."


    They both nodded, moving to carry out their directions. But as I watched them go, a cold thought came into my mind.


    What if this was exactly what the Shadow Wolves wanted? What if they knew about our partnership with Rivers? What if the whole thing was a trap meant to make us feel confident right before they crushed us?


    I shook my head, pushing the worry away. Rivers was right ¨C fear made the Shadow Wolves stronger. I had to trust in our n, trust in our bonds, trust in the power of united packs.


    But as I prepared to lead my first major battle as Alpha, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that we were walking into something much bigger and more dangerous than any of us knew.


    Fifty minutester, I stood at the edge of our area with Brock and our rescue team, waiting for Rivers¡¯ signal. The forest was eerily quiet, like even the trees were holding their breath.


    Then it came ¨C the sound of war from the east, exactly as nned. Howls and snarls rang through the night as Rivers and his wolves made as much noise as possible.


    "It¡¯s working," Brock whispered, pointing to dark shapes moving through the trees away from us. "The Shadow Wolves are falling for it."


    I nodded, feeling a rush of hope. "Remember, we¡¯re not just trying to save Lily and Caleb. We¡¯re sending a word to every Shadow Wolf out there ¨C you cannot break the bonds between packs."


    We shifted into wolf form and raced through the forest toward the Sacred Grove, where our feelings told us our family was being held. But as we got closer, something felt wrong.


    There were too few Shadow Wolves watching the area. Way too few.


    "It¡¯s too easy," Brock said, sharing my own thoughts.


    That¡¯s when I heard it ¨C a sound that made my blood freeze. Lily¡¯s scream, cut short like someone had covered her mouth.


    And underneath it, barely audible, the sound of chanting in anguage that hurt to hear.


    "They¡¯re starting the ritual," I realized with fear. "Whatever they n to do to her, it¡¯s happening now."


    We weren¡¯t just running to save our family anymore. We were racing to stop the Shadow Wolves from getting power that could destroy every pack in existence.


    But as we burst into the Sacred Grove, what we saw made us all skid to a stop in shock.


    The ritual wasn¡¯t just started.


    It was almost finished.


    And Lily was shining with a light so bright it hurt to look at, while something dark and hungry reached toward her with ws made of pure shadow.

 Chapter 44: Luna’s Choice

    <h4>Chapter 44: Luna¡¯s Choice</h4>


    Luna POV


    The shadow creature¡¯s voice mmed into my mind like a hammer.


    "Kill them all."


    My body moved without my permission, my hands going for the knife at my belt. No, no, NO! I screamed inside my head, but my fingers wrapped around the handle anyway.


    Around me, other wolves from my pack walked like robots toward the Sacred Grove where Lily was tied up. Their eyes were empty, just like mine probably looked. But inside, I was fighting harder than I¡¯d ever fought in my life.


    The shadow thing had been controlling us for three days now. Three days of being stuck in my own body while it made me do terrible things. Three days of watching myself hurt people I cared about and being unable to stop.


    But something was different tonight. The control felt... looser somehow. Like the thing was distracted by whatever it was doing to Lily in that bright, scary light.


    "Move faster," the voice ordered, and pain shot through my skull.


    I stumbled forward with the others, but inside my mind, I was remembering. Remembering who I really was before this nightmare started.


    My name is Luna Morrison. I¡¯m neen years old. I used to think I was better than everyone else, especially Lily Carter. I was wrong about a lot of things.


    The memories came flooding back - not the fake ones the shadow thing had been feeding us, but the real ones. How I¡¯d been jealous when Lily got the Triple Moon Mark. How I¡¯d worked with rogues to try to get rid of her. How ashamed I felt when she forgave me instead of letting the pack punish me.


    Lily had given me a second chance. She¡¯d helped me find my real purpose as a negotiator instead of just someone trying to steal power. She¡¯d been kind to me when I didn¡¯t deserve it.


    And now this thing was making me march toward her to help destroy her.


    The knife felt like it weighed a thousand pounds in my hand, but my body kept walking. Step after step, getting closer to the grove where that horrible light was getting brighter.


    "She must die," the voice whispered. "The Triple Moon carrier threatens everything. Kill her, and you will be paid."


    But I didn¡¯t want prizes anymore. I wanted my friends back. I wanted my pack safe. I wanted to be free of this awful voice in my head.


    The control slipped again, just for a second. Maybe because the creature was putting so much energy into whatever routine it was doing. In that tiny moment of freedom, I did something desperate.


    I bit my own tongue. Hard.


    The pain was sharp and real, and it gave me just enough power to fight back a little more. Blood filled my mouth, but I used that moment to think clearly.


    If I couldn¡¯t stop my body from walking, maybe I could at least tell someone.


    We were getting close to the grove now. I could see other packs arriving - all walking the same robot way we were. The River Pack, the Mountain Pack, even some smaller groups I didn¡¯t recognize. All of their wolves had the same empty look in their eyes.


    But wait. Not all of them.


    Through the woods, I spotted movement that looked different. Wolves moving with purpose instead of that dead walk. Free wolves, hiding in the dark around the grove.


    Hope sparked in my chest. Some wolves were still fighting. Some had fled the control.


    The dark voice pressed harder into my mind. "Faster. The ritual nears finish."


    My legs moved faster against my will, but I focused all my strength on one thing. Communication. Pack ties. Even under control, wolves were still connected to their families.


    I thought as hard as I could about Aiden, who had be my partner in political work. About Brock, who had taught me better fighting skills. About Lily, who had forgiven me when no one else would.


    Trap, I thought desperately, trying to push the word through our pack link. Shadow power. Save Lily.


    It was like trying to scream through thick mud. The shadow creature¡¯s control fought against every word. Pain burst in my head, making me want to give up.


    But I thought about all the times I¡¯d been greedy, all the times I¡¯d put myself first. This was my chance to do something right for once. To help instead of hurt.


    Mind control, I managed to think toward the pack tie. Fighting... it... hurts...


    The controlled dogs around me started moving faster, drawn by some signal I couldn¡¯t hear. The ritual must be hitting its peak.


    But just before we reached the edge of the grove, I saw something that made my heart leap. Three shapes moving through the darkness toward the free wolves hiding in the trees. Aiden, Brock, and Caleb.


    They were living. They were free. And if I was right, they¡¯d gotten my word.


    "Now," the shadow voice ordered. "Surround the grove. Let none escape."


    My body turned with the others, making a circle around the clearing where Lily was trapped in that terrible light. But inside, I was still fighting. Still trying to send messages.


    The shadow creature appeared at the middle of the grove, bigger and more horrible than ever. It was feeding on the ritual, getting stronger with every second. Dark tentacles reached toward Lily, who was shining so bright it hurt to look at her.


    But she wasn¡¯t giving up. Even tied up and surrounded by enemies, she was fighting back somehow.


    That gave me strength to fight harder too.


    The creature raised its arms, and I felt its grip tighten on all of us. "Kill anyone who tries to interfere," itmanded.


    My hand lifted the knife again, but this time I managed to make it shake. Just a little, but it was something.


    More moving in the trees. The free dogs were getting into position. Whatever they were nning, it was about to happen.


    The shadow thing began to chant in that awfulnguage that made my bones hurt. The light around Lily pulsed brighter, and she screamed.


    That scream broke something inside me. All my jealousy, all my old anger at her - it didn¡¯t matter anymore. She was my friend, and she was in pain.


    I fought the control with everything I had, not caring how much it hurt. Blood ran from my nose as I pushed back against the voice in my head.


    Now, I thought as hard as I could toward the pack tie. Attack now.


    The shadow creature¡¯s singing reached a fever pitch. The light around Lily began to change, changing from silver to red. She was running out of time.


    And then, just as I thought I might break free of the controlpletely, the creature¡¯s voice mmed into my mind one more time.


    But this time, it wasn¡¯t giving me orders.


    It wasughing.


    "Did you think I didn¡¯t know?" it whispered in my head. "Did you think I couldn¡¯t sense your little rebellion?"


    Horror filled me as I realized the truth. It had let me send the messages. It had wanted the free dogs to attack.


    This was all part of its n.


    The creature¡¯sughter rang through my mind as shapes burst from the trees around the grove. The trio, Rivers, and dozens of other free wolves charged toward us.


    Right into the trap I¡¯d helped build.


    "Thank you, little Luna," the shadow creature purred in my thoughts. "You¡¯ve delivered them all to me."


    And as the free wolves collided with our controlled army, as the fight I¡¯d warned them about began, I realized the horrible truth.


    I hadn¡¯t saved anyone.


    I¡¯d doomed them all.

 Chapter 45: The Sacred Grove Revealed

    <h4>Chapter 45: The Sacred Grove Revealed</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The Shadow Wolf¡¯s ws dug into my shoulder as it dragged me toward the old stone circle.


    "Move faster, schr," it snarled, pushing me forward so hard I stumbled and hit the ground.


    My hands scraped against something that made my skin burn. Looking down, I saw symbols carved into the dirt - but they were all wrong. These weren¡¯t the protective marks I¡¯d studied in the old pack books. Someone had changed them.


    "Get up!" Another Shadow Wolf kicked me in the ribs.


    I gasped and rolled away, but my mind was racing even through the pain. The Sacred Grove had been our pack¡¯s most holy ce for hundreds of years. The stone circle was supposed to protect us, not hurt us. What had they done?


    As they hauled me to my feet, I got my first real look at what used to be our refuge. My heart sank.


    Every single protective symbol had been changed. Where there should have been marks for healing and safety, now there were twisted lines that seemed to pulse with dark energy. The stones themselves looked sick, covered in some kind of ck moss that hadn¡¯t been there before.


    And in the middle of it all, Lily hung suspended in chains of shadow, unconscious but glowing with that terrible light.


    "Beautiful work, isn¡¯t it?" The biggest Shadow Wolf stepped forward. This one was different from the others - it could talk properly instead of just growling. "Your precious grove now serves a much better purpose."


    "You destroyed it," I said, anger making me forget to be scared.


    The thingughed. "Destroyed? No, boy. We improved it. This circle has been sucking power from your pack for months now. Every time you held events here, every time you came to pray, you were feeding us."


    That hit me like a punch to the stomach. All those times our pack had met here for celebrations, for the Triple Moon Festival, for blessing ceremonies - we¡¯d been making ourselves weaker without knowing it. "The best part," the Shadow Wolf continued, "is that your own schrs helped us. Did you know there¡¯s a spy in your pack? Someone who gave us the original marks so we could corrupt them properly."


    My blood went cold. A traitor? Someone from our pack had helped ruin the Sacred Grove?


    They chained me to one of the twisted stones, the metal burning my wrists. But being tied up actually helped, because now I could study the changed symbols up close without them noticing.


    The Shadow Wolf leader began barking directions to the others. "The ritual starts at moonrise. Make sure the power lines are full. We can¡¯t afford any mistakes."


    As they worked around the circle, I pressed my hands against the stone behind me. The surface was warm - no, hot - like it was full of trapped energy. If I was right about how they¡¯d changed the symbols, all that stolen power was being stored right here in the stones.


    The question was: could I figure out how to release it?


    I¡¯d spent my whole life reading about pack magic and ancient rituals. My brothers always teased me for having my nose in a book instead of training or talking. But right now, all that learning might be the only thing that could save us.


    Carefully, so the Shadow Wolves wouldn¡¯t notice, I started tracing figures with my finger on the stone. Not the corrupted versions they¡¯d carved, but the original protective marks I¡¯d learned from the old texts.


    Nothing happened at first. Then I felt a tiny tingle, like static electricity.


    Hope red in my chest. The original magic was still there, hidden under the corruption. If I could find the right mix of symbols, maybe I could undo what they¡¯d done.


    But I had to be careful. If the Shadow Wolves caught me, they¡¯d probably kill me before the rite even started.


    The boss was speaking to someone I couldn¡¯t see, its voice getting excited. "Yes, master. The Triple Moon bearer is protected. The power drain is working perfectly. By midnight, we¡¯ll have enough energy to control every pack in the area."


    Every pack? This was bigger than I¡¯d thought. They weren¡¯t just nning to hurt our pack - they wanted to take over everyone.


    I worked faster, tracing more marks on the stone. Each one made the feeling stronger. The trapped energy was reacting, trying to break free from the corruption that held it.


    One of the smaller Shadow Wolves came over to check my chains. I quickly stopped tracing figures and pretended to be slumped over in defeat.


    "Still awake, little schr?" it growled. "Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t have to watch what happens to your mate for much longer."


    Rage filled me at the threat to Lily, but I forced myself to stay cool. Getting angry wouldn¡¯t help her. I needed to be smart about this.


    After the Shadow Wolf left, I went back to work on the marks. I was starting to understand the pattern now. They¡¯d taken each protective mark and twisted it just enough to flip its meaning. Healing became draining, safety became danger, protection became weakness.


    But that also meant I could reverse their work.


    The trouble was time. The moon was getting higher, and I could feel the ritual preparations hitting their peak. Dark energy crackled through the air, making my teeth ache.


    I managed to finish three corrected symbols before the Shadow Wolf leader returned. This time, it brought friends.


    "The master wants to speak with you," it said, grabbing my chin and causing me to look up.


    That¡¯s when I saw something that made my heart stop. Standing behind the Shadow Wolf, partly hidden by shadows, was a figure I recognized. Someone from our own pack, just like the thing had said.


    But before I could see who it was clearly, they stepped back into the darkness.


    "You¡¯ve been busy, haven¡¯t you, schr?" The leader¡¯s eyes glowed red as it stared at me. "Did you really think we wouldn¡¯t notice you ying with magic?"


    My blood turned to ice. They¡¯d caught me.


    "But that¡¯s fine," it continued with a terrible smile. "Your little trick actually helps us. You see, tainted magic works best when it has something pure to feed on. Your attempts to fix our marks just gave us more power to steal."


    No. That couldn¡¯t be right. I¡¯d been so careful, so exact with the original markings.


    The Shadow Wolf pressed its w against the stone where I¡¯d been working. The figures I¡¯d traced began to glow, but instead of the silver light they should have shown, they pulsed with the same sick red energy as everything else.


    "Thank you for the assistance," itughed. "Now the ritual will be even stronger."


    Horror washed over me as I realized what had happened. The corruption was so deep, so full, that even trying to fix it just made things worse. The Sacred Grove wasn¡¯t just changed - it was poisoned all the way to its heart.


    And I¡¯d just made it more dangerous.


    The Shadow Wolf leader raised its arms, and every corrupted sign in the grove began to glow brighter. The energy buildup was amazing, making the air itself feel heavy and wrong.


    "Begin the final phase," itmanded.


    Around the circle, more Shadow Wolves came from the darkness. But these weren¡¯t the same creatures I¡¯d seen before. These looked almost like regr wolves, except for their dead, empty eyes.


    With a sick feeling, I recognized some of them. Wolves from the River Pack. Wolves from the Mountain Pack. Other friends who¡¯de to help us fight.


    They¡¯d all been caught. All been turned into these terrible controlled puppets.


    The Shadow Wolf boss noticed my expression andughed again. "Oh yes, we¡¯ve been busy tonight. Every pack that came to help you is now under our control. Soon, your brothers will join them."


    The ritual circle zed with red light as the corrupted symbols reached full strength. In the middle, Lily¡¯s chains began to pulse with the same energy, and she screamed even though she was still unconscious.


    That¡¯s when I saw the rogue step forward into the light.


    And my world fell.


    Because the face looking back at me was someone I¡¯d trusted totally. Someone who¡¯d been helping n our rescue missions and defense tactics.


    Someone who¡¯d had ess to all our pack¡¯s most precious knowledge.


    The traitor smiled at my shocked look and said four words that destroyed everything I thought I knew: "Hello, little brother Caleb."

 Chapter 46: Power Awakening

    <h4>Chapter 46: Power Awakening</h4>


    Lily POV


    The shadow chains burned through my skin as electricity shot through my body.


    I screamed, my back rising against the pain. The Shadow Wolf¡¯s ritual was tearing something important out of me, piece by piece. I could feel my life force being pulled away like water down a drain.


    "More power," the thing hissed. "Give me more."


    But something strange was happening. Instead of getting weaker, I was starting to feel... different. Like my mind was growing, reaching out beyond my own body.


    I could feel Caleb chained to the stone behind me, his terror and determination mixing together. But it wasn¡¯t just Caleb. I could feel Aiden and Brock somewhere in the darkness, both of them desperate to reach me. Luna¡¯s mind touched mine, full of pain and guilt as she fought the creature¡¯s control.


    Wait. That wasn¡¯t normal. I¡¯d never been able to sense other wolves¡¯ feelings this clearly before.


    The shadow chains pulsed again, sending another wave of pain through me. But this time, I understood what was really happening. The ritual wasn¡¯t just taking my power - it was connecting me to every wolf in the area.


    Every. Single. Wolf.


    I could feel them all now. Pack members I¡¯d known my whole life, friends from other territories, even the controlled wolves standing around the grove. Their thoughts were like lights in the darkness, and I could sense the connections between them.


    But those ties were broken. Cut. The Shadow Wolves had severed the bonds that kept packs together, leaving everyone isted and afraid.


    That¡¯s how they controlled people. By making them feel alone.


    "Interesting," the Shadow Wolf boss said, noticing something different about me. "The Triple Moon bearer is adapting to the routine. This could be useful."


    A new rush of power tried to rip through me, but this time I was ready. Instead of fighting it, I let it run through me and out toward the other wolves. If this creature wanted to connect me to everyone, I¡¯d use that link.


    I reached out with my mind toward Luna first, since her signal felt the strongest.


    Luna, I thought as hard as I could. Can you hear me?


    Her thought voice came back faint and shaky. Lily? How are you...?


    I don¡¯t know. But I can feel all of you. The pack ties aren¡¯t really broken - they¡¯re just hidden under the shadow magic.


    Hope red in Luna¡¯s mind. Can you fix them?


    Before I could answer, the Shadow Wolf boss grabbed my face, its ws digging into my cheeks. "What are you doing, little omega? I can sense you talking."


    "Nothing," I gasped. But I kept reaching out with my mind, this time toward the controlled dogs standing around the circle.


    What I found there made me sick. These weren¡¯t willing servants of the Shadow Wolves. They were prisoners in their own bodies, just like Luna had been. Their real selves were trapped deep inside, screaming quietly while the shadow magic puppeted their bodies.


    I¡¯m here, I whispered into their heads. You¡¯re not alone.


    Some of them stirred, their empty eyes shing with confusion. The shadow control was strong, but it couldn¡¯t fully erase the pack bonds. Not when I was actively strengthening them.


    The Shadow Wolf leader snarled and boosted the ritual¡¯s power. "Stop interfering!"


    Pain burst through every nerve in my body, but I gritted my teeth and kept working. I could feel Aiden and Brock getting closer, along with other free wolves. They were nning some kind of attack.


    But they didn¡¯t understand the real problem. Fighting the Shadow Wolves wouldn¡¯t free the controlled pack members. It would just get everyone killed.


    The answer wasn¡¯t violence. It was healing.


    Caleb, I reached out to my mate¡¯s mind. I know what we have to do.


    His thought voice was strained but determined. Tell me.


    The pack joins. I can fix them, but I need help. The Shadow Wolves are using the corrupted grove to block the links between us. If you can fix even one of the symbol rings...


    I tried, Caleb¡¯s thoughts were full of frustration. It just made things worse.


    Because you were trying to fix the marks themselves. But that¡¯s not what¡¯s broken. The marks are fine - they¡¯re just being used backwards. You need to stop the energy flow.


    I felt Caleb¡¯s understanding bloom like a flower opening. As the pack¡¯s expert, he knew exactly what I meant.


    While he started working on the stones, I focused on the controlled wolves. One by one, I reached into their minds and found the part of them that was still free. It was like untangling invisible knots, difficult and exhausting work.


    But it was working. The first wolf I freed was from the River Pack - a young beta who¡¯d been captured during the opening attack. When the shadow control broke, he stumbled and looked around in confusion.


    "Where... what happened to me?" he gasped.


    The Shadow Wolf leader spun around, its eyes zing with anger. "Impossible! The control is absolute!"


    "No," I said, my voice stronger than it had been in hours. "Nothing is absolute. Every link can be healed if you know how."


    I freed another wolf, then another. Each time, the pack ties grew stronger, making it easier to reach the next prisoner.


    The Shadow Wolf raised its ws to strike me, but suddenly Caleb shouted from behind us.


    "Now, Lily! The first circle is flipped!"


    Power flowed differently through the grove, and I felt my powers explode outward. Instead of being connected to just the wolves in the immediate area, I could feel packs for miles around. Hundreds of dogs, many of them under shadow control, all of them afraid and alone.


    But not anymore.


    I reached out to all of them at once, my mind stretching further than I¡¯d ever thought possible. Pack ties lit up like stars in the darkness as I began repairing the connections the Shadow Wolves had severed.


    In the River Pack area, controlled wolves suddenly stopped their attack and looked around in confusion. In the Mountain Packnds, shadow puppets fell as their real selves took control again. Everywhere, the terrible istion that had made the Shadow Wolves¡¯ rule possible was breaking apart.


    "Stop her!" the Shadow Wolf boss screamed.


    But it was toote. The healing was spreading faster than they could control it. Free wolves were helping controlled ones, pack bonds were strengthening, and the shadow magic was losing its power.


    That¡¯s when I felt something that made my blood freeze.


    A presence so dark and powerful that it made the Shadow Wolf boss look like a tiny puppy inparison. Something ancient and hungry was waking up, pulled by the massive amounts of magic I¡¯d just released.


    The real enemy behind all of this wasn¡¯t the Shadow Wolves.


    They were just ves.


    And their master wasing.


    The ground began to shake as something huge moved beneath the Sacred Grove. The altered stones cracked, releasing bursts of red energy. Even the Shadow Wolves looked frightened.


    "Master," the leader whispered, dropping to its knees. "We didn¡¯t mean to wake you so early. The rite isn¡¯tplete..."


    A voice answered from deep beneath, so low and terrible that it hurt to hear.


    "FOOLISH SERVANTS. YOU HAVE LET THE OMEGA DISCOVER HER TRUE POWER."


    The voice turned toward me, and I felt its attention like ice water in my veins.


    "CLEVER LITTLE WOLF. BUT YOUR HEALING MAGIC WILL NOT SAVE YOU FROM WHAT COMES NEXT."


    Cracks spread across the grove as something started pushing up from below. Whatever had been sleeping under our sacred ground was huge. And angry.


    "I HAVE WAITED CENTURIES FOR ENOUGH POWER TO BREAK FREE," the voice continued. "YOUR PACK BONDS WILL FEED ME WELL."


    I realized with horror what was happening. My healing hadn¡¯t stopped the enemy¡¯s n - it had finished it. By reconnecting all the pack bonds, I¡¯d made a massivework of energy that this ancient thing could drain all at once.


    I¡¯d just given our worst enemy exactly what it needed to destroy every wolf pack in existence.


    The ground split open beneath the Sacred Grove, and something with too many teeth and eyes started crawling toward the surface.


    And it was smiling.

 Chapter 47: The Warrior’s Rage

    <h4>Chapter 47: The Warrior¡¯s Rage</h4>


    Brock POV


    The scream that cut through the night made my blood turn to ice.


    I shot up from where I¡¯d been crouched behind a fallen tree, my heart hammering against my chest. That wasn¡¯t just any scream. That was Caleb.


    My brother. My quiet, sweet brother who¡¯d rather read a book than fight anyone.


    "Caleb!" I roared, not caring if every Shadow Wolf in the forest heard me.


    Aiden grabbed my arm as I started to charge toward the sound. "Brock, wait! We need a n¡ª"


    I shook him off so hard he stumbled backward. "n? They have Caleb! I¡¯m not waiting for a n while they hurt him!"


    Another scream echoed through the woods, weaker this time. Something inside my chest felt like it was breaking apart. Caleb had always been the one who fixed my scraped knees when we were kids. He¡¯d stayed up all night helping me study when I was failing history. He¡¯d never hurt anyone in his entire life.


    And now those monsters had him.


    "Brock, please," Aiden tried again. "If you go in there alone¡ª"


    "Then I go in alone," I snarled, my wolf trying to break free. "I¡¯m not leaving him."


    I changed before Aiden could stop me, my bones cracking and stretching as my wolf form took over. In this shape, I was bigger and stronger than most dogs. I was built for war, built for protecting my pack.


    Built for protecting my boys.


    I bolted through the forest, following Caleb¡¯s scent mixed with the awful smell of shadow magic. Tree limbs whipped past my face, but I didn¡¯t slow down. Every second I wasted was another second Caleb was in pain.


    The trail led me deeper into the damaged part of the woods, where the trees looked sick and the air felt heavy. My paws hit the ground harder with each step, anger burning through my veins like fire.


    How could I have let this happen? I was supposed to protect my family. That was my job, my mission. Dad had always said I was the guard for our pack, the one who stood between danger and the people we loved.


    But I¡¯d failed. While I was busy trying to be smart and careful, the Shadow Wolves had taken my brother.


    The smell trail stopped at a rocky cliff face. I shifted back to human form, my chest heaving as I looked for a way up. There¡ªhidden behind some dead bushes¡ªwas a small path carved into the stone.


    I climbed without pause, even though my hands were shaking with rage. Every few feet, I caught another whiff of Caleb¡¯s smell mixed with fear and pain. It made me want to howl until my throat was raw.


    At the top of the cliff, I found a cave opening guarded by two Shadow Wolves. They looked like normal wolves at first nce, but their eyes were empty ck holes, and dark mist swirled around their feet.


    I didn¡¯t think. I just attacked.


    The first guard never saw meing. I tackled him so hard we both went rolling across the rocky ground. My fist connected with his jaw, and he dissolved into shadow mist with a shocked yelp.


    The second guard lunged at me, but I was already moving. Years of study with Dad had taught me to fight dirty when I had to. I grabbed a sharp rock and drove it into the creature¡¯s chest. It screamed and disappeared just like the first one.


    Too easy. Way too easy.


    But I didn¡¯t care about traps or tactics right then. I could hear Caleb¡¯s voice from inside the cave, weak and scared. Nothing else mattered.


    I crept into the cave, my wolf senses on high alert. The tube was darker than anything I¡¯d ever seen, like the shadows were alive and trying to swallow the light. But I pushed forward, following my brother¡¯s smell.


    The tunnel opened into a huge underground room lit by torches that burned with green fire. And what I saw there made my stomach drop to my feet.


    There had to be fifty Shadow Wolves in the cave. Maybe more. They stood in neat rows like some kind of army, all looking toward the center of the chamber where... Where Caleb hung from chains attached to the cave ceiling.


    My brother looked terrible. His clothes were torn, there was blood on his face, and he was barely aware. But he was alive. That was all that mattered.


    I started to charge forward, but then I heard something that stopped me cold.


    "Excellent work, Brock Silver."


    I spun around to find a Shadow Wolf standing right behind me. This one looked different from the others¡ªbigger, more solid, with bright red eyes instead of empty ck ones.


    "You walked right into our trap," the monster continued, its voice like nails on a chalkboard. "Just as we knew you would."


    My heart sank as I realized the truth. The guards outside hadn¡¯t been weak. They¡¯d been bait. The whole thing had been nned to lure me here.


    "You see," the Shadow Wolf leader said, circling me like a hunter, "we studied your pack very carefully. We knew the brave brother would never let his family suffer. We knew you¡¯de charging in without thinking."


    I clenched my fists, anger and fear warring in my chest. "Let him go. Your fight is with me now."


    The thingughed, a sound like breaking ss. "Oh, we¡¯ll keep both of you. The schr¡¯s mind is useful for breaking magical defenses. But your strength? That will serve us very well once we break your spirit."


    More Shadow Wolves began moving toward me from all sides. I counted at least twenty, and I could feel more lurking in the tunnel behind me. Even for me, those weren¡¯t good chances.


    But I didn¡¯t back down. I never backed down.


    "Brock?" Caleb¡¯s voice was barely a whisper, but I heard it clearly. My brother was looking at me with eyes full of pain and worry. "You shouldn¡¯t havee."


    "Of course I came," I said, not taking my eyes off theing enemies. "You¡¯re my brother."


    That¡¯s when I noticed something that made my blood freeze. The chains holding Caleb weren¡¯t just regr metal. They were glowing with the same green light as the mes, and I could see them draining something from him. His strength, his power, maybe even his life force.


    And now they were going to do the same thing to me.


    "The ritual requires three sources of power," the Shadow Wolf leader exined, like he was giving a lesson. "The diplomat¡¯s charm, the schr¡¯s knowledge, and the warrior¡¯s strength. With all three Silver brothers in our grasp, we can finally finish what we started."


    I felt sick. This wasn¡¯t just about catching us. They needed us for something bigger, something terrible.


    "What ritual?" I demanded, though part of me didn¡¯t want to know the answer.


    The thing smiled, showing teeth like broken ss. "The one that will wake our master from his old sleep. The one that will give him enough power to devour every pack bond in existence."


    The chains around Caleb pulsed brighter, and my brother cried out in pain. Without thinking, I lunged toward him, but shadow tendrils emerged from the ground and wrapped around my arms and legs, holding me in ce.


    "Soon, warrior," the Shadow Wolf boss hissed. "Soon you¡¯ll join your brother in feeding our cause."


    More chains began falling from the ceiling, glowing with that awful green light. I fought against the shadow tendrils, but they were stronger than they looked.


    That¡¯s when I heard it¡ªa sound that made my heart skip with hope and fear at the same time.


    Lily¡¯s voice, echoing from somewhere deep in the cave system.


    "I can feel all of you," she was saying, her words faraway but clear. "The pack bonds aren¡¯t really broken¡ªthey¡¯re just hidden under the shadow magic."


    The Shadow Wolf leader spun around, his red eyes zing with anger. "Impossible! The omega should be unconscious from the rite!"


    But I could feel it too now. A warm pulse in my chest where my pack bond lived. Lily was doing something, reaching out to all of us through links I didn¡¯t even know existed.


    The green chains stalled for just a moment, their light flickering.


    And in that moment, I understood what I had to do.


    I looked at Caleb hanging powerless from his chains, then at the tunnel where Lily¡¯s voice hade from, then at the dozens of Shadow Wolves surrounding us.


    I had to make a choice. Try to free Caleb and probably get us both killed, or break free and warn the others about what the Shadow Wolves were really nned.


    The pack bonds Lily was trying to repair pulsed again, stronger this time. Through them, I could feel Aiden somewhere above us, desperate and afraid. I could feel other pack members spread throughout the forest, all of them in danger.


    And underneath it all, I could feel something else. Something huge and hungry and old, stirring to life far below the cave.


    Whatever these Shadow Wolves were trying to wake up, Lily had just given it exactly what it needed.


    The chains began falling toward me again, and I had maybe seconds to decide.


    Save my brother, or save my pack.


    The choice was going to destroy me either way.

 Chapter 48: Converging Forces

    <h4>Chapter 48: Converging Forces</h4>


    Multiple POVs


    Aiden POVThe howl that split the night air made every wolf in our group freeze. It wasn¡¯t just any howl¡ªit was Brock¡¯s war cry, but it sounded wrong. Desperate. Terrified.


    "He found them," I said, my heart pounding against my ribs. Through our pack bond, I could feel my brother¡¯s rage and fear mixed together like a storm.


    Elder Marcus, who¡¯d insisted oning despite his age, grabbed my arm. "That howl came from the Cursed Cliffs. If the Shadow Wolves have made their base there..."


    He didn¡¯t need to finish. Everyone knew the stories about those rocks. Wolves who went up there alone never came back down.


    "We have to help him," Luna said, startling me. The former beta¡¯s daughter had changed a lot since the Winter Moon Festival, but I hadn¡¯t expected her to offer for something this dangerous.


    I was about to agree when another sound reached us¡ªLily¡¯s voice, carried on the wind like magic.


    "I can feel all of you. The pack ties aren¡¯t really broken."


    Hope and fear crashed together in my chest. Lily was living, but her voice wasing from the same direction as Brock¡¯s howl. The Shadow Wolves had all three of the most important people in my life.


    "Change of ns," I announced to our group of twenty dogs. "We split up. Half of youe with me to help Brock. The other half head toward Lily¡¯s voice and get her out of there."


    "Bad idea," Elder Marcus said firmly. "We¡¯re stronger together."


    "And slower together," I shot back. "Every second we waste arguing is another second they¡¯re in danger."


    That¡¯s when the ground beneath our feet started to shake.


    Lily POV


    The old evil stirring below the Sacred Grove was getting stronger. I could feel it pulling at the pack ties I¡¯d just restored, trying to feed on them like a vampire drinking blood.


    But I wasn¡¯t letting up. Not when Caleb was chained somewhere in these caves, not when Brock was facing impossible odds above us, and not when every wolf pack in existence was counting on me to figure this out.


    "Your healing magic is impressive," the Shadow Wolf leader hissed, circling me like a shark. "But you¡¯re toote. Our master has already tasted the power of the broken ties. Soon he¡¯ll have enough strength to break free."


    The chains around me burned with green fire, but I ignored the pain. Through the pack bonds, I could feel wolves all across the territory. Some were facing Shadow Wolf attacks. Others were running toward the Sacred Grove, pulled by instincts they didn¡¯t understand.


    And underneath it all, that terrible presence was getting stronger.


    "You don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re doing," I gasped, my strength fading as the ritual chains drained my power. "If that thing wakes up, it won¡¯t just kill the wolf packs. It¡¯ll swallow everything."


    The Shadow Wolfughed. "Our master has slept for a thousand years, thinking of revenge against the wolves who imprisoned him. Your pack bonds are exactly what he needs to reim his power."


    Horror washed over me as I finally understood. The old evil wasn¡¯t just any monster. It was something the wolf packs had fought before, something they¡¯d barely managed to beat by working together.


    And I¡¯d just given it a feast of repaired pack bonds to devour.


    The ground shook again, harder this time. Cracks emerged in the cave walls, and I could hear something massive moving far below us.


    "The awakening begins," the Shadow Wolf said with satisfaction.


    That¡¯s when I heard footsteps running toward us through the tunnels. Multiple sets of footsteps, going fast.


    Brock POV


    I broke free from the shadow tentacles just as the cave started shaking apart.


    The green chains that had been reaching for me fell to the ground as whatever power source they were connected to got sidetracked by something bigger. Around me, Shadow Wolves were looking confused and scared as rocks started falling from the ceiling.


    "Caleb!" I shouted, running toward my brother.


    He was still aware, barely, but the chains holding him were flickering like a broken light bulb. I grabbed them with both hands, ignoring the burning pain as the green energy tried to fight me.


    "Brock," Caleb whispered. "You have to get out of here. Something¡¯sing. Something terrible."


    "Not without you," I grunted, pulling at the chains with all my strength.


    That¡¯s when I heard voices echoing from deeper in the cave system. Familiar sounds.


    "Lily!" someone was screaming. "Where are you?"


    "This way!" came another voice. "I can smell her scent!"


    My heart leaped. Aiden had brought help. But as the cave shook again, even harder this time, I realized help might not be enough.


    The Shadow Wolf boss who¡¯d been taunting me earlier was backing toward a tunnel, his red eyes wide with something that looked like fear.


    "It¡¯s too early," he was saying. "The master wasn¡¯t meant to wake for another hour. We¡¯re not ready!"


    A terrible roar echoed up from the depths below us, a sound that made every wolf instinct I had scream in terror. The Shadow Wolves around us weren¡¯t looking confident anymore. They were looking like they wanted to run.


    I finally managed to break Caleb¡¯s chains, catching him as he fell. My brother was weak but aware enough to stand with help.


    "What did you idiots wake up?" I demanded of the Shadow Wolf boss.


    But the creature was already gone, vanished into the shadows like smoke.


    Aiden POV


    We found the opening to the cave system just as the whole mountain started shaking like an earthquake.


    "Lily!" I shouted into the darkness. "Brock! Caleb!"


    My voice echoed back from various tunnels. The cave was like a maze, and we could hear soundsing from several different directions.


    Luna pressed close to my side, her face pale but determined. "I can hear fighting from that tunnel," she said, pointing to the left. "And voices from that one," she added, pointing the right.


    "We split up," I decided quickly. "Luna, take half the group and find whoever¡¯s fighting. I¡¯ll take the others toward the sounds."


    "Be careful," she said, startling me by grabbing my hand briefly. "If something happens to you..."


    She didn¡¯t finish, but I understood. Despite everything that had happened between us, we were still packmates. Still friends.


    I led my group down the right path, following the sound of familiar voices mixed with something that made my skin crawl¡ªthe hissing of Shadow Wolves.


    The tunnel opened into a room where I saw something that made my heart stop.


    Lily was chained to a stone altar in the middle of the room, her body glowing with silver light as she fought against some kind of magical ritual. Around her, at least a dozen Shadow Wolves were chanting in anguage that hurt to hear.


    But that wasn¡¯t the worst part.


    The worst part was the big crack in the floor behind the altar, a crack that was getting wider every second. And from that crack, something was climbing up toward the surface.


    Something with too many eyes and teeth that belonged in dreams.


    Lily POV


    I could feel the old evil getting closer to the surface with every passing second. The pack bonds I¡¯d restored were being drained faster than I could keep them, feeding the monster¡¯s return to power.


    But I could also feel helping. Aiden¡¯s drive as he burst into the chamber with a group of wolves. Luna¡¯s fierce protectiveness as she led another group toward wherever Brock was fighting. And through the crumbling caves, more pack members rushing to reach us.


    "The ritual!" I shouted to Aiden as his group attacked the Shadow Wolves. "You have to stop the ritual!"


    But even as our friends fought the Shadow Wolves, I could see it was toote. The crack in the floor had grown big enough for something the size of a truck to climb through. Green light wasing out of it, along with a smell like death and rotting meat.


    "FINALLY," a voice boomed from the crack, so deep it made the whole mountain shake. "AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS OF SLEEP, I TASTE FREEDOM AGAIN."


    A huge w reached up through the crack, followed by part of a head covered in scales and burning eyes. The old evil wasn¡¯t fully awake yet, but it was close.


    "All pack bonds will feed me," the monster continued, its voice getting stronger. "All dogs will bow before me. All life will serve my hunger."


    That¡¯s when Brock emerged in the chamber entrance, supporting a barely conscious Caleb. My heart leaped to see them both living, but then I saw what was behind them.


    More Shadow Wolves. Dozens of them, running from whatever was rising below us.


    And mixed in with the Shadow Wolves were regr wolves¡ªpack members who¡¯d been controlled by shadow magic, their eyes still empty and ck.


    "It¡¯s not just our packs," Caleb gasped, his words barely audible. "The Shadow dogs have been collecting controlled dogs from everywhere. Hundreds of them."


    The truth hit me like lightning. This wasn¡¯t just about our pack or even our area. The Shadow Wolves had been building an army of controlled wolves from dozens of packs, all to feed this old monster.


    And now all those controlled wolves were streaming into the room, surrounding us on all sides.


    Aiden, Brock, Luna, and our small group of friends were hopelessly outnumbered. Even worse, the controlled dogs weren¡¯t just enemies¡ªthey were victims who needed to be saved, not fought.


    The old evil¡¯sughter shook the entire mountain as more of its massive body began emerging from the crack.


    "SO MANY WOLVES," it said with pleasure. "SO MANY BONDS TO DEVOUR. I WILL BE STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE."


    Through the pack bonds, I could feel wolves from miles around racing toward the Sacred Grove. They wereing to help, drawn by feelings they didn¡¯t understand.


    But they were going straight into a trap. The more wolves that came, the more food the old evil would have.


    I had to make a choice that could save everyone or doom them all.


    I could try to break the control over all the Shadow Wolf puppets at once, freeing them but also possibly giving the ancient evil ess to their restored pack bonds.


    Or I could try to limit the monster¡¯s power, but that would mean leaving hundreds of innocent wolves trapped as shadow ves forever.


    The massive creature was almost fully emerged now, its burning eyes fixed on me with hungry expectation.


    "CHOOSE QUICKLY, LITTLE OMEGA," it rumbled. "SAVE THE MANY AND DOOM THE ALL, OR SAVE THE ALL AND DOOM THE MANY."


    Around me, controlled dogs moved closer with empty eyes, while my friends and family prepared for a fight they couldn¡¯t possibly win.


    And in the distance, I could feel more packs racing toward us, unaware they were running straight into the jaws of their own destruction.

 Chapter 49: The Night Before

    <h4>Chapter 49: The Night Before</h4>


    Lily POV


    The st knocked me backward into the cave wall, my head spinning as rocks crashed down around us. Through the dust and chaos, I could hear the ancient evil¡¯sughter getting louder from the crack in the floor.


    "Everyone out!" Aiden shouted, grabbing my arm to pull me toward the tunnel opening. "The whole mountain ising down!"


    But as we ran through the falling caves, I realized something terrible. The controlled dogs weren¡¯t following us. They were just standing there, their empty ck eyes looking at nothing while rocks fell on them.


    "We can¡¯t leave them!" I screamed, pulling away from Aiden. "They¡¯re still pack members!"


    "Lily, no!" Caleb reached for me, but I was already running back toward the room.


    My healing powers red to life, making a silver shield above the controlled wolves just as a huge chunk of ceiling crashed down. The shield held, but I could feel my strength draining fast.


    "Come on," I whispered to the nearest controlled wolf, a young beta from the River Pack. "You¡¯re still in there somewhere. Fight the dark magic!"


    For just a second, something flickered in his ck eyes. Hope, maybe. Or fear. But then the shadows took over again, and he turned away like I didn¡¯t exist.


    That¡¯s when the ground beneath my feet started sparkling with green light. The old evil was climbing closer to the surface, and every controlled wolf in the cave began walking toward the crack like they were being called home.


    I had maybe ten seconds before they all marched straight into the monster¡¯s ready jaws.


    Without thinking, I grabbed the Triple Moon mark on my wrist and pushed every bit of healing power I had into it. Silver light burst from my skin, washing over all the controlled wolves at once.


    The effort sent me crashing to my knees, but it worked. One by one, the ck faded from their eyes as they blinked in confusion.


    "Where are we?" the River Pack beta asked, looking around in fear.


    "Run!" I gasped, pointing toward the tunnel. "Get out of here!"


    As the freed wolves ran for safety, I tried to stand but couldn¡¯t. Using that much power at once had drained me totally. My vision was getting blurry, and I could hear the old evil roaring with anger from below.


    Strong arms lifted me up. Brock carried me toward the tunnel opening while Aiden and Caleb helped guide the freed wolves to safety.


    We made it out just as the entire cave system fell behind us. For a moment, I thought we¡¯d won. The old evil was buried under tons of rock, and all the controlled wolves were free.


    Then the ground started shaking again, harder than before.


    "It¡¯s not over," Elder Iris said grimly, appearing beside us with a group of pack fighters. "Burying the thing won¡¯t stop it. The Shadow Wolves have been feeding it power for months. It¡¯s too strong now."


    As if to prove her point, green light started seeping up through cracks in the copsed cave entrance. The old evil was digging its way out.


    "How long do we have?" Alpha Marcus asked,ing with more pack members.


    "Until tomorrow night¡¯s full moon," Elder Iris answered. "That¡¯s when it will reach full power. After that, nothing will be able to stop it."


    My heart sank. We¡¯d saved the controlled dogs, but the real threat was stilling. And I¡¯d used up most of my healing power in the rescue. I could barely stay awake, let alone fight an old monster.


    "We need to get everyone to safety," I said softly. "Evacuate the packs. Get as far away as possible."


    "And go where?" Luna asked, surprising me by sounding truly worried instead of mean. "If that thing breaks free, it won¡¯t stop with our area. It¡¯ll keep getting stronger until it devours every wolf pack in existence."


    She was right. Running wouldn¡¯t save anyone. We had to find a way to stop the old evil here and now.


    As the pack leaders argued about fight ns, exhaustion finally won. I copsed right there in the forest, my body shutting down from magical abuse.


    But instead of normal sleep, I found myself somewhere else entirely.


    I was standing in a ce that looked like the Sacred Grove, but different. Older. The trees were bigger, the moonlight brighter, and the air hummed with old magic.


    "Wee, sister."


    I spun around to see a woman who looked like me, but older. She wore simple clothes, and on her wrist was a bright Triple Moon mark just like mine.


    "Who are you?" I asked.


    "I¡¯m Elena, the first Triple Moon bearer," she said with a sad smile. "I¡¯ve been waiting to speak with you."


    As she spoke, more women appeared around us. All different ages, from different time periods, but they all had the same mark on their wrists.


    "We are all the Triple Moon bearers who came before you," Elena exined. "And we¡¯re here to warn you about tomorrow night."


    "Warn me about what?"


    An older woman with silver hair stepped forward. "My name is Sarah. I was the Triple Moon carrier three hundred years ago. I fought the Shadow Wolves when they first tried to wake the old evil."


    "Did you win?" I asked hopefully.


    Sarah¡¯s face darkened. "We stopped them, but at a cost. Every Triple Moon bearer who has faced this thing has had to make the same terrible choice."


    "What choice?"


    Elena took my hands in hers, and I could feel the sadness spreading from her touch. "To defeat the ancient evil permanently, a Triple Moon bearer must give her own life force. It¡¯s the only way to break the link between the creature and the pack bonds it feeds on."


    My blood turned to ice. "You¡¯re saying I have to die?"


    "Not just die," said another woman. "Give up everything that makes you who you are. Your healing skills, your connection to the pack bonds, your very soul. It all gets used up in the banishing spell."


    I shook my head desperately. "There has to be another way. I just found my mate. I¡¯m supposed to help change the pack. I can¡¯t just throw my life away!"


    "We all felt the same way," Sarah said softly. "I had just married my true mate when the trouble came. I wanted nothing more than to live a normal life with him."


    "So what did you do?"


    "I chose my pack over my own happiness," she replied. "Just like every Triple Moon bearer before you will have to do."


    Elena squeezed my hands tighter. "The ancient evil can only be defeated by the full sacrifice of a Triple Moon bearer¡¯s power. But Lily, you need to know something else."


    "What?"


    "If you make this choice, everyone you save will forget you ever existed. The magic that destroys the old evil also erases all memory of the Triple Moon bearer who cast it. Your friends, your family, your mate ¨C they¡¯ll all go on with their lives as if you never lived."


    The words hit me like a physical blow. Not only would I have to die, but no one would even remember me afterward? Caleb would forget we were mates? Aiden and Brock would forget I was their friend? The entire pack would go back to treating omegas like ves, never knowing I¡¯d died to save them?


    "That¡¯s not fair!" I shouted. "Why should I sacrifice everything if no one will even know I existed?"


    "Because," Elena said softly, "that¡¯s what it means to be a Triple Moon child. We don¡¯t save people for fame or gratitude. We save them because it¡¯s right."


    The other women nodded gravely. Each of their faces showed the same pain I was feeling ¨C the agony of knowing they¡¯d given up everything and got nothing in return.


    "I can¡¯t," I whispered. "I won¡¯t. There has to be another way."


    "There isn¡¯t," Sarah said definitely. "We¡¯ve all tried to find solutions. Every Triple Moon bearer hopes she¡¯ll be the one to find a different solution. But the magic doesn¡¯t lie. Complete sacrifice is the only way."


    The dream world began to fade around the edges. I was waking up.


    "Wait!" I called out. "How do I cast the banishment spell? What do I have to do?"


    Elena¡¯s voice grew distant as the picture dissolved. "When the timees, you¡¯ll know. The Triple Moon mark will guide you. But remember, Lily ¨C once you begin the spell, there¡¯s no going back. Choose wisely."


    I jolted awake in my own bed back at the pack house. Caleb was sitting beside me, his face tight with worry.


    "You¡¯ve been unconscious for twelve hours," he said, relief clear in his voice. "How do you feel?"


    For a moment, I wanted to tell him everything. About the vision, about the decision I¡¯d have to make, about how tomorrow night might be thest time we¡¯d ever be together.


    Instead, I forced a smile and said, "Better. Much better."


    But inside, my heart was breaking. Because now I knew the truth. To save everyone I loved, I¡¯d have to give up my life and ept that they¡¯d never even remember I existed.


    The only question left was whether I was brave enough to make that choice.


    Outside our window, the sun was setting. One day left until the full moon. One day left to decide if I could save everyone by destroying myself.


    And somewhere deep underground, I could feel the ancient evil stirring, getting stronger with each passing hour, waiting for tomorrow night when it would finally break free.


    Unless I stopped it first.

 Chapter 50: The Shadow Falls

    <h4>Chapter 50: The Shadow Falls</h4>


    Multiple POVs


    Aiden POV


    The howl that woke me wasn¡¯t from our pack.


    I bolted upright in bed, my alpha instincts screaming danger. Through the window, I could see wolves running across our area in the pre-dawn darkness. But something was wrong with the way they moved ¨C too stiff, too coordinated, like dolls on strings.


    "Shadow-controlled," I breathed, grabbing my clothes.


    Before I could even get ready, my bedroom door exploded inward. A wolf I recognized as Jake from the Mountain Pack lunged at me, his eyespletely ck. I shifted instantly, my alpha wolf barely dodging his snapping jaws.


    Jake had taught me how to fish when I was eight years old. Now he was trying to kill me.


    I wrestled him to the ground, careful not to hurt him too badly. "Jake, it¡¯s me! It¡¯s Aiden! Fight the dark magic!"


    But there was nothing behind those ck eyes. No recognition, no feeling, just endless hunger.


    More howls echoed outside. Dozens of them. Maybe hundreds.


    Through our pack tie, I felt Brock¡¯s rm from across the house. "Aiden! They¡¯re everywhere!"


    I pinned Jake down and rushed to the window. What I saw made my heart stop.


    The entire clearing was full of shadow-controlled dogs from at least six different packs. They moved in perfect formation, surrounding our area like an army.


    This wasn¡¯t a random act. This was an attack.


    Lily POV


    I was already awake when the attack started, sitting by my window thinking about the terrible choice I¡¯d have to make tonight. The vision of the earlier Triple Moon bearers still haunted me.


    Then I felt it ¨C a sudden tearing feeling in my chest as dozens of pack bonds went dark all at once.


    "No," I whispered, putting my hand to my heart.


    The Shadow Wolves had taken more people. I could feel their ties to their families being severed, reced by something cold and hungry.


    I ran downstairs to find chaos. Caleb was helping Alpha Marcus n defenses while pack members grabbed weapons and prepared to fight.


    "How many?" I asked breathlessly.


    "At least two hundred controlled wolves," Alpha Marcus said sadly. "Maybe more. They have our areapletely surrounded."


    Through the window, I could see familiar faces among the invaders. Sarah from the River Pack, who used to bring cookies to the nursery. Tom from the Forest Pack, who¡¯d helped us during the winter storms. Little Amy from the Valley Pack, who couldn¡¯t be more than sixteen.


    All of them with empty ck eyes, moving on our home like zombies.


    "We can¡¯t fight them," I said desperately. "These are innocent people!"


    "We don¡¯t have a choice," Alpha Marcus responded. "If we don¡¯t defend ourselves, everyone dies."


    But I knew there was another way. I could use my healing skills to break the shadow control, just like I¡¯d done in the caves. The only problem was that I¡¯d barely recovered from yesterday¡¯s magical tiredness. Trying to free two hundred wolves at once might kill me.


    Of course, I was probably going to die tonight anyway when I faced the old evil.


    Before anyone could stop me, I ran outside into the middle of the fight.


    Brock POV


    "Lily, get back!" I roared, hitting a shadow-controlled beta who was lunging at her.


    The tamed wolf twisted in my grip, trying to bite my throat. I recognized him ¨C Marcus from the Eastern Pack, a good guy who¡¯d helped us hunt wild bearsst summer. Now his ws were trying to tear my face off.


    "I¡¯m sorry," I mumbled, hitting him hard enough to knock him unconscious. "I¡¯m so sorry."


    All around us, the same awful scene was ying out. Pack members fighting their friends, their neighbors, sometimes even their own family members. The shadow magic had turned loved ones into foes.


    Luna was crying as she avoided attacks from her own cousin. Elder Iris was trying to protect a group of young pups while shadow-controlled adults circled them like sharks.


    This wasn¡¯t a fight. This was a nightmare.


    I grabbed Lily¡¯s arm, trying to pull her back to safety. "What are you doing? You¡¯ll get killed out here!"


    "I have to try to save them!" she yelled back, silver light beginning to glow around her hands. "I can break the shadow control!"


    "Not on this many wolves!" I said. "It¡¯ll drain all your power! You need to save your strength for tonight!"


    She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "I can¡¯t just watch them die, Brock. I can¡¯t."


    That¡¯s when I realized something that made my blood run cold. Lily wasn¡¯t nning to survive tonight¡¯s fight with the ancient evil. She was going to sacrifice herself, and she wanted to save as many people as possible before she died.


    Caleb POV


    Through the pack bond, I felt Lily¡¯s resolve to use her healing powers on the controlled wolves. I also felt her eptance that this might be herst day alive.


    "No," I breathed, dumping the strategy papers I¡¯d been studying. "Lily, no."


    I raced outside to find her circled by shadow-controlled wolves, silver light pouring from her hands as she tried to break their magical bonds. The effort was clearly draining her fast ¨C she was already swaying on her feet.


    "Lily, stop!" I shouted, fighting my way through the chaos to reach her. "You¡¯re going to kill yourself!"


    "Better than letting them stay enved!" she called back.


    Her healing power washed over the nearest controlled wolves, and I watched the ck fade from their eyes as they blinked in confusion. But there were so many more, and each freed wolf took more of her strength.


    A shadow-controlled alpha twice her size was charging straight at her. Lily was too weak to dodge, too focused on helping others to defend herself.


    I stopped the attack, my wolf form mming into the controlled alpha just before he reached her. We rolled across the ground, snapping and scratching at each other.


    It was my old friend David from the Northern Pack. We¡¯d grown up together, shared secrets, fought in races. Now he was trying to rip my throat out.


    "David, please," I gasped as his jaws snapped inches from my face. "Remember who you are. Remember your family."


    For just a second, something flickered in his ck eyes. Pain, maybe. Or praise. But then the shadow magic took hold again, and he renewed his attack with even more rage.


    Lily POV


    I could feel my healing power running out like water through a broken dam. I¡¯d managed to free maybe twenty controlled dogs, but there were still hundreds more surrounding us.


    Each time I broke someone¡¯s shadow ties, two more appeared to take their ce. The ancient evil was sending an endless stream of controlled packs to wear us down before the final fight tonight.


    My knees buckled as tiredness hit me like a truck. Around me, the fighting was getting worse. Pack members were being forced to seriously hurt their friends and family just to live.


    Elder Iris was right. We couldn¡¯t win this fight through normal means.


    I closed my eyes and reached deep inside myself, looking for the power I¡¯d need to free everyone at once. It was there, burning like a star in my chest, but using it would certainly kill me.


    At least if I died now, I¡¯d save everyone from having to fight their loved ones. And maybe, somehow, the pack would find another way to stop the old evil without me.


    I was about to release every bit of healing power I had when I felt a familiar presence behind me.


    "Don¡¯t even think about it," Luna said strongly, grabbing my shoulders. "You¡¯re not dying today."


    I turned to stare at her in shock. "Luna? What are you doing?"


    "Saving your stubborn life," she responded. "Because someone needs to stop that monster tonight, and it sure isn¡¯t going to be me."


    Before I could ask what she meant, Luna¡¯s own power red to life around her hands. But instead of the silver light of healing magic, her energy was bright and warm.


    "I have beta magic," she exined quickly. "I can improve your healing power without draining your life force. But I need you to trust me."


    Trust Luna? The girl who¡¯d tried to have me killed by rogues just a few months ago?


    But as I looked into her eyes, I saw something I¡¯d never seen before. Genuine sorrow. Real bond. And resolve to make up for her past mistakes.


    "Okay," I said. "I trust you."


    Luna¡¯s golden power flowed into me, increasing my healing magic beyond anything I¡¯d ever felt before. Together, we raised our hands toward the controlled dogs.


    "Now!" Luna shouted.


    Combined silver and gold light burst from our hands, washing over every controlled wolf in the clearing. One by one, the ck faded from their eyes as they remembered who they really were.


    The shadow power was broken. The controlled dogs were free.


    For a moment, I thought we¡¯d won.


    Then the ground beneath our feet cracked open, and something huge and terrible climbed out of the earth.


    The ancient evil had chosen to stop hiding underground. It wasing to finish this fight personally.


    And it was so much bigger and more terrifying than I had ever thought.


    "Well," Luna said weakly, both of us fell on the ground from magical exhaustion. "That¡¯s not good."


    The monster towered above us, its multiple eyes burning with green fire as it looked down at the freed wolves with clear hunger.


    "FOOLISH CHILDREN," it growled in a voice like earthquakes. "YOU HAVE ONLY DELAYED THE INEVITABLE. NOW I WILL DEVOUR YOU ALL PERSONALLY."


    Around us, freed wolves were scrambling to their feet, trying to figure out how to fight something the size of a building.


    But I knew the truth. We were too weak from breaking the dark control. The old evil was too strong. And the full moon was still hours away.


    We were going to lose.


    Unless I made the offering right now, while I still had enough power left to cast the banishing spell.


    I looked at Caleb, at Aiden, at Brock, at all the people I¡¯de to love. Soon, if I made the right choice, they wouldn¡¯t even remember I existed.


    But they¡¯d be alive.


    The ancient evil raised one massive w, ready to crush us all.


    Time to decide.

 Chapter 51: Into the Storm

    <h4>Chapter 51: Into the Storm</h4>


    <strong>Lily POV</strong>


    It wasn¡¯t the smell of dark magic or the sight of the changed wood that hit me first. Like a knife through my heart, Caleb¡¯s scream of pain echoed through our mate bond.


    "CALEB!" I yelled and ran faster than I ever had before.


    As I ran through the twisted trees, my feet barely hit the ground. Whenever he moved, it hurt both of us; his pain was my pain and his fear was my fear. The mate tie that usually brought usfort now felt like it was tearing me apart from the inside.


    I walked right into the Sacred Grove and stopped. This wasn¡¯t the peaceful spot where Elder Iris taught me about nts. The old trees were dying and turning ck. Their branches stuck out like ghost fingers. The ground was cracked and leaking some kind of dark liquid that made my stomach turn.


    A huge female wolf with silver-streaked fur and eyes that burned like green fire stood in the middle of it all. She was beautiful and frightening at the same time, radiating power that made my Triple Moon Mark burn against my wrist.


    At her feety Caleb, barely conscious and covered in weird shadow marks that pulsed like living things.


    "You must be the famous Triple Moon bearer," the wolf said, changing into human form. She looked like she could be someone¡¯s grandmother, except for those terrible glowing eyes. "I am Morrigan, and I¡¯ve been waiting centuries to meet one of your kind."


    "Let him go," I ordered, my healing power already flowing toward Caleb. But when my silver light touched the shadow marks on his body, it sizzled and burned away like water on a hot stove.


    Morriganughed. "Oh, child. Your little healing tricks won¡¯t work on shadow poison. Only I can remove it, and I will... if you give me what I want."


    My heart pounded as I knelt beside Caleb. His breathing was shallow and his skin was going gray where the shadow marks spread. Through our link, I could feel his life slipping away.


    "What do you want?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.


    "Your power, of course. The Triple Moon Mark holds magic older than this pack, older than most of the world. Give it to me freely, and your mate lives. Refuse, and watch him die slowly while I take it anyway."


    I looked down at Caleb¡¯s face. He was trying to say something, his mouth moving without sound. Through our weakening bond, I caught one word: "Don¡¯t."


    "How do I know you¡¯ll keep your word?" I asked, stalling for time while I tried to think of another way.


    "You don¡¯t," Morrigan said happily. "But what choice do you have? Your precious pack is losing the fight above. Your friends are overwhelmed. And your mate has maybe ten minutes before the shadow poison hits his heart."


    She was right. I could feel the desperate fighting happening back at the pack grounds through the connections I¡¯d made with everyone. Aiden was trying to arrange defenses while Brock fought three shadow wolves at once. Luna was guarding the children but getting overwhelmed. Elder Iris was using thest of her strength to keep protective spells.


    We were losing everything.


    "There¡¯s another option," Morrigan continued, walking closer. "Join me freely. Let me teach you to use your power the right way. Together, we could rule all the packs, bring order to this wild world."


    "By enving everyone?" I shot back.


    "By bringing peace," she corrected. "No more fights between packs. No more hunger or cold. Everyone working together toward shared goals."


    For a moment, I almost considered it. The idea of no more fighting, no more pain, was tempting. But then I remembered what that "peace" looked like ¨C wolves with empty ck eyes, families torn apart, children who couldn¡¯t recognize their own parents.


    "That¡¯s not peace," I said strongly. "That¡¯s control."


    Morrigan¡¯s friendly mask slipped, showing the monster underneath. "Then you choose the hard way."


    She raised her hand and Caleb screamed as the shadow marks spread faster across his chest. I felt his pain like fire in my own body and nearly copsed from the severity.


    "Stop!" I gasped. "Please, just... give me a second to think!"


    But even as I said it, I was already nning. Morrigan wanted my power, and she wanted it freely given because that would make it stronger. What she didn¡¯t know was that I¡¯d learned something important during my time as Triple Moon carrier.


    The power wasn¡¯t just mine. It belonged to everyone ¨C alpha, beta, and omega together.


    I closed my eyes and reached out through every link I¡¯d ever made. To Aiden fighting desperately above ground. To Brock protecting the pack nursery. To Luna protecting children with her own body. To Elder Iris pouring her life force into protective magic. To every single pack member who had epted the new bnce we¡¯d made.


    "I¡¯ll give you my power," I said, opening my eyes and standing up.


    Morrigan smiled proudly. "Wise choice."


    "But first, you have to understand what you¡¯re really asking for."


    I let my Triple Moon Mark burst to life, but this time it wasn¡¯t just silver light. Golden threads of link flowed from the mark to every person I cared about. The power wasn¡¯t contained in my small body ¨C it was spread across our entire pack, bringing us all together.


    Morrigan¡¯s eyes widened as she realized what she was seeing. "Impossible. The Triple Moon power belongs to one person."


    "The old way, maybe," I said, feeling strength flow into me from every connected soul. "But we¡¯ve learned to share it."


    I grabbed Caleb¡¯s hand and felt his awareness strengthen as pack power flowed through our bond. His eyes opened, clear and focused for the first time since I¡¯d arrived.


    "The whole pack," he whispered, understanding instantly. "She¡¯ll have to take power from all of us."


    Morrigan snarled, her beautiful mask totally gone now. "Fine. If I can¡¯t have one ready bearer, I¡¯ll drain you all."


    Dark energy exploded from her body, reaching out like hungry tentacles toward our golden links. But instead of being absorbed, the pack¡¯s united power began pushing back against her shadow magic.


    "This isn¡¯t possible!" she shrieked.


    "It is when you¡¯re not fighting alone," I said.


    But our win was short-lived. Morrigan threw back her head and howled ¨C a sound that made the twisted trees shudder and crack. In answer, howls echoed from all around the grove. Dozens of them. Maybe hundreds.


    "If I can¡¯t have your power easily," Morrigan said, her voice now fully inhuman, "I¡¯ll take it from your corpses. Every shadow wolf I¡¯ve ever made ising here. Every pack I¡¯ve killed. Every soul I¡¯ve enved."


    The ground began to shake as an army of shadow-controlled wolves surrounded the Sacred Grove. Their glowing eyes appeared between the twisted trees like stars in a horror sky.


    Caleb struggled to sit up beside me. "Lily, there are too many. Even with the pack¡¯s power, we can¡¯t fight them all."


    Through our golden links, I felt everyone¡¯s fear spike. The pack above ground was already tired from fighting. They couldn¡¯t handle another wave of strikes.


    Morriganughed as her troops closed in around us. "Last chance, little Triple Moon bearer. Give me what I want, or watch everything you love burn."


    I looked at Caleb, at the approaching shadow wolves, at the corrupted grove that had once been holy. The weight of everyone¡¯s lives pressed down on my shoulders.


    And then I felt something else through the pack ties. Something that made my blood run cold.


    The shadow dogs weren¡¯t just surrounding the grove. They were surrounding the entire pack area. Every escape route was stopped. Every safe hiding ce was exposed.


    This wasn¡¯t just a fight anymore.


    It was a trap.


    And we¡¯d walked right into it.

 Chapter 52: The True Enemy Revealed

    <h4>Chapter 52: The True Enemy Revealed</h4>


    Morrigan POV


    The moment Lily¡¯s shared power pushed against my shadow magic, memories I¡¯d hidden for three hundred years came flooding back like a dam breaking.


    I staggered backward, clutching my chest as pictures shed through my mind. A young woman with silver hair stood in a grove just like this one. Her Triple Moon Mark burning with pure light as she tried to heal a pack torn apart by war. The look in her eyes when she realized her power wasn¡¯t enough to save everyone she loved.


    That woman had been me.


    "No," I mumbled, shaking my head to clear the memories. "I¡¯m not her anymore."


    But Lily was looking at me with those wide, innocent eyes that looked exactly like mine had once looked. Before I learned that hope was just another word for pain.


    "You¡¯re like me," she said softly. "You had the Triple Moon Mark too."


    The shadow wolves around us stopped moving forward, waiting for my order. I could end this right now. One word from me and they would tear the girl apart. But something held me back.


    "I was nothing like you," I growled, though my voice shook. "You¡¯re weak. Naive. You think you can save everyone with love and friendship."


    "What happened to you?" Lily asked, and her voice was so gentle it made my heart ache. "Who did you lose?"


    The question hit me like a physical blow. Suddenly I was seventeen again, standing in the ashes of my pack¡¯s territory while the bodies of everyone I¡¯d tried to savey spread around me.


    "Everyone," I whispered before I could stop myself. "I lost everyone." The memories came faster now, unstoppable like a flood. My pack had been stuck in a war between two massive wolf territories. Families were torn apart, children orphaned, adults killed for the crime of being in the wrong ce at the wrong time.


    I¡¯d tried so hard to stop it. My Triple Moon Mark had burned day and night as I used my healing power to save the wounded, my diplomatic skills to broker peace talks, my link to the pack to keep everyone together.


    It hadn¡¯t been enough.


    "The Moonridge War," Lily breathed, recognition dawning in her eyes. "Elder Iris told me stories about it. She said a young Triple Moon carrier tried to stop it but..."


    "But failed spectacrly," I finished sadly. "Hundreds died while I yed mediator. My own parents, my little brother, my best friend ¨C all dead because I was too weak to make the hard choices."


    I could see my brother¡¯s face so clearly now. Marcus had been only twelve when the enemy dogs found our hiding ce. He¡¯d looked at me with such trust, thinking his big sister would protect him.


    I¡¯d been in another part of the territory, trying to negotiate with leaders who were already nning his death. "After everyone died, I made a promise," I continued, my voice getting stronger. "Never again would I let wolves destroy each other through pointless fights. Never again would children die because adults couldn¡¯t control themselves."


    "So you decided to control them instead," Lily said, understanding filling her voice.


    "Yes!" I shouted, power sparking around me. "At first, I just wanted to stop one small fight between nearby packs. I used shadow magic to make them forget their anger, to force them to work together. And it worked! No one died!"


    The thought of that first sess still thrilled me. Seeing wolves who had been ready to kill each other suddenly helping each other, guarding each other¡¯s children. It had felt like finally using my power the right way.


    "But it didn¡¯t stop there," I revealed. "Each time I stopped a war, I saw ten more conflicts brewing somewhere else. Pack leaders making stupid choices that would get their people killed. Young wolves rushing into fights they couldn¡¯t win."


    I looked at Lily, willing her to understand. "I tried your way first. I spent fifty years traveling between packs, using my healing skills, trying to teach them to resolve conflicts peacefully. Do you know how many wars I stopped that way?"


    "How many?" she asked quietly.


    "None thatsted," I said angrily. "Every peace pact was broken within a generation. Every union fell apart when resources got scarce. Every promise of cooperation died the moment someone felt threatened."


    The worst part was watching the same patterns repeat over and over. Young alphas making the same mistakes their dads had made. Betas following directions that led to disaster. Omegas suffering in silence while their voices went ignored.


    "I realized that free will was the problem," I continued. "Wolves are too passionate, too short-sighted to make good choices for themselves. They need direction."


    "You mean control," Lily corrected firmly.


    "Control that keeps them alive!" I snapped. "Under my direction, packs don¡¯t fight wars. Children don¡¯t starve. Families aren¡¯t torn apart by stupid fights over territory."


    "They also don¡¯t choose their own paths," Lily shot back. "They don¡¯t fall in love or follow their dreams or make their own mistakes."


    "Mistakes that get people killed," I said. "Like the mistake you¡¯re making right now by fighting me instead of epting my help."


    Through the shadow connection, I felt my controlled wolves getting restless. They could feel my emotional turmoil and it was affecting their stability. I needed to end this chat before they started breaking free of my influence.


    But looking at Lily reminded me so much of myself at her age. So determined to save everyone. So sure that love would be enough.


    "You¡¯ll learn," I said sadly. "When everyone you care about is dead because you weren¡¯t strong enough to protect them, you¡¯ll understand. You¡¯ll understand that sometimes the only way to save people is to take away their freedom to destroy themselves."


    "There has to be another way," Lily urged.


    "I thought so too, once." I raised my hand and dark power began building around my fingers. "I gave the world three hundred years to prove me wrong. All I saw was more war, more death, more pain. The only peace thatsts is the peace I make."


    But even as I prepared to attack, doubt gnawed at me. Lily¡¯s pack seemed different somehow. The way they¡¯d shared power, the way they worked together ¨C it reminded me of dreams I¡¯d given up long ago.


    "Last chance," I said, though my voicecked confidence. "Join me willingly, and I¡¯ll make your death quick."


    Lily stood straighter, her own power bursting to life. "I¡¯ll never give up hope that people can choose to be better."


    "Then you¡¯ll die the same way I did," I said. "Believing in a dream that doesn¡¯t exist."


    I released my shadow power, sending it racing toward Lily and Caleb. But at thest second, something impossible happened.


    The shadows stopped.


    Not because Lily¡¯s power blocked them, but because they refused to follow me.


    I spun around to stare at my army of controlled dogs. Their eyes were no longer empty ck holes. Instead, they glowed with silver light ¨C the same light that circled Lily.


    "What did you do?" I gasped.


    "I didn¡¯t do anything," Lily said, sounding as shocked as I felt. "They¡¯re choosing to break free on their own."


    One by one, my shadow wolves were remembering who they used to be. Remembering the people they¡¯d been stolen from. The lives they¡¯d lived before I forced them to serve me.


    And they were deciding to reject the control I¡¯d given them.


    "No," I whispered as my life¡¯s work copsed around me. "This isn¡¯t possible. People can¡¯t choose good over power. They always choose death in the end."


    But as I watched wolves I¡¯d controlled for decades shake off my power and stand beside Lily, I felt something I hadn¡¯t experienced in three centuries.


    Doubt.


    What if I¡¯d been wrong about everything?

 Chapter 53: The Ritual Begins

    <h4>Chapter 53: The Ritual Begins</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The shadow marks on my chest suddenly red to life like burning brands, and I screamed as pain shot through every nerve in my body.


    "Caleb!" Lily¡¯s words seemed toe from far away, even though she was right beside me.


    I tried to reach for her, but my arms wouldn¡¯t obey me. The spirit poison that had been slowly killing me was changing, transforming into something else entirely. Instead of draining my life, it was now linking me to Morrigan in ways that made my skin crawl.


    "Perfect," Morrigan said, and I could hear the satisfaction in her voice even through the pain. "The ritual anchor isplete."


    "What ritual?" Lily demanded, but I already knew the answer. I could feel it happening inside me.


    "He¡¯s the bridge," I gasped, understanding rushing through me. "She¡¯s using our mate bond to steal your power through me."


    The shadow marks spread across my chest in intricate patterns, making symbols I recognized from the oldest pack histories. Ancient magic that should have been forgotten forever. Each symbol burned as it appeared, but the pain was nothingpared to what I felt through my link to Lily.


    Her Triple Moon power was being pulled from her body through our mate bond, flowing into me, then being channeled to Morrigan. I was like a tube, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.


    "Fight it!" Lily yelled, trying to break the magical chains that had suddenly appeared around her arms. "You have to fight it!"


    I wanted to fight. Every instinct I had yelled at me to protect my mate, to break whatever spell was draining her life force. But the dark magic was stronger than my will. It wrapped around my thoughts like thick rope, making it hard to think clearly.


    Through the ritual connection, I could feel Morrigan¡¯s feelings as clearly as my own. Her desperate hunger for power mixed with real pain from centuries of loneliness. She really thought she was saving the world by controlling everyone in it.


    "Don¡¯t fight it, young schr," Morrigan said gently. "The more you resist, the more it will hurt her."


    She was right. Every time I tried to break free, the magical drain on Lily increased. I could see her getting weaker, her silver light dimming as her strength flowed through me to our enemy.


    "It¡¯s okay," Lily said, though her voice was getting weaker. "We¡¯ll find another way."


    But I knew there wasn¡¯t another way. The ritual was too strong, too perfectly nned. Morrigan had been nning this for ages, waiting for the right Triple Moon bearer to appear. She¡¯d used my love for Lily against us both.


    As more of Lily¡¯s power ran through me, I began to understand things I¡¯d never known before. The Triple Moon magic wasn¡¯t just healing energy ¨C it was pure life force, the power that linked all living things. No wonder Morrigan wanted it so badly.


    But I also felt something else. The power wasn¡¯t just going one way. Some of Lily¡¯s information and memories wereing through the connection too. I saw shes of her childhood, her fears, her dreams for the future. And mixed in with all of that, I saw something that gave me an idea.


    The ritual needed a willing bridge. Someone who would ept the shadow marks and allow the power shift. But what if the bridge wasn¡¯t as willing as Morrigan thought?


    "You can¡¯t stop this," Morrigan said, reading my thoughts through our link. "The shadow marks have already connected with your soul. You belong to me now."


    "Maybe," I allowed, feeling another wave of Lily¡¯s power rush through me. "But you forgot something important."


    "What¡¯s that?"


    I smiled, even though it hurt my face to move. "I¡¯m not just Lily¡¯s mate. I¡¯m part of a pack."


    Through the mate link, I reached out to every connection Lily and I shared. To Aiden leading the defense above. To Brock protecting the children. To Luna fighting alongside past enemies. To Elder Iris keeping the protective spells.


    But most importantly, I reached out to every wolf who had epted the new bnce we¡¯d made in our pack. Every alpha, beta, and omega who had learned to work together as partners.


    "What are you doing?" Morrigan ordered, and for the first time since the ritual began, she sounded worried.


    "Sharing the load," I said.


    Instead of fighting the ritual, I opened myself fully to it. But instead of letting Lily¡¯s power flow straight to Morrigan, I redirected it through every pack bond we had. The shadow marks on my chest began to change, silver threads mixed with the dark symbols.


    Now the procedure wasn¡¯t draining just Lily ¨C it was trying to drain our entire pack at once. And that was a much harder thing to do.


    "Impossible," Morrigan breathed. "The shadow marks can¡¯t connect to that many people."


    "Watch me," I said through gritted teeth.


    The pain was unbelievable. Having Lily¡¯s power flow through me had been bad enough, but now I was connected to dozens of pack members. Their feelings, their fears, their hopes ¨C all of it crashed into my mind at once.


    But I held on. For Lily. For our pack. For the future we¡¯d built together.


    Through the increased connection, I felt something amazing happening. Instead of being weakened by the practice, the pack was getting stronger. The shared load made everyone more powerful, not less.


    "This isn¡¯t possible," Morrigan said again, but now she sounded desperate. "The ritual should beplete by now."


    I looked at her through eyes that were starting to glow with silver light. "Maybe you don¡¯t understand pack bonds as well as you thought."


    That¡¯s when I felt it ¨C the moment I¡¯d been waiting for. The ritual had formed a two-way connection between Morrigan and our pack. She¡¯d been so focused on taking our power that she hadn¡¯t noticed we were also taking something from her.


    Her thoughts. Her knowledge. Her ages of magical experience.


    And most importantly, her power over the shadow wolves.


    "You feel it too, don¡¯t you?" I asked as her eyes opened in shock. "The connection works both ways."


    Through our growing pack bond, I shared Morrigan¡¯s memories with everyone. They saw her sad past, understood her pain, but they also saw something she¡¯d forgotten.


    She¡¯d been wrong about people picking destruction. Our pack was proof that wolves could choose to work together, to give for each other, to be better than their worst instincts.


    "No," Morrigan whispered as more of her controlled dogs began to break free. "You don¡¯t understand. Without direction, they¡¯ll destroy everything."


    "Then let them choose," I said. "Trust them to make the right decision."


    The shadow marks on my chest began to crack, silver light spilling through the breaks. The rite was breaking down, but not in the way Morrigan had nned.


    Instead of taking our power, she was bing part of our pack bond. Her centuries of loneliness and pain were being shared among all of us, making the load lighter for everyone.


    But just as I thought we¡¯d won, Morrigan did something I didn¡¯t expect.


    She smiled.


    "Thank you," she said, and her voice was different now. Sadder but also more at peace. "You¡¯ve shown me something I¡¯d forgotten. But you¡¯ve also given me exactly what I need."


    "What do you mean?" I asked, though I was starting to get a bad feeling.


    "I¡¯ve been connected to your pack bond," she exined. "Which means I now have ess to everyone you care about. Every person whose life matters to you."


    Through the ritual connection, I felt her power change direction. Instead of trying to control our pack, she was reaching out to every other pack in the area. Every wolf family within a hundred miles.


    "If I can¡¯t save the world by controlling a few," she said, "then I¡¯ll save it by controlling everyone at once."


    The silver light around me began to dim as Morrigan redirected the ritual¡¯s power toward a much bigger target. I tried to stop her, but it was toote.


    Through our pack bonds, I felt the moment her impact reached the other territories. Thousands of wolves suddenly stopped what they were doing, their eyes going ck as shadow magic took hold.


    "No," I whispered, understanding the full scope of what she was trying.


    Morrigan wasn¡¯t just trying to control our pack anymore. She was using our connection to every other pack in the region to spread her power like a disease.


    And I was the bridge making it all possible.

 Chapter 54: Brothers Reunited

    <h4>Chapter 54: Brothers Reunited</h4>


    Aiden POV


    The shadow-controlled wolf¡¯s ws raked across my shoulder as I threw him off the road. His eyes werepletely ck, no sign of the friendly beta who used to help me with patrol schedules. Now he moved like a doll, empty and wrong.


    "Aiden, behind you!" Brock¡¯s warning came just in time.


    I spun around and caught another controlled wolf by the wrists before his ws could reach my neck. This one had been a young alpha from the eastern region, barely older than us. Seeing him turned into Morrigan¡¯s tool made my stomach twist with anger.


    "We can¡¯t keep fighting our own people," I said, shoving the controlled wolf away hard enough to knock him down but not hurt him permanently.


    Brock grabbed my arm and pulled me forward. "Then we better stop this fast."


    We ran through the forest toward the Sacred Grove, where Caleb and Lily were stuck with Morrigan. Every few steps, more shadow-controlled dogs appeared from between the trees. They moved in perfect harmony, like they shared one mind. Which I guess they did - Morrigan¡¯s mind.


    "This is impossible," I panted as we dodged another attack. "There are too many of them."


    "Since when do you give up?" Brock asked, pushing a controlled wolf away from our path. "You¡¯re supposed to be the one with all the ns."


    He was right, but my usual diplomatic answers wouldn¡¯t work here. How do you deal with someone who¡¯s stolen everyone¡¯s free will? How do you lead when half your pack is turned against you?


    A group of shadow wolves circled us in a small clearing. I counted eight of them, their ck eyes reflecting no feeling. Among them, I recognized wolves from three different packs - the impact was spreading faster than we¡¯d thought.


    "Stay back to back," Brock said, his voice calm despite the danger. "Don¡¯t hurt them more than you have to."


    For once, I was d my brother chose action over words. Fighting had always been his strength, not mine. But as the controlled wolves attacked, I found something surprising - all those years of watching him train had taught me more than I realized.


    I ducked under a swinging w and used the attacker¡¯s speed to send him tumbling into two others. Not elegant, but useful.


    "Not bad for a diplomat," Brock said, taking down three wolves with quick, urate strikes that left them unconscious but unharmed.


    "Not bad for a hothead," I answered, surprising myself by meaning it.


    We¡¯d been fighting moretely about how to handle pack business. Brock thought I was too careful, too willing to talk when action was needed. I thought he was too quick to fight, too ready to solve problems with strength instead of nning.


    But right now, fighting side by side, we worked together perfectly. He handled the direct attacks while I found clever ways to redirect the controlled wolves¡¯ movements. My diplomatic training had taught me to read bodynguage and predict responses - skills that tranted surprisingly well tobat.


    "The Grove¡¯s just ahead," Brock said as we broke free of another group of controlled wolves.


    Through the trees, I could see the old stone circle where our pack held its most important ceremonies. Silver light poured from the middle, so bright it hurt to look at directly. That had to be where Lily and Caleb were facing Morrigan.


    But between us and the Grove stood at least twenty more shadow-controlled dogs. They formed perfect lines, blocking every way forward. Among them, I spotted Alpha Johnson from the River Pack, Beta Martinez from the Mountain Pack, and dozens of others I¡¯d dealt with over the years.


    "We¡¯ll never get through all of them," I said, my heart dropping.


    "Watch me," Brock said, moving forward.


    "Wait!" I grabbed his arm. "We need a better n than charging in."


    "Your ns aren¡¯t working," he snapped. "While you¡¯re thinking, Caleb and Lily are dying in there."


    The words hit me like a physical blow because they were true. My careful, diplomatic strategy had failedpletely. Morrigan had outmaneuvered me at every turn, using my own desire to avoid battle against me.


    But seeing the controlled wolves arranged so nicely gave me an idea.


    "What if we don¡¯t fight them at all?" I said.


    Brock looked at me like I¡¯d lost my mind. "They¡¯re blocking our path."


    "Exactly. They¡¯re following directions, moving like a military unit. But what happens when you break the chain ofmand?"


    I pointed to Alpha Johnson, who stood slightly ahead of the others. "He¡¯s the top wolf among them. If Morrigan is controlling them through existing pack structures..."


    Understanding dawned in Brock¡¯s eyes. "Take out the leader, and the others get confused."


    "Not take out," I amended. "Redirect."


    Instead of striking the group head-on, we circled around to approach Alpha Johnson from his blind spot. As the highest-ranking controlled wolf, he was probably getting the strongestmands from Morrigan.


    "Alpha Johnson," I called out, stepping into his line of sight. "I challenge your authority to block this path."


    The controlled alpha turned toward me with mechanical uracy. But for just a moment, I saw confusion flicker in his ck eyes. Somewhere deep inside, the real Alpha Johnson was fighting against Morrigan¡¯s control.


    "I invoke the Right of Passage," I continued, using formal packnguage I¡¯d learned during diplomatic training. "As an alpha of Silver Peak Pack, I demand safe passage to the Sacred Grove."


    The controlled wolves seemed to freeze, caught between Morrigan¡¯s orders and ingrained respect for packw. It was like watching aputer trying to process conflicting orders.


    That moment of uncertainty was all Brock needed. He moved faster than I¡¯d ever seen him move, not to attack but to physically lift Alpha Johnson and move him away.


    "Path¡¯s clear," he said with a grin.


    The other controlled wolves stood motionless, waiting for new directions that didn¡¯te. We ran past them toward the Grove, where the silver light was getting brighter and more unstable.


    But as we reached the edge of the Sacred Grove, what I saw inside made my blood turn to ice.


    Caleb knelt in the middle of the stone circle, shadow marks covering most of his body. Lily stood nearby, her hands sparkling with silver light, but she looked weak and pale. And Morrigan... Morrigan wasn¡¯t there.


    "It¡¯s a trap," I whispered, just as the ground beneath our feet began to crack and fall.


    The entire Sacred Grove was falling into a massive sinkhole. Caleb and Lily were going to fall into the darkness below, and there was no way we could reach them in time.


    "Brock!" I shouted, but when I turned to look for my brother, he was already gone.


    He¡¯d jumped into the copsing Grove without pause, trying to reach our brother and Lily before they disappeared forever into the ck pit opening beneath them.


    And I was left standing on the edge, watching hopelessly as all three of the people I cared about most fell into the darkness.

 Chapter 55: The Power of Connection

    <h4>Chapter 55: The Power of Connection</h4>


    Lily POV


    The ground cracked beneath my feet as Brock crashed into the falling Sacred Grove, his arms reaching desperately for Caleb and me. I caught his hand just as we all started falling toward the ck pit that had opened where the old stones used to be.


    "Got you!" Brock grunted, his other hand grabbing Caleb¡¯s shirt.


    But we were still falling, and the hole seemed to go down forever. Panic shot through me until I remembered something Elder Iris had taught me about the Triple Moon power - it wasn¡¯t just for healing individual wolves. It was for healing ties between wolves.


    I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind, not toward the darkness below us, but toward every pack bond I could feel. The silver light inside me pulsed, searching for the invisible threads that linked wolf to wolf, pack to pack.


    And I found them.


    Even controlled by Morrigan¡¯s shadow magic, the pack ties were still there. Buried deep, barely flickering, but living. Like candle mes in a hurricane, fighting not to go out.


    "Hold on," I breathed, letting my Triple Moon power flow outward.


    Instead of trying to fight Morrigan¡¯s control directly, I began strengthening the natural ties between pack members. The bonds that made wolves want to protect each other, care for each other, choose each other¡¯s health over their ownfort.


    The first link I touched belonged to a young beta from the River Pack. Through the shadow magic clouding his mind, I felt his real thoughts - confusion, fear, and desperate love for his little sister who was probably terrified somewhere in the chaos above.


    Remember her, I whispered into his thoughts through the pack bond. Remember why you became a guard.


    The shadow control faltered, just for a second. But that second was enough for his real self to push back against Morrigan¡¯s influence.


    One by one, I reached out to more controlled wolves. A mother worried about her pups. An elder worried for his pack¡¯s safety. A young alpha who¡¯d sworn to guard the weak. Each time, I didn¡¯t try to break Morrigan¡¯s control - I just reminded them of their ties to others.


    "What are you doing?" Caleb asked softly. The dark marks on his chest were spreading, but his eyes were still clear and focused on me.


    "Fighting back," I said, pouring more power into the pack ties. "But not the way she expects."


    Through my growing connection, I felt the moment when the first controlled wolf broke free. The beta from River Pack shook his head like he was waking from a bad dream, his eyes returning to their regr brown color. Then he instantly turned to help another controlled wolf, speaking gently to trigger their memories of pack loyalty.


    But the effort was draining me fast. Each link I strengthened pulled more of my Triple Moon power away. I could feel myself getting weaker, my silver light dying.


    "Lily, you have to stop," Brock said, still holding us both as we dangled over the pit. "You¡¯re going to burn yourself out."


    He was right, but I couldn¡¯t stop now. More controlled wolves were breaking free as the pack bonds got stronger. I could feel their relief and confusion as they remembered who they really were.


    That¡¯s when Morrigan¡¯s voice echoed from somewhere in the darkness below us.


    "Clever little omega," she said, sounding more pleased than angry. "But you¡¯re making the same mistake everyone makes. You think connection makes dogs stronger. I know it makes them weaker."


    The pit beneath us suddenly filled with silver light, but not the warm kind that came from my Triple Moon power. This light was cold and sharp, like broken ss.


    "Every bond you strengthen gives me another path to their hearts," Morrigan continued. "Every connection you create bes a doorway I can walk through."


    Horror filled me as I realized what she meant. By strengthening the pack bonds, I wasn¡¯t just helping wolves resist her control - I was also making it easier for her to reach them through their ties to each other.


    Through the tie I¡¯d just strengthened, I felt the River Pack beta¡¯s mind go dark again. But this time, the shadow control felt different. Stronger. More personal. Like Morrigan had crawled inside his love for his sister and turned it into something ugly.


    "No," I whispered, but it was toote.


    The beta wolf looked up at his sister with ck eyes full of a love so possessive it had be hate. "You¡¯re not safe with anyone but me," he told her in a voice that wasn¡¯t quite his own. "I have to protect you from everyone."


    Other newly freed wolves began turning on their own pack members, their protecting instincts corrupted into paranoid control. Parents became overprotective of children to the point of abuse. Mates became overly possessive. Leaders became tyrannical tyrants, all in the name of keeping their packs "safe."


    "You see?" Morrigan¡¯s voice grew closer. "Love without knowledge bes poison. Connection without bnce bes chains. This is why wolves need a strong hand to guide them."


    I felt sick. My effort to help had made everything worse. Now the controlled wolves weren¡¯t just mindless puppets - they were sure they were doing the right thing while hurting the people they loved most.


    "I have to fix this," I said desperately, reaching out with my power again.


    "Don¡¯t," Caleb said strongly. "You¡¯ll make it worse."


    But I had to try. These wolves were hurting because of my mistake. I gathered what little Triple Moon power I had left and prepared to dive deeper into the pack bonds, to try to heal the corruption I¡¯d identally made.


    That¡¯s when I felt something else through the links - not Morrigan¡¯s shadow magic, but something warm and familiar. Aiden¡¯s presence, strong and steady, reaching out from somewhere above us.


    "Lily," his voice came through the pack bond, clearer than if he¡¯d been standing right next to me. "Don¡¯t fight her evil. Create something new."


    Understanding hit me like lightning. I¡¯d been trying to restore the old pack bonds, but what if I made entirely new ones? Connections that Morrigan couldn¡¯t ruin because she¡¯d never seen them before?


    I reached out with my leftover power, not toward individual wolves, but toward the spaces between them. The moments of choice where they chose whether to trust, whether to hope, whether to believe in something better than fear.


    For a heartbeat, it seemed to work. I felt new kinds of connections forming - bonds based not on need or protection, but on real understanding and mutual respect.


    But then Morrigan¡¯sughter echoed around us, and I realized with rising horror that she¡¯d been waiting for this moment all along.


    "Thank you, little Triple Moon bearer," she said as the pit beneath us began to glow with bright silver light. "You¡¯ve just shown me how to create the perfect pack bond - one that connects every wolf in the world directly to me."


    The new connections I¡¯d made suddenly red with shadow magic, spreading outward faster than wildfire. Through them, I felt Morrigan¡¯s impact racing toward every wolf pack on the continent.


    I¡¯d just given her the power to control them all.

 Chapter 56: Luna’s Redemption

    <h4>Chapter 56: Luna¡¯s Redemption</h4>


    Luna POV


    My ws were inches from little Sarah¡¯s throat when her frightened whimper broke through the shadow magic clouding my mind.


    "Please don¡¯t hurt me, Luna," the six-year-old omega pup whispered. "I thought you were my friend."


    The words hit me like a p. Sarah was my friend. I¡¯d taught her how to braid her hair justst week. Why was I trying to hurt her?


    The ck fog in my thoughts suddenly cracked, and memories came rushing back. Morrigan¡¯s power. The dark magic spreading through our pack. My own desperate efforts to resist before the darkness took over fully.


    I jerked my hand away from Sarah and stumbled backward, shocked by what I¡¯d almost done.


    "Sarah, run!" I gasped, fighting against the shadow magic that was already trying to pull me back under its control. "Get to the safe house!"


    The little girl didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She ran toward the pack houses while I pressed my hands to my head, trying to stay myself instead of bing Morrigan¡¯s tool again.


    All around me, other controlled dogs were doing terrible things. Beta Marcus was trying to lock his own mate in their house "for her safety." Alpha Thompson from the River Pack had tied up his teenage son to "protect him from making bad choices." Parents were fighting their own children, sure they were saving them.


    This wasn¡¯t random bloodshed. Morrigan was using our love against us, twisting our protective feelings into something cruel and possessive.


    But I knew these dogs. I¡¯d grown up in pack politics, learning how each family connected to the others, which dogs respected which leaders, who listened to whom when times got tough.


    "Marcus!" I called out to the beta who was fighting with his struggling mate. "Remember your wedding vows! You promised to trust her judgment, not control her choices!"


    Something sparked in Marcus¡¯s ck eyes. For just a moment, the real him pushed through Morrigan¡¯s impact.


    "Elena?" he said uncertainly, looking at his mate like he was seeing her clearly for the first time in hours.


    "That¡¯s right," I said quickly, moving toward them while trying to avoid the shadow magic wing at my own thoughts. "She¡¯s not your property. She¡¯s your partner."


    Beta Marcus freed his mate¡¯s hands, shaking his head in confusion. "What was I doing? Why was I..."


    "Shadow magic," I exined quickly. "It makes us think power equals love. But real love means trusting the people we care about to make their own choices."


    Marcus nodded, his eyes clearingpletely. "How do we fight it?"


    "Help me reach the others. Use what they respect about you to tell them who they really are."


    I¡¯d never thought my years of studying pack politics would be useful for anything like this. Growing up as the Beta¡¯s daughter, I¡¯d learned which wolves responded to authority, which ones needed gentle persuasion, and which ones would only listen to peers they admired.


    Alpha Thompson was still trying to tie up his son, sure the teenager would run away and get hurt if given freedom. But I knew Thompson had always been proud of having an independent kid.


    "Alpha Thompson," I called out, using my most official voice. "Your son Jake just won the pack youth leadership contestst month. Remember? You said he was ready to make his own decisions."


    The alpha paused, confusion shing across his controlled features. "Jake did win, didn¡¯t he? He¡¯s... he¡¯s grown up now."


    "That¡¯s right," I said gently. "And grown wolves make their own choices, even when we worry about them."


    Alpha Thompson slowly untied the ropes around his son¡¯s arms. Jake instantly hugged his father, and I saw both their eyes return to normal as the shadow control broke.


    It was working. By telling the controlled wolves of their real rtionships and values, I could help them break free from Morrigan¡¯s twisted version of love.


    But fighting the shadow magic was hard. Every time I helped someone else, the darkness in my own mind grew stronger. It whispered that I was making a mistake, that these wolves needed firm direction, that freedom would only lead to chaos.


    You know better than they do, the dark voice said. You¡¯ve always been smarter, more capable. They need you to make choices for them.


    For a frightening moment, I almost believed it. I had always thought I knew what was best for our pack. That¡¯s why I¡¯d been so angry when Lily became the Triple Moon carrier instead of me.


    But watching the freed wolves hug their family members, seeing the relief and thanks in their eyes, I realized something important. Being a good boss didn¡¯t mean controlling people. It meant helping them be their best selves.


    "Mrs. Chen," I called to an older wolf who was trying to force her adult daughter toe back home. "Remember when you taught us that the strongest families are the ones where everyone chooses to stay together?"


    The shadow control cracked, and Mrs. Chen stepped back from her daughter with tears in her eyes. "I¡¯m sorry, honey. I don¡¯t know what came over me."


    One by one, I worked my way through the controlled pack members, using everything I knew about their personalities and rtionships to reach their real selves. It was like solving aplicated puzzle where each piece was a person¡¯s heart.


    But just as I thought we were winning, I felt a new wave of shadow magic crash over the area. This one was different - stronger and more focused. Through the pack bonds, I could feel something terrible happening at the Sacred Grove.


    The newly freed dogs around me suddenly stiffened, their eyes going ck again. But this time, the power felt different. More personal. Like Morrigan was speaking directly to each of them through links they couldn¡¯t break.


    "No," I whispered, reaching out with my own powers to try to help them resist.


    But the dark magic was too strong now. One by one, the wolves I¡¯d just freed fell back under Morrigan¡¯s power. And this time, they looked at me not with confusion, but with calcted hate.


    "You tried to turn us against our protector," Beta Marcus said, his voice cold and wrong. "But now we see the truth. You¡¯re the real threat to our pack."


    All the wolves I¡¯d saved were now advancing on me, their motions perfectly coordinated. Through their ck eyes, I could see Morrigan watching, using them like cameras to study my face.


    "Hello, Luna," Morrigan¡¯s voice came from a dozen mouths at once. "Thank you for showing me exactly how these links work. Now I know exactly how to make sure they never break again."


    The controlled wolves surrounded me, and I realized with increasing horror that my sess had taught Morrigan how to create unbreakable control. She¡¯d watched me free the wolves, learned from my ways, and now she could prevent anyone from ever escaping her influence again.


    I¡¯d helped her be invincible.


    But as the controlled wolves reached for me, I felt something unexpected - a new kind of connection forming between me and the frightened pups hiding in the pack houses. Not the twisted control Morrigan used, but something clean and strong.


    They were counting on me to protect them, and for the first time in my life, that duty didn¡¯t feel like a burden.


    It felt like hope.


    "You want to know what real leadership looks like?" I shouted at Morrigan through her dolls. "It¡¯s not about power. It¡¯s about sacrifice."


    And then I did something that surprised even me. Instead of fighting the controlled wolves or trying to run away, I opened my mind fully to their attacks.


    If Morrigan wanted to study how pack bonds worked, she was about to learn something she hadn¡¯t expected.

 Chapter 57: The Grove’s Secret

    <h4>Chapter 57: The Grove¡¯s Secret</h4>


    Elder Iris POV


    The branch cracked under my weight, and I nearly fell twenty feet to the ground below. My old bones weren¡¯t meant for tree climbing, but sometimes desperate times called for desperate means.


    "Hold on, Elder Iris!" whispered little Tommy from the branch above me. At seven years old, he was much better at this than I was.


    Below us, shadow-controlled wolves prowled through the forest, looking for the children I¡¯d been hiding. Their ck eyes gleamed in the darkness, and their moves were wrong ¨C too stiff, too coordinated. These weren¡¯t the gentle pack members I¡¯d known for seventy years. They were Morrigan¡¯s puppets now.


    "Where are those brats hiding?" snarled Beta Marcus, though his voice sounded hollow and strange. "The sorceress wants them found."


    I pressed my finger to my lips, signaling the twelve children scattered in trees around me to stay quiet. We¡¯d been ying this dangerous game of hide-and-seek for hours, ever since I¡¯d gathered the youngest pack members and fled into the woods when Morrigan¡¯s shadow magic first struck.


    My heart ached watching Marcus hunt for children he¡¯d once bounced on his knee. The shadow magic wasn¡¯t just controlling our pack ¨C it was turning their love into something cruel and possessive.


    "They can¡¯t have gone far," said another tamed wolf. "Spread out. Check every tree, every cave."


    As their footsteps faded, I carefully climbed down to where the other hiding elders waited. Old Henrik supported shaking Mrs. Patterson while George held baby Emma, who¡¯d been crying when her parents suddenly turned strange and scary.


    "They¡¯re getting closer," Henrik whispered. "We can¡¯t keep running."


    He was right. My aged joints screamed with every step, and the children were exhausted. Little Sarah still trembled from her experience with Luna, and the others looked at me with frightened eyes, trusting me to keep them safe.


    But I had something the shadow-controlled dogs didn¡¯t know about. Something I¡¯d kept secret for fifty years, waiting for the right time.


    "Follow me," I said quietly. "It¡¯s time to visit the real Sacred Grove."


    The children traded confused nces. "But Elder Iris," Tommy said, "the Sacred Grove is where the bad magic ising from."


    I smiled sadly. "That¡¯s what everyone thinks. But there are two trees, child. The one everyone knows about, and the one that¡¯s been hidden since before your grandparents were born."


    Leading them deeper into the forest, I followed tracks I hadn¡¯t walked in decades. The secret grove had been sealed away after thest big battle with dark magic, its location erased from pack memory to protect it. Only a few adults had known the truth, and now I was thest one alive who remembered.


    "I don¡¯t understand," said Maria, holding her little brother¡¯s hand. "Why are there two groves?"


    "Because light needs a ce to hide when darkness grows too strong," I exined, pushing aside a seemingly ordinary cluster of bushes to show a narrow path. "Just like how you children have been hiding from the shadow magic."


    The road led to a small clearing surrounded by trees so old their trunks were wider than houses. But these trees felt different from the twisted ones at the false grove. These hummed with clean, pure energy that made my mark tingle nicely.


    "Whoa," breathed Tommy, his eyes wide. "It feels... happy here."


    "That¡¯s because this grove remembers what love really looks like," I said. "Not the twisted control Morrigan is spreading, but real love ¨C the kind that protects without possessing, that guides without forcing."


    At the middle of the clearing stood a crystal pool, its water so clear it seemed to glow from within. Ancient symbols were carved into stones around its edge ¨C symbols I¡¯d studied in banned books decades ago.


    "The True Heart of the pack," I whispered, kneeling beside the pool. "This is where our ancestors first learned to bnce alpha, beta, and omega power. Before anyone decided one rank was better than the others."


    "But how does it help us stop the shadow magic?" asked Sarah, her voice still shaky from her earlier scare.


    I looked at the scared children around me ¨C offspring of alphas, betas, and omegas alike, all equally precious and pure-hearted. They didn¡¯t care about rank or standing. They just wanted their families back to normal.


    "Because children like you still remember what adults have forgotten," I said. "You love without conditions. You trust without fear. And that kind of harmless energy is the only thing strong enough to cleanse the corruption."


    I dipped my hands in the crystal pool, and the water began to glow brighter. "But I need your help. All of you. ce your hands in the water and think about the people you love ¨C not controlling them or changing them, just loving them exactly as they are."


    The children grouped around the pool, their small hands creating ripples in the glowing water. As they concentrated, thinking of their parents and brothers and friends, the light grew stronger.


    "It¡¯s working," whispered Mrs. Patterson. "I can feel something changing."


    The pure energy spread outward from the pool like unseen waves. In the distance, I heard confused shouts as shadow-controlled dogs suddenly stopped their rigid marching. The children¡¯s innocent love was starting to crack Morrigan¡¯s hold on our pack.


    But then the ground shook strongly, and the trees around us creaked ominously.


    A voice boomed through the trees ¨C Morrigan¡¯s voice, but magnified and furious: "WHO DARES INTERFERE WITH MY MAGIC?"


    The children looked at me with fear as the very air around us began to darken. Through the pack bond, I felt Morrigan¡¯s rage turning toward our hidden position.


    "She knows where we are," I said, pulling the children closer to the glowing pool. "She¡¯sing."


    Heavy footsteps crashed through the trees, getting closer. But these weren¡¯t normal footsteps ¨C they sounded like something much bigger and more dangerous than a wolf.


    "Elder Iris," Tommy whimpered, "what¡¯s that sound?" Before I could answer, the bushes at the edge of our space exploded inward. What emerged wasn¡¯t Morrigan in her human form, or even her wolf shape.


    It was something else entirely ¨C a creature of pure darkness and rage, with burning red eyes and ws longer than my arms. This was Morrigan¡¯s real form, the monster she¡¯d been hiding beneath her beautiful disguise.


    "So," the shadow thing hissed, her voice like breaking ss, "the old woman thinks she can use children to stop me. How touching."


    The creature raised one massive w, pointing it straight at little Sarah.


    "Let¡¯s see how pure their hearts remain when I start tearing them apart."

 Chapter 58: Morrigan’s Desperation

    <h4>Chapter 58: Morrigan¡¯s Desperation</h4>


    Morrigan POV


    The pure light from those horrible children hit me like a physical blow, and I stumbled backward, my shadow form flickering. For the first time in centuries, I felt real pain.


    "No, no, NO!" I screamed, clutching my head as memories I¡¯d hidden long ago came flooding back. A little girl with dark hair, crying alone in the woods after her pack rejected her. That girl had been me, before I learned that power was the only thing that counted.


    The children¡¯s innocent energy was unraveling my carefully made shadow magic. I could feel my power over the Silver Peak wolves weakening with every second. Beta Marcus shook his head in confusion somewhere in the forest. Alpha Thompson was blinking his eyes clear of darkness. One by one, my beautiful dolls were remembering who they really were.


    "This isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to work!" I growled at Elder Iris, who stood protectively in front of the children. "Love makes dogs weak! I¡¯m making them stronger!"


    But even as I said it, doubt came into my mind. The dark magic that had given me power for so long suddenly felt... empty. Cold. Like trying to fill a bucket with holes in the bottom.


    I¡¯d spent three hundred years perfecting my control magic, turning pack after pack into my faithful servants. It had always worked before. Why were these children different?


    "Because you¡¯ve forgotten what real strength looks like," Elder Iris said softly. "You think control means love, but you¡¯re wrong. Love is letting go."


    "Shut up!" Ished out with darkness tendrils, but the crystal pool¡¯s light dissolved them before they could reach her. "You don¡¯t know anything about me!"


    But she did know, somehow. She could see through my monster form to the scared little girl I¡¯d once been. The girl whose own parents had called her useless. The girl who¡¯d been cast out for being too different, too strange, too much.


    "I know you¡¯re in pain," Elder Iris continued. "I know someone hurt you badly, long ago. But hurting others won¡¯t heal that pain."


    For a moment, I almost believed her. The image of my mother¡¯s disgusted face when my shadow powers first appeared shed through my mind. How she¡¯d called me strange. How my father had looked at me like I was a monster.


    Maybe they¡¯d been right. Maybe I was a monster.


    But then anger rushed through me again, hot and familiar. "You think you understand?" I shrieked. "I was abandoned! Rejected! Left to die in the wilderness while ¡¯loving¡¯ parents picked their perfect children over me!"


    The shadow magic responded to my rage, getting stronger and darker. The trees around the clearing began to wither, their leaves going ck and falling.


    "So if I can¡¯t have a family," I continued, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "if I can¡¯t be loved for who I am, then I¡¯ll make sure no one else gets to be happy either."


    Little Sarah stepped forward, her small hand sparkling with pure light. "But you can have a family," she said in her sweet child¡¯s voice. "We could be your family if you stopped being mean."


    The offer hit me harder than any physical attack. For just a second, I imagined what it would be like to be epted, to belong somewhere. To have someone look at me with love instead of fear.


    But then I remembered all the times I¡¯d been rejected, all the packs that had driven me away, all the years of loneliness. The pain was too much. I couldn¡¯t risk being hurt again.


    "It¡¯s toote for that," I said, and part of me actually meant it. "I¡¯ve gone too far to turn back now."


    I raised my ws, ready to strike down the children who dared to show me kindness. But as I did, something unexpected happened. My shadow form began to crack, showing glimpses of the woman I¡¯d once been underneath.


    The children¡¯s pure energy wasn¡¯t just breaking my power over others ¨C it was breaking down the walls I¡¯d built around my own heart. For the first time in centuries, I felt the full weight of what I¡¯d be.


    "Look what you¡¯ve done to me!" I screamed, but my voice broke halfway through. "I was powerful! I was in power! Now you¡¯re making me feel things I buried long ago!"


    Tears of pure shadow leaked from my eyes as feelings I¡¯d suppressed for three hundred years came rushing back. The loneliness. The rejection. The desperate need to be epted that I¡¯d twisted into a need to rule.


    "I don¡¯t want to feel this," I whispered, and for a moment I sounded like the lost little girl I¡¯d once been. "It hurts too much."


    Elder Iris took a step toward me, her face filled withpassion instead of fear. "Feeling hurt means you¡¯re still capable of healing," she said gently. "It¡¯s not toote to choose differently."


    But as her words reached me, something else reached me too ¨C the sound ofing wolves. My controlled pack members were breaking free of my power, and they wereing to protect their children.


    Panic filled me. If they found me here, if they saw me weak and defenseless, they¡¯d destroy me just like every other pack had tried to do.


    "No," I said, my voice tightening again. "I won¡¯t let them reject me again. I won¡¯t let anyone reject me ever again."


    I gathered thest of my shadow magic, pulling power from ces I¡¯d never dared touch before. The very essence of wolf nature itself ¨C the primal bonds that linked all wolves to each other and to the moon.


    "If I can¡¯t control you," I dered, my form gettingrger and more terrible, "then I¡¯ll corrupt the source of all wolf power. I¡¯ll poison the moon bond itself so that no wolf can ever feel true pack link again!"


    The children screamed as I began drawing on the basic magic that made wolves who they were. If I couldn¡¯t have love, then no wolf would ever feel it again.


    But as I reached for that ultimate power, I felt something else reaching back.


    Something old and angry.


    Something that had been waiting for someone foolish enough to threaten the very heart of wolf life.


    The Moon Goddess herself was waking up.


    And she was not happy.

 Chapter 59: The Sacrifice Demanded

    <h4>Chapter 59: The Sacrifice Demanded</h4>


    Lily POV


    The Moon Goddess¡¯s voice hit me like lightning, and I fell to my knees as silver fire burned through every inch of my body. Around me, the corrupted Sacred Grove shook violently as something ancient and powerful started to wake up.


    Lily Carter, the voice echoed inside my head, Triple Moon Bearer, you have been chosen for the final test.


    "Lily!" Caleb rushed to my side, but when he tried to touch me, silver sparks flew between us, pushing him back. The Triple Moon mark on my wrist burned so brightly it hurt to look at.


    Through the pack bond, I felt everyone¡¯s fear. Aiden and Brock were facing shadow-controlled wolves. Elder Iris was guarding the children. And somewhere in the distance, Morrigan was doing something terrible to the very heart of wolf nature.


    She seeks to poison the moon ties that connect all wolves, the Goddess¡¯s voice continued. If she seeds, no wolf will ever feel true pack bond again. Mates will be strangers. Parents will forget their children. The wolf race will die from the inside out.


    "Then stop her!" I gasped, fighting to stand as power coursed through me. "You¡¯re the Moon Goddess! You¡¯re stronger than she is!"


    But even as I said it, I felt the truth. The Moon Goddess was powerful, but she couldn¡¯t directly interfere in mortal matters. That¡¯s why she¡¯d made the Triple Moon Bearer in the first ce ¨C to be her hands in the physical world.


    I cannot act directly, she admitted sadly. But you can. The Triple Moon power within you is linked to the source of all wolf bonds. You can use it to clear Morrigan¡¯s corruption and restore bnce.


    Hope red in my chest. "Then tell me how! I¡¯ll do whatever it takes!"


    That is what I feared you would say, the Goddess responded, and her sadness made my heart ache. Child, the power needed to cleanse such deep corruption... it will consume the Triple Moon mark entirely. And when the mark is gone, so too will be your link to your mate.


    The words hit me like a physical blow. I stared at Caleb, who was watching me with increasing rm. Lose my link to him? Lose the link that made usplete?


    "There has to be another way," Caleb said desperately, having heard the Goddess through our bond. "I won¡¯t let her sacrifice herself!"


    The mate bond runs through the Triple Moon power, the Goddess exined gently. When one is destroyed, the other cannot live. You would both live, but you would be strangers to each other. The love you share would fade like a dream upon waking.


    I pressed my hands to my chest, feeling like I couldn¡¯t breathe. Just months ago, I¡¯d been a nobody omega who¡¯d never expected to find love. Now I had everything I¡¯d ever dreamed of ¨C a mate who saw me for who I really was, a ce in the pack where I mattered, a future full of hope.


    And I was being asked to give it all up.


    "I can¡¯t," I whispered. "I can¡¯t lose him. Not after finally finding him."


    Through our tie, I felt Caleb¡¯s fierce protectiveness and desperate love. He would rather let the world burn than lose what we had together. Part of me loved him even more for that selfishness.


    But then I felt something else through the pack links ¨C Luna¡¯s confusion as she fought off thest traces of shadow magic. Sarah¡¯s scared whimpers as she hid with Elder Iris. My parents, somewhere in the pack area, slowly remembering who they really were.


    All of them were counting on me. Not just my pack, but every wolf in existence. If Morrigan seeded in corrupting the moon bonds, billions of wolves would lose the ability to love, to connect, to be truly living.


    "How long do I have to decide?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.


    Morrigan gets closer to her goal with each moment, the Goddess said urgently. Already I can feel the corruption spreading through the spiritual world. Soon it will be toote for any power to stop it.


    Caleb grabbed my hands, his eyes wild with fear. "Lily, please. We¡¯ll find another way. There¡¯s always another way."


    "Is there?" I asked the Goddess desperately. "Any other option at all?"


    The pause that followed told me everything I needed to know.


    I have looked across all possibilities, she finally admitted. This is the only road that saves your people. I am sorry, child. The choice should not fall to one so young.


    I looked around at the chaos surrounding us. Shadow magic still twisted through parts of the wood. In the distance, I could hear Morrigan¡¯s madughter as she worked her terrible magic. Soon, she would seed, and everything that made wolves special would be gone forever.


    But if I stopped her, I would lose the most important thing in my life.


    "It¡¯s not fair," I said, tears running down my face. "Why does it have to be me? Why can¡¯t someone else make this choice?"


    Because the Triple Moon picked you, the Goddess said gently. Not for your power, but for your heart. You are the one person who would choose the greater good over personal happiness. That is why you are the only one who can handle this power.


    I thought about all the times I¡¯d felt unnoticeable, worthless, forgotten. How I¡¯d admired others their happiness while epting that I would never have my own. Now that I finally did have everything I wanted, was I really strong enough to let it go?


    Caleb pressed his face against mine. "Whatever you choose, I¡¯ll support you," he whispered, though I could feel his heart breaking. "But please remember ¨C you deserve happiness too."


    That¡¯s when the terrible irony hit me. The very love that made me want to keep our bond was the same love that made me ready to sacrifice it. Because real love wasn¡¯t about holding on ¨C it was about protecting what meant most.


    Even if it destroyed you in the process.


    I was about to tell the Moon Goddess I would do it, when suddenly the grove burst with new shadow magic. Morrigan had seeded in the first part of her magic.


    Every wolf in existence suddenly screamed as their pack bonds started to dissolve.

 Chapter 60: The World Breaks

    <h4>Chapter 60: The World Breaks</h4>


    <strong>Lily POV</strong>


    The scream that came out of my throat wasn¡¯t just mine. The shadow magic of Morrigan tore through our souls like a hacksaw through silk, and every wolf on Earth screamed with me.


    Every single one of the pack ties started to break apart, and I fell to my knees. The bond I had with Caleb ever since we mated felt like it was being pulled so hard that it broke. The warm feeling I had that Aiden was worried about the other people in his pack went away. Brock¡¯s fierce protectiveness of the kids went away like smoke.


    "No, no, NO!" I gasped and put my hands to my chest, where the feeling of being empty was getting worse. I could see dogs falling all around me. Elder Iris tripped and hit her face on a tree. She was in a lot of pain. Sarah¡¯s terrified whimpers cut through the chaos as she couldn¡¯t feel her mother¡¯sfort longer.


    Through the fading Triple Moon link, I felt it happening worldwide. Mothers forgot why they loved their children. Mates looked at each other like strangers. Pack leaders stared at their followers with empty confusion. The very thing that made us wolves ¨C our ability to bond, to join, to be family ¨C was being murdered.


    "Lily!" Caleb reached for me, but when our skin touched, there was nothing. No spark. No mention. No love flooding through our link. Just... emptiness.


    His eyes opened in horror. "I can¡¯t feel you," he whispered. "I know I should love you, but I can¡¯t remember why."


    My heart shattered into a million pieces. This was exactly what the Moon Goddess had warned me about. But seeing it happen to the whole world was so much worse than I¡¯d imagined.


    Child, the Goddess¡¯s voice was getting weaker in my mind. The corruption spreads faster than I estimated. Soon, even I will lose my link to my children.


    "How long do we have?" I asked desperately, watching Luna stumble around looking confused, no longer understanding her ce in the pack hierarchy because pack hierarchy only mattered when you could feel pack ties.


    Minutes, the Goddess answered. Once the shadow magic reaches the spiritual worldpletely, no power in existence will be able to restore what¡¯s lost. The wolves will be like wild dogs ¨C living alone, killing alone, dying alone.


    I looked at Caleb, who was staring at me like he was trying to answer a puzzle. The love of my life couldn¡¯t remember loving me. Around us, children cried because their parents looked at them with polite stranger-faces instead of warm family-love.


    "Tell me exactly what I need to do," I said to the Goddess.


    You must reach the heart of the Sacred Grove where Morrigan is casting her spell. Touch the tainted Moon Stone with your Triple Moon power. The cleansing will flow from there to every wolf link worldwide. "And it will destroy my Triple Moon markpletely?"


    Yes. And when the mark dies, your mate link dies with it. You and Caleb will live, but you¡¯ll be strangers forever.


    I watched Caleb trying to help Sarah, but his moves were awkward because he couldn¡¯t feel the natural protectiveness that used to guide him. The man who¡¯d held me through nightmares, who¡¯d made meugh when I felt worthless, who¡¯d shown me that omegas could be strong too ¨C he was looking at me like I was just some girl he¡¯d met five minutes ago.


    But that¡¯s when it hit me. Even if he couldn¡¯t feel our bond anymore, he was still trying to help a scared kid. Even if Luna couldn¡¯t feel pack loyalty, she was still standing protectively near the old wolves. Even if the connections were gone, they were still deciding to be good people.


    That had to mean something.


    "I¡¯ll do it," I told the Goddess.


    Are you certain? Once started, the process cannot be stopped.


    I thought about every wolf family in the world slowly forgetting they loved each other. I thought about packs dissolving into lonely people. I thought about children growing up never knowing the joy of joining.


    "I¡¯m certain."


    The Grove¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t far, but getting there meant fighting through shadow creatures that poured from the corrupted trees. Caleb stayed beside me even though he didn¡¯t remember why he should protect me. Aiden and Brock followed even though they couldn¡¯t feel their brother-bond anymore. Luna came too, though she kept looking around like she couldn¡¯t figure out why she was with these particr people.


    "Why are we doing this?" she asked as we ran.


    "Because it¡¯s right," I said simply.


    That seemed to please her, which gave me hope. Maybe losing our wolf ties wouldn¡¯t make us lose our humanity.


    The Sacred Grove¡¯s heart was a nightmare. The Moon Stone that had once glowed with pure silver light was now pulsing with sick green energy. Morrigan stood before it, her hands weaving patterns in the air as more shadow power poured from her fingers.


    She turned as we approached, and her smile was winning. "Toote, little omega. I can feel it working. Every pack link breaking. Every family forgetting. Soon, wolves will be no different from any other animal."


    "Why?" I asked. "Why destroy something so beautiful?"


    "Because I was cast out!" she growled. "Rejected by my mate! Exiled from my pack! If I couldn¡¯t have love, then no one should!"


    Her pain hit me like a physical blow. She wasn¡¯t evil ¨C she was sad. Someone who¡¯d lost everything and chose to make the whole world hurt like she did.


    "It doesn¡¯t have to be this way," I said gently. "Love denied isn¡¯t love destroyed. It just finds new ces to grow."


    For a moment, something flickered in her eyes. Hope, maybe. Or sadness.


    Then her face toughened. "Pretty words won¡¯t fix a shattered heart."


    She raised her hands for the final spell, the one that would make the rot permanent. The Moon Stone¡¯s sick light pulsed brighter.


    I ran toward it, my Triple Moon mark burning with silver fire. Behind me, I heard Caleb shout my name ¨C not with love, but with the worry one stranger might have for another.


    My hand touched the tainted stone just as Morrigan¡¯s final spell hit.


    And the world burst in light.

 Chapter 61: A Mate’s Desperation

    <h4>Chapter 61: A Mate¡¯s Desperation</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The st of light from the corrupted Moon Stone threw me backward, but I fought through the zing pain to keep my eyes on Lily. She was still touching that terrible green stone, her body rigid as silver fire poured from her Triple Moon mark.


    "Lily!" I screamed, stumbling toward her. My chest felt like something was being ripped out of it. The mate link ¨C what little was left of it ¨C was stretching thinner and thinner with every second.


    I knew I should love this girl. My mind remembered kissing her, holding her, promising to protect her forever. But the feelings were disappearing like a dream I couldn¡¯t quite catch. Soon, she¡¯d be just another person to me. A stranger.


    The thought scared me more than dying.


    "Don¡¯t do this!" I reached for her, but an unseen barrier around the stone pushed me back. "There has to be another way!"


    Lily¡¯s head turned slightly toward me. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with tears. "Caleb, I can feel it working. The evil is fighting back, but the Triple Moon power is stronger. I can save everyone."


    "But you¡¯ll lose everything!" My voice cracked. "We¡¯ll lose everything!"


    She smiled sadly. "What¡¯s one lovepared to millions?"


    "It¡¯s OUR love!" I mmed my hands against the invisible barrier. "It¡¯s the most important thing in the world!"


    Around us, the fight for every wolf¡¯s soul raged on. Morrigan was pouring more dark magic into her spell, trying to make the corruption permanent before Lily could cleanse it. My brothers fought shadow creatures that kept appearing from the twisted trees. Elder Iris was on her knees, praying to the Moon Goddess with words I couldn¡¯t understand.


    But all I could focus on was watching the girl I loved give herself.


    "Please," I begged. "Let me help somehow. Let me share the load."


    "You can¡¯t," Lily said, her voice getting softer. "The Triple Moon mark is linked to me alone. When it burns out, that tie dies forever."


    I felt something break inside my chest. Thest thread of our mate bond snapped like a guitar string pulled too tight. Suddenly, looking at Lily felt like looking at a nice girl I¡¯d just met. My mind still remembered our story, but my heart felt nothing.


    She gasped, obviously feeling the same thing. "It¡¯s happening faster than I thought," she whispered.


    "No, no, no!" I threw myself against the barrier again, but it was like hitting a rock wall. "Fight it! Hold onto our connection!"


    "I can¡¯t," she said simply. "But Caleb, even if you can¡¯t feel it anymore, I need you to know something."


    Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. She was talking to me like we were already strangers. Like our love was already dead.


    "What?" I managed to ask.


    "Loving you taught me I was worth something. Before you, I thought I was just a useless omega. You showed me I could be strong, smart, important. Even if you forget loving me, I¡¯ll never forget that gift."


    Tears ran down my face. This was wrong. This was all wrong. How could saving the world require killing the most beautiful thing in it?


    That¡¯s when I remembered something from all those old books I¡¯d studied. There had been other Triple Moon holders in history. And not all of them had died alone.


    "Wait!" I shouted. "The old stories! Some Triple Moon bearers had mates who shared their power!"


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened. "What do you mean?"


    "The legend of Moonrise and Starfall!" I pressed closer to the barrier. "They were mates during the Great War between packs. When she had to use the Triple Moon power to stop the fighting, he found a way to link his life force to hers!"


    "How?" Hope flickered in her voice.


    I racked my brain, trying to remember the exact facts. "Blood magic! He cut his hand and mixed his blood with hers on the Moon Stone. It let them share the load!"


    Morrigan growled from across the grove. "Foolish boy! That tale is just a story! Blood magic hasn¡¯t worked for ages!"


    But Elder Iris raised her head, her eyes suddenly bright. "Not just blood magic," she called out. "Soul power! The power of true love can bridge any gap!"


    "It¡¯s worth trying!" I pulled out my knife, cutting deep across my palm. Blood welled up instantly. "Lily, if there¡¯s even a chance..."


    She looked at me with such love that for a moment, I almost felt our tie again. "If it doesn¡¯t work, you could die too."


    "If it does work, we both live. And if it doesn¡¯t work, at least I¡¯ll die still loving you instead of as a stranger."


    For a heartbeat, she paused. Then she cut her own palm with a sharp piece of stone. "Together?"


    "Together."


    I pressed my bleeding hand against the block. It resisted for a moment, then suddenly gave way. I lunged forward, grabbing Lily¡¯s hand and pushing our cuts together against the corrupted Moon Stone.


    Pain burst through me like lightning. I felt the Triple Moon power rushing through my body, burning every cell. But I also felt something else ¨C our mate tie snapping back to life, stronger than ever.


    "It¡¯s working!" Lily gasped. "I can feel you again!"


    The silver fire from her mark spread to mine, forming a new pattern on my wrist ¨C not the Triple Moon, but a single star surrounded by silver light. Together, our united power pushed against Morrigan¡¯s corruption.


    But the shadow magic fought back furiously. The stone began to crack under the pressure of two opposed forces. Green light and silver fire fought for control while the ground shook beneath us.


    "The stone can¡¯t handle both powers!" Elder Iris shouted. "It¡¯s going to explode!"


    Morriganughed loudly. "If I can¡¯t corrupt the wolf bonds, then I¡¯ll destroy them totally! When that stone shatters, every wolf link will be obliterated forever!"


    The cracks in the Moon Stone spread wider. Through our renewed bond, I felt Lily¡¯s fear. We¡¯d stopped the rot, but now we might destroy everything anyway.


    "What do we do?" I asked desperately.


    Lily¡¯s eyes met mine, and I saw a new n forming. A frantic, impossible n.


    "We absorb it," she said quietly. "All of it. Every wolf bond in the world. We be the new Moon Stone."


    "That will kill us both!"


    "Maybe. Or maybe love really is strong enough to hold the whole world together."


    The stone cracked one final time, and strength beyond imagination began pouring out in all directions.

 Chapter 62: The Greater Good

    <h4>Chapter 62: The Greater Good</h4>


    Lily POV


    The cracking Moon Stone burst with power that felt like swallowing lightning. Every wolf bond in the world ¨C millions and millions of connections ¨C rushed toward me and Caleb like a tidal wave of pure feeling.


    "Hold on!" I screamed, gripping his hand harder as the flood of love, loyalty, and family ties poured into us. A mother¡¯s worry for her sick pup in ska. A grandfather¡¯s pride in his grandson¡¯s first hunt in Russia. Twin girls giggling together in Australia. Every single wolf rtionship on Earth ran through our bodies at once.


    It was beautiful and terrible andpletely overwhelming.


    Caleb¡¯s face twisted in pain as he tried to help me hold it all. "There¡¯s too much!" he gasped. "We can¡¯t hold every wolf connection that exists!"


    He was right. The power was tearing us apart from the inside. I could feel our own mate bond straining dangerously thin as we tried to be vessels for the entire wolf world¡¯s love.


    But I also felt something else through all those links ¨C the corrupted ones were healing. Wherever Morrigan¡¯s shadow magic had touched, my Triple Moon power was burning it away like sunshine destroying darkness. Families were remembering they loved each other. Packs were feeling their unity return. Mates were falling in love all over again.


    "It¡¯s working!" I told Caleb. "The corruption is being cleansed!"


    Morrigan screamed with rage. "No! I won¡¯t let you undo everything!" She poured more dark magic into the air, trying to re-corrupt the bonds as fast as I could heal them.


    That¡¯s when I realized the horrible truth. As long as she kept fighting me, this would never end. The power would keep growing until it killed me and Caleb both. And then every wolf link would die with us.


    There was only one way to stop this.


    I had to destroy the cause of corruption ¨C Morrigan herself.


    "Caleb," I said quietly. "I need you to let go of my hand."


    "What? No!" His grip tightened. "We¡¯re in this together!"


    "The only way to end this is to point all the power at her. But if you¡¯re connected to me when I do it, it¡¯ll kill you too."


    Through our bond, he felt my choice before I even finished exining it. His eyes went wide with fear. "Lily, no. There has to be another way."


    "There isn¡¯t." Tears streamed down my face. "Every second we wait, more wolves suffer. Children can¡¯t feel their parents¡¯ love. Mates look at each other like strangers. I can¡¯t let that continue just to save myself."


    "What about us?" His voice broke. "What about our future? Our children? Our life together?"


    I pressed my free hand to my heart, where our mate bond burned bright and strong. "I¡¯ll carry our love with me always. Even if the tie breaks, even if we be strangers, I¡¯ll remember every moment we had."


    "That¡¯s not enough!" he shouted. "I want to grow old with you! I want to see our pups take their first steps! I want to fight with you about stupid things and make up by kissing you under the stars!"


    His words broke my heart into a million pieces. I wanted all of that too. I wanted it so badly it felt like dying.


    But then I felt a tiny link through the mass of wolf bonds ¨C a little girl in Canada who couldn¡¯t understand why her daddy looked at her with empty eyes. A new mother in Japan who felt nothing when she held her baby. An elderly couple in Germany who sat in confused quiet, unable to remember sixty years of love.


    They were all counting on me. They didn¡¯t even know I existed, but their happiness rested on what I did in this moment.


    "I¡¯m sorry," I whispered to Caleb. "I love you more than life itself. But I love them too."


    Before he could stop me, I yanked my hand free from his.


    The full force of every wolf bond in existence mmed into me alone. The pain was indescribable ¨C like being hit by lightning while drowning in an ocean of fire. My Triple Moon mark zed so bright it lit up the entire grove.


    But I held on. I gathered every link, every love, every family tie, and shaped them into a weapon of pure light.


    "This is for everyone who¡¯s ever felt alone!" I screamed at Morrigan. "For every child who needs their parent¡¯s love! For every mate who deserves to be treasured!"


    I hurled the concentrated power of millions of wolf bonds straight at her.


    The shadow power surrounding Morrigan crumbled like paper in a hurricane. She stumbled backward, her eyes wide with shock. "Impossible! My poweres from pain! Pain is stronger than love!"


    "You¡¯re wrong," I said strongly. "Pain makes you want to give up. Love makes you fight even when it¡¯s hopeless."


    The silver fire reached her, and for a moment, I saw past the corruption to who she really was ¨C a broken woman who¡¯d lost everything and chose to spread her misery to the world. She¡¯d been hurt so badly that she¡¯d forgotten love was even possible.


    "I can heal you too," I offered gently. "You don¡¯t have to carry that pain alone anymore."


    For just a second, I saw hope flicker in her eyes. The real Morrigan, buried under generations of bitterness and rage.


    Then something terrible happened.


    Instead of taking my healing, she smiled coldly and did something I never expected. She opened herself fully to the cleansing power, but instead of letting it heal her corruption, she absorbed it all into herself.


    "If I can¡¯t have love," she snarled, "then I¡¯ll be love! Every wolf bond in existence will belong to ME!"


    The silver fire that was supposed to heal her instead fed her power. She grew brighter and more terrible, stealing every connection I¡¯d tried to repair.


    "No!" I reached out desperately, but it was toote.


    Morrigan rose into the air, her body crackling with stolen love from millions of wolves. "Now I control every pack bond, every mate connection, every family tie! I am the new Moon Goddess!"


    The real Moon Goddess¡¯s voice whispered weakly in my mind: She has turned your healing into victory. Every wolf in the world is now her tool.


    I looked up at Morrigan in horror as sheughed with victory. I¡¯d tried to save everyone, and instead I¡¯d given our greatest enemyplete control over every wolf that lived.


    The world hadn¡¯t been saved.


    It had been enved.

 Chapter 63: Silver Fire

    <h4>Chapter 63: Silver Fire</h4>


    Omniscient POV


    Lily¡¯s Triple Moon mark burst like a star being born.


    Silver fire exploded from her wrist and spread across her entire body, turning her into a zing figure of pure light. The power was so intense that everyone in the Sacred Grove had to protect their eyes. Even Morrigan, floating in the air with her stolen wolf bonds, stumbled backward from the burning heat.


    "What¡¯s happening to her?" Caleb screamed, trying to reach Lily but unable to get close to the silver mes circling her.


    Elder Iris¡¯s voice was filled with awe and fear. "She¡¯s burning herself outpletely. Using every drop of Triple Moon power at once."


    Around the world, wolves felt the change quickly. In a small house in Canada, a father suddenly remembered why he loved his daughter and pulled her into a fierce hug. In a hospital in Japan, a new mother looked down at her baby and felt overwhelming love fill her heart. In Germany, an elderly pair reached for each other¡¯s hands as sixty years of memories came rushing back.


    But for every link that snapped back into ce, Lily grew dimmer.


    "Stop!" Morrigan screamed from above. She tried to pull the links back under her control, but the silver fire was too strong. "Those bonds belong to me now!"


    "They never belonged to you," Lily¡¯s words echoed from within the mes, though her body was barely visible anymore. "Love can¡¯t be bought. It can only be given freely."


    The silver fire spread outward like ripples in a pond, touching every corrupted link Morrigan had tried to steal. Pack bonds snapped tight again. Mate connections zed back to life. Family ties strengthened and glowed with fresh warmth.


    Aiden gasped as he suddenly felt his brothers¡¯ presence in his mind again. "Brock! Caleb! I can feel you both!"


    "The pack bond is back!" Brock yelled, spinning around as he sensed every member of Silver Peak Pack again. The children hiding with Elder Iris were no longer scared strangers but loving pack family. Luna, who had been wandering around confused, suddenly straightened as her ce in the pack order became clear again.


    But the most striking change was in Caleb. The mate bond with Lily, which had been dimming to nothing, suddenly burned brighter than ever. He could feel her love, her determination, her readiness to sacrifice everything for others.


    He could also feel her dying.


    "Lily, you have to stop!" He fought against the silver mes, ignoring the burns on his hands. "You¡¯re using too much power!"


    "I have to finish it," her voice was getting weaker. "If I don¡¯t use all the power now, some of the corruption will stay. It¡¯ll spread again."


    Across the world, the healing continued. Wolves who had forgotten their pack loyalty suddenly remembered their tasks. Parents who had looked at their children with empty eyes were now crying with joy as love rushed back. Entire packs that had fallen apart were reuniting, stronger than before.


    But with each restored link, more of Lily¡¯s life force burned away.


    Morrigan knew she was losing and made a desperate choice. Instead of fighting the silver fire, she dove right into it.


    "If you want to save everyone so badly," she growled, "then save me too!"


    She grabbed onto Lily within the fire, and something shocking happened. Instead of being killed by the Triple Moon power, Morrigan began to change. The centuries of bitterness and rage that had corrupted her started burning away like shadows in sunshine.


    "What¡¯s happening to me?" Morrigan gasped as memories rushed back ¨C not of pain and rejection, but of the love she¡¯d known before it all went wrong. Her mate, who had died protecting their pack. Her children, who had been killed in a rogue attack. The sorrow that had twisted her into something evil began to heal.


    "You¡¯re remembering who you used to be," Lily said gently, even as her own power faded. "Before the pain changed you."


    Tears streamed down Morrigan¡¯s face as the silver fire cleansed decades of evil from her soul. "I lost everything. I couldn¡¯t bear it. So I decided to make everyone else lose everything too."


    "Loss doesn¡¯t have to make you evil," Lily whispered. "It can make youpassionate instead."


    The healing spread to Morriganpletely, burning away thest of her dark magic. She fell to the ground, no longer a powerful sorceress but just a broken woman who had finally found peace.


    But the cost was huge.


    Lily¡¯s Triple Moon mark, which had zed like a star, began to flicker like a dying light. The silver fire around her grew smaller and smaller as thest of her power flowed out to heal the final corrupted bonds around the world.


    "No, no, no!" Caleb caught her as she copsed, her body now fully human again. The Triple Moon mark on her wrist was gone, leaving only clear skin behind. "Stay with me!"


    "I can feel it," Lily said softly. "Every wolf tie in the world is pure again. Families loving each other. Packs working together. Mates finding each other."


    "But what about our bond?" Caleb¡¯s voice broke. "I can still feel you, but it¡¯s getting weaker."


    Lily touched his face gently. "The Triple Moon power is gone. Soon our mate link will fade too. We¡¯ll be strangers again."


    "I don¡¯t care!" he said furiously. "Mate bond or no mate bond, I choose to love you. Every day, for the rest of my life, I choose you."


    She smiled through her tears. "And I choose you too."


    Around them, the Silver Peak Pack grouped close. Aiden and Brock knelt beside their brother. Elder Iris put a gentle hand on Lily¡¯s forehead. Even Luna, tears streaming down her face, reached out tofort the girl who had given everything.


    But then something impossible happened.


    Instead of going away, the mate bond between Lily and Caleb began to glow brighter. Not with Triple Moon magic, but with something else entirely.


    "Look," Elder Iris whispered in surprise.


    Every member of Silver Peak Pack was glowing softly. Their pack bonds had grown so strong during the crisis that they were creating their own magic. And all of that power was flowing toward Lily and Caleb, wrapping around their link like armor.


    "The pack is feeding power into your mate bond," Elder Iris stated. "They¡¯re refusing to let it die."


    But before anyone could celebrate, the ground beneath them started to shake violently. The Sacred Grove, corrupted for so long, was crumbling now that Morrigan¡¯s magic was gone.


    And in the distance, something far worse wasing.


    A howl echoed across the mountains ¨C but it wasn¡¯t from any dog. It was from something old and hungry that had been sleeping beneath the earth, waiting for the magical chaos to wake it up.


    "What is that?" Aiden asked, his face pale.


    Elder Iris¡¯s eyes went wide with fear. "The Shadow Beast. Morrigan¡¯s poison was keeping it asleep. Now that she¡¯s been cleaned..."


    The howl came again, closer this time, and the very air seemed to turn cold with fear.


    "It¡¯sing for the Triple Moon bearer," Elder Iris whispered. "And it won¡¯t stop until it devours every drop of magic left in her."

 Chapter 64: Strangers in Love

    <h4>Chapter 64: Strangers in Love</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The silver fire died out, and I opened my eyes to see a stranger.


    She was pretty enough, I guess. Brown hair, worried eyes, sitting in the dirt like she¡¯d fallen. But when I looked at her, I felt absolutely nothing. No pull, no warmth, no recognition. Just the mild interest you might have in any random pack member.


    "Caleb?" she whispered, reaching toward me with shaking fingers.


    I stepped back automatically. "Do I know you?"


    The pain that shed across her face was so raw it made me ufortable. Why was some girl I¡¯d never met looking at me like I¡¯d just ripped her heart out?


    "It¡¯s me," she said, voice shaking. "It¡¯s Lily."


    Lily. The name meant nothing to me. I searched my mind, trying to ce her. Had we met at a pack gathering? Was she someone¡¯s sister? Nothing came to mind.


    "I¡¯m sorry," I said politely. "I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve been introduced."


    She made a sound like a hurt animal. Around us, my brothers and the rest of the pack were looking with shocked faces. Even Elder Iris looked pale and shaken.


    "What¡¯s wrong with everyone?" I asked, annoyed. "Who is this girl and why is she crying?"


    Aiden stepped forward, his face grim. "Caleb, that¡¯s Lily. Your mate."


    Iughed, which felt wrong the moment the sound left my mouth. "My mate? I think I¡¯d remember having a mate."


    But even as I said it, something felt off. There was an empty ce in my chest, like something important had been carved out. I kept expecting to feel... what? I couldn¡¯t even remember what I was meant to be feeling.


    "The Triple Moon power," Elder Iris said softly. "When she used it all to save everyone, it burned away the magical links. Including your mate bond."


    "We weren¡¯t really mates then," I said, relief rushing through me. "It was just magic making us think we were."


    The girl - Lily - flinched like I¡¯d pped her. "No, Caleb. What we felt was real. The magic just brought us together."


    I studied her face, looking for any spark of recognition. She was looking at me with such desperate hope, like she was drowning and I was her only lifeline. But I felt nothing except slight pity for her obvious pain.


    "I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re upset," I said carefully. "But I don¡¯t remember you at all. If we had some kind of bond, it¡¯s gone now."


    She struggled to her feet, swaying slightly. For a second, I almost reached out to hold her. Almost. But why would I touch a stranger?


    "You saved everyone," she said, tears streaming down her face. "All the wolf ties in the world are pure again because of what I did. Families are back together. Packs are united. Everyone gets to love each other again."


    "That¡¯s... good?" I said, confused by her tone.


    "Everyone except us." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I gave up everything, including the person I loved most."


    Something twisted in my chest at those words. Not recognition, exactly, but an echo of an echo. Like hearing a song you used to know but couldn¡¯t quite remember.


    "Maybe it¡¯s for the best," I found myself saying. "If it was just magic, then it wasn¡¯t real anyway."


    The words hit her like physical blows. She wrapped her arms around herself, looking so small and broken that I felt like a monster. But what was I meant to do? Pretend to feel things I didn¡¯t?


    "It was real," she said furiously. "Every moment, every touch, every time you told me you loved me. That was real." I told her I loved her? That seemed impossible. I¡¯d never been in love with anyone. Had I?


    "Caleb," Aiden said gently. "You picked her. Even when you thought the mate bond might fade, you said you¡¯d choose to love her every day for the rest of your life."


    "I said that?" The words felt strange in my mouth.


    "You meant it too," Brock added, his voice rough with passion. "You were ready to fight anyone who tried to take her away from you."


    I looked at this girl - Lily - trying to imagine myself caring about her that much. She was pretty, sure, and she seemed nice enough. But love her? Fight for her? It was like they were talking about a totally different person.


    "I don¡¯t remember any of that," I admitted.


    "Because the magic took it away," she said, stepping closer. "But maybe we could try again. Start over. Get to know each other without the mate tie."


    There was so much hope in her voice that I almost said yes just to stop her from looking so broken. But that wouldn¡¯t be fair to either of us.


    "I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea," I said honestly. "You clearly have strong feelings for someone I used to be. But I¡¯m not that person anymore. It would just hurt you more."


    She went very still. "So that¡¯s it? You¡¯re just going to walk away?"


    "What else can I do? I can¡¯t force myself to feel something I don¡¯t feel."


    For a long moment, we stared at each other. I could see her heart breaking in real time, and part of me wanted to soothe her. But the bigger part just wanted to escape this awkward position.


    "I understand," she said finally, her voice dead. "You¡¯re right. The person who loved me is gone."


    She turned to walk away, but then something incredible happened. The ground beneath our feet started to glow with soft silver light. Not the zing fire from before, but something softer. Warmer.


    "What¡¯s that?" I asked, stepping back nervously.


    Elder Iris gasped. "The Sacred Grove. It¡¯s reacting to her grief."


    The light grew brighter, spreading out from where Lily stood. And as it touched me, I felt... something. Not memories exactly, but thoughts without context. Love without a goal. Loss without knowing what I¡¯d lost.


    "Impossible," Elder Iris breathed. "Thend itself remembers their bond."


    Lily spun around, her eyes wide. "What does that mean?"


    But before anyone could answer, the silver light burst outward like a shockwave. It hit every person in the Sacred Grove, and suddenly I was drowning in feelings that weren¡¯t mine.


    Love. Desperate, burning love for the girl in front of me. Fear of losing her. Joy at her smile. Pain at her tears. A thousand moments I couldn¡¯t remember but somehow felt in my bones.


    And then, just as quickly as it came, the feeling disappeared.


    I gasped, staggering backward. "What was that?"


    Lily was looking at her hands, which were glowing faintly silver. "I don¡¯t know. But Caleb... for just a second there, you looked at me like you remembered."


    Before I could respond, the ground started to shake violently. Trees started falling around us as an eerie roar echoed through the forest.


    "The Shadow Beast," Elder Iris screamed. "It¡¯s here!"


    Something massive crashed through the tree line, going straight for us. But it wasn¡¯t looking at me or my brothers or anyone else.


    Its glowing red eyes were fixed totally on Lily.


    And in that moment of pure fear, as this monster bore down on the girl I couldn¡¯t remember loving, my body moved without thinking. I threw myself in front of her, arms spread wide to protect her from the creature¡¯s ws.


    "Stay behind me," I growled, and the protectiveness in my own voice shocked me.


    Maybe I didn¡¯t remember liking her.


    But apparently, some part of me still did.

 Chapter 65: The Hollow Victory

    <h4>Chapter 65: The Hollow Victory</h4>


    Lily POV


    The Shadow Beast¡¯s ws raked across my shoulder as I dove behind a fallen tree. Blood ran down my arm, but I barely felt the pain. Nothing hurt worse than the nothingness inside my chest.


    "Lily!" Caleb yelled, fighting the monster with his brothers. "Stay down!"


    I watched him throw himself between me and danger, just like he always used to. But now when I looked at him, I felt nothing. I remembered loving him - remembered the warmth, the joy, the feeling like my heart might burst with happiness. But the feelings themselves were gone, leaving only cold facts in my mind.


    We used to be mates. We used to love each other. We used to be happy.


    All true. All useless now.


    The Shadow Beast roared and swiped at Aiden, sending him flying into a tree. Brock charged from the left while Caleb struck from the right. They moved like they¡¯d practiced this dance a thousand times, but the thing was too fast, too strong.


    "We can¡¯t beat it!" Aiden yelled, blood dripping from his mouth. "It¡¯s feeding off magical energy!"


    That¡¯s when I realized something terrible. The beast wasn¡¯t just hunting randomly. Every time it moved, it got a little closer to me. Its red eyes never left my face, even when the brothers were striking.


    "It wants me," I said, standing up despite Caleb¡¯s shouts to stay hidden.


    "Lily, no!" Elder Iris grabbed my arm. "The Shadow Beast devours magic. If it touches you¡ª"


    "I don¡¯t have any magic left," I interrupted. "I used it all to save everyone."


    But even as I said it, I knew something was wrong. Because every time the beast looked at me, I felt a tiny spark in my chest. Not love or happiness, but something else. Something I couldn¡¯t name.


    The thing lunged toward me, and instinct took over. I threw my hands up to protect myself, and silver light zed from my palms. Not the wild fire from before, but something deeper. Colder.


    The Shadow Beast hit my barrier and bounced backward, screaming in pain.


    "Impossible," Elder Iris breathed. "You shouldn¡¯t have any power left."


    I stared at my hands, watching the strange silver light fade. "I don¡¯t understand."


    "The Triple Moon Mark," Caleb said, pointing at my wrist. "It¡¯s different."


    I looked down and gasped. The three entwined crescents were still there, but now they were ck instead of silver. Dark as midnight, they glowed with an energy that felt nothing like the warm power I¡¯d had before.


    "What¡¯s happening to me?" I whispered.


    The Shadow Beast ringed us like a predator ying with its food. Every few seconds, it would test my barrier, pushing against the dark light surrounding me. Each time, the ck crescents on my wrist got a little brighter.


    "It¡¯s feeding the mark somehow," Elder Iris said, her voice filled with fear. "The creature¡¯s darkness is mixing with your emptiness."


    Emptiness. That¡¯s exactly what it felt like. Where love used to live in my heart, there was just a hollow space. And something cold was starting to fill it up.


    "Lily," Aiden called from where he was helping Brock stand. "You need to get out of here. Run!"


    "I can¡¯t." The words came out t, lifeless. "If I leave, it¡¯ll just follow me. It¡¯ll hunt other wolves."


    "So what?" Caleb said desperately. "We¡¯ll figure something else out. We¡¯ll¡ª"


    "No." I looked at him, this stranger who used to be everything to me. "I saved everyone else. I can save them from this too."


    "Not by sacrificing yourself!" he yelled.


    I almost smiled. He was trying so hard to care about someone he didn¡¯t remember. It would have been sweet if I could still feel sweetness.


    "I¡¯m not sacrificing myself," I said quietly. "I¡¯m epting what I¡¯ve be."


    The Shadow Beast seemed to sense the change in me. It stopped circling and crouched low, ready to spring. But this time, instead of running or hiding, I stepped forward to meet it.


    "Lily, don¡¯t!" Elder Iris screamed.


    The creature jumped, ws extended and mouth full of teeth. I reached out with both hands and caught it mid-air. The moment my skin touched its shadow-flesh, something incredible happened.


    I started absorbing it.


    The beast shrieked as darkness flowed from its body into mine. The ck crescents on my wrist zed brighter, and I felt strength rushing through me. Not the warm, loving energy I¡¯d had before, but something hungry. Colder. More dangerous.


    "Stop!" Caleb grabbed my arm, trying to pull me away. "You¡¯re taking its evil into yourself!"


    "I know," I said quietly, not even looking at him.


    The Shadow Beast was getting smaller, weaker. Its red eyes dimmed as I drained its power, feeding the increasing darkness inside me. Part of my mind screamed that this was wrong, that I was bing something terrible. But the empty part of me, the part that couldn¡¯t feel love anymore, weed the cold power.


    "This is what I am now," I continued. "The Triple Moon Bearer who gave up everything. I have no love left to lose, which means I can hold all the sadness without it corrupting me the way it would someone else."


    "That¡¯s not true," Caleb said, and for a second he sounded like the boy who used to love me. "You¡¯re not empty. You¡¯re not dark. You¡¯re¡ª"


    "I¡¯m nothing," I finished. "And that makes me perfect for this."


    The Shadow Beast gave one final shriek and dissolved totally, all its power flowing into my mark. The ck crescents now zed like dark stars, and I could feel shadows moving beneath my skin.


    Around us, the Sacred Grove went totally silent. Even the wind stopped blowing.


    I turned to face the others, and I saw fear in their eyes. Not fear or worry, but actual terror. They were looking at me like I was the monster now.


    Maybe I was.


    "The pack is safe," I stated, my voice echoing strangely. "The Shadow Beast is gone."


    "At what cost?" Elder Iris whispered.


    I tilted my head, considering the question. "No cost. I didn¡¯t lose anything I hadn¡¯t already given away."


    Caleb stepped toward me, hand extended. "Lily, let us help you. There has to be a way to fix this."


    "Fix what?" I asked. "I¡¯m exactly what I chose to be."


    But as I said it, something moved in the trees behind them. More shadows, darker and hungrier than the beast I¡¯d just swallowed. The Shadow Beast hadn¡¯t been hunting alone.


    It had been running from something worse.


    "Oh," I said, as dozens of red eyes appeared in the darkness around us. "That¡¯s not good."


    The pack pressed closer together as creatures started emerging from every direction. Not ghost beasts, but something else entirely. Something that made the air itself feel sick and wrong.


    And every single one of them was looking at me with what looked like worship.


    "What are those things?" Aiden breathed.


    I felt my new dark power reacting to their presence, calling to them like a beacon. The ck crescents on my wrist pulsed in rhythm with their motions.


    "I think," I said slowly, "they¡¯re my army now."

 Chapter 66: Morrigan’s End

    <h4>Chapter 66: Morrigan¡¯s End</h4>


    Aiden POV


    Morrigan stumbled backward, holding her chest where her heart should be. Without her stolen wolf bonds, she looked like what she really was - a broken old woman who had lived way too long.


    "Stay back!" she screamed, but her voice cracked like dry leaves. "I still have power!"


    She raised her hands, trying to summon the dark magic that had terrorized packs for ages. Nothing happened. Not even a spark.


    "It¡¯s over, Morrigan," I said, moving closer with my brothers beside me. "Lily broke your spell. You can¡¯t hurt anyone anymore."


    The old witchughed, but it sounded more like crying. "You think this ends with me? You stupid boy, I was just the beginning!"


    Behind us, those shadow things were still surrounding Lily, treating her like some kind of dark queen. My stomach twisted watching her stand there so calmly, like she didn¡¯t care that she was bing something frightening. But right now, I had to focus on Morrigan. One problem at a time.


    "You stole bonds from thousands of wolves," Brock growled, his hands clenched. "Families forgot they loved each other because of you."


    "Because I was in pain!" Morrigan shrieked. "My mate died! My children died! I lost everything, so why should anyone else get to be happy?"


    I felt a stab of pity for her, which shocked me. As the future Alpha, I¡¯d been trained to see enemies as just that - enemies. But looking at this broken woman, I could almost understand how sadness had twisted her into something evil.


    "Losing people doesn¡¯t give you the right to destroy other families," I said strongly. "There were other ways to handle your pain."


    "Easy words from someone who¡¯s never lost anything," she spat.


    That hit harder than I expected. She was right. I¡¯d never lost a mate or children. I¡¯d never felt the kind of sadness that could drive someone insane. What if I had? Would I have made better choices?


    "Maybe," I admitted. "But that doesn¡¯t make what you did okay."


    Morrigan¡¯s face sagged. For a moment, she looked less like an ancient evil witch and more like someone¡¯s grandma. "I know," she whispered. "I¡¯ve known for so long, but I couldn¡¯t stop. The hatred became all I had left."


    Caleb stepped forward, and I could see him struggling with his own feelings. Without his memories of loving Lily, he seemed lost, like he was trying to figure out who he was supposed to be.


    "It¡¯s not toote," he said softly. "You could try to make things right."


    Morriganughed bitterly. "Make things right? Boy, I¡¯ve been stealing love for three hundred years. There¡¯s noing back from that."


    "Then why are you still fighting?" I asked.


    She went very still. "Because if I stop fighting, I have to face what I¡¯ve be. And I don¡¯t think I¡¯m strong enough for that."


    The honesty in her voice caught me off guard. This wasn¡¯t the powerful sorceress who¡¯d terrified the wolf world. This was just a scared, broken woman who¡¯d been running from her guilt for ages.


    "You don¡¯t have to face it alone," I said, shocking myself. "The pack council could¡ª"


    "No!" Morrigan¡¯s eyes zed with sudden anger. "You don¡¯t understand! I didn¡¯t just steal bonds because I was angry. I was hiding them. Protecting them!"


    "Protecting them from what?" Brock asked.


    Morrigan¡¯s look shifted to Lily, who was still standing calmly among those shadow creatures. "From her. From what she was always meant to be."


    My blood ran cold. "What are you talking about?"


    "The Triple Moon Bearer," Morrigan said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You think she was born to save wolves? She was born to rule them. To control every bond, every link, every feeling between mates and families."


    "That¡¯s impossible," I said, but doubt was creeping into my voice. "Lily would never¡ª"


    "Lily already is," Morrigan interrupted. "Look at her! She absorbed that Shadow Beast like it was nothing. Those animals bow to her because they recognize what she¡¯s bing - the Dark Moon."


    The Dark Moon. I¡¯d heard whispers of that legend, stories so old most wolves thought they were just fairy tales. A Triple Moon Bearer who turned to darkness, who could control love itself instead of just healing broken ties.


    "You¡¯re lying," Caleb said furiously. "Lily saved everyone. She¡¯s a hero."


    "Heroes who sacrifice everything often be the very thing they fought against," Morrigan replied sadly. "I should know. I was a hero once too."


    That stopped us all cold. Morrigan had been a hero?


    "Surprised?" she asked, seeing our looks. "Three hundred years ago, I was just like your sweet Lily. I had the Triple Moon Mark. I saved my pack from a terrible curse. And in doing so, I emptied myself of all love and warmth, leaving only darkness behind."


    "No," I breathed. "That¡¯s not possible."


    Morrigan pulled back the sleeve of her torn robe, showing her own wrist. There, faded but still visible, were three ck crescents exactly like the ones now marking Lily¡¯s skin.


    "The cycle repeats," she said. "Every few centuries, a new Triple Moon Bearer appears. They save the world from some great evil, sacrifice their ability to love, and then be the next great evil for the following Bearer to fight."


    I felt sick. "So you¡¯re saying Lily is going to be like you?"


    "Worse," Morrigan whispered. "I only stole love. She can order it. Make wolves love who she wants them to love, hate who she wants them to hate. She could change every rtionship in the world ording to her will."


    "But she wouldn¡¯t do that," Brock objected. "She¡¯s not evil."


    "Neither was I," Morrigan said. "Evil isn¡¯t born, boys. It¡¯s formed by good people who lose everything that made them good."


    Behind us, I heard Lilyugh - a cold, empty sound that made my skin crawl. When I turned, she was petting one of the shadow things like it was a friendly dog.


    "The emptiness grows," Morrigan continued. "First she won¡¯t be able to feel love. Then she won¡¯t be able to remember why love matters. Then she¡¯ll decide that love is just weakness holding wolves back from their true potential."


    "How do we stop it?" I asked desperately.


    Morrigan¡¯s smile was sad. "You can¡¯t. The only way to break the circle is for a Triple Moon Bearer to choose love over power. But how can she choose something she can no longer feel?"


    "There has to be a way," I maintained.


    "There is," Morrigan said quietly. "But you won¡¯t like it."


    "Tell us!"


    She looked directly at Caleb. "The mate bond. If he can somehow remember loving her - really remember, not just know it happened - it might support her humanity. But¡ª"


    Her words were cut off as something huge crashed through the trees. Not another dark creature, but something far worse. It looked like a dragon made of pure ck, with eyes like burning coals and wings that blotted out the moon.


    "What is that thing?" Brock shouted.


    Morrigan¡¯s face went white with fear. "The Void Eater. The thing I¡¯ve been running from for three centuries."


    The thingnded between us and Lily, who turned to face it with no fear at all. If anything, she looked happy.


    "Hello, old friend," she said to the monster, her voice booming with dark power.


    "Lily, get away from that thing!" I yelled.


    But she just smiled, and for the first time since losing her feelings, she looked truly happy. "Why would I run from my destiny?"


    The Void Eater dropped its massive head, and Lily reached out to stroke its snout like she was greeting a beloved pet.


    "My queen," the thing rumbled in a voice like thunder. "I have waited so long for your awakening."


    Morrigan grabbed my arm with shaking hands. "It¡¯s toote," she whispered. "She¡¯s already chosen her side."

 Chapter 67: A Pack Divided

    <h4>Chapter 67: A Pack Divided</h4>


    Luna POV


    The sound of screaming woke me up.


    I bolted upright in my bed, heart pounding against my chest. The screams wereing from outside, near the pack houses. Multiple voices, all screaming at once. Something was badly wrong.


    I threw on my robe and ran barefoot into the cold morning air. Other pack members were walking out of their homes too, looking confused and scared. The yelling was getting louder.


    "What¡¯s happening?" someone yelled.


    That¡¯s when I saw them.


    A group of our strongest warriors were backing away from the tree line, their faces white with fear. They were looking at something in the shadows between the trees. Something that made big wolves whimper like puppies.


    "Shadow creatures," one of them gasped. "Dozens of them. Just standing there, watching us."


    My blood turned to ice. I¡¯d heard the stories about what happened at the event, but seeing those things in real life was different. They looked like dogs made of living darkness, with eyes that glowed red like burning coals.


    But that wasn¡¯t the worst part.


    The worst part was seeing Lily standing among them like she belonged there.


    She wasn¡¯t running or fighting or yelling. She was just standing quietly in the middle of all those monsters, her hand resting on one of their heads like it was a pet dog. Her face showed no feeling at all - not fear, not anger, nothing. It was like looking at a stranger wearing Lily¡¯s face.


    "Lily!" Caleb¡¯s voice cracked as he pushed through the crowd. "Lily, get away from those things!"


    She turned to look at him, and I saw something that made my stomach twist. For just a second, she looked at Caleb like she didn¡¯t recognize him. Like he was just another stranger.


    "Why?" she asked, her voice strangely calm. "They¡¯re not hurting anyone."


    "They¡¯re monsters!" Brock shouted, stepping protectively in front of some of the younger pack members.


    Lily tilted her head, studying him. "Are they? Or are we just afraid of things we don¡¯t understand?"


    That¡¯s when I noticed it - the change between her and Caleb. Yesterday, those two couldn¡¯t be in the same room without touching each other somehow. Always holding hands, sharing secret smiles, finishing each other¡¯s lines. It used to make me sick with jealousy.


    Now Caleb was reaching out to her like he was drowning, and she was looking at him like he was aplete stranger.


    "Lily, please," Caleb begged. "It¡¯s me. It¡¯s Caleb. Your mate. Don¡¯t you remember?"


    She blinked slowly. "I remember that you used to be important to me. But I can¡¯t remember why."


    The words hit Caleb like a physical blow. He stumbled backward, his face cracking with pain. Around us, pack members started whispering nervously.


    "The mate bond," Elder Iris whispered, her old voice shaking. "It¡¯s broken."


    I felt a horrible mix of feelings crash through me. Part of me - the bitter, jealous part - felt a spike of joy. The perfect pair wasn¡¯t so perfect anymore. Lily had lost the thing I¡¯d always wanted most.


    But another part of me, a part I didn¡¯t like to ept existed, actually felt sorry for them. Watching Caleb¡¯s heart break in real time was awful. He looked like someone had ripped his soul out.


    And Lily... there was something scary about how empty she seemed. Like someone had taken out everything that made her human and left behind a shell.


    "What happened to you?" I found myself asking, stepping closer despite the shadow things.


    Lily¡¯s cold look turned to me. "I saved everyone. I swallowed the Shadow Beast to protect the pack. But apparently, love was the price I had to pay."


    "Love isn¡¯t something you lose," Aiden said desperately. "It¡¯s something you choose."


    "You can¡¯t choose something you can¡¯t feel," Lily answered matter-of-factly. "Would you choose to eat food that has no taste? Touch something you can¡¯t feel? Love someone who means nothing to you?"


    The shadow creatures shifted restlessly around her, like they were reacting to her emotions - orck of them. One of them nuzzled against her hand, and she patted it absently.


    "This is temporary," Caleb said, his voice breaking. "It has to be. You¡¯ll remember. You¡¯ll feel again."


    Lily looked at him with something that might have been pity. "Will I? And what if I don¡¯t want to? What if this is better?"


    "Better?" Caleb choked out.


    "No pain," she said simply. "No fear. No sadness. No jealousy or anger or sadness. Just... peace."


    But it wasn¡¯t peace I saw in her eyes. It was nothingness. Like looking into a deep, dark hole where a person used to be.


    Alpha Marcus stepped forward, his face grave. "Lily, you¡¯re scaring the pack. These creatures need to leave."


    "They go where I go," Lily said quietly. "And I haven¡¯t decided where that is yet."


    The threat in her words was quiet but clear. She wasn¡¯t asking approval anymore. She was telling us how things were going to be.


    "You can¡¯t stay here with those things," Brock said strongly.


    "Can¡¯t I?" Lily asked, and for the first time, there was a hint of something dangerous in her words. "Who¡¯s going to stop me?"


    The shadow creatures all turned to look at us then, their red eyes glowing brighter. Even our strongest fighters took a step back.


    That¡¯s when I realized the horrible truth. Lily wasn¡¯t just mentally empty - she was powerful. More powerful than any of us had imagined. And without love orpassion to lead her, that power could destroy everything.


    "The Triple Moon Bearer has awakened," Elder Iris whispered, her face pale with fear. "But she¡¯s chosen darkness instead of light."


    Lily smiled then, but it wasn¡¯t the friendly smile I remembered. It was cold and sharp, like a de.


    "I haven¡¯t chosen anything yet," she said. "But I¡¯m starting to see the appeal of not caring what happens to people who never cared about me."


    Her look swept over the pack, and I saw several wolves flinch under that empty stare.


    "Lily, please," I said, startling myself. "This isn¡¯t you."


    "Isn¡¯t it?" she asked. "Maybe this is who I was always meant to be. Maybe loving was just weakness holding me back."


    The shadow things began to move, circling the pack like predators surrounding prey. And in the middle of them all stood Lily - no longer the gentle omega who¡¯d won everyone¡¯s hearts, but something else entirely.


    Something that might decide our pack wasn¡¯t worth saving after all.

 Chapter 68: The New Normal

    <h4>Chapter 68: The New Normal</h4>


    Lily POV


    I tried to shift into my wolf form and nothing happened.


    Standing in the middle of the forest area where I used to run every morning, I closed my eyes and reached for that familiar feeling deep inside me. The ce where my wolf lived, where the wild part of me had always been waiting.


    Empty.


    It was like grabbing for a light switch in a dark room and finding nothing but air. My dog - the part of me that had been there since birth - was just gone.


    "Come on," I whispered to myself, trying again. I focused harder, pushing with everything I had left. My body trembled with effort, but I stayed annoyingly human.


    A twig snapped behind me. I spun around to find Caleb watching from the tree line, his face full of hope and pain.


    "I felt you trying to shift," he said quietly. "Through the pack bond."


    "The pack bond still works?" I asked, surprised by the silence in my own voice.


    He nodded, stepping closer carefully like I might run away. "Some of it. I can feel when you¡¯re in trouble or using a lot of energy. But everything else..." He swallowed hard. "Everything personal is gone."


    I studied his face - the boy who used to make my heart race just by smiling at me. Now he looked like a stranger who happened to know my name.


    "Do you remember anything?" he asked frantically. "About us? About how we felt?"


    I tried to think back to our time together. I could remember events like watching a movie about someone else¡¯s life. I remembered him holding my hand, but not how it felt. I remembered him saying he loved me, but the words had no sense.


    "I remember that you were important," I said finally. "But it¡¯s like remembering a fact from a book. Two plus two makes four. The sky is blue. Caleb used to matter to me."


    He flinched like I¡¯d hit him.


    "I¡¯m sorry," I added, though I wasn¡¯t sure why. Sorry was supposed to be a feeling, but I couldn¡¯t feel it anymore.


    "Don¡¯t apologize for being hurt," he said. "This isn¡¯t your fault."


    But it was, wasn¡¯t it? I¡¯d chosen to ept the Shadow Beast. I¡¯d made the choice that led to this emptiness. The question was whether I¡¯d make the same choice again.


    Looking at Caleb¡¯s broken face, I honestly didn¡¯t know.


    "The pack wants you toe home," he said. "Alpha Marcus thinks being around familiar things might help you heal."


    Home. Another word that used to mean something. Now it was just a ce where people expected me to be someone I couldn¡¯t remember being.


    "What if I don¡¯t want to heal?" I asked.


    Caleb¡¯s eyes widened. "What do you mean?"


    "What if this is better?" I gestured to myself. "No pain. No fear. No messy feelings making me do stupid things. Maybe this is who I was supposed to be all along."


    "You don¡¯t mean that."


    "Don¡¯t I?" I tilted my head, studying him. "You¡¯re hurting right now because you still love someone who doesn¡¯t exist anymore. Isn¡¯t that proof that feelings just cause suffering?"


    "Emotions also cause joy," he imed. "And hope. And love."


    "I wouldn¡¯t know," I said simply.


    We stood there in quiet for a moment. A bird chirped somewhere above us, and I realized I couldn¡¯t even enjoy that simple sound anymore. Everything felt muted, like someone had turned down the noise on the entire world.


    "The shadow creatures are gone," Caleb said finally.


    "They¡¯re not gone. They¡¯re waiting."


    "For what?"


    I looked at him, and for a second I almost felt something. Almost. "For me to decide what I want to do with them."


    Fear flickered across his face. "Lily, whatever you¡¯re thinking¡ª"


    "I¡¯m thinking that maybe the old way of doing things wasn¡¯t working," I interrupted. "Maybe the pack needs someone who can make hard choices without being weak."


    "Love isn¡¯t weakness."


    "Isn¡¯t it?" I asked. "Love made you follow me out here even though you know I might hurt you. Love made me give everything to save people who barely knew my name. How is that strength?"


    Caleb stepped closer, his hands reaching out before stopping himself. "Because caring about others is what makes us human. Without it, we¡¯re just animals."


    "Or gods," I said quietly.


    The words hung in the air between us like a threat. I hadn¡¯t meant to say them out loud, but they felt true. Without feelings to hold me back, without fear or doubt or love to cloud my judgment, I could be something more than human. Something that could reshape the world ording to science instead of feelings.


    "You¡¯re scaring me," Caleb whispered.


    "Good," I said. "Fear keeps you alive."


    I turned to walk away, but his voice stopped me.


    "The prophecy," he called out. "Elder Iris found more about the Triple Moon Bearer. You need to hear this."


    Despite myself, I stopped. Information was useful, even if I couldn¡¯t care about it correctly.


    "What prophecy?"


    "The one about the cycle. About Triple Moon Bearers bing the very evil they were meant to fight." His voice shook. "Lily, you¡¯re not the first. This has happened before."


    I turned back to face him, and something cold settled in my chest. Not a feeling - emotions were beyond me now. Just a cold, logical knowledge.


    "How many others?" I asked.


    "Dozens," he whispered. "Over thousands of years. They all started as heroes. They all saved their people. And they all..."


    "Became monsters," I finished.


    He nodded, tears running down his face.


    I should have felt something about that. Horror, maybe. Or desire to fight against my fate. Instead, I felt only interest.


    "Did any of them try to break the cycle?" I asked.


    "One," Caleb said. "Three hundred years ago. She tried to kill herself to stop it from happening."


    "And?"


    "She survived. The Triple Moon power wouldn¡¯t let her die. She became Morrigan instead. " The name hit me like a physical blow. Morrigan - the ancient witch who had stolen wolf bonds for ages. The enemy we¡¯d just beaten.


    "I¡¯m going to be her," I said, and it wasn¡¯t a question.


    "Not if we can find another way," Caleb said desperately. "Not if you choose to fight it."


    But as I stood there in the empty forest, feeling nothing but cold logic, I realized something terrible.


    I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to fight it anymore.


    "What if bing a monster is the only way to protect the people I used to love?" I asked.


    Before Caleb could answer, a new voice spoke from the darkness.


    "Then you¡¯re already halfway there, child."


    We both spun around to see a figure appearing from behind the trees. An old woman with wild white hair and eyes that glowed with familiar darkness.


    Morrigan stepped into the clearing, very much living, and smiled at me with something like motherly pride.


    "Hello, daughter," she said. "It¡¯s time we talked."

 Chapter 69: Caleb’s Confusion

    <h4>Chapter 69: Caleb¡¯s Confusion</h4>


    Caleb POV


    I punched the wall so hard my fingers split open.


    The pain felt good - real, sharp, honest. It was the first thing I¡¯d actually felt in three days. Everything else was just empty space where feelings used to be.


    "Caleb!" Aiden ran into my room, staring at the blood dripping from my hand. "What are you doing?"


    "Trying to feel something," I said, staring at the red on my face. "Anything."


    My brother¡¯s face scrunched up with worry. "You need to see Elder Iris. This isn¡¯t normal."


    "Nothing about this is normal," I snapped, then stopped. Even my anger felt fake, like I was acting out feelings I thought I should have.


    Everyone kept telling me I was in love with Lily. My brothers, my father, pack members - they all looked at me with pity and said things like "You two were so happy together" and "Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll remember how much you loved each other."


    The trouble was, I didn¡¯t remember either.


    I knew the facts. I could remember events - walking with Lily, talking to her, even holding her hand. But it was like watching someone else¡¯s memories on a movie screen. I remembered doing those things, but I couldn¡¯t remember caring about them.


    "Tell me about her again," I said to Aiden, sitting heavily on my bed.


    Aiden sighed and sat next to me. We¡¯d had this talk five times already. "You met her during the mate marking event. She had the Triple Moon Mark that connected her to all three of us, but it was you she picked in the end."


    "Why?" I asked. "Why did she choose me?"


    "Because you saw her when no one else did. You showed her that omegas used to be respected in our pack. You treated her like she mattered."


    I tried to feel something about that - pride, maybe, orpassion. Nothing came.


    "And I loved her?" I pressed.


    "More than anything," Aiden said softly. "You would have died for her. You almost did, several times."


    I studied my bloody fingers, trying to imagine caring about someone that much. It was like trying to remember a dream after waking up.


    "What if it doesn¡¯te back?" I asked. "What if whatever happened to our bond broke something in me permanently?"


    "It wille back," Aiden said firmly, but I heard the doubt in his words.


    After he left, I tried the thing I¡¯d been doing every day since this started. I closed my eyes and thought about Lily - really focused on her face, her voice, the way everyone said she used to make me smile.


    Still nothing.


    Maybe I was broken. Maybe when Lily lost her ability to love, she¡¯d somehow taken mine with her. The mate bond was meant to connect us, after all. If hers was broken, maybe mine was too.


    I stood up and walked to my bookshelf, pulling out the journal I¡¯d been keeping about our rtionship. I¡¯d started writing it after everyone told me how much Lily meant to me, thinking that recording the stories might help me remember the feelings. " Day 1: Aiden says I used to read to Lily in the pack library. We would sit close together, and I would describe old pack traditions to her. He says she always listened carefully and asked smart questions that made me think. " I read the words I¡¯d written in my own handwriting, but they might as well have been about strangers. " Day 2: Brock told me about the time Lily got hurt during a wild attack. He says I carried her to the doctor and wouldn¡¯t leave her side for three days. He says I barely ate or slept because I was so worried about her. " Even reading about my own fear and devotion, I felt nothing.


    I flipped through more pages, getting more desperate. There had to be something. Some spark of memory or feeling that would help me understand why everyone looked at me like I¡¯d lost the most important thing in the world. " Day 5: Luna stated that Lily and I used to take long walks around the territory. She said we would hold hands and talk for hours about everything and nothing. Luna seemed jealous when she told me this. "


    I mmed the book shut, frustrated. It was like reading someone else¡¯s love story.


    A soft knock on my door stopped my thoughts. "Come in," I called.


    Elder Iris hobbled into my room, her ancient eyes sharp with worry. "Your brothers are worried about you."


    "Everyone¡¯s worried about me," I said. "But no one can tell me how to fix this."


    "Maybe that¡¯s because you¡¯re trying to fix the wrong thing," she said, sinking into my desk chair with a grunt.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You¡¯re trying to force yourself to feel something that may not exist anymore," she stated. "Instead of epting what you¡¯ve lost and finding out who you are now." " But everyone says¡ª"


    "Everyone says a lot of things," Elder Iris interrupted. "But only you know what¡¯s really happening in your heart."


    I sat back down on my bed, my shoulders drooping. "What if there¡¯s nothing in my heart anymore? What if I¡¯m just... empty?"


    "Then you¡¯re more like Lily than anyone realizes," she said quietly.


    That got my attention. "What do you mean?"


    "She lost her ability to feel love. You lost your memories of feeling love. Both of you are trying to be people you can¡¯t remember being."


    "So we¡¯re both broken?"


    Elder Iris was quiet for a long moment. "Or maybe you¡¯re both changing into something new."


    Before I could ask what she meant, the door burst open. Brock stood there, his face pale with fear.


    "They¡¯re gone," he gasped.


    "Who¡¯s gone?" I jumped up.


    "Lily and Morrigan. They vanished from the clearing. But that¡¯s not the worst part."


    My blood ran cold. "What¡¯s the worst part?"


    "They took the shadow animals with them. All of them." Brock swallowed hard. "And there are reportsing in from three different packs. Their Triple Moon Bearers are missing too."


    Elder Iris made a sharp sound. "No. It¡¯s too soon."


    "Too soon for what?" I asked.


    She looked at me with fear in her old eyes. "The Gathering. When Triple Moon Bearerse together, they can either save the world or destroy itpletely."


    "Which one are they nning to do?" I asked, though I was afraid I already knew the answer.


    "With Morrigan leading them?" Elder Iris shook her head. "They¡¯re not nning to save anything."


    I felt something then - maybe not love, but determination. Real, solid drive.


    "We have to stop them," I said.


    "How?" Brock asked. "We don¡¯t even know where they went."


    That¡¯s when I felt it - a tiny pull in my chest, so faint I almost missed it. Like a guide needle pointing in a specific direction.


    "I think I do," I said, touching my chest where the feeling was strongest. "The mate bond. It¡¯s notpletely gone."


    Elder Iris¡¯s eyes widened. "If there¡¯s still a link, you might be able to track her. But Caleb, if you go after them¡ª"


    "I know," I said, already moving toward the door. "I might note back. But I have to try."


    "Why?" Brock asked. "If you don¡¯t even remember loving her¡ª"


    I stopped in the doorway, thinking about his question. He was right. I couldn¡¯t remember loving Lily. I couldn¡¯t remember the feelings everyone said I¡¯d had.


    But I could remember making a choice to see her when no one else did. And maybe that choice meant more than the feelings.


    "Because it¡¯s the right thing to do," I said finally. "And maybe that¡¯s enough."


    As I walked out into the night, following the faint pull in my chest, I heard Elder Iris say behind me: "The Fourth Moon rises. May the goddess help us all."

 Chapter 70: The Moon Goddess’s Regret

    <h4>Chapter 70: The Moon Goddess¡¯s Regret</h4>


    Lily POV


    I woke up screaming.


    My hands wed at my chest where my heart should be racing, but all I felt was nothingness. The dream had been so real - silver light everywhere, people calling my name, and something important I couldn¡¯t quite remember.


    "Lily!" Morrigan rushed into my room, her shadow creatures whirling behind her like angry smoke. "What happened?"


    "I don¡¯t know," I gasped, sitting up in the strange bed. We were in some abandoned cabin deep in the woods, far from Silver Peak. "It felt like someone was trying to tell me something, but every time I almost understood, it slipped away."


    Morrigan¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Dreams can be dangerous for someone like you. The other Triple Moon Bearers I¡¯ve gathered - they¡¯ve all had strange dreams too."


    That caught my eye. "What kind of dreams?"


    "The kind that make them remember things they shouldn¡¯t," she said coldly. "Things like love, hope, kindness. Feelings that will only make them weak when we begin the Gathering."


    I nodded, though something deep inside me twisted ufortably. Ever since losing my ability to feel love for Caleb, I¡¯d felt hollow. Like I was walking through life watching someone else live it. Everyone kept telling me this was better - that love was a weakness that held me back from my true power.


    So why did I feel so lost?


    "The others are waiting," Morrigan added. "It¡¯s time you met your sisters."


    She led me outside where three other girls my age sat around a dying campfire. Each wore the same nk expression I¡¯d been practicing - no feeling, no weakness, no love. Each had the Triple Moon Mark on their wrist, just like mine.


    "Sarah from the River Pack," Morrigan introduced, referring to a girl with short brown hair. "Maya from the Mountain n, and Jessica from the Desert Wolves. All chosen, all strong, all ready to change the world."


    The girls nodded at me with cold politeness. No warmth, no friendship - just acknowledgment that we were tools for the same goal.


    "What exactly are we changing the world into?" I asked, though part of me wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to know.


    Morrigan smiled, and it reminded me of winter - beautiful but dangerous. "A world where the strong rule without the weakness of feeling. Where packs aren¡¯t held back by silly things like love or loyalty or hope."


    Maya spoke up, her voice t. "My pack was destroyed because the Alpha loved his mate too much to make hard choices. Love makes leaders weak."


    "Mine fell because wolves cared more about protecting their families than winning battles," Sarah added.


    Jessica just stared at the fire. "Love is pain. It¡¯s better this way."


    I found myself nodding along, but something inside me rebelled. If this was better, why did I feel like I was dying slowly from the inside out?


    "Tonight, we begin," Morrigan stated. "The Winter Solstice gives us the power we need to perform the Great Gathering. When the four Triple Moon Marks unite under the darkest moon, we¡¯ll have enough magic to strip every wolf of their ability to feel love."


    "All of them?" I asked, surprised by how small my voice sounded.


    "Everyst one," Morrigan revealed. "No more wars fought over mates. No more packs destroyed by foolish feelings. Just pure, efficient strength."


    As the other girls prepared for whatever ritual wasing, I walked away from the camp. The mountain air was cold, and snow crunched under my feet. I found a small opening and sat on a fallen log, trying to understand why I felt so wrong about everything.


    That¡¯s when the dream came back - not while sleeping, but right there in the waking world.


    Silver light poured down from the sky, and suddenly I wasn¡¯t alone. A woman made of moonbeams stood before me, her face filled with such sadness that it made my empty chest ache.


    "Lily," she said, and her voice sounded like wind through trees. "My dear, brave child."


    "Who are you?" I whispered.


    "I am the Moon Goddess," she answered. "And I have made a terrible mistake."


    The world seemed to hold its breath. Even the wind stopped blowing.


    "What do you mean?" I asked.


    "I allowed Morrigan to convince me that love was the source of all pack conflicts," the Goddess said, tears of starlight falling from her eyes. "I thought if I erased your ability to love Caleb, it would save both your packs from war. But I was wrong."


    She knelt beside me, and when she touched my hand, I felt something I hadn¡¯t felt in weeks - warmth.


    "Love isn¡¯t what breaks packs, Lily. Theck of love is. Love gives wolves something to fight for, something to defend, something to build toward. Without it, they be empty shells, just like you feel now."


    "But I can¡¯t feel love anymore," I said, and for the first time since losing my bond with Caleb, I felt like crying. "You took it away."


    "I took away the mate bond," she corrected softly. "But I cannot take away love itself. It¡¯s still inside you, hidden under the pain and confusion. You just have to choose to let it out."


    "How?"


    "By remembering why love matters. By fighting for others to keep their ability to love, even if yours feels broken right now."


    She stood up, her form bing brighter. "Your fate as the Triple Moon Bearer isn¡¯t finished, child. It¡¯s just starting. But not the way Morrigan thinks."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The Great Gathering she ns will indeedbine the power of four Triple Moon Bearers," the Goddess revealed. "But the magic can be used for creation instead of harm. Instead of removing love from the world, you could restore it everywhere it¡¯s been lost."


    Hope flickered in my chest like a tiny light. "I could get my bond with Caleb back?"


    The Goddess¡¯s face grew sad again. "That link is truly gone, dear one. But you could save millions of others from losing theirs. You could prevent what happened to you from happening to anyone else."


    "How?"


    "You must convince the other carriers to join you instead of Morrigan. But be careful - she has stripped them of love just as she did you. They may not want to remember what they¡¯ve lost."


    Before I could ask more questions, the Goddess began to fade.


    "Wait!" I called out. "What if I can¡¯t convince them? What if they choose Morrigan?"


    "Then tomorrow night, when the ritual begins, love will die forever," she said. "And the world will be exactly what Morrigan wants - cold, empty, and without hope."


    The silver light disappeared, leaving me alone in the dark clearing. But now I could hear something that made my blood freeze.


    Footsteps behind me. Multiple sets, moving quietly through the snow.


    I turned around to see all three girls standing at the edge of the space, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light. Behind them, Morrigan smiled like a wolf who¡¯d caught her meal.


    "Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t sense the Moon Goddess¡¯s presence?" Morrigan asked sweetly. "Did you think I¡¯d let her fill your head with dangerous ideas about love and hope?"


    The other Triple Moon Bearers stepped closer, and I realized with rising horror that they weren¡¯t just emotionless anymore. They were something else entirely - something dark and hungry.


    "What did you do to them?" I whispered.


    "I gave them a choice," Morrigan responded. "Serve freely, or have their free will taken awaypletely. They picked service."


    Sarah tilted her head, studying me like I was an interesting puzzle. "We could take yours too, Lily. It would be so much easier than fighting."


    "The ritual works better with willing participants," Maya added, her voice eerily cheerful. "But it works either way."


    I backed toward the trees, my heart beating. The Moon Goddess had said I could choose love, could fight for others to keep their ties. But how could I fight three other Triple Moon Bearers and Morrigan all by myself?


    "There¡¯s nowhere to run," Jessica said softly. "And even if there was, where would you go? Back to Silver Peak? Back to Caleb, who doesn¡¯t remember loving you?"


    The words hit like physical blows. She was right. I had nowhere to go, no one to turn to, no way to stop what wasing.


    But as the four of them closed in around me, I felt something shift inside my chest. Not love - that was still buried too deep - but something else.


    Determination.


    Maybe I couldn¡¯t save my own heart. Maybe I¡¯d lost Caleb forever. But I could still fight for everyone else¡¯s chance at love.


    I looked up at the dark sky where no moon shone and whispered, "I choose to fight."


    That¡¯s when the shadows around us began to move, and I realized we weren¡¯t alone in the clearing.


    Red eyes gleamed from the darkness between the trees, and a low growling sound filled the air. Whatever was out there, it was big, it was angry, and it wasing straight for us.


    Morrigan¡¯s confident smile finally faded.


    "What did you do?" she hissed at me.


    But I didn¡¯t know. I hadn¡¯t done anything except choose to fight back.


    The growls got louder, closer, and suddenly I understood with cold certainty that whatever was about to emerge from the shadows would change everything.


    Again.

 Chapter 71: Awkward Attempts

    <h4>Chapter 71: Awkward Attempts</h4>


    Caleb POV


    I threw the flowers at the wall so hard they burst into pieces.


    "This is stupid!" I yelled at the empty room. "How am I supposed to court someone I don¡¯t remember loving?"


    The red roses spread across my floor like drops of blood. I¡¯d picked them because Aiden said Lily used to love flowers. But looking at them now, they just looked like colorful weeds that would die in a few days.


    A knock on my door made me jump. "Caleb?" It was my father¡¯s voice. "The pack council wants to see you."


    Great. Another talk about my "duty" to win Lily back.


    I opened the door to find not just my father, but Aiden, Brock, and three pack elders filling the hallway. Their faces wore the same worried look they¡¯d had for weeks now.


    "We need to talk," Alpha Marcus said strongly.


    They dragged me into the main meeting room where a chair sat facing all of them like I was on trial. In a way, I guess I was.


    "Caleb," Elder Thomas started, "it¡¯s been three weeks since Lily returned. You¡¯ve made no progress in restoring your link."


    "I¡¯ve tried," I said defensively. "I brought her flowers, took her for walks, even read to her like everyone said I used to do. Nothing works."


    "Because you¡¯re not trying hard enough," Brock interrupted. "She¡¯s our pack¡¯s Triple Moon Bearer. Do you understand what that means?"


    "It means she¡¯s powerful and important and everyone expects me to magically fall in love with her again," I snapped. "But I can¡¯t force feelings that aren¡¯t there!"


    Aiden leaned forward. "Maybe you¡¯re approaching this wrong. Instead of trying to repeat the past, why not start fresh? Get to know her as she is now."


    "And what if I don¡¯t like who she is now?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.


    The room went dead silent. You could have heard a pin drop.


    "Caleb," my father said slowly, "Lily is your fated mate. The Moon Goddess herself chose her for you."


    "Well maybe the Moon Goddess made a mistake!" I burst, standing up. "Maybe whatever took away our bond was actually doing us a favor!"


    Elder Sarah gasped. "You can¡¯t mean that."


    But the truth was, I wasn¡¯t sure what I meant anymore. Ever since Lily came back, something felt wrong. Not just the lost love - something deeper. Like we were both pretending to be people we weren¡¯t anymore.


    "I¡¯ll try again," I said finally, just to get them to stop looking at me. "But I can¡¯t promise anything will change."


    An hourter, I found myself standing outside Lily¡¯s cabin with a basket of books. Everyone kept saying we used to read together, so maybe that would work better than flowers.


    I knocked softly. "Lily? It¡¯s Caleb."


    The door opened, and there she was. Still beautiful, still the girl everyone said was my everything. But when I looked at her, all I felt was pressure. The weight of everyone¡¯s demands pressing down on my chest.


    "Hi," she said quietly. Her voice sounded tired.


    "I brought some books," I said, holding up the basket ufortably. "Aiden said we used to read together in the library."


    Something shed across her face - pain, maybe? "That sounds nice," she said, but her tone suggested it sounded anything but nice.


    We walked to the library in awkward silence. Every step felt forced, like we were yers in a y neither of us wanted to perform.


    In the library, I pulled out a book about pack histories. "This one has information about Triple Moon Bearers," I said. "I thought you might find it interesting."


    Lily took the book and opened it, but I could tell she wasn¡¯t really reading. Her eyes were faraway, unfocused.


    "Caleb," she said suddenly, "can I ask you something?"


    "Sure."


    "When you look at me, what do you see?"


    The question caught me off guard. "I... what do you mean?"


    "Everyone keeps telling me about who we used to be together. How happy we were, how much we loved each other. But when you look at me now, what do you actually see?"


    I studied her face, trying to be honest. "I see someone who¡¯s supposed to be important to me," I said slowly. "Someone everyone expects me to love. Someone who looks sad all the time, even when she¡¯s trying to smile."


    Lily¡¯s shoulders sagged. "That¡¯s what I was afraid of."


    "What about when you look at me?" I asked.


    "I see a stranger wearing the face of someone I¡¯m supposed to remember caring about," she revealed. "I see someone who¡¯s trying really hard to feel something that isn¡¯t there anymore."


    We sat in silence for a moment, both of us looking at the book neither of us was reading.


    "This is horrible," I said finally.


    "Yeah," Lily agreed. "It really is."


    "Everyone keeps saying it¡¯lle back. The love, the bond, the feelings. But what if it doesn¡¯t? What if we¡¯re stuck acting for the rest of our lives?"


    Lily looked up at me then, and for the first time since she¡¯d returned, I saw something real in her eyes. Not the polite distance she¡¯d been maintaining, but real emotion.


    "I¡¯ve been wondering the same thing," she whispered. "What if we¡¯re trying to rebuild something that was never meant tost?"


    The words hit me like a punch to the gut, mainly because they felt true.


    "Maybe we should stop trying," I said. "Maybe we should tell everyone the truth - that whatever we had is gone and isn¡¯ting back."


    "But the pack bond," Lily said. "Your ce as future Alpha. The prophecies about Triple Moon Bearers wanting their mates..."


    "Maybe all of that is wrong too," I said. "Maybe you don¡¯t need a mate to achieve your destiny. Maybe I don¡¯t need you to be a good Alpha."


    Lily stared at me with wide eyes. "You really mean that?"


    "I think I do," I said, and saying it out loud felt like a weight lifting off my chest. "I think we¡¯ve both been trying to force something that¡ª"


    The library door mmed open so hard it hit the wall. Aiden stood there, his face pale with fear.


    "Caleb! Thank god I found you," he gasped. "We have a problem. A big one."


    "What¡¯s wrong?" I jumped up, immediately alert.


    "It¡¯s the shadow creatures," Aiden said, trying to catch his breath. "They¡¯re back. But they¡¯re not charging the pack this time."


    "Then what are they doing?" Lily asked, standing up beside me.


    Aiden¡¯s expression got grim. "They¡¯re herding something toward our area. Something huge. The scouts on the eastern border are reporting action in the forest - hundreds of rogues, all moving in our direction."


    My blood ran cold. "An army?"


    "That¡¯s not the worst part," Aiden continued. "The rogues aren¡¯t normal. The scouts say they have red eyes and they¡¯re moving in perfect order, like they¡¯re being controlled."


    Lily grabbed my arm. "Morrigan," she whispered. "She¡¯sing."


    "Who¡¯sing?" I asked, but even as I said it, a chill ran down my spine.


    "The witch who took my ability to love you," Lily said, her voice filled with fear. "She¡¯s gathering an army of rogues and shadow things. And I think I know what she wants."


    "What?" Aiden demanded.


    Lily looked between us, her face white with fear. "She wants to finish what she started. She doesn¡¯t just want to break mate bonds - she wants to destroy the idea of love entirely."


    Before either of us could reply, the library windows exploded inward in a shower of ss. Through the broken frames, we could see the sky darkened with unnatural clouds. In the distance, howls echoed through the forest - but they weren¡¯t normal wolf growls.


    They sounded like screams.


    "They¡¯re here," Lily breathed.


    That¡¯s when we heard it - a voice carried on the wind, cold and mocking and definitely not human.


    "Little Triple Moon Bearer," the voice called, seeming toe from everywhere at once. "Time to finish what we started. Time to make sure love dies forever."


    The temperature in the library dropped so fast I could see my breath. Ice began forming on the broken windows.


    And in that ice, shapes began to appear. Faces. Wolves with red eyes and hungry smiles, all looking straight at us.


    "Run," I said, taking Lily¡¯s hand without thinking.


    But when we turned toward the door, it was already toote.


    Standing in the doorway was a person in a dark cloak, surrounded by swirling shadows. Her eyes glowed with the same red light as the things in the ice.


    "Hello, children," Morrigan said, her voice like winter wind. "Ready to say goodbye to love forever?"

 Chapter 72: The Ripple Effect

    <h4>Chapter 72: The Ripple Effect</h4>


    Elder Iris POV


    I caught Sarah Morrison trying to burn her mate mark with a red-hot stick.


    "Stop!" I shouted, running across my cabin to grab the iron from her shaking hands. The smell of burning flesh hit my nose, and I saw the angry red cut on her wrist where she¡¯d already started.


    "Let me finish!" Sarah cried, fighting against my grip. "If it can happen to Lily and Caleb, it can happen to any of us!"


    This was the third mated wolf I¡¯d found this week trying to destroy their own bond. The fear was spreading through Silver Peak like wildfire, and I was running out of ways to stop it.


    "Sarah, listen to me," I said firmly, causing her to sit down. "Burning your mark won¡¯t protect you from whatever took theirs."


    "Then nothing will!" she sobbed. "Tom and I have been mates for five years. We have two pups together. But what if tomorrow I wake up and feel nothing for him? What if he looks at me like Caleb looks at Lily - like I¡¯m a stranger?"


    I¡¯d been alive for seventy years, and I¡¯d never seen the pack in such chaos. Ever since Lily and Caleb returned with their broken bond, fear had poisoned every rtionship in Silver Peak. Mates questioned each other constantly. Parents worried about their children¡¯s fate. Young wolves were afraid to even look for their fated partners.


    "The Moon Goddess wouldn¡¯t let that happen to everyone," I tried tofort her, though doubt gnawed at my own heart.


    "How do you know?" Sarah demanded. "You¡¯ve never had a mate. You don¡¯t understand what it¡¯s like to love someone so much that losing them would destroy you."


    Her words stung because they were partly true. I¡¯d never experienced the mate bond myself. But I¡¯d watched it crumble other wolves when it was lost, and I¡¯d seen what its loss was doing to our pack now.


    After treating Sarah¡¯s burn and sending her home with strong orders to talk to her mate instead of hurting herself, I walked through the pack grounds. What I saw made my stomach twist with worry.


    Marcus and Elena Silver, who¡¯d been friends for twenty-five years, barely looked at each other during the evening meal. When I asked Elena about it, she whispered, "What if Marcus stops loving me like Caleb stopped loving Lily? What if one day he wakes up and I mean nothing to him?"


    At the nursery, Jenny refused to let her mate David help with their baby daughter. "I can¡¯t depend on him," she exined when I questioned her. "If his love disappears, I need to be ready to raise her alone."


    Even the unmarked wolves were impacted. Young adults who should have been excited about meeting their mates now spoke of staying single forever. "Why risk it?" one eighteen-year-old asked me. "Why open your heart to someone if they might forget they ever cared about you?"


    The pack was pulling itself apart from the inside, and I didn¡¯t know how to fix it.


    That evening, I climbed the steep path to the Moon Pool, hoping for direction. The sacred water mirrored the stars, but gave me no answers. I¡¯d prayed to the Moon Goddess every night since Lily and Caleb¡¯s return, asking for understanding, but the silence felt heavier each time.


    "Elder Iris?" a small voice called out.


    I turned to see Lunaing, but she looked nothing like the confident girl who¡¯d once believed she¡¯d be the next pack Luna. Her face was pale and drawn, her eyes red from crying.


    "Luna, child, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "It¡¯s my parents," she said, sitting beside me on the stone bench. "They¡¯ve been mates for twenty years, but now they¡¯re fighting constantly. Dad keeps ming Mom of not really loving him. Mom keeps trying Dad by asking if he¡¯d still want her if her mark disappeared."


    I sighed loudly. Beta James and his mate had always been solid as rock. If their rtionship was breaking, the damage was worse than I¡¯d feared.


    "They sent me away tonight because they needed to ¡¯talk,¡¯" Luna continued. "But I could hear them yelling at each other from my room. Dad said maybe they should split before their bond gets destroyed like Lily and Caleb¡¯s. Mom said maybe that would be easier than waiting for the other shoe to drop."


    "I¡¯m sorry, dear one," I said, putting my arm around her shoulders. "This is affecting everyone."


    "Elder Iris," Luna said quietly, "do you think it¡¯s my fault?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I was so jealous of Lily when she got the Triple Moon Mark. I wanted the children to choose me instead of her. I even helped those rogues try to hurt her." Tears rolled down her face. "What if my jealousy somehow cursed their bond? What if the Moon Goddess broke their love to punish me?"


    "Oh, child," I said, pulling her closer. "Whatever happened to Lily and Caleb wasn¡¯t caused by your feelings. Magic that powerfules from much darker ces."


    "Then what did cause it?" Luna asked. "And how do we fix it?"


    That was the question keeping me awake every night. In all my years studying pack history and ancient magic, I¡¯d never heard of a mate bond being totally severed. Damaged, yes. Strained by distance or betrayal, sure. But erased entirely? It should have been impossible.


    "I don¡¯t know," I admitted. "But I¡¯m going to find out."


    Luna wiped her eyes. "Can I help? I know I made mistakes before, but I want to make things right. I want to help save Lily and Caleb¡¯s bond, and maybe save my parents¡¯ marriage too."


    Looking at this girl who¡¯d grown so much from the spoiled child she¡¯d once been, I felt the first spark of hope I¡¯d had in weeks.


    "Yes," I said. "I think you can help very much."


    We started walking back toward the pack grounds, but halfway down the road, Luna grabbed my arm.


    "Elder Iris, do you hear that?"


    I stopped and listened. At first, I heard nothing but normal night sounds. Then it reached my ears - a low humming that seemed toe from the earth itself.


    "The Moon Pool," I whispered.


    We rushed back to the holy pool, and what we saw made my blood freeze. The water was glowing with silver light, but not the gentle radiance I¡¯d seen during events. This light pulsed like a heartbeat, getting brighter and more urgent with each sh.


    "What does it mean?" Luna asked, backing away from the pool.


    Before I could answer, pictures began forming in the glowing water. I saw Lily surrounded by three other girls, all with Triple Moon Marks on their wrists. I saw a woman in dark clothes standing behind them, her eyes glowing red. I saw shadow things circling them like hungry wolves.


    But the most terrifying picture was thest one - all four girls raising their hands toward a dark moon, their marks zing with power that felt wrong, corrupted.


    "The Gathering," I breathed, finally understanding. "Someone¡¯s using the Triple Moon Bearers to perform the Great Gathering ritual."


    "What¡¯s that?" Luna asked.


    "A ceremony that could either save the world or destroy itpletely," I said, my voice shaking. "And if those images are true, it¡¯s happening tonight."


    The pool¡¯s light suddenly red so bright we had to shield our eyes. When it faded, the water showed one final picture that made my heart stop.


    Caleb, Aiden, and Brock, along with dozens of other wolves, all lying unmoving on the ground. Their eyes were open but empty, staring at nothing.


    "Are they...?" Luna couldn¡¯t finish the question.


    "I don¡¯t know," I said, but deep in my bones, I feared they were witnessing what would happen if the ritual worked. "Luna, we need to warn the pack. Now."


    We ran down the mountain as fast as my old legs could take me, but when we reached the pack grounds, something was wrong. The normal evening sounds were gone. No conversations, no children ying, no wolves going about their business.


    The silence wasplete and total.


    "Where is everyone?" Luna whispered.


    That¡¯s when I saw them. Every wolf in Silver Peak stoodpletely still in the main clearing, their eyes reflecting silver light. They weren¡¯t moving, weren¡¯t talking, weren¡¯t even breathing regrly.


    "Elder Iris," Luna said, her voice filled with fear. "What¡¯s happening to them?"


    I approached the nearest dog - Beta James, Luna¡¯s father. When I waved my hand in front of his face, he didn¡¯t respond at all. His eyes stared straight ahead, seeing nothing.


    "The ritual," I realized with rising horror. "It¡¯s already started. The Great Gathering is pulling power from every mate bond in every pack."


    "Can we stop it?" Luna asked.


    I looked around at the frozen wolves, then up at the sky where storm clouds were forming despite the clear weather moments before.


    "I don¡¯t know," I admitted. "But we have to try. Because if we don¡¯t, every wolf in the world is going to end up just like this."


    Thunder rumbled overhead, though no lightning shed. In the distance, I could hear something that made my soul chill - the sound of hundreds of people chanting in anguage older than memory.


    The Great Gathering had started, and we might already be toote to stop it.

 Chapter 73: Unexpected Comfort

    <h4>Chapter 73: Unexpected Comfort</h4>


    Lily POV


    I woke up screaming.


    The nightmare felt so real - Caleb¡¯s empty eyes staring at nothing while I shook his lifeless body, asking him to remember me. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst from my chest.


    "Lily!" Someone crashed through my bedroom door. I expected Aiden or maybe Elder Iris, but it was Brock who rushed to my bedside. His usual tough look melted into worry when he saw my tear-streaked face.


    "Another nightmare?" he asked quietly.


    I nodded, unable to speak. These dreams had been haunting me for three days straight since we returned from the rite site. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Caleb looking at me like I was a stranger. The mate bond we¡¯d fought so hard to protect felt like a thin thread ready to snap.


    "Tell me about it," Brock said, sitting on the edge of my bed. His voice was softer than I¡¯d ever heard it.


    "He doesn¡¯t know me," I whispered. "In the dream, I¡¯m trying to describe who I am, but he just stares at me with those empty eyes. Like our love never existed at all."


    Brock was quiet for a long moment. Then he shocked me by reaching over and taking my shaking hand in his big, calloused one.


    "When I was fifteen, I watched my best friend Marcus die in a rogue attack," he said slowly. "For months afterward, I kept expecting to see him around every turn. I¡¯d set two tes for dinner out of practice. I¡¯d start to tell him something funny, then remember he wasn¡¯t there anymore."


    I looked at him with new understanding. Brock never talked about his feelings, but here he was, sharing something painful to help me.


    "The dreams were the worst part," he added. "In them, Marcus would be alive and happy. Then I¡¯d wake up and have to lose him all over again, every single morning."


    "How did you make it stop?" I asked desperately.


    "I didn¡¯t," Brock said honestly. "But finally, I learned that grief isn¡¯t something you fix. It¡¯s something you carry. The dreams became lessmon, but they neverpletely went away. And you know what? I¡¯m d they didn¡¯t."


    "Why?"


    "Because forgetting the pain would mean forgetting how much he meant to me." Brock squeezed my hand. "Your nightmares about Caleb show how deeply you love him. Don¡¯t try to push that away."


    I felt tears running down my face again, but these were different. Less frantic, more healing.


    "Aiden keeps telling me everything will be fine," I said. "He brings me flowers and tries to busy me with pack business. Caleb just stares at me with those confused eyes when I try to talk to him about our past. But you... you¡¯re the only one who knows that this might not have a happy ending."


    "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst," Brock said. "That¡¯s how fighters think. It doesn¡¯t mean giving up - it means being strong enough to face truth."


    A soft knock stopped us. Elder Iris peeked her head through the door, looking worried.


    "Lily, dear, I heard you cry out. Are you all right?"


    "She had another nightmare," Brock stated.


    Elder Iris entered the room, bringing a steaming cup that smelled like chamomile and honey. "This will help you sleep peacefully," she said, giving it to me.


    As I sipped the warm tea, Elder Iris studied my face with her old, knowing eyes.


    "The bond isn¡¯tpletely gone," she said finally. "I can still feel the thread connecting you and Caleb. It¡¯s damaged, twisted, but not removed entirely."


    "Then why can¡¯t he remember loving me?" I asked.


    "Memory and feeling are different things," Elder Iris said. "His mind might not remember your rtionship, but his heart still knows you belong together. We just need to find a way to reconnect them."


    Brock stood up. "What can we do to help?"


    "There¡¯s an ancient ritual in the old texts," Elder Iris said slowly. "The Memory Restoration ritual. It¡¯s dangerous and requires great sacrifice, but it might be our only chance to fully repair the damaged bond."


    My heart jumped with hope. "What kind of sacrifice?"


    Elder Iris paused. "The person conducting the ritual must willingly give up their most precious memory to restore another¡¯s. And there¡¯s no promise it will work."


    The room fell silent as the weight of her words sank in. Give up my most valuable memory? The thought scared me. What if I forgot the first time Caleb told me he loved me? Or our mating ceremony? Or the moment I first felt our pup growing inside me?


    "I¡¯ll do it," I said without doubt.


    "Lily, no," Brock said strongly. "You can¡¯t make that choice right now. You¡¯re upset and scared. Sleep on it first."


    "But what if waiting makes things worse?" I argued.


    Elder Iris nodded seriously. "Actually, Brock is right. The rite must be performed during the new moon, which is still five days away. That gives us time to prepare and make sure this is truly what you want."


    As if summoned by our talk, footsteps echoed down the hallway. Caleb emerged in the doorway, looking confused and slightly annoyed.


    "Why is everyone awake?" he asked. "I heard shouting."


    My heart clenched seeing him like this - physically present but emotionally detached. The man who used to hold me during dreams now stood in the doorway like a polite stranger.


    "Lily had a bad dream," Brock stated. "We were just helping her feel better."


    Caleb looked at me with mild concern - the kind you¡¯d show any pack member in trouble, not the deep worry of a mate. "Are you all right now?"


    "Yes," I lied.


    He nodded and turned to leave, then paused. For a moment, something flickered across his face - confusion, maybe even recognition. He touched his chest absently, right over his heart.


    "Strange," he mumbled. "I keep feeling like I¡¯m supposed to be somewhere else. Like I¡¯m forgetting something important."


    Hope red in my chest. Maybe Elder Iris was right. Maybe some part of him still knew.


    But then his face cleared, and the moment was gone.


    "Well, goodnight everyone," he said, going back down the hallway.


    I watched him go, my heart breaking all over again. Brock squeezed my shoulder supportively.


    "The ritual," I said quietly to Elder Iris. "Tell me everything about it."


    She looked deeply worried. "There¡¯s something else you need to know, child. Something I haven¡¯t told you yet."


    "What?"


    Elder Iris nced at Brock nervously, then back at me. "The Memory Restoration ceremony doesn¡¯t just require giving up a valuable memory. It needs the person performing it to temporarily sever their own mate bond during the ritual."


    My blood turned to ice. "What does that mean?"


    "It means for the duration of the ceremony, you would experience exactly what Caleb is feeling now. Complete separation from your mate. No tie, no recognition, no love."


    The room spun around me. Bad enough to give up a memory, but to lose the mate bondpletely, even temporarily? "And if something goes wrong during the ritual?" Brock asked coldly.


    Elder Iris met his eyes. "Then the temporary separation bes permanent. Lily would lose her mate bond forever, and Caleb would stay as he is now."


    I stared at her in shock. The decision was impossible - risk losing everything to save the man I loved, or live with him as a stranger for the rest of our lives.


    But before I could reply, a blood-curdling howl split the night air. Then another. And another.


    Brock was on his feet quickly, his warrior instincts kicking in. "That¡¯s the attack signal."


    Through my window, I could see wolves running through the pack grounds in fear. In the distance, fire lit up the darkness.


    "The rogues," Elder Iris breathed. "They¡¯re attacking Silver Peak."


    Another howl rang through the night - but this one was different. Closer. Right outside our house.


    I ran to the window and looked down. In the starlight, I could see a massive ck wolf standing in our front yard. When it looked up at me, its eyes glowed red with strange light.


    The wolf opened its mouth and spoke in a voice that chilled my soul: "Lily Carter. The ritual starts now, whether you¡¯re ready or not."

 Chapter 74: A Purpose Lost

    <h4>Chapter 74: A Purpose Lost</h4>


    Lily POV


    I dropped the healing herb bundle and watched it spread across the nursery floor.


    My hands wouldn¡¯t stop shaking. Three times now I¡¯d tried to mix the simple cough medicine that every omega learned by age twelve. Three times I¡¯d failed at something I used to do with my eyes closed.


    "It¡¯s okay, Lily," Jenny said softly, kneeling to help me gather the scattered leaves. "You just need more time to recover."


    But I knew it wasn¡¯t about time. Ever since the ritual two weeks ago - the one that had apparently saved our pack from the Great Gathering - something fundamental had broken inside me. The Triple Moon Mark on my wrist was gone, leaving only pale lines. The mate bond that once connected me to Caleb had vanished totally. And with them, all the confidence and purpose I¡¯d fought so hard to build.


    "Maybe I should go," I said, backing away from the flowers. "I¡¯m not helping anyone like this."


    Jenny¡¯s face filled with worry. "You saved us all, Lily. You¡¯re a hero."


    Hero. Everyone kept using that word, but it felt hollow. Yes, I¡¯dpleted the Memory Restoration ritual that broke the dark magic affecting our pack. Yes, I¡¯d traded my own powers to free the other Triple Moon bearers. But what was I now? Just a broken omega who couldn¡¯t even make cough syrup.


    I left the nursery and walked through the pack grounds, trying to ignore how different everything felt. Before, I could feel the emotional state of every wolf around me through the pack bonds. Now, I moved through them like a ghost, cut off from the connections that made pack life important.


    "Lily!" Aiden called out, running to catch up with me. "I¡¯ve been looking for you. We¡¯re having a party feast tonight to honor your sacrifice."


    My stomach twisted. "I don¡¯t want to be honored."


    "But you deserve it," Aiden argued. "You gave up everything to save us."


    "That¡¯s exactly the problem," I snapped, startling myself with the anger in my voice. "I gave up everything. My mate bond, my skills, my ce in the pack. What am I supposed to celebrate?"


    Aiden looked hurt. "You¡¯re still important to us, Lily. You¡¯re still our friend."


    Friend. Not mate. Not the Triple Moon bearer. Not the future Luna. Just... friend. The word felt like a knife in my chest.


    I kept going, but everywhere I went, I felt like an outsider looking in. At the training grounds, Brock was teaching young wolves to fight. He waved at me, but I could see the sadness in his eyes. At the council house, Alpha Marcus was meeting with pack leaders. He nodded respectfully when he saw me, but I was no longer asked to those meetings.


    Most painful of all was seeing Caleb. The ritual had returned his memories, but it had taken away his feelings for me. He remembered loving me, but he couldn¡¯t feel it anymore. We were like two artists trying to perform a y we¡¯d forgotten how to act.


    "Lily, wait up!"


    I turned to see Luna running toward me. Of all people, she was thest one I wanted to talk to right now.


    "I heard about tonight¡¯s feast," she said, slightly out of breath. "I wanted to ask if you¡¯d sit with me. I know things have been... tough between us."


    I looked at her. "You want to sit with the broken omega who used to be your rival?"


    Luna¡¯s face flushed. "You¡¯re not broken. You¡¯re different now, but that doesn¡¯t make you less important."


    "Easy for you to say," I answered bitterly. "You didn¡¯t lose everything."


    "Didn¡¯t I?" Luna¡¯s speech was quiet. "I lost my dreams of being Luna. I lost my confidence about my ce in the pack. I had topletely rebuild who I was supposed to be."


    I wanted to argue, but something in her tone stopped me. For the first time, I realized Luna and I might have more inmon than I¡¯d thought.


    "The difference is, you found a new purpose," I said. "You became Aiden¡¯s political advisor. You have a job that matters. I¡¯m just... nothing."


    "That¡¯s not true," Luna said strongly. "You¡¯re the woman who saved our entire pack. You¡¯re the omega who showed that true strengthes from sacrifice, not power."


    Before I could reply, amotion erupted near the pack house. Wolves were running and screaming. I heard Brock¡¯s voice screaming orders.


    "What¡¯s happening?" Luna asked.


    We ran toward the noise and found chaos. Three wolvesy asleep on the ground, their eyes rolled back and their bodies convulsing. Elder Iris knelt beside them, her face pale with fear.


    "What¡¯s wrong with them?" Aiden ordered, pushing through the crowd.


    "I don¡¯t know," Elder Iris said, her voice shaking. "They just fell. All at the same time."


    I knelt beside one of the affected wolves - a young mother called Sarah. Her skin was burning hot, but she was shivering like she was cold. Most unsettling of all, the mate mark on her wrist was glowing with an angry red light.


    "Their mate bonds," I whispered, understanding hitting me like a punch to the gut. "Something¡¯s attacking their mate bonds."


    "How can you tell?" Caleb asked, appearing at my side.


    "I..." I stopped, confused. How could I tell? I¡¯d lost my skills. I shouldn¡¯t be able to sense anything about mate bonds anymore.


    But as I touched Sarah¡¯s burning forehead, images shed through my thoughts. I saw her mate mark being torn apart by phantom ws. I felt the agony of a bond being forcefully severed. I experienced the terror of losing the most important link in her life.


    "It¡¯s the same magic that created the Great Gathering," I said, my voice filled with growing horror. "But this time, it¡¯s not trying to drain the bonds. It¡¯s trying to destroy them totally."


    More wolves began falling around us. The red glow spread from mate mark to mate mark like a cancer. Within minutes, a dozen wolves were writhing on the ground in pain.


    "How do we stop it?" Brock asked.


    I looked around at the chaos, feeling totally helpless. Before the ritual, I might have been able to fight this power. But now? I was just a helpless omega watching her pack suffer.


    "I don¡¯t know," I admitted. "I can¡¯t help them. I can¡¯t help anyone anymore."


    Elder Iris grabbed my arm suddenly. "Wait. The images you¡¯re having - where are theying from?"


    I looked down at my wrist where the Triple Moon Mark used to be. The scars were glowing faintly, barely noticeable but definitely there.


    "That¡¯s impossible," I breathed. "The mark is gone. I sacrificed my powers."


    "Maybe you didn¡¯t lose them," Elder Iris said quickly. "Maybe you changed them. Maybe the sacrifice transformed your skills instead of destroying them."


    More wolves fell. The red glow was spreading faster now, jumping from couple to couple like mes. If we didn¡¯t find a way to stop it soon, every mated pair in Silver Peak would lose their tie forever.


    "I have to try," I said, pushing my hands against Sarah¡¯s mate mark.


    The moment I touched it, power rushed through me - but it was different from before. Instead of the warm, silver light of the Triple Moon, this was something rawer, more desperate. It felt like hope mixed with despair, love mixed with loss.


    The red glow began to fade under my touch, but I could feel something fighting back. Something that wants to destroy every mate bond in existence.


    "It¡¯s working!" Luna cried. "Keep going!"


    But as I put more power into healing Sarah¡¯s bond, I felt something terrible. The magic attacking the mate ties wasn¡¯t random - it was targeted. And it wasn¡¯ting from outside the pack.


    It wasing from someone inside Silver Peak. Someone who wanted to destroy every happy couple because they couldn¡¯t have happiness themselves.


    I opened my eyes and looked around at the people surrounding me. One of them was the rogue. One of them was using dark magic to tear apart the very basis of our pack.


    And as my gaze met theirs, I saw recognition sh in their eyes. They knew I¡¯d figured it out.


    Before I could warn anyone, pain exploded through my brain. Someone had hit me from behind with incredible force. As I fell to the ground, I heard Luna scream my name.


    Thest thing I saw was a figure in a dark cloak standing over me, their face covered but their voice chillingly familiar.


    "You should have stayed weak, little omega. Now you¡¯ll have to die."

 Chapter 75: The First Sign

    <h4>Chapter 75: The First Sign</h4>


    Caleb POV


    I threw my pencil across the room and watched it rattle against the wall.


    The drawing stared back at me from my desk - another sketch of the same woman¡¯s face I¡¯d been feverishly drawing for three weeks. Silver hair flowing like moonlight, eyes that seemed to hold secrets, a smile that made my chest ache with love I couldn¡¯t understand.


    Who was she? And why did I keep thinking about her every single night?


    "Caleb?" Aiden¡¯s voice came through my bedroom door. "You missed the morning meeting again."


    I rubbed my eyes, realizing I¡¯d been drawing since before sunrise. Again. "Come in."


    Aiden entered and stopped short when he saw my desk. Paper after paper covered every surface, all showing the same mysterious woman from different angles, in different poses, but always with that same ethereal beauty that haunted my thoughts.


    "You¡¯re still having those dreams," Aiden said quietly.


    "Every night," I admitted, annoyed. "She feels so real, Aiden. Like I should know her. Like she¡¯s important somehow."


    Aiden picked up one of the sketches - the one where I¡¯d drawn herughing, her head thrown back in pure joy. His expression grew troubled.


    "Have you shown these to anyone else?" he asked carefully.


    "No. Why would I? They¡¯re just drawings of someone from my imagination." I stood up and started pacing. "But that¡¯s what¡¯s driving me crazy. She doesn¡¯t feel imaginary. When I dream about her, I can smell her hair, hear her voice, feel her hand in mine."


    "What does she say in the dreams?" Aiden asked.


    I stopped pacing, trying to remember. "That¡¯s the strange part. I can never quite make out her words. It¡¯s like listening to someone talk underwater. But the feeling is always the same - like she¡¯s trying to tell me something important, something I need to remember."


    Aiden set the drawing down carefully. "Caleb, I think you should talk to Elder Iris about this."


    "Why? They¡¯re just dreams."


    "Are they?" Aiden¡¯s voice was soft but serious. "You¡¯ve been different since the ritual three weeks ago. Distant. Like part of you is missing."


    I wanted to fight, but I couldn¡¯t. Ever since I¡¯d woken up after the Great Gathering ceremony, something had felt wrong. Not physically wrong - my memories were intact, my magic was strong, my ce in the pack was safe. But emotionally, I felt hollow. Like I was going through the motions of life without actually feeling alive.


    "I keep expecting something," I said slowly. "Or someone. I¡¯ll walk into a room and be unhappy that it¡¯s empty, even though I don¡¯t know who I was hoping to see."


    Aiden nodded sadly. "That¡¯s why you need to talk to Elder Iris. She might be able to help you understand what¡¯s missing."


    Before I could reply, amotion erupted outside. Shouts and running footsteps rang through the pack grounds. We rushed to the window and saw wolves gathered around someone lying on the ground.


    "It¡¯s Lily," Aiden said, his face going pale.


    We ran outside and pushed through the crowd. Lilyy motionless, blood trickling from a wound on the back of her head. Elder Iris knelt beside her, checking her pulse with shaking hands.


    "What happened?" I asked, kneeling down. The moment I got close to Lily, something strange happened. The constant ache in my chest - the one I¡¯d been carrying for weeks - suddenly lessened. Like a puzzle piece sliding into ce.


    "Someone attacked her," Luna said, tears running down her face. "She was helping the wolves who copsed, and then someone hit her from behind."


    I found myself reaching out to touch Lily¡¯s face, pulled by an instinct I didn¡¯t understand. Her skin was warm and soft, and touching her sent a shock of recognition through me.


    "I know you," I whispered, so softly only she could hear.


    Her eyelids moved. For a moment, her eyes opened and met mine. In that instant, images shed through my mind like lightning - Lily and me dancing under the moon, Lily curled up beside me reading a book, Lily¡¯s face glowing with happiness as she told me she was pregnant.


    The pictures were so vivid, so real, that I gasped and pulled my hand back. Lily¡¯s eyes closed again, and the link broke.


    "Did you see that?" I asked Aiden frantically. "Did you see what just happened?"


    "See what?" Aiden looked confused. "You touched her face and she opened her eyes for a second."


    But I had seen so much more. The woman from my dreams - she was Lily. Lily with longer hair, Lily shining with some kind of inner light, Lily looking at me with love so deep it took my breath away.


    "We need to get her to the healing center," Elder Iris said, but her eyes were fixed on me with a look I couldn¡¯t read.


    As we carried Lily inside, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about those shes of memory. They felt more real than my actual memories. But how was that possible? I barely knew Lily. She was just another pack member, wasn¡¯t she?


    Elder Iris pulled me away while the pack healer examined Lily. "You remembered something, didn¡¯t you?" she asked softly.


    "I don¡¯t know what I remembered," I said honestly. "But when I touched her, I saw... us. Together. Happy. Like we were..." I struggled for the word.


    "Mates?" Elder Iris suggested softly.


    The word hit me like a physical blow. "That¡¯s impossible. I would remember if Lily was my mate."


    Elder Iris¡¯s old eyes filled with sadness. "What if your memories were taken from you? What if someone made you forget the most important person in your life?"


    I stared at her in shock. "Who would do that? And why?"


    "That¡¯s what we need to figure out," Elder Iris said. "But first, I need you to understand something important. The rite three weeks ago - it didn¡¯t just save our pack from the Great Gathering. It broke mate bonds that were already formed."


    My heart stopped. "You¡¯re saying Lily and I were actually mates?"


    "I¡¯m saying you need to look at your sketches again," Elder Iris said. "Really look at them."


    I ran back to my room and grabbed the drawings. Looking at them now, with the chance of truth in my mind, I saw details I¡¯d missed before. The woman in my sketches wasn¡¯t just beautiful - she was sparkling with silver light. And on her wrist, barely visible in some of the pictures, was a mark. Three crescent moons linked.


    The Triple Moon Mark. Lily had been the Triple Moon carrier.


    "She was my mate," I breathed, the truth hitting me like a wave. "She sacrificed our bond to save everyone else."


    No wonder I felt hollow. No wonder I kept expecting someone who wasn¡¯t there. Half of my soul was missing, and I¡¯d been too confused to realize it.


    I rushed back to the treatment center, my sketches clutched in my hands. I had to tell Lily that I was starting to remember. I had to apologize for forgetting her, for not trying harder to hold onto what we had.


    But when I burst through the door, the healing bed was empty.


    "Where is she?" I asked.


    The pack healer looked confused. "She was here just a minute ago. I stepped out to get supplies, and when I came back..."


    "She¡¯s gone," Elder Iris said grimly, appearing behind me. "Someone took her while we were distracted."


    My world tilted. I was just starting to remember the woman I loved, and now she¡¯d been kidnapped.


    "Who would take her?" I asked desperately.


    Elder Iris met my eyes, and I saw fear there that chilled me to the bone.


    "The same person who stole your memories in the first ce," she said. "And if we don¡¯t find her soon, they¡¯re going to finish what they started three weeks ago."


    "What do you mean?"


    Elder Iris¡¯s voice was barely a whisper. "They¡¯re going to kill her, Caleb. And when they do, you¡¯ll forget herpletely. Forever."

 Chapter 76: Ancient Warnings

    <h4>Chapter 76: Ancient Warnings</h4>


    Elder Iris POV


    I touched the old book, and it caught fire right away.


    Silver fire danced across the leather cover, making words appear and disappear like ghostly warnings. I jerked my wrinkled hands back. The book had been tucked away behind other books for seventy years, but tonight it was called to me.


    "What are you trying to tell me?" I whispered to the pages that were on fire.


    Three words were made out of mes: "THE BOND BREAKS."


    My heart stopped. I knew what that meant without a doubt. Lily and Caleb¡¯s mate link, the Triple Moon bond, was in great danger. But how? And why was this old book showing me now?


    I grabbed my reading sses with shaking fingers and leaned closer. The magical fire didn¡¯t hurt the book. Instead, it was showing hidden text that had been invisible for ages. Words written in the oldnguage, the one only the biggest wolves remembered.


    "When Triple Moon breaks, shadow wakes," I read aloud, my voice shaking. "Seven generations shall pay the price. The first sacrifice opens the way. Thest sacrifice closes it forever."


    My blood turned to ice. Lily had already made the first sacrifice three weeks ago when she broke their mate bond to save the pack. ording to this forecast, that wasn¡¯t the end - it was just the beginning.


    I flipped through more burned pages, desperate to understand. Each page showed terrible visions: wolves with glowing red eyes, pack areas covered in unnatural darkness, children disappearing in the night. All because a Triple Moon bond had been broken.


    "This can¡¯t be right," I muttered, but deep down I knew it was. The ancient wolves who wrote these predictions had seen it happen before. They¡¯d watched as broken Triple Moon bonds released something evil into the world.


    A loud crash from outside made me jump. Through my window, I saw pack members running in fear. Something was wrong at the healing center where Lily had been mending.


    I stuffed the burning book into my coat and hobbled outside as fast as my old legs could carry me. Wolves were screaming and pointing at the healing center, where dark smoke poured from the windows.


    "What happened?" I called to Marcus, who was organizing relief teams.


    "The building just exploded," he said, his face pale with fear. "Lily was inside, but now she¡¯s gone. Someone took her."


    My worst fears wereing true. I pulled out the burning book, and new words appeared on its pages: "The shadowes for the broken carrier. Death will make the breakplete."


    "We have to find her now," I said quickly. "Before it¡¯s toote."


    "Before what¡¯s toote?" Marcus demanded.


    I showed him the book, watching his eyes widen as he saw the forecast. "When Lily broke her mate bond with Caleb to save us, she didn¡¯t just sacrifice their love. She opened a doorway for something old and evil. Something that¡¯s been waiting for a Triple Moon tie to break so it can enter our world."


    "That¡¯s impossible," Marcus said, but his voice shook with doubt.


    "Is it?" I asked. "Haven¡¯t you noticed the strange things happening since the ritual? Wolves falling for no reason? Nightmares spreading through the pack? The forest animals leaving our territory?"


    Marcus¡¯s face went white. He had noticed these things, just like I had. We¡¯d all tried to ignore them, hoping they were just side affects of the powerful magic Lily had used. But they weren¡¯t side affects - they were warnings.


    The burning book flipped its own pages, showing me a new image. I saw Lily tied up in a dark cave, circled by wolves with red glowing eyes. But these weren¡¯t normal dogs. Their shadows moved independently of their bodies, reaching toward Lily with hooked fingers.


    "Shadow wolves," I breathed. "They¡¯re not from our world. Theye from the dark realm that lies between life and death. The broken Triple Moon bond is like a crack in a dam - it lets them seep through."


    "How do we stop them?" Marcus asked desperately.


    I kept reading, my heart sinking with each word. "The oracle says only two things can close the doorway. Either Lily and Caleb restore their mate bondpletely..."


    "Or?" Marcus prompted when I paused.


    "Or Lily dies, and her death seals the crack forever."


    We stared at each other in horror. The shadow wolves had taken Lily because they needed her death to make their entry into our world permanent. If she died while the link was broken, the doorway would m shut with them on our side of it.


    "There¡¯s more," I said, reading furiously. "If the shadow wolves seed, they won¡¯t just attack our pack. They¡¯ll spread to every wolf area, turning other wolves into shadow creatures like themselves. Within seven generations, there won¡¯t be any average wolves left in the world."


    The book¡¯s pages suddenly went nk except for one final message that made my blood freeze: "The shadow wolves have learned to steal memories. The broken bearer will forget her mate totally before she dies. Love cannot save what love cannot remember."


    That¡¯s when I understood the true horror of what was happening. The shadow wolves weren¡¯t just going to kill Lily - they were going to make her forget Caleb first. Without her memories of their love, she couldn¡¯t possibly repair their mate bond. She would die thinking she¡¯d never been loved at all.


    "We have to tell Caleb," I said, grabbing Marcus¡¯s arm. "He¡¯s the only one who might be able to reach her before it¡¯s toote."


    But as we turned to run toward the pack house, a new sound froze us in ce. It was Lily¡¯s voice, but it was wrong somehow - hollow and empty, like it wasing from very far away.


    "Caleb?" her voice echoed through the night. "Who is Caleb? I don¡¯t know anyone by that name."


    The shadow wolves had already started stealing her memories. And somewhere in the darkness, Lily was forgetting that she had ever been loved at all.

 Chapter 77: The Weight of Gratitude

    <h4>Chapter 77: The Weight of Gratitude</h4>


    Lily POV


    The thank-you letter crumpled in my shaking hands as I read the words that made my heart ache.


    "Dear Lily Carter, our entire pack owes you our lives. Because of your sacrifice, our children still know their parents. Because of your bravery, our friends still remember their love. You saved every wolf bond in the world except your own. We are forever grateful."


    I threw the letter across the room, watching it join the hundreds of others spread on my floor. Letters from packs I¡¯d never heard of, from dogs I¡¯d never met, all saying the same thing. Thank you for saving us. Thank you for your effort. Thank you for giving up your happiness so we could keep ours.


    "I don¡¯t want your thanks," I whispered to the empty room. "I want my mate back."


    But Caleb was gone. Not dead, but worse - he was living and didn¡¯t remember me at all. Every morning he woke up and had to be reminded that we were once mated. Every night he forgot again. The rite that saved everyone else had stolen the most important thing in my life.


    A soft knock stopped my thoughts. "Lily? It¡¯s Luna. Can Ie in?"


    I wiped my eyes quickly. Luna was one of the few people who understood what I was going through. She¡¯d lost something too during the ritual - her jealousy and anger had been reced with real caring that sometimes felt foreign.


    "The door¡¯s open," I called.


    Luna entered carefully, stepping around the scattered letters. She sat on my bed without saying anything about the mess. That¡¯s what I liked about her now - she didn¡¯t try to fix things that couldn¡¯t be fixed.


    "More letters?" she asked softly.


    "Thousands," I said angrily. "Do you know there are packs in ska who named their young pups after me? Packs in Australia who made me their special member? A pack in Japan wants to build a statue in my honor."


    "That must feel overwhelming," Luna said.


    "It feels like torture," I admitted. "Every letter reminds me that I savedplete strangers while losing the person I loved most. How is that fair?"


    Luna picked up one of the letters and read it softly. "This one¡¯s from a little girl whose parents were about to split before the ritual. She says now they remember why they fell in love."


    "Good for them," I said, but my voice cracked. "At least someone gets to be happy."


    "Lily, you can¡¯t me yourself for-"


    "Can¡¯t I?" I interrupted, standing up and walking. "I made the choice, Luna. I knew what would happen. I knew I¡¯d lose Caleb, but I thought I could handle it. I thought saving everyone else would make it worth it."


    "And now?"


    "Now I realize I was wrong." The words spilled out before I could stop them. "I was greedy and stupid. I thought I was being a hero, but I was just scared. Scared of what would happen if I didn¡¯t move. So I did without thinking about the consequences."


    Luna stood up and grabbed my shoulders. "You saved the world, Lily. Every wolf alive today owes their pack ties to you."


    "But I don¡¯t want them to owe me anything!" I shouted. "I want them to leave me alone! I want to stop getting letters from grateful people! I want to stop being treated like some sort of saint when all I feel is empty inside!"


    The room went quiet except for my heavy breathing. Luna looked at me with sad eyes.


    "You¡¯re angry," she said finally.


    "Of course I¡¯m angry!" I yelled. "I¡¯m angry! Everyone else gets to keep their mates, their families, their happiness, while I sit here alone reading thank-you letters from people who don¡¯t even know my middle name!"


    "What¡¯s your middle name?" Luna asked quietly.


    The question caught me off guard. "What?"


    "Your middle name. What is it?"


    I opened my mouth to answer, then froze. I couldn¡¯t remember. How could I forget my own middle name?


    "I... I don¡¯t..." I pressed my hands to my temples, trying to think. "It starts with an M, I think. Or maybe a N?"


    Luna¡¯s face went pale. "Lily, when¡¯s your birthday?"


    "October... no, November... wait..." Panic started rising in my chest. "Why can¡¯t I remember?"


    "What¡¯s your favorite color?" Luna asked anxiously.


    I stared at her nkly. I knew I should know this. Everyone knows their favorite color. But when I tried to think about it, there was just empty space in my mind.


    "Something¡¯s wrong," I whispered. "Something¡¯s very wrong."


    Luna grabbed my hands. "Tell me about your childhood. Tell me about your parents."


    I tried to think, but it was like grabbing at smoke. I could remember bits - a woman¡¯sugh, a man¡¯s strong hands, the smell of cookies baking. But I couldn¡¯t put faces to the images or names to the people.


    "I can¡¯t," I said, my voice barely audible. "I can¡¯t remember them."


    "What about your grandmother? The one who taught you about healing herbs?"


    Again, nothing but nothingness. I knew I should remember her, but when I tried to picture her face, there was nothing there.


    "The letters," I said suddenly, looking around the room. "All these letters from strangers. But where are the texts from people who actually know me? Where are the letters from my school friends? From my family?"


    Luna¡¯s face went white. "Lily, I think you need to sit down."


    "No," I said, backing away. "No, no, no. This isn¡¯t happening. I¡¯m not losing my memories too. I already lost Caleb. I can¡¯t lose everything else."


    But even as I said it, I realized the horrible truth. The ritual hadn¡¯t just broken my mate bond with Caleb. It was slowly erasing everything that made me who I was. Every day, I was forgetting more pieces of myself.


    "How long?" I asked Luna frantically. "How long before I forget everything? How long before I forget that I ever loved anyone at all?"


    Luna¡¯s eyes filled with tears. "I don¡¯t know."


    That¡¯s when I heard it - a voice calling my name from outside. But it wasn¡¯t just any voice. It was Caleb¡¯s voice, and for the first time in weeks, it sounded like he remembered me.


    "Lily!" he called anxiously. "Lily, where are you? I remember! I remember everything!"


    Hope burst in my chest, but as I ran toward the window, one terrible thought stopped me cold.


    What if I was forgetting him just as he was remembering me?

 Chapter 78: Searching for Feeling

    <h4>Chapter 78: Searching for Feeling</h4>


    Caleb POV


    I threw the book across the library so hard it knocked over three others.


    The pages were full of my own handwriting, love notes I¡¯d obviously written to Lily during our time together. Sweet words about herugh, her goodness, her beautiful eyes. But reading them felt like reading someone else¡¯s diary. I could see the proof that I¡¯d loved her, but I couldn¡¯t feel it.


    "Come on," I mumbled to myself, picking up another notebook. "Remember something. Anything."


    This one had sketches of Lily¡¯s face spread throughout my study notes. Dozens of them, drawn during moments when I should have been focused on pack business. The drawings showed someonepletely in love, someone who couldn¡¯t stop thinking about his mate long enough to focus.


    But that someone wasn¡¯t me. At least, it didn¡¯t feel like me.


    I mmed the notebook shut and headed for the door. Maybe being in ces where we¡¯d spent time together would help. Everyone kept telling me how happy we¡¯d been. Surely something would spark a memory if I just tried hard enough.


    The Moon Pool was my first stop. ording to Aiden, this was where Lily and I had our first real talk after her mate mark appeared. I stood at the water¡¯s edge, waiting for some kind of recognition.


    Nothing.


    I knelt down and touched the water like I¡¯d supposedly done with Lily weeks ago. Still nothing. The pool was just water and stone to me, not the magical ce where I¡¯d fallen in love.


    "This is hopeless," I said out loud.


    "No, it¡¯s not."


    I spun around to find Elder Iris walking toward me with her usual slow speed. She looked older than ever, like something was weighing heavily on her mind.


    "Elder Iris, I didn¡¯t hear youing."


    "You were too busy trying to force memories that aren¡¯t ready to return," she said, sitting carefully on a nearby rock. "Tell me, what do you feel when you look at this ce?"


    "Nothing," I replied. "I know Lily and I were here together, but it¡¯s like looking at a photograph of strangers."


    "And what do you feel when you think about Lily herself?"


    I considered this carefully. "Sad," I said finally. "Not because I miss her, but because I know I should miss her. I can see how much I hurt her by not remembering, and that makes me feel bad."


    Elder Iris nodded like this made perfect sense. "You¡¯re mourning the loss of your own emotions."


    "That¡¯s exactly it!" I said, surprised she understood. "Everyone expects me to fight for her, to do whatever it takes to get her back. But how can I fight for someone I don¡¯t remember loving?"


    "Because love isn¡¯t just a feeling, Caleb. It¡¯s also a choice."


    I shook my head. "That¡¯s easy for you to say. You¡¯re not the one pretending to care about someone while feeling empty inside."


    Elder Iris stood up slowly. "Come with me. There¡¯s something you need to see."


    She led me to the pack house basement, to a storage room I¡¯d never noticed before. Inside were boxes upon boxes of pack records going back generations.


    "What are we looking for?" I asked.


    "Proof that you¡¯re not the first to go through this," she said, pulling out an ancient book. "Read this."


    The notebook belonged to a wolf named Thomas who¡¯d lived in our pack fifty years ago. As I read his entries, my blood ran cold. Thomas had been mated to a woman named Sarah, but during a pack crisis, their bond had been broken by magic. " ¡¯Day 12: I visited our favorite tree today,¡¯" I read aloud. " ¡¯I found our names carved in the bark, proof that we were happy. But standing there felt like visiting a stranger¡¯s grave. I know I loved Sarah, but I can¡¯t remember what that love felt like.¡¯"


    The entries continued for months. Thomas desperately trying to reconnect with Sarah, visiting ces they¡¯d been together, reading old letters, looking at photographs. But the feelings never returned.


    "What happened to them?" I asked, though I was scared to know.


    "Keep reading," Elder Iris said quietly.


    "¡¯Day 89: Sarah is fading. The healers say it¡¯s because our broken tie is slowly killing her. She needs our mate connection to live, but I can¡¯t give her what I don¡¯t feel. I¡¯m watching the woman I apparently loved die because I can¡¯t remember how to love her.¡¯"


    My hands started shaking. "Elder Iris, is this what¡¯s happening to Lily? Is she dying because I can¡¯t remember?"


    "Read thest entry," she said instead of answering.


    "¡¯Day 107: Sarah died this morning. In her final moments, she looked at me and said she forgave me for forgetting. But I¡¯ll never forgive myself. I lost her twice - once when the bond broke, and again when I couldn¡¯t find my way back to loving her. If I could trade my life to bring back even one day of the feelings I lost, I would do it happily.¡¯"


    I stared at the book in horror. "This is my future, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m going to watch Lily die while feeling nothing but guilt."


    "Only if you give up," Elder Iris said. "Thomas made one crucial mistake."


    "What mistake?" " He focused on trying to feel the old love instead of building new love. "


    I looked at her confused. "What¡¯s the difference?"


    "The difference is that old love is based on memories you can¡¯t reach. New love is based on the person standing in front of you right now." Elder Iris took the notebook from my trembling hands. "Stop trying to remember the Lily you loved before. Start getting to know the Lily who exists today."


    "But what if I can¡¯t love her the same way?"


    "Who says you have to? Love isn¡¯t about repeating the past, Caleb. It¡¯s about picking someone¡¯s future."


    Her words hit me like lightning. I¡¯d been so focused on trying to feel what I¡¯d lost that I hadn¡¯t considered building something new.


    "There¡¯s something else," Elder Iris said, her voice suddenly urgent. "Something I haven¡¯t told anyone yet."


    "What?"


    "The shadow dogs that took Lily - they¡¯re not just trying to kill her. They¡¯re taking her memories too. Every day she remembers less about who she was, about the people she loved."


    My heart stopped. "Including me?"


    "Especially you," Elder Iris said grimly. "At the rate they¡¯re working, she¡¯ll forget you totally within days. And when she does..."


    "When she does, what?"


    Elder Iris met my eyes with an expression that scared me.


    "When she forgets you totally, the mate bond will be severed forever. Not just broken - totally destroyed. And without any link between you, there will be no way to save her life."


    Before I could reply, a howl echoed through the night. But it wasn¡¯t a normal wolf cry. It was hollow and empty, like something trying to be a wolf.


    "They¡¯re here," Elder Iris whispered. "The shadow wolves havee to finish what they started."


    And somewhere in the darkness, Lily was forgetting my name.

 Chapter 79: The Healer’s Diagnosis

    <h4>Chapter 79: The Healer¡¯s Diagnosis</h4>


    Dr. Sarah Chen POV


    The needle slipped from my shaking fingers and ttered onto the stone floor of my healing room. I¡¯d been the Silver Peak Pack¡¯s head doctor for twenty-three years, but I¡¯d never seen anything like what was happening to Lily Carter and Caleb Silver.


    "Another seizure!" I shouted to my helper as Lily¡¯s body went rigid on the examination table. Her back arched impossibly high, and a horrible keening sound left her throat - not quite human, not quite wolf.


    I grabbed the syringe I¡¯d dropped and quickly filled it with moonflower extract. The ancient medicine was our best tool against supernatural injuries, but I wasn¡¯t even sure it would help with whatever was wrong with these two.


    Caleb sat in the corner, watching Lily with empty eyes that should have been filled with fear. Any mate would be frantic seeing their lover in such pain. Instead, he looked like he was watching a stranger.


    "Hold her still," I directed Marcus, who had insisted on staying despite my protests. The Alpha¡¯s face was gray with fear as he pressed his daughter-inw¡¯s shoulders against the table.


    I injected the moonflower straight into Lily¡¯s neck. Within seconds, her seizure stopped, but thefort I felt quickly turned to horror. Where the needle had entered her skin, ck veins appeared, spreading outward like toxic spider webs.


    "What is that?" Marcus demanded.


    I¡¯d never seen anything like it, but somehow I knew exactly what it meant. "Shadow poison," I whispered. "But that¡¯s impossible. Shadow dogs were destroyed centuries ago."


    Marcus stepped back, his face going even paler. "Sarah, are you certain?"


    Before I could answer, Caleb suddenly stood up. "I need to go," he said in a t voice. "I have pack duties to attend to."


    "Your mate is dying!" I yelled at him. "How can you think about duties right now?"


    Caleb paused at the door, looking back at Lily with the same empty face. "She¡¯s not my mate," he said bluntly. "I don¡¯t remember her being my mate."


    The door mmed behind him, leaving Marcus and me looking at each other in shock. In all my years as a healer, I¡¯d never heard a bonded wolf talk about their mate with such coldness.


    "Something¡¯s very wrong here," I muttered, pulling out my medical scanner - a device that could read magical energy patterns in a wolf¡¯s body. "Help me move her to the examination chair."


    Marcus lifted Lily easily, her dazed form looking tiny in his strong arms. As we positioned her under the scanner, I noticed something that made my blood run cold. The Triple Moon Mark on her wrist, which should have been glowing silver, was totally dark.


    "Marcus, look at this." I pointed to her hand. "When did her mark stop glowing?"


    The Alpha leaned closer, squinting at the dark design. "I... I don¡¯t remember it ever shining. Wait, that doesn¡¯t make sense. Of course it glowed. She¡¯s mated to Caleb."


    A terrible suspicion started forming in my mind. I activated the reader and watched as green light swept over Lily¡¯s body, reading her supernatural signature. What I saw on the screen made me stumble backward.


    "That¡¯s impossible," I breathed.


    "What? What do you see?"


    I pointed at the reader with a trembling finger. "Look at her neural paths - the ones that should connect her to her mate. They¡¯re not just cut, Marcus. They¡¯re gone. Completely erased, like they never existed."


    Marcus looked at the screen, confusion clear on his face. "But she¡¯s mated to Caleb. The whole pack watched their ceremony."


    "Are you sure about that?" I asked quietly. "Think carefully, Marcus. Do you actually remember their marriage ceremony?"


    The Alpha opened his mouth to answer, then closed it. His brow furrowed as he focused. "I... of course I remember. They were mated during the Winter Moon Festival. Everyone knows that."


    "But do you remember watching it happen? Do you remember the wedding details?"


    Marcus was quiet for a long moment. When he spoke again, his voice was unsure. "No. I don¡¯t remember the real ceremony. But that doesn¡¯t mean anything. I¡¯ve been to hundreds of mating events over the years."


    I turned back to Lily, my healer senses screaming that something was terribly wrong. "I need to scan Caleb too. Right now."


    "He left."


    "Then send someone to bring him back. This is an emergency."


    Marcus nodded and spoke into his contact device. While we waited, I took more thorough readings of Lily¡¯s condition. The shadow poison was spreading faster now, and her body temperature was falling dangerously low.


    "She¡¯s going into supernatural shock," I told Marcus. "Her body is shutting down because it can¡¯t handle whatever was done to her."


    "What was done to her?"


    "I don¡¯t know yet. But I¡¯ve never seen neural pathways totally erased like this. It would take incredibly powerful magic - the kind that was apparently lost when the shadow wolves disappeared."


    Ten minutester, two pack guards dragged aining Caleb back into my healing room.


    "I told you I have important work to do," he grumbled.


    "More important than your mate¡¯s life?" I challenged him.


    "She¡¯s not my mate," Caleb said again, and this time I heard something in his voice that chilled me. He wasn¡¯t being mean or angry. He truly didn¡¯t understand why everyone kept calling Lily his mate.


    I pointed to the second examination chair. "Sit down. I need to scan you."


    "This is ridiculous. I feel fine."


    "Sit down or I¡¯ll have the guards hold you down," I said strongly.


    Grumbling, Caleb took his seat. I activated the scanner and watched his energy patterns show on the screen. What I saw made my knees weak.


    His neural pathways looked exactly like Lily¡¯s - totally empty where the mate bond should be. But there was something else, something that made my hands shake as I changed the scanner settings.


    "Marcus," I whispered. "Look at this."


    The Alpha looked at the screen. "What am I looking at?"


    "Caleb¡¯s memories," I said quietly. "The sections that should cover everything about Lily. They¡¯re not just blocked or hidden. They¡¯ve been carefully removed from his brain."


    Marcus stared at me in horror. "That¡¯s impossible. No one has that kind of power."


    I turned to face both men, my heart pounding with the terrible truth I¡¯d found. "Someone does. And they¡¯ve done something to Lily and Caleb that goes beyond just breaking their mate bond. They¡¯ve actually erased their love for each other from their minds."


    Caleb looked confused. "What are you talking about? I never loved her. I don¡¯t even really know her."


    "Yes, you do," I said softly. "Or you did. Someone stole your memories of loving her, and now she¡¯s dying because her body doesn¡¯t understand why her mate doesn¡¯t want her anymore."


    Before anyone could respond, Lily¡¯s body started convulsing again. But this time was different. The ck veins from the shadow poison suddenly red bright red, and she let out a scream that broke every piece of ss in my healing room.


    When the sound faded, Lily sat up on the examination table, her eyes now totally ck.


    "The shadow wolves send their regards," she said in a voice that wasn¡¯t her own.


    Then she smiled, showing teeth that had be razor-sharp fangs.

 Chapter 80: A Dangerous Proposal

    <h4>Chapter 80: A Dangerous Proposal</h4>


    Luna POV


    I mmed my fist on the kitchen table so hard the coffee cups jumped. "Are you all insane?" I yelled at the pack members gathered around me. "You¡¯re going to let him waste away pining for someone he doesn¡¯t even remember?"


    Elder Iris shook her head sadly. "Luna, you don¡¯t understand. Caleb and Lily¡¯s love was¡ª"


    "Was what? A fairy tale?" I interrupted, my voice getting higher. "Look at the facts! She¡¯s taken by shadow wolves, he can¡¯t remember loving her, and everyone¡¯s acting like this is some romantic tragedy instead of facing reality!"


    My hands were shaking with anger. For three days, I¡¯d watched Caleb walk around the pack house like a ghost. He ate barely anything, slept maybe two hours a night, and kept staring at Lily¡¯s room like he was trying to solve a problem that hurt his head.


    "Someone needs to say what everyone¡¯s thinking," I continued, standing up so fast my chair fell over. "Maybe it¡¯s time for Caleb to find a new mate."


    The quiet that followed was soplete I could hear my own heartbeat. Twenty pack members stared at me like I¡¯d just proposed burning down the Moon Pool.


    Aiden was the first to speak, his voice deadly quiet. "Luna, you need to stop talking. Right now."


    "No!" I shot back. "I won¡¯t stop! You¡¯re all so caught up in this beautiful love story that you can¡¯t see what¡¯s really happening. Caleb is hurting, and Lily is... well, she¡¯s not even Lily anymore!"


    Brock stood up slowly, his massive form casting a shadow over me. "Choose your next words very carefully."


    But I was too angry to be scared. "The truth? Fine! The truth is that whatever Caleb and Lily had is gone. Completely gone. And while you¡¯re all sitting around hoping for some miracle, Caleb is dying inside because he knows he should feel something for her but doesn¡¯t!"


    "That¡¯s enough!" Elder Iris snapped, but I kept going.


    "I¡¯ve been watching him, okay? Really watching him. He visits her room every morning and just stands there, looking lost. He picks up things that belonged to her and waits for some kind of feeling that neveres. Do you know how painful that is for him?"


    My voice cracked on thest words because it was true. Watching Caleb hurt himself was breaking my heart in ways I didn¡¯t expect.


    "He needs to move on," I said more quietly. "And maybe... maybe I could help him do that."


    The explosion of angry voices was instant. Everyone started screaming at once, but I caught the most important words: "How dare you!" and "After everything they¡¯ve been through!" and "You haven¡¯t changed at all!"


    Thatst one hit me like a p. I spun around to face Marcus, who had spoken those words with such sadness in his voice.


    "I have changed!" I screamed. "I¡¯m trying to help him! Can¡¯t you see that?"


    "What I see," Marcus said calmly, "is you taking advantage of a tragedy to get what you¡¯ve always wanted."


    "That¡¯s not true!" But even as I said it, I wondered if it was. Did I want Caleb to notice me? Yes. Had I always thought we¡¯d be good together? Yes. But was I really just using his pain as an opportunity?


    The kitchen door burst open, and Caleb walked in. He looked bad - dark circles under his eyes, his hair messy, his clothes wrinkled like he¡¯d slept in them.


    "What¡¯s all the shouting about?" he asked tiredly.


    Everyone went quiet again. I realized this was my chance to actually help him, to say what no one else had the guts to say.


    "Caleb," I said gently, "I think we need to talk about your future."


    He looked at me with confused eyes. "My future?"


    "Your romantic future," I exined, ignoring the gasps from around the room. "Everyone keeps telling you about this great love you had with Lily, but you can¡¯t feel it anymore. Maybe it¡¯s time to ept that and move forward."


    Caleb¡¯s face went very still. "Move forward how?"


    "By finding someone new," I said, moving closer to him. "Someone who can help you heal from all this pain. Someone who cares about you for who you are right now, not who you used to be."


    "Luna, don¡¯t," Aiden warned.


    But I was already reaching for Caleb¡¯s hand. "I care about you, Caleb. I¡¯ve always cared about you. And I think maybe we could¡ª"


    Caleb jerked his hand away like I¡¯d burned him. "No," he said firmly. "Just... no."


    "But why?" I asked, hurt rushing through me. "You don¡¯t remember loving her. You don¡¯t feel anything for her anymore. So why not give someone else a chance?"


    "Because," Caleb said, his voice getting louder, "even though I can¡¯t remember loving Lily, I know I did. Everyone tells me stories about how happy we were, how perfect we were together. And maybe I can¡¯t feel it anymore, but I¡¯m not ready to just rece her."


    "She¡¯s not even herself anymore!" I argued desperately. "She¡¯s taken by shadow wolves! The Lily you loved is gone!"


    "Maybe," Caleb said quietly. "But I¡¯m not."


    He turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm. "Caleb, please. Just think about it. You deserve to be happy, and I could make you happy. I know I could."


    He looked down at my hand on his arm, then back at my face. For a moment, I thought I saw something soft in his eyes, something that gave me hope.


    Then he gently removed my hand. "I can¡¯t, Luna. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t."


    As he walked away, I felt tears beginning to fall. "You¡¯re all fools!" I shouted after him. "You¡¯re going to let him waste his life on a ghost!"


    That¡¯s when I heard it - a sound that made everyone in the kitchen freeze. It wasing from upstairs, from Lily¡¯s room.


    Laughter. Cold, cruelughter that definitely wasn¡¯t Lily¡¯s.


    "Oh, this is perfect," said a voice that carried down the stairs. It sounded like Lily, but wrong somehow. "The little beta girl wants to steal my mate while I¡¯m indisposed. How deliciously predictable."


    We all looked up at the ceiling as footsteps moved overhead. Slow, careful footsteps that were definitelying toward the stairs.


    "She¡¯s awake," Elder Iris whispered in horror.


    "And she heard everything," Marcus added sadly.


    The footsteps reached the top of the stairs and beganing down. Everyone in the kitchen pressed against the walls, suddenly understanding that whatever was wearing Lily¡¯s body might not be very happy about my suggestion.


    "Luna," called that not-quite-Lily voice, sweet as poisoned honey. "Come here, dear. Let¡¯s have a little chat about your idea."

 Chapter 81: The Scent of Memory

    <h4>Chapter 81: The Scent of Memory</h4>


    Lily POV


    I jerked awake as something cold and sharp crashed into my chest. For a second, I couldn¡¯t move. The shadow voices that had been talking in my head for days suddenly went silent, leaving me alone in my own mind for the first time in what felt like forever.


    "What¡¯s happening?" I gasped, sitting up in bed so fast the room spun around me.


    Dr. Chen rushed to my side, checking the monitors that beeped furiously around my bed. "Lily? Can you hear me? Are you... you?"


    I blinked at her, confused. "Of course I¡¯m me. Who else would I be?"


    The relief on her face was so strong it scared me. "You¡¯ve been unconscious for three days," she exined quickly. "And when you were awake, you weren¡¯t... acting like yourself."


    Pieces of memory came rushing back - dark voices telling me to hurt people, my own hands moving without my control, saying terrible things to Luna about Caleb. I covered my face with shaking hands.


    "The shadow wolves," I whispered. "They were in my head."


    "Are they gone now?" Dr. Chen asked, her voice tight with fear.


    I searched inside my mind carefully. The cold presence was still there, but it felt faraway, like something watching from far away instead of controlling me. "I think so. For now."


    "Good. The pack is having an emergency meeting downstairs. Alpha Marcus wants everyone there to talk what¡¯s been happening. Do you feel strong enough to attend?"


    I nodded, even though my legs felt like jelly when I stood up. I needed to apologize to everyone for whatever I¡¯d done while the shadows were ruling me. Especially to Luna, who I remembered frightening.


    Walking down the stairs was harder than I expected. Every step made my head pound, and I had to grip the bar to keep from falling. When I reached the main hall, I saw the entire pack gathered in a big circle.


    Everyone turned to look at me as I entered. Some faces showed relief, others showed fear, and a few looked angry. I couldn¡¯t me them.


    "Lily," Marcus said gently. "How are you feeling?"


    "Like I got hit by a truck," I revealed, trying to smile. "But I¡¯m me again, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking."


    I looked around the circle until I found Luna. She was sitting as far from me as possible, her face pale and scared. "Luna, I¡¯m so sorry for whatever I said to you. I wasn¡¯t myself, but that doesn¡¯t make it okay."


    She nodded quickly but didn¡¯t speak. I could see her hands shaking in herp.


    "The important thing is that you¡¯re back," Marcus added. "Dr. Chen says the shadow drug is still in your system, but your mind is clear for now. We need to figure out how to get rid of it permanently before¡ª"


    He stopped talking suddenly, his nostrils ring. Everyone else started sniffing the air too, their faces changing as they caught whatever smell had gotten Marcus¡¯s attention.


    That¡¯s when I smelled it.


    The smell hit me like a physical blow. It was warm and woodsy, like cedar trees and old books, with something underneath that made my heart race even though I didn¡¯t understand why. My knees went weak, and I had to grab the nearby chair to keep from falling.


    "Caleb," I breathed, not even realizing I¡¯d spoken out loud.


    He was standing in the hallway, looking tired and sad. When our eyes met across the room, something strange happened. I didn¡¯t remember loving him - that feeling was still gone, wiped by whatever the shadow wolves had done to us. But my body remembered him.


    My pulse quickened. My skin felt warm. I found myself taking a step toward him before I even knew I was moving.


    "Lily?" he said softly, and his words made something deep in my chest flutter.


    "I don¡¯t understand," I whispered, putting a hand to my racing heart. "I don¡¯t remember you, but my body does."


    Caleb moved closer, and with each step, the smell got stronger. It was like my cells were waking up after a long sleep, recognizing something my mind couldn¡¯t understand.


    "I can smell you," I said, my voice barely audible. "And it¡¯s... familiar. Likeing home."


    Dr. Chen stepped forward, her eyes wide with joy. "Physical memory," she said quickly. "The shadow wolves erased your emotional memories, but they couldn¡¯t remove what your body knows. Your wolf knows her mate even when your human mind doesn¡¯t."


    Caleb was only a few feet away now. I could see the hope starting to grow in his eyes, mixed with fear that I might disappear again.


    "Can I..." he started, then stopped. "Would it be okay if I came closer?"


    I nodded, not trusting my voice. When he took another step, my whole body responded. My skin tingled. My breathing got faster. It was like every cell in my body was saying "yes, this is right" even though my brain waspletely confused.


    "This is incredible," Dr. Chen whispered to Marcus. "If her body remembers the mate bond, we might be able to use that to restore her emotional memories."


    But as Caleb reached out his hand toward mine, the shadow voices suddenly roared back to life in my head.


    "NO!" they screamed, and pain exploded through my brain. "You will not remember! You will not bond with him again!"


    I doubled over, clutching my head as pain tore through me. The shadows were fighting back, trying to recover control now that they realized my body was remembering what they¡¯d tried to erase.


    "Fight them, Lily!" Dr. Chen shouted. "Your body knows the truth!"


    Through the pain, I could still smell Caleb¡¯s scent. It was like an anchor in the storm of shadow voices, something real and good to hold onto. I forced myself to stand up straight, reaching out toward him even as the shadows screamed in rage.


    Our fingers touched, and the moment our skin made contact, something amazing happened. A warm golden light began to glow between our hands, getting brighter and stronger despite the shadows¡¯ rage.


    "The mate bond," Elder Iris gasped from somewhere behind me. "It¡¯s still there, hidden deep. Her body is calling it back!"


    But the shadows weren¡¯t giving up. As the golden light grew brighter, I felt something else waking inside me - something dark and hungry that had been sleeping in the shadow poison.


    "If I cannot have you," the shadow voice hissed through my lips, "then no one can."


    My hand began to change, fingertips growing into razor-sharp ws that gleamed with ck poison. The part of me that was still really me screamed in horror as I realized what was about to happen.


    The shadows were going to make me kill Caleb with my own hands.

 Chapter 82: The Pack’s Pressure

    <h4>Chapter 82: The Pack¡¯s Pressure</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The heavy book mmed shut in my hands as another pack member burst through the library door without knocking. I jumped, my heart racing as the sound echoed through the quiet room.


    "Caleb! There you are!" It was Mrs. Henderson from the bakery, her face bright with joy. "I have the most wonderful story to tell you about you and Lily!"


    I groaned quietly and set the book down. This was the fifth person today who wanted to "help" me remember my bond with Lily. Yesterday there had been seven. The day before, nine.


    "Mrs. Henderson, I really appreciate you trying to help, but¡ª"


    "Oh, nonsense!" She plopped down in the chair across from me, totally ignoring my protest. "This story is too sweet not to share. It wasst summer, and you brought Lily daisies every single day for two weeks straight. She kept them in a little vase by her window, and she¡¯d smile every time she looked at them."


    I stared at her, waiting to feel something. Anything. A spark of memory, a flutter of recognition, even just a tiny happy feeling. But there was nothing. Just the same empty hole where my memories of Lily should be.


    "That¡¯s... nice," I said softly.


    Mrs. Henderson beamed. "And then there was the time you spent three days making her a little wooden wolf for her birthday. You worked on it every free moment, making sure every detail was perfect. When you gave it to her, she cried happy tears and said it was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever made for her."


    My chest tightened. The story sounded like something I would do, but hearing it felt like listening to someone else¡¯s life. It wasn¡¯t my memory. It was just speech.


    "Do you remember now?" Mrs. Henderson asked hopefully.


    "No," I admitted, and her face fell. "I¡¯m sorry. I just... I don¡¯t remember any of it."


    She patted my hand gently. "Don¡¯t worry, dear. The memories wille back. Love always finds a way."


    After she left, I put my head in my hands. Love always finds a way. Everyone kept saying things like that, as if it was just a matter of waiting. But what if they were wrong? What if the shadow drug had destroyed those memories forever?


    The library door opened again, and this time it was Tom from the security team. He had that same excited look everyone got when they wanted to share a "helpful" story.


    "Caleb! Perfect time. I was just thinking about that search you and Lily went onst month. You two were so in sync, like you could read each other¡¯s minds. When that rogue wolf attacked, you moved together like you¡¯d been fighting side by side for years."


    I nodded nicely, but inside I felt like screaming. Every story made me feel worse, not better. They painted a picture of this perfect rtionship, this deep love, this incredible bond. And I felt none of it.


    "She saved your life that day," Tom continued. "Threw herself between you and the rogue¡¯s ws without hesitation. That¡¯s true love right there."


    "Thanks for telling me," I said, but my voice sounded hollow even to my own ears.


    By the time Tom left, my hands were shaking. I tried to go back to reading, but the words mixed together on the page. How could I be matched to someone I couldn¡¯t even remember loving?


    The door opened a third time. This time it was Sarah from the nursery, where Lily used to work.


    "Caleb! I¡¯m so d I found you. I have to tell you about the day Lily first realized she was in love with you. It was the sweetest thing..."


    "Stop." The word came out sharper than I meant it to.


    Sarah blinked in surprise. "What?"


    I stood up, my chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Please, just... stop. I know you¡¯re trying to help, but these stories aren¡¯t helping me remember. They¡¯re just making me feel like a loser."


    "Oh, Caleb, I didn¡¯t mean¡ª"


    "Every story you tell me about how perfect we were together just reminds me that I¡¯m not that person anymore," I said, the words pouring out before I could stop them. "I don¡¯t remember liking her. I don¡¯t remember any of the sweet times or romantic gestures or deep connections. When I look at Lily, I see a stranger."


    Sarah¡¯s face sagged. "But the mate bond¡ª"


    "The mate bond isn¡¯t working!" I snapped. "My body might know her scent, but my heart feels nothing. My brain is empty where she should be. Do you know how that feels? To have everyone tell you about this amazing love you had, and you can¡¯t feel even a tiny piece of it?"


    Tears filled Sarah¡¯s eyes. "I¡¯m so sorry. I thought we were helping."


    I slumped back into my chair, instantly feeling guilty for yelling at her. "I know you mean well. Everyone does. But hearing about who I used to be just makes me feel broken."


    After Sarah left, I sat alone in the silence of the library. The books around me felt like old friends, the only things in my life that still made sense. But even they couldn¡¯t fill the Lily-shaped hole in my thoughts.


    I pulled out a notebook and tried to write down the things people had told me, thinking maybe seeing them on paper would trigger something. Wildflowers. Wooden dogs. Protecting each other. Fighting together. Being in love.


    It all sounded beautiful. It all sounded like something I would want. But it wasn¡¯t mine.


    The worst part was knowing that Lily was going through her own battle with the shadow poison. She needed her mate to be strong for her, to help her fight the evil. Instead, she got me ¨C a broken version of the person she loved.


    I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost missed the soft sound of footsteps approaching the library. But when I looked up, it wasn¡¯t another well-meaning pack membering to share memories.


    It was Lily herself, but something was wrong. Her eyes werepletely ck, like pools of shadow, and she was moving toward me with predatory ease.


    "Hello, Caleb," she said, but her voice was cold and strange, nothing like the warm tone everyone described. "We need to talk."


    My blood turned to ice as I realized the shadow poison wasn¡¯t inactive anymore. It was in charge, and it hade for me.

 Chapter 83: Solidarity in Loss

    <h4>Chapter 83: Solidarity in Loss</h4>


    Lily POV


    I dropped the teacup, and it broke against the kitchen floor with a sharp crash that made everyone in the room freeze. My hands were shaking so badly I couldn¡¯t hold anything anymore.


    "I¡¯m sorry," I whispered, looking at the broken pieces. "I can¡¯t seem to do anything right today."


    Mrs. Rivera, who had been telling me about herte husband, quickly knelt down to help clean up the mess. "Don¡¯t worry about it, dear. We¡¯ve all been there."


    That¡¯s when I noticed something strange. Instead of looking angry or frustrated, every woman in the room was nodding with understanding. These were the pack¡¯s war widows - women who had lost their mates in fights long ago. Dr. Chen had suggested I meet with them, thinking it might help me deal with losing my memories of Caleb.


    "The shaking gets better," said Elena, an older woman with kind eyes. "After my Marcus died in the border wars, I couldn¡¯t hold a cup for months. Everything reminded me of what I¡¯d lost."


    I looked around the circle of faces, seeing something I hadn¡¯t expected - real understanding. Not pity, not the fake happiness everyone else gave me. Just quiet knowledge of what loss felt like.


    "But this is different," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Your men died as heroes. You have beautiful memories to hold onto. I can¡¯t even remember loving Caleb."


    Silence fell over the room, but it wasn¡¯t awkward. It was the kind of quiet thates when people are really thinking about what you¡¯ve said.


    Finally, Maria, the youngest widow, spoke up. "You think having memories makes it easier?"


    I nodded, confused.


    Sheughed, but it wasn¡¯t a happy sound. "Sometimes I wish I could forget. Do you know how hard it is to remember every beautiful moment when you know you¡¯ll never have another one? Every memory cuts like a knife because it reminds me of what¡¯s gone forever."


    "At least you know you loved him," I said. "At least you know it was real."


    "And you know Caleb loved you," Elena pointed out gently. "Just because you can¡¯t remember doesn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t happen. Love leaves marks deeper than memory."


    I wanted to argue, but before I could speak, the door burst open. A young woman I¡¯d never seen before stumbled in, her face streaked with tears.


    "I¡¯m sorry for interrupting," she gasped. "But I heard there was a group here for people who¡¯ve lost... I don¡¯t know where else to go."


    Mrs. Rivera quickly stood up and guided the stranger to an empty chair. "What¡¯s your name, dear?"


    "Beth," the woman said, still crying. "I just got word that my son... my little boy was killed in a wild attack on the eastern border. He was only sixteen."


    The room wentpletely still. Even I stopped thinking about my own problems as this mother¡¯s pain filled the space around us.


    "When?" Elena asked softly.


    "Three days ago," Beth sobbed. "They brought his body home yesterday. The funeral is tomorrow, and I... I don¡¯t know how to say goodbye to my baby."


    Without hesitation, everydy in the room moved closer to Beth. They didn¡¯t offer empty words or fakefort. They just surrounded her with quiet presence, letting her know she wasn¡¯t alone.


    I watched this and felt something change inside me. My lost memories suddenly seemed less importantpared to this mother¡¯s unimaginable pain.


    "I keep thinking I should have protected him," Beth whispered. "I should have kept him home. I should have done something different."


    "You couldn¡¯t have known," Maria said definitely. "Don¡¯t torture yourself with what-ifs."


    "But how do you live with it?" Beth asked desperately. "How do you wake up every morning knowing they¡¯re gone?"


    The women looked at each other, and I saw a silent exchange pass between them. These were people who had found ways to escape the impossible.


    "You learn that grief changes shape, but it never really goes away," Elena said. "Some days it¡¯s a sharp knife, some days it¡¯s a dull ache. But you learn to carry it."


    "And you find new purposes," added Mrs. Rivera. "After I lost my husband, I started taking care of other people¡¯s children. It didn¡¯t rece what I¡¯d lost, but it gave me a reason to keep going."


    I listened to them talk, and for the first time since losing my memories, I didn¡¯t feel totally alone. These women knew that some losses couldn¡¯t be fixed or healed. They could only be survived.


    "What about you, Lily?" Beth asked suddenly, turning to me. "What did you lose?"


    I paused. How could I exin that I¡¯d lost memories of love to women who had lost real people?


    "I lost myself," I said finally. "The shadow disease took away who I used to be. I can¡¯t remember loving my mate, and everyone expects me to be someone I¡¯m not anymore."


    Beth nodded like this made perfect sense. "So you¡¯re grieving the person you used to be."


    "I guess I am," I realized. "And I feel guilty because it seems selfishpared to real loss."


    "Loss is loss," Elena said strongly. "Don¡¯t let anyone tell you your grief isn¡¯t valid just because it¡¯s different."


    As the afternoon went on, I found myself talking more freely than I had since the shadow attack. These women didn¡¯t try to fix me or tell me everything would be okay. They just listened and understood.


    When it was time to leave, Beth grabbed my hand. "Thank you for being here. Knowing I¡¯m not the only one suffering... it helps."


    I squeezed her hand back, feeling like maybe I could help people even without my memories.


    Walking home as the sun set, I felt different. Not fixed, but less broken. Maybe I couldn¡¯t remember being Caleb¡¯s mate, but I could learn to be someone new. Someone who understood loss and could help others carry their pain.


    I was so lost in these thoughts that I almost missed the figure waiting by my door. When I looked up, my blood turned cold.


    It was Caleb, but his eyes were totally ck, just like mine had been when the shadows controlled me. He smiled, but it wasn¡¯t his gentle smile.


    "Hello, Lily," he said in a voice that wasn¡¯t quite his own. "The shadows want to have a little chat with you."

 Chapter 84: The First Crack

    <h4>Chapter 84: The First Crack</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The stack of papers flew everywhere when I identally bumped into Lily in the pack office entry. We both reached down at the same time to gather them up, and our hands touched as we grabbed for the same paper.


    The moment our skin made touch, something weird happened. It wasn¡¯t a memory exactly, but more like an echo of something familiar. Like hearing a song you¡¯d forgotten but your body still remembered the beat.


    "Sorry," I mumbled, pulling my hand back quickly. The feeling vanished as soon as we stopped touching.


    Lily looked at me strangely. "Did you feel that?"


    "Feel what?" I lied, because I didn¡¯t know how to describe something I didn¡¯t understand myself.


    She studied my face for a moment, then shook her head. "Nothing. Never mind."


    We finished picking up the scattered papers in awkward silence. These were the pack duty reports that needed to be sorted before the monthly meeting. Normally, Lily did this work alone, but Dr. Chen thought it might help if we spent time together doing normal things.


    So far, it had just been ufortable. Every few minutes, Lily would look at me like she was waiting for something to happen. And every time she did, I felt the pressure to be someone I wasn¡¯t anymore.


    "The border patrol reports go in the blue folder," Lily said quietly, giving me a stack of papers.


    I nodded and started sorting, trying to focus on the job instead of the awkward tension between us. But as we worked side by side, something strange began to happen. Without talking about it, we fell into a groove. She would hand me papers, and I would know exactly which box they belonged in. When she needed the stapler, I passed it to her before she asked.


    It was like we were dancing a dance we both knew the steps to, even though I couldn¡¯t remember learning it.


    "You¡¯re good at this," Lily said after we¡¯d been working for an hour.


    "It¡¯s just sorting papers," I answered.


    "No, I mean... you know where everything goes. You remember the filing system even though you don¡¯t remember..." She trailed off, not finishing the sentence.


    Even though I don¡¯t remember you, is what she meant. The words hung in the air between us.


    I looked down at my hands, shocked to realize she was right. Somehow, my fingers knew exactly how to order these reports. Like muscle memory, but for paperwork.


    "Maybe some things are harder to erase than others," I said carefully.


    We kept working, and the weird sense of rightness grew stronger. Not love - I still didn¡¯t feel the butterflies or racing heart that everyone mentioned. But something else. Like puzzle parts clicking into ce.


    When Lily reached across me to grab a pen, her shoulder brushed against mine. Again, that strange echo feeling hit me. This time, I didn¡¯t pull away instantly.


    "Caleb?" Lily¡¯s voice was soft, upbeat.


    "I don¡¯t remember loving you," I said honestly, because I didn¡¯t want to give her false hope. "But being here with you feels... right somehow. Like my body knows something my brain doesn¡¯t."


    Tears filled her eyes, but she was smiling. "That¡¯s more than I¡¯ve felt from you since the shadows took our memories away."


    "What if it¡¯s not enough?" I asked. "What if I never remember?"


    "Then we¡¯ll figure out how to build something new," she said firmly. "Maybe it won¡¯t be the same as before, but it could still be real."


    For the first time since losing my memories, I felt a tiny spark of hope. Maybe everyone was wrong. Maybe love wasn¡¯t just about remembering the past. Maybe it could be about choosing to build a future together.


    We finished the filing and moved on to updating the pack member information. Again, without discussing it, we worked together easily. Lily would read names and information, and I would type it into theputer. She spoke in a rhythm that felt familiar, stopping exactly when I needed time to catch up.


    "How did we used to do this?" I asked during a break.


    "You would read while I typed," Lily said. "You said my handwriting was easier to read than the reports, and I said your typing was faster than mine."


    I looked at our current setup - exactly the opposite of what she¡¯d exined. "So we switched roles."


    "Without nning it," she realized. "We just... adapted to what felt right now."


    That echo feeling was getting stronger. Like somewhere deep inside, a door was trying to open. Not enough to let memories through, but enough to let feeling leak in around the edges.


    "Lily," I started to say, but then the office door mmed open.


    Alpha Marcus burst in, his face pale with fear. "Where is everyone? The pack children - they¡¯re all missing!"


    My blood turned cold. "What do you mean missing?"


    "They were ying in the field this morning. Now they¡¯re gone. No trace, no smell trail, nothing." Marcus ran his hands through his hair. "It¡¯s like they just vanished."


    Lily was already grabbing her coat. "How many children?"


    "Twelve. Ages five to ten." Marcus¡¯s voice cracked. "Including little Emma, the one you helped deliverst year."


    Something angry and protective rose up in my chest. I didn¡¯t know why, but the thought of those children in danger made me want to tear something apart.


    "We¡¯ll find them," I said, surprising myself with how certain I sounded.


    Lily looked at me with wide eyes. "Caleb?"


    I didn¡¯t know why I felt so strongly about those kids, but I did. Maybe it was another reminder of who I used to be, or maybe it was just who I was now. Either way, I was going to help bring them home.


    As we ran outside to join the search, Lily grabbed my hand. This time, the repeat feeling was so strong it almost knocked me over. Not a memory, but something deeper. A sense of teamwork, of being part of something bigger than myself.


    "Together?" she asked.


    "Together," I agreed.


    But as we ran toward the field, I caught sight of something that made my heart stop. There, carved into the trunk of a big oak tree, was a message written in what looked like dried blood: "The shadow wolves have your children. Come to Dead Man¡¯s Canyon at sunset, alone, or they die. Tell no one, or you¡¯ll find their bodies spread across the mountainside."


    Below the message, drawn in the same dark substance, was the symbol I recognized from Lily¡¯s dreams - the mark of the shadow pack.

 Chapter 85: New Threats Emerge

    <h4>Chapter 85: New Threats Emerge</h4>


    Aiden POV


    The emergency radio crackled to life at exactly 3:47 AM, jerking me awake from the first good sleep I¡¯d had in weeks.


    "Alpha Aiden, urgent message from the Northern Territories," came the panicked voice of our border guard. "You need to hear this now."


    I grabbed the radio, my heart already racing. Nothing good ever came through emergency lines at this hour.


    "Go ahead, Marcus," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.


    "Sir, we just got reports from twelve different packs across North America. They¡¯re all reporting the same thing - strange tears in the air that show... other ces. And sir, they¡¯re all happening near ces where powerful magic was recently used."


    My blood turned cold. Lily¡¯s sacrifice to break the shadow wolves¡¯ memory spell had used incredible amounts of old magic. Magic that strong always had effects.


    "How many tears?" I asked, already pulling on clothes.


    "Seventeen confirmed so far, but the stories keeping in. Alpha Rodriguez from the Desert Pack says one opened right in their area. He can see through it to what looks like apletely different world. "


    I was halfway down the stairs when another voice broke through the radio fuzz.


    "This is Alpha Chen from the Mountain Ridge Pack," came a female voice, tight with fear. "We have a situation. One of our scouts fell through a hole that appeared near our healing springs. We can hear him calling for help, but he¡¯s somewhere else entirely."


    My hands shook as I reached the main floor. Caleb was already there, looking pale and nervous. Brock stood by the window, looking out at the pre-dawn darkness.


    "It¡¯s starting," Caleb said quietly. "The ancient books warned about this. When someone uses magic powerful enough to break shadow bonds, it can cause ripple effects."


    "What kind of ripple effects?" I asked.


    "The kind that tear holes between worlds," Brock said sadly. "I¡¯ve been watching packmunications all night. The tears are showing everywhere Lily used her power to help others remember their stolen memories."


    The radio crackled again. "Alpha Aiden, this is Elder Thompson from the Coastal Pack. We have a... problem. Something came through one of the tears. It looks like a dog, but it¡¯s wrong somehow. Its eyes arepletely ck, and it doesn¡¯t reply to anymands."


    My stomach dropped. "Did you say something came through?"


    "Yes, sir. And it¡¯s not alone. We¡¯re seeing movement in other tears. Things that look like our pack members, but they smell different. Foreign. Like they¡¯re from somewhere else entirely."


    I looked at my brothers. Caleb¡¯s face had gone white. Brock was already reaching for his guns.


    "How many packs are reporting creaturesing through?" I asked into the radio.


    "Seven so far," came the reply. "But Alpha, there¡¯s something else. The tears aren¡¯t staying small. They¡¯re getting bigger every hour."


    The front door burst open and Lily stumbled in, grabbing her chest. She looked tired, like she hadn¡¯t slept in days.


    "The bond," she gasped. "Something¡¯s wrong with the pack ties. I can feel them stretching, breaking. It¡¯s like the magic is undoing everything we fixed."


    I caught her as she swayed, feeling how cold her skin was. "Lily, what¡¯s happening?"


    "When I broke the shadow spell, I used power from the pack bonds themselves," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought it would only affect the memories, but magic doesn¡¯t work that way. It¡¯s affecting all the links between our world and others."


    The radio burst with voices as more packs checked in. Each report was worse than thest.


    "Three tears have merged into one giant opening here."


    "We¡¯ve lost contact with our eastern border patrol."


    "Something that looks like my dead father just walked out of a tear, but he¡¯s been gone for ten years."


    "The animals are organizing. They¡¯re not random. They¡¯re working together."


    I felt the weight of leadership crushing down on me. Twelve packs were looking to me for answers, and I had no idea what to do.


    "Caleb, how do we fix this?" I asked desperately.


    "I don¡¯t know if we can," he allowed. "The ancient texts mention tears between worlds, but they always end the same way - with entire packs disappearing into other realities."


    Lily suddenly straightened, her eyes wide with fear. "That¡¯s not the worst part," she said. "I can feel something else. Something big ising through the tears. Something that¡¯s been waiting for a way into our world."


    The radio went silent for a moment, then exploded with screaming.


    "HELP US! THEY¡¯RE EVERYWHERE! THE CREATURES ARE MULTIPLYING!"


    "THE TEAR ABOVE OUR TERRITORY IS THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD!"


    "THEY TOOK SARAH! THEY DRAGGED HER THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE!"


    I grabbed the radio. "All packs, this is Alpha Aiden. Gather your pack members and move to your safest ces. Do not approach the tears. Do not deal with anything thates through them."


    "Alpha," came a shaky voice. "This is the River Pack. The tears aren¡¯t just showing other ces anymore. They¡¯re showing other times. I can see our area, but it¡¯s the way it looked fifty years ago. And there are dogs there who look just like us."


    Lily grabbed my arm, her fingers digging in painfully. "Aiden, what if fixing the shadow spell didn¡¯t just affect our world? What if it affected all the worlds linked to ours?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "What if there are other versions of our packs out there? Other versions of us? And what if we just opened doors between all of them?"


    Before I could answer, the lights in our house flickered and went out. In the darkness, I heard Brock swear loudly.


    "Um, guys?" he called from the window. "You need to see this."


    We all rushed to look outside. There, floating about twenty feet above our pack grounds, was a tear in the air. Through it, I could see our area - but it was different. The buildings were in the wrong ces, and wolves I didn¡¯t recognize were running around in fear.


    And standing in the center of that other pack grounds, looking straight at me through the tear, was another version of myself. He was dressed differently, his hair was longer, but there was no missing it.


    The other Aiden raised his hand and pressed it against his side of the tear. When I looked closer, I could see his mouth moving, making words I could barely make out: "Help us. They¡¯reing for all of us."

 Chapter 86: The Void Walkers

    <h4>Chapter 86: The Void Walkers</h4>


    Omniscient POV


    The first scream came from the Desert Pack area at exactly dawn.


    Alpha Rodriguez was checking on the tear that had appeared near their water source when something grabbed his ankle. Not a hand - something cold and empty that felt like frozen air trying to pull him apart from the inside.


    "Maria, help me!" he yelled to his mate, but when she rushed forward, the thing let go and disappeared back through the tear.


    Rodriguez looked down at his leg where the thing had touched him. His skin was gray and cold, like all the life had been sucked out of it. Worse, he couldn¡¯t feel his link to his pack anymore. The warm feeling that always linked him to his wolves was totally gone.


    "I can¡¯t sense anyone," he whispered in horror. "It¡¯s like I¡¯m not part of the pack anymore."


    Two hundred miles away, something simr was happening to the Mountain Ridge Pack. The scout who had fallen through their hole was calling for help, but his voice was getting weaker and stranger.


    "Help... me..." his words echoed from the other side. "Something¡¯s... eating... my... memories..."


    Alpha Chen pressed her ear to the tear, trying to hear better. "Tommy, we¡¯re going to get you out!"


    "No," Tommy¡¯s voice came back, barely recognizable now. "Don¡¯t...e... closer. They¡¯re... using... me... as... bait. They want... more... dogs..."


    Before Alpha Chen could reply, Tommy¡¯s voice changedpletely. It became darker, emptier, like an echo of an echo.


    "Yesssss," the thing wearing Tommy¡¯s voice hissed. "More pack bondsssss. More connectionsssss. We hunger for your linked soulssss."


    Alpha Chen jumped back from the tear, her heart racing. Whatever had Tommy wasn¡¯t her scout anymore.


    At Silver Peak, Lily suddenly fell in the middle of eating breakfast. Her eyes rolled back and she started speaking in a voice that wasn¡¯t her own.


    "The bridges are open," she said in a t voice. "The Void Walkers wake from their endless sleep. They smell the links between your souls and they hunger."


    Caleb caught her before she hit the floor. "Lily! Snap out of it!"


    Her eyes focused again, but they were filled with fear. "They¡¯reing through all the tears at once," she gasped. "I can see them in my mind. They look like shadows, but they¡¯re not shadows. They¡¯re... nothing. They¡¯re the ces between things."


    Aiden grabbed the emergency radio. "All packs, this is Alpha Aiden. Do not approach the tears. Something dangerous ising through."


    But it was already toote.


    Reports flooded in from every pack with a tear in their area. Wolves were losing their pack ties after being touched by the creatures. Others were missing entirely, pulled through tears by things that looked like empty spaces in the shape of wolves.


    "They¡¯re not trying to hurt us," Lily said, fighting to stand. "They¡¯re trying to eat what makes us special. Our ties, our connections, our magic - that¡¯s what they feed on."


    Elder Iris burst through the door, moving faster than anyone had seen her move in years.


    "The Void Walkers," she panted. "I found the old records. They¡¯re older than werewolves, older than magic itself. They live in the spaces between worlds, feeding on the connections that hold reality together."


    "How do we stop them?" Brock asked.


    "You can¡¯t fight nothing," Elder Iris said sadly. "But the records say they can only stay in our world if they keep eating. Cut off their food source, and they¡¯ll be pulled back to the void."


    "Their food source is us," Caleb realized. "Our pack bonds, our supernatural connections."


    "Which means to stop them, we¡¯d have to break every supernatural connection in every pack," Aiden said slowly. "We¡¯d have to stop being werewolves."


    The radio crackled with more panicked voices.


    "They took half our pack! Just... absorbed them!"


    "The tear is growing! It¡¯s the size of a house now!"


    "My mate bond is gone! I can¡¯t feel Sarah anymore!"


    Lily suddenly stood up straight, her eyes wide with understanding. "That¡¯s not the worst part," she said. "If they keep feeding on supernatural connections, they¡¯ll eventually find the biggest connection of all."


    "What do you mean?" Aiden asked.


    "The connection between our world and the magic that holds it together," she whispered. "If they eat that, reality itself will fall apart."


    As if reacting to her words, the tear above Silver Peak began to pulse with dark energy. Through it, they could see movement - not the other version of their pack anymore, but something far worse.


    Shapes that looked like holes cut out of the world itself were spilling through. They moved like liquid shadow, but where they touched the ground, grass and trees simply stopped existing.


    "Everyone inside, now!" Aiden yelled.


    But as they ran for the house, Lily stopped dead in her tracks. She was looking at something only she could see.


    "They¡¯re not just random," she said in fear. "They¡¯re organized. They have a head."


    "What kind of leader?" Caleb asked.


    "Something that used to be like us. Something that was once connected to others, but decided to give up those connections for power. It became the first Void Walker, and now it¡¯s teaching the others how to hunt."


    The radio exploded with a new voice - deep, empty, and terrifyingly familiar.


    "Packssss of the mortal world," it said. "We thanksss you for opening the gatewaysss. We have been sssso hungry in the void. Your bondsss are deliciousss."


    Lily¡¯s face went white. "I know that voice," she whispered.


    "Who is it?" Aiden demanded.


    "It¡¯s the shadow wolf leader," she said. "The one I thought I destroyed when I broke their memory spell. But I didn¡¯t kill him. I just... changed him into something worse."


    The voice continued through every radio in every pack territory at once.


    "Lily Carter, Triple Moon Bearer," it hissed. "You created usss when you broke our shadow bondsss. Now we will return the favor. We will break every link in your world, and when nothing remainsss connected to anything elssse, reality will be oursss to devour."


    Thunder rolled across the sky, but there were no clouds. The sound wasing from the tears themselves, as hundreds of Void Walkers poured through into the mortal world.


    "How long do we have?" Brock asked coldly.


    Elder Iris examined her ancient book with shaking hands. "ording to this, once they start eating, they grow stronger exponentially. If they¡¯re not stopped within three days, they¡¯ll eat enough connections to tear apart the barriers between all worlds."


    "And then what happens?" Caleb asked.


    Elder Iris looked up at them with fear-filled eyes. "Then everything that ever existed across all realities gets pulled into the void with them. Forever."


    Outside, the first Void Walker touched down on Silver Peaknd. Where its feet hit the ground, the earth simply disappeared, leaving a hole that led to nothing but empty darkness.


    And in that darkness, hundreds more were waiting to follow.

 Chapter 87: First Contact

    <h4>Chapter 87: First Contact</h4>


    Brock POV


    My wolf form hit the ground running before I even finished changing. Something was wrong in the northern woods - every sense I had was screaming danger.


    The patrol should have been normal. Check the borders, mark the area, report back. Simple. But as I ran through the trees, the forest felt dead around me. No birds singing, no small animals moving, nothing. Even the wind had stopped.


    That¡¯s when I saw Jake.


    He was standing absolutely still next to a massive oak tree, his back to me. My packmate hadn¡¯t moved a muscle in the five minutes I¡¯d been watching him.


    "Jake!" I called out, shifting back to human form. "You okay, man?"


    He didn¡¯t answer. Didn¡¯t even turn around.


    I jogged over, my heart starting to pound. "Jake, we need to finish the watch and get back. Aiden¡¯s worried about those tear things."


    When I reached him, I put my hand on his shoulder. He was ice cold.


    Jake slowly turned around, and I stumbled backward in shock. His eyes were totally ck - not just the pupils, but everything. Like someone had filled them with empty space.


    "Brock," he said in a voice that sounded like an echo in a deep cave. "I¡¯ve been waiting for you."


    That wasn¡¯t Jake talking. Jake¡¯s voice was higher, warmer. This thing sounded like it was speaking from the bottom of a well.


    "What happened to you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.


    "Nothing happened," the thing wearing Jake¡¯s face said. "I simply... changed. And now I¡¯m going to help you change too."


    It reached out with Jake¡¯s hand, but I could see right through it. The fingers looked like they were made of shadow and empty air.


    My wolf form took over before I could think. I shifted instantly and leaped away from the thing, every fiber of my being screaming to run. But as I fell, something grabbed my back leg.


    I spun around to see another monster that looked like it was cut out of reality itself. Where it touched me, I felt the strangest feeling - like something was being pulled out of my soul.


    The link to my pack. I could feel it getting weaker.


    I bit at the thing, but my teeth passed right through it. How do you fight something that isn¡¯t really there?


    "Your pack bonds taste delicious," the Jake-thing said, walking closer. "So much stronger than the others we¡¯ve fed on. You Silver Peak wolves are linked more deeply than most."


    More animals began appearing from behind trees. They all looked like holes in the world shaped like people. Some were small, others huge, but they all had that same empty feeling about them.


    "What are you?" I growled, still in wolf form.


    "We are the Void Walkers," several of them said at once, their words echoing strangely. "We live in the spaces between worlds. We feed on the links that bind living things together."


    One of them stepped forward, and I recognized the shape. It was my cousin Marcus, who had died in a car ident three years ago.


    "Hello, Brock," it said with Marcus¡¯s voice. "Don¡¯t you want to see me again?"


    My heart broke and scared me at the same time. I knew it wasn¡¯t really Marcus, but seeing his face again made me want to believe.


    "Marcus died," I said definitely. "You¡¯re not him."


    "No," it agreed. "But we can wear the faces of those you¡¯ve lost. We can talk with their voices. We know what will make you want toe closer."


    The fake Marcus smiled with my cousin¡¯s face. "Remember when we used to y in these woods as kids? You always said you¡¯d protect me from the monsters."


    "Stop it," I said, but my voice cracked.


    "You failed to protect me then," it continued. "But you can join me now. Let us feed on your pack ties. Let us make you like us. Then we can be together forever."


    I felt the pull to believe it, to give in. But then I thought about my real family - Aiden, Caleb, Lily. The pack counting on me to keep them safe.


    "No," I said, backing away. "I won¡¯t let you use Marcus¡¯s face."


    The creature¡¯s face changed from Marcus¡¯s gentle smile to something cold and hungry. "Then we¡¯ll take your connections by force."


    All the Void Walkers moved at once, reaching for me with hands that looked like empty space. I ran, but I could feel them behind me, pulling at something inside me every time they got close.


    My pack link was getting weaker with each step. The warm feeling that always connected me to my brothers and Lily was going away.


    I burst out of the woods and saw our area ahead. But as I got closer, I realized something was terribly wrong. Pack members were standing around the grounds, but they weren¡¯t moving. They were just... there.


    "Sarah!" I called to one of our younger wolves. She turned toward me, and I saw her eyes were the same empty ck as Jake¡¯s had been.


    "Hello, Brock," she said in that booming voice. "We¡¯ve been waiting for you toe home."


    I looked around in horror. Everyone I could see had those same dead ck eyes. The Void Walkers hadn¡¯t just been hunting me in the woods - they¡¯d been taking over our pack.


    "Where is everyone?" I asked.


    "They¡¯re all here," Sarah¡¯s body said. "But they¡¯re not your pack anymore. They¡¯re ours now."


    "Brock!" came a voice from the Alpha house. Aiden appeared in the doorway, and I felt a rush of relief until I saw his eyes. ck. Empty. Just like the others.


    "Come inside, brother," Aiden said. "We have so much to discuss."


    Caleb appeared next to him, and then Lily. All with those horrible empty eyes.


    "No," I whispered. "This isn¡¯t possible."


    "It¡¯s very possible," the thing wearing Aiden¡¯s face said. "We simply fed on their pack ties until there was nothing left of who they used to be. Now they¡¯re great hosts for us."


    I backed away from the house, my heart breaking. My family, my pack, everyone I¡¯d sworn to protect - gone.


    "Don¡¯t worry," Lily¡¯s voice said, but it wasn¡¯t really her. "Soon you¡¯ll join us. Soon you won¡¯t feel the pain of being linked to others anymore."


    "The pain is what makes us strong," I said, even though I was frightened.


    "No," Aiden¡¯s body said. "Connections make you weak. We¡¯ll show you how much better it is to be empty."


    All the possessed pack members started walking toward me. I turned to run, but stopped when I heard something that made my blood freeze.


    Real cries, calling for help. Faint, but definitely real.


    "Brock! Help us!"


    "We¡¯re trapped!"


    "Don¡¯t let them feed anymore!"


    I looked closer at theing figures and realized the truth. The real pack members were still inside their bodies, stuck while the Void Walkers controlled them. They were prisoners in their own clothes.


    "Aiden?" I called out desperately. "Are you in there?"


    For just a second, his eyes shed from ck to their normal color. "Run," he whispered in his real voice. "Find help. They¡¯re using us to get to you."


    Then the ck void returned, and the fake Aiden smiled coldly.


    "Toote," it said. "Now you know they¡¯re still alive in here. You won¡¯t be able to hurt these people to stop us, will you?"


    I was stuck. I couldn¡¯t fight them without hurting my real family. But if I didn¡¯t fight, the Void Walkers would take me too.


    And then I heard the worst sound of all - Lily¡¯s real voice, screaming from inside her possessed body.


    "Brock, there are moreing! Hundreds of them! They¡¯re going to use our bodies to take over every pack!"

 Chapter 88: The Expert’s Knowledge

    <h4>Chapter 88: The Expert¡¯s Knowledge</h4>


    <strong>Elder Iris POV</strong>


    When the old book closed on its own, I jumped back from my reading table. The pages in my book seemed to be trying to get out as my tea cup shook against its saucer. In the seventy years I¡¯ve studied old magic, this had never happened.


    "No, no, no," I whispered as I shook my hands and reached for the book. "Not now. "Not after all these years of peace."


    When I touched the leather cover, it was as cold as the winter air outside. It was the same awful cold I¡¯d felt when my grandmother told me stories about being a young wolf. I hoped the stories were just lies.


    The words in the book were hard to read, so I had to force it open again. The text was written in the old wolfnguage, words that most of our pack had forgotten. But I remembered. I had to remember.


    "Void Walkers," I read aloud, my voice cracking. "Creatures that live between worlds, feeding on the bonds that connect all living things."


    My heart started beating faster. This couldn¡¯t be happening. The Void Walkers were meant to be gone forever, banished to the empty spaces between realities by the First Wolves thousands of years ago.


    A howl echoed through the night - not a regr wolf howl, but something hollow and wrong. It sounded like it came from the bottom of a deep well. I shuffled to my window and peered through the curtains.


    Nothing looked different outside. The pack grounds were quiet, with warm lights glowing in house windows. But something felt terribly wrong. The air itself seemed thinner, like it was being stretched.


    I grabbed my walking stick and hurried to the door. My old bones ached with each step, but I had to check on the pack. If the Void Walkers were really back, everyone was in danger.


    The first thing I noticed was the silence. No night birds singing, no small animals moving through the grass. Even the wind had stopped blowing. It was like the whole world was holding its breath.


    I saw Sarah, one of our younger dogs, standing perfectly still near the training area. She was looking away from me, not moving at all.


    "Sarah?" I called out, walking closer. "Dear, are you alright?"


    She turned around slowly, and I nearly dropped my walking stick. Her eyes were totally ck - not just the pupils, but everything. Like someone had poured darkness into empty holes.


    "Hello, Elder Iris," Sarah said, but it wasn¡¯t her voice. It was darker, colder, like an echo from somewhere far away.


    I backed away, my mind racing. This was exactly what the old books described. The Void Walkers could take over bodies, wearing them like clothes while they fed on the links between pack members.


    "You¡¯re not Sarah," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.


    "No," the thing wearing Sarah¡¯s face agreed. "But she¡¯s still in here, screaming. Would you like to hear her?"


    For just a moment, Sarah¡¯s real eyes shed back, filled with terror. "Elder Iris, help me!" she cried in her own voice. "I can¡¯t control my body! There¡¯s something dark inside me!"


    Then the ck nothingness returned, and the fake Sarah smiled coldly.


    I turned and ran as fast as my old legs could carry me. Behind me, I heard more of those hollow howlsing from different ces. The Void Walkers weren¡¯t just taking one dog - they were taking the whole pack.


    I burst through the door of the Alpha house, gasping for breath. "Alpha Marcus! Emergency!"


    But the house was empty. Too empty. I could hear my own heartbeat echoing in the quiet.


    I climbed the stairs to my secret room - a ce I¡¯d never shown anyone, not even Lily. Behind a hidden panel, I kept the most dangerous books, the ones that talked about risks too terrible for most wolves to know about.


    My hands shook as I pulled out the oldest book of all - the Chronicle of the First War. The book was bound in silver and covered with protective markings. I¡¯d hoped never to open it again.


    The pages crackled as I turned them, looking for the information that might save my pack. Finally, I found it: "The Void Walkers return when the walls between worlds grow weak. They cannot be fought with teeth and ws, for they are not truly alive. They feed on the bonds of love, friendship, and loyalty that link all living creatures. When they have fed enough, they will tear holes in reality itself, allowing their endless hunger to swallow entire worlds."


    I read further, my heart sinking with each word. The Void Walkers had been stopped before, but at a terrible cost. The First Wolves had to sacrifice their own pack bonds to build a prison strong enough to hold them.


    But there was something else - a small note made in the margin by my grandmother¡¯s grandmother: "The Triple Moon Bearer may be the key. One who can strengthen ties instead of breaking them. But the cost... the cost may be everything."


    I thought about Lily, about her special mark and her power to bring the pack together. Could she really be the answer? Or would trying to stop the Void Walkers destroy everything we¡¯d built?


    A sound made me freeze - footsteps on the stairs. Slow, measured footsteps that didn¡¯t sound quite right.


    "Elder Iris," came a familiar voice. "We¡¯ve been looking for you."


    I recognized the voice. It was Alpha Marcus, but something was wrong with the way he spoke. Too t, too dead.


    "I know you¡¯re up there," the voice continued. "Don¡¯t make this harder than it needs to be. Join us willingly, and we¡¯ll make your change quick."


    I pressed my back against the wall, holding the ancient book. There was nowhere to run. The Void Walkers had found me.


    The footsteps reached the top of the stairs. Through the crack under my door, I could see shadow feet that didn¡¯t look quite solid.


    "Lily," I whispered desperately. "Where are you when we need you most?"


    The door handle started to turn, and I realized with fear that I might be thest free wolf in all of Silver Peak.

 Chapter 89: A Shield of Emptiness

    <h4>Chapter 89: A Shield of Emptiness</h4>


    Lily POV


    The thing that looked like Caleb grabbed my arm, and I waited for the burning pain that should havee from touching a Void Walker. Instead, I felt... nothing. Just normal skin touching skin.


    "Lily," it said in Caleb¡¯s voice, but with that hollow echo underneath. "Why aren¡¯t you screaming?"


    I stared at the thing wearing my mate¡¯s face, confused. ording to everything I¡¯d learned about Void Walkers, they caused terrible pain when they touched someone with strong pack ties. But I felt perfectly fine.


    "I don¡¯t understand," I whispered.


    The fake Caleb tilted its head, those empty ck eyes studying me. "Neither do we. You should be writhing in pain right now."


    More possessed pack members crowded around us. I recognized each face - Aiden, Brock, Luna, even little Sarah from the nursery. All with those same terrible ck eyes. All looking at me like I was some kind of puzzle they couldn¡¯t solve.


    "Try harder," the thing wearing Aiden¡¯s body ordered. "Feed on her pack bonds."


    The fake Caleb pressed both hands against my face. I closed my eyes, expecting the worst. But again, nothing happened. No pain, no feeling of something being pulled from my soul.


    "There¡¯s nothing there," it said, sounding truly confused. "Her pack bonds are... gone."


    My heart stopped. "What do you mean, gone?"


    "We can¡¯t feed on connections that don¡¯t exist," the Aiden-thing stated. "You have no pack bonds left to steal."


    The truth hit me like a punch to the stomach. When the tear in reality had damaged my link with Caleb, it hadn¡¯t just weakened our mate bond - it had somehow cut me off from the entire pack. I was totally alone, more alone than I¡¯d ever been, even as an overlooked omega.


    "That¡¯s impossible," I said, but even as I spoke, I realized it was true. I couldn¡¯t feel Caleb¡¯s presence anymore. Couldn¡¯t feel Aiden¡¯s leadership or Brock¡¯s protection. The warmwork of connections that had held me to my family was totally gone.


    "Very interesting," the fake Brock said, circling around me. "A wolf with no pack bonds. We¡¯ve never encountered this before."


    I backed away from them, my mind racing. If I had no pack ties, that meant I was invisible to the Void Walkers in a way. They couldn¡¯t hurt me because there was nothing for them to steal.


    But it also meant I was truly alone. No backup, no family link to give me strength. Just me against an army of possessed dogs.


    "What do we do with her?" the fake Luna asked.


    "We could kill her," suggested the Sarah-thing. "Even if we can¡¯t feed on her, she might cause problems."


    "No," the fake Caleb said slowly. "She might be useful. A wolf they can¡¯t sense could be useful."


    I realized they were talking about me like I wasn¡¯t there. To them, I probably barely existed. Without pack ties, I was almost like a ghost.


    "I need to find Elder Iris," I said, backing toward the door.


    "The old woman?" The fake Aidenughed. "She¡¯s already been taken care of."


    My blood went cold. "What did you do to her?"


    "She¡¯s safe," the fake Caleb said. "For now. But her knowledge of the old ways made her dangerous. She¡¯s been... controlled."


    I felt a spark of the old Lily, the one who had cared for every pack member. "If you hurt her..."


    "You¡¯ll what?" the fake Brock asked. "You have no pack to call for help. No mate tie to give you strength. You¡¯re just one little omega against all of us."


    He was right, and that scared me. But as I looked around at the obsessed faces of my family, I realized something else. Myck of pack ties wasn¡¯t just a weakness - it was also a weapon.


    "You¡¯re right," I said, standing straighter. "I am alone. Which means I have nothing left to lose."


    Before they could respond, I shifted into my wolf form and bolted through the group. Because I had no pack smell for them to track, I slipped past like a shadow. They turned to follow me, but I was already out the door.


    I ran through the pack grounds, ducking between buildings. Behind me, I could hear them calling to each other, trying to organize their search. But they were having trouble. They kept losing track of me, like their senses couldn¡¯t quite focus on someone with no pack ties.


    I made it to Elder Iris¡¯s cabin and burst through the door. "Elder Iris! Are you here?"


    No answer. The house felt empty, but not in the same way the Alpha house had. This felt like someone had been taken away, not like they¡¯d never been there at all.


    I searched every room, getting more desperate. Finally, I found signs of a fight in her secret study. Books spread on the floor, her chair overturned. But no Elder Iris.


    On her desk, I found a note written in her shaky handwriting: "Lily - if you¡¯re reading this, then the Void Walkers have me. You are the key. Your broken ties make you invisible to them. Use this opportunity. Find the Chronicle of the First War. The silver book in the secret panel behind my mirror. The answer is in the death of the First Wolves. But beware - the cost may be everything you have left. Trust no one with ck eyes. Even if they look like family. - E.I."


    I found the secret panel and pulled out the silver book. The cover was covered in symbols I didn¡¯t recognize, but when I opened it, the words seemed to glow on the page.


    The book told the story of the first Void Walker attack, thousands of years ago. How the First Wolves had defeated them by doing something called the Great Severance - cutting all pack bonds concurrently to starve the Void Walkers.


    But there was a catch. The Great Severance had to be performed by someone who was already separated from their pack. Someone who could cast the spell without killing themselves in the process.


    Someone like me.


    I was so focused on reading that I didn¡¯t hear the footsteps until it was toote.


    "There you are," said a familiar voice behind me.


    I spun around to see Caleb standing in the doorway. Not the fake Caleb with ck eyes, but my real mate. His eyes were their normal beautiful blue, filled with worry and love.


    "Caleb!" I cried, running toward him. "Thank the moon, you¡¯re still you!"


    But as I got closer, I noticed something that made my blood freeze. He wasn¡¯t looking at me with recognition. He was looking at me like he¡¯d never seen me before in his life.


    "I¡¯m sorry," he said gently. "Do I know you?"

 Chapter 90: The Council of Alphas

    <h4>Chapter 90: The Council of Alphas</h4>


    Aiden POV


    The emergency signal howled through the night - five long calls that meant "danger to all packs." I grabbed my phone and saw twelve missed calls from Alpha leaders across the country. Something terrible was happening everywhere.


    "Dad!" I shouted, running to his office. "Are you getting the emergency calls too?"


    Alpha Marcus looked up from his desk, his face pale. "Every pack west of the Mississippi is under attack. The Council of Alphas has called an emergency meeting. We leave in one hour."


    My stomach dropped. The Council only met during the worst crises. Thest time was during the Great Fire of 2018 when three full packs had to be relocated.


    "What kind of attack?" I asked, though I already guessed the answer.


    "Reports are scattered, but they all mention the same thing - pack members with ck eyes who don¡¯t act like themselves. Sound familiar?"


    I nodded grimly. The Void Walkers weren¡¯t just threatening Silver Peak. They were spreading across the entire werewolf country.


    An hourter, we were on a ne going to the emergency meeting point in Colorado. I stared out the window, thinking about everything that had happened. Lily¡¯s sacrifice had saved our pack, but at what cost? And now it seemed like her answer might be the key to saving everyone.


    The problem was getting the other Alphas to listen to ideas from someone they¡¯d never heard of - especially someone who had given up her pack bonds.


    We arrived at a private airfield in the mountains. ck SUVs waited to take us to the meeting spot. I¡¯d never seen so many Alpha cars in one ce. License tes from Washington, Texas, Florida, New York - packs from everywhere.


    The meeting was held in an old house that had been neutral ground for decades. As we walked in, I could feel the stress in the air. Alphas who generallypeted with each other were working together, which meant the threat was bigger than any of us had faced before.


    "Aiden Silver," called a voice across the room. Alpha Rodriguez from the Desert Moon Pack approached us. "I heard your pack dealt with these things already. How many did you lose?"


    "None, actually," I said, and his eyebrows shot up.


    "None? That¡¯s impossible. We lost half our pack before we managed to escape the rest."


    Other Alphas crowded around us, all talking at once.


    "The Mountain Ridge Pack ispletely gone," said Alpha Chen. "Every single member possessed."


    "We managed to save thirty wolves out of two hundred," added Alpha Thompson. "They¡¯re in hiding, but we don¡¯t know for how long."


    The stories went on and on. Pack after pack had been destroyed by the Void Walkers. Some Alphas had lost their entire families. Others were the only survivors from their areas.


    "How did Silver Peak survive?" asked Alpha Rodriguez. "What did you do that the rest of us couldn¡¯t?"


    Before I could answer, the Council Leader called for order. Alpha King Marcus - not my father, but the chosen leader of all North American packs - stood at the front of the room.


    "We face an enemy unlike any we¡¯ve encountered," he announced. "Traditional guns are useless. Our best fighters have been turned against us. If we don¡¯t find an answer soon, there will be no packs left to save."


    He pointed to a map covered in red pins. "These are the locations where Void Walker attacks have been proven. As you can see, they¡¯re spreading fast."


    The picture looked like a disease spreading across the continent. Red pins covered most of the western states and were starting to show in the east.


    "Alpha Silver," the Council Leader said, looking at my father. "Your pack is the only one that has sessfully repelled a full Void Walker attack. Tell us how."


    Dad stood up slowly. "The answer came from an unexpected source. Our pack¡¯s Triple Moon bearer found a way to sever the bonds that the Void Walkers feed on."


    Murmurs spread through the room. Several Alphas looked confused.


    "Triple Moon bearer?" asked Alpha Rodriguez. "Those are myths."


    "I thought so too," Dad admitted. "But Lily Carter showed otherwise. She found ancient texts that described how to perform something called the Great Severance."


    "And where is this miracle wolf?" Alpha Chen asked sarcastically. "Why isn¡¯t she here to exin this solution herself?"


    I felt my heart clench. "She sacrificed her own pack ties to save us. The process... it cut her off from everyone she loves. She can¡¯t even remember being part of our pack."


    The room fell silent. Every Alpha knew what that meant. For a werewolf, losing pack ties was worse than death.


    "So your solution is for all of us to give up our pack connections?" Alpha Thompson asked angrily. "That¡¯s not saving our packs - that¡¯s destroying them!"


    "There has to be another way," I said, standing up. "Lily found the first answer in just a few days. With all of our joint knowledge, we can find a better one."


    "Your omega girlfriend isn¡¯t here," Alpha Rodriguez snapped. "And even if she was, why should we trust the word of someone who¡¯s no longer pack?"


    I felt my anger rise. "Because she¡¯s the only one who¡¯s actually beaten them!"


    "Enough!" the Council Leader shouted. "We¡¯re here to find solutions, not argue about rank."


    An aide rushed into the room and whispered something important in the Council Leader¡¯s ear. His face went white.


    "What is it?" my father asked.


    The Council Leader looked around the room seriously. "The Void Walkers have just attacked the Emergency Bunker where we sent the evacuated pack members. Three hundred wolves were supposed to be safe there."


    "And now?" Alpha Chen asked, though we all knew the answer.


    "Now they¡¯re all possessed. And they¡¯re going straight for this location."


    The room exploded in chaos. Alphas shouted orders, grabbed phones, demanded escape routes. But I felt a cold confidence settle in my stomach.


    "They knew," I said softly, but somehow everyone heard me. "The Void Walkers knew we were meeting here. They wanted us all in one ce."


    The Council Leader nodded grimly. "Every Alpha in North America is in this room. If they take us..."


    He didn¡¯t need to finish. If they owned every Alpha, they¡¯d control every pack on the continent.


    "How long do we have?" my father asked.


    The helper checked his watch. "The infected packs are moving fast. Maybe twenty minutes before they arrive."


    I looked around the room at fifty of the most powerful wolves in North America. All of us trapped, with no way out and no answer.


    "Wait," I said suddenly. "Lily might not be able toe here, but she left us something."


    I pulled out my phone and showed them a video message she¡¯d recorded before the Great Severance. In it, she described exactly how the ancient ritual worked.


    "She knew this day woulde," I said. "She prepared for it."


    But as I started to y the movie, my phone went dead. Every phone in the room went dark at the same time.


    "They¡¯re jamming ourmunications," the Council Leader said.


    Through the windows, we could see lights moving through the trees. Hundreds of lights, getting closer.


    "The possessed packs are here," someone whispered.


    We were thest free Alphas in North America, and we had less than five minutes before the Void Walkers took us all.

 Chapter 91: Caleb’s Dedication

    <h4>Chapter 91: Caleb¡¯s Dedication</h4>


    <strong>Caleb POV</strong>


    As lightning-fast pain shot through my head, the old book fell from my hands. I pressed my hands together against my temples to fight the feeling of dizziness that was about to knock me over. It was my third headache in two days, and each one was getting worse.


    Thought to myself, "Focus, Caleb," and picked up the old book again. "The pack needs answers."


    For forty-eight hours straight, I had been living in the library on coffee and resolve. There were old books, maps, and notes in my messy handwriting on every table. The other people in my pack thought I was crazy for doing study all day instead of helping clean up after the battle.


    They didn¡¯t get it, though. The Void Walkers were giving me the creeps. The way they moved, the way they picked their targets, the way they seemed to know things they shouldn¡¯t know. It was like solving a puzzle with missing pieces, and I couldn¡¯t rest until I found them.


    My phone buzzed with another text from Aiden: "Dad wants you at the emergency meeting. NOW."


    I ignored it, just like I¡¯d ignored thest five texts. The Council of Alphas meeting was important, but this study was more important. I had a feeling we were missing something big about these creatures.


    The book in my hands was written in old Latin, talking about something called "Umbra Mortis" - Shadow of Death. ording to the writing, these creatures had attacked werewolf packs hundreds of years ago. They fed on pack bonds, getting stronger with each wolf they possessed.


    "But why now?" I asked the empty library. "Why are they back after all these years?" I flipped through more pages, my eyes burning from reading bymplight. Then I found it - a line that made my blood run cold. " The Umbra Mortis return when the Great Severance weakens the walls between worlds. They seek the one who did the ancient ritual, for her power can either destroy thempletely or make them unstoppable."


    My hands shook as I read the words again. Lily. They wereing for Lily.


    I grabbed my phone and called her number. It went straight to voicemail. I tried again. Same thing.


    Panic started building in my chest. When was thest time I¡¯d seen her? Two days ago? Three? Everything felt blurry since the Great Severance. I couldn¡¯t remember being close to her, couldn¡¯t remember why I should care so much, but something deep inside me screamed that she was in danger.


    I ran out of the library and toward her home. The night air was cold against my sweaty skin, but I barely noticed. My wolf senses picked up something wrong instantly - her scent was old, maybe a day or two old. She wasn¡¯t here.


    "Where is she?" I whispered, fear making my voice shake.


    I knocked on Elder Iris¡¯s door. The old woman answered quickly, like she¡¯d been waiting for me.


    "Caleb," she said sadly. "I wondered when you¡¯de looking for her."


    "Where¡¯s Lily?" I asked. "The Void Walkers - they¡¯reing for her specifically. She¡¯s in danger."


    Elder Iris¡¯s face went pale. "What did you find?"


    I quickly exined about the old text, about the Great Severance making Lily a target. As I talked, Elder Iris¡¯s face grew more worried.


    "She left yesterday morning," Elder Iris said. "Said she needed time alone to think. But she should have been back by now."


    My heart felt like it was going to explode. "We have to find her. Do you know where she went?"


    "The old meditation cave up on Silver Ridge. She goes there when she needs peace."


    I was already changing into wolf form before Elder Iris finished talking. My paws hit the ground running, and I raced toward the mountain trail. The moon was almost full overhead, giving me enough light to see the way.


    But as I ran, something felt wrong. The forest was too quiet. No night birds, no small animals moving through the trees. Even the wind seemed to have stopped blowing.


    Halfway up the mountain, I caught a smell that made me skid to a stop. It was wrong - like the smell of something dead mixed with cold metal. Void Walker smell.


    They were here. They¡¯d found her.


    I pushed myself to run faster, my lungs burning as I climbed the steep trail. The meditation cave was just ahead, hidden behind a wall of hanging tree branches.


    I burst through the trees and immediately saw Lily. She was sitting in the middle of the cave, perfectly still, her eyes closed. But something was terribly wrong.


    Her eyes were fully ck.


    "Lily?" I whispered, changing back to human form.


    She opened her eyes and looked at me. The warm brown color I remembered was gone, reced by darkness that seemed to swallow light.


    "Hello, Caleb," she said, but her voice sounded different. Colder. Like an echoing from very far away.


    "You¡¯re not Lily," I said, backing toward the cave mouth.


    She smiled, but it wasn¡¯t Lily¡¯s kind smile. This smile was sharp and nasty. "Oh, but I am. I¡¯m Lily, and so much more. The Great Severance opened doors, you see. It let us in."


    Fear crawled up my spine like ice water. "What do you want?"


    "What we¡¯ve always wanted," the thing wearing Lily¡¯s face said, standing up slowly. "To spread. To grow. To eat. But first, we need to thank the one who made it all possible."


    "Lily didn¡¯t mean to help you," I said angrily.


    "Intentions don¡¯t matter," she responded. "Only results. And the result is that the barrier between our world and yours is cracked wide open. Soon, every wolf on thisnd will be like me."


    I realized with fear that this was why the Void Walkers had been spreading so fast. The Great Severance hadn¡¯t just saved our pack - it had reduced the magic keeping these creatures away from our world.


    "Where is she?" I asked. "Where¡¯s the real Lily?"


    The possessed Lily tilted her head like a curious bird. "She¡¯s in here somewhere, screaming. Would you like to hear?"


    For just a moment, Lily¡¯s real voice broke through: "Caleb! Run! Don¡¯t let them take you too!"


    Then the ck eyes returned, and the cruel smile came back.


    "Toote," the Void Walker said. "She¡¯s ours now. And soon, you will be too."


    Dark shapes started moving at the cave entrance. More possessed dogs, surrounding me. I was stuck with no way out.


    But as the creatures closed in, something impossible happened. The link I thought was broken forever suddenly red to life in my chest. Even possessed, even changed, some part of Lily was still linked to me.


    And through that link, I felt something that terrified me more than the Void Walkers ever could.


    They weren¡¯t just possessing random dogs anymore. They were building something. Creating awork of connected minds that spread across the continent.


    They were making an army of every monster in North America.


    And Lily, with her power from the Great Severance, was going to be their queen.

 Chapter 92: The First Attack

    <h4>Chapter 92: The First Attack</h4>


    Pack Members POV


    Sarah Martinez felt her mate link snap like a rubber band breaking in her chest. She screamed, clutching at her heart as her husband David fell beside her on their kitchen floor. His eyes, once warm and loving, had turned totally ck.


    "David?" she whispered, reaching for him with shaking hands.


    He looked at her with those terrible dark eyes and smiled coldly. "Not anymore."


    All around Silver Peak, the same horror was happening. The Void Walkers hade in the night, but they weren¡¯t striking randomly like before. They were hunting the strongest mated pairs first, breaking the ties that held the pack together.


    In the nursery, Jenny Thompson watched in fear as her mate Tom walked toward her with ck eyes. She held their baby girl close to her chest, backing against the wall.


    "Please," she begged. "Tom, I know you¡¯re in there somewhere. Fight them!"


    The thing wearing Tom¡¯s faceughed. "He can hear you crying for him. Isn¡¯t that wonderful? He¡¯s stuck inside, watching everything we do."


    Jenny¡¯s mate bond felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside. The pain was so bad she could barely stand. But she had to protect their baby.


    Outside, pack members ran screaming through the streets. But there was nowhere to run. The possessed wolves moved with perfect harmony, like they were all controlled by one mind.


    Elder Morris, who had been mated to his wife for sixty years, fell to his knees as she approached him with dead ck eyes. Their bond, stronger than most wolves ever experienced, was being sucked away like water from a broken cup.


    "Margaret," he whispered. "My dear Margaret."


    "She¡¯s gone," the crazed wolf said in Margaret¡¯s voice. "But don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll join her soon."


    From her position on the rise overlooking the pack grounds, Lily watched it all happen. The Void Walkers controlling her body forced her to watch as every strong rtionship in Silver Peak was destroyed. But inside her thoughts, the real Lily was screaming.


    She could feel every connection breaking. Each one felt like losing Caleb all over again. The pain of watching other partners lose what she had lost was almost too much to bear.


    "Stop it!" she tried to yell, but her voice wouldn¡¯t work. The Void Walkers had full control of her body.


    "Isn¡¯t it beautiful?" the dark voice in her head whispered. "All that love, all that link, flowing into us. Making us stronger."


    Lily realized with fear that the Void Walkers weren¡¯t just possessing wolves randomly. They were feeding on the mate bonds themselves. Every broken link gave them more power.


    Down in the pack grounds, young pairs who had just found each other were being torn apart. Michael and Sara, who had only been mated for three months, clung to each other as possessed wolves circled them.


    "I can¡¯t feel you anymore," Sara sobbed as their bond started to weaken. "Michael, I can¡¯t feel you!"


    "I¡¯m here," Michael said desperately, hugging her tight. "I¡¯m right here!"


    But even as he said it, the rtionship between them was fading. Soon, Sara¡¯s eyes turned ck, and she pushed Michael away with a cruel smile.


    "Not anymore," she said in the cold voice of the Void Walkers.


    The trend continued across the pack. The strongest bonds broke first, then the medium ones, then even the friendship ties that held pack members together. It was like watching a family destroy itself from the inside.


    Beta Rodriguez and his mate Elena had been together for twenty-five years. They had raised four children and faced every storm together. But even their powerful bond couldn¡¯t fight the Void Walkers¡¯ attack.


    "I love you," Rodriguez whispered as Elena¡¯s eyes started to change.


    "I know," she answered, her voice already bing distant and cold. "That¡¯s what makes this so delicious."


    Within an hour, half the pack was possessed. The other half ran in fear, but there was nowhere to go. The Void Walkers had surrounded Silver Peak fully.


    Inside Lily¡¯s mind, she felt every single broken link like a knife in her heart. These wolves had what she had lost with Caleb, and now the creatures using her body were destroying it all.


    "Why are you making me watch this?" she asked the dark force controlling her.


    "Because you understand," it responded. "You know the pain of a severed link. You know how it feels to lose everything that matters. Soon, every wolf will know that pain."


    "This isn¡¯t what I wanted," Lily argued. "I never wanted this!"


    "But you made it possible," the voice said. "Your Great Severance cracked the walls between worlds. Your pain called to us across the void. You invited us in."


    Lily¡¯s horror deepened as she understood the truth. Her n to save Silver Peak had actually doomed it. The very power she¡¯d used to cut the Void Walkers¡¯ ties to her pack had weakened the magical barriers keeping them out of the world.


    "Now watch," the voice ordered, "as we finish what you started."


    From her hilltop perch, Lily saw thest group of unmated wolves being cornered near the pack hall. Young teens, elderly widows, and those who had never found their mates - they were crying and holding each other as possessed pack members closed in.


    But then something unexpected happened. Little Emma Rodriguez, only twelve years old, stepped forward from the group of unmated dogs.


    "Leave them alone!" she yelled at the possessed wolves.


    The ck-eyed creatures stopped and turned toward her. Through Lily¡¯s eyes, she could see something glowing around the girl - a soft silver light that made the Void Walkers pause.


    "Impossible," the voice in Lily¡¯s head whispered. "She¡¯s not mated. She has no bonds to break."


    Emma raised her hands, and the silver light grew brighter. "You can¡¯t have them. This is our home!"


    The possessed dogs stepped back from the light, and for a moment, hope flickered in Lily¡¯s chest. Maybe the child could fight them somehow.


    But then the voice in her headughed cruelly. "Oh, little one. You have no idea what you¡¯re dealing with."


    The possessed pack members began to circle Emma, moving in perfect cooperation. But instead of striking her directly, they started humming - a low, dark sound that made the air vibrate.


    Emma¡¯s silver light began to flicker and fade. The girl fell to her knees, holding her head in pain.


    "What are you doing to her?" Lily demanded.


    "Something wonderful," the voice answered. "She¡¯s not mated yet, but she will be someday. We¡¯re simply iming her future ties before they form."


    Lily watched in total horror as dark tendrils reached out from the possessed wolves toward Emma. They weren¡¯t just destroying existing links - they were stealing the girl¡¯s ability to ever form bonds at all.


    If they seeded, Emma would live her entire life unable to feel love, friendship, or pack ties. She would be totally alone forever.


    And once they finished with her, they would do the same thing to every unmated wolf in Silver Peak.

 Chapter 93: An Unlikely Alliance

    <h4>Chapter 93: An Unlikely Alliance</h4>


    Luna POV


    The emergency radio crackled to life as I dived behind an overturned car. "This is Desert Moon Pack! We need quick help! Half our pack is possessed!"


    I grabbed the radio, my hands shaking as bullets flew over my head. Not real bullets - the possessed dogs were shooting some kind of dark energy that burned through metal like acid.


    "Desert Moon, this is Luna Morrison," I spoke quickly into the radio. "How many survivors do you have?"


    "Maybe thirty out of two hundred," Alpha Rodriguez¡¯s voice came back, filled with hopelessness. "They¡¯re hunting us down one by one. We can¡¯t hold out much longer!"


    I looked across the battlefield that used to be Silver Peak¡¯s main street. Possessed pack members with ck eyes were attacking the few people left. But they weren¡¯t just fighting randomly anymore. They were working together like a real army.


    "All remaining packs, listen carefully," I said into the radio, using my strongest diplomatic voice. "We need to organize our defense. Stop fighting alone!"


    Static filled the radio for a moment, then Alpha Chen¡¯s voice came through: "Luna Morrison? Why should we listen to you? You¡¯re not even an Alpha!"


    Any other time, those words would have made me angry. But right now, my pack was dying around me, and my hurt feelings didn¡¯t matter.


    "Because I¡¯m the only one left who knows how to talk to all of you," I answered firmly. "The Alphas are either dead or possessed. Someone has to handle the survivors."


    More voices joined the radio chat. Pack after pack reporting the same bad news. Mates turned against each other. Children possessed while their parents watched helplessly. Entire families destroyed in minutes.


    But as I heard, I started to notice patterns in the attacks. The Void Walkers weren¡¯t just randomly taking over dogs. They had a n.


    "Wait," I said, interrupting a story from the Mountain Ridge survivors. "Say that again. Which wolves did they take first?"


    "The mated pairs," came the reply. "They always go for the strongest bonds first."


    "Same here," reported another pack. "It¡¯s like they can sense who loves each other the most."


    I felt a chill run down my spine. The Void Walkers were feeding on love itself. Every strong rtionship was making them more powerful.


    "All packs, new orders," I said into the radio. "Separate your mated pairs quickly. Keep them apart until we figure out how to fight this."


    "That¡¯s crazy!" Alpha Rodriguezined. "We need our mates close to fight together!"


    "Your mates are bing the enemy!" I shot back. "Trust me on this!"


    An explosion nearby made me duck lower behind the car. When I looked up, I saw something that made my blood freeze. A figure was walking carefully through the chaos, and every possessed wolf was stepping aside to let her pass.


    It was Lily.


    But her eyes were ck as coal, and she moved like she was floating instead of walking. When she saw me hiding behind the car, she smiled coldly.


    "Hello, Luna," she said in a voice that sounded like Lily but felt totally wrong. "We¡¯ve been looking for you."


    I grabbed the radio tighter. "Why me? I¡¯m nobody special."


    Lily¡¯s possessed formughed. "Oh, but you are special. You know how to talk to people. How to make them trust you. How to bring packs together."


    "I won¡¯t help you," I said, though my voice shook with fear.


    "You already are," the thing wearing Lily¡¯s face answered. "Right now, you¡¯re gathering all the surviving survivors into one ce. Making it so much easier for us to find them."


    Horror washed over me as I realized what I¡¯d done. By coordinating the packs through the radio, I¡¯d been telling the Void Walkers exactly where all the survivors were hidden.


    "Every time someone reacts to your calls," possessed Lily continued, "we track their location. Every pack that follows your orders makes it easier for us to hunt them down."


    I wanted to throw the radio away, but I could hear desperate people calling for help through the static. Packs that were counting on me to save them.


    "You¡¯re trapped, Luna," the dark voice said. "Help us, and we¡¯ll make their deaths quick. Keep fighting, and we¡¯ll make them suffer."


    "There has to be another way," I breathed.


    Possessed Lily tilted her head curiously. "Oh, there is. But you¡¯re not going to like it."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The only way to stop us is to sever all the bonds that join the packs. Every mate link, every family tie, every friendship. Cut them all, and we¡¯ll have nothing to eat on."


    My heart sank. "That would destroy everything that makes us wolves."


    "Exactly," the creature answered. "Save your people by turning them into empty shells, or let us turn them into our army. Either way, the packs as you know them are finished."


    I looked around at the fight raging through Silver Peak. Wolves fighting wolves, families torn apart, love turned into a tool against itself.


    But then I noticed something the affected Lily hadn¡¯t seen. Behind her, creeping through the darkness, was Elder Iris. The old woman was holding something in her hands - a small silver box covered in ancient symbols.


    Elder Iris caught my eye and nodded slightly. She was nning something.


    "You¡¯re right," I said loudly to obsessed Lily, trying to keep her attention on me. "The packs are finished either way."


    "I¡¯m d you see reason," the creature answered, stepping closer to me.


    "But there¡¯s one thing you didn¡¯t count on," I continued, my heart racing.


    "And what¡¯s that?"


    I smiled grimly. "I never told you where the most important survivors are hiding."


    Possessed Lily¡¯s ck eyes narrowed. "What survivors?"


    "The unmated children," I said. "The future of all our bags. They¡¯re somewhere safe, and you¡¯ll never find them."


    It was a lie, but it worked. The creature¡¯s attention moved from Elder Iris to me, anger shing in those dead ck eyes.


    "Where are they?" it asked.


    Before I could answer, Elder Iris stepped forward and opened the silver box. Brilliant white light poured out, and possessed Lily screamed in pain.


    "The Purification Box," Elder Iris said grimly. "It forces the Void Walkers to show their true form."


    The light grew brighter, and I watched in horror as ck smoke started pouring out of Lily¡¯s mouth and nose. But the smoke didn¡¯t disappear - it formed into a huge shadow creature with red eyes and razor-sharp ws.


    "Foolish old woman," the shadow hissed. "You¡¯ve only freed us from our human mask. Now you¡¯ll see what we really are."


    The thing reached toward Elder Iris with ws that could tear through steel. But as it moved, I saw something that made my heart stop.


    Real Lily was still in there, stuck inside the shadow. And she was looking right at me, her brown eyes full of desperate hope.


    "Luna," she mouthed silently. "The box. Break it."


    I stared at her in confusion. Break the only tool we had against the Void Walkers?


    But then I understood. The box wasn¡¯t just forcing the creatures to show their true form - it was keeping them linked to their human hosts. If I broke it, the shadow would be freed totally.


    But so would Lily.


    The trouble was, I had no idea what apletely freed Void Walker could do to all of us.

 Chapter 94: The Pattern Emerges

    <h4>Chapter 94: The Pattern Emerges</h4>


    Lily POV


    The silver light burst from my hands just as the possessed wolf lunged at me. I watched in fear as the creature flew backward, crashing into three other wolves. They all screamed the same terrible sound - like nails on ss mixed with crying kids.


    "Lily!" Caleb¡¯s words cut through the chaos. "What did you do?"


    I stared at my hands, which were still glowing with that strange silver fire. "I don¡¯t know! It just happened!"


    Around us, the fight for Silver Peak was getting worse. More possessed dogs poured out of the forest like angry ants. But something weird was happening. Every time I used that silver light, they backed away from me like I was poison.


    "The nursery!" Elder Iris yelled from across the street. "They¡¯re heading for the nursery!"


    My heart stopped. All the little pups were hiding there. I¡¯d told them it was safe.


    I ran as fast as I could, pushing past fighting wolves and jumping over broken pieces of houses. Behind me, I could hear Caleb yelling my name, but I couldn¡¯t wait. Those kids needed me.


    When I reached the nursery, I found something that made my stomach twist. Five possessed dogs stood in a perfect circle around the building. They weren¡¯t attacking it. They were just... waiting.


    "That¡¯s not normal," I whispered to myself.


    Elder Iris appeared beside me, breathing hard. "They¡¯re not trying to get the pups," she said, her old voice shaking. "They¡¯re guarding the building."


    "Guarding it from what?"


    "From you."


    I looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"


    Elder Iris pointed at the ground around the nursery. In the dirt, I could see a dim silver glow making lines and circles. It looked like the same light that came from my hands.


    "Lily, everywhere you¡¯ve been in the past three months, you¡¯ve left marks," she said softly. "Silver marks that only show up when the Void Walkers are near."


    I thought about all the ces I¡¯d visited since the Winter Moon Festival. The nursery, where I taught healing. The pack council building, where I helped make choices. The Moon Pool, where Caleb and I liked to walk. The library, where we studied together.


    "Oh no," I breathed. "I¡¯ve been marking targets for them."


    "Not targets," Elder Iris corrected. "Feeding stations."


    My legs felt weak. "What do you mean?"


    "The Triple Moon sacrifice you made during the festival," she exined quickly while more explosions happened around us. "It didn¡¯t just change the pack. It changed you. You¡¯re leaking magical energy everywhere you go."


    I remembered that night when I¡¯d given up my im to all three brothers to save the pack¡¯s bnce. There had been so much light, so much power flowing through me. But I thought it was over.


    "The Void Walkers feed on strong emotions," Elder Iris continued. "But they¡¯re hungry for magical energy. Your leftover power is like honey to bears."


    "So this is all my fault?" I asked, feeling sick.


    "No, kid. But it means you¡¯re the key to stopping them."


    Before I could ask what she meant, one of the possessed dogs guarding the nursery turned toward us. Its ck eyes focused on me, and it smiled with too many teeth.


    "There she is," it said in a voice like breaking ss. "The Triple Moon bearer."


    The other four possessed wolves turned too. All of them were looking at me now, and I could feel their hunger like cold fingers on my skin.


    "They want the source," I realized. "They don¡¯t just want to feed on my extra energy. They want me."


    "Run," Elder Iris whispered.


    But I couldn¡¯t. If I ran, they would follow me. And that would lead them away from the nursery, but also away from all the other survivors who were counting on me to organize their defense.


    "I can¡¯t," I said. "If I run, everyone else dies."


    "If you stay, everyone dies anyway," Elder Iris answered. "You¡¯re the source of their power now."


    The possessed wolves started walking toward us slowly, like cats ying with mice. I could hear more fighting in the distance, but it sounded farther away. Were we losing?


    "There has to be another way," I said desperately.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something strange. The silver marks on the ground weren¡¯t just shining randomly. They were making a n. Lines linked the nursery to the council building to the Moon Pool to the library. From above, it would probably look like...


    "A summoning circle," I breathed. "Elder Iris, I haven¡¯t been marking feeding spots. I¡¯ve been drawing a giant summoning circle across the entire pack area."


    Her eyes went wide. "Summoning what?"


    I looked at my still-glowing hands, then at the possessed wolves getting closer, then at the pattern of silver light spreading across Silver Peak like a web.


    "I don¡¯t know," I admitted. "But something big ising."


    The possessed wolf in front smiled wider. "Oh yes," it hissed. "Something very big indeed. And when ites, your little pack will be the first dish in a feast that will consume every wolf territory on this continent."


    Thunder roared overhead, even though there were no clouds in the sky. The silver marks on the ground pulsed brighter, and I felt something vast and hungry turning its attention toward Silver Peak.


    Elder Iris grabbed my arm. "Lily, what did your sacrifice actually do during the Winter Moon Festival?"


    I tried to remember that night, but it was all mixed up with bright lights and strong feelings. "I gave up my im to the triplets to restore bnce to the pack," I said.


    "No," she said quickly. "What exactly did you say? The exact words?"


    The possessed dogs were only twenty feet away now. Thunder rumbled again, louder this time.


    I closed my eyes and thought back to that night by the Moon Pool. What had I said when I made my sacrifice?


    And then I remembered.


    The words I¡¯d spoken in that moment of pure despair, when I thought the pack was going to tear itself apart over me.


    Words that now seemed like the stupidest thing I could have possibly said.


    "I wished for the pack to find perfect bnce," I whispered. "Even if it meant sacrificing everything we were to be something new."


    Elder Iris went totally white.


    "Oh, Lily," she breathed. "You didn¡¯t restore bnce. You invited it in."


    The ground beneath our feet began to crack, and something with too many eyes began pushing its way up from below.

 Chapter 95: Caleb’s Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 95: Caleb¡¯s Breakthrough</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The old book burst into mes the moment I opened it.


    I jumped back from the library desk, watching centuries-old pages turn to ash in seconds. The fire wasn¡¯t regr - it burned silver and made no sound at all. When the fires died, only one page remained, floating in the air like a ghost.


    "What the hell?" I muttered, reaching for the floating page.


    The moment my fingers touched it, words appeared on the paper in glowing letters. But they weren¡¯t in anynguage I recognized. They twisted and moved like living things, making my eyes hurt to look at them.


    Then suddenly, I could read them.


    The Void Walkers were not destroyed. They were imprisoned. The lock needs three keys: Pack Magic, Wild Magic, and Ancient Magic. When the keys join, the prison opens. When they split, it closes.


    My blood turned to ice. Pack Magic - that was us, the werewolves. Wild Magic had to be something else. And Ancient Magic...


    "Oh no," I whispered. "Lily¡¯s sacrifice was one of the keys."


    I grabbed another book from the shelf, this one about magical animals. It didn¡¯t catch fire, but the pages flipped by themselves until they stopped at a Chapter called "The Great Banishment."


    The story made my stomach drop.


    Five hundred years ago, the Void Walkers had tried to eat all the magic in the world. Every magical creature had been in danger - werewolves, vampires, witches, fae, dragons, everything. So they¡¯d worked together to make a prison that could only be opened by three specific types of magic working at the same time.


    "They made it so the Void Walkers could only escape if the supernatural world was united again," I realized. "But unity was supposed to be impossible after the war."


    The magical war had happened two hundred years ago. Every magical species had fought each other until most went into hiding. Werewolves stayed in packs. Vampires hid in cities. Witches lived alone. Nobody talked to anybody else anymore.


    Until now.


    Another book flew off the shelf andnded open in front of me. This one showed a map of all the supernatural regions around Silver Peak. There were way more than I¡¯d ever imagined.


    A vampire group lived in the mountains just north of us. A witch group had a house by theke. There were fae creatures in the deep forest, and something called "stone giants" in the caves. Even a dragon was marked on the map, though the note said st seen fifty years ago."


    "Wild Magic," I breathed. "That¡¯s all of them."


    But there was still the third key. Ancient Magic. What could that be?


    I was reaching for another book when the library door burst inward. Aiden stumbled in, bleeding from a cut on his forehead.


    "Caleb!" he shouted. "We need to flee! Something¡¯sing up from underground!"


    Through the broken door, I could see chaos outside. Silver light was shooting up from cracks in the ground like geysers. Pack members were running and screaming. And in the distance, I could hear Lily calling my name.


    "I can¡¯t leave," I said, grabbing as many books as I could handle. "I found something important."


    "More important than staying alive?" Aiden demanded.


    "More important than everyone staying alive," I answered. "The Void Walkers aren¡¯t just random monsters. They¡¯re prisoners who escaped because we identally opened their jail."


    I quickly exined what I¡¯d learned while Aiden helped me stuff books into a bag. His face got paler with every word.


    "So you¡¯re saying Lily¡¯s sacrifice was a mistake?" he asked.


    "Not a mistake. A key. And if we can find the other two keys and make them work together, we can lock the Void Walkers up again."


    "Other supernatural creatures," Aiden said, understanding. "That¡¯s impossible. We haven¡¯t talked to vampires or witches in decades."


    "Then we better learn fast," I said, throwing the book bag over my shoulder.


    We ran outside intoplete chaos. The silver light from beneath was getting brighter, and I could see shapes moving in it. Big shapes with too many teeth.


    "Where¡¯s Lily?" I shouted over the noise.


    "By the nursery with Elder Iris," Aiden answered. "But Caleb, look!"


    He pointed to the sky. Dark forms were flying toward us from every direction. At first I thought they were birds, but as they got closer, I realized they were much bigger.


    And they weren¡¯t birds.


    "Vampires," I breathed. "They¡¯reing."


    More shapes emerged at the edge of the forest. Tall, graceful forms that seemed to glow with their own light. The fae.


    From theke came a group of women in dark robes, their hands sparkling with magical energy. The witches.


    And from the mountains, something that made the ground shake with every step. The stone giants.


    "They can sense it too," I realized. "The jail opening. They¡¯re alling to help."


    But as the supernatural creatures circled Silver Peak, I saw something that made my heart stop.


    They weren¡¯ting to help.


    They wereing to fight each other.


    The vampires dove toward the witches with teeth bared. The fae raised spears made of moonlight. The stone giants roared dares at everyone in sight.


    "The war," Aiden whispered. "They still hate each other."


    "We have to stop them," I said desperately. "If they fight now, the Void Walkers will escapepletely."


    But even as I said it, I knew it was hopeless. How could two werewolf brothers stop a magical war that had been brewing for two hundred years?


    That¡¯s when I heard a voice that chilled me to the bone.


    "Let them fight," it said,ing from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Their hatred will feed us far better than their unity ever could."


    I looked down at the cracks in the ground, where the silver light was glowing brighter than ever. And I discovered the horrible truth.


    The Void Walkers hadn¡¯t been trying to leave their prison.


    They¡¯d been trying to lure every magical creature in the region to the same ce, so they could feed on all of us at once.


    "It¡¯s a trap," I whispered.


    Around us, vampires fought with witches, fae battled stone giants, and werewolves howled in confusion. Above it all, something huge was pushing its way up from underground, and I could feel its hunger like a physical weight pressing down on my chest.


    In the distance, I saw Lily running toward us, her hands burning with silver fire. But between her and us, the ground was breaking open like a hungry mouth.


    And something with a thousand eyes was climbing out.

 Chapter 96: The Vampire Ally

    <h4>Chapter 96: The Vampire Ally</h4>


    Dmitri POV


    The witch¡¯s fire spell hit me square in the chest, and I flew backward into a tree hard enough to snap the wood in half.


    "Stupid bloodsucker!" she screamed, already preparing another attack. "Stay away from our territory!"


    I rolled to the side just as her next spell turned the ground where I¡¯d been lying into molten rock. This was not going ording to n.


    "Wait!" I shouted, holding up my hands. "I¡¯m not here to fight!"


    "All vampires lie!" another witch yelled, joining the first one. Their hands glowed with dangerous power.


    I wanted to tell them they were wrong, but honestly, most vampires did lie. A lot. It was kind of our thing. But right now, I was telling the truth, and these witches were about to roast me before I could exin.


    "The Void Walkers areing!" I said quickly. "I¡¯m here to help!"


    The witches stopped, looking at each other with confusion. That gave me just enough time to leap to my feet and put some space between us.


    "Help?" the first witchughed. "Since when do vampires help anyone but themselves?"


    That stung because it was mostly true. For the past three hundred years of my undead life, I¡¯d only cared about three things: finding blood to drink, avoiding vampire hunts, and stayingfortable in my mountain cave.


    But everything changed two days ago when the dreams started.


    Every vampire in my group had been having the same dream. Dark beings with too many teeth, draining all the blood from the world until there was nothing left for us to eat. We¡¯d wake up screaming, our fangs aching with hunger that couldn¡¯t be filled.


    "Something¡¯sing that will destroy all of us," I said to the witches. "Vampires, witches, shifters, everyone. If we don¡¯t work together, we¡¯re all dead."


    "Prove it," the second witch ordered.


    I closed my eyes and let my vampire senses stretch out across the area. What I felt made my dead heart want to start beating again from pure fear.


    "Can¡¯t you feel it?" I asked. "The wrongness in the air? The way magic itself is being taken away?"


    The witches went quiet, and I knew they could sense it too. Their power was weaker than it should be. Every supernatural creature¡¯s power was being slowly sucked away by something hungry and old.


    "That¡¯s why I came to Silver Peak," I continued. "My n¡¯s elder remembered old stories about a prison that held animals called Void Walkers. She sent me to find the werewolf pack that lives here."


    "Why werewolves?" the first witch asked suspiciously.


    "Because ording to the stories, they were part of the coalition that locked the Void Walkers away five hundred years ago," I exined. "If anyone knows how to stop them, it would be the Silver Peak Pack."


    That¡¯s when we heard the screaming.


    It wasn¡¯t normal wolf howls. This sound was filled with pain and fear, like dozens of wolves crying for help at once. The witches and I all turned toward Silver Peak, where silver light was shooting up from the ground like dangerous fireworks.


    "We¡¯re toote," I whispered.


    Without thinking, I started running toward the pack area. Behind me, I heard the witches following. Maybe they didn¡¯t trust me, but they knew I was right about the danger.


    As we got closer to Silver Peak, I saw other supernatural creatures heading the same way. Fae fighters with weapons that glowed like starlight. Stone giants that made the earth shake with every step. Even what looked like a dragon circling overhead.


    "This is bad," one of the witches panted as we ran. "If we all show up at once, it¡¯ll start the war again."


    She was right. For two hundred years, every magical species had avoided each other. Too much bad blood from the old battles. Too many judgments and hurt feelings.


    But as we reached the edge of Silver Peak, I saw that the war had already started.


    Vampires were fighting fae in the air. Stone giants were throwing rocks at witches. And in the middle of it all, werewolves were running around in fear, trying to protect their pack while supernatural creatures battled all around them.


    "This is exactly what I was afraid of," I mumbled.


    "What do you mean?" a witch asked.


    I pointed to the cracks in the ground where silver light was pouring out. "Don¡¯t you see? We¡¯re all here together for the first time in ages, fighting each other. All that anger and hate and fear..."


    "It¡¯s feeding them," the witch breathed, understanding.


    "The Void Walkers don¡¯t just eat magic," I said grimly. "They eat strong feelings. And there¡¯s no feeling stronger than the hate between our species."


    As if to prove my point, the ground split open wider, and something dark started climbing out. It had too many arms and eyes that burned like red stars. When it spoke, its voice sounded like every horror I¡¯d ever had.


    "Yes," it hissed. "Fight each other. Hate each other. Your rage makes us strong."


    Around us, the supernatural animals kept battling, too caught up in old grudges to see what was happening. But I could see it clearly.


    Every spell cast in anger made the thing bigger. Every w sh driven by hatred gave it more power. Every bitter word between foes fed its hunger.


    "We have to stop the fighting," I said desperately. "Right now."


    "How?" the witch asked. "Nobody¡¯s going to listen to us."


    That¡¯s when I saw her. A young werewolf woman with silver light zing from her hands, trying to reach two werewolf men who were circled by fighting supernatural creatures. Every time she used her power, the Void Walker grew stronger, but she kept using it anyway to protect the people she loved.


    "Her," I said. "She¡¯s the key."


    "A werewolf?" the witch asked doubtfully.


    "Not just any werewolf," I realized, watching the silver light pulse from her body. "She¡¯s a Triple Moon child. I¡¯ve heard the tales."


    I started toward her, but the witch grabbed my arm.


    "Wait," she said. "What if this is all a trick? What if you¡¯re working with those things?"


    I looked at her seriously. "Then I guess you¡¯ll have to trust me."


    Before she could answer, the ground burst upward, and three more Void Walkers climbed out. They looked at all the fighting supernatural creatures and smiled with lips full of razor teeth.


    "The feast begins," they said in agreement.


    And I realized with horror that we weren¡¯t just toote to avoid the war.


    We were toote to survive it.

 Chapter 97: Witch’s Bargain

    <h4>Chapter 97: Witch¡¯s Bargain</h4>


    <strong>Sage POV</strong>


    As I ran toward Silver Peak, the ground shook so badly that I almost dropped my spell book. My house caught fire behind me; another reality tear had gone through the wall of my living room.


    I mumbled, "Not good, not good, not good," as I jumped over downed trees and watched the forest around me twist into shapes that didn¡¯t make sense. Flowers grew from the sky upside down, and rocks blew by my head like balloons.


    It had been weeks since Ist saw these tears. No one knew how fast they were spreading; normal ces were changing into nightmares where magic went crazy. And based on what my crystal ball told me this morning, something much worse was about to happen in Silver Peak.


    A scream could be heard in the trees ahead. It hurt like angry bees were buzzing under my skin as I pushed myself to run faster. Someone young, maybe even a child, let out that scream.


    I burst into an area and saw chaos everywhere. Vampires fought fairy fighters in the air above my head. Stone giants threw boulders at a group of witches who barely avoided in time. And right in the middle of it all, werewolves were running around trying to protect their pack while everyone else fought.


    But that wasn¡¯t the worst part.


    The worst part was the huge crack in the ground where silver light poured out like a deadly waterfall. And climbing out of that crack were things that shouldn¡¯t exist - creatures with too many arms and burning red eyes that made my stomach turn just looking at them.


    Void Walkers. Just like the old stories warned about.


    "Finally," I whispered, pulling out my emergency magicponents. "Time to earn my reputation."


    A young werewolf woman stood near the crack, silver light zing from her hands as she tried to reach two werewolf men circled by fighting supernatural creatures. Every time she used her power, the Void Walkers grew bigger and stronger.


    That had to be her - Lily Carter, the Triple Moon bearer my grandmother¡¯s vision had mentioned. The one whose sacrifice was meant to change everything.


    But something was wrong with the magic around her. It felt... different. Twisted. Like it had been changed by something powerful.


    I started toward her, but a vampire appeared beside me. His face was pale with fear, and he pointed at the Void Walkers.


    "They¡¯re feeding on all this fighting," he said quickly. "We have to stop the battle!"


    "No kidding," I answered, already pulling out my spell book. "But stopping a supernatural war isn¡¯t exactly easy."


    More Void Walkers climbed out of the ground. Their horrible voices filled the air as theyughed at all the hate and anger around them.


    "Delicious," they hissed together. "So much rage. So much fear. We grow stronger with every angry word."


    I flipped through my spell book furiously. There had to be something in here that could help. My grandma had been the most powerful witch in three states before she died, and she¡¯d taught me everything she knew about dealing with dark creatures.


    But nothing in my book was intended for this many Void Walkers at once.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something strange about Lily¡¯s silver light. It wasn¡¯t just werewolf power - there were traces of something else mixed in. Something that reminded me of the old stories about witches who could touch the space between worlds.


    My eyes widened as understanding hit me. The sacrifice everyone kept talking about - it hadn¡¯t just woken her werewolf powers. It had done something much more interesting. It had changed her magical signature totally, giving her abilities that shouldn¡¯t be possible.


    "Fascinating," I breathed, watching the way reality bent around her hands.


    A n started forming in my mind. A dangerous, crazy n that might just work.


    I pushed through the fighting magical creatures, dodging spells and ws until I reached the group of werewolves near the crack. Lily looked up as I approached, her silver eyes wide with tiredness.


    "Who are you?" she asked.


    "Sage ckthorn," I said quickly. "Witch, magical researcher, and right now, your only hope of closing these reality tears before they destroy everything."


    One of the werewolf men - he looked like an Alpha - stepped protectively in front of Lily. "We don¡¯t trust witches."


    "Good thing I don¡¯t care what you trust," I shot back. "Look around you. See those things crawling out of the ground? They¡¯re called Void Walkers, and they¡¯re going to eat all the magic in this world unless someone stops them."


    Another Void Walker emerged from the crack, this one twice as big as the others. When it spoke, its voice sounded like breaking ss.


    "Yes, little witch," it said, looking right at me. "Tell them how hopeless this is. Tell them how we¡¯ve already won."


    I ignored the thing and focused on Lily. "I can seal the tears, but I need to study your special signature first. Whatever happened to you during your sacrifice, it changed your power in a way I¡¯ve never seen before."


    "Study me how?" Lily asked suspiciously.


    This was the part I¡¯d been dreading. The part that would make them all hate me.


    "I need to take some of your magic," I admitted. "Just a small piece. It won¡¯t hurt you forever, but I need to understand how your power interacts with reality itself."


    The Alpha growled. "Absolutely not."


    "You don¡¯t understand," I said desperately. "Her special signature is the key to everything. It¡¯s the only thing that can close the tears forever."


    Lily looked between me and the rising number of Void Walkers. More supernatural creatures wereing every minute, and the fighting was getting worse. The hatred in the air was so thick I could nearly taste it.


    "What if I say no?" she asked softly.


    I met her eyes honestly. "Then everyone dies. The Void Walkers will consume all the magic in this world, starting with the most powerful supernatural beings. They¡¯ll save people forst, just to watch us suffer."


    The ground shook again as another reality tear opened nearby. This one was bigger than the others, and I could see dark shapes moving inside it.


    "Choose quickly," I pushed. "Because whatever¡¯sing through that new tear is going to make these Void Walkers look like puppies."


    Lily took a deep breath, her silver light pulsing brighter. "If I let you study my magic, you promise you can stop this?"


    "I promise I¡¯ll try," I said. "But there¡¯s something else you need to know."


    She waited, and I swallowed hard.


    "Studying your magical signature means I¡¯ll see everything that happened during your sacrifice. Every memory, every feeling, every secret you¡¯ve tried to hide. There won¡¯t be any private left between us."


    Before Lily could answer, the new reality tear burst wide open. Something huge pushed through - not a Void Walker, but something else entirely. Something that made my witch powers scream in recognition and fear.


    "Oh no," I whispered, my magic book trembling in my hands. "That¡¯s not possible. The Void Walkers couldn¡¯t have freed¡ª"


    The thing stepped fully into our world, and I saw its face clearly for the first time.


    It was my grandmother. The most powerful witch who had ever lived.


    Except she¡¯d been dead for ten years.


    "Hello, Sage," she said with a smile that was all wrong. "Did you miss me?"

 Chapter 98: The Fae Court’s Interest

    <h4>Chapter 98: The Fae Court¡¯s Interest</h4>


    Prince Ash POV


    The portal ripped open beneath my feet without notice, and I fell through three different dimensions before crashing into a tree at Silver Peak. Pain shot through my shoulder as bark scraped my skin, but I rolled to my feet anyway. Being a Fae prince meant I had to look graceful even when reality was actually falling apart.


    "Ash!" my sister Willow called out as she fell through the portal after me. "The barriers are copsing faster than we thought!"


    More Fae warriors spilled through the dimensional tear, their wings fluttering furiously as they tried to stay airborne. I could see the fear in their eyes - something that rarely happened to my people. We Fae were supposed to be above mortal worries like fear.


    But the Void Walkers weren¡¯t a mortal worry. They were everyone¡¯s fear.


    "Status report," I ordered, helping Willow stand up.


    "Seven more reality tears opened in the past hour," she said excitedly. "The Void Walkers are growing faster than we calcted. If we don¡¯t stop them here, they¡¯ll reach the Fae realm within days."


    I nodded grimly. That¡¯s why the High Court had sent me - their youngest prince, but also their best hunter. If anyone could find the source of this chaos, it would be me.


    The sounds of fighting echoed through the forest. I could hear vampires hissing, werewolves howling, and witches screaming spells. The supernatural world was tearing itself apart while the real enemy got stronger.


    "There," I said, pointing toward a huge crack in the ground where silver light poured out like liquid starlight. "That¡¯s where they¡¯reing from."


    We ran toward the open, and I nearly stopped in shock at what I saw. Every magical species I¡¯d ever heard of was here, fighting each other instead of the dark creatures climbing out of the reality tear. Vampires fought witches while stone giants threw rocks at flying Fae. It wasplete chaos.


    But that wasn¡¯t what made my Fae magic tingle with excitement.


    In the middle of it all stood a young werewolf woman with silver light zing from her hands. The light looked familiar - like the magic that flowed between worlds in the Fae realm. But that was impossible. Werewolves couldn¡¯t touch between-world magic.


    Could they? "Willow," I whispered, "do you see what I see?"


    My sister¡¯s eyes widened. "She¡¯s channeling interdimensional energy. But she¡¯s not Fae. How is that possible?"


    I watched the werewolf woman more carefully. Every time she used her power, the silver light seemed to bend reality around her. Space twisted and time hupped. She was doing things that should have taken centuries of Fae training.


    "We need to get closer," I decided.


    "Ash, no," Willow grabbed my arm. "The High Court¡¯s orders were clear - watch and report. Don¡¯t get involved."


    I shook her off. "The High Court¡¯s rules were written before we knew someone could bridge worlds without being Fae. This changes everything."


    Before Willow could stop me, I spread my wings and flew toward the monster woman. A vampire tried to intercept me, but I twisted through the air andnded elegantly beside her just as she stumbled from exhaustion.


    "Careful," I said, catching her arm. "Using interdimensional magic without proper training can tear you apart from the inside."


    She looked up at me with surprised silver eyes. "Who are you?"


    "Prince Ash of the Winter Court," I answered, then added more gently, "And you¡¯re Lily Carter, the one who¡¯s been bending reality without knowing it."


    A werewolf man stepped protectively in front of her. "Stay away from her, Fae."


    I held up my hands calmly. "I¡¯m not here to hurt anyone. I¡¯m here because what she¡¯s doing is impossible, and impossible things tend to interest my people."


    Another Void Walker crawled out of the ground crack, this one bigger than the others. When it saw me, itughed with a sound like breaking wind chimes.


    "A Fae prince," it hissed. "How wonderful. Your magic will taste so much sweeter than these crude mortal skills."


    I pulled out my crystal de, its edge glowing with winter stars. "Sorry, but I¡¯m not on the menu today."


    The Void Walker lunged at me, but I danced away from its ws. Fighting these creatures was like fighting shadows - they could absorb most magical attacks and use them to grow stronger. But I¡¯d studied them for months, and I knew their weakness.


    "Lily," I called out while dodging another swipe, "your between-world magic - it¡¯s the only thing that can actually hurt them!"


    "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about," she answered, but her silver light pulsed brighter.


    "Yes, you do," I insisted, turning away from the Void Walker¡¯s grabbing arms. "You¡¯ve been feeling it, haven¡¯t you? The way reality changes when you¡¯re emotional? The way you can feel things that aren¡¯t quite there?"


    Her eyes widened with recognition. "How did you know?"


    "Because I¡¯ve spent my whole life studying the spaces between worlds," I said. "And you, Lily Carter, are the first non-Fae I¡¯ve ever seen who can touch them."


    The Void Walker roared in anger and turned toward Lily instead. "Enough talking. Time to feed."


    I threw myself between them, my crystal de slicing through the creature¡¯s arm. It shrieked and stumbled backward, but I knew the cut wouldn¡¯tst long. These things healed too fast.


    "Listen to me," I said quickly to Lily. "The Fae Court sent me here because our seers promised someone would emerge who could bridge dimensions. Someone who could help us seal the barriers forever."


    "You want to use her," the werewolf man growled.


    "I want to save everyone," I amended. "Including her. Because if the Void Walkers reach the Fae realm, they¡¯ll have ess to infinite magical energy. After that, no world will be safe."


    Lily looked between me and the rising number of Void Walkers. "What would I have to do?"


    "Come with me to the Fae realm," I said. "Let our masters teach you to control your between-world powers. In return, we¡¯ll help you seal all the reality tears."


    "And if I refuse?"


    I met her eyes honestly. "Then we¡¯ll all die, starting with the people you love most."


    The ground shook as another reality tear opened nearby. This one was different - instead of silver light, it poured out golden fire that made everything around it start to melt.


    "That¡¯s not possible," I breathed, recognizing the magical signal. "That¡¯s Summer Court magic."


    Willownded beside me, her face pale with fear. "Ash, we need to leave. Now."


    "Why? What¡¯s happening?"


    "The Summer Court isn¡¯t just sending observers," she said hurriedly. "They¡¯re sending an army. They think the Winter Court is behind the Void Walker attacks."


    My blood turned to ice. "But that¡¯s crazy. Why would we destroy reality?"


    "Because," came a familiar voice from the golden fire, "someone has been using Winter Court magic to tear open the barriers."


    Prince Ember of the Summer Court stepped through the mes, his fire sword already drawn. Behind him marched a hundred Summer fighters, their weapons zing with heat that made the air shimmer.


    "Hello, brother," Ember said with a wicked smile. "Ready to answer for your crimes?"


    I stared at him in shock. Ember was my cousin, not my brother. We¡¯d been raised together, trained together, even fought side by side against shared enemies.


    But the way he was looking at me now... like I was a stranger. Like I was an enemy.


    "Ember, what are you talking about?" I asked.


    He held up a crystal shard that pulsed with familiar winter power. "We found this embedded in every reality tear in Faend. Winter Court magic, Ash. Your magic."


    The crystal shard glowed with the exact same energy signature as my de. The same energy that had been pouring out of me every time I used my skills.


    "That¡¯s impossible," I whispered. "I¡¯ve been fighting the Void Walkers, not helping them."


    "Have you?" Ember asked. "Or have you been weakening the barriers every time you used your magic in the mortal world?"


    The horrible truth hit me like a physical blow. Every time I¡¯d used my interdimensional abilities to move between worlds, every time I¡¯d drawn power from the between-spaces, I¡¯d been making tiny tears in reality.


    And the Void Walkers had been following those tears like clues back to their source.


    "You led them here," Lily said, her voice filled with hatred. "You brought them to Silver Peak."


    I looked around at all the damage, all the fighting, all the fear. And I realized she was right.


    I hadn¡¯te here to save anyone.


    I hade here because I was the one ruining everything.

 Chapter 99: Supernatural Summit

    <h4>Chapter 99: Supernatural Summit</h4>


    Lily POV


    A vampire¡¯s fist whistled past my head as I dove between two fighting witches. My silver light red instinctively, forming a barrier that stopped both supernatural creatures mid-attack.


    "Stop!" I shouted, my power spreading out in waves that made everyone in the clearing freeze. "We¡¯re all going to die if we keep fighting each other!"


    The vampire snarled at me, his teeth dripping. "Stay out of this, wolf girl. This is between us and the fire-throwers."


    "No, it isn¡¯t," I said strongly, standing up despite my shaking legs. "Look around you. While we¡¯re busy hating each other, those things are getting stronger."


    I pointed to the Void Walkers slithering out of the reality tears. There were twice as many now, and they were allughing as they watched the magical species tear each other apart.


    "She¡¯s right," said Prince Ash, hobbling over with his crystal de still glowing. "Every moment we waste fighting is another moment they have to feed on our anger."


    A stone giant stomped forward, shaking the ground with each step. "Why should we trust the Fae? Your people started this mess."


    "Actually," said Sage the witch, clutching her magic book tightly, "I don¡¯t think any of us started this. I think we¡¯re all being yed."


    She opened her book and pointed to a page covered in old symbols. "I¡¯ve been studying the Void Walker attack patterns. They¡¯re not random. Someone has been leading them to ces where supernatural species would naturally sh." Dmitri the vampire nodded grimly. "My n got anonymous tips about witch territories being unguarded. We thought it was good hunting information."


    "We got warnings about vampire attacks on our sacred groves," added one of the witches. "That¡¯s why we came here armed for battle."


    "Same with us," rumbled the stone giant. "Messages saying werewolves were nning to invade our mountain homes."


    My stomach dropped as I realized what Sage was suggesting. "Someone wanted us all here. Someone wanted us fighting."


    "But who?" asked Caleb, moving protectively closer to me. "Who benefits from supernatural species destroying each other?"


    That¡¯s when I felt it - a familiar magical signal that made my silver light pulse with recognition. It was the same energy I¡¯d felt during my sacrifice, the same power that had tried to corrupt my link to the Triple Moon.


    "The Council," I whispered.


    Everyone turned to stare at me. "What council?" Prince Ashmanded.


    "During my sacrifice, something tried to take control of my power," I exined, my voice getting louder as the pieces clicked together. "It felt ancient and hungry, like it had been waiting for centuries to break free."


    Sage¡¯s eyes widened. "The Shadow Council. I thought they were just tales."


    "What¡¯s the Shadow Council?" Brock asked, his warrior reflexes making him scan the trees for threats.


    "A group of supernatural beings who were exiled centuries ago for trying to start a war between all the species," Sage said. "ording to the stories, they believed only the strongest supernatural creatures should survive."


    "And they¡¯ve been manipting us this whole time," I realized. "Using the Void Walkers as a distraction while they turn us against each other."


    A slow p echoed across the clearing. We all spun around to see figures emerge from the shadows between the trees. They moved wrong, like their bodies didn¡¯t quite fit together right. And their eyes... their eyes glowed with the same hungry darkness as the Void Walkers.


    "Very good, little moon child," said the boss, his voice like grinding stone. "Though you figured it out a bit toote."


    I counted seven figures total, each one representing a different magical species. A vampire with wings like a bat, a witch whose hands burned with ck fire, a werewolf whose fur grew in spots of different colors, a Fae with thorns instead of flowers in his hair, and others I couldn¡¯t identify. "The Shadow Council," Sage breathed. "You¡¯re supposed to be dead."


    "Dead?" The leaderughed. "We¡¯ve been very much alive, waiting for the right moment to reim our rightful ce as rulers of the supernatural world."


    "By destroying it?" Aiden stepped forward, his Alpha authority making his words carry across the clearing.


    "By cleaning it," amended the vampire-thing. "Too many weak beings pollute our world. Omegas who think they can lead. Vampires who refuse to kill. Witches who help instead of control. It¡¯s disgusting."


    My silver light red brighter as anger filled me. "You¡¯re wrong. Our differences make us stronger, not weaker."


    "Do they?" The leader gestured to the fighting that had been going moments before. "Because it looked like you were all ready to kill each other over centuries-old grudges."


    He had a point, and everyone knew it. For a moment, doubt crept into my mind. Maybe we were too different to work together. Maybe the hatred between species was too strong to conquer.


    Then I felt Caleb¡¯s hand slip into mine, followed by Dmitri¡¯s cool fingers on my shoulder. Sage stepped closer on my other side, and Prince Ash moved to stand with us despite his injuries.


    "You¡¯re right," I said to the Shadow Council head. "We do have old grudges. We do have reasons to fear each other."


    The leader smiled proudly. "Finally, some sense."


    "But," I continued, my silver light getting brighter, "we have something stronger than hatred."


    "And what¡¯s that?" he sneered.


    "Hope," I said simply. "Hope for a better tomorrow. Hope that we can be more than our worst desires."


    My power reached out automatically, connecting with the supernatural creatures around me. I felt Caleb¡¯s steady strength, Dmitri¡¯s fierce protection, Sage¡¯s brilliant curiosity, Prince Ash¡¯s desire to make things right.


    And something amazing happened. Their powers began to flow through my silver light, mixing and boosting each other instead of shing. Vampire speed improved werewolf tracking. Witch knowledge directed Fae magic. Stone giant strength supported everyone.


    For the first time in ages, supernatural species were truly working together.


    The Shadow Council leader¡¯s smile faded. "Impossible. The species ties were broken long ago."


    "Maybe the old bonds," I said, feeling the power continue to grow. "But new ones can be made."


    The leader raised his hand, dark energy sparking around his fingers. "Then you¡¯ll die together as well."


    But before he could attack, the ground beneath our feet began to glow. Not with the harsh silver light of the reality tears, but with warm golden light that felt like sunshine after rain.


    "What¡¯s happening?" Sage asked, her voice filled with wonder instead of fear.


    I looked down and gasped. Ancient symbols were showing in the earth around us - symbols that represented every supernatural species. They were connecting in patterns I¡¯d never seen before, making a circle that included everyone.


    "The Old Unity," Elder Iris¡¯s voice came from behind us. "I never thought I¡¯d live to see it return."


    The old werewolf approached slowly, but she wasn¡¯t alone. Behind her walked representatives from every supernatural group - vampires, witches, Fae, stone giants, and others I didn¡¯t recognize.


    "You see," Elder Iris continued, "the Shadow Council isn¡¯t the only group that¡¯s been waiting centuries for the right moment."


    The Shadow Council head took a step backward, his confident expression cracking. "The Unity Keepers. But you were all killed."


    "Hidden," Elder Iris amended. "Waiting for someone who could bridge the gaps between our peoples."


    She looked at me with proud eyes. "Waiting for you, Lily."


    The golden light grew brighter, and I felt something shift in the magical fabric of the world. The reality tears began to shrink as thebined power of all supernatural species worked to fix the damage.


    But then the Shadow Council head did something I didn¡¯t expect.


    He smiled.


    "Perfect," he said. "You¡¯ve done exactly what we hoped you would."


    Before anyone could respond, he pulled out a crystal that pulsed with the same energy as the Void Walkers. But this crystal was different - instead of consuming magic, it was meant to redirect it.


    "Did you really think we wanted you dead?" heughed. "We wanted you united. Because united divine power is so much easier to steal."


    The crystal red with blinding light, and I felt ourbined power being yanked away from us like water down a drain.


    "Thank you, little moon child," the boss said as our powers flowed into his crystal. "You¡¯ve just given us everything we need to remake the world."

 Chapter 100: The Cost of Alliance

    <h4>Chapter 100: The Cost of Alliance</h4>


    <strong>Aiden POV</strong>


    The vampire lord¡¯s fangs missed my throat by inches as I rolled sideways across the bargaining table. Papers spread everywhere while supernatural leaders dove for cover.


    "Enough!" I yelled, using my Alpha voice to fill the entire tent. "We¡¯re here to save our world, not destroy each other!"


    Dmitri wiped blood from his mouth where the stone giant had hit him. "Tell that to the rock-brain who called my n ¡¯blood-sucking parasites.¡¯"


    "You are parasites," rumbled Granite, the stone giant boss. "You feed on others to live. That¡¯s exactly what bugs do."


    I pressed my hands against my temples, feeling a headacheing on. We¡¯d been trying to form a union for three hours, and every species kept finding new reasons to hate each other. Meanwhile, reality tears were opening faster than we could close them.


    "Look," I said, standing on the damaged table so everyone could see me. "I know we all have problems with each other. But right now, the Void Walkers are winning because we¡¯re fighting instead of working together."


    A witch named Sage raised her hand. "The monster boy is right. While we fight, those things are feeding on our anger and getting stronger."


    "Don¡¯t call me ¡¯boy,¡¯" I snapped, then caught myself. Getting mad was exactly what the Void Walkers wanted. "Sorry. This is just... harder than I expected."


    Prince Ash of the Fae nodded. "Leading always is. But we didn¡¯te here to make it easy for you."


    That¡¯s when the real talks started. Each group wanted something before they¡¯d help fight the Shadow Council.


    The vampires went first. "We want hunting rights in all territories," Dmitri dered. "No more hiding what we are."


    "Absolutely not," I replied instantly. "We¡¯re not giving you permission to hurt innocent people."


    "We don¡¯t hurt innocents," Dmitri said, looking offended. "We only feed on criminals and helpers. But we¡¯re tired of being treated like monsters."


    I thought about that. "What if we set up a system? You help keep the peace, and we make sure you have what you need without anyone getting hurt?"


    Dmitri¡¯s eyes narrowed. "You¡¯d do that? Most werewolves would rather see us dead."


    "Most werewolves haven¡¯t seen Void Walkers trying to eat reality," I answered. "Times change."


    The stone giants wanted something different. "We demand the mountain territories that were stolen from us two hundred years ago," Granite boomed.


    My stomach dropped. Those mountains belonged to three different werewolf packs now. "I can¡¯t just give away other people¡¯s homes."


    "Then you can fight the Void Walkers alone," Granite said, turning to leave.


    "Wait!" I called out. "What if we worked out a sharing agreement? The mountains are big enough for everyone if we¡¯re smart about it."


    The witches were even harder. "We want ess to all magical knowledge," said their leader, a woman with silver hair. "No more secrets between the species."


    "Some secrets exist for good reasons," Prince Ash pointed out. "Fae magic in the wrong hands could be dangerous."


    "And witch magic couldn¡¯t?" the silver-haired woman shot back.


    I held up my hands. "What if we start with sharing information about fighting Void Walkers? Once we trust each other more, we can talk about other things."


    The Fae prince¡¯s requests were the strangest. "We want one favor from each species. To be collectedter."


    "What kind of favor?" I asked suspiciously.


    "Whatever we need, when we need it," Prince Ash smiled, and I didn¡¯t trust that smile at all.


    "That¡¯s too general. What if you ask for something horrible?"


    "We won¡¯t," he said. "But we also won¡¯t limit ourselves to small favors."


    Every demand felt like giving away pieces of my soul. How was I supposed to agree to things that could affect werewolf packs I¡¯d never even met? What if I was making bad mistakes?


    But then a scream sounded from outside the tent. We all rushed out to see another reality tear opening, this one twice as big as any we¡¯d seen before. Void Walkers poured through like water from a broken dam.


    "Decision time," Dmitri said, already moving toward the tear. "Do we have a deal or not?"


    I looked around at all the mysterious leaders. Vampires, witches, stone giants, Fae, and others I was still learning about. Each one could help save the world. Each one wanted something that might hurt my peopleter.


    "Deal," I said quickly. "But if any of you use this alliance to hurt innocents, I¡¯ll hunt you down myself."


    "Agreed," they all said at once.


    We rushed toward the Void Walkers, ourbined forces finally working together. Vampire speed helped werewolf strength. Witch magic directed Fae illusions. Stone giant toughness protected everyone while we fought.


    For a moment, I thought we might actually win. The Void Walkers were falling back, and the reality tear was starting to shrink.


    That¡¯s when I saw him.


    My father, Alpha Marcus, stepped out from behind a group of trees. But something was wrong with his eyes. They glowed the same hungry darkness as the Void Walkers.


    "Hello, son," he said in a voice that sounded like grinding stone. "Thank you for gathering all our enemies in one ce."


    Ice shot through my blood. "Dad?"


    "Not anymore," the thing wearing my father¡¯s face answered. "The Shadow Council has been looking for a way into vampire leadership for years. Your father was so worried about you, so eager to help. He made it easy for us to take control."


    Behind him, more familiar faces appeared from the darkness. Pack members I¡¯d known my whole life, all with those same dark, hungry eyes.


    "How many?" I whispered.


    "Enough," not-Dad smiled. "We¡¯ve been nning for this moment. Every deal you just made, every promise you gave ¨C we know about them all. We¡¯ve been listening through your father¡¯s ears."


    The otherworldly leaders around me looked confused and betrayed. They thought I¡¯d led them into a trap.


    "I didn¡¯t know," I said desperately. "I swear I didn¡¯t know!"


    "It doesn¡¯t matter now," not-Dad said. "You¡¯ve given us everything we need. The sites of every supernatural stronghold. The ws of every species. The exact terms of your rtionship."


    He raised his hand, and the possessed pack members moved forward. "Time to end this sham. The Shadow Council¡¯s patience is finished."


    That¡¯s when I realized the horrible truth. In trying to save everyone, I might have just given our enemies the keys to destroying us all.

 Chapter 101: Lily’s New Purpose

    <h4>Chapter 101: Lily¡¯s New Purpose</h4>


    Lily POV


    The shade beneath the old oak tree moved wrong, rippling like water instead of staying still. I froze mid-step, my hand flying out to stop Caleb from walking into what looked like empty air.


    "What is it?" he whispered, trusting me quickly even though he couldn¡¯t see what I saw.


    "Void Walker," I breathed. "A big one. Right in front of us."


    Caleb¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the seemingly normal shadow. "I don¡¯t see anything."


    That¡¯s when I realized how different I¡¯d be. Ever since losing my pack ties during the Shadow Council¡¯s attack, I could see things that were hidden from everyone else. The invisible threads of supernatural energy that linked all magical creatures. The weak spots in reality where Void Walkers liked to hide. The dark rot spreading through possessed pack members.


    "Trust me," I said, pulling out the silver de Elder Iris had given me. "On three, dive left. One... two... three!"


    We rolled apart just as the shadow exploded upward, showing a Void Walker the size of a small building. Its hungry darkness reached for where we¡¯d been standing, finding only empty air.


    "How did you know?" Caleb gasped, jumping to his feet.


    "I can see its energy pattern," I exined, watching the creature¡¯s moves. "It¡¯s like looking at a puzzle where one piece doesn¡¯t fit right."


    The Void Walker turned toward us, and I saw something that made my heart stop. Inside its darkness, faces were trapped - pack members who had been eaten. They were still alive, still screaming quietly for help.


    "We have to save them," I said, gripping my de tightly.


    "Lily, we can¡¯t fight that thing alone," Caleb argued. "We need to get back to the others."


    "By the time we get help, those people will bepletely absorbed," I argued. "Look with your mind, not your eyes. Can¡¯t you feel their pain?"


    Caleb closed his eyes, focusing. His face went pale. "Oh gods. I can hear them. How are they still aware in there?"


    "Void Walkers don¡¯t just eat people," I said, understanding hitting me like a punch to the gut. "They keep them alive to feed on their fear and misery. That¡¯s why they¡¯re getting stronger."


    The thing moved toward us, and I could see exactly how it nned to attack. The energy patterns showed me everything - where it would hit, how fast it would move, what angle would hurt us most.


    "When I say move, go right and count to five, then throw your dagger at the spot I point to," I told Caleb.


    "What spot? I can¡¯t see anything!"


    "You don¡¯t need to see it. Just trust me."


    The Void Walker lunged, and I shouted, "Move!"


    Caleb dove right while I rolled left, both of us barely missing the creature¡¯s grasping tendrils. I counted under my breath, watching the energy patterns shift and change.


    "Now! There!" I pointed to what looked like empty air.


    Caleb threw his dagger without pause. It struck something invisible, and the Void Walker shrieked as silver light erupted from the wound. The faces trapped inside became clearer, reaching toward us with desperate hands.


    "Again!" I called out, seeing another weak spot appear. "Two feet higher!"


    My own de found its mark, and more silver light poured out. The Void Walker began to dissolve, but instead of disappearing, it started pulling the trapped people down with it.


    "No!" I screamed, diving forward without thinking.


    My silver light zed brighter than ever before, reaching into the creature¡¯s fading form. I could feel the trapped souls, their fear and pain, their desperate hope for rescue. Without knowing how I was doing it, I started pulling them back toward the living world.


    One by one, pack members appeared on the ground around us. They were unconscious but breathing, living but changed. I could see new energy patterns around them, like scars that would never fully heal.


    "Lily," Caleb said softly, looking at me with wonder and fear. "Your eyes are glowing silver."


    I touched my face and felt the strange warmth there. "Is that bad?"


    "I don¡¯t know," he admitted. "But you just did something impossible. You pulled people back from the Void."


    That¡¯s when I realized what I¡¯d be. Not just someone who could see supernatural energies, but someone who could control them. The loss of my pack ties hadn¡¯t made me weaker - it had freed me to connect with something much bigger.


    "We need to get back to the others," I said, helping him group the rescued pack members. "I think I know why the Shadow Council really wanted to break our bonds."


    As we carried the unconscious wolves toward camp, I described what I¡¯d figured out. "Pack bonds limit us to werewolf energy. But without them, I can tap into all supernatural force. That¡¯s why they had to separate us from our packs first."


    "So they could create soldiers like you?" Caleb asked.


    "No," I said, understanding rushing through me. "So they could stop people like me from living. Someone who can see their ns, manipte their power, help their victims - I¡¯m exactly what they don¡¯t want."


    We reached the camp to find chaos. Aiden was arguing with supernatural leaders while Brock nned defenses. Everyone looked tired and frustrated.


    "The alliance is falling apart," Aiden said when he saw us. "Half the species think we led them into a trap. The other half want to quit the fight entirely."


    "What if I could show them something that would change their minds?" I asked.


    "Like what?"


    I gestured to the rescued pack members, who were beginning to wake up. "Proof that we can beat the Void Walkers. And proof that the Shadow Council has been lying to all of us."


    That¡¯s when the oldest saved wolf, a woman I¡¯d known since childhood, opened her eyes and looked directly at me.


    "Lily," she said in a voice that wasn¡¯t quite her own. "The Shadow Council wants to thank you."


    My blood turned to ice. "What?"


    "You¡¯ve just shown us exactly how your new powers work," the woman continued, her eyes now glowing with dark energy. "And now we know how to steal them."


    The other saved wolves began to sit up, all of them looking at me with those same corrupted eyes. I hadn¡¯t saved them at all.


    I¡¯d brought the enemy right into our camp.

 Chapter 102: Caleb’s Jealousy

    <h4>Chapter 102: Caleb¡¯s Jealousy</h4>


    Caleb POV


    My hand connected with Prince Ash¡¯s perfect jaw before I even realized I was moving. The Fae prince stumbled backward, feeling his lip in surprise while everyone in the strategy tent stared at me.


    "Caleb!" Lily gasped, rushing between us. "What are you doing?"


    I couldn¡¯t answer because I didn¡¯t know. One moment I¡¯d been listening to Prince Ash exin fight tactics to Lily, and the next I was throwing punches like some kind of animal. The worst part? I wanted to hit him again.


    "I¡¯m sorry," I said quickly, stepping back. "I don¡¯t know what came over me."


    Prince Ash fixed his jacket, looking more amused than angry. "Ah, I see what¡¯s happening here."


    "You see what?" I demanded, that strange angry feeling bubbling up again.


    "Nothing," Lily said firmly, giving the Fae prince a warning look. "Caleb¡¯s just stressed about the war. We all are."


    But I caught the knowing smile on Prince Ash¡¯s face, and it made me want to punch him again. What was wrong with me? I¡¯d never been angry before. I was the quiet brother, the one who solved problems with books and ns, not fists.


    "Perhaps we should continue this discussionter," said Dmitri the vampire, who¡¯d been watching with interest. "When everyone¡¯s feeling more... controlled."


    As the magical leaders filed out of the tent, I noticed how they all seemed to look at Lily differently now. Not with the mistrust they¡¯d shown before, but with something that looked almost like respect. Or worse - respect.


    "Caleb, are you okay?" Lily asked once we were alone. "You¡¯ve been acting strange all week."


    Strange didn¡¯t begin to cover it. Ever since Lily had started working closely with the supernatural friends, I¡¯d been feeling things I couldn¡¯t name. Angry when other guys talked to her. Protective when she went on scouting trips. Worried when she came back tired from using her new skills.


    "I¡¯m fine," I lied. "Just tired."


    "You¡¯re not fine," she said, moving closer. "Talk to me. What¡¯s bothering you?"


    How could I exin that watching her work with Prince Ash made me feel like my skin was crawling? That hearing Dmitripliment her skills made me want to challenge him to a fight? That seeing her grow stronger and more confident while working with everyone except me made me feel like I was losing something important?


    "It¡¯s nothing," I said again, but my voice came out rougher than I meant it to.


    Lily¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Don¡¯t lie to me, Caleb Silver. I can see supernatural energies now, remember? And yours are all twisted up with something dark."


    Before I could reply, Brock burst into the tent. "We¡¯ve got a problem. Three of the saved pack members just disappeared from the medical tent."


    My stomach dropped. The wolves Lily had saved from the Void Walker had been acting strange since their rescue. They kept staring at people with eyes that seemed too knowing, too aware.


    "How did they get past the guards?" Lily asked.


    "That¡¯s the thing," Brock said sadly. "The guards don¡¯t remember them leaving. They just... forgot they were supposed to be watching them."


    "Memory maniption," I said, my schr¡¯s mind immediately jumping to the worst option. "The Shadow Council can make people forget things."


    "Which means those weren¡¯t really rescued pack members," Lily whispered, her face going pale. "They were spies."


    We ran to the medical tent, but it was toote. The three wolves were gone, and with them, any chance of keeping our ns hidden. They¡¯d been listening to our strategy talks for days.


    "We have to assume they know everything," Aiden said when we called an emergency meeting. "Our attack ns, our weaknesses, the location of our camp."


    "Then we move," Dmitri offered. "Find a new base."


    "There¡¯s nowhere to go," Prince Ash said softly. "They¡¯ll find us wherever we hide."


    That¡¯s when the angry feeling in my chest burst into something bigger. "This is your fault," I snapped at the Fae prince. "You¡¯re the one who said we should trust the rescued wolves."


    "Actually, that was Lily¡¯s idea," Prince Ash responded calmly.


    "Don¡¯t you dare me her," I snarled, moving toward him again. "She was trying to save people."


    "And I¡¯m not ming her," Prince Ash said, but his eyes were sparkling like he found this whole situation entertaining. "I¡¯m simply pointing out that trust is a dangerous thing in war."


    "Caleb, stop," Lily said, putting her hand on my arm. "He¡¯s right. This was my mistake."


    "No, it wasn¡¯t," I said furiously. "You did what any good person would do. You tried to help."


    "And now we¡¯re all going to pay for it," Aiden said tiredly.


    That¡¯s when I realized what was happening to me. The anger, the protectiveness, the need to defend Lily even when she was wrong - it wasn¡¯t just stress or fear about the war.


    I was jealous.


    Jealous of Prince Ash¡¯s easy ease around her. Jealous of Dmitri¡¯s impressedments about her skills. Jealous of every magical creature who got to work with her while I felt more useless every day.


    But why? We were friends, nothing more. We¡¯d never been anything more.


    "I need some air," I said, shoving past everyone to get outside.


    Lily followed me, which only made the strange feelings worse. "Caleb, wait."


    "I¡¯m fine," I said for the third time, but even I didn¡¯t believe it anymore.


    "You¡¯re not fine, and neither am I," she said. "Ever since I lost my pack ties, I¡¯ve been feeling... different. About everything. About you."


    I stopped walking. "What do you mean?"


    "I mean I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening between us," she said quietly. "But I know it¡¯s something."


    Before I could respond, the ground beneath our feet started to shake. Not an earthquake - something else. Something that made the air itself feel wrong.


    "What is that?" Lily asked, her new abilities clearly picking up on something I couldn¡¯t sense.


    That¡¯s when I saw them. Dozens of figures emerging from the bush around our camp. They moved with purpose, surrounding uspletely.


    "The Shadow Council," I breathed.


    But as they got closer, I realized something horrible. These weren¡¯t just Shadow Council members.


    They were our lost pack members. Every wolf who¡¯d disappeared over the past few months. All of them walking toward us with those same dark, hungry eyes.


    And leading them was someone I recognized.


    "Hello, little brother," said a voice that sounded exactly like Aiden¡¯s.


    I spun around to see my brother standing behind us, but his eyes glowed with the same darkness as theing figures.


    "Aiden?" Lily whispered.


    "Not anymore," not-Aiden smiled. "Though I have to thank you both. Watching you through his eyes has been very informative."


    That¡¯s when I understood. The real Aiden was gone. Had been gone for who knows how long. And I¡¯d been too busy being jealous to notice that my own brother had been reced.

 Chapter 103: The Witch’s Test

    <h4>Chapter 103: The Witch¡¯s Test</h4>


    Sage POV


    The old crystal in my hand exploded into a thousand pieces.


    I jerked backward, purple sparks dancing across my fingers as the shards scattered across my workshop floor. This was the third testing crystal that had shattered when I tried to study Lily¡¯s energy signature. Whatever she¡¯d be after that rite, it was beyond anything I¡¯d seen in three hundred years of practicing magic.


    "Sage?" Lily¡¯s words came from the examination table, worried. "Did I break something again?"


    "It¡¯s not your fault," I said quickly, cleaning up the crystal pieces with a wave of my hand. They melted into glittering dust before hitting the ground. "Your energy is just... different now."


    Different was putting it lightly. When Lily had arrived at my house this morning, asking me to figure out what the Triple Moon sacrifice had done to her, I¡¯d expected to find damaged pack bonds or magical exhaustion. Instead, her aura looked like nothing I¡¯d ever seen -yers uponyers of energy that seemed to exist in multiple ces at once.


    "Can you try the memory stone instead?" Lily asked, sitting up on the wooden table. "Maybe that will work better?"


    I paused. Memory stones were dangerous, especially when working with unknown magic. But my other testing methods had failed totally. The seeing bowl had turned to ice when she touched it. The truth fires had flickered in colors that didn¡¯t exist. Even my grandmother¡¯s old pendulum had spun so fast it broke its chain.


    "Memory stones can show things we¡¯re not ready to see," I told her. "Are you sure you want to know what happened during the ritual?"


    Lily nodded firmly. "I have to know, Sage. These weird things keep happening around me. Yesterday, I was thinking about Caleb, and suddenly I could see him even though he was miles away scouting with his brothers. This morning, I identally walked through my bedroom wall."


    My blood ran cold. Walking through walls was impossible for werewolves. Even for most witches. But if my suspicions were right about what she¡¯d be...


    "Tell me exactly what you remember about the sacrifice," I said, pulling out my most powerful memory stone. It was ck as midnight and warm to the touch, carved from volcanic ss by my rtive who¡¯d been present at the first Triple Moon ritual centuries ago.


    "I remember the pain," Lily said quietly. "Like someone was pulling pieces of my soul away. The Void Walker was pulling at all my ties - to the pack, to Caleb, to everyone I cared about. I knew if I didn¡¯t stop it, everyone would die."


    She paused, her eyes distant with memory. "So I grabbed the ritual knife and cut the ties myself. I thought if I made the sacrifice freely instead of having it torn from me, maybe I could save everyone."


    "And then?" I prompted, holding the memory stone carefully.


    "Everything went white. I felt like I was falling through space, through time, through... I don¡¯t know how to describe it. Like I was everywhere and nowhere at the same time." Tears formed in her eyes. "When I woke up, I couldn¡¯t feel the pack anymore. Couldn¡¯t feel Caleb¡¯s love through our mate bond. It was like being totally alone for the first time in my life."


    I put the memory stone gently on her forehead. "This might hurt. The stone will show me what really happened during those times you can¡¯t remember."


    The second the stone touched her skin, the world exploded into images.


    I saw Lily on the ritual circle, the Void Walker¡¯s darkness wrapping around her like hungry fingers. I watched her grab the silver knife, her face determined even as tears streamed down her cheeks. But when she cut her bonds, something incredible happened.


    Instead of the ties simply breaking, they transformed. The silver lines that connected her to everyone she loved didn¡¯t disappear - they stretched across dimensions, reaching into ces that shouldn¡¯t exist. I saw her awareness scatter into a dozen different realities, each one showing a different version of what could happen to her pack.


    In one world, she watched Caleb die protecting the younger wolves. In another, she saw Aiden swallowed by shadow. In a third, Brock fell protecting the pack boundaries. Reality after reality shed before her, showing every possible way her sacrifice could fail.


    But then something amazing happened. Instead of just watching, Lily started reaching across those dimensional barriers. She grabbed the versions of herself from other realities - the one where she¡¯d learned advanced healing magic, the one where she¡¯d found ancient wolf powers, the one where she¡¯d mastered witch abilities she¡¯d never known she possessed.


    The memory stone grew burning hot in my hands as I watched her pull all those different versions of herself together into one being. Not just Lily Carter, small-town omega, but Lily Carter from a thousand different worlds where she¡¯d grown stronger, learned more, be more than anyone thought possible.


    When the ritual finished and she opened her eyes, she wasn¡¯t just one person anymore. She was all of them.


    I yanked the memory stone away, panting. My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped it.


    "What did you see?" Lily asked anxiously. "Sage, what¡¯s wrong? You look terrified."


    "You¡¯re not just changed," I whispered. "You¡¯re not even entirely in this world anymore. The sacrifice didn¡¯t break your ties - it expanded them across multiple dimensions. You¡¯re connected to every version of yourself that lives in any possible world."


    Lily stared at me nkly. "I don¡¯t understand. What does that mean?"


    Before I could answer, the cottage door burst open. Caleb stumbled in, his eyes wild with fear.


    "Lily, thank god you¡¯re here," he gasped. "Something¡¯s wrong with Aiden and Brock. They were scouting the northern line when they just... disappeared. Not like they were taken - like they stopped existing. I can¡¯t feel them through the pack bond at all."


    My blood turned to ice as I realized what was happening. If Lily was linked to multiple realities, and those realities were starting to bleed into each other...


    "Sage," Lily said, her voice strange and faraway. "I can see them. Aiden and Brock. They¡¯re stuck somewhere between worlds, and something dark is hunting them."


    She stood up from the table, her eyes started to glow with silver light. "I have to go get them. I¡¯m the only one who can travel between worlds now."


    "No!" I shouted, but it was toote.


    Lily¡¯s body began to fade, bing invisible like a ghost.


    "Tell Caleb I love him," she whispered, her words echoing from multiple dimensions at once. "And if I don¡¯te back, tell him the pack needs to prepare for war. Something is using the dimensional rifts to attack our world, and it¡¯s not going to stop with just two dogs."


    She vanished totally, leaving only the scent of wildflowers and magic in the air.


    Caleb and I stared at the empty space where she¡¯d been standing, the terrible truth falling over us like a cold nket.


    Lily hadn¡¯t just been changed by the Triple Moon offering.


    She¡¯d been armed.


    And somewhere in the space between worlds, something old and hungry was waiting for her.

 Chapter 104: Dmitri’s Past

    <h4>Chapter 104: Dmitri¡¯s Past</h4>


    Dmitri POV


    The old portrait burst into mes the moment I touched it.


    I jerked my hand back, watching three hundred years of careful preservation turn to ash in seconds. The picture had shown my maker, Elena, the night before the Void Walkers killed her. Now it was gone, just like everything else they¡¯d taken from me.


    "Dmitri?" Caleb¡¯s voice came from behind me. "We felt the magic from outside. What happened?"


    I turned to find Caleb and Sage standing in my study doorway, their faces worried. They¡¯de to ask for my help finding Lily after she¡¯d slipped into whatever dimension the brothers were trapped in. But seeing Elena¡¯s portrait burn had brought back feelings I¡¯d spent centuries trying to forget.


    "The Void Walkers are stirring," I said, brushing ash from my fingers. "Things connected to theirst appearance are starting to react."


    That was putting it lightly. For the past week, ever since Lily¡¯s sacrifice, items from my past had been acting strange. My maker¡¯s jewelry had turned ice cold. Books from the old country had their pages rearranging themselves. Even my image in mirrors had started looking different - younger, like I was back in 1724.


    "You¡¯ve faced these things before," Sage said, stepping into the room carefully. "That¡¯s why you know so much about them."


    I nodded slowly. There was no point hiding it anymore. If we were going to save Lily and the Silver boys, they needed to know the truth about what we were really fighting.


    "I was there when they were first banished," I revealed. "Not as an ally helping with the ritual, but as a victim who barely survived their attack."


    Caleb¡¯s eyes widened. "You were there? But that was centuries ago."


    "I¡¯m older than I look," I said sadly. "Much older. And I have very personal reasons for wanting these creatures destroyed."


    I walked to my desk and pulled out a locked box that hadn¡¯t been opened in decades. Insidey the only things I had left from that terrible night - Elena¡¯s silver ring and a piece of ck stone that still pulsed with dark energy.


    "My maker, Elena Volkov, was one of the most powerful vampires in Europe," I began, holding the locket carefully. "She¡¯d lived for over a thousand years, weathered wars, gues, and the rise and fall of empires. She was also the nicest person I¡¯d ever known."


    Sage moved closer, feeling the pain in my voice. "What happened to her?"


    "She tried to stop them," I said simply. "When the Void Walkers first appeared in 1724, they started in the old woods of Romania. They didn¡¯t just kill people - they erased thempletely, removing them from existence so thoroughly that no one even knew they¡¯d lived."


    I opened the locket, showing them the tiny picture inside. Elena¡¯s face smiled up at us, her dark hair framing kind eyes that had seen centuries of human pain and still chosepassion.


    "Elena gathered other supernatural creatures to fight back," I continued. "Witches, shifters, even a few fae who still walked the earth back then. She believed that if different magical beings worked together, we could find a way to stop the Void Walkers."


    "Did it work?" Caleb asked quietly.


    "For a while." I closed the case and set it down gently. "We managed to track the Void Walkers to their source - a tear in reality itself, hidden deep in an old cave system. Elena led the final attack, taking our strongest fighters into the void to seal the rift from the inside."


    My hands clenched into fists as the memories came rushing back. Even after three centuries, the pain felt fresh.


    "I wasn¡¯t meant to go with them. Elena ordered me to stay behind with the other young vampires, to guard the humans in case the operation failed. But I was stubborn and stupid. I thought I could help."


    "You followed them," Sage guessed.


    "I did. And I arrived just in time to watch them die." The words tasted like ash in my mouth. "The Void Walkers had been waiting for us. They¡¯d used the rift as bait, knowing that heroes woulde to close it. When our people tried to perform the banishing rite, the creatures turned their own power against them."


    I picked up the ck stone, feeling its cold weight. " Elena threw this to me as she fell. It¡¯s a piece of the original rift, the only proof that any of it really happened. She wanted me to remember, to make sure someone survived who knew the truth."


    "But you were just a new vampire," Caleb said. "How did you escape when older, more powerful creatures couldn¡¯t?"


    "Because I was nobody important," I said sadly. "The Void Walkers feed on power, on importance, on the bonds that connect people to others. Elena had lived for a thousand years and was loved by dozens of vampires she¡¯d made. The werewolf alpha had a pack of two hundred. The witch master had trained hundreds of students. "


    I looked at my hands, still young-looking after all these years. "But I was just Elena¡¯s newest child. Barely fifty years old, with no pack, no coven, no one who would miss me if I vanished. I wasn¡¯t worth their attention."


    "So you survived by being overlooked," Sage murmured. "Just like Lily did in her pack."


    Theparison hit me like a physical blow. "Yes. And I¡¯ve spent every day since then nning for their return. Learning their weaknesses, gathering friends, making sure that when they came back, someone would be ready to fight them properly."


    Caleb frowned. "But if you knew they¡¯d return, why didn¡¯t you tell more people? Why wait until now to tell us this?"


    "Because I wasn¡¯t sure they were really back until Lily¡¯s sacrifice," I revealed. "The Void Walkers don¡¯t just kill or eat. They change reality itself, making people forget their victims ever existed. When Elena died, most of the magical world forgot she¡¯d ever lived. Books about her disappeared. People who¡¯d known her for ages couldn¡¯t remember her name."


    I held up the locket again. "This is the only proof I have that she was real. And now it¡¯s responding to their presence, getting warmer every day."


    Sage¡¯s face went pale. "Dmitri, if they can edit reality, and Lily is existing in multiple dimensions..."


    "She¡¯s in more danger than we thought," I finished. "The Void Walkers don¡¯t just hunt in one world. They can follow her across worlds, erasing every version of herself until nothing remains."


    Before anyone could react, the locket in my hand began to burn. Not with heat, but with a cold that bit through my vampire skin like acid.


    "They¡¯ve found her," I gasped, dropping the charm as it turned white-hot. "They¡¯re attacking her right now, somewhere between worlds."


    The ck stone on my desk began to pulse faster, its dark energy reaching out like fingers.


    "Dmitri," Caleb said quickly, "your reflection..."


    I looked at the mirror behind my desk and froze. My reflection wasn¡¯t showing my present self anymore. Instead, I saw myself as I¡¯d been that night in 1724 - young, frightened, watching Elena fall into the void while creatures of living darkness reached for her with hungry ws.


    "They¡¯re not just back," I whispered in horror. "They¡¯re rewriting time itself. Changing the past so they were never banished at all."


    The mirror cracked, and through the cracks, I could see Elena¡¯s face. But it wasn¡¯t the Elena from my memories - it was Elena as she would be now, if she¡¯d survived, if the Void Walkers had never killed her.


    She was trying to tell me something, her mouth moving frantically behind the ss.


    "Elena?" I breathed, reaching toward the broken mirror.


    Her mouth formed three words I could barely make out: "Save the girl."


    Then the mirror shattered totally, and in the falling ss, I saw the truth that made my centuries-old heart stop beating.


    The Void Walkers hadn¡¯t just killed Elena.


    They¡¯d turned her into one of them.

 Chapter 105: Fae Politics

    <h4>Chapter 105: Fae Politics</h4>


    Prince Ash POV


    The crystal throne burst beneath my father as I mmed my fist on the council table.


    Shards of pure magic scattered across the floor while every fae lord in the room gasped in shock. King Oberon rose slowly from the ruins of his seat, his silver eyes burning with anger that could have frozen mountains.


    "You dare show such disrespect in my court?" he asked, power crackling around him like lightning.


    "I dare show the same respect you¡¯re giving to innocent people who are dying!" I shot back, not caring that half the council looked ready to remove me on the spot. "While we sit here ying political games, the Void Walkers are erasing entire families from existence!"


    My aunt, Lady Titania,ughed coldly from her seat. "Such love for mortals, nephew. How wonderfully naive."


    The other council members murmured approval, their perfect faces showing nothing but bored amusement. They¡¯d been arguing for three days whether to help the werewolves and vampires fight the Void Walkers, and every hour we wasted meant more people died.


    "They¡¯re not just mortals," I said desperately. "The werewolves, the vampires, even the witches - they¡¯re all part of the magical world. If the Void Walkers kill them, we could be next."


    "Could be," emphasized Lord Puck, the court¡¯s top advisor. "But probably won¡¯t be. The Void Walkers have always targeted beings with strong emotional ties. We fae are naturally more... removed."


    I wanted to punch his smug face. "Detached? Is that what we¡¯re calling weakness now?"


    The temperature in the room dropped twenty degrees as my father¡¯s anger grew. "Enough, Ash. You forget yourself."


    "No, Father, I remember myself perfectly." I stood up straighter, meeting his stare without flinching. "I remember that our people used to stand for something. We used to protect the bnce between worlds, not hide behind our walls hoping danger would pass us by."


    Lady Titania stood smoothly, her voice sweet as poisoned honey. "Perhaps Prince Ash has spent too much time among the lower creatures. It seems to have affected his judgment."


    "My judgment is fine," I snapped. "It¡¯s my conscience that won¡¯t let me ignore genocide."


    That got their attention. Several council members shifted ufortably. Even among the fae, there were lines that shouldn¡¯t be crossed, and watching entire species get wiped out came close to crossing them.


    "The boy has a point," said Lord Bramble, one of the older nobles. "If we allow the Void Walkers to grow stronger by consuming other magical beings, they may eventually be powerful enough to threaten even us."


    "Exactly!" I jumped on the support. "This isn¡¯t about helping mortals out of kindness. It¡¯s about protecting ourselves by stopping a threat before it gets too strong."


    My father studied me with those cold silver eyes that had intimidated me since childhood. "And what exactly are you proposing, my son?"


    "Full intervention," I said immediately. "We open the ways between our realm and theirs. We send our best fighters, our most powerful magic users. We end this threatpletely."


    The council chamber exploded in shocked voices. Several nobles stood up, talking over each other in their musical faenguage. Through the chaos, I heard fragments: "impossible," "too dangerous," "he¡¯s lost his mind. "


    Lady Titania¡¯s voice cut through the noise like a de. "Open the ways? Do you have any idea what you¡¯re suggesting?"


    "I know exactly what I¡¯m suggesting," I said strongly. "The same thing our ancestors did when the dragon wars threatened to spill into ournd. The same thing we did when the demon princes tried to attack the mortal world. We act before the threat hits us."


    "Those were different times," my father said softly, and something in his tone made everyone else fall silent. "We were different then. Stronger. More united."


    I felt a chill that had nothing to do with magic. "What do you mean?"


    "He means," Lord Puck said with obvious pleasure, "that opening the ways now would leave us exposed to other threats. There are forces in the deep darkness that have been waiting ages for us to lower our defenses."


    "What forces?" I demanded, but my father held up a hand for quiet.


    "There are things you don¡¯t know, Ash. Things the younger age has been protected from." His voice carried ages of weariness. "The Void Walkers aren¡¯t the only old evil that was banished long ago. There are others, sleeping in the spaces between worlds, waiting for any crack in reality to slip through."


    My heart sank as I realized what he was saying. "You¡¯re afraid that helping fight the Void Walkers will wake up something worse."


    "Not afraid," Lady Titania amended. "Certain. The magical barriers that keep our realm safe require constant repair. If we send our power to fight in another world, those barriers will weaken. And when they do..."


    She didn¡¯t need to finish. I could see the truth in every face around the table. The fae weren¡¯t just being selfish or weak. They were stuck in an impossible choice: help save the mortal world and risk destroying their own, or stay safe and watch other magical beings get destroyed.


    "There has to be another way," I said desperately. "Some kind ofpromise."


    "There is," said a new voice from the room doors.


    Everyone turned to see Queen Mab, my father¡¯s sister, walking into the room. She¡¯d been lost for weeks, off on some mysterious mission that no one would tell me about. Her arrival sent a ripple of nervous energy through the meeting.


    "Sister," my father said slowly. "I didn¡¯t expect you back so soon."


    "I came as soon as I felt the barriers trembling," she answered, her dark eyes fixed on me. "It seems my nephew has been making quite the argument for war."


    "Not war," I cried. "Justice. These Void Walkers are monsters."


    Queen Mab smiled, but it wasn¡¯t a pleasant look. "Oh, my dear boy. You have no idea what monsters really look like."


    She walked to the middle of the room, and I noticed that frost formed on the floor wherever her feet touched. Something was very wrong.


    "I¡¯ve spent the past month investigating these Void Walkers," she stated. "Learning their true nature, their real purpose."


    "And?" my father prompted when she paused.


    "They¡¯re not invaders from another dimension," Queen Mab said, her voice carrying across the silent chamber. "They¡¯re antibodies."


    I felt my blood turn to ice. "What do you mean?"


    "I mean reality itself is sick, cousin. Magic has grown too strong, too wild. The walls between worlds are breaking down because there¡¯s too much supernatural energy building up pressure." Her smile got wider and more terrible. "The Void Walkers aren¡¯t breaking magic randomly. They¡¯re trimming it. Cutting away the excess so reality doesn¡¯t copse totally."


    The room fell into stunned silence as the implications hit everyone at once.


    "You¡¯re saying they¡¯re supposed to be doing this?" I whispered.


    "I¡¯m saying they¡¯re doing exactly what they were created to do," Queen Mab replied. "And if we stop them, every dimension, every realm, every world where magic exists will tear itself apart."


    My father stood slowly, his face pale. "Mab, are you certain?"


    "Completely." She turned to face the full group. "Which brings us to our real choice. We can let the Void Walkers continue their work, watching as they remove roughly half of all magical beings to restore bnce..."


    She paused, letting the horrible math sink in.


    "Or we can take their ce and do the pruning ourselves."


    The crystal walls of the chamber began to crack as every fae in the room realized what she was suggesting.


    We could save the werewolves, vampires, and witches.


    But only by bing the monsters ourselves.

 Chapter 106: The First Victory

    <h4>Chapter 106: The First Victory</h4>


    Brock POV


    The vampire¡¯s scream cut through the night as a Void Walker¡¯s shadow tentacles wrapped around her chest, pulling her into the darkness that wasn¡¯t quite darkness.


    "No!" I roared, flinging myself forward with werewolf speed. My ws raked across the creature¡¯s form, but it was like trying to grab smoke. The vampire - Sarah, I think her name was - disappeared into the Void Walker¡¯s hungry maw with onest frightened shriek.


    That made twelve fighters we¡¯d lost in the past hour.


    "Brock, fall back!" Marcus, the witchmander, yelled from behind a crumbling wall. "We need to regroup!"


    Regroup? We¡¯d been gathering for three days straight while these monsters ate our people. I was done running.


    Around me, the battlefield looked like a nightmare. Werewolves fought alongside vampires, witches cast spells next to fae fighters, and humans with blessed weapons tried to hold the line. It should have been impossible - all these supernatural animals working together. A month ago, we¡¯d been foes. Now we were the only thing standing between the Void Walkers and total destruction.


    The partnership had seemed like such a good idea when we¡¯d first formed it. Pool our powers,bine our magic, fight as one. But watching another werewolf from the River Pack get pulled into darkness, I wondered if we were just making it easier for the Void Walkers to kill us all at once.


    A huge shadow loomed over me. This Void Walker was different from the others - bigger, with eyes like burning stars and a mouth that seemed to hold an entire universe of hunger. It spoke in a voice that sounded like dying worlds.


    "Little wolf," it hissed. "You taste of desperation. Delicious."


    I shifted into my wolf form, my body expanding with strength and fur. In wolf shape, I was twice the size of an average werewolf, strong enough to rip through steel. But against these creatures, I felt like a puppy.


    The Void Walker hit with tentacles of pure darkness. I dodged left, then right, my improved reflexes barely keeping me alive. Behind me, I heard Marcus chanting in the oldnguage, trying to make a protection spell strong enough to actually hurt these things.


    "Brock!" A familiar voice made my heart skip. Luna, the vampire queen,nded beside me with inhuman ease. Blood dripped from w marks on her pale arms. "The spell¡¯s almost ready, but Marcus needs more time!"


    "How much time?" I growled, snapping at another shadow arm.


    "Two minutes!"


    The Void Walkerughed, a sound like broken ss. "Two minutes? You won¡¯tst two seconds."


    It was probably right. But I¡¯d been protecting people my whole life. That¡¯s what we werewolves do - we guard the pack, even when the pack includes vampires and witches and creatures we¡¯d never trusted before.


    The monster lunged forward, and I met it head-on.


    Pain burst through my body as shadow-ws raked across my ribs. I bit down on whatever passed for the creature¡¯s arm, tasting something like ice and dread. The Void Walker shrieked and threw me away like a rag doll.


    I hit the ground hard, feeling bones crack. My wolf form flickered, threatening to fall back into human shape. Around me, the battle raged on. A fae warrior named Thorne was painting silver symbols in the air, his power creating barriers of light. A witch called Elena was throwing fireballs that actually seemed to hurt the Void Walkers, though they reformed secondster.


    But we were losing. For every small win, the darkness imed two more fighters.


    "Thirty seconds!" Marcus yelled.


    The big Void Walker turned toward the witch, recognizing the real threat. It started moving toward Marcus, shadow tentacles whipping out to clear a way.


    I couldn¡¯t let it reach him. Not when we were so close.


    Forcing myself back to my feet, I howled - a sound that echoed across the battlefield and made every supernatural thing look up. It was the werewolf call for final fight. The sound we made when we chose to die fighting rather than let evil win.


    Other werewolves answered my call. Vampires hissed in unity. Witches raised their hands in salute. Even the proud fae fighters nodded with respect.


    Together, we charged.


    What happened next was the most beautiful and terrible thing I¡¯d ever seen. Every magical creature on the battlefield forgot their old hatreds and became one fighting force. Vampire speed mixed with werewolf strength. Witch magic boosted by fae power. Human courage backed by inhuman skills.


    The Void Walkers, for the first time, looked shocked.


    "Now!" Marcus screamed.


    Light burst from his position - not the clean light of day, but something deeper. Thebined magical force of dozens of supernatural beings, all focused into one spell. The light hit the Void Walkers like a physical force, and they screamed in voices that hurt to hear.


    The big creature that had been about to kill Marcus twisted in pain, its form bing less solid. "Impossible," it gasped. "The barriers... they should prevent..."


    "The barriers are breaking down," Marcus said, his voice carrying across the battlefield even though he was whispering. "Magic is changing. And you monsters aren¡¯t the only ones who can change."


    The light grew brighter, and one by one, the Void Walkers began to dissolve. Not disappear - melt, like sugar in water. They screamed and wed at reality itself, but they couldn¡¯t stop it.


    We¡¯d won. Our first real win against the Void Walkers.


    The celebrationsted exactly thirty seconds.


    "Brock," Luna said, her voice strange. "Look at Marcus."


    I turned toward the witch leader, expecting to see exhaustion or relief. Instead, I saw something that made my blood freeze.


    Marcus was glowing. Not with magic - with the same dark energy we¡¯d just seen from the Void Walkers. His eyes had be bottomless pits, and when he smiled, his teeth looked like they belonged in a fantasy.


    "Thank you," he said in a voice that rang with hungry darkness. "I couldn¡¯t have absorbed their power without your help."


    The spell hadn¡¯t destroyed the Void Walkers.


    It had fed them to Marcus.


    And now, looking at the witch who¡¯d beenmanding our forces, I understood we¡¯d been fighting the wrong enemy all along.


    Marcus lifted his hands, and shadow tentacles began sprouting from his fingers.


    "Now," he said with a grin that would haunt my dreams forever, "let¡¯s discuss the real n."

 Chapter 107: Reality Storms

    <h4>Chapter 107: Reality Storms</h4>


    Omniscient POV


    The tree burst backward through time.


    Sarah watched in fear as the ancient oak beside her shrank from a mighty giant to a sapling, then to a seed, then to nothing at all. The spot where it had stood for three hundred years now held only empty air and confused birds that had been nesting in trees that no longer existed.


    "Everyone stay close!" she yelled to the group of survivors huddled behind her. "Don¡¯t touch anything that¡¯s shimmering!"


    Around them, the world had gonepletely crazy. The Reality Storm had hit their hiding spot five minutes ago, and since then, the rules of nature seemed to be ying a cruel joke. Gravity worked sideways in some ces. Fire burned cold and froze the air. Rain fell upward into a sky that kept changing colors like a broken TV.


    Sarah had been a teacher before the Void Walkers came. She¡¯d spent her days helping eight-year-olds learn math and reading. Now she was trying to keep twelve terrified people living in a world where two plus two might equal purple.


    "Ms. Sarah," mumbled Tommy, the youngest survivor at only ten years old. "My mom... she¡¯s glowing again."


    Sarah¡¯s heart sank. Tommy¡¯s mother, J, was caught in a time loop. Every thirty seconds, she would repeat the same moment - reaching for her son¡¯s hand while screaming his name. The loop had been getting lighter each time it repeated, which probably meant something terrible was about to happen.


    "It¡¯s okay, sweetheart," Sarah lied, pulling Tommy closer. "We¡¯ll figure this out."


    But she had no idea how. When the Reality Storms first started three days ago, they thought it was just another weird thing the Void Walkers did. Then Elder Iris, the old fae woman who¡¯d been helping n their resistance, exined the horrible truth.


    "The barriers between worlds are ripping apart," she¡¯d said with fear in her ancient eyes. "Magic itself is falling down. These storms are reality trying to fix itself, but it doesn¡¯t know how."


    A scream from across their small camp made everyone jump. David, one of the werewolves, was aging quickly - his brown hair turning gray, then white, then falling outpletely. His young face wrinkled and slumped as decades passed in seconds.


    "Help me!" he cried, but his voice cracked like an old man¡¯s.


    Sarah started toward him, but Elder Iris grabbed her arm. "No! If you enter his time bubble, you¡¯ll age too. We have to wait for it to pass."


    "We can¡¯t just watch him die!"


    "We can¡¯t save him by dying ourselves," the old fae said sadly.


    David fell as his body became ancient, then crumbled to dust. The time bubble popped like a soap bubble, leaving only empty clothes behind.


    Tommy started crying. Sarah pulled him against her shoulder, trying to hide him from seeing more death. In the past week, she¡¯d watched her entire world fall apart. First the Void Walkers had destroyed most of the city. Then the supernatural creatures had revealed themselves and formed their union. Now reality itself was broken.


    She was just a grade school teacher. She wasn¡¯t supposed to be leading people through the end of the world.


    "Look!" J suddenly stopped shining and pointed at the sky. "The stars are falling!"


    Everyone looked up to see points of light dropping from the skies like snow. But as the lights got closer, Sarah realized they weren¡¯t stars. They were pieces of other ces - bits of different worlds bleeding through the tears in reality.


    A chunk of what looked like a medieval building crashed into the ground fifty feet away. A piece of ocean,plete with moving fish, fell from the sky and sshed harmlessly onto the grass before disappearing. A section of desert, sand and all,nded near Tommy and instantly started spreading like spilled paint.


    "The barriers aren¡¯t just cracking," Elder Iris whispered in amazement and fear. "They¡¯repletely gone. Every world, every dimension - they¡¯re all trying to live in the same space."


    That¡¯s when Sarah saw something that made her blood freeze. In one of the falling shards - a piece of what looked like a twistedboratory - she could see Marcus. The witch who had betrayed them was standing in front of some kind of machine,ughing as he fed Void Walker energy into it.


    "He¡¯s doing this on purpose," she breathed. "He¡¯s making the Reality Storms worse."


    Elder Iris followed her eyes and gasped. "That machine... it¡¯s a Reality Anchor. It¡¯s supposed to stabilize dimensional barriers, not break them."


    "Then why is he-"


    Sarah¡¯s question was cut off as the ground beneath their feet suddenly wasn¡¯t ground anymore. They were standing on the side of a mountain, then underwater, then floating in space where they somehow could still breathe. Each changested only seconds, but it was enough to make everyone sick and dizzy.


    When they finally stopped changing between ces, they found themselves in what used to be the center of town. But the town square now held pieces of dozen different worlds all mashed together. A jungle grew next to an ice field. Ake floated in the air above a piece of desert. Buildings from different time periods stood side by side - old pyramids next to modern skyscrapers next to medieval castles.


    And in the middle of it all, Marcus¡¯sboratory sat like a spider in the center of a web.


    "He¡¯s collecting the chaos," Elder Iris realized. "Every time reality breaks down, the machine gets stronger. He¡¯s not trying to fix the barriers - he¡¯s trying to break them totally."


    "Why would he want to destroy everything?" Sarah asked.


    "Because," said a familiar voice behind them, "when all the worlds collide, whoever controls the chaos controls everything."


    They spun around to see Marcus himself standing there, but not quite right. He seemed to live in several ces at once, his image flickering between different versions of himself. In one, he looked normal. In another, he had Void Walker tendrils for arms. In a third, he was made entirely of shadow.


    "Hello, Sarah," he said with a smile that belonged on all three forms of his face. "Still ying teacher, I see. Though I¡¯m afraid your kids won¡¯t be needing lessons much longer."


    Tommy whimpered and pressed closer to Sarah¡¯s side. She wrapped her arms around him protectively, trying to think of anything she could do against a man who could apparently exist in multiple realities at once.


    "The Reality Storms are just the beginning," Marcus continued, raising a hand that was sometimes flesh, sometimes shadow, sometimes pure energy. "Soon, every world will be one world. Every timeline will be one timeline. And I will be the god of it all."


    "You¡¯re insane," Sarah said.


    "I¡¯m evolved," Marcus amended. "And now, I think it¡¯s time for your final lesson."


    He snapped his fingers, and reality began to fold in on itself around them.


    But just as Sarah was sure they were about to die, Elder Iris stepped forward and did something impossible.


    She grabbed the Reality Storm itself and threw it at Marcus.


    The witch screamed as his multiple selves were caught in a swirl of wild energy. For a moment, he shed between existing and not existing.


    "Run!" Elder Iris shouted, her ancient body already starting to fade from the effort. "Find Prince Ash! He¡¯s the only one who can stop this!"


    "But where-" Sarah started to ask.


    "The Fae Court!" Elder Iris called as she disappeared totally. "Hurry! Before Marcus rebuilds himself!"


    Sarah grabbed Tommy¡¯s hand and started running, the other survivors following behind her. Around them, reality continued to storm and shift, but now she had a reason.


    Find Prince Ash. Save what was left of the world.


    Even if she was just a teacher who had no idea how to do either of those things.


    Behind them, Marcus¡¯sughter echoed across a dozen different worlds as he began pulling himself back together.


    And this time, he was angry.

 Chapter 108: Lily’s Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 108: Lily¡¯s Transformation</h4>


    Lily POV


    The baby in my arms aged fifty years in three seconds, then turned back into a newborn, crying for her mother who had been dead for a week.


    "No, no, no," I whispered, holding little Emma tighter as another wave of chaotic magic washed over our hiding spot. Around me, six other children huddled together while reality went totally insane. Fire burned underwater. Gravity pointed in three different ways. Time hupped like a broken record.


    This was supposed to be our safe ce - a small cave where we¡¯d been hidden since the Reality Storms started. But nowhere was safe anymore. The world had gone mad, and I was just a pregnant omega werewolf trying to keep these kids alive until someone bigger could save us.


    "Miss Lily," whimpered Jake, a seven-year-old vampire child whose fangs hadn¡¯t even grown in yet. "I¡¯m scared."


    "I know, sweetie," I said, shifting Emma to one arm so I could pull Jake closer. "But we¡¯re going to be okay. The storm will pass."


    I hoped I was telling the truth. My mate Caleb was somewhere out there fighting alongside the supernatural allies. My pack brothers Aiden and Brock were leading werewolf forces against the Void Walkers. And here I was, hidden away like the weak omega everyone thought I was.


    Except something strange was happening to me.


    Every time the chaos magic hit our cave, I felt it before anyone else. Like a warning buzz in my bones. Andtely, when I focused really hard, I could make the crazy magic calm down for a few seconds.


    Not stop itpletely. Just... settle it, like calming a crying baby.


    Another reality wave crashed over us, and this time it was worse. The cave walls started aging quickly, crumbling into dust. The air itself began turning solid while the ground became liquid. The children screamed as we started sinking into what used to be stone.


    That¡¯s when something inside me snapped.


    "Stop it!" I shouted, not at the children but at the chaos magic itself.


    And impossible, it listened.


    The dissolving walls hardened. The liquid ground became stone again. The twisted magic that had been tearing everything apart suddenly went quiet, like a wild animal that had been petted into peace.


    All seven children stared at me with wide eyes.


    "How did you do that?" asked Maya, a ten-year-old witch whose mother had been killed by Void Walkers.


    "I... I don¡¯t know," I admitted. But even as I said it, I could feel the magic responding to my feelings. When I felt protective of the children, the chaotic energy calmed. When I felt afraid, it got stronger.


    Baby Emma started shining with soft silver light, the same color as my mate mark. But instead of looking sick or wrong, she looked perfectly healthy for the first time since the storms began.


    "You¡¯re healing her," Jake breathed in wonder.


    I looked down at Emma, then at the other children. They were all glowing softly now, and their faces looked less tired, less scared. Whatever was happening to me, it was helping them.


    "Miss Lily," Maya said slowly, "I think you¡¯re bing something new."


    Before I could ask what she meant, footsteps echoed from the cave mouth. We all tensed, ready to hide deeper in the dark. But the voice that called out was familiar.


    "Lily? Are you in there?"


    "Caleb!" I cried, my heart jumping with relief.


    My mate rushed into the pit, followed by Elder Iris and three other supernatural fighters. But when Caleb saw me surrounded by the softly glowing children, he stopped dead in his tracks.


    "What¡¯s happening here?" he asked, his voice full of wonder and fear.


    "She stopped the storm," Jake stated proudly. "Miss Lily made the bad magic go away!"


    Elder Iris stepped forward, her old eyes studying me carefully. "Child," she said softly, "how long have you been able to control the chaos?"


    "I can¡¯t control it," I protested. "I can just... calm it down a little."


    "Show me."


    As if called by her words, another reality wave crashed toward our cave. I saw iting - a wall of twisted magic that would age us all to dust or turn us inside out or worse.


    Without thinking, I stood up and reached out toward the chaos.


    "Please," I whispered to the wild power. "Please be still. These children need peace."


    The jumbled energy hit my outstretched hand and stopped. Just stopped, like it had run into an imaginary wall. Then, slowly, it began to settle and smooth out, bing normal magic again.


    Elder Iris gasped. "Impossible. You¡¯re not controlling the chaos - you¡¯re teaching it how to behave."


    "What does that mean?" Caleb asked, moving to my side.


    "It means," Elder Iris said with increasing excitement and fear, "that your mate has be something the supernatural world has never seen before. A live anchor point. She can fix reality itself."


    I felt the blood drain from my face. "But I¡¯m just an omega. I¡¯m nobody special."


    "That¡¯s exactly why it¡¯s you," Elder Iris exined. "Omegas have always been the peacekeepers, the healers, the ones who bring order. But with the barriers between worldsing down, the universe needed a stronger anchor. So it picked you."


    Caleb took my hand, his eyes full of love and worry. "What does this mean for our baby?"


    Elder Iris nced at my rounded belly, and her face grew troubled. "I don¡¯t know. A child born from a reality anchor could have skills beyond anything we¡¯ve seen. Or..."


    "Or what?" I asked.


    "Or the baby could be a target for every force trying to control the chaos. Including Marcus."


    As if her words had called him, a coldugh echoed through the cave. The temperature dropped twenty degrees, and shadows started moving on their own.


    "Well, well," Marcus¡¯s voice came from everywhere and nowhere. "The little omega has be quite important, hasn¡¯t she?"


    His image flickered into life at the cave mouth - or rather, three different versions of him did. In one, he looked normal. In another, he had Void Walker tentacles. In the third, he was made of pure shadow.


    "Hello, Lily," all three versions said at once. "I¡¯ve been looking for you."


    Caleb stepped protectively in front of me, changing into his werewolf form. The other fighters prepared their weapons. But I could feel Marcus¡¯s power pushing against the cave like a crushing weight.


    "You can¡¯t have her," Caleb growled.


    "Oh, but I can," Marcus answered. "You see, I need a reality anchor to finish my machine. Someone who can calm the chaos while I reshape all the worlds into one. And little Lily here is perfect for the job."


    "I¡¯ll never help you," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.


    "You will," Marcus said with faith. "Because if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll start with the children. Then your mate. Then every single person you care about. I¡¯ll unmake them from reality itself, and you¡¯ll be powerless to stop me."


    The chaotic magic around the cave began to respond to his presence, getting wilder and more dangerous. But when I reached out to calm it, Marcus somehow blocked me.


    "Ah, ah, ah," he tsked. "No more bncing, my dear. Not unless youe with me dly."


    The cave walls started dissolving again. The children screamed as reality started tearing apart around us.


    "Choose quickly, Lily," Marcus said as his three forms began to fade. "Your new skills, or their lives. You have one hour to decide."


    He vanished, leaving us trapped in a copsing pocket of chaos.


    I looked at Caleb, at Elder Iris, at the scared children who were counting on me to save them.


    And realized that being a reality anchor meant I might have to anchor myself to Marcus¡¯s machine to keep everyone else living.


    The baby inside me kicked hard, as if it knew its mother might have to make the ultimate sacrifice.


    Again.

 Chapter 109: The Vampire’s Gambit

    <h4>Chapter 109: The Vampire¡¯s Gambit</h4>


    Dmitri POV


    The scream that tore from my throat echoed through the falling cave as Marcus¡¯s magic ripped through my chest like liquid fire. I hit the ground hard, blood pooling beneath me, but I forced myself to stay aware. Lily needed me. The children needed me.


    "Dmitri!" Lily cried out, her voice breaking as she reached toward me. But another wave of wild magic crashed between us, turning the air solid for a moment before dissolving into sparks.


    I¡¯d been fighting Marcus¡¯s creatures for three days straight, using every vampire trick I knew to stay alive. My kind didn¡¯t usually work with werewolves, but everything changed when the Reality Storms started tearing apart our world. Now supernatural enemies had to be friends, or we¡¯d all die together.


    "The vampire¡¯s injured," Marcusughed from his three flickering forms. "How touching that the bloodsucker thinks he can save the day."


    Pain shot through my ribs as I fought to sit up. Being a vampire meant I healed fast, but Marcus¡¯s dark magic fought against my natural healing. Still, I¡¯d survived worse. Much worse.


    "Stay down, Dmitri," Caleb growled, his werewolf eyes glowing with fear. "You¡¯re bleeding too much."


    "I¡¯m fine," I lied, wiping blood from my mouth. The truth was, I felt weaker than I had in ages. Marcus¡¯s power was draining all of us, but I had an idea. A bad, desperate idea that might save everyone.


    Or destroy the woman I¡¯d grown to care about more than my own undead life. Elder Iris helped me stand, her old hands surprisingly strong. "What are you thinking, young vampire? I can see ns brewing in your eyes."


    I looked at Lily, who was trying so hard to calm the chaotic magic spinning around us. Her reality-anchor skills were incredible, but they weren¡¯t enough. Not against Marcus and his machine. She was fighting a war with a knife when she needed a sword.


    "There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you all," I said, my voice hoarse from pain. "Something about vampire magic that could change everything."


    "Now¡¯s not the time for secrets," Aiden snapped, positioning himself protectively in front of his mate.


    "Actually, it¡¯s the perfect time." I took a shaky breath, knowing my next words would horrify everyone. "I can turn Lily into a vampire. Not fully - a mix. She¡¯d keep her werewolf powers but gain vampire strength and immortality."


    The cave went dead silent except for the sparking of unstable magic.


    "Are you insane?" Brock snarled, his hands clenched. "Vampires and werewolves can¡¯t mix. It¡¯s impossible."


    "Not impossible," I said, meeting each of their shocked stares. "Difficult, dangerous, and generally deadly. But not impossible. I¡¯ve seen it done once before, two hundred years ago."


    Caleb stepped forward, his schrly mind already working through the consequences. "What would it do to her reality-anchor abilities?"


    This was the part I¡¯d been dreading. "It would increase them by at least ten times. Vampire magic enhances whatever supernatural powers already exist. Lily could stabilize reality across entire cities instead of just small ces."


    "But?" Elder Iris urged, because she could tell there was more.


    "But the transformation would be agony beyond belief. Her body would be torn apart and remade at a cellr level. Most people die from the pain alone, even if the magic works perfectly."


    Lily finally spoke, her voice steady despite the chaos around us. "What are the real odds of survival?"


    I couldn¡¯t lie to her. "One in fifty. Maybe one in a hundred."


    "Absolutely not," Caleb said instantly. "I won¡¯t let you kill my mate with some vampire experiment."


    "She¡¯s not your mate anymore if Marcus gets her," I shot back. "His machine will take every drop of her power and leave her an empty shell. At least this way, she has a chance."


    The cave shuddered as Marcus¡¯sughing grew louder. "Forty-five minutes now, little anchor. Decide quickly, or I¡¯ll start with the smallest kid."


    Baby Emma¡¯s cries pierced the air as reality twisted around her tiny body. Lily immediately reached out with her powers, managing to create a small pocket of stability. But the effort left her breathing and pale.


    "I can¡¯t protect them much longer," she whispered. "My abilities aren¡¯t strong enough."


    "The vampire transformation would make you strong enough," I said softly. "Strong enough to stop Marcus forever. Strong enough to save everyone."


    "It would also make her a monster," Brock growled.


    "I¡¯m already a monster," I answered. "But I use my monster nature to protect people instead of hurt them. Lily could do the same."


    Elder Iris studied me with those old eyes. "Why are you really suggesting this, vampire? What do you gain?"


    The question hit harder than I expected. "Nothing. I gain nothing. I might even lose the only person who¡¯s looked at me like I¡¯m more than just a bloodsucking monster."


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened at my statement.


    "You care about her," Caleb realized.


    "More than I should," I admitted. "More than is smart for someone like me. But that¡¯s exactly why you should trust my assessment. I wouldn¡¯t risk her life unless it was the only way to save it."


    The wild magic pressed closer to our small safe zone. The children crowded together, fear bright in their young eyes. Time was running out, and we all knew it.


    "Exin the process," Lily said softly.


    "Lily, no¡ª" Caleb started.


    "Exin it," she repeated firmly.


    I met her eyes, seeing the determination that had drawn me to her from the beginning. "I would need to drain most of your blood while simultaneously recing it with my own. The vampire magic would fight with your werewolf and anchor abilities, trying to remake you totally. If you¡¯re strong enough to survive the war going inside your body, you¡¯d emerge as something entirely new."


    "How long would it take?"


    "Three hours of change. Then another day to settle."


    "We don¡¯t have that long," Aiden pointed out.


    "We do if someone else goes to face Marcus first," I said. "Buy time while Lily transforms."


    Caleb shook his head fiercely. "You¡¯re asking me to watch my mate die a slow, agonizing death."


    "I¡¯m asking you to give her the power to save our world."


    Marcus¡¯s voice repeated again: "Thirty minutes, my dear. I¡¯m getting impatient."


    Lily looked at each of us in turn, then at the scared children depending on her protection. I could see the moment she made her choice, even before she spoke.


    "Do it," she said.


    "Lily, please¡ª" Caleb begged.


    "If I die, at least I die trying to save them. If I be something new, maybe I can actually win this fight."


    She turned to me, trust and fear warring in her eyes. "Promise me something, Dmitri."


    "Anything."


    "If the transformation goes wrong... if I be something evil... you¡¯ll stop me."


    The request felt like a stake through my heart. "Lily..."


    "Promise me."


    I nodded slowly. "I promise."


    She took a shaky breath and moved toward me. "Then let¡¯s save the world."


    But as I prepared for the most dangerous magical working of my long life, Marcus¡¯sughter suddenly stopped. In the eerie quiet that followed, his voice came again, different now. Pleased.


    "Actually, my dear host, I¡¯ve changed my mind. You see, I¡¯ve just learned something wonderful. You don¡¯t need toe to me at all."


    Ice formed in my stomach as understanding hit.


    "Your unborn child," Marcus continued with deadly pleasure, "carries anchor abilities even stronger than yours. And unlike you, a baby¡¯s power can be changed from birth. Molded into exactly what I need."


    Lily¡¯s hand flew to her stomach, her face going white with fear.


    "So here¡¯s my new offer," Marcus said. "You have fifteen minutes to bring me that child, or I¡¯ll take it myself. And trust me, little omega, you don¡¯t want to see how I extract babies from their moms."

 Chapter 110: Caleb’s Opposition

    <h4>Chapter 110: Caleb¡¯s Opposition</h4>


    Caleb POV


    My fist mmed into Dmitri¡¯s jaw before I even realized I¡¯d moved. The vampire stumbled backward, blood dripping from his split lip, but I wasn¡¯t done. Something primal inside me roared with fury at his idea.


    "You will not touch her," I hissed, my werewolf side pushing close to the surface. "I don¡¯t care if we¡¯re friends. I don¡¯t care if the world is ending. You are not turning Lily into a monster."


    Dmitri wiped the blood from his mouth, his pale eyes shing with anger. "Your protective instincts are admirable, wolf, but they¡¯re going to get everyone killed."


    "My protective instincts?" Iughed harshly. "You mean the link that Marcus severed? The mate link that no longer exists?"


    That was the twisted truth eating at me. When Marcus broke the supernatural ties holding our alliance together, he¡¯d severed my mate bond with Lily too. I should feel nothing for her now except simple pack loyalty. The power that had tied our souls together was gone.


    But the need to protect her burned in my chest like mes.


    "The bond is broken," I continued, circling Dmitri like an animal. "I can¡¯t feel her feelings anymore. Can¡¯t feel her pain or share her strength. ording to every rule of werewolf magic, she should mean nothing more to me than any other pack member."


    "Then why are you acting like a jealous mate?" Dmitri asked, real confusion in his voice.


    "Because some things run deeper than magic!" I roared, my control finally snapping.


    The truth burst out of me like a dam breaking. "I loved her before the mate bond appeared. I noticed her years before that Triple Moon Mark showed up on her wrist. When she was just the quiet omega in the nursery, I watched her care for the pups with such gentleness that it made my chest hurt."


    Lily¡¯s gasp cut through my rage, telling me she could hear every word.


    "I fell in love with her mind when she made statements about pack politics that were smarter than anything my father¡¯s advisors ever said. I fell in love with her strength when she stood up to Luna despite being scared. The mate bond didn¡¯t create my feelings - it just made them hard to ignore."


    My hands shook as I faced the group. "So no, vampire. I won¡¯t let you drain her blood and fill her with your evil. Not because some special bond tells me to protect her, but because I choose to. Because even without supernatural force, I¡¯d rather die than watch her suffer."


    Elder Iris stepped between us before Dmitri could reply. "The boy speaks truth," she said quietly. "True love exists beyond magic¡¯s reach. It¡¯s what makes us more than just our magical natures."


    "Pretty words," Dmitri answered coldly. "But Marcus wants her future child now. Your touching human feelings won¡¯t stop him from cutting that baby out of her."


    The memory hit like a physical blow. Marcus¡¯s new threat - fifteen minutes to deliver Lily¡¯s baby, or he¡¯d take it himself - made my stomach turn to ice. But that didn¡¯t make the vampire¡¯s answer any less horrifying.


    "There has to be another way," I urged.


    "Like what?" Aiden demanded. "We¡¯re stuck in a copsing cave with seven children, a pregnant omega, and a vampire who can barely stand. Marcus has an army of Void Walkers and a reality-breaking machine. What¡¯s your great n, brother?"


    The question stung because I didn¡¯t have an answer. As the pack strategist, I was meant to find solutions to impossible problems. But every situation I ran through ended in disaster.


    "We fight," I said finally. "We take the battle to Marcus before he can hurt Lily or the baby."


    "With what army?" Brock asked coldly. "Half our fighters are spread across three dimensions. The other half are dealing with reality weather in the city. It¡¯s just us."


    "Then we make ourselves enough," I shot back.


    Dmitri shook his head. "Noble, but stupid. You¡¯re thinking like a monster - all teeth and ws and heroic charges. Marcus isn¡¯t some rogue alpha you can frighten. He¡¯s rewriting thews of life itself."


    "And you think turning Lily into a vampire will stop him?"


    "I think giving her the power to stabilize reality on a huge scale might actually work. Your way gets everyone killed, including the baby you¡¯re so desperate to protect."


    The worst part was that he might be right. I could see the logic in his n, even as every instinct screamed against it. But logic didn¡¯t change the fact that vampire transformation had a ny-eight percent failure rate.


    "You¡¯re asking me to gamble with the life of the woman I love," I said softly.


    "I¡¯m asking you to gamble with her life to save it," Dmitri answered. "Along with the lives of everyone else in this cave."


    Baby Emma¡¯s cries suddenly turned into something else - a sound no human baby should be able to make. We all turned to see her floating three feet above Maya¡¯s arms, surrounded by silver light that pulsed like a heartbeat.


    "The baby¡¯s reacting to the chaos magic," Elder Iris breathed. "Her powers are manifesting early."


    As we watched in horror, Emma¡¯s tiny body began to age fast, then reverse, then age again. The reality confusion around her grew stronger with each cycle.


    "She¡¯s going to tear herself apart," Lily whispered, reaching toward the flying baby.


    But when she tried to use her anchor skills, nothing happened. The strain of protecting everyone had finally exhausted her power totally.


    "I can¡¯t calm her," Lily said, fear creeping into her voice. "I can¡¯t help her."


    Emma¡¯s cries grew louder, and the silver light around her started to crack like breaking ss. Through the cracks, I could see glimpses of other worlds - ces where reality followed different rules.


    "She¡¯s opening rifts," Dmitri said quickly. "Random portals to other worlds. If we can¡¯t stop her..."


    He didn¡¯t need to finish. An unchecked reality-warper could identally destroy our entire world.


    "The transformation," Lily said suddenly. "If I be a vampire mix, could I reach her? Could I calm her down?"


    "Maybe," Dmitri admitted. "But the process would take hours, and she¡¯s losing control now."


    I looked at the floating, crying baby whose strength was spiraling out of control. At the scared children huddled in the corner. At Lily, whose hand rested protectively on her own growing child.


    At the vampire whose desperate n might be our only hope.


    "There¡¯s a third option," I said slowly, the idea forming as I spoke. "What if we don¡¯t wait for the transformation to finish?"


    "What do you mean?" Dmitri asked.


    "What if we start the process but stop it halfway through? Give Lily a boost of vampire power without the full transformation?"


    Dmitri¡¯s eyes widened. "That¡¯s... that¡¯s never been tried. The magical reaction could kill her instantly."


    "Or it could give her just enough power to reach Emma," I replied.


    "The risks¡ª"


    "The risks are enormous," I interrupted. "But they¡¯re better than waiting for Marcus toe collect his prize."


    Lily looked between us, then at the baby whose reality cracks were spreading wider. "How much time would a partial transformation take?"


    "Maybe twenty minutes," Dmitri said grudgingly. "But Caleb¡¯s right - the failure rate would be even higher. We¡¯d essentially be poisoning you with vampire magic and hoping you live long enough to use it."


    "And if it works?"


    "If it works, you¡¯d have maybe an hour of enhanced power before the iplete transformation starts tearing you apart from the inside."


    An hour. One hour to save Emma, face Marcus, and protect our future child.


    "Do it," Lily said.


    "Lily, no¡ª" I started.


    "Someone has to reach Emma before she destroys everything," she said strongly. "And someone has to stop Marcus from getting our baby. If this is the only way, then we try it."


    She looked at me with eyes full of love and fear. "I need you to trust me, Caleb. Even without the mate tie, I need you to believe in me."


    Before I could answer, the cave around us began to dissolve as Emma¡¯s reality cracks spread further. Through the gaps, I could see Marcus¡¯s army of Void Walkers moving toward us.


    "Time¡¯s up," Marcus¡¯s voice echoed proudly. "Ready or not, I¡¯ming for my prize."


    But as his forces neared, something else came through Emma¡¯s dimensional rifts. Something that made my blood freeze in my veins.


    Another form of Marcus. Then another. And another.


    The baby had identally opened portals to realities where Marcus had already won, and now three different versions of our enemy were converging on our position.


    "Oh," Dmitri said quietly. "We¡¯re definitely going to die."

 Chapter 111: Ancient Enemies Unite

    <h4>Chapter 111: Ancient Enemies Unite</h4>


    Elder Iris POV


    I mmed my walking stick against the cave wall three times, the old wood ringing like a bell. The sound cut through the chaos, causing everyone to freeze as my omega authority filled the space.


    "Enough!" I ordered, my voice carrying power that most had forgotten omegas could wield. "While you argue about vampires and transformations, the real war is starting outside this cave."


    Through the dimensional rifts that baby Emma had identally opened, I could see things the others missed. My seventy years of life had taught me to look beyond the obvious, and what I saw made my old bones ache with fear.


    Three versions of Marcus weren¡¯t the worst thinging through those tears in reality.


    Behind them marched troops I recognized from the oldest stories - creatures that had been banished from our world so long ago that most people thought they were myths. The Shadowkin, who fed on fear itself. The Bone Weavers, who turned the dead into weapons. And worst of all, the Silence Bringers, who could steal words, thoughts, and memories with a touch.


    "The ancient enemies return," I whispered, watching the nightmare parade through Emma¡¯s unstable portals.


    "What are you talking about?" Aiden demanded.


    "Before werewolves and vampires ever feuded, we all had amon enemy," I exined quickly. "Creatures from the ces between worlds. They were banished by the first supernatural union three thousand years ago."


    Dmitri¡¯s pale face went even whiter. "The First War. I thought those were just stories."


    "Everything bes a story if you wait long enough," I answered grimly. "But Marcus has torn the barriers so badly that the old banishments are breaking. The ancient enemies are back, and they remember every slight."


    As if called by my words, something pushed through thergest rift. It looked like a person made of living shadow, but where its face should be was just empty darkness that hurt to look at.


    "Shadowkin," I breathed, my hand tightening on my walking stick.


    The creature¡¯s attention fixed on me, and I felt its hunger like ice in my blood. It had been so long since it tasted fear from our world. So very long.


    "Nobody move," I ordered softly. "Don¡¯t even breathe loud. They hunt by feeling."


    But baby Emma¡¯s cries were still echoing through the cave, and her terror was like a beacon to the shadow thing. It moved toward her, moving without making a sound.


    That¡¯s when I did something I hadn¡¯t done in fifty years. I let my true power show.


    Most people thought omegas were weak because we didn¡¯t fight with teeth and ws like alphas, or gather and n like betas. But omega power was different. Older. We were the first to learn that some fights weren¡¯t won with violence.


    "I see you, shadow-born," I said, my voice carrying harmonies that made the cave walls hum. "I know your true name, your binding words, your ancient shame."


    The Shadowkin stopped moving, its empty face turning toward me with something that might have been surprise.


    "You remember me, don¡¯t you?" I continued, stepping forward despite my creaky joints. "Or rather, you remember my grandmother, who helped weave the spells that banished your kind."


    The creature hissed, a sound like steaming from a kettle. Around us, the others watched in amazement as I faced down a nightmare from the dawn of time with nothing but words and an old woman¡¯s resolve.


    "The binding still holds," I told it firmly. "You cannot take the child. You cannot feed on her fear. The ancientws ban it."


    "Laws... change," the Shadowkin whispered, its voice like moving leaves. "Barriers... weaken. The First Compact... breaks."


    My heart sank. The thing was right. The magical deals that had kept the ancient enemies banished were breaking down along with everything else. Soon, they¡¯d be free to hunt again.


    "Perhaps," I admitted. "But not yet. Not while I still draw breath."


    What happened next surprised everyone, including me. From the other rifts, more creatures began to appear - but not the monsters I expected. Instead, people I recognized from the oldest stories stepped through.


    An elf with silver hair and armor that gleamed like stars. A dwarf whose hammer crackled with lightning. A dragon in human form, her eyes holding the knowledge of millennia. And others - members of the Lost Peoples who had vanished from our world ages ago.


    "The Compact calls," the elf said, her voice like wind chimes. "The ancient alliance must be renewed."


    "Impossible," Dmitri breathed. "The Lost Peoples are stories. They never existed."


    "We existed," the dragon-woman answered sadly. "We simply chose to leave when the younger species began their endless feuds. But the Void Walkers risk all realities, not just yours."


    I felt tears on my wrinkled face. The First Alliance - the legendary unity between all thinking species - wasn¡¯t just a story. It was real, and it was being offered to us again.


    "The terms remain the same," the dwarf rumbled, his voice like distant thunder. "All old grudges set aside. All species equal in the fight. All working toward themon good."


    "And if we refuse?" Aiden asked.


    The elf pointed toward the rifts, where Marcus¡¯s armies and the ancient enemies were gathering. "Then you face them alone, and all realities fall to darkness."


    I looked around the cave at the impossible gathering. Werewolves and vampires, humans and magical beings, all brought together by a pregnant omega and a crying baby whose power was tearing holes in the universe.


    "I ept," I said formally, using the ancient words my grandma had taught me. "On behalf of all who seek the light, I ept the renewed Compact."


    The Lost Peoples nodded seriously, but before anyone could celebrate, the Shadowkinughed - a sound like breaking ss.


    "Toote," it hissed. "The Void Kinges. The Eater of Worlds wakes. Your union means nothing against what rises in the Deep Dark."


    Ice filled my blood. The Void King was worse than Marcus, worse than the old enemies, worse than anything I¡¯d ever heard of. ording to the oldest stories, it was the thing that devoured entire worlds, leaving nothing but empty space behind.


    "The Void King is a myth," I said, but my voice shook.


    "As were we," the dragon-woman said quietly. "Yet here we stand."


    Through the biggest rift, something vast began to stir. Not Marcus with his troops, not the returning ancient enemies, but something so enormous that I could only see tiny pieces of it through the dimensional tear.


    An eye the size of a moon opened in the darkness between worlds. When it focused on our little cave, I felt the weight of its attention like a rock crushing down on my soul.


    "The Anchor Child calls to me," it spoke, its voice shaking reality itself. "I have been sleeping so long, waiting for a soul strong enough to support my passage between worlds. But now... now I am awake."


    Lily¡¯s hand flew to her pregnant belly as she gasped in pain. Whatever was in that enormous eye, it was rted to her unborn baby.


    "No," she whispered. "Stay away from my child."


    The Void King¡¯sughing made the cave walls crack. "Your child is already mine, little dog. It has been mine since the moment it was created. I have been growing alongside it, feeding on its developing power, nning for my return."


    The truth hit me like a physical blow. Lily¡¯s baby wasn¡¯t just powerful - it was the vessel the Void King nned to use to enter our reality forever.


    "The pregnancy," I breathed in fear. "It¡¯s not normal. Something¡¯s been controlling it from the beginning."


    And as the Void King¡¯s massive form began pushing through the dimensional rift, I understood that everything we¡¯d been through - Marcus¡¯s machines, the Reality Storms, even the ancient enemies returning - had all been distractions.


    The real enemy had been growing inside Lily all along.

 Chapter 112: The Witch’s Warning

    <h4>Chapter 112: The Witch¡¯s Warning</h4>


    Sage POV


    The crystal ball burst in my hands.


    ss cut my hands as I stumbled backward, but the pain was nothingpared to what I¡¯d just seen. The future stretched before me like a nightmare - entire worlds eaten by darkness, billions of people screaming as reality itself dissolved around them.


    "No, no, no," I whispered, looking at the blood dripping from my fingers. The vision had been so real I could still smell the burning towns, still hear the silence that came after everything died.


    My grandmother¡¯s spell booky open on the table, its pages fluttering like they were living. I¡¯d been trying to understand the reality tears for weeks, staying up all night while everyone else argued about vampires and old enemies. Someone had to figure out how to stop this mess before it was toote.


    But now I knew the truth, and it was worse than anyone thought.


    I grabbed the book and ran through the cave tunnels, my bare feet smacking against cold stone. The others were still gathered around the dimensional rifts, watching Marcus¡¯s armies prepare for war. They had no idea what was reallying.


    "Lily!" I called out, skidding into the main room. "Everyone! You need to hear this!"


    Elder Iris looked up from where she stood facing the Shadowkin. "Child, this isn¡¯t the time¡ª"


    "The tears aren¡¯t random!" I interrupted, gasping for breath. "They¡¯re growing! I¡¯ve been tracking them for three weeks, measuring how fast they spread. At this rate, they¡¯ll swallow our entire dimension in two months!"


    Aiden frowned. "That¡¯s impossible. They¡¯re just small openings¡ª"


    "No!" I flipped through my grandmother¡¯s book furiously. "Look, I found the method she used to calcte dimensional stability. Every hour, the tears increase by exactly three percent. Every single hour!"


    I showed them pages covered in my handwriting - measurements, figures, charts tracking the growth pattern. My math had never been perfect in school, but fear made everything clear now.


    "Three percent doesn¡¯t sound like much," Dmitri said doubtfully.


    "It adds up fast," I responded, my voice shaking. "In twenty-four hours, they¡¯ll be twice as big. In a week, they¡¯ll be big. In two months..." I swallowed hard. "There won¡¯t be anything left to save."


    The cave fell silent except for baby Emma¡¯s crying. Through thergest rift, we could see Marcus¡¯s three versions arguing with each other while their forces waited. Behind them, the old enemies gathered - Shadowkin, Bone Weavers, and worse things that had no names.


    But none of that mattered if the tears themselves ruined everything first.


    "There has to be a way to stop them," Lily said, her hand protective over her pregnant belly.


    I shook my head sadly. "My grandmother¡¯s notes say only the person who opened the tears can stop them. But Emma¡¯s just a baby. She doesn¡¯t know how to handle her power yet."


    Baby Emma¡¯s cries got louder, and as they did, I watched the nearest rift stretch wider. The connection was clear now - her emotions were making everything worse.


    "What if we taught her?" Caleb suggested. "Found a way to help her understand¡ª"


    "We don¡¯t have time!" I snapped, then instantly felt bad for yelling. "I¡¯m sorry, I just... I¡¯ve been working on this for weeks. I¡¯ve tried everything. Every spell my grandmother knew, every protection charm, every sealing rite. Nothing works because the source is a scared baby who can¡¯t stop crying."


    That¡¯s when I noticed something strange. The Lost Peoples - the elf, dwarf, and dragon-woman who had appeared through the rifts - were talking among themselves and pointing at my grandmother¡¯s book.


    "You carry the Sight," the elf said suddenly, her star-bright eyes focused on me. "The gift runs in your bloodline."


    "My grandmother was a witch," I said carefully. "But I¡¯m not very good at magic. I mostly just see things."


    "Show us what you¡¯ve seen," the dragon-woman ordered.


    I closed my eyes and let the image rey in my mind. When I opened them again, everyone in the cave was looking in horror. Somehow, my Sight had shared the pictures with all of them.


    "The Void King," the dwarf rumbled. "It feeds on the chaos, growing stronger as reality breaks down."


    "That¡¯s why it¡¯s been hiding inside Lily¡¯s baby," I realized suddenly. "It needed the tears to weaken the walls between worlds. Emma opening them wasn¡¯t a mistake - the Void King has been nning this for months!"


    Lily gasped, both hands holding her stomach. "Something¡¯s wrong. The baby... it¡¯s moving weirdly."


    I grabbed her wrist, using my Sight to look deeper. What I saw made my blood freeze. The thing growing inside Lily wasn¡¯t just her baby anymore. Dark tentacles of void energy had wrapped around the tiny life, feeding off its growing power.


    "It¡¯s elerating," I whispered in horror. "The Void King isn¡¯t waiting for the baby to be born. It¡¯s going to use the birth itself to tear reality apart totally."


    "When?" Aiden demanded.


    I looked at Lily¡¯s pale face, then back at my figures. The answer came to me in a sh of terrible understanding.


    "Tonight," I said. "When the moon hits its peak, the Void King will force the birth. And when that baby cries for the first time..." I couldn¡¯t finish the sentence.


    "What?" Brock growled. "What happens?"


    Through the biggest rift, something massive stirred in the darkness. The Void King¡¯s huge eye opened wider, focusing on our little group with hungry interest.


    I felt tears running down my cheeks as I spoke the words that would change everything: "When the baby cries, every dimensional barrier in existence will break at once. The Void King won¡¯t just destroy our world - it¡¯ll destroy every possible world that could ever exist."


    The eye in the darkness began tough, a sound that made the cave walls crack and bleed.


    And somewhere deep in my Sight, I saw one more terrible truth that I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say out loud:


    The only way to stop the Void King was to make sure Lily¡¯s baby never drew its first breath.

 Chapter 113: Fae Magic Lessons

    <h4>Chapter 113: Fae Magic Lessons</h4>


    Prince Ash POV


    The flower in Lily¡¯s hand turned to ice, then burst into mes, then crumbled to ash - all in three seconds.


    "I can¡¯t control it!" she cried, stumbling backward as sparks danced around her fingers. "Every time I try to use magic, something goes wrong!"


    I caught her hands before she could hurt herself, feeling the wild energy sparking between us. This was worse than I¡¯d expected. The fae magic inside her was fighting against her werewolf nature like two storms trying to fill the same sky.


    "Breathe," I told her softly. "The power isn¡¯t your enemy. It¡¯s part of you now."


    We stood in a small area away from the cave, where I¡¯d brought Lily for her first real lesson. After Sage¡¯s terrifying news about the reality tears, everyone agreed that Lily needed to learn control fast. Her baby was due any day, and if the Void King meant to use the birth to destroy everything, we needed every advantage we could get.


    But teaching fae magic to a pregnant werewolf was like trying to teach a storm to whisper.


    "It doesn¡¯t feel like part of me," Lily said, tears sliding down her face. "It feels like something trying to w its way out."


    I understood that feeling. When I¡¯d first received fae magic from my mother, it had nearly driven me insane. The power was older than humannguage, wild as the first forests, impossible to tame with normal thought.


    "That¡¯s because you¡¯re fighting it," I stated. "Werewolf magices from the pack, from belonging somewhere. But fae magices from being free, from epting that you don¡¯t fit anywhere except exactly where you are."


    "That doesn¡¯t make sense," she argued.


    "Fae magic never makes sense," I allowed with a small smile. "That¡¯s the point. Try again, but this time don¡¯t think about what you want the magic to do. Just feel what it wants to do."


    Lily picked up another flower, closing her eyes. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the petals began to glow with soft silver light, beautiful and peaceful.


    "I did it!" she gasped.


    The light burst outward like a bomb.


    Trees bent backward, their leaves turning every color of the rainbow before falling like snow. The ground beneath our feet rippled like water. In the distance, I heard wolves howling in fear as the magical pulse reached them.


    "Oops," Lily whispered.


    Before I could answer, Aiden came crashing through the trees with Brock and Caleb right behind him. All three brothers changed from wolf to human form, their eyes glowing with anger.


    "What did you do to her?" Aiden ordered, getting between Lily and me.


    "I¡¯m teaching her to control her power," I said quietly. "Unless you¡¯d prefer she identally level the entire forest when the babyes."


    "Fae magic is poison to werewolves," Brock growled. "Everyone knows that."


    I felt my own anger rising. "Everyone knows a lot of things that aren¡¯t true. Lily has fae blood now, whether you like it or not. Would you rather she learn to use it safely, or would you prefer it kills her?"


    "Maybe we should listen to him," Caleb said quietly. "Lily¡¯s changing, and we need to understand why."


    That¡¯s when I noticed something that made my heart skip. Lily¡¯s shadow wasn¡¯t matching her moves. While she stood still, her shadow was dancing, moving like it had a mind of its own.


    "Lily," I said slowly, "look down."


    She followed my eyes and screamed. Her shadow waved at her with one dark hand.


    "What¡¯s happening to me?" she cried, backing away from her own shadow.


    I¡¯d seen this before, in the ancient books my mother had made me study. "Your fae nature is waking fully. The shadow dance means you¡¯re bing something new - not just werewolf, not just fae, but something in between."


    "Is that good or bad?" Aiden asked.


    Before I could answer, Lily doubled over in pain. "The baby," she gasped. "Something¡¯s wrong."


    Her shadow suddenly grew huge, stretching across the entire area like a ck nket. Within the darkness, I saw shapes moving - things that definitely weren¡¯t human or dog.


    "The Void King," I realized with fear. "It¡¯s using her transformation to break through early."


    Lily¡¯s scream echoed through the forest as her body started to glow with that same silver light. But this time, instead of bursting outward, the light was being sucked inward, pulled into her pregnant belly.


    "It¡¯s feeding," I said, grabbing her shoulders. "The Void King is feeding on your fae magic to make itself stronger."


    The triplets surrounded us, but there was nothing they could do. This was beyond werewolf strength or alpha orders. This needed magic, and I was the only one here who understood how fae power worked.


    "Lily, listen to me," I said quickly. "The magic isn¡¯t trying to hurt you. It¡¯s trying to protect your baby from the thing that¡¯s been growing alongside it."


    "I can¡¯t," she sobbed. "It¡¯s too strong."


    Her shadow split in half, and something crawled out of the darkness - a monster made of void and hunger, with too many teeth and eyes like ck holes.


    "A Void Spawn," I breathed. "The Void King sent part of itself ahead."


    The creature looked at us with ancient hate. When it spoke, its voice sounded like stars dying.


    "The birth begins now," it hissed. "The walls weaken. Soon, nothing will remain but the beautiful nothingness."


    Lily screamed again, and I felt the baby answering inside her, its own power ring to life. But instead of the warm, living energy I expected from a werewolf pup, I felt something cold and vast - something that had been waiting to be born for eons.


    "The baby isn¡¯t just a baby," I realized in fear. "It¡¯s a doorway. The Void King has been turning her child into a permanent gateway between worlds."


    The Void Spawnughed, a sound like broken ss. "Toote, little prince. The mother¡¯s pain opens the way. Each contraction tears reality a little more."


    I looked at Lily, writhing in pain as her fae magic and werewolf nature fought against the void corruption spreading through her body. The triplets stood helplessly by, their faces showing they finally understood how useless they were against this enemy.


    That¡¯s when I made a choice that would change everything.


    "I can save the baby," I told them. "But not in the way you think."


    I put my hands on Lily¡¯s belly and began to weave the most dangerous spell in all of fae magic - the Soul Transfer. If it worked, I could move the baby¡¯s soul into a body the Void King couldn¡¯t corrupt.


    If it failed, we¡¯d all die when the spell tore us apart.


    "What are you doing?" Caleb demanded.


    I looked at him with eyes that glowed like starlight. "Something that will either save us all or damn us forever."


    The spell started, and Lily¡¯s scream shattered every window for miles around.

 Chapter 114: Luna’s Diplomacy

    <h4>Chapter 114: Luna¡¯s Diplomacy</h4>


    Luna POV


    The vampire¡¯s fangs were an inch from my throat when I said the magic words.


    "Your maker would be ashamed of yourck of honor."


    Dmitri froze, his red eyes widening in shock. Around us, the emergency meeting copsed into chaos as werewolves snarled and vampires hissed, but I kept my voice steady and calm.


    "I know about Katarina," I continued softly. "How she taught you that true strengthes from protecting the innocent, not threatening them."


    Dmitri¡¯s grip on my shoulders rxed. "How could you possibly know that name?"


    "Because I¡¯ve been doing my homework," I answered, pulling a worn letter from my pocket. "She wrote to Alpha Marcus fifty years ago, asking for safe passage through our area. She wanted to protect human children from a rogue vampire group."


    The ancient vampire stepped back fully, staring at the letter like it was made of gold. "You have her correspondence?"


    I nodded, feeling proud that my research had paid off. Ever since bing Aiden¡¯s diplomat, I¡¯d spent every free moment learning about the other magical species. While everyone else prepared for war, I¡¯d been nning for peace. "Katarina believed different species could work together," I said, addressing not just Dmitri but the entire room. "She died trying to prove it."


    The tension in the cave shifted. Other vampires whispered among themselves, recognizing the name. Even the werewolves looked interested instead of angry.


    "That letter saved my pack¡¯s lives," Elder Marcus said softly. "Katarina warned us about the rogue n. We were able to evacuate the human town before they struck. "


    I saw my chance and took it. "Which proves that vampires and werewolves can be allies when we focus on what we share instead of what divides us."


    "Pretty words," scoffed a vampire with silver hair. "But the Void King doesn¡¯t care about our feelings. It wants to eat everything."


    "Exactly," I agreed. "Which is why we need each other more than ever."


    I moved to the center of the circle, my heart pounding but my voice strong. This was my moment to show I belonged here, that I could contribute something besides my family name.


    "I¡¯ve been studying the ancient treaties," I stated. "Before the Great War between our species, there were ords that controlled supernatural cooperation. Rules that all our ancestors followed."


    "Those treaties are dust," growled a werewolf from the River Pack. "No one¡¯s honored them for centuries."


    "Because no one remembers them," I shot back. "But I found copies in the old files. Treaties that could bind us all together again."


    I pulled out a thick folder of papers I¡¯d been carrying for weeks. "The Moonlight ords, signed in 1847. The Shadow Pact of 1623. The Blood and Bone Agreement from 1399. All still legally binding under magicalw."


    The room went quiet. Even the Lost Peoples - the elf, dwarf, and dragon-woman - leaned forward with interest.


    "You¡¯ve been busy," the elf said approvingly.


    "I had to be," I replied. "Everyone keeps talking about fighting the Void King, but no one was talking about how to work together afterward. What happens when the war is over? Do we go back to centuries of feuding, or do we build something better?"


    Dmitri studied me with new respect. "What exactly are you proposing?"


    This was it. The moment I¡¯d been preparing for. "A new Great Alliance. Not just against the Void King, but for the future. Shared territories, mutual protection, joint councils to settle disputes before they be wars."


    "Impossible," snapped the silver-haired vampire. "Our species are too different."


    "Are we?" I challenged. "We all protect what we love. We all fear losing our children. We all want to live and thrive. The differences are just in the details."


    I turned to address each group individually. "Werewolves respect loyalty and family. Vampires respect honor and tradition. The Lost Peoples value knowledge and bnce. Those aren¡¯tpeting forces - they¡¯replementary strengths."


    To my surprise, heads were nodding around the room. My words were actually working.


    "The girl speaks sense," rumbled the dwarf. "The old alliances held for thousands of years because they recognized these truths."


    "But the treaties you mentioned," said a werewolf elder, "they require unanimous agreement from all major supernatural leaders. That¡¯s impossible to achieve."


    My heart sank. He was right. Getting everyone to agree would take months we didn¡¯t have.


    That¡¯s when baby Emma¡¯s cries echoed through the cave, and something amazing happened. Every supernatural being in the room turned toward the sound with the same expression - protective worry. Not pack loyalty or species pride, but the universal need to shield an innocent kid from harm.


    "Look around," I said softly. "We¡¯re already united in the only way that counts. We all want to save her."


    Prince Ash¡¯s voice carried from deeper in the cave, saying words in anguage that made my skin tingle. His Soul Transfer spell was starting, and power crackled through the air like lightning.


    "If the spell works," I said quickly, "Lily¡¯s baby will be safe from the Void King. But what about all the other children? What about the future kids who¡¯ll be born into whatever world we leave behind?"


    I saw it then - the moment when distant politics became personal reality. These weren¡¯t just magical leaders anymore. They were future parents, grandparents, guardians of the next generation.


    "The treaties," Dmitri said slowly. "They included emergency provisions, didn¡¯t they?"


    I nodded, flipping through the papers. "use Seven of the Moonlight ords: ¡¯In times of existential threat to all supernatural life, temporary alliances may be enacted by simple majority vote, with full ratification to follow within one year.¡¯"


    "And we certainly qualify as an existential threat situation," the dragon-woman observed dryly.


    Hope red in my chest. "So we can form the alliance now, quickly. Fight the Void King together, then work out the detailster."


    "I vote yes," said Elder Marcus strongly.


    "As do I," added Dmitri.


    One by one, the leaders stated their agreement. My heart soared as I realized we were actually doing it - creating the first inter-species alliance in ages.


    But then Prince Ash screamed from the other room, a sound of pure agony that made everyone freeze.


    "The spell," mumbled the elf. "Something¡¯s gone wrong."


    Through the cave opening, I saw a pir of silver light shooting into the sky. But instead of the clean, bright magic I¡¯d expected, this light was twisted, wrong somehow.


    "The Void King," I breathed in horror. "It¡¯s corrupting the Soul Transfer spell."


    Lily¡¯s tortured cry joined Ash¡¯s scream, and I felt the temperature in the cave drop twenty degrees in seconds.


    "The alliance," I said frantically, looking around at the supernatural leaders. "We need to seal it now, before¡ª"


    My words were cut off as the cave wall burst inward. Through the gap stepped three figures I recognized from the old texts - the Void King¡¯s lieutenants, creatures of pure entropy and hunger.


    "Toote," hissed the first officer, its voice like acid on stone. "The birth starts. The alliance dies before it gets breath."


    The second lieutenant smiled with a mouth full of ck teeth. "The contracts are void. The agreements are broken. Only emptiness remains."


    I looked around at the magical leaders, seeing fear recing hope in their eyes. Everything I¡¯d worked for, all the trust I¡¯d built, was falling.


    But then I remembered something from my study, a use buried deep in the oldest treaty of all.


    "The Void use," I said, my voice carrying clearly despite my fear. " Article One of the first supernaturalpact, signed before written history began."


    The third officer paused, tilting its horrible head. "What pathetic words do you speak, diplomat child?"


    I smiled, even as my hands shook. "The words that bind you."


    And I began to read the most dangerous contract ever written - the one that would either save us all or trap us forever in a bargain with the Void King itself.

 Chapter 115: The Vampire’s History

    <h4>Chapter 115: The Vampire¡¯s History</h4>


    Dmitri POV


    The old sword sliced through the air, missing my head by inches. I rolled behind a broken stone pir as the Void Lieutenant¡¯sughing echoed through the cave.


    "Still ying with toys, old vampire?" it hissed. "Your maker would be ashamed."


    My dead heart should have stayed still, but hearing Katarina¡¯s name spoken by this thing made rage burn through my cold veins. I gripped my silver de tighter, the one she had given me three hundred years ago.


    "Don¡¯t you dare speak her name," I snarled, jumping over the pir to strike.


    But the Lieutenant was gone, vanishing into dark like smoke. Around me, the other magical leaders fought desperately against the three creatures that had burst through the cave wall. Werewolves howled in pain. The dragon-woman spewed fire that barely singed their dark forms. Even the elf¡¯s old magic seemed useless.


    "Dmitri!" Luna¡¯s words cut through the chaos. "The contracts! You have to help her finish the binding!"


    I saw the young diplomat standing in the middle of the fighting, still trying to recite words from some old contract while everything fell apart around her. Brave little cat. She reminded me of Katarina in that moment - unwilling to give up even when hope seemed lost.


    The second Lieutenant materialized beside Luna, ws reaching for her neck. Without thinking, I threw myself between them, my sword catching its wrist. ck blood sttered the cave floor.


    "The Void use won¡¯t save you," it spat. "We are already free."


    "Free?" Iughed, though fear crept up my spine. "You¡¯re still trapped in whatever prison held you for centuries."


    All three Lieutenants stopped fighting. The sudden quiet was worse than their attacks.


    "Prison?" The first one tilted its horrible head. "Dear vampire, we haven¡¯t been in prison for fifty years."


    The words hit me like a physical blow. Fifty years. The same time Katarina had died.


    "Impossible," I whispered. "The Void Walkers were put away during the Great War. The binding was meant tost forever."


    "Forever is a long time," the third Lieutenant said softly. "Long enough for someone to make a deal."


    My mind raced back through the decades. Fifty years ago, I had been chasing a rogue vampire n that was killing human children. Katarina had insisted on helping, despite my protests that it was too risky. We had tracked them to an old graveyard outside Prague.


    "The children are innocent," she had said, her green eyes fierce with resolve. "If we don¡¯t stop this n, who will?"


    I had loved her for that kindness. It was what made her different from other vampires, what made her teach me that our strength should defend the weak, not prey on them.


    But something had gone wrong that night. The rogue vampires had been stronger than expected, more organized. Almost like they knew we wereing.


    "Dmitri," Katarina had gasped as ck lines spread across her pale skin. "The boss... he¡¯s not just a vampire. He¡¯s something else. Something that whispers in the dark."


    She had died in my arms as dawn approached, her body turning to ash despite my desperate efforts to save her. I had thought it was just bad luck, a terrible ident.


    Now, looking at these creatures of pure darkness, I began to understand the horrible truth.


    "The rogue n," I said slowly. "They weren¡¯t working alone."


    "Very good," the second Lieutenant purred. "Your precious maker found our little partnership. Vampires make such useful helpers when properly motivated."


    "Motivated how?" But even as I asked, I knew the answer.


    "We promised them power beyond imagining. Strength to rule over all other magical beings. All they had to do was weaken our jail from the outside, just a little bit each year."


    The cave spun around me. Everything I thought I knew was wrong. Katarina hadn¡¯t died fighting rogues. She had died fighting servants of the Void King itself.


    "She could have joined them," the first Lieutenant continued. "We offered her the same deal. But she refused. Said some things were more important than power."


    "So you killed her."


    "We eliminated an obstacle," it corrected. "Just as we¡¯ve eliminated others who found our growing influence. Werewolf pack masters who asked too many questions. Elf councils that noticed our servants moving through their woods. Dragon leaders who sensed the corruption spreading."


    I thought of all the strange deaths over the past fifty years. Leaders dying in crashes, getting sick with strange illnesses, disappearing without a trace. Not random misfortune. Murder.


    "How many?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.


    "Hundreds," the third Lieutenant said proudly. "Anyone who might have joined the supernatural world against us. We¡¯ve been very thorough."


    Luna was still repeating her treaty words, but her voice shook now. She must have heard every word. The poor girl was learning that the union she was trying to build had been under attack for decades.


    "The Void use won¡¯t work," the second Lieutenant told her mockingly. "That pact was written when we were truly imprisoned. Now we walk free in this world, hidden among your own people."


    "What do you mean?" Elder Marcusmanded.


    The Lieutenants smiled with their terrible ck teeth. "Did you think we came here alone? Every supernatural society has our servants now. Vampires, werewolves, elves, dragons - some of your most trusted leaders have been working for us for years."


    Ice formed in my dead blood. If they were saying the truth, then anyone in this cave could be a traitor. Anyone in our groups could be feeding information to the Void King.


    "The birth has begun," the first Lieutenant said, looking toward the deeper cave where Prince Ash¡¯s screams still echoed. "When the child is born, our master will have a body strong enough to enter this world fully. And our staff will make sure no one interferes."


    That¡¯s when I noticed Luna¡¯s eyes had gone totally ck.


    "Luna!" I shouted, but it was toote.


    The young diplomat smiled with a mouth full of shadow and raised her hands. Dark energy poured from her fingers toward the supernatural figures around her.


    "The alliance dies here," she said in a voice that wasn¡¯t her own. "Just as it was always meant to."

 Chapter 116: Caleb’s Research

    <h4>Chapter 116: Caleb¡¯s Research</h4>


    Caleb POV


    When I picked up the old book, it blew up in my hands, sending pages flying through the secret library like angry birds. Just seconds before, I was standing there when words written in silver ink started to glow and burn the air. I jumped backwards.


    "What the hell?" I gasped as I saw a warning written in anguage I had never seen before in floating letters.


    As I picked up the scattered pages, my hands were shaking. The third book today that didn¡¯t let me read about Null Bearers without getting angry. It¡¯s possible that something or someone didn¡¯t want this information to get out.


    Still, I had to keep going. Everyone else was fighting or making deals, but I was researching, which is what I did best. And what I found scared me more than any w or sword.


    The burned pages crumbled in my fingers, but I could still make out fragments of writing. "...born between worlds..." and "...neither fully connected norpletely separate..." and most importantly, "...the key to crossing all boundaries..."


    My phone buzzed with a text from Aiden: "Emergency meeting canceled. Strange magical interference in the caves. Where are you?"


    I typed back quickly: "Library. Found something important. Stay safe."


    What I didn¡¯t tell him was that I¡¯d been trapped in this hidden part of the pack¡¯s archive room for the past three hours. The door had sealed itself when I¡¯d spoken the words "Null Bearer" out loud while reading. Magic doors were tricky that way.


    I grabbed another book from the restricted shelf, this one bound in what looked like human skin. Gross, but if it had answers about what was happening to Lily, I¡¯d read anything.


    The moment I opened it, pain shot through my head like someone was driving nails into my brain. Images shed behind my eyes - not my memories, but someone else¡¯s.


    A woman with silver hair stands in a circle of robed figures. Her belly was huge with pregnancy, and her eyes werepletely white.


    "The child will be born between the veil," one of the figures said. "Neither fully in our world nor fully in theirs."


    "She¡¯ll be powerful beyond measure," another added. "But also vulnerable. The Void King will hunt her above all others."


    "Then we hide her," the silver-haired woman answered. "We make sure she never knows what she is until the time is right."


    The vision ended abruptly, leaving me gasping on the floor. That woman had looked exactly like Lily, but older. Much older.


    I flipped through the book desperately, looking for more information. Most of the pages were written in that strange glowingnguage, but some had been turned into English.


    "A Null Bearer is created when a child is conceived during a crossing between worlds," I read aloud. "The mother must be in both realities at the moment of conception, creating offspring that exists partially in each."


    My blood went cold. Lily¡¯s mother had disappeared when she was just a baby. Everyone assumed she¡¯d been killed by rogues, but what if something else had happened? What if she¡¯d been taken to another world?


    The book continued: "Null Bearers appear normal until their eighteenth birthday, when their true nature begins to manifest. They can walk between realities, see through illusions that fool others, and most importantly, they cannot be controlled by entities from other dimensions."


    That exined so much. Why Lily had sensed the danger before anyone else during the rogue attack. Why her wolf form was faster and more agile than it should be. Why the Void King¡¯s magic hadn¡¯t been able to touch her during previous encounters.


    She wasn¡¯t just special because of some mate bond or pack politics. She was literally built to fight creatures like the Void King.


    But the next paragraph made my heart stop.


    "The birth of a Null Bearer¡¯s first child creates a dangerous window between worlds. If the child is born during a Void incursion, the barriers between realities may copse entirely. The Null Bearer and her offspring be targets for entities seeking to cross over permanently."


    Lily was pregnant. The Void King was trying to break through. And ording to this book, her baby¡¯s birth might be exactly what the creature needed to enter our worldpletely.


    I had to warn everyone immediately.


    I tried the door again, pushing and pulling and even trying to break it down with my shoulder. Nothing worked. The magical seal was too strong.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something that made my skin crawl. There were scratch marks on the inside of the door. Deep gouges that looked like they¡¯d been made by desperate fingernails. Someone else had been trapped in here before me.


    I grabbed my phone to call for help, but there was no signal. The magical interference Aiden had mentioned was getting stronger.


    Going back to the books, I searched frantically for anything about how to protect a Null Bearer during childbirth. Most of the information was either burned away or written in that impossible glowingnguage, but I found one passage that was readable.


    "Only another Null Bearer can safely deliver a Null Bearer¡¯s child. The midwife must share the same split existence between worlds to maintain the barriers during birth."


    But that was impossible. ording to everything I¡¯d read, Null Bearers were incredibly rare. There might be only one or two born every few centuries. What were the chances that there was another one alive right now?


    Unless...


    I grabbed the oldest book on the shelf, one that looked like it hadn¡¯t been opened in decades. The cover was so worn I could barely make out the title: "The Hidden Bloodlines of Silver Peak Pack."


    My hands trembled as I opened it. If my suspicions were right, this book would contain family histories going back hundreds of years.


    I flipped to the section about pack founders and began reading names and dates. Most of the entries were normal - births, deaths, matings, nothing unusual.


    But then I found an entry that made everything click into ce. " Elder Iris Morrison, born 1953. Mother: Unknown. Father: Marcus Morrison (Beta). Notable: Child showed unusual abilities from birth. Could sense danger before others and seemed to exist partially outside normal pack bonds. Suspected Null Bearer, but records sealed by Alpha order."


    Elder Iris. The woman who¡¯d been helping Lily understand her role in the pack. The woman who always seemed to know things before anyone else did.


    She wasn¡¯t just a wise old omega. She was like Lily - a Null Bearer who¡¯d been hiding her true nature for seventy years.


    I had to get out of this room and find her immediately. She was the only one who could safely deliver Lily¡¯s baby.


    But as I stood to try the door again, the temperature dropped twenty degrees in seconds. Frost formed on the books around me, and my breath came out in white puffs.


    "Found something interesting, young wolf?"


    I spun around to see a figure materializing from the shadows between the bookshelves. It looked like Elder Iris, but her eyes were solid ck and her smile showed teeth that were too sharp.


    "You¡¯ve been very helpful," she continued in a voice like breaking ss. "Leading us right to the information we needed. The Void King is most grateful."


    The books around me began burning with cold fire, destroying evidence of everything I¡¯d discovered. But worse than that was the realization hitting me like a physical blow.


    Elder Iris - the woman we¡¯d all trusted, the woman Lily depended on - was working for the enemy.


    And I was trapped in a room with her, with no way to warn anyone that our most trusted advisor was a traitor.

 Chapter 117: The Sacrifice’s Side Effects

    <h4>Chapter 117: The Sacrifice¡¯s Side Effects</h4>


    Lily POV


    The vampire hissed and backed away from me like I was made of fire. His red eyes went wide with fear as I stepped closer, trying to help him up from where he¡¯d fallen during the fight.


    "Stay back!" he screamed, scrambling across the cave floor. "What are you?"


    I froze, my hand still stretched out to help. "I¡¯m Lily. I¡¯m trying to help you."


    But he just kept backing away, his fangs showing as he growled. "You¡¯re not normal. You smell like... like the space between worlds."


    Around us, the emergency meeting had turned into chaos after Luna exposed herself as a Void King servant. But now everyone was staring at me instead of fighting the real enemy. Werewolves I¡¯d known my whole life looked at me like I was a stranger. The dragon-woman had actually moved to put more distance between us.


    What was wrong with me?


    Ever since Prince Ash had tried to move his soul to save Emma, I¡¯d felt different. The spell had failed when the Void King corrupted it, but something had changed inside me. I could feel it like a cold weight in my chest, something that hadn¡¯t been there before.


    "Lily?" Aiden¡¯s voice sounded unsure. Even my own mate¡¯s brother was looking at me strangely. "Are you okay? You feel... different."


    Different. That word kept following me around like a bad smell.


    "I¡¯m fine," I lied, pulling my hands back to my sides. But I wasn¡¯t great. Every supernatural being in the cave was responding to me like I was dangerous. Even Emma, sleeping in her carrier, had started crying the moment I got close.


    The elf elder stepped forward carefully, like he was approaching a wild animal. "Child, may I check you? Something has changed your essence."


    I wanted to say no. I wanted to run back to my house and pretend none of this was happening. But if something was wrong with me, I needed to know what it was.


    The elf put his hands near my shoulders, not quite touching. His face went pale.


    "Impossible," he whispered. "You¡¯re partially phased out of this world. How are you still standing here?"


    "What does that mean?" I asked, though I was afraid to hear the answer.


    "It means," said a new voice from the cave opening, "that you¡¯re bing like us."


    Everyone turned to see three more figures entering - not the Void Lieutenants we¡¯d been fighting, but something else. They looked almost human, but their edges seemed blurry, like they weren¡¯t quite all there.


    "The Between Walkers," Elder Marcus breathed. "I thought they were myths."


    "Very real," the first figure said with a sad smile. "We were like you once. Supernatural beings who got caught between worlds during magical idents."


    My heart started pounding. "Caught between realities?"


    "When Prince Ash¡¯s spell was corrupted," the second figure exined, "it created a rift between worlds. You were standing too close. Part of you got pulled into the space between dimensions."


    I felt sick. "Am I going to die?"


    "Not die," the third figure said softly. "But you¡¯re not fully alive in this world anymore either. That¡¯s why everyone responds to you strangely. You¡¯re bing unstuck from normal life."


    The vampire who¡¯d been afraid of me earlier spoke up. "Is that why she smells wrong? Like she¡¯s notpletely here?"


    "Exactly," the first Between Walker said. "And it¡¯s going to get worse. Soon she won¡¯t be able to touch things in this world at all. She¡¯ll fade away totally."


    Panic rose in my throat. I thought about Emma, about Caleb, about the baby growing inside me. I couldn¡¯t fade away. I had too much to live for.


    "There has to be a way to fix this," I said desperately.


    The Between Walkers exchanged looks. "There is one way. But it takes a choice that can¡¯t be undone."


    "What choice?"


    "You can anchor yourself to this reality permanently," the second one exined. "But to do it, you have to give up something precious. Something that connects you to the magical world."


    I felt hope and fear at the same time. "What would I have to give up?"


    "Your wolf," the third Between Walker said quietly. "Your link to the pack. Your mate bond. Everything that makes you supernatural."


    The cave wentpletely silent. I could hear my own heartbeat booming off the walls.


    Give up being a werewolf? Give up my connection to Caleb, to the pack, to everything I¡¯d ever known? I¡¯d spent my whole life feeling like I didn¡¯t fit because I was just an omega. Now I was being asked to give up being a wolf entirely.


    But the option was fading away into nothing, leaving Caleb and our unborn child behind.


    "How long do I have to decide?" I asked.


    "Not long," the first Between Walker said sadly. "The process is elerating. Maybe a few hours before you¡¯re too far gone to choose."


    That¡¯s when Brock burst into the cave, his face wild with fear. "Caleb¡¯s missing! I can¡¯t find him anywhere, and there¡¯s magical interference blocking our pack bond!"


    My heart stopped. In all the chaos and revtions about my condition, I¡¯d forgotten that Caleb had gone to research in the library. Now he was lost, and I might not have long before I couldn¡¯t help find him.


    "Where did you see himst?" I asked, trying to stay calm.


    "The storage room. But the door¡¯s sealed with magic I¡¯ve never seen before. Aiden¡¯s trying to break it down, but¡ª"


    "I can get through," I interrupted. Everyone stared at me. "If I¡¯m partially between realities, maybe I can walk through magical barriers."


    The Between Walkers nodded slowly. "It¡¯s possible. But using your between-state skills will make the fading process happen faster. You might only have minutes to decide about the grounding after that."


    I didn¡¯t hesitate. "Then we better hurry."


    As I ran toward the storage room with Brock, the Between Walkers called after me: "Remember, once you¡¯re fully between worlds, there¡¯s noing back! The choice has to be made while you can still touch this reality!"


    I pushed down my fear and ran faster. Whatever was happening to me, whatever choice I had to make, it would have to wait. Caleb needed me now.


    But as we reached the storage room, I could see through the magically sealed door like it was made of ss. What I saw inside made my blood turn to ice.


    Caleb was pressed against the far wall, terror on his face. Standing over him was Elder Iris, but her eyes were solid ck and her hands glowed with dark energy.


    "Please," Caleb was saying. "I won¡¯t tell anyone what I found. I swear."


    Elder Iris smiled with too many teeth. "Oh, you won¡¯t tell anyone, dear boy. Because dead dogs tell no tales."


    She raised her hands, dark power crackling between her fingers.


    I had seconds to save him, but using my between-worlds skills might cost me everything I had left.

 Chapter 118: Alliance Tensions

    <h4>Chapter 118: Alliance Tensions</h4>


    <strong>Aiden POV</strong>


    His fist hit the stone table so hard that it broke in half across the middle.


    He screamed, "You stupid dogs!" His eyes were red as fire. "Your brother has doomed us all!"


    My wolf growled inside me as I jumped to my feet. "Watch your mouth when you talk about my family!"


    Every magical leader was yelling at the same time around the emergency meeting cave. The dragon woman breathed in smoke. In the old elf¡¯s hands, green magic was shining. Three alpha werewolves from packs nearby were growling as threats. We were the ones who made everyone angry, scared, and angry at us.


    "Enough!" I roared, using my Alpha voice. The cave went quiet, but I could feel the anger still boiling under the surface. "Fighting each other won¡¯t solve anything."


    "Won¡¯t solve anything?" The vampire lordughed bitterly. "Your pack harbors a girl who¡¯s bing a Between Walker, and now she¡¯s disappeared along with one of your brothers! The Void King probably has them both!"


    My heart clenched thinking about Caleb trapped somewhere dangerous, but I couldn¡¯t show weakness. Not now. "We don¡¯t know that for sure."


    "Don¡¯t we?" The dragon woman stepped forward, her golden eyes angry. "First the corruption spreads through your area. Then your prince friend nearly tears reality apart trying to save his mate. Now a Between Walker arrives in your pack, and suddenly two of your people disappear? This is not coincidence."


    Elder Marcus, our pack¡¯s boss, looked older than I¡¯d ever seen him. "The alliance was made to protect all our kinds from the Void King. We must work together."


    "Work together?" A werewolf alpha from the Mountain Pack growled. "Your pack is a danger to everyone! That girl should have been killed the moment she started changing!"


    Red rage filled my view. "Lily is not scary! She¡¯s trying to save my brother!"


    "By using powers that don¡¯t belong in our world," the elf elder said sadly. "Young Alpha, I understand your loyalty. But Between Walkers are neither alive nor dead. They live in the space between realities. If she uses those powers too much, she¡¯ll fade away totally. And worse, she might tear holes between worlds that the Void King can use."


    I felt sick. Lily was risking everything to save Caleb, and these people wanted to treat her like a monster. "She¡¯s still one of us. She¡¯s still fighting on our side."


    "Is she?" The vampire lord¡¯s voice was cold. "Tell me, can you still feel her through your pack bond?"


    I tried to reach out with my wolf senses, looking for Lily¡¯s familiar presence. Nothing. It was like she¡¯d never existed. The same nothingness I felt when I tried to find Caleb.


    My silence was answer enough.


    "I thought so," the vampire said. "She¡¯s slipping away from this world. Soon she won¡¯t be able to help anyone, and the power she¡¯s using might make doorways for our enemies."


    "Then we help her!" I said desperately. "We find a way to anchor her back to our world!"


    "There is no way," one of the Between Walkers from earlier spoke up. They¡¯d been standing quietly in the corner, their forms flickering like lights in wind. "Once the change goes too far, the choice bes permanent. Stay between worlds and fade away, or give up everything magical to be fully human."


    My blood turned to ice. "She¡¯d lose her wolf? Her link to the pack?"


    "Everything," the Between Walker stated. "Her mate bond with your brother. Her power to sense supernatural threats. She¡¯d bepletely regr."


    The cave exploded in arguments again. Half the leaders thought Lily should be forced to be human to remove the risk. The other half thought she should be eliminated before she could choose. Nobody seemed to care about saving her.


    "She¡¯s not just some threat to be dealt with!" I shouted over the noise. "She¡¯s family! She¡¯s pack!"


    "She¡¯s a liability," the Mountain Pack alpha growled. "And so is your brother for getting caught. Maybe the Silver Peak Pack isn¡¯t strong enough to lead this union."


    My wolf roared inside me. "Are you challenging my pack¡¯s leadership?"


    "Maybe I am," he said, stepping closer. "Your father¡¯s getting old. Your brother¡¯s lost. And you¡¯re protecting a Between Walker who might destroy us all. Doesn¡¯t sound like strong leadership to me."


    Before I could reply, a new voice cut through the tension.


    "Fighting amongst ourselves is exactly what the Void King wants."


    Everyone turned to see Prince Ash entering the cave, but he looked terrible. His normally perfect appearance was disheveled, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Emma slept in a carrier on his chest, the only peaceful thing in the hectic scene.


    "Your Highness," Elder Marcus bowed his head. "We thought you were resting after the failed soul transfer."


    "I was," Ash said sadly. "Until I felt the Void King¡¯s magic spike. Something big ising. He¡¯s moving faster than we expected."


    The vampire lord hissed. "What do you mean?"


    Ash¡¯s face was grim. "The rot isn¡¯t just spreading randomly anymore. It¡¯s being handled. Controlled. The Void King is using it to map our world, learning about our barriers and our people."


    "How do you know this?" the dragon woman asked.


    "Because I can still feel the connection from when he corrupted my spell," Ash admitted. "It¡¯s faint, but it¡¯s there. And right now, he¡¯s very interested in something happening in the forest north of here."


    My heart stopped. "That¡¯s where Lily went to save Caleb."


    "Then she¡¯s walking into a trap," the elf elder said quietly.


    The Between Walker who¡¯d been describing Lily¡¯s condition suddenly straightened, their flickering form bing more solid. "Wait. I can feel her. She¡¯s using her between-world powers right now, and she¡¯s... she¡¯s in terrible danger."


    "From what?" I asked.


    "Not what. Who." The Between Walker¡¯s face went pale. "She¡¯s found your brother, but he¡¯s not alone. There are Void Lieutenants with him. And something else. Something that feels like..."


    They trailed off, looking frightened.


    "Like what?" Ash pressed.


    "Like the Void King himself has sent a piece of his soul into our world. If Lily tries to save your brother now, she¡¯ll be facing a fragment of our biggest enemy. In her unstable condition, that kind of power could destroy her totally."


    The cave fell dead silent except for Emma¡¯s soft breaths.


    "How long does she have?" I asked, though I was afraid of the answer.


    The Between Walker closed their eyes, focusing. "Minutes. Maybe less. She¡¯s about to make her choice - save your brother and risk everything, or flee and leave him to die."


    I was already moving toward the cave opening before anyone could stop me. "Then I¡¯m going after her."


    "Aiden, no!" Elder Marcus called. "You can¡¯t face Void power alone!"


    "I won¡¯t let them die," I said, changing into wolf form. "Either of them."


    But as I reached the cave mouth, the Between Walker¡¯s frightened voice stopped me cold.


    "It¡¯s toote. She¡¯s made her choice. I can feel her using the between-world skills at full strength. Whatever happens next will determine not just her fate, but the fate of everyone she¡¯s trying to save."


    Thest thing I heard before racing into the forest was Emma beginning to cry, as if she could sense that everything was about to change forever.

 Chapter 119: The First Seal

    <h4>Chapter 119: The First Seal</h4>


    Sage POV


    The reality tear screamed.


    I stumbled backward as the huge rip in the air let out a sound like a thousand ss windows breaking at once. Through the jagged hole, I could see the Void - endless ck nothingness that made my witch magic recoil in terror.


    "Hold the circle!" I shouted to my coven sisters, but three of them were already on their knees, blood streaming from their faces. The tear was getting bigger every second, and our bond spells weren¡¯t strong enough.


    "Sage!" My sister Maya grabbed my arm, her face pale with fear. "We can¡¯t seal it alone! It¡¯s too powerful!"


    She was right. This reality tear was the biggest one yet - twenty feet wide and growing. Through it, I could feel the Void King¡¯s attention turning toward our world like a big eye opening in the darkness. If we couldn¡¯t seal it soon, he¡¯d be able to send his troops through.


    That¡¯s when I saw her running through the trees - Lily, the Between Walker girl everyone was talking about. But she looked wrong, like she was only half there. Parts of her body flickered in and out of existence, and her eyes glowed with silver light.


    Behind her came Caleb, the Alpha¡¯s brother, supporting Elder Iris who looked barely aware. They were running from something, and whatever it was made the hair on my arms stand up with fear.


    "The seal!" Lily gasped as she reached our group. "You have toplete the seal now!"


    "We can¡¯t!" I said desperately. "The tear¡¯s too strong. We need more power than my group can provide!"


    Lily¡¯s flickering form settled for a moment, and I saw determination in her glowing eyes. "Then use me."


    "What?" Maya stepped forward, shaking her head. "That¡¯s crazy. You¡¯re barely attached to this reality as it is!"


    "Exactly," Lily said, looking back at the forest where shadows were moving between the trees. "I live between worlds. I can channel power from both sides - your magic from this reality, and energy from the space between worlds."


    Elder Iris raised her head slowly. "Child, no. That much power will tear you apart."


    "Maybe," Lily allowed. "But if I don¡¯t try, that tear will keep growing until the Void King walks through it himself."


    A bone-chilling howl echoed from the trees. Whatever was chasing them was getting closer.


    "Void Lieutenants," Caleb said grimly, his hands sparking with Alpha power. "At least six of them. They want to keep the tear open."


    I felt my stomach drop. Void Lieutenants were bad enough on their own, but six of them could overwhelm even our united power. We needed that seal closed now.


    "How would it work?" I asked Lily, my mind racing through spell options.


    "Your coven forms the binding circle," she said quickly. "I stand in the center and be a channel. The between-world energy flowing through me should increase your magic enough to seal the tear."


    "Should?" Maya looked scared. "What if it doesn¡¯t work?"


    "Then we all die when the Void Kinges through," Lily said inly.


    The howls were getting closer. I could see red eyes shining in the darkness between the trees.


    "Do it," I decided. My group sisters looked at me like I¡¯d lost my mind, but I was the High Priestess. The choice was mine. "Everyone back to ces. Lily, middle of the circle."


    As my twelve coven sisters took their ces, Lily walked to the middle of our line. The closer she got to the reality tear, the more solid she became, like the chaos energy was calling to her.


    "Remember," Elder Iris called softly from where Caleb held her, "you¡¯re not trying to control the between-world energy. Let it flow through you like water through a pipe."


    I began the chant, feeling my sisters¡¯ power join with mine. Our united power rose like a golden dome around the circle. But when it touched the reality tear, the Void pushed back, making the rip grow even wider.


    "Now, Lily!" I shouted.


    The girl spread her arms wide and tilted her head back. Silver light poured from her eyes and mouth as she opened herself to the space between worlds. Power - raw, wild, dangerous power - began flowing through her into our spell.


    The feeling was incredible and terrifying. It felt like trying to direct a lightning storm with my bare hands. The power was too big, too wild, too alien for human minds to fully control.


    Two of my sisters copsed instantly. Their human brains couldn¡¯t handle directing that much otherworldly energy.


    "Hold on!" I screamed, though I could feel my own mind starting to fray at the edges.


    But it was working. The golden dome of ourbined magic was pushing against the reality tear, causing it to shrink. The Void¡¯s screaming grew louder as its doorway into our world began to close.


    That¡¯s when the Void Lieutenants burst from the trees.


    Six creatures that looked like wolves made of living shadow and red fire charged our group. Caleb stepped up to fight them, but even an Alpha couldn¡¯t handle six Lieutenants alone.


    "Don¡¯t break the circle!" I ordered as my sisters flinched away from the attacking creatures. "If we lose focus now, the seal will fail!"


    One Lieutenant leaped straight at me, its burning ws directed at my throat. I couldn¡¯t dodge without breaking the spell, so I closed my eyes and waited for death.


    Instead, I heard Lily scream.


    When I opened my eyes, the Lieutenant was frozen in mid-air, caught in a web of silver light that poured from Lily¡¯s hands. But the attempt was destroying her. Her form flickered wildly between solid and transparent.


    "I can¡¯t hold them and channel the sealing energy!" she gasped, silver blood pouring from her nose.


    The reality tear was still twenty feet wide. We needed at least two more minutes to close itpletely. But Lily was already past her limits, and the Lieutenants were breaking free of her silver bond.


    That¡¯s when I felt it - another presence in the trees. Something bigger and more terrible than the Lieutenants. Something that made every supernatural feeling I had scream in terror.


    Through the trees came a person in a ck cloak. Where his face should have been, there was only whirling darkness. But I knew who it was from the pure wrongness that came from him.


    A Void King Avatar. Not the real Void King, but a piece of his energy given form in our world.


    "Foolish children," his voice was like winter wind through a graveyard. "You think you can seal what I have torn open?"


    He raised one shadow-wrapped hand, and I felt our spell beginning to unwind. The reality tear stopped shrinking and started growing again.


    "Lily!" I shouted desperately. "We need more power!"


    She looked at me with eyes that were nowpletely silver. "There is a way. But if I do it, I won¡¯t being back."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I can burn out my connection to this realitypletely," she said, her voice echoing strangely. "Use my entire life as fuel for the seal. It will close the tear forever, but I¡¯ll be consumed in the process."


    My heart broke for this brave girl. "There has to be another way!"


    "There isn¡¯t," she said softly. "And they¡¯re counting on me."


    The Avatar stepped closer, and I could feel reality twisting around him. In seconds, he would destroy our magicpletely.


    Lily closed her eyes and whispered, "Tell Caleb I love him."


    Then she screamed and silver fire exploded from her body, pouring every ounce of her between-world life into our sealing spell.


    Thest thing I saw before the blinding light swallowed everything was the Avatar¡¯s face turning toward something behind us, his expression changing from confidence to shock.


    "Impossible," he hissed. "How are you here?"

 Chapter 120: Unexpected Consequences

    <h4>Chapter 120: Unexpected Consequences</h4>


    Lily POV


    I was dying and not dying at the same time.


    The silver fire tore through my body as I poured everything I had into closing the reality tear. Pain beyond anything I¡¯d ever felt burned through every cell, but I held on because Caleb needed me to. Because everyone needed me to.


    Then suddenly, the pain stopped.


    I opened my eyes expecting to see nothing - expecting to be gone, swallowed by the spell. Instead, I saw everything.


    Three different forms of everything.


    In one world, I stood in the forest clearing where the witches had been casting their magic. The reality tear was sealed, leaving only scorched ground behind. Sage and her coven sisters were picking themselves up from the ground, living but exhausted.


    In another world, the same area was covered in ice and snow. The witches were there too, but they looked older, sadder. Some were missing totally. The reality tear had never been fixed in this version - it had grown until it swallowed half the forest.


    In the third world, there was no clearing at all. Just empty space where the ground should be, floating in a void filled with stars that weren¡¯t quite the right color.


    All three worlds existed at the same time,yered on top of each other like transparent pieces of paper. And somehow, I was seeing all of them.


    "Lily?" Caleb¡¯s voice came from somewhere far away. "Lily, can you hear me?"


    I tried to answer, but when I opened my mouth, my voice came out in three different tones - one from each world I was seeing. In the first world, I sounded normal. In the second, my voice was hollow and sad. In the third, I didn¡¯t seem to have a say at all.


    "Something¡¯s wrong," I managed to say, though I wasn¡¯t sure which world heard me.


    I tried to move toward Caleb, but my body wouldn¡¯t obey. Instead, I felt myself shifting between the three worlds. One moment I was solid in the first world, the next I was a ghost in the second, then totally invisible in the third.


    "The spell worked too well," Elder Iris said weakly. In the first world, she was leaning against a tree, living but drained. In the second world, she was crying over a grave que. In the third world, she wasn¡¯t there at all.


    "What do you mean?" Sage asked. Her voice echoed strangely across all three worlds.


    "The seal required Lily to burn through her connection to normal reality," Elder Iris exined. "But instead of destroying her, it scattered her across different dimensions. She¡¯s seeing different versions of what could have been."


    I felt fear rising in my chest. "I can¡¯t stop it. I keep slipping between them."


    In the first world, Caleb reached out to touch my face, and his hand passed right through me. In the second world, he wasn¡¯t even looking at me - he was staring at the ground where I must have died. In the third world, he was screaming my name into empty space.


    "How do we fix this?" Caleb ordered, his voice breaking.


    "I don¡¯t know if we can," Elder Iris revealed.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something that made my blood run cold. In two of the three worlds, there were shadows moving in the forest. The same shadows that had been following us before - Void Lieutenants.


    But these weren¡¯t the same ones we¡¯d fought. These were different forms, from the worlds where the seal had failed or never happened at all. And somehow, my scattered life was creating bridges between the realities.


    "The Lieutenants," I mumbled, watching them creep closer in the second and third worlds. "They¡¯reing through the connections I¡¯m making."


    Sage spun around, but she could only see the first world where everything was safe. "What Lieutenants?"


    "From the other realities," I said desperately. "My condition is bringing the worlds together. The Void creatures from the failed realities are crossing over."


    As if my words had made it real, one of the shadow dogs from the second world suddenly appeared in the first. It appeared right behind Maya, Sage¡¯s sister, its red eyes burning with hunger.


    Maya screamed as ws made of darkness raked across her back. The other witches rushed for defensive spells, but they were exhausted from the sealing procedure.


    "I¡¯m causing this," I realized with horror. "Every time I shift between worlds, I¡¯m weakening the barriers."


    More Lieutenants began appearing - first one, then three, then a whole pack of them. They poured through the cracks I was identally creating, bringing with them the smell of failed realities and broken hopes.


    Caleb shifted into his wolf form and jumped at the nearest Lieutenant, but his ws passed through it like it was made of smoke. The thingughed and shed at him with very real ws.


    "They¡¯re from different dimensions," Elder Iris said, trying to cast a protection spell. "Physical attacks won¡¯t work."


    "Then what will?" Sagemanded, helping her injured sister stand.


    I felt myself shifting again, sliding between the three worlds like a ball bouncing between walls. In the second world, I saw something that gave me an idea - a version of myself that had never tried to seal the tear, who was still fully linked to normal reality.


    "I need to merge with my other selves," I said, though I wasn¡¯t sure if anyone could hear me. "If I canbine all three versions, I might be able to control the dimensional bleeding."


    "How?" Caleb asked, avoiding another Lieutenant¡¯s attack.


    "I have to let go," I said, feeling tears running down my face. "I have to stop fighting the shifts and let myself fall between all the worlds at once."


    "No!" Caleb howled. "You¡¯ll disappearpletely!"


    He was probably right. Letting go of my grip on reality might scatter me so fully that I¡¯d never be able toe back. But the alternative was watching these shadow monsters destroy everyone I loved.


    "It¡¯s the only way," I said softly.


    I closed my eyes and stopped fighting the dimensional changes. Instead of trying to stay in one world, I let myself fall into the areas between them. The feeling was like drowning in reverse - instead of water filling my lungs, I felt myself bing the water.


    For a moment, I existed everywhere and nowhere. I could see infinite forms of reality stretching out in all directions. Worlds where the Void King had won, worlds where he¡¯d never lived, worlds where magic was different or didn¡¯t exist at all.


    Then something grabbed me.


    Not physically - something reached into the space between worlds and wrapped around my scattered consciousness like a hand closing around scattered papers.


    "Found you," said a voice I recognized but couldn¡¯t ce.


    I felt myself being pulled back together, all three versions of me snapping into line like puzzle pieces clicking into ce. The dimensional bleeding stopped, and the shadow Lieutenants faded away as the walls between worlds solidified again.


    When I opened my eyes, I was back in the first world, solid and real. But I wasn¡¯t alone in my head anymore. I could still feel the other two versions of myself, like whispers at the edge of my thoughts.


    "Who are you?" I asked the voice that had saved me.


    A figure stepped out from behind the trees - tall, wearing a cloak that seemed to be made of stars. When they pushed back their hood, I gasped.


    It was me. Another version of me, but older, with silver hair and eyes that held the knowledge of someone who had seen too much.


    "I¡¯m what you be," the older Lily said sadly. "In the timeline where you learn to control your powers instead of being controlled by them."


    "That¡¯s impossible," Sage breathed.


    "Nothing is impossible when you exist between realities," the older Lily replied. "I¡¯ve been watching, waiting for the right time to intervene. But my appearance here changes everything."


    "What do you mean?" I asked, though I was afraid of the answer.


    The older me looked at Caleb with deep sadness. "Time isn¡¯t straight when you¡¯re a Between Walker. By saving you from dimensional scattering, I¡¯ve made a paradox. Two versions of the same person living in the same timeline."


    "So what happens now?" Caleb asked.


    The older Lily¡¯s expression got grim. "Now reality itself will try to fix the riddle. And the only way it can do that is by erasing one of us totally."


    She looked straight at me, and I saw my own face filled with regret.


    "One of us has to die, Lily. And we have less than an hour to decide which one."

 Chapter 121: Caleb’s Fear

    <h4>Chapter 121: Caleb¡¯s Fear</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The scream that tore from my throat echoed through the forest as Lily¡¯s body suddenly went rigid in my arms. One second she was solid and warm against me, the next she was fading like smoke, her edges bing see-through.


    "Lily!" I gripped her tighter, but my hands passed through parts of her like she was made of mist. "No, no, no. Stay with me!"


    Her eyes rolled back, showing only white, and when she spoke, three different sounds came out of her mouth at the same time. The sound made my skin crawl.


    "I can see them all," she whispered in those terrible ovepping voices. "Every choice we never made. Every road we didn¡¯t take."


    "What¡¯s happening to her?" Sage cried, her face pale with fear.


    Elder Iris stumbled to her feet, leaning heavily on a tree. "The reality seal is pulling her awareness into the spaces between worlds. She¡¯s bing unstuck from our timeline."


    I felt like someone had punched me in the gut. "Fix it! You have to fix it!"


    "I don¡¯t know how," Elder Iris revealed, and those four words nearly broke me.


    Lily¡¯s body flickered again, and for a moment I could see right through her to the trees behind. When she hardened, she looked at me with confusion, like she didn¡¯t recognize me.


    "Caleb?" she said, but her voice sounded faraway. "Why are there three of you?"


    My heart hammered against my ribs. "There¡¯s only one of me, Lily. You¡¯re seeing things that aren¡¯t there."


    She reached out to touch my face, but her hand passed through my cheek. The look of fear in her eyes made me want to howl like a wounded animal.


    "I¡¯m disappearing," she whispered. "I can feel myself scattering."


    "No!" I pulled her against me, even though holding her was like trying to hold water. "I won¡¯t let you go. Do you hear me? I won¡¯t let you disappear!"


    But even as I said it, I could feel her slipping away. The mate bond between us, usually warm and steady, kept cutting in and out like a broken radio signal. Each time it went quiet, fear wed at my chest.


    "The other versions of me are calling," Lily said, her voice getting fainter. "In one world, I¡¯m already dead. In another, I never met you at all."


    The thought of a world where Lily didn¡¯t know me, where we¡¯d never found each other, made me feel sick. "Don¡¯t listen to them. Listen to me. Focus on my voice."


    I started talking about everything I could think of - our first meeting, the way she looked when she found the old omega texts, how proud I felt when she stood up to Luna. Anything to keep her connected to our world.


    "Remember when you told me you felt invisible?" I said desperately. "You¡¯re not invisible to me, Lily. You never were. You¡¯re the best thing in my world."


    For a moment, she seemed more solid, more present. Her eyes focused on mine with recognition and love. "Caleb," she breathed, and it was her real voice, not the strange merging sounds.


    Relief flooded through me. "That¡¯s it. Stay with me."


    But then her face changed, bing distant again. "The shadows are moving in the other ces. The Void creatures are using the cracks I¡¯m making to cross over."


    I looked around the bush, but everything appeared normal. "What shadows? I don¡¯t see anything."


    "They¡¯re not in this world yet," Lily said, her form flickering again. "But they¡¯reing. My scattered existence is making bridges between realities, and the Lieutenants are using them to attack."


    Elder Iris gasped. "If creatures from failed timelines enter our world..."


    "They¡¯ll destroy everything," Lily ended. "Everyone I love will die because of what I¡¯ve be."


    The pain in her voice cut through me like a knife. "This isn¡¯t your fault," I said strongly. "You saved us all by sealing the reality tear."


    "And doomed you by doing it wrong," she responded, tears streaming down her half-transparent face.


    That¡¯s when I felt it - a cold wind that had nothing to do with weather. The temperature around us dropped so fast I could see my breath. Sage¡¯s sister Maya screamed from somewhere behind us.


    I spun around to see something that shouldn¡¯t exist - a shadow wolf with bright red eyes, its body made of darkness that seemed to eat the light around it. It had Maya trapped against a tree, its ws extended toward her throat.


    "Void Lieutenant," Elder Iris breathed. "From one of the broken timelines."


    The creature looked straight at me and smiled, showing teeth like broken ss. When it spoke, its voice sounded like a dying star.


    "Thank you for opening the doors," it said. "Soon, all realities will burn."


    I shifted into my wolf form instantly,unching myself at the shadow thing. But my ws passed right through it like it was made of smoke. The Lieutenantughed and swiped at me with very real ws that left hot scratches across my ribs.


    "You cannot fight whates from broken worlds," it hissed. "We are the echoes of your failures, the ghosts of your fears."


    More shadows began appearing between the trees - dozens of them, creeping closer with hungry eyes. They were all different forms and sizes, but they shared the same wrongness, like they didn¡¯t belong in any world.


    "Lily," I called out, backing toward her. "You have to stop this!"


    But when I looked at her, my blood turned to ice. She was almost totally transparent now, her form shifting between three different versions of herself. In one, she looked normal. In another, she looked older and sadder. In the third, she was just an image of light.


    "I can¡¯t control it," she said in those three ovepping voices. "I¡¯m bing less real with every second."


    The shadow monsters surrounded us, their red eyes reflecting nothing but hunger and hate. Maya was crying as one of them sniffed at her hair. Sage was trying to cast protection spells, but they had no effect on beings from other worlds.


    "There has to be a way," I said, unwilling to give up. "There¡¯s always a way."


    Elder Iris looked at me with old, sad eyes. "There is one possibility," she said slowly. "But it would require a sacrifice none of us may be willing to make."


    "What kind of sacrifice?" I asked.


    Before she could answer, the biggest shadow Lieutenant stepped forward. Unlike the others, this one looked almost human, except for eyes that held the nothingness of space between stars.


    "I know you," it said, looking at me with those horrible eyes. "In my world, you were mine. You served the Void King dly after watching your mate die."


    The words hit me like a physical blow. "That¡¯s not me. That will never be me."


    "Won¡¯t it?" The creature smiled. "When she fades totally, when you¡¯re left alone with your grief, you¡¯ll understand why I chose darkness. Why I helped destroy my own world."


    I looked at Lily, who was now barely visible even in the moonlight. The mate bond was a whisper, threatening to disappearpletely.


    "No," I said, but my voice shook with the fear that maybe this shadow version of myself was right.


    "The choice ising," the shadow-me said. "Save her by killing yourself, or watch her fade and be like me. Either way, darkness wins."


    Elder Iris stepped forward, her words heavy with dread. "Caleb, I need to tell you what the sacrifice requires."


    But before she could speak, Lily let out a sound that wasn¡¯t quite a scream - it was the sound of someone being torn apart. Her three forms suddenly snapped together roughly, and she copsed.


    When I reached her, she wasn¡¯t breathing.


    The mate bond went totally silent.


    And in that moment of absolute fear, I felt something dark and hungry whisper in my mind: "Let me help you save her."

 Chapter 122: The Vampire’s Concern

    <h4>Chapter 122: The Vampire¡¯s Concern</h4>


    Dmitri POV


    The scent of dimensional magic hit me like a p across the face as I ran through the trees toward the chaos. Three hundred years of life had taught me to recognize that particr smell - like burning copper mixed with the emptiness between stars. It meant someone was ying with forces they didn¡¯t understand.


    I burst into the area just as Caleb¡¯s anguished howl echoed through the trees. What I saw made my dead heart clench with old fear.


    Lily was flickering in and out of existence like a light in the wind. Her body phased between solid and transparent, and I could see the obvious shimmer around her edges that meant dimensional discement. I¡¯d seen it once before, two centuries ago, when a witch tried to open a portal to the shadow world.


    She¡¯d been lost forever.


    "Get away from her!" Caleb snarled at me, his wolf form bristling with protective rage.


    "You fool," I snapped, dropping to my knees beside Lily¡¯s disappearing form. "I¡¯m trying to help her!"


    The werewolf¡¯s eyes zed with distrust. "Since when do vampires help anyone?"


    "Since I¡¯ve seen this before and know what happens next," I said grimly, putting my hands carefully near Lily¡¯s flickering form. "She¡¯s caught between worlds. If we don¡¯t stabilize her soon, she¡¯ll scatter across endless realities and never find her way back."


    Elder Iris stumbled closer, her face pale with understanding. "You know about dimensional discement?"


    "My maker was obsessed with crossing between worlds," I exined, watching Lily¡¯s form wobble dangerously. " He tested on dozens of creatures before the Council stopped him. Most of them simply disappeared. The few we managed to save..." I shuddered at the thought. "They were never the same."


    Lily¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped open, but they weren¡¯t focused on our world. She was seeing something else entirely.


    "The trees are made of silver here," she whispered in a voice that seemed toe from far away. "And the sky is green. Caleb, why is your hair white?"


    "I¡¯m here, Lily," Caleb said desperately, trying to touch her face. His hand passed through her cheek. "My hair isn¡¯t white. You¡¯re seeing another world."


    "No," she said, her voice splitting into various tones again. "I¡¯m seeing three worlds. In one, you¡¯re old and sad. In another, you¡¯re..." Her face crumpled with fear. "You¡¯re dead. There¡¯s so much blood."


    Caleb made a choked sound of pain. I could smell his misery, sharp and bitter in the air.


    "Listen to me carefully," I said, leaning closer to Lily¡¯s changing form. "You need to focus on this fact. Find something that anchors you here - a memory, a feeling, anything that¡¯s truly yours in this world."


    "I can¡¯t," she gasped. "They¡¯re all calling to me. The other forms of myself. They want me to join them."


    A chill ran down my spine. This was worse than I¡¯d thought. "What other versions?"


    "The one who died saving the pack," she said, her voice bing dreamy and faraway. "She¡¯s so peaceful now. No more pain, no more burden. And there¡¯s another who never became the Triple Moon holder. She¡¯s normal, happy, invisible again."


    "Those aren¡¯t real," I said confidently, though I wasn¡¯t entirely sure. Dimensional discement could show true alternate worlds or create false ones. Either way was dangerous. "This is your world. These are your people."


    But even as I spoke, I noticed something that made my blood run cold. The shadow creatures lurking at the edge of the clearing weren¡¯t just from other worlds - they were being drawn here by Lily¡¯s unstable energy like moths to a me.


    One of them, a twisted thing that might have once been human, crept closer. Its eyes were holes in reality, and when it spoke, its voice was the sound of dying worlds.


    "Let her go," it whispered. "Let her join us in the spaces between. She belongs with the lost ones now."


    "Never," Caleb growled, cing himself between the thing and Lily.


    But I could see more shadows forming. Dozens of them, all different shapes and sizes, all drawn by the dimensional rifts Lily was making. Some looked like perverted animals. Others looked to be the remnants of people who had been lost between worlds.


    "She¡¯s bing a beacon," I realized with rising horror. "Every time she phases, she creates a signal that calls to everything lost in the dimensional void."


    Elder Iris grabbed my arm. "Can you stop it?"


    "I don¡¯t know," I admitted. "The only person I ever saw survive dimensional discement had to be grounded by someone who loved them more than life itself. But even then..."


    "What?" Caleb demanded.


    I met his desperate eyes. "The anchor had to dly follow them into the void and pull them back. Most of the time, both were lost forever."


    The words hit Caleb like a physical blow. I could see him calcting, weighing the risks. The love in his eyes was so bright it almost hurt to look at.


    "If I go after her," he said slowly, "what are the chances we both make it back?"


    Before I could answer, Lily let out a sound of pure fear. Her form was bing more transparent by the second, and I could see through her to the trees behind.


    "They¡¯re here," she whispered. "In all three ces. The Void King¡¯s army is using the bridges I¡¯m making. They¡¯reing through."


    That¡¯s when I saw them - not the smaller shadow creatures we¡¯d been dealing with, but true Void Lieutenants. Massive beings of living darkness that existed to eat light and hope. They were stepping through the dimensional cracks like they were doors.


    "How many worlds has he conquered?" I breathed, counting at least a dozen of the things.


    "All of them," Lily said, her voice now barely audible. "In every reality where I failed to stop him. And now he¡¯s using me to invade the ones where I seeded."


    The biggest Lieutenant, a thing that hurt to look at directly, turned its attention to me. When it spoke, its voice was the sound of worlds ending.


    "Ancient blood-drinker," it said, somehow knowing what I was though we¡¯d never met. "You think your small experience with dimensional magic can stop whates? You understand nothing."


    "Maybe not," I said, standing to face the thing. "But I know enough to recognize a trap when I see one."


    The Lieutenant smiled, showing teeth made of fallen stars. "Toote. The light is already lit. Soon, our master will step through, and this world will join all the others we have imed."


    That¡¯s when Lily¡¯s form suddenly snapped back to full rigidity. She gasped, her eyes focusing on our world for the first time in what felt like hours.


    "Dmitri," she said, her voice clear and anxious. "I know how to stop this. But you¡¯re not going to like it."


    "Tell me," I said, though dread was already growing in my chest.


    She looked at me with eyes that held the weight of infinite sadness. "I have to be like you. I have to die ande back changed. It¡¯s the only way to sever my connection to the other realities without destroying myself totally."


    The clearing fell silent except for the whisper of shadow things closing in around us.


    "Lily, no," Caleb said, his voice breaking.


    But I knew what she was asking. And I knew she was right - it might be the only way to save not just her, but all of reality.


    The question was: could I bring myself to kill the one person who might be able to stop the Void King?


    And more scary still - what if she was wrong, and I damned us all by trying?

 Chapter 123: Fae Solutions

    <h4>Chapter 123: Fae Solutions</h4>


    Prince Ash POV


    The dimensional tear I¡¯d been following for days suddenly exploded with chaotic energy, sending shockwaves through the Fae realm that knocked me off my feet. I cursed in the oldnguage as I scrambled up from the crystal ground, my pointed ears ringing from the magical feedback.


    "That¡¯s not possible," I muttered, looking at the readings on my scrying mirror. The dimensional instability wasn¡¯ting from our realm - it was bleeding through from the human world, and it was getting stronger by the second.


    Without hesitation, I tore open a portal and stepped through into the human world. What I found made my immortal blood run cold.


    Lily Carter was flickering between worlds like a broken light bulb, her body phasing in and out of existence. Shadow creatures circled her like vultures, feeding off the dimensional chaos she was causing. And standing over her was Dmitri, the vampire, with teeth extended and murder in his eyes.


    "Stop!" I shouted, power sparking around me as Inded in the clearing. "You¡¯ll kill her!"


    The vampire spun toward me, his face twisted with desperate purpose. "It¡¯s the only way to save her!"


    "No, it¡¯s not," I said strongly, pushing past the werewolf who was growling at me. "Vampire transformation won¡¯t fix dimensional discement. It¡¯ll make it worse."


    Lily¡¯s eyes suddenly focused on me, and I saw recognition flicker across her face. We¡¯d met before, briefly, when she was still learning about her Triple Moon skills. She¡¯d been so young then, so full of hope.


    "Prince Ash?" she whispered, her voice breaking between three different tones. "Why are you here?"


    "Because half the Fae realm just felt you tearing holes in reality," I said, kneeling beside her flickering form. "You¡¯re not just moved, Lily. You¡¯re bing a living link."


    Caleb, still in wolf form, changed back to human. "Can you help her?"


    I studied Lily carefully, using my Fae sight to see the magical threads connecting her to different worlds. What I saw made my heart sink. She wasn¡¯t just stuck between worlds - she was bing the bridge between them.


    "There is a way," I said slowly. "But it requires a choice that can never be undone."


    "Tell us," Elder Iris demanded, struggling to keep a protection spell around the group.


    "The Fae realm exists between all realities," I exined, watching more shadow creatures emerge from the dimensional cracks. "Time moves differently there. Dimensional instability can be controlled, managed, even stopped."


    Hope burned in Caleb¡¯s eyes. "Then take her there!"


    "It¡¯s not that simple," I said, hating what I had to tell them. "If Lilyes to the Fae world to stabilize her condition, she can never leave. The moment she returns to this world, the shift will start again, but ten times worse."


    The words hit them like physical blows. Lily¡¯s face sagged with understanding.


    "I¡¯d have to leave everyone forever," she whispered.


    "Yes," I said softly. "But you¡¯d live. And more importantly, the physical bridges would close. The Void creatures would be trapped in their own worlds again."


    Caleb made a sound like a hurt animal. "There has to be another way."


    "I¡¯ve been studying dimensional magic for three thousand years," I told him. "This is the only solution that doesn¡¯t end with her death or the destruction of multiple realities."


    That¡¯s when the biggest shadow creature stepped forward. Unlike the others, this one looked almost human, except for eyes that held the nothingness of space.


    "How touching," it said, its voice like the sound of dying stars. "The Fae prince offers false hope while worlds burn."


    I stood, power flowing around me like silver fire. "I know what you are, Void Lieutenant. Your words carry no weight here."


    "Don¡¯t they?" The thing smiled, showing teeth made of copsed light. "Tell them the rest, Prince of Lies. Tell them what epting your offer will cost."


    My stomach dropped. I¡¯d hoped they wouldn¡¯t realize the full price.


    "What is it talking about?" Lily asked, her form bing more rigid as fear focused her attention.


    I closed my eyes, hating myself for what I had to say. "Fae magic always needs bnce. If youe to our world, someone else must take your ce in the dimensional void."


    "What does that mean?" Caleb demanded.


    "It means someone who loves you must willingly sacrifice themselves to anchor your soul to the Fae realm," I admitted. "They¡¯ll be lost between dimensions forever, conscious but unable to exist in any world."


    The clearing fell silent except for the whisper ofing shadow creatures.


    "No," Lily said instantly. "I won¡¯t let anyone else suffer for my mistakes."


    "It wouldn¡¯t be suffering," Caleb said quietly, and I could see the choice forming in his eyes. "It would be love."


    "Caleb, no!" Lily tried to reach for him, but her hand passed through his face. "I won¡¯t let you destroy yourself for me!"


    "And I won¡¯t let you fade away when there¡¯s a chance to save you," he answered, his voice steady despite the tears in his eyes.


    The Void Lieutenantughed, a sound like reality ripping. "How perfect. The wolf will doom himself, the girl will be stuck forever, and we¡¯ll still have the dimensional bridges to use."


    That¡¯s when I realized the horrible truth. "The offer isn¡¯t real," I breathed, looking at the creature in shock. "You¡¯re not a Lieutenant at all."


    The thing¡¯s form began to shift, bing bigger, more terrible. When it spoke again, its voice shook the very roots of reality.


    "No, little prince. I am the Void King himself, and I have been ying you all like pieces on a board."


    The shadow around us thickened, and I felt the crushing weight of true cosmic evil pressing down on the clearing.


    "You see," the Void King continued, his form still changing, "I needed Lily to be unstable enough to build permanent bridges between worlds. Every answer you¡¯ve offered has only made her more desperate, more willing to risk everything."


    Horror rushed through me as I understood. "You¡¯ve been manipting us from the beginning."


    "Of course," he said, now showing his true form - a being of such darkness that looking at him directly caused physical pain. "And now, with Lily¡¯s dimensional instability at its peak and all of you gathered in one ce, I canplete my true n."


    The air around us began to crack like broken ss, and I realized we were all about to be pulled into the void between worlds.


    "The question is," the Void King said, his smile obvious even in the consuming darkness, "which of you will I devour first?"


    Lily¡¯s scream of pure fear was thest thing I heard before reality shattered around us, and we all started falling into the endless space between dimensions.


    But as we fell, I felt something impossible - Lily¡¯s hand, solid and real, grabbing mine in the darkness.


    And her voice, clear and strong: "Ash, I know how to beat him. But you have to trust me fully."

 Chapter 124: The Witch’s Proposal

    <h4>Chapter 124: The Witch¡¯s Proposal</h4><subtxt> POV


    The world burst around me as reality cracked like broken ss. One second I was standing in my kitchen making tea, the next I was falling through a void filled with screaming shadows and twisted light. My witch senses kicked in as I threw up a protection spell, but the magic felt wrong here - weak and unstable.


    Inded hard on what felt like solid ground, though I couldn¡¯t see anything in the whirling darkness. Pain shot through my shoulder as I rolled to my feet, looking for any sign of where I was or what had happened.


    "Sage!" a familiar voice called out. Prince Ash materialized from the shadows, his fae power creating a small bubble of silver light around us. Behind him, I could make out the shapes of others - Caleb, Dmitri, Elder Iris, and in the middle, a girl who flickered like a broken television.


    Lily Carter. The one causing all this chaos.


    "What happened?" I ordered, reaching out with my witch senses to understand the magical disaster surrounding us. What I felt made my blood run cold. "We¡¯re between worlds. How is that even possible?"


    "The Void King," Ash said grimly. "He tricked us all. Everything we tried to help Lily only made her more unstable. Now we¡¯re stuck in the space between worlds."


    I studied Lily carefully, using the magical sight my grandma had taught me. The girl was a mess of swirling energies, linked to multiple realities at once. Every few seconds, parts of her would fade away, then snap back into focus. It was like watching someone being torn apart and put back together over and over.


    "How long has she been like this?" I asked.


    "Days," Caleb answered, his voice breaking. "We can¡¯t touch her. Every time we try, our hands go right through her."


    That¡¯s when I understood the real trouble. Lily wasn¡¯t just stuck between worlds - she was losing her link to any single reality. Soon, she would fade away totally, bing nothing more than a ghost drifting through the void forever.


    "I can help her," I said, pulling my spell bag from my pocket. Thankfully, it had made the trip with me. "But you¡¯re not going to like my solution."


    Hope sparked in Caleb¡¯s eyes. "Tell us."


    I began pulling things from my bag - crystals, herbs, a small silver knife. "Dimensional discement like this happens when someone loses their connection to reality. Usually, that anchor is an emotional link strong enough to tie them to one world."


    "Like love?" Elder Iris asked.


    "Exactly," I nodded. "But here¡¯s the trouble. Lily¡¯s been through so much trauma that her emotional ties are shattered. The love she felt for all of you has been damaged by fear, confusion, and pain."


    Dmitri stepped forward, his vampire features sharp with worry. "Then we remind her. We tell her how much she means to us."


    I shook my head sadly. "It doesn¡¯t work that way. The feeling has to be pure, untouched by doubt or fear. Think about it - every rtionship she has now isplicated by what¡¯s happened. Caleb feels bad for not protecting her. You all feel responsible for her situation. That guilt corrupts the emotional link."


    The group fell silent as my words sank in.


    "So what do you suggest?" Ash asked quietly.


    This was the part I feared. "There is one type of emotional link strong enough to anchor someone across dimensions. But it takes a sacrifice none of you can make."


    "What kind of sacrifice?" Caleb demanded.


    I met his eyes directly. "Complete emotional recement. Someone would have to give up their own emotional ties - to family, friends, everything they love - and transfer all of that feeling to Lily. It would make an anchor powerful enough to pull her back to our reality."


    The quiet stretched like a physical thing.


    "But whoever does it," I added, "would lose the ability to feel love for anyone else. Ever. They would be emotionally bound to Lily alone, unable to make new connections or maintain old ones. It¡¯s like having your heart rebuilt to only beat for one person."


    Caleb stepped forward instantly. "I¡¯ll do it."


    "No," I said strongly. "It can¡¯t be you. The spell needs someone whose emotional connection to Lily is strong but uplicated. Your love for her is tangled up with sorrow, fear, and the mate bond. It won¡¯t work."


    I looked around the group, using my witch sight to study their emotional connections to Lily. Dmitri¡¯s feelings were mixed with protective reflexes and vampire possessiveness. Elder Iris loved her like a granddaughter, but that love was colored by worry and sorrow. Ash barely knew her at all.


    None of them would work.


    "Then who?" Caleb asked desperately.


    That¡¯s when I realized the horrible truth. "Me."


    Everyone stared at me in shock.


    "You barely know her," Ash argued.


    "That¡¯s exactly why it has to be me," I exined, my voice calm despite the fear growing in my chest. "My feelings for Lily are pure. I care about her because she¡¯s a young woman in trouble, not because of anyplicated past. I want to help her simply because it¡¯s the right thing to do. That¡¯s the kind of emotional link the spell needs."


    "But you said whoever does it loses everything else," Elder Iris whispered.


    I nodded, thinking of my sister waiting for me at home, my coven that counted on me, the life I¡¯d built. "I would lose the ability to love my family, my friends, anyone except Lily. I¡¯d be basically emotionally dead to the rest of the world."


    "We can¡¯t ask you to do that," Caleb said.


    "You¡¯re not asking," I answered, already starting to arrange my spellponents. "I¡¯m choosing."


    The truth was, I¡¯d made this choice the moment I understood what was needed. Somepromises were too important to avoid, even when they cost everything.


    But as I began to cast the bond spell, something terrible happened. The void around us shook, and a voice like dying stars filled the darkness.


    "How touching," the Void King¡¯s voice repeated. "The little witch thinks she can save the day. But you¡¯ve forgotten something important."


    Ice formed in my veins as I understood what he meant.


    "The spell requires the subject¡¯s consent," I whispered. "Lily has to agree to be saved."


    Through the whirling chaos, Lily¡¯s flickering form turned toward us. When she spoke, her voice held the weight of someone who had given up all hope.


    "What if I don¡¯t want to be saved?"</subtxt>

 Chapter 125: Luna’s Insight

    <h4>Chapter 125: Luna¡¯s Insight</h4>


    Luna POV


    A shadow thing mmed into me, sending me flying through the void. My back hit something firm, and pain exploded through my ribs. I rolled to the side just as huge ws raked the space where my head had been.


    "Luna!" Brock¡¯s words cut through the chaos as more void creatures poured out of the darkness around us.


    I scrambled to my feet, shifting into my wolf form mid-jump. My teeth found the shadow beast¡¯s throat, but it felt like biting smoke. The thingughed and threw me off, its red eyes shining in the endless ck.


    This wasn¡¯t how I thought I¡¯d die. Trapped between dimensions, facing monsters made of pure darkness, all because I¡¯d been too proud to see what was right in front of me.


    "Form a circle!" Aiden yelled, his alpha voice cutting through the void. "Protect the center!"


    But as we tried to group together, I noticed something strange. Even though Lily was flickering in and out of existence, barely solid enough to touch, she and Caleb moved like they were still linked by invisible strings.


    When a void creature attacked from Lily¡¯s left, Caleb was already moving to block it before she even seemed to notice the danger. When Caleb stumbled, Lily¡¯s hand reached out to steady him, even though her fingers passed right through his arm.


    It was impossible. Their mate bond had been broken when Lily became unstable. I¡¯d felt it break myself - the spiritual link that tied mated wolves together had snapped like a cut rope. But watching them now, they still moved like two parts of the same person.


    "Fascinating," came Sage¡¯s voice from somewhere behind me. The witch was casting protection spells while studying Lily with focused focus. "The magical bond is gone, but something else remains."


    Another wave of shadow things attacked. This time I paid closer attention to how Lily and Caleb fought together. It wasn¡¯t just gut or training. When Caleb ducked, Lily spun in the exact same direction. When she raised her hand to cast a spell, he shifted to give her the right angle. They weren¡¯t thinking about it - they just knew.


    "How is this possible?" I asked Sage during a short break between attacks.


    "I don¡¯t know," she revealed. "Magic doesn¡¯t work that way. When a supernatural bond breaks, it¡¯s gone totally."


    That¡¯s when it hit me. I¡¯d been so focused on magical links that I¡¯d missed the obvious truth. "What if it¡¯s not supernatural at all?"


    Sage looked at me sharply. "What do you mean?"


    Before I could answer, the Void King¡¯sughter filled the space around us. The shadow creatures pulled back, forming a circle with us trapped in the middle.


    "You¡¯re all so amusing," his voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere. "Still trying to solve puzzles when you¡¯re about to be my dinner."


    The darkness pressed closer, and I felt my strength begin to fade. But Lily and Caleb kept moving together, their rhythm getting stronger instead of weaker.


    "Look at them," I whispered to Sage, nodding toward the pair. "Really look."


    Sage followed my look, her magical sight focusing on Lily and Caleb. After a moment, her eyes went wide. "Their heartbeats," she breathed. "They¡¯re matching perfectly."


    "Not just their heartbeats," I said, understanding rushing through me. "Their breaths, their steps, even the way they blink. They¡¯repletely in sync."


    "But how?"


    I thought back to all the time I¡¯d spent watching them during the mate trials, jealous and angry. I¡¯d seen them share quiet times in the library, working side by side on pack histories. I¡¯d watched them care for injured wolves together, their hands moving in perfect synchronization. I¡¯d noticed how they seemed to know what the other was thinking without speaking.


    "It¡¯s not magic," I said, the pieces finally clicking together. "It¡¯s deeper than that. They learned each other."


    "Learned each other?" Sage repeated.


    "Think about it," I exined, avoiding another shadow creature that got too close. "True mates don¡¯t just share a special bond. They pay attention to each other. They study each other¡¯s habits, remember each other¡¯s patterns, predict each other¡¯s wants. Over time, they be so familiar that they move as one person."


    Sage¡¯s face lit up with understanding. "The emotional bond Lily needs for the anchor spell - it¡¯s not about magical love. It¡¯s about this kind of deep understanding."


    "Exactly," I nodded. "Caleb knows Lily better than anyone, not because of a mate mark, but because he decided to really see her. Even with the magical bond broken, that knowledge stays."


    But then the horrible truth struck me. "Which means my n won¡¯t work."


    "What n?" Caleb asked, overhearing us.


    I felt sick as I realized what I¡¯d been about to suggest. "I thought maybe if I could recreate the mate bond somehow, transfer it to myself temporarily, it might stabilize Lily long enough for Sage¡¯s spell to work."


    "You were going to try to be Lily¡¯s mate?" Brock asked in shock.


    "Just magically," I said quickly. "Not romantically. I thought it might save her."


    "But it wouldn¡¯t work," Sage said sadly. "Because the link they have isn¡¯t magical. It¡¯s built from years of deciding to know each other, trust each other, grow together. You can¡¯t fake that or move it."


    The Void King¡¯sughing grew louder. "How sweet. The beta finally knows what real love looks like, just in time to watch it die forever."


    "There has to be another way," I said desperately. The guilt was eating me alive. If I hadn¡¯t been so jealous, so driven to tear them apart, maybe none of this would have happened.


    "Actually," Elder Iris spoke up from across the circle, her voice shaky but determined, "there might be."


    We all turned to look at the old wolf.


    "The old stories speak of a ritual," she added. "When magical ties fail, sometimes the deepest human connections can be strengthened to take their ce. But it needs something none of us have considered."


    "What?" Caleb asked quickly.


    Elder Iris met his eyes with a sad smile. "It takes Lily to choose toe back. Not just agree to be saved, but actively fight to return to the life she¡¯s made. And right now, she¡¯s sure that life is gone forever."


    "Then we make her remember," I said furiously.


    "How do you make someone remember hope when they¡¯ve lost everything?" Elder Iris asked.


    Before anyone could answer, Lily¡¯s shifting form suddenly solidifiedpletely. For the first time since this nightmare began, she looked fully real and present.


    But when she spoke, her words chilled us all to the bone.


    "I remember everything," she said, her voice strangely calm. "And that¡¯s exactly why I want to stay lost."

 Chapter 126: The Second Seal

    <h4>Chapter 126: The Second Seal</h4>


    Omniscient POV


    The second dimensional tear ripped open like a wound in the sky, and instantly everything went wrong.


    "They¡¯re ready for us!" Aiden shouted as Void Walkers poured through the hole, but these weren¡¯t the mindless shadow creatures they¡¯d fought before. These moved with deadly purpose, making battle lines and using weapons made of crystallized darkness.


    Lily shed back into her unstable form, her brief moment of rity gone. But even as she phased in and out of existence, she fought with desperate rage. Her magic sparked wildly, sometimes hitting enemies, sometimes going harmlessly through them when she wasn¡¯t solid enough to affect the physical world.


    "The sealing spell isn¡¯t working!" Sage screamed over the chaos, her hands sparkling with witch magic as she tried to close the tear. "They¡¯ve corrupted the dimensional fabric somehow!"


    Elder Iris fell first.


    The ancient wolf had been mumbling protective spells when a Void Walker¡¯s de found her heart. She crumpled without a sound, her power fading like a dying candle. The loss hit everyone like a physical blow - their smartest member, their guide through the old magic, gone in an instant.


    "No!" Caleb¡¯s grief echoed through the void as he saw her fall. His wolf formunched toward the creature that killed her, but it dissolved into shadow before his ws could hit.


    That¡¯s when they realized the horrible truth. The Void Walkers weren¡¯t just fighting them - they were learning from each battle, adapting their tactics, bing smarter and deadlier with every meeting.


    "Form defensive positions!" Dmitri ordered, his vampire speed allowing him to dart between enemies. But even his supernatural reactions weren¡¯t enough. A Void Walker¡¯s spear hit him in the shoulder, spinning him around and sending him crashing into Prince Ash.


    The Fae prince¡¯s silver power red as he helped Dmitri up. "They know our fighting patterns," he said grimly. "Every move we make, they counter perfectly."


    Brock roared his frustration as he fought three Void Walkers at once. Each time he struck, they moved as if they¡¯d seen himing. When he tried his famous crushing blow, they scattered. When he tried to outnk them, they were already repositioning.


    "It¡¯s like fighting ourselves," he growled, blood pouring from multiple cuts.


    Luna darted between the fighters, trying to reach the wounded, but the Void Walkers seemed to predict her every move too. They¡¯d studied not just their fighting skills, but their personalities, their instincts, their very souls.


    "The tear is getting bigger!" Sage called out desperately. Her sealing magic was having no effect - in fact, the dimensional wound seemed to be feeding off her power, gettingrger and more stable with each spell she cast.


    That¡¯s when Lily made a choice that scared everyone.


    Instead of flickering between dimensions, she forced herself to be fully solid. The effort was clearly agony - her face twisted with pain and her body shook furiously - but she held the form long enough to cast a massive spell.


    Pure white light erupted from her hands, hitting the dimensional tear directly. For a moment, it worked. The opening began to shrink, the Void Walkers¡¯ supplies cut off.


    But the cost was huge. Lily screamed as the spell drained her life force, her form bing more transparent with each second. She was burning herself up to close the tear, sacrificing her very life.


    "Lily, stop!" Caleb reached for her, but his hands passed through her disappearing form. "You¡¯re killing yourself!"


    "Better than letting them through," she gasped, pouring more of herself into the spell.


    The Void Walkers realized what she was doing and turned all their attention on her. A dozen crystalline des flew through the air toward her flickering form.


    "Protect her!" Aiden roared, throwing himself into the path of the guns. One de pierced his leg, another grazed his ribs, but he kept moving, desperate to protect Lily from the attack.


    Sage abandoned her sealing efforts and focused all her magic on creating a barrier around Lily. "I can¡¯t hold this long!" she warned as Void Walker guns hammered against her protection.


    The dimensional hole was almost closed now, but Lily was fading fast. Her form was more ghost than person, her life force nearly spent.


    "There has to be another way," Luna said frantically, looking around for any answer. That¡¯s when she spotted something that made her blood run cold.


    "The first tear!" she yelled. "While we¡¯re fighting here, they¡¯re reopening the first one!"


    In the distance, the dimensional hole they¡¯d sealed days ago was splitting open again. Fresh Void Walkers were alreadying through, and these looked different - bigger, stronger, more terrible than anything they¡¯d faced before.


    "We can¡¯t fight on two fronts," Dmitri said, wiping blood from his mouth. "We barely survived one battle."


    "Then we retreat," Prince Ash decided. "Live to fight another day."


    "No," Lily¡¯s weak voice cut through their ns. She was almost totally transparent now, but her will was iron-strong. "If I stop the spell now, this tear bes permanent. They¡¯ll have a highway between dimensions."


    "And if you continue, you¡¯ll die," Caleb said desperately.


    Lily met his eyes, and for a moment, her form hardened enough that they could see her clearly. "Some things are worth dying for."


    The truth hit them all at once. Lily wasn¡¯t just trying to close the tear - she was nning to sacrifice herself to seal it forever. Her life force would power a shield that could never be broken.


    "There has to be another way," Sage insisted, but her voice carried no confidence.


    "Actually, there is," came a new voice from behind them.


    Everyone spun around to see a figure stepping through the darkness. It was another Lily - but this one looked older, sadder, and wore clothes none of them recognized.


    "Hello," the stranger said with Lily¡¯s face and voice. "I¡¯m Lily from the universe where everyone dies. And I¡¯m here to show you exactly how much worse this can get."


    The original Lily¡¯s spell weakened in shock, and the dimensional tear began to widen again as two versions of the same person stared at each other across an impossible void.

 Chapter 127: Caleb’s Desperation

    <h4>Chapter 127: Caleb¡¯s Desperation</h4>


    Caleb POV


    "LILY!" I screamed as her hand slipped through mine like smoke.


    She was dying right in front of me. One second she was solid, the next she flickered like a broken light bulb. The spatial tear was pulling her in, and I couldn¡¯t grab hold of her.


    "I can see her!" I yelled to the others, but they were all fighting the new Void Walkersing through the reopened first tear. "She¡¯s disappearing!"


    Lily¡¯s eyes met mine through her ghostly form. She was scared. Really scared. And that made something angry wake up inside my chest.


    "Don¡¯t you dare give up on me," I whispered, even though she probably couldn¡¯t hear me over all the fights.


    I reached for her again, but my hands went right through her body. It was like trying to hug air. The nar magic was eating her alive, pulling her into some ce between worlds where she might nevere back.


    That¡¯s when the other Lily spoke up. The older, sadder version of my mate who imed to be from a timeline where everyone died.


    "She¡¯s not just fading," Future Lily said. "She¡¯s being pulled into the void between worlds. If she disappears totally, she¡¯ll be lost forever."


    "How do we stop it?" I asked.


    "You can¡¯t," Future Lily answered coldly. "In my world, this is where she died. This is where you all failed."


    "No." The word came out harder than I meant it to. "That¡¯s not happening. Not to my Lily."


    I¡¯d already lost her once before, back when she first got her skills and couldn¡¯t control them. I¡¯d watched her sh in and out of existence for weeks, never knowing if each time would be thest time I saw her. I wasn¡¯t going through that again.


    "Caleb, get back!" Aiden shouted as a Void Walker¡¯s de whizzed past my head. "We need to retreat!"


    "I¡¯m not leaving her!"


    "She¡¯s already gone!" Brock yelled, blood running down his arm from a fresh cut. "Look at her!"


    I did look. Lily was barely visible now, more ghost than person. Her mouth was moving like she was trying to say something, but no sound came out. The spell she¡¯d been casting was still going, slowly closing the second tear, but it was killing her.


    That¡¯s when I remembered something Elder Iris had told me once, back when Lily¡¯s skills first showed up. She¡¯d said that mates could share strength through their bond, especially in life-or-death scenarios.


    I¡¯d never tried it before. Never even knew if it was real. But right now, it was our only shot.


    I closed my eyes and reached out with more than just my hands. I reached out with my heart, with the invisible thread that linked me to Lily. The bond we¡¯d felt since the Winter Moon Festival, the link that made us mates.


    "Come on," I whispered. "Come back to me."


    At first, nothing happened. Then I felt it. A tiny spark, like hitting a live wire. Our mate bond was still there, stretched thin but not broken.


    I grabbed onto that feeling and pulled with everything I had.


    "What are you doing?" Future Lily asked, sounding shocked for the first time.


    "Something you probably never thought of," I shot back.


    I poured my strength into the bond. My energy, my life force, everything I had. If Lily needed power to stay strong, I¡¯d give her mine.


    The result was immediate. Lily¡¯s form flickered back to almost solid. Her eyes widened as she felt our link snap back into ce.


    "Caleb?" she gasped, her voice weak but real.


    "I¡¯ve got you," I said, even though I was starting to feel dizzy from giving her so much energy. "Just hold on."


    But Future Lily was looking at us with an expression I couldn¡¯t read. "That¡¯s impossible. In my timeline, the tie was already broken by this point."


    "What do you mean?" I asked, though I was pretty sure I didn¡¯t want to know the answer.


    "The dimensional magic," she exined slowly. "It doesn¡¯t just pull people into the void. It destroys rtionships. Breaks ties. Makes people forget why they were fighting in the first ce."


    I felt ice in my stomach. "Are you saying¡ª"


    "In my timeline, you and Lily stopped being mates right about now. The magic tore your tie apart, and after that, nothing could save her."


    "That¡¯s not going to happen," I said firmly, but I could feel the dimensional energy trying to weaken our link. It was like unseen hands trying to pry us apart.


    "It already is happening," Future Lily said sadly. "Look around you."


    I looked. Aiden was fighting automatically, like he¡¯d forgotten why we were here. Brock kept looking around in confusion, as if he couldn¡¯t remember who some of us were. Even Sage seemed lost, her magic weaker than before.


    "The void magic makes you forget," Future Lily exined. "Forget why you care about each other. Forget what you¡¯re fighting for. That¡¯s how we lost."


    "No," I said again, but this time my voice shook. I could feel it happening to me too. The edges of my memories were getting fuzzy. Why was I here again? Who was this girl I was trying to save?


    Then Lily grabbed my hand.


    Even though she was still shimmering, still barely solid, her touch was warm and real. And the moment our skin touched, everything came rushing back. Our first meeting at the Winter Moon Festival. The way she¡¯d looked at me when the Triple Moon Mark appeared. Everyugh, every kiss, every quiet moment we¡¯d shared.


    "Don¡¯t let go," she whispered.


    "Never," I promised.


    But as I said it, I saw something that made my blood turn cold. Future Lily was happy. Not a happy smile. A knowing, terrible smile.


    "You think your love can beat dimensional magic?" she asked. "How sweet. That¡¯s exactly what my Caleb thought too."


    She raised her hand, and I saw she was wearing something that certainly hadn¡¯t been there before. A band made of the same dark crystal as the Void Walkers¡¯ weapons.


    "What is that?" I asked.


    "Insurance," she said simply. "You see, I didn¡¯te here to help you. I came here to make sure this timeline fails too."


    The crystal band started glowing, and suddenly the dimensional tears began growing faster. Both of them, spreading like cracks in ss.


    "Why?" Lily gasped, her form flickering worse than ever.


    Future Lily¡¯s face twisted with old pain. "Because if I can¡¯t have him, no version of me can."


    That¡¯s when I understood. This wasn¡¯t really Future Lily at all.


    This was something else. Something that had taken her shape, her memories, her face. Something that wants to destroy every timeline where we might be happy.


    And we¡¯d just let it walk right into our most desperate moment.


    "Everybody run!" I yelled, but it was toote.


    The thing wearing Lily¡¯s faceughed as both dimensional tears exploded outward, and thest thing I saw before the world went white was Lily¡¯s frightened eyes as she disappearedpletely into the void.


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 128: The Echo Bond

    <h4>Chapter 128: The Echo Bond</h4>


    Elder Iris POV


    The white light hit me like a p, but I was ready for it.


    While everyone else stood there frozen in shock, I grabbed my walking stick and mmed it into the ground. Ancient wolf magic poured out of me, forming a bubble of protection around our group just as the dimensional tears exploded.


    "Stay close!" I yelled, feeling my old bones creak from the effort. "Don¡¯t let the light touch you!"


    The fake Lily thingughed as reality cracked around us. Through the chaos, I could see the real Lily stuck somewhere between worlds, flickering like a dying star. Caleb was reaching for her, his face twisted with pain and despair.


    That¡¯s when I saw it. The thing that made my heart skip with hope.


    A silver thread, so thin most people would miss it, stretched from Caleb¡¯s chest to where Lily was disappearing. Even though the dimensional magic was tearing everything apart, that thread stayed unbroken.


    "Impossible," I whispered, then louder: "Caleb! Can you feel her?"


    "She¡¯s gone!" he cried, still reaching into empty air. "I can¡¯t touch her!"


    "Not with your hands," I called back. "With your heart! Feel for the echo!"


    The boy looked at me like I¡¯d lost my mind, but I¡¯d seen this once before. Seventy years ago, when my own mate was pulled into a magical storm that should have erased himpletely. Everyone said he was dead, but I could still feel the echo of our link.


    An echo link. The psychic shadow of true love that lives deeper than magic, deeper than supernatural power. It¡¯s the one thing dark magic can¡¯t destroy because it doesn¡¯t rely on spells or skills. It just is.


    "What are you talking about?" Caleb yelled over the sound of reality tearing apart.


    "The dimensional magic broke your mate bond," I exined quickly, "but it can¡¯t break what you two built with your own hearts. Close your eyes and feel for her!"


    The fake Lily turned toward me, her crystal bracelet shining brighter. "Shut up, old woman. This story ends here."


    "Does it?" I asked, and smiled at her with all my teeth. "Did you really think I¡¯de to this fight unprepared?"


    I pulled something from my pocket that made the imposter¡¯s eyes widen. A small diamond pendant, the exact opposite of her dark bracelet. Where hers was ck and cold, mine was clear and warm.


    "A Soul Anchor," I announced. "Made from the frozen tears of every wolf who ever lost their mate. It remembers what love feels like."


    The fake Lily growled and raised her hand to attack me, but Caleb suddenly gasped.


    "I can feel her," he whispered. Then louder: "Iris, I can feel her!"


    "Good boy," I said proudly. "Now pull her back."


    "How?"


    "The same way you¡¯d call her for dinner," I told him. "Love doesn¡¯t need magic. It just needs to be real."


    Through the spatial chaos, I watched Caleb close his eyes and reach out with more than his hands. He reached out with everything he was, everything he felt for Lily. Not the supernatural mate tie that the magic had broken, but the human choice to love her that no power could touch.


    The silver thread between them began to glow.


    "That¡¯s not possible!" the fake shrieked. "I destroyed their connection!"


    "You destroyed their magic," I amended. "But you can¡¯t destroy choice. You can¡¯t destroy the choice to love someone no matter what."


    Lily¡¯s form started to harden. Slowly, like watching a picture develop, she became real again. Her eyes opened and met Caleb¡¯s across the dimensional tear.


    "I¡¯m here," she said, her voice barely a whisper but somehow getting through all the noise.


    "I¡¯ve got you," Caleb answered, and this time when he reached for her, his hand found hers.


    The fake Lily screamed in rage. "No! This isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to go!"


    That¡¯s when I realized something that made my blood run cold. I¡¯d been so focused on helping Caleb and Lily that I¡¯d missed the most important point of all.


    "You¡¯re not from a failed timeline," I said to the imposter. "You¡¯re from the dimension where the Void Walkerse from."


    Her face twisted into something that definitely wasn¡¯t human. "Very good, old wolf. Though it¡¯s toote for that information to help you."


    "What are you?" Aiden ordered, finally shaking off the confusion magic.


    "I am what your precious Lily bes in every timeline where you seed," the thing said. "When she grows powerful enough to threaten my realm, Ie back and make sure she never reaches that point."


    The truth hit me like a physical blow. "You¡¯re Future Lily. The real one. But you¡¯ve been tainted by the void."


    "Corrupted?" Sheughed bitterly. "Evolved. I learned that caring about others is weakness. That love is just another chain holding you back from real power."


    "That¡¯s not true," Lily said, her form now solid enough to speak clearly. "Love made me strong enough to fight you."


    "Love made you weak enough to sacrifice yourself!" Future Lily shot back. "In my scenario, I watched everyone I cared about die because I wasn¡¯t powerful enough to save them. So I stopped caring. I picked power over love."


    I felt sick as I understood. This wasn¡¯t just an enemy trying to destroy our history. This was Lily, hundreds of years in the future, so broken by loss that she¡¯d be the very thing she once fought against.


    "You don¡¯t have to be this," present Lily said softly. "You can choose differently."


    "I chose already," Future Lily replied. "And now I¡¯m going to make sure you never get the chance to fail like I did."


    She raised both hands, and I felt reality start to copse. Not just the dimensional tears, but everything. The ground, the air, the very space we stood in.


    "She¡¯s unmaking this entire reality," I gasped. "If we don¡¯t stop her¡ª"


    "Everyone and everything in this dimension dies," Future Lily finished. "Better that than watching you all suffer like I did."


    But as she spoke, I noticed something. The Soul Anchor ring in my hand was getting warmer. And I remembered something my grandma had told me long ago about artifacts made from crystallized tears.


    "They remember," I whispered.


    "What?" Caleb asked.


    "The ring. It remembers every love that ever was. Including hers."


    I held up the crystal, and it began to glow with soft silver light. Future Lily stumbled backward as if I¡¯d hit her.


    "No," she said, her voice suddenly unsure. "I don¡¯t feel that anymore. I can¡¯t."


    "But you do," I said kindly. "Somewhere inside all that void corruption, you still remember what it felt like to love them."


    The pendant¡¯s light grew brighter, and I saw tears beginning to form in Future Lily¡¯s eyes. Real tears, not the bitter anger she¡¯d been showing us.


    "I forgot," she whispered. "I made myself forget because it hurt too much."


    "Then remember," I pushed. "Remember why you fought in the first ce."


    For a moment, it looked like it might work. Future Lily¡¯s form began to flicker, the void rot fighting against her original self.


    But then she screamed and clutched her head, and when she looked up again, her eyes were pure ck.


    "Toote," she snarled in a voice that definitely wasn¡¯t hers anymore. "The void has herpletely now. And it¡¯sing for all of you."


    Behind her, a massive form began to emerge from the dimensional tears. Something so big and dark that I couldn¡¯t see where it ended.


    "Run," I mumbled, then shouted: "Everyone run! The Void King is here!"

 Chapter 129: New Hope

    <h4>Chapter 129: New Hope</h4>


    Lily POV


    The moment Caleb¡¯s hand touched mine, I felt alive again.


    For weeks, I¡¯d been floating between worlds, never fully solid, never fully real. I couldn¡¯t eat, couldn¡¯t sleep, couldn¡¯t even cry properly because the tears would just phase through my face. But now, with our fingers locked together, I felt warm and whole for the first time since my sacrifice.


    "Don¡¯t let go," I whispered, squeezing his hand as tight as I could.


    "Never," he promised, and I believed him.


    But then Elder Iris shouted something about a Void King, and I saw the huge shadow rising from the dimensional tears. My brief moment of happiness crashed down around me.


    "We have to run," I said, trying to pull Caleb away from the growing darkness.


    "I¡¯m not leaving you behind again," he said strongly.


    "You¡¯re not leaving me behind. I¡¯ming with you."


    It felt so good to say that. For the first time in forever, I wasn¡¯t the one being left behind or risking myself. I was part of the group again, part of the team.


    We ran together, my hand still in his, and I wondered at how normal it felt. Like the old days, before everything went wrong. Before I became some kind of half-ghost who couldn¡¯t touch anything or anyone.


    "This way!" Aiden shouted, leading us toward what looked like a cave opening.


    As we ran, I kept expecting to start shing again, to lose my solid form like always happened when I got scared or tired. But the link with Caleb seemed to anchor me. As long as we were touching, I stayed real.


    "How is this possible?" I asked Elder Iris as we ducked into the cave. "I thought the dimensional magic broke our mate bond."


    "It did," she said, breathing hard from running. "But what you two have goes deeper than supernatural magic. It¡¯s an echo link - built from choice, not power."


    "I don¡¯t understand."


    "You chose to love each other," she exined. "Not because fate said you had to, not because of some special mark, but because you wanted to. That kind of bond can¡¯t be broken by outside forces."


    Behind us, the Void King¡¯s roar shook the ground. I could feel its anger, its hunger for destruction. But for the first time in weeks, I wasn¡¯t scared of it. Notpletely. Because I wasn¡¯t facing it alone anymore.


    "We need to go deeper," Brock said, pointing into the dark cave. "That thing¡¯s too big to follow us."


    But as we moved further into the cave, I started to notice something wrong. The walls were covered in symbols that hurt to look at. And there was a sound, like whispers,ing from somewhere deeper in the darkness.


    "This isn¡¯t a normal cave," I said, stopping suddenly.


    "What do you mean?" Caleb asked.


    I closed my eyes and reached out with my unstable skills. Since my offering, I¡¯d been able to sense things differently, feel the flow of magic in ways I never could before. And this ce was definitely magical.


    "It¡¯s a sanctuary," I breathed. "But not for us. For something else."


    That¡¯s when the whispers got louder, and I realized they weren¡¯t random sounds. They were sounds. Familiar sounds.


    "Do you hear that?" I asked the others.


    "Hear what?" Sage said, but her face was pale.


    The voices were getting clearer now. I could make out words, phrases, bits of speech. And with growing fear, I recognized them.


    "Those are our voices," I whispered. "From other timelines."


    Elder Iris grabbed my arm. "What are you talking about?"


    "Listen," I said, and suddenly everyone could hear them too.


    "We can¡¯t let them through!" That was Aiden¡¯s voice, but younger somehow.


    "Lily¡¯s dying!" Caleb¡¯s voice, full of pain.


    "The pack is lost!" Brock, sounding crushed.


    "I should have been stronger!" My own voice, bitter and angry.


    Hundreds of people, maybe thousands, all talking over each other. All versions of us from different eras where things had gone wrong.


    "This is where they end up," I realized with rising dread. "All the failed dates. All the versions of us that couldn¡¯t stop the Void Walkers."


    "That¡¯s impossible," Dmitri said, but he sounded shaken.


    "No," came a new voice from deeper in the cave. "It¡¯s exactly right."


    We all spun around to see another figure emerge from the shadows. This time it was Caleb, but bigger and wearing clothes I didn¡¯t recognize.


    "Another timeline version?" Aiden asked coldly.


    "The first timeline," the other Caleb corrected. "The original. I¡¯ve been trapped here for what feels like ages, watching every other version of our story y out."


    My heart sank. "They all fail?"


    "Most of them," Original Caleb said sadly. "The Void King learns from each try. Gets better, stronger, more prepared for whatever we try next."


    "But not all?" I pressed, holding onto the tiny word ¡¯most¡¯ like a lifesaver.


    "There was one," he admitted. "One timeline where you achieved. But the cost was so high that it might as well have been a failure."


    "What happened?" Caleb asked, still holding my hand tight.


    "You won," Original Caleb said, looking right at me. "You became strong enough to destroy the Void Kingpletely. But in doing so, you became something else. Something that scared even your friends."


    I felt cold despite Caleb¡¯s warm hand. "What did I be?"


    "A goddess," he said simply. "Immortal, all-powerful, but no longer human. No longer able to love or be loved. You saved everyone, but you lost yourself totally."


    The whispers around us got louder, more desperate. Thousands of versions of our voices all telling the same story - failure, loss, sacrifice, death.


    "So what¡¯s the point?" I asked, feeling hopeless again. "If we can¡¯t win without losing everything that matters, why keep trying?"


    "Because," Original Caleb said, moving closer, "this timeline is different."


    "How?"


    "You found your way back from the dimensional void. That¡¯s never happened before. In every other reality, once someone gets pulled into the void, they¡¯re gone forever."


    I looked at my Caleb, at our joined hands, at the silver thread Elder Iris said linked us. "The echo bond?"


    "More than that," Original Caleb said. "You two figured out how to love each other without magic. How to choose each other even when fate said you couldn¡¯t. That¡¯s new."


    For the first time since this whole nightmare started, I felt a spark of real hope. Not just the desperate kind thates from having no other choice, but real hope that we might find a way through this.


    "So we can win?" I asked.


    "Maybe," Original Caleb said. "But first, you need to know the truth about the Void King."


    "What truth?"


    He looked at me with infinite sadness. "It¡¯s not some alien monster from another world. It¡¯s you, Lily. The version from the timeline that worked. The goddess version who lost her humanity."


    The cave went totally silent except for the whispers of a thousand failed timelines. "She¡¯s been traveling backward through time and space, destroying every timeline where she might have made a different choice. Because if she can¡¯t be human, she won¡¯t let any form of herself be human either."


    I stared at him in fear as the truth sank in. The Void King wasn¡¯t our enemy.


    It was our future.

 Chapter 130: The Void Walker’s Intelligence

    <h4>Chapter 130: The Void Walker¡¯s Intelligence</h4>


    Omniscient POV


    The ground shook so hard that Lily stumbled into Caleb¡¯s arms. Behind them, the cave walls cracked as something huge pushed against them from outside. The hints of failed timelines grew louder, more desperate, like a thousand voices screaming warnings.


    "It found us," Original Caleb said, his face pale with fear. "The Void King knows we¡¯re here."


    A new sound joined the chaos - deep, boomingughter that seemed toe from everywhere at once. But this wasn¡¯t the mindless roar they¡¯d heard before. Thisughter had thought behind it. Purpose.


    "Run deeper into the cave," Elder Iris shouted, but before anyone could move, the cave opening exploded inward.


    Instead of the huge shadow they expected, three smaller figures stepped through the dust and falling rocks. They looked almost human, but their skin was gray like storm clouds, and their eyes glowed with the same terrible light as the dimensional tears.


    "Void Walkers," Dmitri breathed, backing away.


    "Hello, little wolves," the middle figure said in a voice that sounded like breaking ss. "We¡¯ve been looking for you."


    Lily¡¯s blood turned cold. The Void Walkers could talk. All this time, everyone thought they were just mindless monsters from another world. But they had brains. They had been nning.


    "Surprised?" The lead Void Walker smiled, showing teeth like ck diamonds. "You thought we were just hungry beasts, didn¡¯t you? That made it so much easier to get close to your world."


    Aiden stepped forward, trying to cover the group. "What do you want?"


    "Oh, brave little Alpha," the Void Walkerughed. "Always trying to help others. We want what we¡¯ve always wanted - to go home."


    "Home?" Sage asked, confused.


    The second Void Walker, this one with long silver hair that moved like it was underwater, nodded sadly. "We weren¡¯t always like this. Once, we were just like you. We had families. We had hopes and dreams."


    Lily felt her heart skip. "You¡¯re saying you used to be human?"


    "Not human," the third Void Walker amended. His voice was younger, almost familiar. "We used to be dogs. Just like you."


    The cave fell silent except for the faraway whispers of failed timelines. Even Original Caleb looked shocked.


    "That¡¯s impossible," Brock said, but his voice shook with doubt.


    The lead Void Walker pointed to the walls covered in symbols. "This ce exists between realms, where broken timelinese to die. Every time your story fails, every time the Void King destroys another option, the lost souls end up here."


    "But some of us," the silver-haired one continued, "found a way to leave this prison. The spatial magic changed us, made us into what you call Void Walkers. We¡¯ve been trying to find our way back to our own times ever since."


    Lily¡¯s mind raced. If the Void Walkers were lost souls from failed realities, then maybe they weren¡¯t the real enemy. "How many of you are there?"


    "Thousands," the young-sounding Void Walker said. "Every version of every person who ever died when their timeline fell. We¡¯ve been wandering between worlds for what feels like forever."


    "Then why are you attacking our world?" Caleb demanded.


    The lead Void Walker¡¯s expression got dark. "Because someone has been lying to you about who the real enemy is."


    Before anyone could ask what that meant, the cave shook again. But this time, it wasn¡¯t from the Void King outside. The trembling came from deeper in the cave, from whatever lived in the darkest ces where even the whispers feared to go.


    "She¡¯sing," Original Caleb whispered, looking frightened. "The first Void King. She must have felt us talking to them."


    "Who is she really?" Lily asked the Void Walkers quickly.


    The silver-haired one looked at her with something like sadness. "She¡¯s the version of you that became too strong. The one who chose to destroy every other scenario rather than let any version of herself be happy."


    "But why?" Lily felt tears burning her eyes. "Why would I do that?"


    "Because," the young Void Walker said, stepping closer, "in her timeframe, she lost everyone she ever loved. Her Caleb died. Her friends died. Her pack was destroyed. When she got the power to save them, it was toote. They were already gone."


    The truth hit Lily like a punch to the gut. The Void King wasn¡¯t evil - she was sad. She was a version of Lily who had lost everything and couldn¡¯t bear the thought of other versions of herself having what she couldn¡¯t.


    "So she goes backward through time," the lead Void Walker exined, "destroying every timeline where Lily Carter might find happiness. She believes that if she can¡¯t have love, no form of herself should."


    "That¡¯s insane," Aiden said.


    "That¡¯s grief," Elder Iris corrected quietly. "Loss can twist even the purest heart."


    The ground cracked beneath their feet as something big moved in the deeper darkness. The whispers of failed timelines grew frantic, warning ofing danger.


    "We have to go," Original Caleb urged. "When she finds us here with you, she¡¯ll think we¡¯re plotting against her."


    "We are plotting against her," Brock pointed out.


    "No," the young Void Walker said, turning to face the darkness. "We¡¯re trying to save her."


    Lily stared at him in shock. There was something about his voice, something familiar. "Who are you?"


    The Void Walker reached up and pulled back his hood, showing a face that made Lily¡¯s heart stop. It was Caleb - but not her Caleb. This was a version from a scenario where he¡¯d died young, where he¡¯d be a Void Walker to escape the prison of failed timelines.


    "I¡¯m the Caleb who couldn¡¯t save you," he said softly. "I¡¯ve been looking through dimensions for a timeline where we both survive. Where we both get to be happy."


    "Caleb?" Lily whispered, reaching toward him.


    But before she could touch his face, a roar of pure anger echoed through the cave. The Void King had found them.


    "She knows," Original Caleb said, grabbing Lily¡¯s arm. "She knows we¡¯re trying to change the story."


    The dead Caleb looked at Lily with desperate eyes. "There¡¯s something else you need to know about the Void King. Something that changes everything."


    "What?" Lily asked anxiously as the roar grew closer.


    "She¡¯s not the only one," he said. "There are others. Other forms of you who became gods, who lost their humanity. And they¡¯re alling here."


    The cave walls began to crack and crumble as multiple strong presences approached from different directions. Not just one Void King, but several. All different forms of Lily who had gained power and lost themselves.


    "How many?" Caleb asked, pulling Lily protectively against him.


    The dead Caleb¡¯s face was grim. "Every version of you that ever picked power over love. They¡¯ve been watching this timeline, waiting to see if you would make the same mistake."


    "And if I do?"


    "Then they¡¯ll wee you into their ranks," he said. "And every timeline where love exists will be destroyed forever."


    The roaring grew so loud it blocked out even the whispers of failed timelines. Light began to seep through the cracks in the cave walls - not warm light, but the cold, awful light of godlike power.


    "They¡¯re here," Elder Iris breathed.


    As the cave started to copse around them, Lily realized with growing horror that this wasn¡¯t just about saving her timeline anymore. This was about stopping every possible version of herself from bing a monster.


    And looking at the fear in everyone¡¯s eyes, she wasn¡¯t sure they could win against an army of gods who all wore her face.

 Chapter 131: Ancient Betrayal

    <h4>Chapter 131: Ancient Betrayal</h4>


    Void Walker Leader POV


    The moment the god-versions of Lily began breaking through reality itself, I knew our time was up. My name was once Marcus - not the Alpha Marcus these wolves knew, but another version from the very first timeline that ever existed. Now I was just the Void Walker Leader, and I had seconds to tell the truth before everything ended.


    "Stop!" I shouted, stepping between the copsing cave walls and the frightened group. "Let me show you what really happened!"


    I pressed my gray hands against the nearest cave wall, and the old symbols began to glow. The whispers of failed timelines fell silent as my memories poured into the stone, forming pictures that everyone could see.


    "Long ago, before any of your worlds existed, we were the Guardians of Reality," I began, my voice shaking with pain I¡¯d carried for countless years. "We weren¡¯t monsters. We were guards."


    The pictures on the wall showed beautiful beings of light, tending to the space between dimensions like gardeners caring for flowers. We had been happy then, working together to keep all the different worlds safe and linked.


    "I had a family," I continued, touching one image that showed a younger version of myself ying with children made of stars. "We all did. We were given the job of watching over every timeline, making sure they stayed fair."


    Lily stepped closer, her eyes wide. "What happened to them?"


    "The beings you call the Moon Goddess, the one who gives you your mate marks and powers - she wasn¡¯t always alone," I said, feeling old anger burn in my chest. "There used to be many like her. They called themselves the First Ones."


    The images shifted to show magnificent beings that looked like live constetions, beautiful and terrible at the same time.


    "They created the system of wolves, werewolves, mates, and packs," I stated. "But they needed someone to keep it across all the different timelines. That¡¯s where we came in."


    "You worked for them?" Caleb asked.


    "We trusted them," I corrected angrily. "For thousands of years, we kept the bnce. When one era started to affect another, we fixed it. When reality started to tear, we mended it. We thought we were partners."


    The cave shook again as the god-versions of Lily grew closer, but I had to finish my story.


    "Then something changed," I said, showing new pictures of the First Ones meeting in secret. "The First Ones grew tired of keeping so many worlds. They wanted to simplify things, to bring all the countless timelines down to just one perfect world."


    "What¡¯s wrong with that?" Sage asked.


    "Because they nned to destroy every other timeline to do it," I said, my voice cracking with ancient sadness. "Billions of lives, infinite possibilities, all erased so they could have one neat, controble world."


    The images showed the Guardians discovering this n, the horror on our faces as we realized what our employers nned.


    "We tried to stop them," I continued. "We thought if we could just exin how wrong it was, they would listen. We were stupid."


    The pictures on the wall turned dark, showing a great fight between the Guardians and the First Ones. But it wasn¡¯t a fair fight.


    "They used our own power against us," I said, feeling a scar on my gray neck. "The link that let us tend to reality became a curse. They twisted it, changed us from guardians into something that would hunger for the very thing we used to guard."


    "The connections between timelines," Elder Iris breathed, understanding.


    "Yes," I nodded. "They made us crave what we could no longer have. Made us into monsters that would tear holes between worlds, trying desperately to find our way back to what we lost."


    Lily¡¯s face was full of pity. "That¡¯s horrible."


    "But the worst part," I said, showing the final pictures, "was what they did to our families. They didn¡¯t just kill them - they spread their souls across every timeline that would ever exist, making sure we could never find them again."


    The dead Caleb who had revealed himself earlier stepped forward. "That¡¯s why we¡¯ve been looking through dimensions. We¡¯re not just trying to get home - we¡¯re trying to find the people we love."


    "And that¡¯s why the Void King - the god-version of you - is so dangerous," I told Lily quickly. "She found out the truth. She knows that the Moon Goddess isn¡¯t the kind caretaker wolves think she is. She¡¯s one of thest First Ones, still trying to finish the n to reduce everything to one perfect timeline."


    The news hit the group like a thunderbolt. Their own Moon Goddess, the source of their mate bonds and pack magic, was actually their enemy.


    "But if that¡¯s true," Aiden said slowly, "then everything we believe about our world is a lie."


    "Not everything," I said quickly. "The love you feel for each other, the ties between mates and pack members - those are real. But the system controlling them was intended to make wolves easier to manage when the time came to destroy all the other timelines."


    "So the Void King is trying to stop this?" Lily asked.


    "In the worst possible way," I responded. "She¡¯s destroying timelines herself, but she¡¯s doing it to prevent the Moon Goddess from finishing her n. She thinks if she destroys everything first, at least she¡¯ll have power over it."


    The cave walls began to crack more violently as multiple strong presences drew near.


    "They¡¯re almost here," Original Caleb warned.


    "There¡¯s more," I said desperately. "The Moon Goddess has been changing your timeline specifically. She¡¯s been testing different versions of events, trying to find the perfectbination that will let her finish the great reduction."


    "Testing how?" Caleb demanded.


    "By making sure certain people fall in love, certain bonds form, certain powers awaken," I said, looking straight at Lily. "Your Triple Moon Mark isn¡¯t just about bringing bnce to your pack. It¡¯s about building a power source strong enough to fuel the destruction of every other timeline."


    Lily stumbled backward. "No. That can¡¯t be true."


    "The love you feel is real," I told her quickly. "But it¡¯s been guided, shaped, manipted to serve a purpose you never knew about."


    Suddenly, the cave filled with bright light as the god-versions of Lily burst through the walls. But they weren¡¯t alone. With them came a figure of pure stars that made everyone fall to their knees just from looking at her.


    The Moon Goddess herself had arrived.


    "My dear Guardians," she said in a voice like singing crystal, looking at us Void Walkers with mock sadness. "Still telling stories, I see."


    "They¡¯re not stories," I growled, though I couldn¡¯t stand up under the weight of her presence. "Tell them the truth!"


    The Moon Goddess smiled, and it was beautiful and terrible. "The truth? The truth is that reality is messy and confusing and needs to be fixed. These children understand that, don¡¯t you?"


    She pointed to the god-versions of Lily, who nodded in perfect synchronization.


    "We¡¯ve been cleaning up the mess you Guardians made when you failed in your duties," the Moon Goddess continued. "Soon, there will be only one perfect world, where no one suffers, no one dies, no one has to make difficult choices."


    "Because no one will have any choices at all," I spat.


    The Moon Goddess¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, but the temperature in the cave dropped to freezing. "Exactly."


    She turned to the current timeline¡¯s Lily, who was still trying to process everything she¡¯d learned.


    "My dear child," the Moon Goddess said gently, "it¡¯s time to join your other selves. Time to help us finish what we started so long ago."


    Lily looked at me, then at Caleb, then at the god-versions of herself who waited with empty, perfect smiles.


    "And if I refuse?" she asked softly.


    The Moon Goddess¡¯s smile never trembled, but her words sent ice through everyone¡¯s hearts.


    "Then we¡¯ll simply start over with a new version of you who will say yes."

 Chapter 132: The True Enemy

    <h4>Chapter 132: The True Enemy</h4>


    Dmitri POV


    Pain exploded through my head the moment the Moon Goddess appeared. But this wasn¡¯t just any pain - it was like someone had opened a door in my mind that had been sealed for thousands of years. Memories I didn¡¯t even know I had came rushing back all at once.


    I fell to my knees, clutching my head as pictures shed through my thoughts faster than lightning. Ancient faces, old words, and the terrible truth I¡¯d been hiding from myself for millennia.


    "No," I whispered, but the thoughts wouldn¡¯t stop.


    "Dmitri!" Sage rushed to my side, but I couldn¡¯t focus on her worried words. The past was pulling me under like a dark ocean.


    I saw myself as I really was - not the young vampire everyone thought they knew, but something far older. Far more dangerous. My hands shook as I remembered the truth about what vampires had done to reality itself.


    "I remember," I gasped, looking up at the Moon Goddess with fear. "I remember everything."


    The goddess smiled that terrible, beautiful smile. "Of course you do, child. I¡¯ve just given your memories back."


    "What¡¯s he talking about?" Lily asked, but she sounded far away.


    I forced myself to stand, even though every muscle in my body felt like it was on fire. "Everyone needs to know the truth," I said, my voice breaking. "About what my kind really did."


    The Void Walker Leader stared at me with recognition dawning in his gray eyes. "You¡¯re one of them. One of the First Vampires."


    "First Vampires?" Caleb repeated.


    I nodded, feeling sick to my stomach. "Long before any of you were born, before the Guardians became Void Walkers, before the Moon Goddess started her n - there were the Original Vampires. We were the first beings to discover how to move between dimensions."


    The memories kepting, each one worse than thest. I saw myself standing with eleven other vampires in a grand council room that existed between worlds.


    "We thought we were explorers," I continued, my voice hollow. "We found ways to slip between timelines, to visit other forms of reality. It was amazing at first - seeing how differently things could turn out, meeting other versions of ourselves."


    "That doesn¡¯t sound evil," Sage said softly.


    "It wasn¡¯t. Not at first." I looked at my hands, remembering how they used to make portals between worlds with just a thought. "But then we got greedy. We started taking things from other times. Resources, information, people we missed from our own world."


    The Moon Goddess watched me tell my story with pleasure, like she was enjoying a y she¡¯d seen many times before.


    "Every time we opened a portal, we damaged the walls between dimensions," I said. "But we didn¡¯t care. We told ourselves it was safe, that reality was strong enough to handle a few small tears."


    "But it wasn¡¯t," Elder Iris said softly.


    "No. The damage built up over ages. Reality started to crack like ss with too much pressure on it. The Guardians tried to tell us, tried to get us to stop, but we wouldn¡¯t listen."


    I saw their faces in my memories - the Guardians who wouldter be Void Walkers, asking us to be more careful. We¡¯dughed at them. Called them worried old women.


    "Then came the Great Copse," I said, feeling tears burn my eyes. "Half of all existing timelines copsed in a single day because we¡¯d weakened the foundations of reality itself."


    The cave fell silent except for the faraway sound of the god-versions of Lily moving closer.


    "Billions of people died," I whispered. "Entire worlds just... stopped existing. And it was our fault."


    "What happened to the other Original Vampires?" Aiden asked.


    "The surviving Guardians hunted us down," I said, remembering the fear of those days. "They were angry, rightfully so. We¡¯d destroyed half of everything that existed because we wanted toys from other worlds."


    "Did they kill them?"


    "Most of them. But a few of us, the youngest ones who hadn¡¯t been part of the original choice, were given a different punishment." I touched my chest, where I could feel the old magic that had bound me. "They locked away our memories and our power, then scattered us across different timelines to live normal lives."


    "So you didn¡¯t know?" Lily asked.


    "Not until now. The Moon Goddess just broke the spell that kept me hidden from myself." I looked at the shining figure with greater understanding. "That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it? You need the Original Vampires for your n."


    The Moon Goddess pped her hands together like a pleased child. "Very good! Yes, I need you and your surviving siblings to help me finish the Great Reduction."


    "Siblings?" Sage gasped.


    "There are others like me, scattered across different timelines with their memories locked away," I stated. "The Moon Goddess has been collecting us, one by one."


    "But why?" Caleb demanded.


    I felt the old knowledge stirring in my mind, power I¡¯d forgotten I possessed. "Because vampires are the only beings who can safely tear holes between worlds without getting corrupted like the Void Walkers. We¡¯re immune to the hunger because we caused the original damage."


    "And with enough Original Vampires working together," the Moon Goddess added cheerfully, "we can create controlled tears big enough to copse every unwanted timeline at once. Clean and fast."


    The horror of it hit me like a physical blow. "You want to finish what we started. Complete the job of destroying reality."


    "Not destroying," she amended. "Perfecting. One perfect world is so much easier to handle than countless chaotic ones."


    I felt my vampire powers awakening for the first time in millennia, reacting to my emotional distress. The air around me began to shimmer as my body remembered how to control dimensional energy.


    "I won¡¯t help you," I said strongly. "I¡¯ve seen what our interference costs."


    "Oh, but you will," the Moon Goddess said, pointing to someone behind her.


    Two figures stepped out from behind the god-versions of Lily. They looked like vampires, but their eyes held the same empty beauty as the god-Lilys.


    "Your siblings have already agreed to help," the Moon Goddess stated. "They understand that this is the only way to fix the damage your kind caused."


    I stared at the two vampires in shock. One was a woman with silver hair that I barely recognized. The other was a man who looked enough like me to be my twin.


    "Elena? Viktor?" The names came from memories I¡¯d thought were lost forever.


    "Hello, little brother," Viktor said, but his voice was wrong. Too calm, too beautiful. "We¡¯ve been waiting for you to remember who you really are."


    "They¡¯re not themselves anymore," I realized with growing fear. "You changed them."


    "I improved them," the Moon Goddess amended. "Removed their guilt and doubt so they could focus on the work that needs to be done."


    Elena stepped forward, and I could see that her eyes, once warm brown, were now the same cold silver as the god-versions of Lily.


    "Don¡¯t fight this, Dmitri," she said in that terrible perfect voice. "Let the Goddess help you forget the pain. Let her make you pure like us."


    I backed away, but there was nowhere to go. The cave walls surrounded us, and the only exit was blocked by beings of great power.


    "I won¡¯t let you turn me into a puppet," I said, my vampire powers ring to life around me.


    But as I prepared to fight, the Moon Goddess smiled and said the words that froze my blood:


    "You don¡¯t have a choice. Your friend Sage has something very special in her blood - something I need to finish the transformation. And if you don¡¯t participate willingly, I¡¯ll simply take what I need from her by force."


    I spun around to look at Sage, seeing her pale face and confused expression. Whatever was special about her blood, she didn¡¯t know it herself.


    "What¡¯s in my blood?" she whispered.


    The Moon Goddess¡¯s smile grew wider. "Thest piece of Guardian energy in existence. Your ancestor was one of the Guardians who fled before they became Void Walkers. If Ibine that essence with Original Vampire power, I can tear open reality totally."


    My heart broke as I realized the impossible choice in front of me: be the Moon Goddess¡¯s puppet and help destroy countless timelines, or refuse and watch her kill the woman I¡¯de to care about more than my own life.


    "So, little vampire," the Moon Goddess said kindly, "what will it be?"

 Chapter 133: Alliance Fractures

    <h4>Chapter 133: Alliance Fractures</h4>


    Aiden POV


    The emergency council meeting burst into chaos before I could even call it to order. Representatives from twelve different supernatural groups shouted over each other, their words echoing off the cave walls like angry thunder.


    "You brought vampires into our sacred space!" The River Pack Alpha mmed his fist on the stone table. "My wolves can smell their death magic everywhere!"


    "Original Vampires destroyed half of reality!" Elder Thompson from the Mountain Coven pointed an using finger at where Dmitri had been sitting just hours ago. "And you expect us to trust them?"


    I stood at the head of the table, watching everything I¡¯d worked to build fall around me. For months, I¡¯d encouraged these groups to work together against the Moon Goddess. Now Dmitri¡¯s memory revtion threatened to tear apart our only hope of life.


    "Everyone needs to calm down," I said, using my Alpha voice. Some of the yelling stopped, but angry whispers continued around the table.


    "Calm down?" The Fairy Queen¡¯s wings buzzed with anger. "One of the beings responsible for the Great Copse has been among us this entire time. How many of our people died because of what his kind did?"


    My heart sank. This was exactly what I¡¯d feared would happen. The moment our union learned about the Original Vampires¡¯ role in damaging reality, old prejudices and fears would surface. Unity would be impossible.


    "Dmitri didn¡¯t know," I said strongly. "His thoughts were locked away. He¡¯s been helping us fight the Moon Goddess."


    "How convenient," sneered the Demon spokesman. "The vampire suddenly remembers he¡¯s old and powerful right when we need him most. Sounds like a trick to me."


    Lily shifted beside me, her face pale with worry. I could feel her worry through our mate bond, adding to my own stress. Caleb sat on my other side, frantically taking notes about everything being said. Brock stood near the cave opening, his hand resting on his sword.


    "The vampire could be a spy," continued the River Pack Alpha. "Sent by the Moon Goddess to destroy us from within."


    "That¡¯s ridiculous," I snapped. "Dmitri risked his life to save Sage. He¡¯s proven his loyalty."


    "Has he?" The Mountain Coven Elder stood up, his robes moving. "Or did he just y a very believable part? Think about it, Alpha Aiden. The Moon Goddess needs Original Vampires for her n. What better way to get them than to have one embedded in our resistance?"


    Murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd. I felt fear rising in my chest. These people trusted me to lead them, but uncertainty was spreading like wildfire.


    "Where is the vampire now?" asked the Fairy Queen warily. "Why isn¡¯t he here to defend himself?"


    I paused. Dmitri and Sage had left shortly after his memory return, saying they needed to process everything that had happened. I¡¯d thought it was fair - learning you¡¯re an ancient being responsible for cosmic damage would shake anyone. But now theirck looked suspicious.


    "He¡¯s dealing with recovered memories from thousands of years," I exined. "That kind of mental shock needs time to heal." "Or he¡¯s reporting back to his real master," the Demon representative said coldly.


    "Enough!" I mmed my own hand on the table, the sound echoing through the cave. "Dmitri is not our enemy. The Moon Goddess is. She¡¯s the one trying to reduce reality to a single timeframe. She¡¯s the one who turned Guardians into Void Walkers. She¡¯s the threat we need to focus on."


    "But vampires made the damage that allowed her n to work," Elder Thompson pointed out. "Without the Original Vampires weakening reality, the Moon Goddess couldn¡¯t manipte timelines so easily."


    I opened my mouth to argue, then stopped. He was right. The vampires¡¯ dimensional travel had produced the cracks that made everything else possible. Without that base of damage, maybe none of this would be happening.


    "That doesn¡¯t make Dmitri responsible for her choices," I said finally. "He was practically a child when the Great Copse happened. The older vampires made those choices."


    "A child who can tear holes between dimensions," the River Pack Alpha said sadly. "Do you understand how dangerous that makes him? One moment of anger or loss of control, and he could damage our schedule beyond repair."


    The weight of that possibility hit me like a physical blow. I¡¯d seen Dmitri¡¯s power when his memories returned - the air around him had shimmered with dimensional energy. If he lost control... "He won¡¯t," I said, but my voicecked confidence.


    "You can¡¯t guarantee that," the Fairy Queen said softly. "None of us can. The trauma of remembering such terrible things, mixed with that kind of power... it¡¯s a recipe for disaster."


    Around the table, I could see agreement in too many faces. Fear was winning over logic. The alliance I¡¯d spent months building was falling apart because of discoveries we couldn¡¯t change.


    "So what are you suggesting?" I asked, fearing the answer.


    "The vampire needs to be contained," Elder Thompson said bluntly. "Until we can verify his true loyalties and ensure he won¡¯t lose control of his abilities."


    "Contained?" Lily spoke up for the first time, her voice sharp with anger. "You mean imprisoned."


    "For the safety of everyone," the River Pack Alpha agreed. "Including himself. Imagine the guilt if he identally damaged reality while battling with his memories. " I felt sick. These people wanted to lock up someone who¡¯d risked everything to help us, just because of what his species had done thousands of years ago. It went against everything I believed about justice and fairness.


    But as a leader, I had to consider their fears. What if they were right? What if Dmitri¡¯s emotional state mixed with his power really did pose a threat? What if believing him was a mistake that could cost countless lives?


    "I need time to think about this," I said finally.


    "Time we don¡¯t have," the Demon representative said quickly. "Every moment that vampire remains free is a moment he could be sabotaging our efforts or losing control of abilities that could kill us all."


    Before I could reply, Brock stepped forward from his position by the cave entrance. His face was grim, and I could tell he had bad news.


    "Aiden," he said softly. "We have a bigger problem."


    "What now?" I asked, fatigue creeping into my voice.


    "Scouts just reported back from the dimensional border," Brock said. "Three more timelines fell in thest hour. And there are huge energy readingsing from the Moon Goddess¡¯s stronghold."


    The cave fell silent. Three timelines. Billions of lives. Gone.


    "It gets worse," Brock continued. "The energy signatures fit Original Vampire dimensional maniption. She¡¯s not waiting for us to find more of them. She¡¯s using the ones she already has."


    My blood turned to ice. If the Moon Goddess was already using captured Original Vampires to copse timelines, then Dmitri¡¯s knowledge and power weren¡¯t just helpful - they were absolutely important. He might be the only one who could counter what she was doing.


    But I was surrounded by friends who wanted him imprisoned or worse.


    "How long until she canplete her n?" I asked.


    Brock¡¯s face was grim. "At this rate? Maybe days."


    The council exploded in panicked voices again, but I barely heard them. The weight of an impossible choice pressed down on me. Trust Dmitri and risk everything on a vampire whose species had already destroyed half of reality once. Or lock him up and lose our best chance of stopping the Moon Goddess before she finished the job.


    Either choice could ruin everyone I¡¯d sworn to protect.


    And somewhere out there, Dmitri had no idea that the people he¡¯d been fighting to save now considered him their greatest danger.

 Chapter 134: Lily’s Choice

    <h4>Chapter 134: Lily¡¯s Choice</h4>


    Lily POV


    The Void Walker crashed through the cave roof like a falling meteor, sending rocks and dust everywhere. I rolled away just as a massive chunk of stone smashed where I¡¯d been stood. The monsternded hard, its gray form crackling with hungry energy.


    "Lily, get back!" Caleb shouted, but I was already moving toward the hurt being instead of away from it.


    Something was different about this Void Walker. Where others I¡¯d seen moved with predatory ease, this one stumbled. Its gray skin shifted between solid and transparent, like a bad television signal. Most shocking of all, its eyes weren¡¯t totally empty - I could see pain there. Real, terrible pain.


    The creature tried to lunge at me, but fell halfway. Dark energy leaked from cracks in its form like blood from cuts. It was dying, and somehow I could feel its pain as if it were my own.


    "Help... me..." The words came out as a whisper, barely audible.


    My heart nearly stopped. Void Walkers didn¡¯t talk. They didn¡¯t ask for help. They just consumed everything in their way with mindless hunger. But this one was different.


    "Did it just speak?" Brock asked, his sword raised but unsure.


    I knelt beside the thing, ignoring everyone¡¯s protests. Up close, I could see more cracks running through its gray form. They glowed with a sickly light that hurt to look at. But underneath that corruption, I felt something familiar. Something that reminded me of the protective feeling I got from pack leaders.


    "You¡¯re not really a monster, are you?" I whispered.


    The Void Walker¡¯s shifting eyes focused on me with desperate hope. "Guardian... was... Guardian..."


    The truth hit me like lightning. This wasn¡¯t just some dumb beast. This had been a person once. A guardian who¡¯d been twisted into something horrible against their will.


    "Lily, step away from that thing," Aiden ordered, but I couldn¡¯t move. The creature¡¯s pain called to every mending instinct I had.


    "It¡¯s hurt," I said, reaching out slowly. "It¡¯s in terrible pain."


    "It¡¯s dangerous!" Caleb protested. "Void Walkers drain life power. One touch could kill you."


    But when my fingers made touch with the creature¡¯s cracked skin, something unexpected happened. Instead of feeling my energy drain away, I felt a bond form. Images shed through my mind - memories that weren¡¯t mine.


    I saw a woman in shiny armor standing guard over a portal between worlds. She was proud, determined, guarding innocent people from dimensional threats. Her name was Sarah. She had a girl she loved more than anything.


    Then came the greed. The Moon Goddess¡¯s voice whispering poison into the guards¡¯ minds. Promising them power to better protect their charges. The slow change as they lost themselves piece by piece, bing consumed by an endless hunger they couldn¡¯t control.


    "Oh no," I breathed, tears running down my face. "She turned you into this. The Moon Goddess corrupted you."


    The thing - Sarah - nodded weakly. Through our link, I felt her desperation. She¡¯d been fighting the rot for so long, trying to hold onto who she used to be. But the hunger was winning, slowly eating away at her soul.


    "Can¡¯t... stop... the hunger..." she gasped. "Please... end it..."


    She was asking me to kill her. To put her out of her misery before the corruption fully took over. My heart broke at the thought.


    "There has to be another way," I said strongly. "I won¡¯t give up on you."


    I closed my eyes and reached deeper into our connection, using abilities I¡¯d found during our fight against the Moon Goddess. My healing power, strengthened by the Triple Moon bond, flowed into the dying guardian.


    The dark cracks in her form began to glow with silver light instead of ugly green. The rot fought back, trying to push my healing energy away. It felt like wrestling with a poisonous snake that didn¡¯t want to let go of its target.


    "Lily, what are you doing?" Sage asked, her voice filled with worry.


    "Healing her," I grunted, pouring more power into the effort. "The corruption isn¡¯t permanent. It¡¯s like an infection that can be fixed."


    But the process was harder than anything I¡¯d ever tried. The Moon Goddess¡¯s corruption was old and strong. It wrapped around Sarah¡¯s soul like chains, unwilling to break. Every time I made progress, it fought back twice as hard.


    "The hunger... it¡¯s too strong..." Sarah whimpered. "I can feel it returning. You need to run before I lose control again."


    I could sense she was right. The corruption was winning, pushing back against my recovery. Soon she¡¯d be a dumb monster again, and this time she might hurt people I cared about.


    But I couldn¡¯t give up. Not when I¡¯d seen who she really was underneath the curse.


    "Help me," I called to the others. "I can¡¯t do this alone."


    "Are you insane?" Brock asked. "That thing could kill us all."


    "She¡¯s not a thing!" I snapped. "She¡¯s a person who was changed against her will. The Moon Goddess did this to all the guards. She turned guards into monsters and made us fight them instead of her."


    The truth of it hung in the air like a bomb waiting to burst. If I was right, then every Void Walker we¡¯d killed had once been someone trying to protect harmless people. The Moon Goddess had turned our guardians into our enemies, making us destroy the very people who should have been our allies.


    Caleb was the first to understand. "That¡¯s why she wanted the guardians corrupted. Not just to clear obstacles, but to turn them into weapons against us."


    "While we waste time and energy fighting them, she continues her n unopposed," Aiden realized grimly.


    I felt Sarah¡¯s control slipping further. The corruption was spreading through her form again, and her eyes were bing empty and hungry. Soon there would be nothing left of the guardian she¡¯d once been.


    "If you¡¯re going to help, do it now!" I shouted desperately.


    One by one, they joined the healing circle. Caleb put his hands on my shoulders, lending me his strength. Sage added her power to mine. Even Brock, still suspicious, donated his protective energy.


    The joint power was incredible. Silver light zed around Sarah¡¯s form as our joined abilities fought against the ancient corruption. For a moment, I thought we might actually win. The dark cracks began to close, and her gray skin started returning to human color.


    Then something went wrong. The corruption didn¡¯t just fight - itshed out. Dark energy burst from Sarah¡¯s form, hitting all of us like a physical blow. I felt something tear inside my mind as the bacsh hit.


    When the light faded, Sarah was gone. Not dead, but disappearedpletely. In her ce stood something that made my blood freeze.


    A perfect copy of myself, but with the empty silver eyes of a twisted god-version.


    "Thank you, little healer," it said in my voice. "You¡¯ve given me exactly what I needed."


    The Moon Goddess had been using Sarah as bait. She¡¯d wanted me to try healing a Void Walker, knowing that the process would make a connection she could exploit. Now she had ess to my powers, my memories, and my form.


    "Lily!" Caleb reached for me, but the fake version of myself stepped between us.


    "I¡¯m afraid the real Lily is indisposed," my duplicate said with a cruel smile. "She¡¯s experiencing what it¡¯s like to be a Void Walker from the inside."


    I tried to speak, to move, to do anything, but I was stuck in my own body. I could feel the corruption beginning to spread through me, the same hunger that had eaten Sarah starting to gnaw at my soul.


    The Moon Goddess had turned the trap around totally. Instead of saving a defender, I¡¯d doomed myself to be one of her monsters.

 Chapter 135: The Vampire’s Redemption

    <h4>Chapter 135: The Vampire¡¯s Redemption</h4>


    Dmitri POV


    I tore the dimensional door open with my bare hands, the fabric of reality screaming as it ripped apart. Power I¡¯d forgotten I owned surged through me like liquid fire, and for the first time in thousands of years, I felt like the Original Vampire I truly was.


    "Stop!" Sage grabbed my arm, her touch burning against my skin. "You¡¯re making it worse!"


    But I couldn¡¯t stop. Through the swirling portal, I could see another timeline falling - buildings crumbling, people running in terror as their world simply ceased to exist. The Moon Goddess was elerating her n, using my corrupted brothers to tear apart reality faster than ever.


    And it was all my fault.


    "Don¡¯t you understand?" I shouted over the portal¡¯s roar. "Every reality that dies is because of what my kind did! We broke reality in the first ce!"


    The guilt was eating me alive from the inside. Each recovered memory brought fresh horror - images of the Original Vampires carelessly ripping holes between realms, stealing whatever they wanted from other worlds. We¡¯d thought we were so smart, so powerful. We never considered the effects until it was toote.


    "That wasn¡¯t you," Sage said desperately. "You were barely more than a child when it happened."


    "I was still part of it!" I released the door, letting it snap shut with a sound like thunder. "I voted in their councils. I cheered when they brought back treasures from other worlds. I never once questioned if what we were doing was right."


    The memories wouldn¡¯t stoping. I saw myselfughing as older vampires demonstrated their portal-making skills. I remembered feeling proud to be part of such a powerful species. The guilt was overwhelming.


    "You can¡¯t change the past," Sage said softly.


    "No, but I can fix what we broke." I turned to face her, my mind made up. "There¡¯s a way to fix the dimensional damage. It needs Original Vampire blood and power, freely given in sacrifice."


    Sage went pale. "Sacrifice? You mean..."


    "Death, yes." The word came out easier than I¡¯d expected. "When an Original Vampire dies freely, their life force can be used to repair tears in reality. It¡¯s written in the oldest books."


    I¡¯d found the information in my recovered memories - knowledge the Ancient Council had hidden away because they were too selfish to consider such an answer. But now, facing the damage our species had caused, it seemed like the only right choice.


    "Absolutely not," Sage said strongly. "There has to be another way."


    "There isn¡¯t." I took her hands, remembering the warmth of her touch. "Don¡¯t you see? This is why I survived when the other Original Vampires were hunted down. Not as punishment, but so I could make this choice when the time came."


    Tears filled her eyes. "I won¡¯t let you throw your life away out of guilt."


    "It¡¯s not guilt," I said, though that wasn¡¯t fully true. "It¡¯s duty. My species broke reality. Now I have the chance to help fix it."


    Before she could argue further, I began the ritual I¡¯d found in my old memories. My vampire abilities red to life, but instead of tearing new holes in reality, I focused the power inward. The energy that once let me move between dimensions now turned against itself, preparing for the sacrifice that would heal the damage.


    "Dmitri, stop!" Sage tried to disrupt the ritual, but protective barriers of energy pushed her back.


    Pain unlike anything I¡¯d ever felt shot through my body. It was like every cell was being torn apart and remade, over and over. But through the agony, I could feel something amazing happening. The dimensional tears around us were starting to close. Reality itself was healing.


    "It¡¯s working," I gasped. "I can feel the damage reversing."


    For a moment, hope grew in my chest. Maybe this would be enough. Maybe my death could undo what my species had done wrong.


    Then the routine suddenly stopped working.


    The pain disappeared, leaving me gasping on the ground. The dimensional tears I¡¯d been healing tore open again, wider than before. Reality shook around us like a building in an earthquake.


    "What happened?" Sage rushed to my side, helping me sit up.


    I checked my memories furiously, trying to understand what went wrong. The ritual had been working brilliantly. The dimensional damage was healing. Then something had interfered.


    "The other Original Vampires," I realized with growing fear. "Viktor and Elena. They¡¯re still alive and under the Moon Goddess¡¯s control."


    Sage looked confused. "What does that have to do with your ritual?"


    "The sacrifice only works if all surviving Original Vampires participate willingly," I exined, my heart sinking. "As long as my siblings are alive and corrupted, my death alone won¡¯t be enough to heal reality."


    The cruel irony hit me like a physical blow. I¡¯d finally found the courage to make the ultimate sacrifice, only to discover it was meaningless without my corrupted brothers¡¯ cooperation. And they would never dly help repair what they were actively destroying.


    "Then we find another way," Sage said determinedly. "We save your siblings and break them free from the Moon Goddess¡¯s control."


    I wanted to believe her positivity, but I¡¯d seen Viktor and Elena. They weren¡¯t just controlled - they were changed on a basic level. The Moon Goddess had rewritten their very souls, removing their ability for guilt or doubt. They genuinely thought that destroying reality was the right thing to do.


    "You don¡¯t understand," I said sadly. "They¡¯re not inmates anymore. They¡¯re willing yers in the Moon Goddess¡¯s n. Even if we could break her power, they might choose to continue helping her."


    "We have to try," Sage urged. "I won¡¯t let you give up."


    Her trust in me was touching, but I could see the truth clearly now. My recovered memories showed me exactly what my brothers had be. The Moon Goddess hadn¡¯t just controlled them - she¡¯d perfected them, changing them into ideal versions of what Original Vampires could be. No shame, no hesitation, no moral qualms about using their power.


    Part of me envy them. It would be so much easier to ept that cold perfection than to struggle with the weight of our species¡¯ crimes.


    "There might be one other option," I said slowly, a terrible idea forming in my mind. "But you¡¯re not going to like it."


    "Tell me," Sage said.


    "If I can¡¯t convince my brothers to sacrifice themselves willingly, I could force them to. Use my power to take their life force along with my own." The words tasted like poison. "It would mean murdering my own family, but it might be enough toplete the healing ritual."


    Sage stared at me in shock. "You¡¯re talking about bing everything you hate. Using your power to hurt people, just like the Original Vampires did before."


    She was right, and the truth cut deep. To save reality, I would have to be the very monster I was trying to restore. I¡¯d have to kill my own brothers - thest family I had left in the world. "Sometimes there are no good choices," I said quietly. "Sometimes you can only choose which evil you can live with."


    "Or die with, in your case," Sage said coldly.


    Before I could respond, the air around us started to shimmer. A portal was opening, but not one of my making. Someone else wasing through.


    Viktor stepped out of the whirling energy, his perfect smile as cold as ice. "Hello, little brother. We¡¯ve been looking for you."


    Elena followed, moving with predatory ease. "The Goddess wants to speak with you, Dmitri. She has a n."


    My blood turned to ice. Somehow, the Moon Goddess had found us. And now I was faced with a choice that would decide not just my fate, but the fate of every timeline still in existence.


    Run and try to find another way to stop them, or face my corrupted brothers knowing I might have to kill them to save reality.


    Either way, the guilt would kill me long before the ritual ever could.

 Chapter 136: Caleb’s Stand

    <h4>Chapter 136: Caleb¡¯s Stand</h4>


    Caleb POV


    The shadowy figure lunged at Lily from behind just as she knelt beside the injured Void Walker. Without thinking, I threw myself between them, taking a st of dark energy straight to the chest. Pain burst through my body like lightning, but I stayed standing.


    "Get away from her!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the twisted world we¡¯d somehow ended up in.


    The attacker pulled back his hood, showing Viktor¡¯s cold smile. "Little brother Caleb. Still protecting people, I see."


    My heart sank. Viktor was supposed to be dead. We¡¯d all seen him fall into the dimensional tear months ago. But here he was, his eyes shining with the same terrible light as the other corrupted Original Vampires.


    "You¡¯re working with the Moon Goddess," I said, helping Lily to her feet. The Void Walker she¡¯d been trying to heal writhed in pain nearby, its form changing between solid and shadow.


    "Working with her?" Viktorughed. "I am her biggest sess. She showed me what we could be if we stopped caring about guilt and weakness."


    Behind him, more forms emerged from the darkness. Elena, another of our apparently dead siblings. And worse - at least a dozen Void Walkers, but these ones moved with purpose instead of dumb hunger.


    "They¡¯re not random monsters anymore," I whispered to Lily. "Someone¡¯s controlling them."


    Lily¡¯s face went pale, but she didn¡¯t back down. "The cure might still work. If I can reach the part of them that¡¯s still-"


    "Still what?" Viktor interrupted, having heard her with his vampire senses. "Still human? Still good? My dear girl, goodness is just weakness wearing a pretty mask."


    The controlled Void Walkers began to circle us. Unlike the wild ones we¡¯d fought before, these moved like soldiers. Smart. Organized. Terrifying.


    "Caleb," Lily said softly, "I need time to try the healing technique Elder Iris taught me. Can you-"


    "Keep them busy? Yeah, I can do that." I stepped forward, putting myself between her and the growing threat. "But I have to tell you something first."


    She looked confused. "What?"


    "I don¡¯t feel the mate bond anymore." The words came out rushed, like taking off a bandage. "Ever since we entered this world, it¡¯s gone. I can¡¯t sense your feelings, can¡¯t feel that connection that¡¯s supposed to tie us together."


    Her eyes widened. "Caleb, I-"


    "But it doesn¡¯t matter," I continued, surprised by how much I meant it. "Bond or no bond, I choose to stand with you. Not because some special mark tells me to, but because I believe in what you¡¯re trying to do."


    Viktor made a disgusted sound. "How sweet. The schr thinks he¡¯s brave."


    "I don¡¯t think I¡¯m brave," I admitted, fear making my voice shake. "I¡¯m scared. But being scared doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t do the right thing."


    The first Void Walker attacked without notice. I barely got my hands up in time to catch its ws. The thing was stronger than me, pushing me backward, but I held on. Behind me, I could hear Lily starting to chant in the oldnguage Elder Iris had taught her.


    "You cannot save them," Elena called out, her voice strangely calm. "The Void Walkers are beyond repair. They chose to ept the darkness."


    "Did they really choose?" I grunted, wrestling with the thing. "Or were they forced into it, like you were?"


    For just a second, Elena¡¯s perfect poise cracked. A sh of something - pain? regret? - crossed her face before the cold mask returned.


    "Choice is an illusion," she said. "Power is all that matters."


    Another Void Walker joined the attack. Then another. Soon I was fighting three at once, my schrly muscles no match for their magical strength. ws raked across my arms, drawing blood. My back hit the ground hard.


    Just as the creatures moved in for the kill, something amazing happened. The Void Walker Lily had been trying to heal suddenly stood up. Its form solidified, the jumbled shadows settling into the shape of a young woman with sad eyes.


    "I... I remember," she whispered. "I remember my name. Sarah. I was Sarah Morrison."


    Viktor snarled. "Impossible. The change is permanent."


    But it wasn¡¯t. Right before our eyes, the darkness was leaving her, reced by human love. Lily¡¯s mending was working.


    "Help me," Sarah said, looking at me with frantic hope. "I can feel the others fighting the power. If we can break enough of them free-"


    Viktor moved faster than lightning, his hand closing around Sarah¡¯s throat. "You will return to darkness, or you will diepletely."


    "Let her go!" I yelled, trying to get up. But the other Void Walkers held me down.


    "You want to save everyone, don¡¯t you, little brother?" Viktor smiled coldly. "Such a good heart. Let me show you what nobility gets you."


    He began to squeeze. Sarah gasped, her newly restored humanity flickering like a candle in the wind.


    "Stop!" Lily cried out, abandoning her routine to rush forward.


    "Ah ah ah," Elena stepped in front of her. "The girl dies unless you do exactly what we say."


    My mind raced. We were trapped, outnumbered, with no helping. The realm we were in seemed to dampen our powers while making our enemies stronger. But there had to be something...


    Then I remembered what Dmitri had said about Original Vampire blood being able to fix dimensional damage. What if it could do more than that? What if it could break the Moon Goddess¡¯s control?


    "I¡¯ll make you a deal," I called out to Viktor, hoping my voice sounded steadier than I felt.


    "You¡¯re not in a position to make deals," he answered, still choking Sarah.


    "My blood," I said. "Original Vampire blood, freely given. You said you needed it for something. Take it, but let the girl live."


    Viktor¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. "You would sacrifice yourself for a creature you just met?"


    "That¡¯s what good people do," I said simply. "They help others, even when it¡¯s hard."


    For a moment, silence filled the twisted space around us. Then Viktor began tough - a sound like breaking ss.


    "Oh, little brother. Your blood is exactly what we need. But not for what you think." His smile turned aggressive. "You see, Original Vampire blood can heal dimensional rips. But it can also tear new ones. Bigger ones. Permanent ones."


    My heart stopped. "What are you saying?"


    "We¡¯re going to use your sacrifice to rip open a gateway straight to Earth," Elena exined pleasantly. "Every Void Walker in this world will pour through. Millions of them. All hungry. All under our control."


    The horror of it hit me like a physical blow. By trying to save one person, I¡¯d just offered to destroy my entire world.


    Viktor¡¯s grip tightened on Sarah¡¯s throat. "So, brave Caleb. Do you still want to make that deal?"

 Chapter 137: The Healing Attempt

    <h4>Chapter 137: The Healing Attempt</h4>


    Lily POV


    The moment I touched the corrupted Void Walker¡¯s skin, pain shot through my entire body like I¡¯d grabbed a live wire. Every nerve screamed as darkness flooded into me, trying to drag me down into an endless pit of misery.


    "Fight it, Lily!" Caleb¡¯s voice sounded like it wasing from miles away, even though he was right beside me.


    I gritted my teeth and pushed deeper into the creature¡¯s mind. This had been a person once - I could feel the tiny spark of humanity hidden underyers of twisted magic. But reaching it was like swimming through acid.


    The Void Walker thrashed beneath my hands, its form changing between solid flesh and writhing shadow. Viktor¡¯sughter rang out somewhere behind me, but I couldn¡¯t focus on anything except the fight happening inside my head.


    "You cannot save what is already lost," the thing spoke, but its voice was wrong - too many voicesyered together, like a horrible choir.


    "You¡¯re not lost," I whispered, even though speaking felt like eating broken ss. "I can see you in there. Sarah Morrison, age sixteen. You loved to paint sunsets."


    The beating stopped. For just a second, the creature¡¯s face became human - a young girl with scared eyes.


    "How do you know that?" Sarah¡¯s real voice broke through the darkness.


    "Because I¡¯m like you," I said, feeling tears run down my face. "I¡¯m between ces too. Part person, part something else. And I know what it¡¯s like to feel lost."


    The healing magic Elder Iris had taught me wasn¡¯t working the way it should. Instead of running gently like a warm river, it was more like trying to hold back a tsunami with my bare hands. The rot in Sarah was fighting me, trying to spread into my own body.


    "Lily, you¡¯re glowing!" Caleb shouted.


    I looked down at my hands. Silver light was pouring from my skin, but it was mixed with something darker - veins of darkness that pulsed like a heartbeat. The sight should have scared me, but instead it made sense. To heal evil, maybe I had to understand it.


    "No!" Viktor¡¯s speech had lost its mocking tone. "She¡¯s not supposed to be able to do that!"


    "Do what?" Elena sounded worried too.


    I didn¡¯t answer because I was too busy trying not to scream. The corruption was showing me things - horrible memories of people being twisted into monsters, of entire worlds being eaten by the void. But mixed in with the dreams were shes of something else: the Moon Goddess¡¯s true n.


    "She¡¯s going to tear apart the barriers between all dimensions," I gasped, the knowledge burning in my mind. "Not just our world - every world. She wants to remake everything ording to her idea."


    "Lies," Viktor growled, but he sounded less certain now.


    Sarah¡¯s form was bing more solid, more human. The silver light from my hands was winning against the darkness, but the effort was killing me. I could feel my life force draining away like water through a broken dam.


    "I can¡¯t hold this much longer," I told Caleb.


    "Then don¡¯t," he said strongly. "Let me help."


    Before I could stop him, he grabbed my shoulders. The moment his skin touched mine, something incredible happened. Even though we couldn¡¯t feel our mate bond anymore, some deeper link sparked between us. His strength flowed into me, steadying the wild magic.


    "Together," he said simply.


    With Caleb¡¯s help, I pushed thest of the rot out of Sarah. She crumpled, fully human again, gasping like she¡¯d been drowning. But our winsted only seconds.


    "Enough!" The Moon Goddess¡¯s voice boomed through the realm, shaking the ground beneath our feet. "You dare to undo my work?"


    She appeared in a sh of silver fire - beautiful and terrible, with eyes like stars going supernova. Power radiated from her in waves that made my bones ache.


    "You have no idea what you¡¯ve just done," she said, her voice deadly cool. "That girl was mine. Her corruption fed the walls that keep the void contained."


    My blood went cold. "What do you mean?"


    "Every corrupted soul strengthens the prison walls," the Moon Goddess stated with a cruel smile. "By healing one, you¡¯ve weakened them all. The void creatures are already breaking free in seventeen different nes."


    Through the silver light surrounding us, I could see tears appearing in the air - windows into other worlds. In one, I saw a peaceful city suddenly invaded by shadow monsters. In another, a family was running from creatures that looked like living horrors.


    "You¡¯re lying," I said, but doubt crept into my voice.


    "Am I?" She pointed to the growing tears. "Look for yourself. Your kindness has doomed millions."


    Sarah struggled to sit up, her human eyes wide with fear. "She¡¯s not lying," she whispered. "I can feel it - thework of tainted souls. When you freed me, you broke a link in the chain."


    The weight of what I¡¯d done crashed down on me. I¡¯d been so focused on saving one person that I hadn¡¯t thought about the bigger picture. How many people were dying right now because of my choice?


    "There is still time to fix this," the Moon Goddess said, her voice bing almost soft. "Give me the girl back. Let me restore her corruption, and I can repair the harm."


    "No," Caleb said strongly. "We¡¯ll find another way."


    "There is no other way," Viktorughed. "My dear brother, you¡¯ve helped ruin every world in existence. How does it feel to be the hero?"


    Sarah grabbed my hand with shaking fingers. "Don¡¯t give up on me," she begged. "Please. I¡¯d rather die normal than live as a monster."


    The tears in reality were getting bigger. Through them, I could see the damage spreading - entire cities falling to the void creatures that were pouring through the weakened barriers. The sounds of screaming reached us from various dimensions.


    "Choose quickly," the Moon Goddess said. "Every second you wait, more innocents die. One girl¡¯s freedom against the lives of countless others. What will it be, little healer?"


    My heart was breaking. There had to be another answer, some third choice I wasn¡¯t seeing. But as more screams echoed from the dying worlds, I discovered the terrible truth.


    Sometimes there are no good choices. Sometimes you can only choose which disaster you can live with.


    "I..." I started to speak, then stopped. Through one of the spatial tears, I saw something that made my blood freeze.


    My own world. My pack. Void creatures were pouring through a massive rift right in the middle of Silver Peak territory.


    And my friends were fighting for their lives.


    "Toote," the Moon Goddess smiled. "The cascade has started. Soon, all realities will be mine to change."


    As I watched my pack family fight impossible odds, a horrible realization hit me. The Moon Goddess hadn¡¯t been trying to stop me from healing Sarah.


    She¡¯d been counting on it.


    This had all been a trick.

 Chapter 138: Unexpected Alliance

    <h4>Chapter 138: Unexpected Alliance</h4>


    Sarah POV


    The moment my human memories fully returned, I lunged at Viktor before anyone could stop me. My fist connected with his shocked face, sending him stumbling backward.


    "That¡¯s for what you did to my little brother!" I screamed, hitting him again. "Tommy was only eight years old!"


    Viktor wiped blood from his lip, looking more shocked than hurt. "You remember?"


    "I remember everything." Rage burned through me like fire. "I remember you tearing open the physical barrier above our town. I remember the void creatures pouring through. I remember watching my family get tainted one by one because you wanted to test your new power!"


    The other warped Void Walkers around us shifted nervously. For the first time sinceing, they looked uncertain instead of confident.


    "Sarah," Lily said softly, "we need to focus on stopping the Moon Goddess."


    "She¡¯s not the real enemy," I said, never taking my eyes off Viktor. "At least, not the only one. These Original Vampires opened the first tears between worlds. Everything that¡¯s happening now started with them."


    Elena stepped forward, her face cold as ice. "We were following orders. The Moon Goddess showed us visions of a perfect world where¡ª"


    "Where everyone who disagreed with you was dead or corrupted," I interrupted. "I lived through your ¡¯perfect world,¡¯ remember? I was one of your monsters for three years."


    The memories hurt to think about. Three years of being trapped inside my own body while something else directed my actions. Three years of watching myself hurt harmless people and being unable to stop it.


    "You don¡¯t understand," Viktor said, but his voicecked its previous confidence. "The old reality was broken. Humans were destroying their world, supernatural animals were at war¡ª"


    "So you decided to destroy everything and start over?" Iughed bitterly. "Real heroic of you."


    Behind Viktor, I noticed something strange. The altered Void Walkers weren¡¯t just standing there anymore. They were listening to our talk with growing confusion. Some of them were starting to flicker between shadow and solid form, like they were having internal battles.


    "They can hear you," Caleb said quietly, noting the same thing. "Your words are reaching them."


    "Of course they can hear me." I turned to face the creatures directly. "I used to be one of them. I know what it¡¯s like to be trapped in the darkness, screaming quietly while someone else uses your body."


    One of the Void Walkers stepped closer. When it spoke, I could hear the human voice fighting underneath the corruption. "Help... us..."


    Viktor¡¯s eyes went wide. "Impossible. The power is absolute."


    "Nothing is absolute," I said strongly. "Lily proved that when she saved me. And I can prove it again."


    I reached out to the nearest corrupted thing, the same way Lily had reached out to me. The moment our hands touched, pain shot through my arm. But this time, I was ready for it.


    "I know you¡¯re in there, Marcus Chen," I said to the thing. "You were a teacher before this happened. You loved your kids more than anything."


    The Void Walker¡¯s form began to harden. "I... I taught third grade," he whispered, his real voice breaking through. "My kids... what happened to my kids?"


    "They¡¯re safe," I lied, hoping it was true. "But other children need your help now."


    One by one, more warped Void Walkers began to remember. A mother remembered her baby¡¯s firstugh. A man remembered protecting his unit. A grandma thought about teaching her granddaughter to bake cookies.


    "Stop this!" the Moon Goddess ordered, her voice shaking with rage. "They belong to me!"


    "Nobody belongs to you," I shot back. "People aren¡¯t property you can collect and reshape."


    But as more creatures began to break free from their corruption, something terrible started happening. The spatial tears around us weren¡¯t healing ¨C they were getting bigger. Much bigger.


    "Sarah," Lily said quickly, "something¡¯s wrong. The tears are spreading faster."


    I looked around in growing fear. She was right. Each freed Void Walker was like pulling a support beam from a copsing building. The barriers between dimensions weren¡¯t just weakening ¨C they were copsing totally.


    "You fools," Viktorughed, though he sounded scared now too. "The corruption wasn¡¯t just controlling them. It was holding reality together!"


    The Moon Goddess smiled coldly. "Finally, you begin to understand. I didn¡¯t ruin these souls to control them. I corrupted them to save life itself."


    "That¡¯s impossible," Caleb said.


    "Is it?" She pointed to the growing chaos around us. "When the Original Vampires first tore holes between dimensions, they caused wounds that couldn¡¯t heal naturally. The only way to seal them was to use twisted souls as living patches."


    My blood turned to ice. "You¡¯re saying the only thing keeping all realities from copsing is¡ª"


    "The suffering of millions," she finished. "Yes. Every corrupted soul you free brings us closer to total dimensional breakdown. Every act of kindness you perform pushes us toward the end of everything."


    The freed teacher, Marcus, grabbed my arm with shaking hands. "What have we done? What have I done?"


    Around us, the recently freed Void Walkers were starting to panic. They could feel it too ¨C the increasing instability, the sense that reality itself wasing apart at the seams.


    "There has to be another way," I said desperately.


    "There is," a new voice said behind us.


    We all turned to see Dmitriing from one of the dimensional tears. But he wasn¡¯t alone. With him came a figure I¡¯d hoped never to see again ¨C the Void Walker Leader, the most corrupted creature of all.


    "Hello, sister," the Leader said to me, and my heart stopped.


    Because underneath all that rot, I recognized the voice.


    "Tommy?" I whispered.


    The Void Walker Leader nodded. "Hello, Sarah. I¡¯ve been waiting for you to remember me."


    My little brother ¨C the eight-year-old boy I¡¯d died trying to protect ¨C stood before me as the most powerful corrupted creature in creation. And from the look in his eyes, I could tell his rot went far deeper than the others.


    "I know what you¡¯re thinking," Tommy said quietly. "You want to heal me like you healed the others. But Sarah, there¡¯s something you need to know first."


    "What?" I managed to ask through my tears.


    "I¡¯m not corrupted," he said with a smile that chilled me to the bone. "I picked this. I chose to be what I am."


    The dimensional tears around us suddenly stopped growing. Everything went deadly quiet.


    "I¡¯ve been working with the Moon Goddess from the beginning," Tommy added. "And now that you¡¯ve freed enough souls to destabilize reality, it¡¯s time for the final phase of our n."


    Reality began to crack like broken ss around us.


    "Wee to the end of everything, sister."

 Chapter 139: The Final Battle Begins

    <h4>Chapter 139: The Final Battle Begins</h4>


    <strong>ARIA POV</strong>


    The ground gave way under my feet.


    When I jumped back, a huge crack in the ground let out a wave of cold darkness that made my teeth chatter. There was no messing around with the Void Walker boss now that he was here.


    "Everyone get back!" I yelled at my friends. But my voice got lost in the terrible sound of the world falling apart.


    The sky got dark over us. Not dark at night, but empty ck. It looked like the stars and moon had been removed with a big eraser. The strange purple glow around the Void Walker as he came out of the crack in the ground was the only source of light.


    He looked like a man, but wrong. His edges kept changing, like he was made of smoke that couldn¡¯t decide what shape it wanted to be. His eyes were holes in his face that showed nothing but darkness.


    "So," he said, and his voice came from everywhere at once. "You¡¯re the little gods who think they can stop me."


    I felt ourbined power stirring inside me. Since the triplets and I hadbined into one being, I could feel their strength mixing with mine. But even with all that power, this thing scared me.


    "We won¡¯t let you destroy everything," I said, trying to sound braver than I felt.


    Heughed. The sound made the air itself crack. "Destroy? Child, I¡¯m not here to destroy. I¡¯m here to restart. To wipe the te clean and begin again."


    "Same thing," Kael¡¯s voice said through me. I could feel him in our shared awareness, ready to fight.


    "Is it?" the Void Walker asked. "Tell me, little Luna, how many have died because of your choices? How many worlds have suffered because you chose to y god?"


    His words hit me like a punch to the gut. He was right. Since we¡¯d be this new being, we¡¯d made choices that affected millions of lives. Some of those choices had gone wrong.


    "Don¡¯t listen to him," Jaxon whispered in my mind. "He¡¯s trying to mess with your head."


    But worry was already creeping in. What if we were the real monsters? What if the Void Walker was right to want to start over?


    "I can see it in your eyes," the Void Walker said, moving closer. "You¡¯re starting to understand. You¡¯ve be too strong. Too dangerous. You need to be stopped."


    "We¡¯re not the enemy here," I said, but my voice shook.


    "Aren¡¯t you? Youbined four souls into one. You became a god without asking permission. You changed the rules of reality itself. And now you¡¯re surprised that someone wants to fix your mistakes?"


    Around us, the cracks in the ground were spreading. I could see other dimensions through the holes¡ªstrange worlds with different colors and impossible shapes. The Void Walker was tearing holes between worlds.


    "You¡¯re destroying the barriers between worlds," I said. "People will die."


    "Some will," he agreed. "But everyone dies eventually. I¡¯m just speeding up the process so we can start fresh."


    "That¡¯s not your choice to make!"


    "Isn¡¯t it? You made the choice to be gods. I¡¯m making the choice to unmake you."


    He raised his hand, and the darkness around him burst outward. I threw up a shield of light, but his power was amazing. The darkness pressed against my shield like a living thing trying to get in.


    "You can¡¯t fight me and protect everyone at the same time," he said. "So what will it be? Save yourself, or save them?"


    I looked around at my friends¡ªEmber, Zara, Theron, Morgana, Seraphina, Oberyn. They were all counting on me. Behind them, I could see members of every magical species we¡¯d gathered to fight. Werewolves, vampires, witches, dragons, and more. They¡¯d alle because they trusted us.


    "I choose both," I said.


    I split our minds four ways. Part of me stayed to fight the Void Walker. Part of me went to Ember and the others to protect them. Part of me reached out to fix the cracks in reality. And part of me spread across the battlefield to shield everyone I could.


    The Void Walker¡¯s eyes widened. "Impossible. No being can split their power like that."


    "We¡¯re not just one being," I said. "We¡¯re four who decided to be one. That makes us stronger than you think."


    I attacked with everything I had. Light spilled from me in waves, pushing back his darkness. For a moment, I thought I was winning.


    Then he smiled.


    "You still don¡¯t understand," he said. "I¡¯m not trying to beat you. I¡¯m trying to wake you up."


    "What?"


    "This isn¡¯t real, Aria. None of this is real. You¡¯re still in the merger. You¡¯re still bing one being. And you¡¯re thinking all of this."


    The world around me flickered. For just a second, I saw something else¡ªa bright room where three boys were screaming in pain while I poured my life into them.


    "No," I whispered.


    "Yes," the Void Walker said. "You¡¯re dying, little Luna. And you¡¯re taking them with you. Thebination is killing all of you. This battle, this power, these friends¡ªit¡¯s all a fantasy your mind made to avoid the truth."


    "You¡¯re lying."


    "Am I? Look closer. Look at your friends. Really look at them."


    I turned to look at Ember. Her face was flickering between her normal look and something else. Something that looked like Kael¡¯s face.


    "They¡¯re not real," the Void Walker said. "They¡¯re pieces of the kids¡¯ memories mixed with your own. You¡¯re all dying, and your brains are creating this borate story to avoid facing it."


    "That¡¯s impossible."


    "Is it? You felt the merger begin. You felt yourself vanishing. What if you never finished it? What if you¡¯re all stuck in between, dying slowly while your brains create fantasies?"


    I felt sick. What if he was right? What if everything since the merger had been a dream?


    "The only way to know for sure," the Void Walker said, "is to wake up. Let me help you. Let me end this dream and show you the truth."


    "And if you¡¯re wrong? If this is real?"


    "Then you¡¯ll have saved everyone by stopping the merger before it kills you all."


    I looked around at the battlefield. At my friends. At the world we were trying to save. Was any of it real?


    "I need to think," I said.


    "You don¡¯t have time," the Void Walker said. "Look."


    He pointed behind me. I turned and saw the worst thing possible.


    The triplets were standing there, but they looked wrong. Faded. Like they were disappearing.


    "The merger is failing," the Void Walker said. "They¡¯re dying because you¡¯re trying to hold onto this dream. You have to choose, Aria. Wake up and save them, or stay in the dream and watch them die."


    "I¡ª"


    "Choose now," he said. "Before it¡¯s toote."


    I looked at Kael, Jaxon, and Lucien. They were reaching out to me, but I couldn¡¯t hear their words anymore. They were fading fast.


    "Please," I whispered. "Don¡¯t make me choose."


    "You already chose," the Void Walker said. "When you chose to save them with the merger. Now choose again. Dream or reality. Fantasy or truth. Life or death."


    I closed my eyes. When I opened them, everything had changed.


    I was back in the bright room. The children were screaming. And I was dying.


    But the Void Walker was still there, smiling.


    "Wee back," he said. "Now the real fun begins."

 Chapter 140: Lily’s Ultimate Test

    <h4>Chapter 140: Lily¡¯s Ultimate Test</h4>


    LILY POV


    Before I could stop, the scream tore through my throat.


    Something worse was on fire in my hands than real fire. I could feel pure energy flowing through me, linking two worlds that were falling apart and wanting to tear me apart. I was the only thing that kept them together, and it hurt so much.


    "Lily, let go!" Marcus yelled behind me from somewhere. "You¡¯re going to die!"


    But I couldn¡¯t let go. I could see Earth through the hole in space that was in front of me. My Earth. The ce where my sister Emma was sleeping in her bed, possibly daydreaming about her birthday party that wasing up. She was only seven. She didn¡¯t deserve to die because reality wasing apart.


    "I can¡¯t!" I screamed back. "If I let go, both worlds will copse!"


    The pain was terrible. It felt like my soul was being stretched between two giant mas. But I held on. I had to.


    "There has to be another way," Marcus said, moving closer. "You don¡¯t have to sacrifice yourself."


    "Yes, I do." The words came out as a whisper because talking hurt too much. "Someone has to be the bridge. Someone has to hold the worlds together."


    "But why you? Why does it have to be you?"


    That was the question I¡¯d been asking myself ever since my skills first showed up. Why me? Why did I have to be the one who could see between dimensions? Why did I have to be the one who could move between worlds?


    "Because I¡¯m the only one who can," I said.


    Through the dimensional tear, I saw something that made my heart stop. Emma was awake. She was standing at her bedroom window, looking up at the sky. But the sky was wrong. It was cracking, just like the dimensions were cracking.


    "Emma," I whispered.


    She couldn¡¯t hear me, but somehow she looked right at me. Right through the physical tear. Her eyes went wide.


    "Lily?" she said. "Lily, is that you?"


    "Oh no," I said. "She can see me."


    "That¡¯s impossible," Marcus said. "Normal humans can¡¯t see through dimensional tears."


    "Emma¡¯s not normal," I said. "She¡¯s my sister. She has the same blood I do."


    Emma pressed her hand against the window. On her side, it probably looked like empty air. But I could see her fine.


    "Lily, where are you?" she called out. "Mom and Dad are looking for you. They¡¯re really scared."


    My heart broke. I¡¯d been missing from home for three days, trying to stop the dimensional fall. My parents probably thought I was dead.


    "I¡¯m here, Emma," I said, even though I knew she couldn¡¯t really hear me. "I¡¯m trying to save you."


    "Save me from what?"


    That¡¯s when I realized she could hear me. Somehow, my sister was talking to me across dimensions.


    "Emma, you need to go wake up Mom and Dad," I said. "Tell them to get everyone out of the house. Tell them to go to Grandma¡¯s farm. It¡¯s safer there."


    "Why? What¡¯s happening?"


    I looked around at the chaos surrounding me. The dimensional tear was getting bigger. Other worlds were bing visible through it. I could see a world where everything was made of ice. A world where giant trees grew upside down. A world where the sky was purple and rain fell upward.


    "The worlds are breaking apart," I said. "And I¡¯m the only one who can hold them together."


    "But you¡¯re just my sister," Emma said. "You¡¯re not a superhero."


    "I know," I said. "But sometimes regr people have to do superhero things."


    The energy running through me got stronger. I screamed again as pain shot through every part of my body. But I held on.


    "Lily!" Marcus grabbed my arm. "Your body is going to fade. You¡¯re bing pure energy."


    I looked down at my hands. He was right. I could see through them now. I was bing something else. Something that wasn¡¯t quite human anymore.


    "Is that bad?" I asked.


    "I don¡¯t know," Marcus said. "No one has ever tried to be a permanent bridge between dimensions before."


    "Well, I guess I¡¯m about to find out."


    The pain was getting worse, but something else was happening too. I could feel the worlds begin to stabilize. The cracks in reality were healing. The dimensional tear was shrinking.


    "It¡¯s working," I said. "I¡¯m actually doing it."


    "But at what cost?" Marcus asked. "Lily, you¡¯re disappearing."


    He was right. I was fading away, bing something that lived between worlds instead of in them. But the worlds were safe. Earth was safe. Emma was safe.


    "It¡¯s okay," I said. "This is what I¡¯m supposed to do."


    "No," a voice said from behind us. "This is what I¡¯m supposed to do."


    I turned around and saw something impossible. Another version of me was standing there. But this version looked older, sadder, and totally made of silver light.


    "Who are you?" I asked.


    "I¡¯m you," she said. "From a timeline where you failed. Where you let the worlds fall because you were too scared to make the sacrifice."


    "That¡¯s impossible."


    "Is it? You¡¯re holding dimensional tears together. You¡¯re talking to your sister across worlds. You¡¯re bing a bridge between ces. Is another version of yourself really that hard to believe?"


    I looked at her. She looked exactly like me, but her eyes held years of pain and sorrow.


    "I¡¯ve been traveling through the dimensions," she said. "Trying to find a period where I could fix my mistake. Where I could save everyone I failed to save."


    "What mistake?"


    "I let go," she said. "When the pain got too bad, I let go. And billions of people died across dozens of worlds."


    "But you¡¯re here now. You can help me hold the bridge."


    "No," she said. "I can do better than that. I can take your ce."


    "What?"


    "I¡¯ve been doing this for years. I know how to live between dimensions. I know how to be a bridge. You don¡¯t have to sacrifice yourself. I can sacrifice myself instead."


    I felt a spark of hope. "You¡¯d do that?"


    "I¡¯ve been trying to do it for a long time," she said. "This is my chance to finally fix things."


    She started walking toward the dimensional tear, but I stopped her.


    "Wait," I said. "What happens to you if you do this?"


    "I be the bridge permanently," she said. "I exist between all ces but belong to none of them. I¡¯ll be alone forever, but everyone else will be safe."


    "That¡¯s not fair."


    "Life isn¡¯t fair," she said. "But love is. And I love Emma just as much as you do."


    She reached out to touch the dimensional tear. The moment her fingers made contact, the energy flowing through me stopped. The pain disappeared. I was solid again.


    "Thank you," I said.


    "Don¡¯t thank me yet," she said. "We have a problem."


    "What?"


    "Look at the tear."


    I looked. The spatial tear was closing, but something else was happening. Through it, I could see Emma¡¯s world. But it wasn¡¯t Earth anymore. It was something else. Something darker.


    "That¡¯s not my world," I said.


    "No," the other me said. "It¡¯s not. When I tried to take over the bridge, I identally connected you to the wrong world. Emma¡¯s world is gone. And the world you¡¯re connected to now is about to attack ours."


    Through the tear, I could see monsters made of shadow and teeth. They were looking at us with hungry eyes.


    "They¡¯reing through," Marcus said.


    "How do we stop them?" I asked.


    "We don¡¯t," the other me said. "We run."


    But as we turned to run, the shadow creatures poured through the dimensional tear. And leading them was something that made my blood freeze.


    It was another version of Emma. But this Emma had dark eyes and a smile full of sharp teeth.


    "Hello, sister," she said. "I¡¯ve been waiting so long to meet you."

 Chapter 141: The Dimensional Anchor

    <h4>Chapter 141: The Dimensional Anchor</h4>


    LILY POV


    I grabbed dark Emma¡¯s wrist before she could touch Marcus.


    The moment our skin connected, everything burst.


    Pain shot through my entire body as I was suddenly pulled in fifty different directions. I could see through my eyes, but I could also see through the eyes of every other version of myself across all dimensions. There was a Lily who was a doctor. A Lily who was a teacher. A Lily who had never been born.


    "What did you do?" dark Emma hissed, trying to pull away from me.


    "I don¡¯t know," I said, but that wasn¡¯t fully true. Deep down, I knew exactly what was happening. I was connecting to all forms of myself across every dimension. I was bing something bigger than just one person.


    "Lily, let go!" Marcus shouted. "You¡¯re glowing!"


    I looked down at my hands. He was right. Silver light wasing out of my skin, and it was getting brighter by the second. But I couldn¡¯t let go of dark Emma. If I did, she¡¯d hurt my friends.


    "I can¡¯t," I said. "If I let go, she¡¯ll kill you."


    "Better than you killing yourself," Marcus said.


    But I wasn¡¯t dead. I was changing. Through the links to all my other selves, I could feel power flowing into me. Not just my power, but the power of every Lily who had ever lived.


    "This is impossible," dark Emma said. "No one person can hold connections to infinite dimensions."


    "I¡¯m not one person anymore," I said. "I¡¯m all of them."


    It was true. I could feel myself living in thousands of different worlds all at once. In one world, I was having breakfast with my family. In another, I was facing monsters with superpowers. In another, I was already dead.


    "The anchor is stabilizing," the other me said. The version of me from the failed scenario was watching with wide eyes. "You¡¯re bing a permanent bridge between all realities."


    "What does that mean?" I asked.


    "It means you¡¯ll exist in all dimensions at once," she said. "You¡¯ll be able to travel between worlds quickly. You¡¯ll be able to see everything that¡¯s happening everywhere."


    "That sounds amazing," I said.


    "It also means you¡¯ll never fully belong to any one world," she said softly. "You¡¯ll always be partly somewhere else. You¡¯ll never be fully present with the people you love."


    The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. I thought about Emma, my real Emma, still standing at her bedroom window. Would I ever be able to hug her again? Would I ever be able to sit with her and watch movies on Saturday mornings?


    "There has to be another way," I said.


    "There is," dark Emma said with a cruel smile. "You could let me take over. I could be the leader instead. Then you could go back to your boring little life."


    "What¡¯s the catch?"


    "I get to remake all the measurements however I want. Starting with turning your lovely Emma into someone like me."


    "Never."


    "Then enjoy your new existence," she said. "Because this is forever."


    I felt the links to all dimensions solidifying. It was like invisible bands were wrapping around my soul, tying me to every reality that existed. I was bing something that had never existed before¡ªa person who lived in all ces and none.


    "Lily," Marcus said softly. "Look at me."


    I turned to face him, but it was hard to focus. I could see him, but I could also see versions of him from other worlds. In one world, he was my enemy. In another, he was my brother. In yet another, he didn¡¯t exist at all.


    "Stay with me," he said. "Don¡¯t get lost in all those other worlds."


    "I¡¯m trying," I said. "But it¡¯s so hard. There are so many of them."


    "Think about Emma," he said. "Think about your Emma. The one who needs you."


    I focused on my sister¡¯s face. My real sister. The one who was still standing at her window, probably wondering where I¡¯d gone. That helped. It gave me something to hold myself to.


    "Good," Marcus said. "Now, can you use this power to send dark Emma back where she came from?"


    I looked at dark Emma. She was still connected to me, but the link was different now. Instead of her pulling me into her world, I was pulling her into mine.


    "I can do more than that," I said. "I can trap her between worlds. She¡¯ll live nowhere and everywhere, just like me."


    "No!" dark Emma screamed. "You can¡¯t do that to me!"


    "Why not? You were going to do it to me."


    "Because I¡¯m your sister!"


    "No," I said. "You¡¯re not. You¡¯re what my sister could be if she chose darkness over light. But that¡¯s not who she is." I started to push dark Emma back through the dimensional links. She fought me, but I was stronger now. I had the power of endless versions of myself.


    "Wait," she said. "Before you banish me, let me tell you something about your precious Emma."


    "What?"


    "She¡¯s not as innocent as you think. In my world, she decided to be like me. She picked darkness. And she loved it."


    "You¡¯re lying."


    "Am I? Ask yourself this¡ªwhy could she see you across dimensions? Why could she hear you? Normal people can¡¯t do that."


    I felt a chill run down my spine. She was right. Emma shouldn¡¯t have been able to see me or hear me. That meant she had powers too.


    "So what?" I said. "Having powers doesn¡¯t make you evil."


    "No," dark Emma said. "But it makes you dangerous. And when your Emma¡¯s skills fully awaken, she¡¯ll have to choose. Light or darkness. Good or bad. And I can tell you from experience, darkness is much more fun."


    "Emma will choose good," I said. "She¡¯s nothing like you."


    "We¡¯ll see," dark Emma said. "Because I¡¯m not the only bad version of your family out there. There are others. And they¡¯re alling for her."


    I started to ask what she meant, but before I could speak, dark Emma dissolved into darkness and disappeared back through the dimensional tear.


    "Is she gone?" Marcus asked.


    "For now," I said. "But she¡¯s right about one thing. Emma is in danger."


    I turned my attention back to my home world. Through my new abilities, I could see Emma clearly. She was still at her window, but something was different. Her eyes were sparkling with a faint silver light.


    "Oh no," I whispered.


    "What is it?" Marcus asked.


    "Emma¡¯s skills are awakening. And there are things in other worlds that want to use her."


    I tried to reach out to her, to warn her, but something was stopping me. It was like a wall had been put up around her world.


    "I can¡¯t get through," I said. "Someone is blocking me from reaching her."


    "Who would do that?"


    I focused harder, trying to break through the block. When I finally did, what I saw made my blood freeze.


    Emma wasn¡¯t alone in her room anymore. There was someone else there with her. Someone who looked exactly like our mother, but withpletely ck eyes.


    "Hello, Emma," the fake mother said. "Your sister can¡¯t protect you anymore. But I can teach you how to protect yourself."


    Emma smiled and took the fake mother¡¯s hand. "Will you teach me how to be strong like Lily?"


    "I¡¯ll teach you how to be stronger," the fake mother said. "Much stronger."


    That¡¯s when I realized the horrible truth. I wasn¡¯t just trapped between worlds. I was stuck watching helplessly as dark versions of my family came for my sister.


    And there was nothing I could do to stop them.

 Chapter 142: Victory’s Cost

    <h4>Chapter 142: Victory¡¯s Cost</h4>


    CALEB POV


    I called Lily¡¯s name, but she didn¡¯t hear me.


    She was standing right in front of me, but her eyes were looking somewhere else. Somewhere I couldn¡¯t see. It was like she was watching a movie that only she could watch.


    "Lily," I said again, louder this time. "The battle is over. We won."


    She blinked and looked at me, but it took her a few seconds to focus. When she did, I could see pain in her eyes.


    "Did we?" she asked quietly. "Did we really win?"


    I looked around at the battlefield. The supernatural union had defeated the Void Walkers. The dimensional tears were fixed. Reality was stable again. Everyone was celebrating.


    "Yeah," I said. "We did it. The worlds are safe."


    "But at what cost?" she asked.


    I knew what she meant. Lily had saved everyone by bing a dimensional anchor. But now she existed in all realities at once. She was here with me, but she was also somewhere else. Always somewhere else.


    "Are you okay?" I asked.


    Sheughed, but it wasn¡¯t a happy sound. "I¡¯m watching my sister make friends with a thing that wants to turn her evil. I¡¯m seeing versions of myself die in seventeen different worlds. I¡¯m feeling the pain of every Lily who ever lived. So no, Caleb. I¡¯m not okay."


    My heart broke for her. Lily had always been the strongest person I knew. She¡¯d been my best friend since we were kids. But now she seemed so lost and alone.


    "Maybe there¡¯s a way to reverse it," I said. "Maybe we can find a way to disconnect you from the other dimensions."


    "I tried," she said. "I can¡¯t let go. If I do, all the worlds will fall again. I¡¯m stuck like this forever."


    "There has to be another way."


    "Does there?" she asked. "Caleb, I can see the future. Not just one future, but all possible futures. And in every single one where I¡¯m not the center, billions of people die."


    I felt anger growing inside me. It wasn¡¯t fair. Lily had saved everyone, but she was the one who had to pay the price.


    "So what?" I said. "You¡¯re supposed to suffer forever so everyone else can be happy?"


    "If that¡¯s what it takes," she said.


    "That¡¯s not right."


    "Right doesn¡¯t matter anymore," she said. "Only necessary."


    I wanted to fight with her, but something else was happening. Lily¡¯s body was glowing. One second she was solid, the next she was see-through.


    "Lily, you¡¯re fading," I said.


    "I know," she said. "It¡¯s getting harder to stay in one world. The connections are pulling me in too many ways."


    "Fight it," I said. "Stay here with me."


    "I¡¯m trying," she said. "But it¡¯s so hard. There are so many other forms of me that need help. In one world, I¡¯m being chased by monsters. In another, I¡¯m trying to save my parents from a fire. How can I ignore them?"


    "Because this is your real world," I said. "This is where you belong."


    "Do I?" she asked. "Caleb, I can barely remember what it feels like to be totally human. I can see through the eyes of a thousand different forms of myself. I can feel their thoughts and feelings. Sometimes I forget which memories are mine and which belong to other versions of me."


    I reached out to touch her hand, but my fingers went right through her. She was bing more ghost than person.


    "I¡¯m losing you," I said.


    "I¡¯m losing me too," she said. "Yesterday I tried to remember my favorite color. Do you know what happened? I remembered a hundred different favorite colors from a hundred different forms of myself. I don¡¯t even know which one is really mine anymore."


    "It¡¯s blue," I said. "Your favorite color is blue. Sky blue, like the color of the ocean on a beautiful day. You told me that when we were eight years old."


    She smiled, and for a moment she lookedpletely solid again. "You remember."


    "I remember everything about you," I said. "I remember when you were afraid of the dark, so I gave you my shlight. I remember when you cried because you thought you were too weird to have friends. I remember when you first discovered your powers and you were afraid you were going crazy."


    "I wasn¡¯t crazy then," she said. "But I think I might be now."


    "You¡¯re not crazy. You¡¯re just carrying too much. Let me help you."


    "How?"


    "I don¡¯t know yet," I said. "But I¡¯ll figure it out. I promise."


    She was quiet for a long moment. Then she said, "Caleb, I need to tell you something. About the future."


    "What about it?"


    "I can see what¡¯sing. The Void Walkers weren¡¯t the real threat. They were just the beginning."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Something else ising. Something that makes the Void Walkers look like harmless dogs. And it¡¯sing because of what I did. Because I opened links between all the dimensions."


    I felt cold. "What kind of something?"


    "I don¡¯t know exactly. But I can see pieces of it. It¡¯s old. Older than the dimensions themselves. And it¡¯s hungry."


    "Hungry for what?"


    "For everything. It wants to swallow all of reality. Every world, every dimension, every option. It wants to be the only thing that exists."


    "How long do we have?"


    "Not long," she said. "Maybe a few weeks. Maybe less."


    "Then we¡¯ll fight it," I said. "Just like we fought the Void Walkers."


    "We can¡¯t fight this," she said. "The only way to stop it is to close all the dimensional links. But if I do that..."


    "You¡¯ll die."


    "Maybe. Or maybe I¡¯ll just cease to exist. I don¡¯t know which would be worse."


    I felt tears in my eyes. "There has to be another way."


    "I hope so," she said. "But hope isn¡¯t enough anymore."


    She started to fade again, but this time it was different. Instead of bing see-through, she was breaking apart. I could see various versions of her ovepping each other.


    "Lily, what¡¯s happening?"


    "I¡¯m being pulled into too many dimensions at once," she said. "I can¡¯t hold myself together anymore."


    "Focus on me," I said. "Focus on this world."


    "I¡¯m trying," she said. "But something is calling to me. Something powerful."


    "What is it?"


    "I think it¡¯s the thing that¡¯sing. The thing that wants to eat everything. It¡¯s trying to use me to get here."


    "Don¡¯t let it."


    "I don¡¯t think I have a choice," she said. "Caleb, if I disappear, if I can¡¯t fight this anymore, I need you to promise me something."


    "Anything."


    "Promise me you¡¯ll find a way to save everyone. Even if it means forgetting about me."


    "I¡¯ll never forget about you."


    "You might have to," she said. "If this thing gets control of me, I might be the enemy. I might be the one trying to destroy everything."


    "That will never happen."


    "It already is happening," she said. "Look at my eyes."


    I looked. Her eyes were changing. The normal dark color was being reced by something else. Something that looked like the empty space between stars.


    "It¡¯s inside me," she whispered. "The thing that wants to eat everything. It¡¯s been inside me all along."


    "Fight it," I said.


    "I can¡¯t," she said. "It¡¯s too strong. And it¡¯s using my links to the other dimensions to spread. Soon it will be in every world at once."


    "Lily, you have to fight it."


    "I am fighting it," she said. "But I¡¯m losing. And when I lose totally, it will use my body to destroy everything I¡¯ve ever cared about."


    Her eyes werepletely ck now. When she spoke again, her voice was different. Deeper. Older.


    "Thank you, little anchor," the thing said through Lily¡¯s mouth. "You¡¯ve given me exactly what I needed."


    "Give her back," I said.


    "Oh, I will," it said. "Right after I use her to end all existence."


    Itughed, and the sound made reality itself shiver.


    "Starting with you."

 Chapter 143: The New Normal

    <h4>Chapter 143: The New Normal</h4>


    AIDEN POV


    The coffee mug broke against the wall, hot liquid spraying everywhere. I ducked as another one flew past my head.


    "This is insane!" Beta Morrison yelled from across the pack meeting room. "She¡¯s not even human anymore!"


    I stood up slowly, trying to keep my voice calm. "Lily saved all of us. She deserves our respect."


    "Respect?" Morrisonughed bitterly. "She talks to people who aren¡¯t there. She knows things she shouldn¡¯t know. Yesterday she told Mrs. Chen that her dead mother said hello. How is that normal?"


    Around the table, other pack leaders shifted ufortably. I could see the fear in their eyes. Three days had passed since Lily became a dimensional anchor, and nobody knew how to handle it.


    "She¡¯s still Lily," I said, though even I wasn¡¯t sure anymore.


    "Is she?" Morrison leaned forward. "Have you tried talking to her? Really talking to her? It¡¯s like she¡¯s only half here."


    I had tried. Just this morning, I¡¯d found Lily sitting by the Moon Pool, looking at nothing. When I called her name, it took her forever to look at me. When she did, her eyes were sad and faraway.


    "The pack is scared," Elder Iris said softly. "They don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s be."


    "Then we help them understand," I answered.


    "How?" Morrison stood up, walking. "She glows sometimes. She phases in and out like a ghost. She knows things about people¡¯s private lives that she shouldn¡¯t know. The children are afraid of her."


    That hurt. Lily loved children. She¡¯d always been amazing with the little ones. The idea that they were scared of her now made my chest tight.


    "We need to make a decision," Morrison continued. "Either we ept that she¡¯s no longer fit to live among us, or we pretend everything is normal and watch our pack fall apart."


    "You¡¯re talking about exile," I said coldly.


    "I¡¯m talking about survival."


    The room fell silent. I looked around at faces I¡¯d known my whole life. Some looked guilty, others determined. All of them looked scared.


    "She¡¯s my brother¡¯s mate," I said finally. "She¡¯s family."


    "Your brother¡¯s mate is gone," Morrison responded. "What¡¯s left is something else."


    Before I could reply, the door burst open. Caleb stumbled in, his face white with fear.


    "She¡¯s copsing," he gasped. "Lily¡¯s falling. She¡¯s going away."


    Everyone jumped up, but I was already running. We ran through the pack grounds to the Alpha house. I could hear Caleb¡¯s heavy breathing behind me.


    "What happened?" I called over my shoulder.


    "She was talking to someone," Caleb said. "Someone I couldn¡¯t see. She kept saying ¡¯I can¡¯t hold them all¡¯ over and over. Then she just started getting transparent."


    We burst into the main room. Lily was on the couch, but she was barely solid. I could see right through her to the seats beneath. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was weak.


    Brock was kneeling beside her, his hand going through her arm when he tried to touch her. "She¡¯s been like this for ten minutes," he said. "I don¡¯t know what to do."


    "Lily," I said loudly. "Lily, can you hear me?"


    Her eyes opened slowly. When she looked at me, I saw something that made my blood run cold. Her eyes werepletely ck, like the empty space between stars.


    "Aiden?" she whispered. "Is that you?"


    "It¡¯s me," I said, kneeling down. "You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re safe."


    She tried to sit up, but her body flickered like a bad TV signal. "I¡¯m losing myself," she said. "There are so many views. So many other forms of me. I can¡¯t tell which thoughts are mine anymore."


    "Focus on my voice," I said. "Just my voice."


    "I¡¯m trying," she whispered. "But they¡¯re all calling to me. In one world, I¡¯m dying. In another, I¡¯m being abused. How can I ignore them?"


    "Because this is your world," I said strongly. "This is where you belong."


    Sheughed, but it was a broken sound. "Do I? Look at me, Aiden. I¡¯m not even real anymore. I¡¯m bing something else."


    "You¡¯re still you," I insisted.


    "Am I?" she asked. "This morning I tried to remember my first day of school. Do you know what I remembered? Fifty different first days from fifty different versions of myself. I don¡¯t know which one really happened to me."


    My heart broke for her. Lily had always been the most stable person I knew. Seeing her like this, lost and confused, was pain.


    "We¡¯ll figure this out," I said. "We¡¯ll find a way to help you."


    "There is no way," she said. "This is what I am now. This is what I chose when I became the host."


    "Then we¡¯ll learn to live with it," I said.


    She looked at me with those frightening ck eyes. "Will you? Will the pack? Or will they decide I¡¯m too dangerous to keep around?"


    I thought about the meeting I¡¯d just left. About Morrison¡¯s words. About the fear in everyone¡¯s eyes.


    "They¡¯ll understand," I said, hoping I was right.


    "No," she said softly. "They won¡¯t. And honestly? I don¡¯t me them. I¡¯m not sure I understand it myself."


    She was bing more solid, but I could see the work it took. Her face was tight, like she was fighting against something.


    "Lily," Caleb said carefully, "what¡¯s happening to you?"


    "I¡¯m being pulled," she said. "Something is using my connections to the other worlds. Something powerful."


    "What kind of something?" Brock asked.


    "I don¡¯t know," she said. "But it¡¯s getting stronger. And it¡¯sing here."


    "How long do we have?" I asked.


    "Not long," she said. "Maybe hours. Maybe less."


    "Then we fight," I said. "Whatever it is, we fight it."


    She looked at me with something like sadness. "Aiden, you can¡¯t fight this. None of you can. The only way to stop it is for me to cut my links to the other dimensions."


    "What would that do to you?" Caleb asked, though I could see he already knew.


    "It would kill me," she said inly. "Or maybe worse. I might just cease to exist entirely."


    "No," I said strongly. "We¡¯ll find another way."


    "There is no other way," she said. "And even if there was, look around you. The pack ising apart. People are afraid of me. Maybe it¡¯s better if I just¡ª"


    She stopped talking mid-sentence. Her eyes went wide with fear.


    "It¡¯s here," she whispered. "It¡¯s already here."


    The lights in the room started to flicker. Outside, I could hear yelling.


    "What¡¯s here?" I asked.


    But Lily was already standing, her body sparking with strange energy. When she spoke, her voice was different. Deeper. Older.


    "The Devourer," she said. "And it¡¯s hungry."


    The windows exploded inward, and something dark and terrible began spilling into the room.

 Chapter 144: Dimensional Sensitivity

    <h4>Chapter 144: Dimensional Sensitivity</h4>


    LILY POV


    I screamed as reality shattered around me like broken ss.


    One second I was standing in the Alpha house with Caleb, Aiden, and Brock. The next second, I was in seventeen different ces at once. In one world, I was facing monsters with ws as long as knives. In another, I was running from a fire that burned everything I loved. In a third, I was watching my own funeral.


    "Lily!" Caleb¡¯s voice sounded far away, like he was calling from the bottom of a well. "Stay with me!"


    I tried to focus on his face, but it kept changing. Sometimes he had a scar across his cheek. Sometimes his eyes were green instead of blue. Sometimes he wasn¡¯t there at all.


    "I can¡¯t," I gasped, falling to my knees. "There are too many. Too many worlds pressing in."


    The worst part wasn¡¯t the pain. It was the confusion. I knew I was supposed to be in Silver Peak, but I could also feel myself dying in a hospital bed in another world. I could taste smoke from a fire that wasn¡¯t happening here. I could feel rain that wasn¡¯t falling in this world.


    "Which one is real?" I whispered.


    "This one," Aiden said firmly. "This world. This time. Focus on us."


    But how could I focus when I was watching him die in three different realities? In one, he was killed by rogues. In another, he drowned saving a child. In the third, he was old and sick, calling my name with hisst breath.


    "You¡¯re all going to die," I said, tears running down my face. "I can see it happening. Over and over and over."


    "Those are other worlds," Brock said, his voice soft. "Not this one."


    "How do I know the difference?" I asked. "How do I know which memories are mine and which belong to other versions of me?"


    The truth was, I didn¡¯t know. This morning, I¡¯d tried to remember my first kiss with Caleb. Instead, I remembered kissing all three brothers in different ces. I remembered marrying Aiden in one world, dying in Brock¡¯s arms in another, and never meeting any of them in a third.


    "Tell me something only I would know," I said to Caleb. "Something from our world."


    He thought for a moment. "You have a scar on your shoulder from when you fell out of a tree trying to save a baby bird. You were ten years old."


    I touched my shoulder, but I felt seven different scars. In one world, I¡¯d been attacked by a dog. In another, I¡¯d been in a car crash. In a third, I¡¯d been beaten by enemies.


    "I don¡¯t know which scar is real," I whispered.


    The room started spinning. Or maybe I was spinning. I couldn¡¯t tell anymore. Everything felt like it was happening at once.


    "Something¡¯sing," I said suddenly. "Something big and dark and hungry."


    "What kind of something?" Aiden asked.


    I closed my eyes, trying to sort through the chaos in my head. In most of the worlds I could see, something terrible wasing. It looked different in each world, but the feeling was the same. Pure hunger. It wanted to eat everything that existed.


    "It calls itself the Devourer," I said. "It¡¯s been waiting for someone like me. Someone connected to different dimensions."


    "Waiting for what?" Brock asked.


    "To use me as a doorway," I said. "To break into all the worlds at once."


    Even as I spoke, I could feel it getting closer. Like a storming, but worse. This storm wants to destroy everything in its path.


    "We have to stop it," Caleb said.


    "We can¡¯t," I answered. "It¡¯s too strong. The only way to stop it is to cut my links to the other dimensions."


    "What would that do to you?" Aiden asked, though I could see in his eyes that he already knew.


    "It would kill me," I said. "Or maybe something worse. I might just stop existing entirely."


    "No," Caleb said strongly. "We¡¯ll find another way."


    "There is no other way," I said. "And maybe that¡¯s for the best. Look at me, Caleb. I¡¯m not even human anymore. I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s real and what¡¯s not. I¡¯m scaring the pack. I¡¯m scaring myself."


    It was true. This morning, little Emma had run away crying when she saw me. I¡¯d been flickering in and out of reality, and my eyes had gone ck without me realizing it. The poor kid thought I was a monster.


    Maybe I was.


    "You¡¯re not a monster," Caleb said, as if he could read my thoughts. "You¡¯re just different now."


    "Different?" Iughed bitterly. "I¡¯m going apart. I can¡¯t hold a talk without getting distracted by voices from other dimensions. I can¡¯t touch anything without seeing all the ways it could break. I can¡¯t look at any of you without watching you die a thousand different deaths."


    "Then we¡¯ll help you learn to control it," Aiden said.


    "Control it?" I stood up, feeling energy sparking around me. "I can¡¯t stop this. It¡¯s like trying to rule the ocean. There¡¯s too much of it."


    In another world, I was having this exact talk, but Aiden was the one with powers and I was trying to help him. In a third world, we were all dead and none of this mattered.


    "I don¡¯t even know who I am anymore," I said. "Am I Lily Carter from Silver Peak? Or am I Lily the dimensional anchor? Or am I all the other Lilys I can see and feel?"


    "You¡¯re our Lily," Caleb said. "The one who saved us all."


    "Did I?" I asked. "Or did I just make everything worse?"


    Before anyone could answer, the windows started shaking. Not from wind or earthquake, but from something else. Something that made reality itself tremble.


    "It¡¯s here," I whispered. "The Devourer. It¡¯s found me."


    The lights began to flicker. Outside, I could hear people yelling. The pack was in danger because of me. Because I¡¯d opened doors between worlds.


    "What do we do?" Brock asked.


    I felt the thing¡¯s presence getting stronger. It was using my ties to crawl into this world. Soon it would be here fully, and then it would start eating everything.


    "I have to cut the connections," I said. "I have to stop it before it gets fully through."


    "That will kill you," Caleb said frantically.


    "Better me than everyone else," I answered.


    I started to gather my power, preparing to sever the links between worlds. It would probably kill me, but it was the only way to save the pack.


    But as I reached for the links, something grabbed my mind. Something cold and hungry and ancient.


    "Toote, little anchor," a voice whispered in my head. "I¡¯m already here."


    The thing¡¯s presence mmed into me like a truck. I felt it pouring through the dimensional links, using my own power against me. I tried to fight it, but it was too strong.


    "No," I gasped, feeling my power slipping away.


    The Devourerughed inside my mind. "Thank you for opening the door. Now I can feast on all the worlds at once."


    My body began to change. Dark energy poured out of me, and I felt myself bing something else. Something terrible.


    "Run," I managed to say to the brothers. "Run before I be something that wants to hurt you."


    But it was already toote. The thing inside me was taking control, and I could feel my own thoughts getting pushed away.


    Thest thing I saw before the darkness took over was Caleb¡¯s face, full of love and terror, as I changed into the very monster I¡¯d been trying to stop.

 Chapter 145: Caleb’s Dedication

    <h4>Chapter 145: Caleb¡¯s Dedication</h4>


    CALEB POV


    I threw the old book across the room, pages fluttering like dying birds. Nothing. Three days of research and I had nothing to show for it except bloodshot eyes and a building sense of panic.


    "There has to be something," I muttered, pulling another dusty book from the shelf. "There has to be a way to save her."


    The pack library felt like a jail. I¡¯d been locked in here since the Devourer took control of Lily, desperately looking for any information about dimensional anchors or possession by ancient entities. So far, I¡¯d found absolutely zero helpful answers.


    My hands shook as I opened the book. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Lily¡¯s face when the thing took over. The way her eyes wentpletely ck. The way she¡¯d begged us to run before she became something dangerous.


    "Caleb?" Aiden¡¯s voice came from behind me. "You need to eat something."


    "I¡¯m not hungry," I said, not looking up from the page.


    "You haven¡¯t eaten in two days."


    "I don¡¯t care."


    Aiden sat down across from me. "This won¡¯t help her if you copse."


    "Nothing I¡¯m doing is helping her," I said sadly. "She¡¯s locked in the basement, fighting a monster inside her head, and I¡¯m up here reading useless books."


    "The books aren¡¯t useless," Aiden said. "You found information about dimensional bases. That¡¯s more than anyone else knew."


    "I found one paragraph," I amended. "One paragraph that basically said dimensional anchors are impossible and anyone who tries to be one will die horribly." "But Lily didn¡¯t die."


    "No," I agreed. "She became something worse. She became a doorway for that thing."


    I thought about thest time I¡¯d seen her. She¡¯d been strapped to a chair in the basement, her body shifting between solid and transparent. Sometimes she looked like my Lily, desperate and scared. Other times, something else looked out through her eyes. Something hungry and old.


    "The Devourer is using her," I said. "It¡¯s feeding off her connection to the other dimensions, getting stronger every hour."


    "Then we stop it," Aiden said.


    "How?" I asked. "I¡¯ve read everything we have about dimensional magic. I¡¯ve studied every book about possessions and ancient entities. There¡¯s nothing here that can help us."


    "Then we look somewhere else."


    Iughed, but it wasn¡¯t a happy sound. "Where? This is the most full magical library in three states. If the answer isn¡¯t here, it doesn¡¯t exist."


    "Maybe it¡¯s not about finding the answer in a book," Aiden said carefully. "Maybe it¡¯s about understanding Lily herself."


    "What do you mean?"


    "She¡¯s not just a dimensional anchor," Aiden said. "She¡¯s our Lily. The girl who saved baby birds and healed injured pack members. The one who could calm crying children just by singing. Maybe her humanity is stronger than we think."


    I wanted to believe that. I wanted to believe that love could conquer ancient cosmic horrors. But every time I closed my eyes, I saw Lily¡¯s face changing into something else. Something that wanted to eat everything.


    "It¡¯s not that simple," I said. "This thing isn¡¯t just possessing her. It¡¯s rewriting her. Soon there won¡¯t be any Lily left to save."


    "You don¡¯t know that."


    "Yes, I do," I said quietly. "Because I can feel it through our mate bond. Every day, there¡¯s less of her and more of it. She¡¯s going, Aiden. And I don¡¯t know how to stop it."


    The mate bond had been both a gift and a curse. It let me feel Lily¡¯s emotions, her pain, her struggle. But it also let me feel the thing inside her getting stronger. Like a cancer eating away at everything that made her who she was.


    "There has to be something," I said, opening another book. "Some spell, some ritual, some way to separate them."


    "What if there isn¡¯t?" Aiden asked gently.


    "Then I keep looking," I said firmly. "I don¡¯t give up. I don¡¯t stop. Not ever."


    "Even if it kills you?"


    "Especially if it kills me," I said. "She saved all of us. She gave everything to stop the Void Walkers. I won¡¯t let her suffer alone."


    Aiden was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "She wouldn¡¯t want you to destroy yourself trying to save her."


    "Too bad," I responded. "She doesn¡¯t get a vote anymore. That thing inside her does."


    I turned the page and froze. There, in faded ink, was a sign I recognized. Three interlocking rings with strange writing around them.


    "Aiden," I said, my voice tight with excitement. "Look at this."


    He leaned over to see. "What is it?"


    "It¡¯s a binding circle," I said, reading quickly. "Used to separate spiritual entities from their bodies. But the writing is in Old Celtic. I can barely read it."


    "Can you trante it?"


    "Maybe," I said. "If I had time. But look at this part." I pointed to a part that was written in English. "It says the ritual needs three participants. One to bind the entity, one to anchor the host, and one to give their life force to power the separation."


    "Sacrifice their life force?" Aiden repeated. "That means..."


    "That means someone has to die," I finished. "Someone has to give up their life to save Lily."


    "No," Aiden said instantly. "We¡¯re not doing that."


    "We might not have a choice," I said. "If this is the only way to save her..."


    "There has to be another way."


    "What if there isn¡¯t?" I asked. "What if this is our only option?"


    Before Aiden could answer, the lights went out. Emergency lights kicked in, casting everything in red. From somewhere below us, I heard a sound that made my blood freeze. Lily was screaming.


    But it wasn¡¯t a human scream. It was something else. Something that sounded like reality itself being torn apart.


    "It¡¯s happening," I said, jumping to my feet. "The Devourer is breaking free."


    We ran toward the bottom, but the building shook like it was in an earthquake. Windows cracked. Books fell from shelves. The very air seemed to pulse with wrongness.


    "Caleb!" Brock¡¯s voice came over the radio. "Get down here now! She¡¯s changing!"


    I ran faster, the old book clutched in my hands. The binding ritual might be our only chance, but it would take perfect timing and someone willing to die.


    As we reached the basement stairs, I felt the mate link stretching like a rubber band about to snap. Lily was slipping away from me, bing something else entirely.


    "Hold on," I whispered, though I didn¡¯t know if she could hear me anymore. "I¡¯ming."


    But when we reached the basement door, it was glowing with ck energy. Through the reinforced ss, I could see Lily drifting in the air, her body crackling with dark power. Her eyes were totally ck now, and when she turned to look at us, I saw nothing human left in them.


    "Toote," she said, but it wasn¡¯t her voice. It was something old and hungry. "The little anchor is gone. Only I remain."


    The door exploded outward, and the thing that had been Lily stepped through the smoke, ready to eat everything I¡¯d ever loved.

 Chapter 146: The Witch’s Study

    <h4>Chapter 146: The Witch¡¯s Study</h4>


    <strong>SAGE POV</strong>


    The crystal ball burst in my hands.


    ss cut deep into my hands as purple smoke filled my study. I stumbled backward, knocking over bottles of flowers and spell ingredients. The vision I¡¯d been trying to see disappeared like smoke.


    "What the hell?" I mumbled, picking ss from my bleeding fingers.


    I¡¯d been watching Lily through my crystal ball for three days straight. Ever since she sacrificed herself to save her pack from the Devourer, something incredible had happened to her. She wasn¡¯t just a werewolf anymore. She wasn¡¯t just a dimensional anchor. She¡¯d be something entirely new.


    And that scared me more than any monster I¡¯d ever faced.


    My study door burst open. Marcus, the Silver Peak Alpha, stood there looking worried.


    "Sage, we need you downstairs," he said. "Something¡¯s wrong with Lily."


    I grabbed my medicine bag and followed him. We ran through the pack house, past worried wolves who whispered as we passed. They all knew something big was happening, but they didn¡¯t understand what.


    Neither did I, and that scared me.


    We reached the basement where they¡¯d been keeping Lily since her change. The door was shining again, but this time it wasn¡¯t the dark energy of the Devourer. This light was bright and warm, like moonlight.


    "She¡¯s been like this for an hour," Caleb said. His voice shook with worry. "The light keeps getting brighter."


    Through the reinforced window, I could see Lily floating in the middle of the room. Her body shed between solid and transparent, like she couldn¡¯t decide which form to take. Most shocking of all, her eyes were open, but they weren¡¯t the ck eyes of the Devourer. They were silver, sparkling like stars.


    "Has she said anything?" I asked.


    "She keeps repeating numbers," Aiden answered. "Coordinates, I think. But they don¡¯t match anywhere on Earth."


    My blood went cold. "What kind of coordinates?"


    "Listen," Brock whispered.


    Lily¡¯s voice drifted through the door, soft but clear: "Dimension 7-Alpha-9. Portal opening in seventy-two hours. They¡¯reing home."


    "Who¡¯sing home?" I whispered, but I was afraid I already knew.


    I pressed my hands against the door, trying to feel the energying from Lily. What I found made my heart stop. She wasn¡¯t just connected to other worlds anymore. She was bing a bridge between them.


    "We need to get her out of there," I said quickly.


    "Are you crazy?" Marcus replied. "She could be dangerous."


    "She¡¯s not dangerous," I said, though I wasn¡¯t entirely sure. "She¡¯s changing. The offering didn¡¯t just save her from the Devourer. It changed her into something new."


    "Into what?" Caleb asked desperately.


    I turned to face them, my mind racing with options I didn¡¯t want to believe. "I think she¡¯s bing a Guardian."


    "What¡¯s a Guardian?" Aiden asked.


    "In the old texts, Guardians were beings who protected the barriers between dimensions," I exined. "They were neither human nor monster, but something in between. They could move between worlds and keep dangerous things from crossing over."


    "But those are just legends," Marcus said.


    "So were dimensional anchors," I answered. "Until Lily became one."


    The light from the room suddenly pulsed brighter. Lily¡¯s voice carried through the door again, but this time she sounded urgent: "The Void Walkers aren¡¯t gone. They¡¯re reforming. And they¡¯re bringing friends."


    My stomach dropped. "We need to talk to her. Now."


    "Absolutely not," Marcus said. "We don¡¯t know if she¡¯s still our Lily or something else."


    "There¡¯s only one way to find out," I said, grabbing for the door handle.


    "Sage, don¡¯t," Caleb warned.


    But I was already opening the door.


    The moment I stepped inside, the excitement hit me like a wave. It wasn¡¯t painful, but it was intense. I could feel links to dozens of different dimensions, each one unique and strange. And at the center of it all was Lily, no longer quite human but not quite anything else either.


    Her silver eyes focused on me. "Sage," she said, and her voice sounded like music from another world. "I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here. We don¡¯t have much time."


    "Time for what?" I asked, stepping closer.


    "To prepare," she said. "The Devourer was just the beginning. When I became its anchor, I saw into the space between dimensions. There are things there, Sage. Ancient things that have been waiting for a way into our world."


    "The Void Walkers?" "Among others," Lily nodded. "They¡¯ve been watching us, learning from us. And now they know how to make their own anchors."


    My heart beat. "What does that mean?"


    "It means they don¡¯t need to possess someone like the Devourer did," Lily stated. "They can build their own doorways. And they¡¯re nning to open a permanent link in exactly seventy-two hours."


    "Where?" I asked.


    Lily¡¯s form flickered, bing more transparent. "That¡¯s the trouble. The link won¡¯t open in one ce. It will open everywhere at once. Every major city, every pack territory, every ce where humans and supernatural beings meet."


    "That¡¯s impossible," I breathed.


    "Not anymore," Lily said sadly. "My transformation caused ripples across all dimensions. I identally showed them how to connect multiple anchor points. They¡¯re using my own energy signature to power their attack."


    I felt sick. "So this is your fault?"


    "Yes," Lily whispered. "I saved the pack, but I doomed the world."


    The light around her pulsed again, and I could feel her pain like a physical thing. She¡¯d sacrificed everything to protect the people she loved, only to find that her sacrifice might destroy everyone.


    "There has to be a way to stop them," I said.


    "There is," Lily answered. "But you¡¯re not going to like it."


    "Tell me."


    Lily looked straight at me, her silver eyes full of sorrow. "I have to go to their world and destroy the portal from the other side. But once I cross over, I can nevere back. And worse..."


    She paused, her voice breaking.


    "If I fail, I¡¯ll be their support instead. I¡¯ll be the doorway they use to invade every world in existence."


    Before I could reply, rms started ring throughout the pack house. Through the small window, I could see the night sky beginning to crack like broken ss.


    "Sage," Lily said quickly, "it¡¯s starting early."

 Chapter 147: Vampire Guilt

    <h4>Chapter 147: Vampire Guilt</h4>


    DMITRI POV


    The spatial tear nearly swallowed me whole.


    I threw myself backward as reality split open like a wound, showing the dark space between worlds. Cold air rushed out, bringing whispers innguages that hurt to hear. My vampire strength was the only thing that stopped me from being sucked into the void.


    "Another one," I gasped, pulling out my phone to mark the position. "That¡¯s the fifteenth tear this week."


    I¡¯d been hunting these dimensional wounds for three months, ever since Lily gave herself to stop the Devourer. Each tear was a memory of what my kind had done. Vampires had fed on dimensional energy for centuries, weakening the walls between worlds. We¡¯d made it possible for monsters like the Devourer to break through.


    And now Lily was paying the price for our greed.


    My phone buzzed with a text from Viktor, my vampire n leader: "Stop this foolish journey. Come home."


    I deleted the message without answering. I couldn¡¯t go home. Not when I knew the truth about what we¡¯d done.


    The tear in front of me pulsed, gettingrger. Through it, I could see shapes moving in the darkness. Things that shouldn¡¯t exist were trying to push through into our world. I grabbed my rescue kit and started working.


    The dimensional patch felt cold in my hands. It was made from crystallized moonlight and phoenix tears, materials that cost more than most people made in a year. I¡¯d bought hundreds of them with my own money, using every coin I¡¯d saved in five hundred years of life.


    "Come on," I muttered, pushing the patch against the tear. "Stay closed this time."


    The wound fought me, trying to spread. The things on the other side pushed harder, feeling weakness. For a moment, I thought I¡¯d lose the fight. Then the patch took hold, closing the tear with a sh of silver light.


    I fell against a tree, exhausted. Sealing dimensional tears drained my vampire energy faster than anything else. But I couldn¡¯t stop. Every tear I failed to close made things worse for everyone, especially Lily.


    My phone rang. The caller ID showed "Unknown," but I recognized the number. It was Sage, the witch who¡¯d been studying Lily¡¯s change.


    "Dmitri," her voice was frantic. "I need you at Silver Peak immediately."


    "What¡¯s wrong?" I asked, already running toward my car.


    "Lily¡¯s changing again," Sage said. "And the physical damage is elerating. The tears you¡¯ve been sealing? They¡¯re reopening, all at once."


    My blood went cold. "That¡¯s impossible. My patches are forever."


    "Not anymore," Sage answered. "Something is overriding them. We need your skills to figure out what."


    I drove to Silver Peak faster than any human car should go, my vampire reflexes the only thing stopping me from crashing. The closer I got to the pack area, the more dimensional disturbances I felt. The air itself seemed unsteady, like reality wasing apart at the seams.


    When I arrived, chaos met me. Pack wolves ran back and forth, some bringing emergency supplies, others helping evacuate the elderly and children. The sky above Silver Peak flickered between day and night, showing views of other worlds.


    Sage met me at the pack house door. "It¡¯s getting worse," she said without wee. "Lily¡¯s transformation is causing ripples across all dimensions. Every patch you¡¯ve put is failing."


    "Where is she?" I asked.


    "Basement. But Dmitri, you need to know something first."


    Sage grabbed my arm, her grip surprisingly strong for a person. "Lily isn¡¯t just facing the Devourer anymore. She¡¯s be something new. A Guardian. And she¡¯s connected to every dimensional tear you¡¯ve been closing."


    We ran inside and down to the basement. Through the reinforced window, I could see Lily floating in the middle of the room. But she looked different from thest time I¡¯d seen her. Her body flickered between solid and transparent, and her eyes glowed silver like stars.


    "My God," I whispered. "What have we done to her?"


    "It¡¯s not what you did," said a voice behind me. "It¡¯s what you¡¯re still doing."


    I turned to see Caleb, one of Lily¡¯s mates. His eyes were red from crying, but his voice was calm and angry.


    "Every dimensional tear my kind created is connected to her now," I said, understanding flooding through me. "She¡¯s trying to hold them all closed herself."


    "And it¡¯s killing her," Caleb responded. "She¡¯s using her own life force to keep the barriers steady. But there are too many tears. She can¡¯t hold them all."


    Through the window, Lily¡¯s words drifted out, weak but determined: "Dmitri¡¯s patches... breaking down... can¡¯t hold much longer..."


    I pressed my hands against the ss. "Lily, I¡¯m here. Tell me how to help."


    Her silver eyes found mine. "The vampire feeding... damaged more than just barriers... it changed the dimensional fabric itself... every time your kind fed, you created micro-tears... thousands of them..."


    My heart stopped. "How many?"


    "Millions," Lily whispered. "Hidden tears throughout the world... all connected to vampire feeding sites... and they¡¯re all opening at once."


    "That¡¯s why my patches are failing," I realized. "I¡¯ve been sealing the big tears, but the small ones are pulling them open again."


    "There¡¯s more," Lily continued, her form getting more transparent. "The Void Walkers... they¡¯re using the vampire tears as anchor points... they don¡¯t need to possess someone... they can create their own doorways..."


    Sage grabbed my shoulder. "What does that mean?"


    I felt sick. "It means every ce vampires have ever fed is about to be a portal for attack. Every big city, every poption center. My kind has built a worldwide invasionwork without realizing it."


    "How do we stop it?" Caleb demanded.


    I looked at Lily, seeing the pain she was trying to hide. She was holding together reality itself, using her own soul as glue. And it wasn¡¯t enough.


    "There¡¯s only one way," I said quietly. "I have to go to every vampire feeding site and forever seal the tears from the inside. But to do that..."


    I paused, the weight of what I had to do resting on me.


    "I¡¯d have to sacrifice my vampire essence at each ce. It would take hundreds of vampires working together, and we¡¯d all die in the process."


    "Then we convince them," Caleb said.


    "You don¡¯t understand," I answered. "Most vampires don¡¯t even know what we¡¯ve done. They think dimensional feeding is normal. They won¡¯t believe the threat until it¡¯s toote."


    Suddenly, rms started screaming throughout the pack house. Through the small basement window, I could see the night sky starting to crack like broken ss. But worse than that, I could smell something that made my vampire instincts scream in fear.


    Other vampires. Hundreds of them. And they wereing fast.


    "Dmitri," Lily said quickly, "Viktor found out what you¡¯ve been doing. He¡¯s bringing the full vampire council to stop you."


    Before I could ask how she knew, the pack house shook as something hugended on the roof.


    "They¡¯re here," I whispered, and for the first time in five centuries, I was truly afraid.

 Chapter 148: Fae Interest

    <h4>Chapter 148: Fae Interest</h4>


    PRINCE ASH POV


    My mother¡¯s ice-cold hand pped across my face so hard I tasted blood.


    "You will not defy the Winter Court!" Queen Morrigan growled, her voice sharp enough to cut diamonds. "The Guardian belongs to us now!"


    I touched my bleeding lip, feeling the familiar sting of her disapproval. Around us, the Fae Court watched with hungry eyes, waiting to see if I¡¯d bow like a good prince or stand up for what was right.


    "Lily is not property," I said, my voice steady despite the fear crawling up my spine. "She¡¯s a person with her own choices."


    My mother¡¯sugh was like breaking ss. "She ceased being merely human the moment she became a dimensional bridge. She is Fae now, whether she knows it or not."


    "That¡¯s not how it works," I argued.


    "Isn¡¯t it?" Queen Morrigan gestured, and the air shimmered. Suddenly we could see through dimensions, watching Lily in her basement prison at Silver Peak. Her body flickered between solid and transparent, exactly like a Fae caught between realms.


    "Look at her," my mothermanded. "She exists in multiple dimensions at once. She can see across the barriers between worlds. She has power over reality itself. These are Fae gifts, Prince Ash. Gifts that mark her as one of us."


    I watched Lily struggle to hold herself together, literally and figuratively. The pain on her face was clear even from here. She was fighting to stay human while cosmic forces tried to tear her apart.


    "She¡¯s suffering," I whispered.


    "All young Fae suffer during their transformation," Queen Morrigan said dismissively. "It¡¯s natural. Once we bring her to court, she¡¯ll learn to control her new powers."


    "You want to kidnap her."


    "I want to save her," my mother snapped. "That foolish girl is trying to hold dimensional barriers closed with sheer force. She¡¯ll burn herself out within days. Only Fae magic can teach her how to handle such power safely."


    Part of me knew she was right. Lily was pushing herself beyond any sensible limit, using her life force to keep reality stable. But I also knew my mother¡¯s idea of "help" usually came with permanent strings attached.


    "What do you really want?" I asked.


    Queen Morrigan smiled, and it was frightening. "A Guardian under Winter Court rule would make us the most powerful Fae realm in existence. We could expand into humannds, im new hunting grounds, settle old debts with our enemies."


    "So you do want to use her."


    "I want to give her purpose," my mother corrected. "Right now she¡¯s wasting her skills on a hopeless cause. The dimensional walls are beyond saving. Better to let them fall and rebuild the world under Fae rule."


    "That would kill millions of humans."


    "Humans die anyway," Queen Morrigan said with a shrug. "At least this way, some would survive as our servants."


    I felt sick. This was why I hated court politics. Everything was about power and control, never about actually helping people.


    "I won¡¯t let you take her," I said.


    "You cannot stop me," my mother responded. "I am Queen of the Winter Court. You are merely my son."


    "Then I challenge your right to im her."


    The court went dead. You could have heard a snowke fall. Challenging the Queen¡¯s choices was serious business, even for a prince.


    "On what grounds?" Queen Morrigan asked, her voice deadly quiet.


    "Right of Discovery," I said, using one of the oldest Fae rules. "I was the first to recognize her true nature. That gives me prior im over any court decision."


    My mother¡¯s eyes zed with anger. "You would risk everything for one mortal girl?"


    "She¡¯s not mortal anymore," I pointed out. "You said so yourself. And if she¡¯s truly Fae, then she deserves the choice every Fae gets - which court to serve."


    "Assuming she survives long enough to choose," came a new voice.


    Lord Frost, my mother¡¯s advisor, stepped forward holding a crystal that showed Lily¡¯s present condition. She was getting worse, her form flickering faster now, like a light me in a strong wind.


    "The mortal realm is killing her," Lord Frost added. "Her new nature cannot live in such a magically barren environment. She needs Fae energy to bnce, or she will simply fade away."


    "How long does she have?" I asked, fearing the answer.


    "Hours," Lord Frost replied. "Perhaps less."


    My mother smiled proudly. "You see? Your noble effort is meaningless. She will die unless we act immediately."


    "Then we save her," I said. "But we let her choose her own path afterward."


    "Uneptable," Queen Morrigan stated. "I will not risk such a valuable asset making the wrong choice."


    Before I could argue further, the air around us burst with sudden heat. Through the dimensional viewing window, we watched Lily¡¯s prison fill with bright silver light. But something was wrong with the light - it pulsed irregrly, like a heartbeat that was skipping beats.


    "What¡¯s happening?" I asked.


    Lord Frost studied his tools with growing rm. "The human witches are trying to stabilize her with artificial magic. But they¡¯re using the wrong type of energy. They¡¯re making her state worse."


    Through the portal, I could see Sage working furiously around Lily, casting spell after spell. But each spell seemed to make Lily flicker more violently between worlds.


    "They¡¯re killing her," my mother noticed with cold interest. "How unfortunate."


    "We have to help her," I said, going toward the portal.


    "No," Queen Morrigan ordered, ice forming around my feet to hold me in ce. "Let the people fail. When she¡¯s dying, she¡¯ll beg us to save her. Then she¡¯ll be grateful enough to serve dly."


    "You¡¯re going to let her suffer just to make her easier to control?"


    "I¡¯m going to let her learn the price of refusing Fae help," my mother amended.


    I fought against the ice, but Winter Court magic was too strong. I could only watch as Lily¡¯s state grew more desperate with each passing second.


    Then something unexpected happened. Through the portal, I saw new arrivals at Silver Peak - vampiresnding on the roof, werewolves howling warnings, and the sky itself starting to crack like broken ss.


    "The barriers are failing," Lord Frost announced with surprise. "All of them, everywhere at once."


    "That¡¯s impossible," Queen Morrigan said.


    But it wasn¡¯t impossible. It was happening. And as dimensional tears opened across the human world, I realized something that made my blood freeze.


    "Mother," I said quietly, "if the barriers failpletely, what happens to the Fae realms?"


    Her face went pale as understanding hit her. "We die," she whispered. "All of us. The worlds can¡¯t exist without the barrier structure."


    Through the portal, Lily screamed as every dimensional tear in existence suddenly connected through her changed body. She wasn¡¯t just trying to hold reality together anymore - she had be the only thing stopping total dimensional copse.


    "Now do you understand?" I asked my mother as the ice around my feet started to crack. "We don¡¯t just need to save Lily. We need her to save us all."


    But as I spoke, something massive and dark started pushing through thergest dimensional tear, something that looked hungry and ancient and very, very angry.


    "Toote," Lord Frost whispered. "The Void Walkers have found us."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 149: Luna’s Growth

    <h4>Chapter 149: Luna¡¯s Growth</h4>


    LUNA POV


    The vampirended right in front of me, teeth bared and eyes glowing red.


    I didn¡¯t even pause. My hand connected with his jaw, sending him flying backward into a tree. Six months ago, I would have screamed and run. Tonight, I stood my ground and prepared for the next attack.


    "River Pack, form defensive line!" I yelled to the wolves behind me. "Protect the children!"


    More vampires dropped from the sky like dangerous rain. The vampire council had arrived at Silver Peak in force, and they weren¡¯t here to talk. As pack diplomat, it was my job to handle this problem before it turned into a war.


    "Stand down!" Imanded, using every bit of power I¡¯d learned over the past months. "This is neutral territory under supernaturalw!"


    The head vampire, an ancient-looking man with silver hair,ughed coldly. "Laws mean nothing when reality itself is breaking apart, little wolf."


    He had to be Viktor, the vampire council leader Dmitri had named. The vampire who wanted to stop all dimensional fixes and let the world burn.


    "Then let¡¯s talk about solutions instead of threats," I said, stepping forward despite every instinct telling me to run.


    Viktor¡¯s eyes narrowed. "You would negotiate with the very beings whose feeding created this crisis?"


    "I would negotiate with anyone willing to help save innocent lives," I replied firmly.


    Behind me, I heard gasps from my own pack members. Luna Morrison, the spoiled beta¡¯s daughter, talking back to one of the most powerful vampires in existence. A year ago, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it myself.


    But I wasn¡¯t that girl anymore.


    "The dimensional tears are spreading," I continued, pulling out the reports I¡¯d been studying all week. "Every big supernatural territory is affected. If we don¡¯t work together, we all die together."


    "Perhaps death is preferable to serving human interests," Viktor said with a sneer.


    "This isn¡¯t about humans," I shot back. "This is about life. Look around you. The sky is actually cracking. The walls between worlds are failing. Do you really think vampire pride is worth the end of everything?"


    Viktor stopped, and for a moment I thought I might actually be getting through to him. Then his face hardened again.


    "You speak of cooperation, but where is your precious Guardian?" he asked. "Hiding in her basement while others fight her battles?"


    "Lily is holding reality together with her bare hands," I said, anger shing through me. "She¡¯s sacrificing herself to buy us time to find a real solution."


    "And what solution is that?" Viktor demanded.


    I took a deep breath. This was the moment I¡¯d been preparing for, the reason I¡¯d spent weeks learning dimensional theory and supernaturalw.


    "A Convergence Ritual," I revealed.


    The vampires went silent. Even my own pack members looked shocked.


    "That¡¯s impossible," Viktor said. "Convergence Rituals require willing involvement from all major supernatural species. Vampires, werewolves, witches, and Fae must work together as equals."


    "Exactly," I said. "Which is why I¡¯ve been reaching out to all of them."


    "You¡¯ve been what?" Aiden¡¯s voice came from behind me. The new Alpha pushed through our defensive line, looking both impressed and worried.


    "I¡¯ve been doing my job," I answered. "As pack diplomat, it¡¯s my responsibility to build alliances during crisis situations."


    Viktorughed again, but this time it sounded less sure. "Even if you could convince the other species to join, a Convergence Ritual has never been sessfully performed. The magical conditions are beyond current understanding."


    "Not beyond Lily¡¯s understanding," I said quietly. "She¡¯s connected to all dimensions now. She can guide the process from the inside."


    "At the cost of her own life," Viktor pointed out.


    "Maybe," I admitted. "But definitely at the cost of her life if we do nothing."


    I pulled out my phone and showed Viktor the pictures I¡¯d taken through dimensional viewing crystals. Images of Lily getting more transparent each hour, her life force burning away as she tried to hold infinite dimensional tears closed.


    "She¡¯s dying anyway," I said. "At least this way, her death might save everyone else."


    "You would sacrifice your former rival so easily?" Viktor asked, studying my face for deceit.


    "I would honor her choice," I corrected. "Lily decided to be a Guardian to protect others. I¡¯m just trying to make sure her sacrifice actually works."


    Viktor was quiet for a long moment, considering my words. Around us, the other vampires waited for his choice. I could feel my own pack¡¯s tension as they watched their former problem child deal with creatures who could kill us all.


    "Show me your ritual ns," Viktor said finally.


    I pulled out the thick folder I¡¯d been carrying everywhere for weeks. Inside were charts, diagrams, and thorough exnations of how a Convergence Ritual could stabilize dimensional barriers permanently.


    "The basic theory is sound," I exined as Viktor studied the papers. "We need leaders from each supernatural species to channel their unique magical signatures into a unified spell matrix. Thebined power would be enough to repair the damage and avoid future tears."


    "The power requirements alone would kill most participants," Viktor noted.


    "Not if we do it right," I said. "The rite doesn¡¯t require individual sacrifice. It needs unity. When all species work together, the magical load is shared evenly."


    Viktor¡¯s eyes widened as he read deeper into my research. "You found a way to change the ssical Convergence structure. This is... actually amazing."


    "I had good teachers," I said, thinking of all the hours I¡¯d spent in the pack library, all the talks with Elder Iris about forgotten supernatural history.


    "Even so," Viktor added, "you still need willing participation from the Fae Court. And they¡¯ve never worked with anyone."


    "About that," I said, checking my watch. "Prince Ash should be arriving any minute with Queen Morrigan¡¯s answer."


    As if called by my words, the air shimmered with ice crystals. A door opened, and Prince Ash stepped through, his face grim.


    "Luna," he said quickly. "We have a problem. My mother agreed to the Convergence Ritual, but she¡¯s added her own terms."


    "What conditions?" I asked, though I was afraid I already knew.


    "She wants Lily transferred to Fae custody immediately," Ash replied. "And she wants to be the one controlling the ritual."


    Viktor snarled. "Uneptable. The Winter Queen cannot be trusted with such power."


    "It gets worse," Ash continued. "The Void Walkers have discovered our dimensional viewing. They know we¡¯re nning something, and they¡¯re elerating their own invasion timeline."


    "How much time do we have?" I asked.


    "Hours," Ash said. "Maybe less."


    Before anyone could react, the ground beneath us started shaking. Through the cracking sky, I could see huge dark shapes pushing against the dimensional barriers, trying to break through.


    "They¡¯re here," Viktor whispered, all his earlier confidence gone.


    As the first Void Walker tore through reality into our world, I realized my careful diplomatic ns might be useless. We were out of time for talks.


    But as I watched the ancient evil emerge from between dimensions, I felt something I¡¯d never experienced before - total certainty about what I had to do.


    "Change of ns," I announced, pulling out my backup phone. "I¡¯m calling in every favor, every alliance, every promise I¡¯ve made over the past months."


    "What are you doing?" Aiden asked.


    I smiled grimly as supernatural members from a dozen species answered my calls. "I¡¯m starting a war. And we¡¯re going to win."


    But even as I spoke, more Void Walkers poured through the dimensional tear, and I wondered if faith alone would be enough to save us all.

 Chapter 150: Elder Wisdom

    <h4>Chapter 150: Elder Wisdom</h4>


    ELDER IRIS POV


    The old book burst into mes the moment I touched it.


    I jerked my wrinkled hands back, watching orange fire consume pages that had survived three hundred years in my secret library. The smell of burning magic filled the air, making my wolf senses tingle with danger.


    "No, no, no!" I whispered, grabbing my water pitcher to douse the fire. But the fire wasn¡¯t real fire¡ªit was magical protection, warning me away from secrets I wasn¡¯t meant to find.


    As thest sparks died, I stared at the pile of ash that had once been "The True History of Triple Moon Bearers." My heart hammered against my old ribs. In seventy years of learning omega magic, I¡¯d never seen a book destroy itself like that.


    Something didn¡¯t want me learning about Lily¡¯s true nature.


    I pushed my hurting bones up from the chair and hobbled to another shelf. If the clear sources were protected, I¡¯d have to dig deeper. Way deeper.


    The pack house shook above me as another dimensional tear opened somewhere in Silver Peak area. Through my basement ceiling, I could hear wolves running and screaming. The walls between worlds were failing faster every hour, and Lily was burning herself out trying to hold them closed.


    That poor child. Everyone saw her as their rescuer, but I saw the truth¡ªshe was dying. Her life force leaked away a little more each time she used her Guardian skills. We had days, maybe hours, before she faded totally.


    But I had an idea. A dangerous, impossible idea that might save her life and our world.


    I pulled out my oldest book, the one I¡¯d started writing when I was just twenty. Back then, I¡¯d asked the pack¡¯s most ancient members about omega history. Most of their stories seemed like fairy tales, but now I wondered if they¡¯d been telling the truth all along.


    "Omega magic is creation magic," I read aloud from my own worn handwriting. "Alpha magic destroys, beta magic controls, but omega magic creates new possibilities."


    My hands shook as I turned the pages. There¡ªthe story old Martha had told me about her great-grandmother, an omega who could "step between heartbeats and change what was meant to be."


    At the time, I¡¯d thought it was just a pretty story. Now I realized Martha¡¯s great-grandmother might have been a Guardian too.


    The basement door creaked open above me. "Elder Iris?" Caleb¡¯s voice called down the stairs. "Are you all right? We heard a crash."


    "Fine, dear!" I called back, quickly hiding my book. "Just knocked over some old books!"


    I couldn¡¯t tell him what I was finding. Not yet. Not until I was sure.


    After his footsteps faded away, I pulled out the most dangerous book in my collection¡ªone I¡¯d stolen from the Alpha¡¯s banned library decades ago. "Omega Bloodline Secrets" had nearly gotten me exiled when I was found with it. Alpha Marcus¡¯s father had ordered it burned, but I¡¯d saved it from the fires.


    This book didn¡¯t burst into fire when I opened it. Instead, it hummed with old power, recognizing my omega blood. The pages flipped themselves to exactly what I needed to find.


    "The First Guardian," read the Chapter title. My breath caught as I read the old text.


    In the beginning times, when the barriers between worlds were first built, an omega wolf named Serena offered to be the first Guardian. But the magic changed her, splitting her soul across worlds. She became immortal but scattered, living in all realities at once.


    Her offspring carry pieces of her power, but most never awaken it. Only in times of great crisis does the Guardian magic fully activate, and when it does, the bearer faces the same fate¡ªto be scattered across dimensions, losing their link to any single world.


    However, the old texts speak of a way to anchor a Guardian¡¯s soul to one world. If the Triple Moon Mark can be reactivated in its original form, it forms a tether between the Guardian and their home dimension.


    My hands shook as I read further. The Triple Moon Mark wasn¡¯t just about finding mates or regaining pack bnce. It was a fail-safe, created by the first omega Guardians to avoid their sessors from being lost between worlds.


    But Lily¡¯s mark was gone. Used up when she became a Guardian. How could we restart something that no longer existed?


    I flipped through more pages, desperate for answers. There¡ªa ritual described in the old omeganguage, words I¡¯d spent years learning to read.


    The Reiming can only be performed by one who shares the Guardian¡¯s original magic. The ritual demands sacrifice¡ªthe life force of another omega, freely given, to restart the Triple Moon power.


    The book slipped from my numb fingers. I knew what I had to do.


    I was the oldest omega in Silver Peak, the keeper of forgotten information. My life was already near its end. But my death could give Lily the anchor she needed to survive her Guardian tasks.


    Moving faster than I had in years, I collected the ritual supplies. Moonstone dust from my grandmother¡¯s collection. Silver thread spun by omega hands. Herbs picked during thest triple moon ritual.


    Everything I needed was here, waiting as if fate had been nning for this moment.


    But as I arranged the traditional circle on my basement floor, something nagged at me. The book had been too easy to find, too handy. In all my years of research, the most important solutions had always been hidden.


    I opened the book again, looking more carefully at the pages. There¡ªin the margin, written in different ink. A warning in the old omega script: Beware the false escape. The Reiming rite is tainted. It does not anchor¡ªit severs. The Guardian who gets this magic will be trapped forever in the space between worlds, conscious but unable to return to any reality.


    My blood turned to ice. The ritual wasn¡¯t a rescue¡ªit was a prison term for Lily.


    But then who had written the original text? Who wanted Lily stuck between dimensions?


    Before I could think further, my basement window burst inward. A figure in a dark cloak dropped through,nding quietly on my stone floor.


    "Hello, Iris," said a voice I hadn¡¯t heard in forty years. A voice that should have been dead.


    I stared in horror at the face beneath the hood. It was my sister Elena¡ªthe omega who had disappeared during thest dimensional crisis, the one we¡¯d mourned as lost forever.


    "You always were too curious for your own good," Elena said, her eyes glowing with unnatural light. "But don¡¯t worry. After tonight, desire won¡¯t be a problem for you anymore."


    She raised her hand, and I saw the twisted form of the Triple Moon Mark burned into her palm. Not silver like Lily¡¯s had been, but ck as the space between stars.


    "The Void Walkers send their regards," Elena whispered as dark magic filled the air around us.


    I opened my mouth to scream a warning to the pack above, but no sound came out. Elena had taken my voice with her corrupted omega power.


    As consciousness faded, myst thought was fear for Lily. If my own sister had been turned into something evil by the space between worlds, what would happen to our young Guardian when she finally burned through her life force?


    And who else in Silver Peak was quietly working for the creatures trying to destroy our reality?

 Chapter 151: The Echo Grows

    <h4>Chapter 151: The Echo Grows</h4>


    CALEB POV


    The memory hit me like lightning while I was reading.


    One second I was studying ancient Guardian writings in the pack library. The next, I was somewhere else entirely¡ªstanding in a flower field with Lily, her hand warm in mine as sheughed at something I¡¯d just said.


    But it wasn¡¯t really a memory. I¡¯d never been in a flower field with Lily. We¡¯d never held hands like that, never shared that moment of pure happiness. Yet the feeling was so real I could smell the blooms and hear herugh echoing in my ears.


    I jerked back to the present, panting. The book fell from my hands, pages pping as it hit the floor. My heart pounded against my ribs.


    What was happening to me?


    This was the third time today. Earlier, I¡¯d "remembered" teaching Lily to dance in the moonlight. Before that, I¡¯d seen us walking through Silver Peak¡¯s forest, talking about our future children. Beautiful times that had never actually happened.


    But they felt more real than my true memories.


    I pressed my hands against my temples, trying to stop the dizzy feeling. Ever since Lily became a Guardian and lost her memories of our life together, something strange had been growing between us. A link that shouldn¡¯t exist.


    The echo bond, Elder Iris had called it. A leftover piece of our mate connection that refused to die fully.


    At first, I¡¯d been grateful for it. When Lily looked at me with no recognition in her eyes, the echo bond was the only sign that our love had been real. But now it was getting stronger, creating memories that confused me.


    Were these glimpses of what we¡¯d lost? Or images of what could have been?


    My phone buzzed with a text from Aiden: "Emergency meeting. Elder Iris is lost. Conference room now."


    I stumbled to my feet, still shaky from the fake memory. Elder Iris missing? She never left her basement library unless something was seriously wrong.


    I rushed through the pack house halls, past wolves who looked worried and scared. Through the windows, I could see more dimensional tears opening in the sky, purple cracks spreading like broken ss.


    The meeting room was packed when I arrived. Aiden stood at the head of the table, his face grim. Brock paced near the windows. Other pack leaders filled the remaining seats, all talking at once.


    "Where¡¯s Lily?" I asked, searching the room.


    "Still in the basement, trying to hold the tears closed," Aiden responded. "She can¡¯t leave her position or everything will copse."


    A sharp pain stabbed through my chest. Through the echo bond, I felt a sh of Lily¡¯s tiredness, her life force burning away with each second she maintained her Guardian powers.


    "When did anyonest see Elder Iris?" Brock asked.


    "This morning," said Marcus, our previous Alpha. "She was studying something in her private library. Said she might have found a way to help Lily."


    My blood cooled. Elder Iris had been acting strangetely, asking odd questions about omega magic and ancient rites. What if she¡¯d tried something dangerous? "I¡¯ll check her library," I offered, already moving toward the door.


    "Take backup," Aiden ordered. "If something happened to her, it might still be down there."


    I nodded, but I was already running. The echo bond pulled me toward the basement like apass needle pointing north. Lily was down there, and if Elder Iris had found something important about Guardian magic, I needed to find it.


    The basement felt wrong the moment I stepped inside. The air crackled with leftover magic, and broken ss covered the floor beneath a smashed window.


    "Elder Iris?" I called out, but no answer came.


    Her secret library was in chaos. Books spread everywhere, some still smoldering from magical fire. Her study table was overturned, papers flying around the room like snow.


    I picked up one of the papers, recognizing Elder Iris¡¯s handwriting: "The Reiming ritual - possible salvation for Lily?"


    My heart jumped. She¡¯d found something that might save Lily?


    I gathered more papers, piecing together Elder Iris¡¯s study. Ancient omega magic. Guardian genes. A ritual that could possibly anchor Lily¡¯s soul to our reality.


    But then I found another note, this one written hastily: "TRAP! The rite is corrupted. Don¡¯t let Lily try it!"


    Before I could read more, another memory-vision crashed into my mind. This one was different - darker.


    I saw myself and Lily, but we were older, sadder. She was fading away like a ghost, and I was holding her hand as she disappeared totally.


    "I¡¯m sorry," her voice whispered in the image. "I can¡¯t fight it anymore."


    The memory felt like a warning. Was this what would happen if we couldn¡¯t find a way to save her?


    I shook my head, pushing myself back to the present. I had to focus on finding Elder Iris.


    That¡¯s when I discovered the ritual circle drawn on the basement floor. Moonstone dust and silver thread arranged inplicated patterns. In the centery a book I¡¯d never seen before, its pages open to a part about Guardian magic.


    I approached carefully, remembering how Elder Iris¡¯s other books had burst into mes. But this one seemed safe, humming quietly with old power.


    The text was written in the old omeganguage, but I¡¯d studied enough to understand the basics. It described a way to share Guardian power, to split the load between multiple people so one person wouldn¡¯t have to bear it alone.


    My heart raced. This could be the answer we¡¯d been looking for.


    But as I read deeper, cold fear filled my stomach. The ritual needed a blood sacrifice from someone with omega heritage. And ording to the book, that person would be bound to the Guardian forever, sharing their fate across dimensions.


    Elder Iris had been nning to give herself to save Lily.


    A sound made me look up. Footsteps on the basement stairs, but they moved wrong - too light, too quiet. Human feet, but with predator ease.


    "Hello, Caleb," said a voice I didn¡¯t recognize. A woman stepped into the library, her face hidden by shadows. "Looking for the old omega? I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s indisposed at the moment."


    Something about her made my wolf senses scream danger. She smelled like omega, but wrong somehow. Like omega magic twisted into something dark.


    "Who are you?" I demanded, moving to put the sacred book behind me.


    She smiled, and I saw fangs. Not vampire teeth - something else. Something worse.


    "I¡¯m Elena," she said. "Iris¡¯s dear sister. The one who¡¯s been dead for forty years."


    My blood turned to ice. Elder Iris had mentioned her sister once, the omega who disappeared during thest dimensional crisis. But she was meant to be dead.


    "Impossible," I whispered.


    "Oh, death is very possible," Elena answered, her eyes glowing with unnatural light. "But sometimes, we find ways to postpone it. The Void Walkers taught me so many interesting things about living between dimensions."


    The Void Walkers. The creatures trying to destroy our world. And Elder Iris¡¯s own sister was working with them.


    "Where is she?" I growled, my wolf pushing forward. "What did you do to Elder Iris?"


    "She¡¯s safe," Elena said lightly. "For now. But her safety depends on your help, young wolf."


    She pointed to the ritual book I was protecting. "That book holds instructions for a very special ritual. One that will bind Lily¡¯s power permanently to our world, making her unable to interfere with our ns."


    "Never," I snarled.


    Elena¡¯s smile widened. "Oh, but you will. Because if you don¡¯t perform that rite, I¡¯ll kill every omega in Silver Peak, starting with your precious Elder Iris."


    Through the echo bond, I suddenly felt Lily¡¯s panic. She¡¯d sensed my distress, felt my fear through our link. But she couldn¡¯t leave her ce holding the dimensional tears closed.


    I was alone against a thing that had survived for forty years in the space between worlds.


    "Tick tock, Caleb," Elena whispered. "The dimensional walls are failing faster now. You have maybe an hour before everything falls anyway. Use that time wisely."


    She disappeared into shadows, leaving me alone with the ritual book and an impossible choice.


    Save Elder Iris by locking Lily forever, or let Elena kill every omega in the pack while reality fell apart around us.


    And somewhere in the distance, I heard Lily¡¯s voice through our echo bond, weak and fading: "Caleb... something¡¯s wrong... I can¡¯t hold on much longer..."


    The book felt heavy in my hands as I realized I might have to choose between saving the woman I loved and saving everyone else I cared about.


    But first, I had to find Elder Iris before Elena decided she was no longer useful living.

 Chapter 152: Dimensional Visitors

    <h4>Chapter 152: Dimensional Visitors</h4>


    LILY POV


    The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once.


    "Guardian! Please, you must help us!"


    I spun around in the basement where I¡¯d been desperately trying to hold the dimensional tears closed. My hands still glowed with Guardian power, streams of silver light running from my fingers to patch the cracks in reality. But now something else was happening.


    A shimmering figure appeared in front of me¡ªa woman who looked almost human except for her blue-tinted skin and eyes that held swirling gxies.


    "Who are you?" I gasped, not daring to release my hold on the dimensional walls. If I stopped focusing for even a second, everything would copse.


    "I am Zara from Reality Seventeen," the woman said quickly. "Our world is dying because the walls are failing there too. We felt your Guardian power across dimensions and came seeking help."


    More figures started appearing around me. A man with green skin and pointed ears. A child who seemed to be made of stars. Creatures I had no names for, all looking desperate and scared.


    "I can¡¯t help you," I said, fear rising in my chest. "I can barely hold my own world together!"


    "But you¡¯re the strongest Guardian we¡¯ve found," Zara begged. "The tears in our reality started the same time as yours. They¡¯re all linked somehow."


    Connected? My mind raced. I¡¯d been so focused on saving Silver Peak that I hadn¡¯t considered other worlds might be hurting too.


    Through my fading link to Caleb, I felt his distress somewhere above me. Something was wrong with him, but I couldn¡¯t leave my ce to help.


    "Please," said the starlight kid in a voice like music. "Our families are disappearing into the void. Whole cities are being swallowed."


    My heart broke for them, but what could I do? I was already burning through my life force trying to save one world. How could I possibly save different realities?


    "I don¡¯t know how," I admitted, feeling tears on my face.


    That¡¯s when another voice spoke¡ªcold and mocking.


    "Perhaps I can offer assistance."


    The temperature in the basement dropped twenty degrees. The dimensional guests backed away in fear as a new figure stepped through one of the tears. This one was different¡ªtall, beautiful, with silver hair and eyes like ck holes.


    "Who are you?" I demanded, though something about him made my Guardian senses scream danger.


    "Lord Vex of the Void Walkers," he said with a bow that seemed like mocking. "I¡¯ve been watching your struggles with great interest, young Guardian."


    The dimensional visitors gasped. Zara grabbed my arm frantically. "Don¡¯t listen to him! The Void Walkers are the ones causing the tears!"


    "Are we?" Vex smiled, showing teeth like pointed stars. "Or are we simply trying to solve a problem that Guardians created?"


    "What do you mean?" I asked, though I didn¡¯t want to hear the answer.


    "Every time a Guardian patches reality, they create pressure elsewhere," Vex exined casually. "Fix a tear here, and two more open somewhere else. You¡¯re not fixing anything, child. You¡¯re making it worse."


    The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. Was he speaking the truth? Every time I fixed a dimensional crack, were I causing more damage somewhere else?


    "He¡¯s lying," said the starlight child, but her voice wavered with doubt.


    "Am I?" Vex motioned to the crowd of dimensional visitors. "How many more wille asking for your help? How many worlds are hurting because you insist on ying hero?"


    More figures began materializing around us¡ªdesperate beings from worlds I couldn¡¯t even imagine. A woman made of moving water. A man whose body seemed to be carved from live stone. Creatures with too many eyes, or wings instead of arms, all looking at me with hopeful, pleading faces.


    "Help us, Guardian!"


    "Save our world!"


    "Our children are dying!"


    Their voices blended into a chorus of despair that made my head spin. The weight of their demands pressed down on me like a mountain. How could I choose which worlds to save when I couldn¡¯t even save my own?


    "I can offer you a solution," Vex said smoothly. "Stop fighting the natural order. Let the walls fallpletely. Yes, some worlds will merge or disappear, but the survivors will be stronger. Evolution through destruction."


    "That¡¯s murder," I whispered.


    "That¡¯s nature," he amended. "The weak realities will fade, and the strong will remain. No more fighting to hold everything together. No more burning your life away for selfish worlds."


    I felt another pulse of concern from Caleb through our echo bond. He was in serious trouble, and I couldn¡¯t help him because I was trapped here holding reality together for people who might not even appreciate the effort.


    Maybe Vex was right. Maybe I was fighting a war I couldn¡¯t win.


    "Don¡¯t listen to him," Zara said quickly. "There has to be another way."


    "Is there?" I asked, tiredness making my voice crack. "I¡¯m dying trying to save everyone, and it¡¯s not working. Every day, more tears open. More worlds beg for help. When does it end?"


    "When you make the hard choice," Vex said softly, like he actually cared about me. "Stop trying to be everyone¡¯s rescuer. Let go, and let nature take its course."


    The dimensional visitors looked frightened. They¡¯de seeking rescue and found only a burned-out Guardian who couldn¡¯t even save herself.


    But then the starlight child stepped forward. "What if we helped you instead of asking for help?"


    "What?" I blinked in confusion.


    "We all have different kinds of power in our realities," she stated. "What if we shared our strength with you? Made you strong enough to fix everything properly?"


    Vex¡¯s face darkened. "Impossible. Guardian power doesn¡¯t work that way."


    "Maybe it hasn¡¯t been tried before," Zara said hopefully. "Maybe that¡¯s the real solution¡ªGuardians working together across dimensions instead of struggling alone."


    For the first time in days, I felt a spark of hope. But before I could reply, Vex raised his hand, dark energy crackling around his fingers.


    "I cannot allow that," he said coldly. "If Guardians learn to work together, they be a threat to the natural order."


    The dimensional guests screamed as void energyshed out at them. I automatically threw up a Guardian shield, but maintaining the dimensional barriers and protecting everyone at the same time pushed me past my limits.


    Pain burst through my chest as my life force burned even faster. I was going to die right here, right now, and take everyone with me when the barriers fell.


    Through our bond, I felt Caleb¡¯s sudden terror as he sensed mying death. He was fighting his own battle somewhere above, and now we were both going to lose.


    That¡¯s when the starlight child grabbed my hand.


    "Now!" she shouted to the other guests. "Share your power with her!"


    Light erupted around us as beings from dozens of realities joined their power to mine. Power flowed through me like nothing I¡¯d ever felt¡ªnot just Guardian energy, but the life force of entire dimensions.


    But instead of making me stronger, something surprising happened.


    The mixed energies began tearing me apart from the inside, scattering pieces of my soul across multiple worlds at once.


    As awareness started to fade, I realized with horror that I wasn¡¯t just dying.


    I was bing something else entirely.


    Something that existed in all dimensions simultaneously.


    And I had no idea if I¡¯d still be me when the change wasplete.

 Chapter 153: Pack Concerns

    <h4>Chapter 153: Pack Concerns</h4>


    BROCK POV


    The scream that echoed from the basement made my blood turn to ice.


    I was leading pack patrol through Silver Peak¡¯s forest when Lily¡¯s voice tore through the night air¡ªnot just pain, but fear mixed with something inhuman. My wolf senses roared that our Guardian was in mortal danger.


    "Back to the pack house!" I shouted to my patrol team. "Now!"


    We ran through the trees, but something was wrong with the world around us. Colors looked different¡ªtoo bright in some ces, faded in others. The air itself felt thick and strange, like we were running underwater.


    When we burst into the pack house clearing, I saw the trouble. The building was flickering like a broken light bulb, moving in and out of reality. One second it looked normal, the next it appeared to be made of crystal, then shadow, then something my eyes couldn¡¯t even process.


    "What¡¯s happening?" gasped Maria, one of my watch wolves.


    "It¡¯s Lily," I said sadly. "She¡¯s losing connection to our reality."


    Through the pack house¡¯s shifting walls, I could see other pack members trapped inside, looking scared as their home changed around them. Some were pressed against windows that sometimes weren¡¯t there, shouting for help in voices that kept cutting out.


    But worst of all was the basement, where Lily had been keeping the dimensional tears closed. Light poured from the windows down there¡ªnot regr light, but rainbow colors that hurt to look at directly.


    "We have to get to her," I said, but as I reached the flickering building, my hand passed right through the front door.


    We were being locked out of our own pack house because Lily was bing something that didn¡¯t fit in our world anymore.


    Aiden came running from the other way with a group of wolves, his face pale with fear. "I felt it through our pack bond," he panted. "Something¡¯s happening to Lily. She¡¯s... she¡¯s notpletely here anymore."


    "What do you mean?" I asked.


    "Try to sense her through the pack connection," Aiden said grimly.


    I reached out with my wolf senses, feeling for Lily¡¯s familiar presence. It was there, but wrong. Like trying to grab smoke, her awareness kept slipping away from me. Parts of her felt close, but other parts seemed impossibly remote, scattered across ces I couldn¡¯t imagine.


    "She¡¯s in multiple dimensions at once," I realized with horror.


    "And she¡¯s pulling our reality with her," Aiden added. "Look around."


    He was right. It wasn¡¯t just the pack house. Trees in the forest were flickering between different forms of themselves. The moon overhead kept changing colors. Even the ground beneath our feet felt unstable, like it might dissolve at any time.


    "The pack members inside are trapped," Maria pointed out. "If the buildingpletely phases out of our reality..."


    She didn¡¯t need to finish. Our people would be lost forever, carried into whatever dimensional ce Lily was drifting toward.


    "Where¡¯s Caleb?" I asked suddenly. "He should be here. His mate bond with Lily is stronger than ours."


    Aiden¡¯s face darkened. "That¡¯s another problem. I can¡¯t sense him through our pack link either. Something¡¯s blocking it."


    Fear twisted in my gut. First Elder Iris goes missing, now Caleb was cut off from us, and Lily was literally fading out of our world. The pack was falling apart.


    "We need to get inside," I said, studying the flickering building. "There has to be a pattern to when it¡¯s solid."


    I watched carefully, timing the building¡¯s stages. For about three seconds every minute, it looked totally normal. That was our opening.


    "When I say go, we run straight through," I told the others. "Don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t hesitate, just get to the basement."


    The next time the building hardened, I shouted "Go!" and we raced forward.


    We made it through the front door just as the walls started flickering again. Inside was even worse¡ªthe floor kept changing between wood, stone, and materials I couldn¡¯t name. Pack members huddled in corners, some crying, others just looking in shock.


    "Stay together!" I ordered. "Don¡¯t touch anything that¡¯s flickering!"


    We pushed through the shifting corridors toward the basement steps. Behind us, I heard wolves yelp as parts of the building phased out beneath their feet, but we couldn¡¯t stop to help.


    The basement door was strong when we reached it, but strange sounds came from below. Not just Lily¡¯s voice, but others¡ªspeaking innguages I¡¯d never heard.


    I threw the door open and immediately stumbled backward. The basement wasn¡¯t the basement anymore. It had be a vast space filled with whirling lights and floating figures. In the middle, barely recognizable, was Lily.


    She hovered in the air, her body shifting between solid and transparent. Light poured from her eyes and mouth as she spoke to beings that definitely weren¡¯t from our world. Some looked almost human, others were pure energy, and a few made my brain hurt to look at them.


    "Lily!" I shouted.


    She turned toward me, and my heart broke. Her face was Lily¡¯s, but her eyes held the depth of endless space. When she spoke, her voice echoed from multiple worlds at once.


    "Brock?" she said, but it sounded like a question, as if she wasn¡¯t sure who I was.


    "You have toe back," I begged. "The pack needs you. Our world is breaking apart because you¡¯re drifting away from it."


    "I can hear them all," Lily whispered, pointing to the dimensional beings around her. "So many worlds in pain. So many people who need help. How can I choose just one world to save?"


    "Because this one is yours!" I said desperately. "These are your people! Caleb is somewhere in this building, probably dying because you¡¯re not here to hold him!"


    For a moment, Lily¡¯s eyes cleared and she looked more like herself. "Caleb? Where is he?"


    "We don¡¯t know," Aiden said, appearing beside me. "He went missing around the same time you started changing."


    Fear flickered across Lily¡¯s face¡ªthe first purely human feeling I¡¯d seen from her since we arrived. "Something¡¯s wrong. I can feel his fear through our bond, but I can¡¯t reach him."


    She started to drop toward us, bing more solid. But the dimensional beings around her began speaking hurriedly in their strangenguages, pulling at her with hands made of starlight and shadow.


    "Don¡¯t leave us, Guardian!" one of them cried. "If you return to single-dimension existence, our worlds will fall to the void!"


    "But if I don¡¯t return," Lily said, sorrow in her voice, "my own world will tear itself apart."


    That¡¯s when a new voice cut through the chaos¡ªcold, mocking, and terrifyingly familiar.


    "Such difficult choices," said Elena, stepping out of the basement shadows. "But I¡¯m afraid the choice has already been made for you."


    My wolf senses screamed danger. This woman looked like an omega, smelled like pack, but something was horribly wrong with her.


    "Who are you?" I growled, moving protectively in front of Aiden.


    "Elena Whitewing," she said with a twisted smile. "Elder Iris¡¯s dear sister. And Caleb¡¯s new... hostess."


    She motioned, and suddenly I could see through her eyes into another room. Caleb was there, bound with magical chains, barely aware. But worse than that, I could see his life force slowly draining away into some kind of dark ceremony circle.


    "You have a choice, little Guardian," Elena said to Lily. "Return fully to this dimension and watch your mate die as I finish my ritual. Or stay spread across realities and watch your entire pack be consumed when this building finally phases outpletely."


    Through the pack bonds, I felt our people¡¯s terror as the building flickered more wildly around them. Some wolves were already disappearing, carried into dimensional ces where we¡¯d never find them.


    "But there is a third option," Elena continued sweetly. "Surrender your Guardian powers to me willingly, and I¡¯ll let both Caleb and your pack live."


    Lily¡¯s face twisted with impossible pain. "You¡¯re asking me to let every dimension fall to save my own people."


    "I¡¯m asking you to stop ying god," Elena snapped. "ept that you can¡¯t save everyone."


    The dimensional beings around Lily wailed in sorrow, knowing that if she gave up her powers, their worlds were doomed.


    And through our pack ties, I felt Silver Peak wolves crying out as reality continued to crumble around them.


    Lily floated there, caught between impossible choices, tears streaming down her face as she realized that no matter what she chose, people she loved were going to die.


    But then her face changed, hardening with a determination I¡¯d never seen before.


    "There is a fourth option," she said quietly.


    Before anyone could ask what she meant, Lily threw back her head and screamed¡ªnot in pain this time, but in rage.


    Power exploded from her in all directions, and suddenly I understood with growing horror what she was going to do.


    She was going to tear herself apart totally, scatter her consciousness across every dimension at once, bing a living bridge between all realities.


    She would save everyone.


    But Lily as we knew her would cease to exist forever.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 154: The Healer’s Hope

    <h4>Chapter 154: The Healer¡¯s Hope</h4>


    DR. SARAH MARTINEZ POV


    My medical scanner burst in sparks the moment I pointed it at Lily.


    I jerked backward as electrical fire shot from the device, barely missing my face. The basement air crackled with energy that made my teeth ache and my vision blur.


    "What are you trying to do?" Brock yelled over the dimensional chaos swirling around us.


    "My job!" I called back, pulling out my backup tools. "Someone needs to check if Lily¡¯s body can handle what¡¯s happening to her!"


    As Silver Peak¡¯s pack healer for fifteen years, I¡¯d seen wolves escape terrible injuries by understanding how their bodies adapted. But this was different. Lily wasn¡¯t just hurt¡ªshe was bing something entirely new.


    I¡¯d been treating pack members all day as reality shed around them. Broken bones from falling through floors that suddenly weren¡¯t there. Burns from touching walls that changed into fire. But when I felt Lily¡¯s anxiety through our pack bond, I knew she needed medical help more than anyone.


    "Stay back!" Lily warned, her voice echoing from various dimensions. "I can¡¯t control the energy anymore!"


    But I¡¯d taken an oath to help pack members in need, no matter how dangerous. I activated my second scanner¡ªan older model that hopefully wouldn¡¯t short out instantly.


    The readings made my heart stop.


    ording to my tools, Lily was simultaneously dying and bing more alive than any creature I¡¯d ever seen. Her heart rate showed as both tlined and incredibly fast. Her brain activity reported as minimal in some areas and off the charts in others.


    "This doesn¡¯t make sense," I mumbled, checking the readings again.


    "What doesn¡¯t make sense?" Aiden asked, appearing beside me.


    "Her body is adapting," I said in wonder. "Look at these cellr scans."


    I showed him the screen, where Lily¡¯s cells were actually changing structure as we watched. Some became translucent, others grew new organelles I¡¯d never seen before. Her DNA was rewriting itself in real time.


    "Is she dying?" Brock asked.


    "I don¡¯t think so," I said slowly. "I think she¡¯s evolving."


    Before anyone could react, another wave of dimensional energy pulsed from Lily. This time, instead of shorting out my equipment, something incredible happened¡ªmy scanner started showing readings from other dimensions.


    I could see Lily¡¯s body as it existed across multiple realities concurrently. In some dimensions, she looked normal. In others, she was made of pure light. In a few, she appeared as changing patterns of energy that hurt to look at directly.


    But in every single measure, her vital signs were stabilizing.


    "Elena¡¯s wrong," I breathed, sudden hope filling my chest. "This isn¡¯t killing Lily. Her body is learning how to exist in various realities at once."


    "What does that mean?" Aiden asked quickly.


    "It means she might not have to choose," I said, my excitement rising. "If her physical form can adapt to dimensional existence, she could anchor herself to our reality while still helping other worlds."


    Through the chaos, I saw Lily¡¯s eyes focus on me with desperate hope. "Are you sure?"


    "Let me run more tests," I said, pulling out every piece of medical equipment I had. "But the cellr changes I¡¯m seeing suggest your body is finding a way to be stable across dimensions."


    That¡¯s when Elena¡¯s coldughter cut through our talk.


    "Foolish healer," she said mockingly. "You see change, but I see the truth. Show them what you really found."


    Elena waved her hand, and suddenly my scanner showed different information¡ªreadings I hadn¡¯t noticed before, hidden beneath the hopeful data.


    My blood chilled as I saw the real trouble.


    "What is it?" Brock asked, seeing my face change.


    "The adaptation is iplete," I whispered. "Lily¡¯s body is trying to live in too many dimensions at once. The cellr changes are causing huge internal stress."


    I pointed to the new readings with shaking hands. "Her organs are literally tearing themselves apart trying to work in various realities. She has maybe an hour before major system failure."


    "You mean she¡¯s dying anyway?" Aiden asked in horror.


    "Unless..." I trailed off, an impossible thought forming in my mind.


    "Unless what?" Lily asked.


    "Unless we help your bodyplete the adaptation," I said rapidly. "The cellr changes show a trend. Your body knows what it needs to do, but it doesn¡¯t have enough energy to finish the change safely."


    "Where would we get that kind of energy?" Brock asked.


    "From the pack," I said, my voice getting stronger as the n solidified. "If every wolf in Silver Peak shared a small portion of their life force with Lily, it might be enough toplete her dimensional adaptation without killing her."


    Elena¡¯s face turned furious. "That¡¯s impossible. Pack bonds don¡¯t work across dimensions."


    "Maybe they don¡¯t normally," I admitted. "But Lily isn¡¯t normal anymore. She¡¯s linked to our reality and others simultaneously. If we can channel our pack energy through that link..."


    "It could work," Lily said wonderingly. "I can feel all of you through the pack bond, even while I¡¯m scattered across dimensions."


    Hope spread through the room like sunshine breaking through clouds. We might actually be able to save Lily and the other worlds without losing her forever.


    But Elena stepped forward, dark energy sparking around her hands.


    "I won¡¯t let you interfere with the natural order," she snarled. "If Guardians learn they can be stabilized across dimensions, they¡¯ll be too powerful to control."


    "Control?" I said angrily. "This isn¡¯t about power. This is about saving lives!"


    "This is about maintaining bnce," Elena shot back. "Some realities are meant to die so others can survive."


    She raised her hands to attack, but before she could strike, something unexpected happened. The spatial beings that had been surrounding Lily suddenly moved to protect us.


    "We will not let you harm the Guardian-Healer," said the starlight child, her words ringing with power.


    "Or the pack that seeks to preserve her," added Zara, the blue-skinned woman from Reality Seventeen.


    Elena found herself facing not just our pack, but beings from dozens of dimensions who realized that my medical n could save all their worlds.


    "You fools!" Elena screamed. "You don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re unleashing!"


    But I was already working, connecting my medical tools to the pack house¡¯s energy systems. If I could build a conduit for pack energy to flow to Lily, we might stabilize her dimensional adaptation.


    "Everyone who can hear me," I called out, my voice carrying through the pack ties. "I need you to put your energy on Lily. Help her body finish its transformation."


    Through the walls, I felt Silver Peak wolves reacting. Their life force began flowing toward Lily, led by the pack bonds we all shared.


    Lily¡¯s cellr readings started improving instantly. The tearing damage slowed, then stopped, then began to heal.


    "It¡¯s working!" I shouted proudly.


    But that¡¯s when Elena yed her final card.


    "If I cannot stop this," she said with deadly calm, "then I¡¯ll make sure it kills everyone involved."


    She began singing in anguage that made my bones ache. The room temperature plummeted as dark energy gathered around her, building toward something terrible.


    "She¡¯s going to overload the energy transfer!" I realized with horror. "If she channels void power into the pack bonds while we¡¯re all connected..."


    The implication hit everyone at once. Elena could use our own life-saving rite to kill every wolf in Silver Peak, plus Lily, plus all the dimensional beings trying to help.


    "Can you stop the transfer?" Aiden asked desperately.


    "Not without killing Lily," I said, watching her adaptation process on my screens. "She¡¯s right in the middle of the change. If I cut the energy flow now, the cellr damage will restart and kill her within minutes."


    Elena¡¯s shouting grew louder, her void energy building toward critical mass.


    We were stuck. Keep directing pack energy to save Lily and let Elena kill us all, or stop the process and watch Lily die anyway.


    But then I noticed something on my medical scanners¡ªa reading so impossible I almost dismissed it as equipment mistake.


    "Wait," I breathed, staring at the numbers in amazement.


    "What?" Brock asked.


    "Lily¡¯s not just adapting to exist across dimensions," I said, my voice filled with awe. "She¡¯s learning to channel dimensional energy directly. If I¡¯m reading this right, she might have enough power to stop Elena herself."


    I looked up at Lily, who was looking at her own hands as if seeing them for the first time.


    "Lily," I said quickly. "You don¡¯t need us to finish your transformation. You need to trust your body to finish what it started and use your new powers to protect everyone."


    "But what if I lose myselfpletely?" she asked, fear clear in her voice.


    "Then we¡¯ll find a way to bring you back," I promised. "But right now, you¡¯re the only one who can save us all."


    Elena¡¯s void energy hit critical mass. In seconds, she would unleash destruction that would kill everyone in the basement and probably copse our entire world.


    Lily had to choose right now: risk losing her humanity to save everyone, or let Elena destroy everything she¡¯d been trying to protect.


    As void energy began to pour from Elena¡¯s hands, Lily closed her eyes and embraced her transformation fully.


    What happened next would either save us all or doom every dimension to endless darkness.

 Chapter 155: Supernatural Politics

    <h4>Chapter 155: Supernatural Politics</h4>


    AIDEN POV


    The vampirended on my back while I was trying to reach Lily.


    I spun around, throwing him off as my Alpha training kicked in. Viktor, the vampire council leader, hit the basement wall hard but instantly bounced back to his feet, fangs bared.


    "Stand down, wolf," he ordered. "The Guardian belongs to the vampire council now."


    "Like hell she does," I snarled, cing myself between Viktor and Lily, who was still floating in dimensional energy, preparing to face Elena¡¯s attack.


    "The Supernatural ords are clear," Viktor said coldly. "Any being with power over multiple dimensions falls under joint council authority. She¡¯s too dangerous to stay with a single pack."


    Before I could reply, the air shimmered with ice crystals. Prince Ash of the Winter Fae stepped through a portal, his face grim.


    "Actually, the Guardian¡¯s dimensional abilities make her Fae property," Ash dered. "She exists between realities, which is our domain."


    "You¡¯re both wrong," said a new voice. A witch appeared from thin air¡ªCouncilor Raven from the Circle of Shadows. "Dimensional magic is witch magic. The Guardian muste with us for proper training."


    I couldn¡¯t believe this. Lily was in the middle of a life-or-death transformation, Elena was about to kill us all with void energy, and these supernatural politicians wanted to fight about custody rights.


    "This is not the time!" I shouted. "Lily is fighting for her life!"


    "Which is exactly why she needs proper supernatural authority," Viktor replied smoothly. "Your packcks the resources to handle her condition."


    Through our pack bonds, I felt my wolves¡¯ increasing panic as more supernatural representatives arrived. A devil flickered into existence, followed by an angel whose presence made the basement feel too bright. Even a dragon shifter squeezed through the dimensional tears, his huge form barely fitting in the space.


    They all wanted Lily.


    "The dragon ns have ancient treaties regarding dimensional guardians," rumbled the shifter. "She falls under our protection."


    "Angels have been guarding reality¡¯s barriers since the beginning of time," the winged being stated. "This is clearly our responsibility."


    "Demons understand void energy better than anyone," the dark thing hissed. "She needs our expertise to survive."


    I looked around desperately. Elena was still building her deadly attack, Lily was dealing with her transformation, and now I had to deal with a supernatural custody battle.


    "She chose to stay with Silver Peak," I said firmly. "That should be the end of it."


    Councilor Ravenughed bitterly. "A dimensional Guardian cannot be bound by pack loyalty. Her responsibilities transcend such small worries."


    "Small concerns?" Anger red through me. "This pack is her family!"


    "Family is a luxury she can no longer afford," Viktor said. "The Guardian¡¯s power affects all magical species. She must serve the bigger good."


    I felt Lily¡¯s attention turn toward our argument, her dimensional awareness picking up on the tension. This was exactly what she didn¡¯t need right now¡ªmore pressure, more impossible decisions.


    "You¡¯re all vultures," I said disgustedly. "Lily is dying trying to save everyone, and all you care about is controlling her."


    "We care about preventing disaster," Prince Ash corrected. "An untrained Guardian with dimensional powers could identally destroy multiple realities."


    "Then train her here," I offered. "Send your experts to Silver Peak instead of dragging her away from everything she knows."


    The supernatural representatives traded looks. I could see them calcting political gains, weighing the benefits of different arrangements.


    "Impossible," the dragon shifter stated. "Guardian training requires specialized facilities that only exist in our respective territories."


    "The vampire council has the most advanced dimensional research," Viktor added. "She would receive superior care with us."


    "Fae magic is naturallypatible with her abilities," Ash countered. "Our healers understand dimensional sickness better than anyone."


    They were talking about Lily like she was a weapon to be imed rather than a person making desperate choices for everyone¡¯s benefit. My Alpha instincts roared at their casual dismissal of her liberty.


    "What does Lily want?" I asked. "Shouldn¡¯t she get a vote in this?"


    "Guardians forfeit personal choice when they ept their power," Councilor Raven said matter-of-factly. "Their duty is to reality itself, not their own desires."


    That¡¯s when I realized the horrible truth. These otherworldly leaders didn¡¯t see Lily as a person anymore. To them, she was just a Guardian¡ªa tool to be used for dimensional stability.


    "She¡¯s still a person," I said quietly. "She still has rights."


    "Not anymore," Viktor answered bluntly. "The moment she became a multi-dimensional being, she transcended individual personality. She belongs to all supernatural groups now."


    Elena¡¯s void energy hit dangerous levels, crackling through the air like ck lightning. But the supernatural representatives seemed more interested in their political discussion than the immediate threat.


    "We¡¯re running out of time," I warned. "Elena is about to kill everyone in this room."


    "Then the Guardian muste with us immediately," the angel said. "We can protect her from this threat."


    "By abandoning everyone else?" I shot back. "That¡¯s not who Lily is."


    "It¡¯s who she must be," the monster hissed. "Personal attachments make Guardians weak."


    I felt sick listening to them. They wanted to strip away everything that made Lily herself¡ªher love for our pack, her connection to Caleb, her fierce desire to protect innocent people.


    "I won¡¯t let you do this to her," I said, my Alpha power ringing in my voice.


    "You cannot stop us," Viktor answered. "This is bigger than pack politics."


    That¡¯s when Lily spoke, her voice holding the weight of multiple dimensions.


    "Enough," she said, and every magical being fell silent. "I can hear you all arguing about my fate while Elena prepares to destroy everything."


    She turned toward us, her eyes holding starlight and shade. "You want to know what I choose? I choose to save everyone first and think about politicster."


    "Guardian," Prince Ash said quickly, "you must understand the implications¡ª"


    "I understand that you¡¯re all more interested in owning me than helping me," Lily interrupted. "But right now, I have a job to do."


    She raised her hands, dimensional energy gathering around her fingers. But before she could strike at Elena, the vampire council head made a desperate move.


    "If we cannot have you," Viktor growled, "then no one can."


    He lunged not at Lily, but at Caleb, who was still trapped in Elena¡¯s magical chains. I realized Viktor¡¯s n with horror¡ªif he killed Lily¡¯s mate, her emotional trauma might shatter her dimensional abilities totally.


    "Stop!" I shouted, throwing myself between Viktor and Caleb.


    But I was toote. Viktor¡¯s ws raked across Caleb¡¯s chest, drawing blood that glowed with strange energy.


    That¡¯s when everything went wrong.


    The blood wasn¡¯t normal. It pulsed with the same dimensional power as Lily¡¯s, causing a feedback loop through their mate bond.


    Elena screamed in victory as the mixed energies destabilized her ritual circle. Instead of channeling void energy to kill us, she was now pulling power from both Lily and Caleb simultaneously.


    "Perfect," sheughed maniacally. "Mate bond energy is exactly what I needed toplete my transformation."


    I watched in fear as Elena began to change, absorbing dimensional power through Caleb¡¯s blood. Her omega form twisted into something monstrous¡ªa creature that existed partly in our reality and partially in the void between worlds.


    "You fools," she said, her voice booming from impossible distances. "You handed me the key to bing a Void Guardian."


    Lily staggered as her link to Caleb became a drain on her power. The supernatural representatives backed away in fear as they realized what was happening.


    Elena wasn¡¯t just trying to kill us anymore.


    She was trying to rece Lily as the dimensional Guardian, but with loyalty to the Void Walkers instead of reality¡¯s protection.


    And thanks to Viktor¡¯s attack on Caleb, she might actually seed.


    "Now," Elena stated, her form shifting between dimensions, "let me show you what a proper Guardian can do."


    She raised her hands, and I felt reality itself begin to unwind around us.

 Chapter 156: The Witch’s Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 156: The Witch¡¯s Breakthrough</h4>


    <strong>SAGE POV</strong>


    The powerful st hit me hard and knocked me out.


    While I climbed up from the basement floor and wiped the blood off my nose, Elena¡¯s void energy shook the air like angry lightning. When her power hit my spell book, it caught fire. Now, the magic in the pages was turning to ash.


    "The ritual circle is breaking apart!" Aiden was still trying to get to Lily while she was floating in that scary energy from another world. I yelled at him.


    However, Aiden couldn¡¯t hear me because of the leaders from another world arguing over who should take Lily away. It was more important for Viktor the vampire, Prince Ash the ice fairy, and all those other magical jerks to im ownership than to help save everyone¡¯s lives.


    I grabbed what was left of my spell book with shaking hands. As the witch of the pack, I should know what was going on, but seeing Elena change into some kind of void monster made me feel like a child ying with toys she didn¡¯t understand.


    "Think, Sage, think," I whispered to myself, flipping through the burned pages.


    That¡¯s when I saw it. A tiny note my grandma had written in the margins of a love spell: "Emotions anchor souls to reality."


    My heart started beating faster. What if dimensional shifting wasn¡¯t about power or magic at all? What if it was about feelings?


    I looked at Lily, still stuck between worlds, her face twisted in pain as she tried to fight Elena¡¯s attack. Then I looked at Caleb, bleeding from Viktor¡¯s ws, his mate bond with Lily causing that dangerous feedback loop Elena was using.


    "Oh no," I breathed, understanding hitting me like a punch to the stomach.


    Lily wasn¡¯t just losing her connection to our realm because of her Guardian powers. She was losing it because her mental ties were being destroyed one by one. The supernatural council wanted to take her away from her pack family. Viktor striking Caleb and damaging their mate bond. Everyone treating her like a tool instead of a person.


    "Aiden!" I screamed, running toward him. "I know how to help Lily!"


    "Not now, Sage!" he growled, ducking as Elena threw void energy at his head. "Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re kind of busy?"


    "That¡¯s exactly the problem!" I grabbed his arm, causing him to look at me. "Everyone¡¯s so busy fighting about Lily that no one¡¯s actually connecting with her!"


    Aiden¡¯s eyes widened as he understood. "Emotional anchors."


    "Exactly. But here¡¯s the bad news," I said, my voice cracking. "Elena¡¯s attack isn¡¯t just draining Lily¡¯s power. It¡¯s removing her memories of why she cares about any of us."


    We both turned to look at Lily. Her dimensional form was bing more transparent, like she was fading away from our worldpletely. But worse than that, when she looked at us, I saw confusion in her eyes instead of recognition.


    She was forgetting who we were.


    "How do we fix it?" Aiden asked desperately.


    I clutched my damaged spell book tighter. "We have to rebuild her emotional ties from scratch. Make her remember why this pack, why Caleb, why all of us matter to her."


    "But how? She¡¯s stuck in that dimensional energy!"


    "Not trapped," I amended, pieces of the puzzle clicking together in my head. "Protected. That energy isn¡¯t Elena¡¯s doing - it¡¯s Lily¡¯s natural reaction against having her soul ripped apart. But if we can¡¯t reach her soon, she¡¯ll disappear into the void between worlds forever."


    Elena¡¯sughter filled the basement as her change continued. She was bing something horrible, part human and part empty space, like a person-shaped hole in reality.


    "Toote!" Elena called out mockingly. "The Guardian¡¯s mind is already emptying. Soon she¡¯ll be nothing more than raw power for me to control!"


    That¡¯s when I noticed something that made my blood freeze. Elena wasn¡¯t just stealing Lily¡¯s dimensional powers. She was taking Lily¡¯s memories too. Every happy moment, every reason Lily had for caring about others, was being sucked into Elena¡¯s rising void form.


    "We need to act now," I told Aiden. "But this spell will require something I¡¯ve never attempted before."


    "What?"


    "I have to link my magic straight to Lily¡¯s memories and rebuild them while she¡¯s still conscious. But if I mess up, Elena could drain my mind too. I could end up as empty as she¡¯s trying to make Lily."


    Aiden looked at me with respect and fear. "Are you sure about this?"


    I thought about Lily carrying me to the pack doctor when I¡¯d broken my leg as a kid. I remembered her staying up all night to help me practice magic tricks when other pack members said witches were weird. She¡¯d always seen me as important, even when I felt like the strange girl who talked to nts and made drinks.


    Now it was my turn to save her.


    "I¡¯m sure," I said, pulling items from my emergency pouch. "But I¡¯ll need you to protect me while I cast the spell. And whatever happens, don¡¯t let Elena touch me."


    I started mixing nts and crystals, my hands steady despite my fear. The spell I was making had never been tried before - abination of memory magic, emotional binding, and dimensional anchoring that would either save Lily or destroy my mindpletely.


    "Sage," Aiden said quietly. "If this goes wrong..."


    "It won¡¯t," I lied, because sometimes lying is the greatest thing you can do.


    The supernatural politicians were still arguing when I finished making the spell. Viktor noticed what I was doing and snarled, "Foolish witch! You¡¯ll kill her yourself!"


    "Better to die trying than live with giving up," I shot back.


    I put my hands on the magical circle I¡¯d drawn and felt power flow through me like electricity. The connection to Lily¡¯s mind hit me instantly - and I gasped at what I found there.


    Her memories weren¡¯t just fading. They were being rewritten.


    In Lily¡¯s changing thoughts, Caleb was bing a stranger who¡¯d never loved her. Aiden was just another power-hungry Alpha. The pack was a group of people who¡¯d used her and put her away.


    Elena wasn¡¯t just taking Lily¡¯s power. She was making Lily forget every reason she had to fight back.


    And I was the only one who could stop it - if I didn¡¯t lose my own mind in the process.


    I took a deep breath and dove into Lily¡¯s memories, feeling reality shift around me as Elena noticed what I was doing.


    "No!" Elena shrieked, turning her attention toward me. "You will not interfere!"


    But it was toote. I was already inside Lily¡¯s mind, racing against time to rebuild her memories before Elena could erase them totally.


    That¡¯s when I found Elena¡¯s most terrible secret - and realized we were all already toote.

 Chapter 157: Memory Exercises

    <h4>Chapter 157: Memory Exercises</h4>


    <strong>CALEB POV</strong>


    My mate link snapped like a broken wire.


    The pain hit me so hard I fell to my knees, holding my chest where it felt like someone had ripped out my heart. Through the magical chaos around us, I could see Lily drifting in that dimensional energy, but when she looked at me, there was nothing in her eyes. No love, no recognition, no record of us together.


    She looked at me like I was a total stranger.


    "Lily!" I shouted, reaching toward her even though Viktor¡¯s ws had left me bleeding. "It¡¯s me, Caleb! Your mate!"


    But she tilted her head like she was trying to remember a word in a foreignnguage. The Triple Moon Mark on her wrist flickered slightly, almostpletely faded.


    "I don¡¯t... who are you?" she asked, her voice sounding hollow and confused.


    My wolf howled inside me with sadness. Elena¡¯s memory spell was working. Everything we¡¯d shared together - our first kiss, our mating ceremony, the way sheughed at my bad jokes - was disappearing from her mind like words being erased from a page.


    "Sage!" I called out desperately. "How do I reach her?"


    Sage was deep in her spell trance, sweat dripping on her forehead as she fought Elena¡¯s magic inside Lily¡¯s memories. "Start simple!" she gasped out. "Basic events first! Don¡¯t try to force the big feelings!"


    I climbed to my feet, ignoring the blood running down my shirt from Viktor¡¯s attack. Around us, the supernatural politicians were still arguing about who got to im Lily, totally ignoring that she was dying right in front of them.


    "Lily," I said softly, moving closer to her dimensional bubble. "Do you remember books? You always loved reading."


    She blinked slowly. "Books?"


    "Yes. We used to read together in the pack library. You¡¯d curl up in the big chair by the window, and I¡¯d sit on the floor next to you."


    A tiny spark flickered in her eyes. "Library... with books..."


    My heart jumped with hope. The basic memory was still there, hidden under Elena¡¯s spell. I pressed on.


    "You loved the fairy tale about the princess who saved herself," I continued. "You said it reminded you that omega wolves could be heroes too."


    "Omega?" Lily¡¯s expression got more confused. "What¡¯s an omega?"


    The pain in my chest got worse. She was forgetting not just our rtionship, but who she waspletely. Elena¡¯s spell was removing everything that made Lily herself.


    "An omega is someone special," I said carefully, remembering Sage¡¯s advice to keep things simple. "Someone who takes care of others. Someone who sees things other people miss."


    Elena¡¯sughter echoed through the basement. "Give up, little genius! Soon she won¡¯t even remember her own name!"


    But I ignored Elena¡¯s taunts. In the pack library, I¡¯d studied every book about memory magic we had. I knew that emotions made stronger memory pathways than facts. If I could make Lily feel something - anything - it might help rebuild the links Elena was destroying.


    "Lily," I said, moving even closer to her energy bubble. "Touch my hand."


    "Why?" she asked suspiciously.


    "Because I want to show you something important."


    Slowly, carefully, she reached through the dimensional energy. When her fingers touched mine, I felt a tiny spark of our mate link trying to reconnect. It was weak, like a candle glow in a storm, but it was still there.


    "Feel that?" I whispered. "That warmth between us?"


    She nodded, looking shocked. "It¡¯s nice."


    "That¡¯s because we fit together. Not because anyone told us to, but because we picked each other."


    For a moment, something deeper flickered in her eyes. But then Elena¡¯s power surged, and Lily jerked her hand back with a cry of pain.


    "Stop fighting it!" Elena ordered, her void form growingrger. "Embrace the silence! Forget these weaklings who only want to use you!"


    I watched in fear as more memories drained from Lily¡¯s face. The small name I¡¯d built was fading again.


    That¡¯s when I realized something terrible. Elena wasn¡¯t just taking random memories. She was specifically targeting every moment that made Lily feel loved and valued. Every time someone had chosen her, backed her, or seen her worth - those memories were being ripped away first.


    "You won¡¯t just make her forget us," I said, knowing Elena¡¯s real n. "You¡¯re making her forget she¡¯s worth loving at all."


    Elena¡¯s smile was pure evil. "A Guardian with no emotional ties is much easier to control. She¡¯ll be my perfect weapon." Rage filled me like fire. Elena wasn¡¯t just taking away Lily¡¯s memories - she was ruining Lily¡¯s entire sense of self-worth. She was turning my brave, caring mate into an empty shell.


    "Sage!" I yelled. "Elena¡¯s not just wiping memories! She¡¯s attacking Lily¡¯s self-esteem!"


    "I know!" Sage called back, her voice strained. "But there¡¯s something else! Something worse!"


    "What?"


    "Elena¡¯s not doing this randomly. She¡¯s following a n I¡¯ve seen before!"


    I felt cold fear creeping up my spine. "What kind of pattern?"


    Sage¡¯s eyes suddenly went wide with terror as she looked deeper into Lily¡¯s memories. "Oh no. Oh no, no, no."


    "What is it?" I asked.


    "Elena¡¯s not trying to control Lily," Sage whispered, her face going pale. "She¡¯s trying to be her. The memory spell isn¡¯t just stealing Lily¡¯s past - it¡¯s copying it into Elena¡¯s own mind!"


    My blood turned to ice as I understood. Elena wasn¡¯t just making a weapon out of Lily. She was nning to steal Lily¡¯s full identity, leaving Elena with all of Lily¡¯s Guardian powers and memories while Lily became nothing but an empty shell.


    "But that¡¯s not the worst part," Sage continued, her voice shaking. "For the spell to workpletely, Elena needs one finalponent."


    "What?" I asked, though I was afraid to hear the answer.


    Sage looked at me with eyes full of fear. "She needs Lily to freely give up her memories. The spell can steal most of them, but the deepest ones - the ones that make Lily who she really is - those have to be given freely."


    I turned to look at Lily, floating in her dimensional energy, getting more empty and confused by the minute.


    "And if she¡¯s forgotten everyone who loves her," I whispered in horror, "if she can¡¯t remember any reason to keep fighting..."


    "Then she¡¯ll give Elena everything willingly," Sage finished. "Just to make the pain stop."


    At that moment, Elena¡¯s form hardened into something that looked almost exactly like Lily, but with cold, empty eyes.


    "Tell me, dear Guardian," Elena said in a voice that was bing more like Lily¡¯s with every word. "Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just let go of all that confusing pain?"


    And to my absolute terror, Lily slowly nodded her head.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 158: Unexpected Reactions

    <h4>Chapter 158: Unexpected Reactions</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    My body started shaking for no reason.


    I was floating in the strange energy that protected me from Elena¡¯s strikes, feeling empty and confused about everything around me. My mind felt like a puzzle with most of the pieces missing. I couldn¡¯t remember who these people were or why they kept calling my name with such worried voices.


    But when the dark-haired man stepped closer to me, something weird happened.


    My heart started beating faster, even though I didn¡¯t know why. My skin felt warm where he looked at me. Most strange of all, my hands wanted to reach for him, like they remembered something my brain had forgotten.


    "Stay back," I told him, scared of these feelings I couldn¡¯t understand. "I don¡¯t know you."


    "Yes, you do," he said softly. His voice made something deep in my chest flutter. "Your body remembers me, even if your mind doesn¡¯t."


    I shook my head, but even as I did, my wolf stirred inside me. She was restless, whining like a puppy removed from her pack. That was weird too, because I barely remembered having a wolf at all.


    "Lily," the man said, and when he spoke my name, my whole body reacted. Goosebumps ran down my arms. My breathing got deeper. It was like my body was having a chat I wasn¡¯t part of.


    "How do you know my name?" I asked, wrapping my arms around myself. The empty feeling in my mind was getting worse, but these physical responses were getting stronger.


    "Because I¡¯m Caleb," he said. "And you¡¯re my mate."


    The word ¡¯mate¡¯ hit me like lightning. My Triple Moon Mark, which had been barely burning, suddenly red bright silver. Pain shot through my wrist, but it wasn¡¯t bad pain. It was like a muscle learning how to work after being asleep.


    "That hurt," I said, looking at the mark.


    "But good hurt or bad hurt?" Caleb asked hopefully.


    I thought about it. "Good hurt. Like stretching after sitting still too long."


    Around us, the confusion continued. Elena was getting more powerful, the supernatural politicians were still arguing, and that girl with the spell book was sweating as she fought some kind of magical battle. But all I could focus on was how my body kept responding to Caleb without permission from my brain.


    "Why does my wolf like you?" I asked him. "I can¡¯t remember you, but she keeps trying to get closer."


    Caleb¡¯s eyes filled with tears. "Because dogs mate for life. Even when magic steals memories, the soul remembers."


    "That¡¯s impossible," I said, but my voice sounded unsure. My wolf was nearly purring inside me now, responding to something in Caleb¡¯s scent.


    "Touch my hand again," Caleb pushed. "Just for a second."


    I paused. The first time we¡¯d touched, I¡¯d felt that weird warmth. But Elena¡¯s voice was in my head, telling me these people wanted to hurt me, that I should trust no one.


    "I won¡¯t force you," Caleb said. "But your body knows the truth, even when your mind is confused."


    Slowly, I reached through the dimensional energy again. The moment our fingers touched, my whole world exploded with feeling.


    My mark zed with silver fire. My wolf howled with joy inside me. And weirdest of all, my body seemed to melt toward his, like metal drawn to a ma.


    "What is this?" I gasped, jerking my hand back.


    "Mate bond," Caleb stated. "It links us on every level - mind, body, and soul. Elena can steal your memories, but she can¡¯t break what¡¯s written in your very cells."


    I stared at him in shock. My body was still humming from that short touch, like I¡¯d grabbed a live wire. But more than that, I felt... safe. For the first time since waking up in this nightmare, I felt like someone was on my side.


    "Elena!" I called out. "Is this true? Can mate ties survive memory magic?"


    Elena¡¯s face twisted with anger. "Don¡¯t listen to him! He¡¯s trying to trick you!"


    But something in Elena¡¯s tone made my wolf suspicious. She was lying. I could feel it in my bones.


    "If he¡¯s lying," I said to Elena, "then touching him shouldn¡¯t affect me at all, right?"


    Elena¡¯s eyes went wide. "Don¡¯t you dare¡ª"


    I reached for Caleb¡¯s hand again, this time on purpose. The moment we connected, power flooded through me. Not the empty, cold power Elena had been showing me, but warm energy that felt likeing home.


    My Triple Moon Mark red so bright it lit up the whole basement. But more importantly, fragments of memory starteding back. Not full memories, but feelings. The protection I felt in Caleb¡¯s arms. The way he made meugh. The fierce protectiveness that filled me when anyone threatened him.


    "No!" Elena shrieked. "You¡¯re ruining everything!"


    That¡¯s when I realized something that made my blood run cold. Elena¡¯s fear wasn¡¯t just about losing control of me. There was something else.


    "You¡¯re afraid," I said, staring at Elena. "You¡¯re not just stealing my thoughts. You¡¯re afraid of something."


    Elena¡¯s form flickered, like a TV with bad service. "I fear nothing!"


    But my newly awakened senses told me otherwise. Elena was afraid of something, and whatever it was had to do with the mate bond she couldn¡¯t break.


    "Caleb," I said quickly. "There¡¯s something Elena doesn¡¯t want me to remember. Something about us."


    "What do you mean?"


    I closed my eyes, trying to feel my way through the empty ces in my mind. "She stole memories of our love, our time together, even my own identity. But she left the mate link alone. Why?"


    Caleb¡¯s face went pale as he understood. "Because she can¡¯t steal it. The mate bond isn¡¯t just a memory - it¡¯s a permanent change to our hearts."


    "Exactly," I said, pieces clicking together. "Which means..."


    "Which means the bond has information she can¡¯t erase," Caleb ended. "Information about who you really are."


    Elena¡¯s shriek of rage proved we were right. But as she lunged toward us with void energy sparking around her, I felt the mate bond pulse with knowledge I didn¡¯t consciously understand.


    Hidden in the connection between Caleb and me was something Elena badly needed to destroy. Something that would ruin all her ns if I figured it out.


    "The bond is trying to tell me something," I whispered anxiously. "Something about my Guardian powers."


    Elena hit the dimensional barrier around me with everything she had, trying to break through before I could ess whatever the mate bond was protecting.


    But as her strike struck, the bond pulsed one more time, and suddenly I knew.


    The terrible secret Elena was hiding. The real reason she wanted my memories gone.


    I wasn¡¯t just any Guardian.


    I was the Guardian she used to be, before she fell to the void. And the mate link held the key to undoing everything she¡¯d be.


    "Elena," I said, my voice carrying new power. "I remember now. I remember what you did to yourself. And I know how to fix it."


    Elena froze, her face going white with fear. "That¡¯s impossible. Those memories are gone forever."


    I smiled, feeling power flow through me from the mate bond¡¯s protected knowledge. "Not gone. Just hidden where you couldn¡¯t find them."


    But as I prepared to use this new understanding, Elena made one final, frantic move that changed everything.


    "If I can¡¯t have your memories," she snarled, "then I¡¯ll take his instead!"


    She spun toward Caleb, void energy sparking around her hands, and I realized with horror what she nned to do.


    She was going to steal all of Caleb¡¯s memories of me, breaking the mate bond from his side and destroying the one link that could save us all.

 Chapter 159: The Vampire’s Insight

    <h4>Chapter 159: The Vampire¡¯s Insight</h4>


    <strong>DMITRI POV</strong>


    I mmed Viktor against the basement wall before he could attack the young witch.


    "Enough!" I roared, my teeth fully extended. "Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s really happening here?"


    Viktor snarled at me, his eyes glowing red with anger. "Stand aside, Dmitri! The Council¡¯s orders are clear!"


    "The Council is wrong," I said, holding him pinned against the concrete. Around us, the other supernatural officials continued their pointless arguing while Elena prepared to steal the schr¡¯s memories. After eight hundred years of existence, I¡¯d learned to spot the truly important times - and this was one of them.


    "You¡¯re betraying your own kind!" Viktor spat.


    "I¡¯m saving us all," I amended. "Because unlike you, I understand what we¡¯re actually witnessing."


    I¡¯d seen memory magic before. Plenty of times. Vampires had been using it for ages to make humans forget our existence. But what Elena was doing wasn¡¯t normal memory magic. It was something far older and much more dangerous.


    "That¡¯s not a memory spell," I said, looking at Elena¡¯s growing void form. "That¡¯s soul theft."


    Viktor stopped trying. "What?"


    "Elena isn¡¯t just stealing the Guardian¡¯s memories," I exined quickly. "She¡¯s trying to steal her entire life. Her soul patterns, her life force, everything that makes her who she is."


    The witch - Sage - looked up from her magic casting with relief in her eyes. "Finally! Someone who understands!"


    But I wasn¡¯t done with my discovery. Eight centuries of watching supernatural politics had taught me to spot patterns others missed. And the pattern here was frightening.


    "Viktor," I said quickly, "how long has Elena been nning this attack?"


    "What does that matter?" he snapped.


    "Because I¡¯ve been alive long enough to know that dimensional magic doesn¡¯t just appear overnight. Elena¡¯s been nning for this for years, maybe decades."


    I let Viktor go and stepped toward the magical confusion in the center of the room. Lily was floating in dimensional energy, her body remembering connections her mind had lost. Caleb was desperately trying to reach her through their mate bond. And Elena was about to destroy it all.


    But something bothered me. Something I¡¯d noticed the moment I arrived.


    "Prince Ash," I called to the Winter Fae. "When did your court first detect dimensional disturbances in this area?"


    The ice prince looked angry. "What relevance does that have?"


    "Answer me!"


    "Fine. Approximately three years ago. Small tears in reality that we assumed were natural events."


    "Councilor Raven," I turned to the witch representative. "When did your Circle first sense void magic in this region?"


    The witch looked serious. "About the same time. We thought it was just residual energy from old fights."


    My zombie heart would have been racing if it still beat. "And you, dragon shifter - when did your n start feeling disturbances in the dimensional barriers?"


    "Three years past," the massive shifter growled. "But we assumed it was pack magic gone wrong."


    "Don¡¯t you see?" I said to all of them. "Elena didn¡¯t just decide to be a void monster yesterday. She¡¯s been nning this for three years. Which means..."


    "Which means what?" Viktor demanded.


    I looked at Lily, still trying to remember who she was, and felt a chill that had nothing to do with my vampire nature.


    "It means Elena knew Lily would be a Guardian three years before it happened. She¡¯s been nning to steal these specific powers from this specific person all along."


    Sage gasped. "But that¡¯s impossible! Guardian powers can¡¯t be predicted!"


    "Unless," I said slowly, pieces fitting together in my ancient mind, "Elena used to be a Guardian herself."


    The quiet that followed was deafening. Even Elena¡¯s attack stopped as my words sank in.


    "That¡¯s ridiculous," Viktor said, but his voicecked force.


    "Is it?" I challenged. "Think about it. Elena knows exactly how Guardian skills work. She knows which memories to steal first to cause maximum pain. She even knows how to use void energy without it eating herpletely."


    I stepped closer to Elena¡¯s changed figure. "You were Lily¡¯s boss, weren¡¯t you? The Guardian who came before her. And when your time ended, you couldn¡¯t bear to give up the power."


    Elena¡¯sugh was bitter and cold. "Clever vampire. But you¡¯re still toote."


    "Maybe," I admitted. "But here¡¯s what you didn¡¯t count on - soul memory."


    "What¡¯s soul memory?" Caleb asked desperately.


    I smiled grimly. "Something I learned about during my first century of life. You can steal memories, erase events, even break magical bonds. But you cannot destroy the patterns written into someone¡¯s very soul."


    I pointed toward Lily and Caleb¡¯s joined hands. "That mate bond isn¡¯t just magical energy. It¡¯s a soul pattern that recreates itself even when broken. And soul patterns carry information."


    "What kind of information?" Sage asked hopefully.


    "Everything," I said. "Every decision that soul has made, every connection it¡¯s formed, every truth it¡¯s discovered. Elena can steal Lily¡¯s memories, but she can¡¯t steal the soul patterns that made those memories in the first ce."


    Elena¡¯s form flickered with fear. "Impossible!"


    "Not impossible," I corrected. "Just very, very difficult to find. It takes specific conditions to unlock soul memory. Usually extreme emotional stressbined with a strong supernatural connection."


    I looked meaningfully at the mate bond glowing between Lily and Caleb.


    "Which is exactly what we have here."


    That¡¯s when Elena made her frantic move, spinning toward Caleb with void energy crackling around her hands. But I was ready for her.


    "Not so fast," I said, appearing between them in a sh of vampire speed. "If you want to break that mate bond, you¡¯ll have to go through me first."


    Elena¡¯s attack hit me full force, void energy tearing through my old vampire constitution like acid. Pain burst through every nerve I possessed, but I held my ground.


    "Lily!" I shouted through the pain. "ess the soul memory now! While the mate bond is under attack!"


    "I don¡¯t know how!" she cried back.


    "Feel for the patterns!" I gasped as Elena¡¯s power continued burning through me. "The deepest truth about who you are! It¡¯s there!"


    Lily closed her eyes, her face scrunched in focus. The Triple Moon Mark on her wrist started glowing brighter than ever before.


    But as she reached for her soul memory, something unexpected happened. The patterns she found weren¡¯t just about her present life as Lily Carter.


    They were about all her past lives as Guardian.


    Including the life where she¡¯d been Elena¡¯s best friend.


    "Oh no," Lily whispered, her eyes flying open. "Elena... I remember now. I remember everything."


    Elena¡¯s attack on me weakened as she heard those words. "That¡¯s impossible. Those memories are from lifetimes ago!"


    "Soul memory transcends individual lifetimes," I said weakly, Elena¡¯s void energy still eating away at my power. "And now Lily knows the truth about what you really are."


    Lily stood up straighter, power flowing around her like silver fire. "You¡¯re not just a fallen Guardian, Elena. You¡¯re my sister. We¡¯ve been reincarnated together for ages, taking turns as Guardian and protector."


    Elena¡¯s face crumpled with pain. "And every time, you left me behind when your Guardian term ended! Every time, I lost you!"


    "So this time," Lily said with growing understanding, "you decided to steal my power so we¡¯d never have to be separated again."


    "I just wanted us to be together!" Elena cried. "I¡¯m so tired of losing you over and over!"


    But as Elena¡¯s emotional breakdown continued, I felt something frightening in her void energy. The sister bond between her and Lily wasn¡¯t just about love.


    It was about a heavenly bnce that had been broken.


    "Lily," I said urgently, "if Elena seeds in stealing your Guardian powers..."


    "What?" Lily asked.


    I met her eyes with eight centuries of supernatural knowledge behind my look. "Then both of you will be stuck in the void forever. The universe doesn¡¯t allow two Guardians to live simultaneously. If she takes your power while you¡¯re still living, reality itself will tear apart."


    Elena froze as she realized what I¡¯d said. "That can¡¯t be true."


    "It is," I confirmed sadly. "Which means this isn¡¯t just about saving Lily anymore. If we can¡¯t stop Elena¡¯s soul theft in the next few minutes, every dimension will fall into nothingness."


    The basement fell silent except for Elena¡¯s rapid breathing.


    "How long do we have?" Sage whispered.


    I looked at the growing cracks in reality around us, where Elena¡¯s void energy was starting to tear holes in the fabric of existence itself.


    "Minutes," I said. "Maybe less."


    That¡¯s when the dimensional barriers around us began to shatter totally, and something even worse than Elena stepped through the cracks.


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 Chapter 160: Fae Magic Tests

    <h4>Chapter 160: Fae Magic Tests</h4>


    <strong>PRINCE ASH POV</strong>


    Ice exploded from my hands as something huge crashed through the dimensional barrier.


    "Everyone get back!" I shouted, putting up a wall of frozen air between us and whatever horror had just entered our world. But my Winter Fae magic felt weak against this new threat - like trying to freeze fire itself.


    Through the ice crystals, I could see something that made my eternal blood run cold. It wasn¡¯t Elena, and it wasn¡¯t any creature I recognized from ages of supernatural knowledge. It was like looking at a hole in reality shaped like a person, but wrong in every possible way.


    "What is that thing?" Viktor gasped, stumbling backward.


    "A Void Walker," Dmitri said sadly. "The beings Elena has been working for all along."


    My ice wall cracked under the creature¡¯s presence, not from any attack, but just from being near something so fundamentally wrong. As a Winter Fae prince, I¡¯d been told that our magic could freeze anything. But you can¡¯t freeze something that doesn¡¯t really exist.


    "We need to know exactly what we¡¯re fighting!" I called out to the others. "Lily, I need to test your true nature before this gets worse!"


    "Now?" Sage yelled back. "In the middle of this chaos?"


    "Especially now!" I answered, pulling out a crystal shard that had been in my family for a thousand years. "Fae magic can show the truth about any being¡¯s essence. If we¡¯re going to save reality, we need to understand what Lily really is!"


    Lily looked at me with confusion still clouding her eyes. "I don¡¯t understand. I¡¯m just an omega monster."


    "No," I said strongly, raising the Truth Crystal. "You¡¯re something much more. And we need to know what before that Void Walker kills us all."


    The crystal started glowing with silver light as I channeled my Fae power through it. This was ancient magic, older than the vampire council, older than the dragon ns. It would show us Lily¡¯s true character without any lies or confusion.


    But when the light hit Lily, something impossible happened.


    The crystal broke.


    "That¡¯s not possible," I whispered, looking at the broken pieces. "Truth Crystals don¡¯t break. They can¡¯t break."


    "What does it mean?" Caleb asked quickly.


    I picked up the biggest shard, my hands shaking. In all my ages as a Winter Fae prince, I¡¯d never seen this happen. "It means Lily¡¯s true nature is tooplex for the crystal to understand. She¡¯s not just one type of being."


    "Try again," Dmitri suggested, while keeping one eye on the approaching Void Walker. "Use a different spell."


    I nodded and pulled out my backup - a mirror made from Winter Fae ice that could show any creature¡¯s real form. I held it up toward Lily, saying the ancient words my mother had taught me.


    The mirror cracked down the middle.


    Then it showed three different reflections at once.


    "Impossible," I breathed.


    In the left side of the broken mirror, I saw Lily as an omega werewolf - small, gentle, with kind eyes. In the right side, I saw her as a human girl, no supernatural skills at all. But in the crack between the two sides, I saw something that made my Fae magic flinch in shock.


    I saw Lily as something that had never existed before.


    "What do you see?" Elena demanded, her void form flickering with attention.


    "She¡¯s all three," I said slowly. "Omega, human, and something totally new. Something that bridges different types of life."


    "That¡¯s why the Guardian powers chose her," Sage said with sudden understanding. "She¡¯s not just protecting our dimension - she¡¯s connecting multiple realities!"


    But as I studied the mirror more closely, I noticed something that made my stomach drop. The third mirror - the new thing Lily was bing - looked exactly like the Void Walker approaching us.


    "Oh no," I whispered.


    "What now?" Viktor snapped.


    "Lily isn¡¯t just bing a new type of Guardian," I said, fear creeping into my voice. "She¡¯s bing the same type of being as the Void Walkers. The same species."


    Elena¡¯sughter echoed through the basement. "Finally! Someone understands! Lily isn¡¯t evolving into something better - she¡¯s evolving into something like them!"


    I looked at theing Void Walker with new understanding. It wasn¡¯t here to destroy us. It was here to receive Lily because she was bing one of them.


    "That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been stealing her memories," I said to Elena. "You¡¯re not trying to control her. You¡¯re trying to avoid her transformation!"


    "Wrong!" Elena snarled. "I¡¯m trying to steal her power before shepletes the change and bes their queen!"


    My ice magic flickered as this truth hit me. Everything we¡¯d assumed was wrong. Elena wasn¡¯t the real threat. Lily¡¯s natural development was.


    "Lily," I said slowly, "how do you feel when you look at that Void Walker?"


    She turned toward the creature, and her expression changed totally. The confusion left her eyes, reced by something old and knowing.


    "Familiar," she said softly. "Likeing home."


    Caleb stepped protectively in front of her. "That¡¯s the memory magic talking!"


    "No," Lily said, her voice carrying new power. "It¡¯s not. Ash is right. I can feel it happening. The change. I¡¯m bing something that exists between worlds."


    "But that¡¯s good, right?" Sage asked hopefully. "If you be like them, you can control them!"


    I shook my head grimly. "Void Walkers don¡¯t have feelings like love or loyalty. They exist only to keep bnce between realities. If Lilypletes her change..."


    "I¡¯ll lose everything that makes me human," Lily finished, understanding filling her face. "I¡¯ll lose the ability to care about any of you."


    The Void Walker stopped moving toward us and spoke in a voice like wind through empty spaces: "The change is nearlyplete. Come, young queen. Take your ce among us."


    "No!" Caleb shouted, grabbing Lily¡¯s hand. "Fight it! Remember who you are!"


    But I could see the change happening in real time. Lily¡¯s form was bing more ghostly, more like the Void Walker. Her eyes were losing their kindness, bing cold and calcting.


    "The omega nature fights the transformation," I noticed, studying her with my Fae sight. "But the human part is already gone. And the new part is getting stronger."


    "How long does she have?" Dmitri asked.


    I consulted the broken mirror, reading the magical designs reflected in its shards. What I saw made me feel sick.


    "Minutes," I said quietly. "Maybe less."


    "Then we need to act now," Sage said determinedly.


    But as she stepped forward to cast another spell, the Void Walker raised its hand, and suddenly Elena¡¯s form started changing too.


    "What¡¯s happening to Elena?" Viktor demanded.


    I looked closer with my Fae sight and gasped. "She¡¯s not trying to steal Lily¡¯s power to be a Guardian. She¡¯s trying to steal it to avoid her own transformation!"


    "Elena¡¯s bing a Void Walker too?" Caleb asked in fear.


    "We all are," Elena said, her voice bing more like the wind. "Everyone in this room. The physical energy we¡¯ve been exposed to is changing us all."


    I looked around at the supernatural officials and felt my blood freeze colder than my Winter Fae magic ever could.


    Elena was right. We were all beginning to shimmer at the edges, bing transparent like the creatures from the void.


    "How long do we have?" I whispered.


    The Void Walker smiled with empty eyes. "The change isplete when the moon sets. You have until dawn to say goodbye to your human feelings."


    I looked at the others and saw the same fear in their faces that I felt in my heart.


    We had maybe six hours before we all became emotionless beings existing between worlds.


    But as I was considering our chances of escape, I noticed something that changed everything.


    The Triple Moon Mark on Lily¡¯s wrist wasn¡¯t disappearing as she transformed.


    It was getting brighter.


    "Lily," I said quickly. "Your mark - it¡¯s not disappearing like it should be!"


    She looked down at her wrist in surprise. "What does that mean?"


    "It means," I said with growing excitement, "that somewhere in your transformation, you¡¯re keeping a link to your omega nature. The mark represents your ties to the pack, to Caleb, to being human."


    "So?"


    "So maybe you don¡¯t have to choose between bing a Void Walker and staying human," I said quickly. "Maybe you can be something entirely new - a Void Walker with human emotions!"


    The original Void Walker¡¯s expression turned to something that might have been fear.


    "That is forbidden," it said. "No being can exist in both states simultaneously."


    But as it spoke, I realized the thing was lying.


    It wasn¡¯t forbidden - it was just never been tried before.


    And if Lily could pull it off, she wouldn¡¯t just save herself.


    She could save all of us by bing the first emotional Void Walker in existence.


    But as I opened my mouth to exin this to the others, the basement filled with dozens more Void Walkers, all of them looking straight at Lily with expressions of pure hunger.


    "Toote," Elena whispered. "They¡¯vee to collect their new queen."

 Chapter 161: Luna’s Support

    <h4>Chapter 161: Luna¡¯s Support</h4>


    <strong>LUNA POV</strong>


    I threw myself between Lily and the lead Void Walker without thought.


    "Get away from her!" I snarled, my beta wolf rising to the surface. The creature¡¯s empty eyes fixed on me, and for a moment I felt like I was looking into an endless ck hole. Terror tried to freeze my muscles, but I refused to back down.


    This was not how I¡¯d nned to spend my evening. An hour ago, I¡¯d been plotting ways to get rid of Lily so I could take my rightful ce as the next Luna. Now I was actually putting my life on the line to protect the girl I¡¯d hated for so long.


    "Luna, what are you doing?" Lily gasped behind me.


    "Something I should have done months ago," I answered, not taking my eyes off the Void Walker. "Standing up for what¡¯s right instead of what I want."


    The thing tilted its head like it was studying an interesting bug. "You would sacrifice yourself for the one who took your destined ce?"


    "My destined ce?" Iughed, but there was no fun in it. "I¡¯ve been such an idiot. There was never a set ce for me with the triplets. I just told myself there was because I was too scared to figure out who I really was."


    Around us, more Void Walkers flickered into life. The basement was filling up with animals that looked like holes cut out of reality itself. But something strange was happening - they weren¡¯t attacking. They were just... waiting.


    "Luna," Aiden said slowly, "what¡¯s your n here?"


    "Honestly? I have no idea," I admitted. "But I¡¯m tired of being the mean girl who makes everyone else¡¯s life harder just because I¡¯m unhappy with my own."


    The lead Void Walker spoke again, its voice like wind through a graveyard. "Your feelings are irrelevant. The change cannot be stopped."


    "Maybe not," I said, taking a step closer to the thing. "But it can be changed."


    That got everyone¡¯s attention. Even Elena stopped her dimensional shing to stare at me.


    "What do you mean?" Sage asked.


    I took a deep breath, finally understanding something that had been bugging me since this whole mess started. "Everyone keeps talking about Lily bing a Void Walker like it¡¯s the end of the world. But what if it¡¯s not? What if it¡¯s exactly what¡¯s going to happen?"


    "Luna," Caleb said urgently, "they don¡¯t have feelings. If Lily bes like them¡ª"


    "She¡¯ll lose everything that makes her human," I ended. "Yeah, I heard. But what if she doesn¡¯t have to?"


    I turned to face Lily, who was still stuck between her dimensional energy and the growing void transformation. "Lily, when you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?"


    "What?" She looked confused by the odd question. "I... I wanted to help people. Take care of them."


    "Exactly. You never wanted power or fame or recognition. You just wanted to make other people¡¯s lives better."


    "How is this relevant?" Viktor snapped.


    "Because," I said, feeling pieces click together in my mind, "Void Walkers exist to keep bnce between realities, right? They¡¯re supposed to be neutral, emotionless guards of dimensional stability."


    "Yes," the lead thing confirmed.


    "But what if the dimensions don¡¯t need emotionless guards anymore? What if they need someone who actually cares about the people living in those realities?"


    A strange silence fell over the basement. Even the Void Walkers seemed to be considering my words.


    "That¡¯s impossible," Elena said, but her voice held uncertainty. "Emotions make people unstable. They cause chaos."


    "Do they?" I challenged. "Or do they cause growth and change and improvement?"


    I looked at each person in the room. "Aiden became a better leader when he started caring more about individual pack members than just following custom. Brock became a better protector when he learned to see power in gentleness. Caleb became a better nner when he started fighting for love instead of just duty."


    "Your point?" the Void Walker asked, though it sounded less certain than before.


    "My point is that Lily with feelings could be a better Guardian than any emotionless Void Walker has ever been. She could protect realities not because it¡¯s her job, but because she truly cares about the people living in them."


    Prince Ash stepped forward, his ice magic sparking with excitement. "Luna¡¯s right. The Triple Moon Mark isn¡¯t disappearing because Lily¡¯s transformation is unfinished. It¡¯s staying because her omega bonds are meant to be part of her development!"


    "A Void Walker with pack loyalty," Dmitri thought. "A dimensional guardian who fights for love instead of duty."


    "It¡¯s never been attempted," the lead Void Walker said, and for the first time, it sounded almost... curious.


    "Because it¡¯s dangerous," Elena warned. "Emotions in a being with that much power¡ª"


    "Could save us all," I interrupted. "Or did you forget that Lily¡¯s feelings are what got her into this mess in the first ce? She became a Guardian because she loved this pack enough to sacrifice herself for it."


    I turned back to Lily, who was looking at me with something like amazement.


    "What?" I asked.


    "You¡¯re defending me," she said softly. "After everything..."


    "Yeah, well," I shrugged, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Turns out jealousy makes you really stupid. I spent so much time hating you for having what I thought I wanted that I never noticed you were the only person who was actually trying to help me."


    "I was?"


    "Remember when I fell off my horse during training? Who stayed with me until the pack doctor arrived?"


    "That was just¡ª"


    "And when my father was sickst winter, who brought soup to our cabin every day without being asked?"


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened as she remembered.


    "And when I was crying in the forest after Aiden started showing interest in other girls, who found me and listened to me rant for two hours without judging me?"


    "You needed a friend," Lily said inly.


    "Exactly. You were being a friend to someone who was being terrible to you. That¡¯s not omega weakness - that¡¯s the kind of strength the dimensions actually need."


    The Void Walkers began moving closer, but not in an attacking way. They seemed to be studying Lily with new interest.


    "The young beta speaks wisdom," the lead creature said slowly. "Perhaps evolution requires not the removal of emotion, but its integration."


    "You¡¯re actually considering this?" Elena asked in shock.


    "We are," another Void Walker responded. "The bnce has been... imperfect. Perhaps it is time for a new method."


    But just as hope started building in my chest, Elena¡¯s expression changed to something desperate and dangerous.


    "No!" she screamed. "If I can¡¯t have the power, then nobody can!"


    Sheunched herself not at Lily, but at me, her void energy crackling with deadly purpose.


    "Luna!" Lily shouted.


    I tried to dodge, but Elena¡¯s attack was too fast. The void energy hit me square in the chest, and instantly I felt something horrible happening.


    My memories started disappearing.


    Not just recent events, but everything. My youth, my family, my own name - all of it draining away like water through a broken cup.


    "Stop!" Lily cried, dimensional energy exploding around her.


    But as she tried to help me, something unexpected happened. The void energy that Elena had used to attack me started flowing into Lily instead, and with it came all the memories Elena had stolen from everyone.


    Including memories that weren¡¯t from this world.


    "Oh," Lily gasped, her eyes going wide with recognition. "Oh no. Luna, you¡¯re not just a beta wolf."


    "What?" I managed to whisper as my sense of self continued disappearing.


    "You¡¯re my sister," Lily said, terror and understanding flooding her face. "Not Elena. You. We¡¯ve been reincarnated together lifetime after lifetime, and Elena has been taking you away from me every single time."


    Thest thing I saw before my memories disappeared totally was Elena¡¯s face twisting with rage and something that might have been jealousy.


    "If I can¡¯t have either of you," Elena snarled, "then I¡¯ll make sure you never find each other again."


    And as darkness took my mind, I heard Lily scream my name with a pain that echoed across dimensions.


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 Chapter 162: The First Emotion

    <h4>Chapter 162: The First Emotion</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    The scream that tore from my throat as Luna¡¯s memories vanished wasn¡¯t human.


    It came from somewhere deeper than my breath, deeper than my heart. It was the sound of a soul being ripped in half. The basement walls shook with the force of it, cracks spreading across the concrete like spider webs.


    "Luna!" I lunged toward her crumpled form, but the Void Walkers stepped between us, their empty eyes watching me with new interest.


    "Fascinating," the lead thing said. "Your emotional response is... unexpected."


    I wanted to tear them apart. I wanted to destroy Elena for what she¡¯d done. I wanted to bring Luna back from wherever her mind had gone. But as I reached for the dimensional energy that had been getting stronger inside me, something strange happened.


    Nothing came.


    The power that had been growing for weeks, the energy that made Elena so afraid of me, just... stopped. Like someone had turned off a switch in my chest.


    "What did you do?" I demanded, spinning to face Elena.


    She wiped blood from her mouth, her void energy sparking around her fingers. "I took what was mine," she growled. "All those stolen memories, all that power Luna was meant to have. It flows through me now."


    "You¡¯re lying." But even as I said it, I could feel the emptiness where my dimensional powers used to be. The steady humming under my skin was gone. The sense of being connected to various realities had vanished.


    "Am I?" Elena¡¯sugh was sharp and cruel. "Try to link, little omega. Try to move between dimensions. You¡¯ll find that particr gift has been... redirected."


    I reached desperately for the power, stretching my awareness toward the space between worlds. Nothing. It was like trying to grab water with my bare hands.


    "The transformation is reversing," one of the Void Walkers noted. "Without dimensional energy to fuel it, she returns to her original state."


    "No!" Caleb stepped forward, his face twisted with worry. "There has to be another way."


    "There is," Elena said pleasantly. "Give me what I want, and I¡¯ll return Luna¡¯s memories. Refuse, and she stays an empty shell forever."


    I looked down at Luna¡¯s still form. Her chest rose and fell steady, but her eyes stared at nothing. When I touched her hand, there was no recognition, no reaction. She was breathing, but the person who had argued with me, protected me, and finally called me sister was gone.


    "What do you want?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.


    "The Triple Moon Mark," Elena said instantly. "Transfer it to me, and everyone gets what they need. I be the Guardian, Luna gets her memories back, and you return to being a basic omega who can live quietly with her mate."


    "You can¡¯t transfer a mate mark," Aiden argued. "It¡¯s impossible."


    "Not impossible," Viktor corrected quietly. "Forbidden. And dangerous. The process would require..." He stopped, his face going pale.


    "What?" Brock asked. "It would require what?"


    "A willing sacrifice," Viktor finished. "Someone would have to give up their life force to break the original bond and create a new one."


    Elena¡¯s smile widened. "I¡¯m sure someone here would be happy to help. After all, isn¡¯t love about sacrifice?"


    My heart clenched as I looked around the room. I could see it in their faces - Caleb, Aiden, Brock, even Prince Ash and Dmitri - they were all considering it. They would die to save Luna and give me a normal life.


    "No," I said strongly. "Nobody is sacrificing themselves for anything."


    "Then Luna stays empty," Elena shrugged. "Your choice."


    I knelt beside Luna again, taking her limp hand in both of mine. Her skin was warm, but it felt wrong somehow. Like holding a beautiful doll instead of a real person.


    "Luna," I whispered. "I know you can¡¯t hear me, but I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t figure out who you really were sooner. I¡¯m sorry we wasted so much time as enemies when we should have been sisters."


    For just a moment, I thought I felt her fingers twitch. Hope red in my chest, but when I looked at her face, her eyes were still empty.


    That¡¯s when it happened.


    As I sat there, holding my sister¡¯s hand and feeling totally powerless for the first time in weeks, something unexpected bloomed in my chest. It wasn¡¯t the wild energy of dimensional power or the burning feeling of transformation. It was quieter, warmer.


    It was peace.


    Not the kind of peace thates from having no problems, but the deep, settled feeling of knowing exactly where you belong. Even with Elena threatening us, even with Luna¡¯s mind stuck somewhere I couldn¡¯t reach, even with my powers gone - sitting here, surrounded by people who cared about me, I felt... right.


    "Lily?" Caleb¡¯s voice was soft, worried. He sat down beside me, not touching, just being close. "How are you holding up?"


    I looked at him - really looked. His hair was messy from running his hands through it. His clothes were torn from the fight. There were dark bags under his eyes from worry. But when he looked at me, there was nothing but love and eptance in his face.


    "I feel..." I started, then stopped, surprised by the words that wanted toe out. "I feel like I¡¯m exactly where I¡¯m supposed to be."


    It was such an easy thing to say, but as the words left my mouth, something shifted inside me. The empty space where my dimensional powers used to be wasn¡¯t empty anymore. It was filled with something else. Something that felt more like me than the cosmic energy ever had.


    "Impossible," one of the Void Walkers breathed.


    "What¡¯s impossible?" I asked, but I was looking at Caleb, not the thing.


    "You¡¯re generating emotion," the Void Walker said, its voice filled with something that might have been wonder. "Pure, undiluted human feeling. We¡¯ve never seen anything like it."


    Elena¡¯s confident face flickered for the first time. "That¡¯s not possible. Without dimensional energy, she¡¯s just a normal omega."


    "Look at her mark," Prince Ash said quietly.


    I nced down at my wrist. The Triple Moon Mark was shining, but not with the harsh silver light of before. This glow was soft, warm, like candles. And as I watched, amazed, the mark began to change.


    The three intertwined moons were splitting, yes, but not the way they had during the Winter Moon ceremony. Instead of moving toward different people, they were reforming into something new. Something that looked less like moons and more like...


    "Hearts," Caleb whispered. "They¡¯re bing hearts."


    The lead Void Walker stepped closer, its empty eyes fixed on my changing mark. "This was not predicted in any timeline."


    "What does it mean?" I asked.


    But before anyone could answer, Luna¡¯s hand suddenly gripped mine with crushing force. Her empty eyes snapped to focus on my face, but when she spoke, it wasn¡¯t her voice that came out.


    "The Emotion Walker awakens," she said in a voice like wind through ancient trees. "The bnce changes again. What was lost shall be found, what was found shall be lost, and what should never have been shall finallye to pass."


    Her grip tightened until I could feel my bones grinding together.


    "The real enemy approaches," Luna¡¯s voice continued, but the words seemed toe from somewhere far away. "And she has been watching all along."


    Then Luna¡¯s eyes rolled back, and she fell again - but this time, she wasn¡¯t breathing.

 Chapter 163: Caleb’s Recognition

    <h4>Chapter 163: Caleb¡¯s Recognition</h4>


    <strong>CALEB POV</strong>


    I dropped to my knees beside Luna¡¯s still body and pressed my ear to her chest.


    Nothing.


    "No pulse," I said, my voice breaking. "She¡¯s not breathing."


    Lily¡¯s face went white as paper. "No, no, no. This is my fault. I should have saved her. I should have been stronger."


    I grabbed her shoulders, causing her to look at me instead of Luna¡¯s lifeless form. "Listen to me. This is not your fault. Do you hear me?"


    For the first time since her change began, Lily¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Real tears. Not the strange, distant sadness she¡¯d shown when she thought she was losing her humanity, but raw, honest loss.


    "She called me sister," Lily whispered. "She said we¡¯d been reborn together lifetime after lifetime, and I never knew. Now she¡¯s gone, and I¡¯ll never get to know her."


    The tears spilled over, running down her face. I¡¯d been waiting weeks to see her cry like this - not because I wanted her to hurt, but because it meant she was still in there. Still human. Still my Lily.


    "You¡¯re feeling it," I said softly. "Really feeling it."


    "What?" She wiped her eyes, confused.


    "Grief. Real, honest sadness. Not the ghost of emotion or the memory of what feeling used to be like. This is real emotion, Lily. You¡¯reing back."


    Elenaughed sharply from across the room. "How sweet. Too bad it¡¯s toote."


    I spun around to face her, keeping myself between her and Lily. "What do you mean?"


    "The girl is dead," Elena said with a wicked smile. "And without her memories, there¡¯s no way to bring her back. Even if we could restart her heart, she¡¯d be nothing but an empty shell."


    "You¡¯re wrong," Viktor said suddenly. He was kneeling on Luna¡¯s other side, his hands glowing with dark energy. "She¡¯s not dead. Not exactly."


    "What do you mean not exactly?" Aiden demanded.


    "Her body has stopped working, yes. But her soul is still attached. It¡¯s just... stuck."


    "Trapped where?" I asked.


    Viktor¡¯s face was grim. "In the space between memories. When Elena stole Luna¡¯s past, she didn¡¯t just take information. She took the paths Luna¡¯s soul uses to navigate her own mind. Luna is lost inside herself."


    "Can we get her back?" Lily asked, hope slipping into her voice.


    "Maybe," Viktor said slowly. "But it would take someone to go in after her. Someone would have to enter her mindscape and guide her back to her body."


    "I¡¯ll do it," Lily said instantly.


    "No," I said strongly. "You just got your feelings back. We¡¯re not risking losing you too."


    "But I¡¯m her sister. I should be the one¡ª"


    "You don¡¯t have dimensional powers anymore," Elena interrupted. "You can¡¯t move between mindscapes without them. Face it, omega. You¡¯re useless now."


    The words hit Lily like a physical blow. I watched her face crumble, and something fierce and protecting roared to life in my chest.


    "She¡¯s not useless," I said, standing up to face Elena. "She¡¯s the best person I know. Powers or no powers."


    "Pretty words," Elena mocked. "But words won¡¯t save the beta¡¯s daughter."


    That¡¯s when it hit me. A crazy, impossible idea that might actually work.


    "Viktor," I said quickly. "When you said someone needs to go into Luna¡¯s mindscape, does it have to be someone with dimensional powers?"


    "Not necessarily," Viktor answered, catching on to my thoughts. "But they would need some kind of anchor to keep them linked to the real world. Without that, they could get lost in there forever."


    I looked at Lily, seeing the exact moment when she understood what I was thinking.


    "No," she said, shaking her head. "Caleb, no. It¡¯s too dangerous."


    "Our mate bond," I said. "It could work as an anchor, couldn¡¯t it, Viktor?"


    The vampire nodded slowly. "Theoretically, yes. The connection between true mates goes deeper than most magic. It could guide you back."


    "But if something goes wrong," Lily argued, "if you get lost in there¡ª"


    "Then you pull me back," I said simply. "That¡¯s what mates do. We save each other."


    I could see her torn between hope and fear. The old Lily would have told me not to risk it. But this new version - the one whose feelings were raw and real - was different.


    "You really think we can save her?" she asked.


    "I think we can try. Together."


    Elena made a disgusted sound. "This is ridiculous. You can¡¯t save someone with the power of love. This isn¡¯t a fairy tale."


    "Maybe not," I said. "But it¡¯s worth trying."


    I sat back down beside Luna and took her cold hand. "Viktor, what do I need to do?"


    "ce your other hand on Luna¡¯s forehead," Viktor directed. "I¡¯ll use my magic to open a path into her thoughts. But Caleb, once you¡¯re in there, you¡¯re on your own until you find her."


    I nodded, then looked at Lily. "Keep hold of my hand. No matter what happens, don¡¯t let go."


    "I won¡¯t," she promised, holding my fingers tightly.


    Viktor began singing in anguage I didn¡¯t recognize. Dark energy swirled around us, and I felt a strange tugging feeling in my chest, like something was trying to pull my soul out of my body.


    "It¡¯s working," Viktor said. "I can see the way opening. Caleb, you need to¡ª"


    He stopped suddenly, his eyes going wide with fear.


    "What?" I asked. "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "There¡¯s someone else in there," Viktor whispered. "Someone who¡¯s been waiting."


    Before I could ask what he meant, the world around me burst into darkness. But just before I lost sight of the basement, I heard Elena¡¯s voice, and it was different now. Older. More dangerous.


    "Finally," she said, and her voice echoed weirdly, like it wasing from very far away. "The intellectuales to y. We¡¯ve been waiting for you, little dog. We have so much to show you about what really happened to your mate."


    Then everything went ck, and I was falling through Luna¡¯s memories, not knowing if I¡¯d ever find my way back to Lily at all.


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 Chapter 164: Dimensional Stability

    <h4>Chapter 164: Dimensional Stability</h4>


    <strong>SAGE POV</strong>


    The basement burst with dimensional energy the second Caleb disappeared into Luna¡¯s mind.


    I threw myself forward, grabbing Lily¡¯s shoulders as reality bent and twisted around us. "Don¡¯t let go of his hand!" I shouted over the roar of tearing space.


    "I can¡¯t hold on!" Lily cried. Her fingers were white-knuckled around Caleb¡¯s limp hand, but I could see the tension on her face. "Something¡¯s pulling him away from me!"


    The walls around us flickered between solid concrete and empty space. Through the cracks, I caught glimpses of other realities - forests made of crystal, cities floating in purple skies, worlds where the rules of physics workedpletely differently.


    "This is impossible," Viktor gasped. "The dimensional walls are copsing. If this keeps up, we¡¯ll be scattered across different realities."


    But that wasn¡¯t what scared me most. What scared me was watching Lily fight to keep her mate bond intact while reality fell apart around us. Because as she did, something amazing was happening.


    The chaotic energy flowing through the basement began to organize itself. Not disappearing, but making patterns. Settling into beats that matched the beating of Lily¡¯s heart.


    "Lily," I said quickly. "Look at me. What are you feeling right now?"


    "Terror," she said instantly. "Pure terror that I¡¯m going to lose Caleb before I even got him back."


    "Good. Keep feeling that. Don¡¯t let go of it."


    "Are you insane?" Aiden demanded. "Why would you want her to be scared?"


    "Because her fear is stabilizing the dimensional breaks," I exined quickly. "Watch."


    I pointed to the closest crack in reality. As Lily¡¯s terror for Caleb grew stronger, the crack stopped growing. In fact, it started shrinking.


    "I don¡¯t understand," Brock said.


    "Emotions," I said, bits clicking together in my mind. "They¡¯re not just feelings. They¡¯re supports. They tie us to our home reality."


    Elenaughed from across the room, but it sounded different now. Hollow. "Clever little witch. Too bad you figured it out toote."


    I spun to look at her, and my blood went cold. Elena¡¯s body was there, but her eyes had gone totally ck. Not the empty ck of Void Walkers, but a deep, hungry darkness that seemed to swallow light.


    "You¡¯re not Elena," I whispered.


    "Elena was just a tool," the thing wearing her face said. "A bitter girl eager for power. Easy to control. Easy to control."


    "Who are you?" Prince Ashmanded, ice crystals forming around his hands.


    "I am the space between spaces," the creature answered. "The void that appears when reality forgets to fill itself in. I am what remains when feelings die."


    Another wave of dimensional energy crashed through the room, but this time it was centered on the Elena-thing. Where it touched, colors faded to gray. The concrete walls became t and dead.


    "It¡¯s draining the emotional resonance from our reality," I realized with horror. "It¡¯s trying to turn our whole dimension into a void space."


    "Stop it!" Lily yelled, but her voice was getting weaker. Holding onto Caleb while fighting the dimensional chaos was exhausting her.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something else. As Lily¡¯s emotions grew stronger - her love for Caleb, her fear of losing him, her desperate hope that they could save Luna - the world around her became more solid. More real.


    "Dmitri," I called to the vampire prince. "I need you to get everyone to focus on their strongest feelings. Right now."


    "What?" He looked confused.


    "Just do it! Everyone think about the person you care about most. Think about how much you¡¯d hate to lose them."


    "Sage, what are you¡ª" Aiden started.


    "Trust me!" I interrupted. "Aiden, think about your pack. How much you want to protect them. Brock, think about your family. Prince Ash, think about your country."


    As each person focused on what meant most to them, I watched the dimensional cracks slow their spread. The void energying from the Elena-thing met resistance, like it was pushing against an unseen wall.


    "Emotional resonance," I breathed. "That¡¯s why magical beings get more powerful when they have something to fight for. That¡¯s why mates make each other stronger. Emotions don¡¯t just give us power - they give us a reason to live in reality."


    The Elena-thing¡¯s face twisted with rage. "Impossible. Emotions are weakness. They make people unpredictable. Chaotic."


    "No," I said, understanding rushing through me. "Chaos isn¡¯t the opposite of order. Emptiness is. Void is. You¡¯re not trying to bring bnce - you¡¯re trying to erase everything that makes life worth living."


    I turned to the others. "The Void Walkers aren¡¯t bad. They¡¯re being controlled by this thing. It¡¯s been using them to drain emotional connections from different worlds, trying to turn everything into empty space."


    "But why?" Lily asked, still gripping Caleb¡¯s hand tightly.


    "Because empty space is easy to control," I realized. "If there are no feelings, no connections, no reasons for beings to fight for their realities, then everything bes predictable. Manageable."


    The Elena-thing smiled, and it was the most terrifying look I¡¯d ever seen. "Finally, someone understands. Yes, I seek to manage the chaos of life. To bring perfect order to all realities."


    "By destroying everything that makes them worth saving," I shot back.


    "By removing the variables that cause suffering," it corrected. "No feelings means no pain. No loss. No sadness."


    "And no love," Lily said furiously. "No joy. No hope. No growth."


    As she spoke, her mate bond with Caleb red brighter. For a moment, I could actually see it - a golden thread connecting her to wherever his consciousness had gone.


    "Lily," I said quickly. "Your emotional link to Caleb isn¡¯t just keeping him anchored. It¡¯s keeping our entire reality grounded. But you¡¯re burning yourself out trying to hold everything together."


    "I don¡¯t care," she said through hard teeth. "I won¡¯t let go of him."


    "You don¡¯t have to let go," I said, an impossible thought forming in my mind. "But you do have to trust me. Everyone, I need you to physically touch Lily. Right now."


    "What?" Brock looked confused.


    "Emotional resonance works through rtionship. If we can link ourselves to Lily¡¯s bond with Caleb, we can share the load. Help her hold reality together while he¡¯s gone."


    "That¡¯s never been tested," Viktor warned.


    "Neither has letting reality copse," I pointed out.


    One by one, the others reached out to touch Lily - Aiden¡¯s hand on her shoulder, Brock¡¯s on her arm, Prince Ash and Dmitri each taking one of her hands. Viktor paused, then ced his palm against her forehead.


    The moment we all linked, I felt it. The overwhelming love Lily had for Caleb, but also her fear, her hope, her drive. And through that connection, I could feel him - lost somewhere in Luna¡¯s fractured memories, but still alive.


    But as ourbined emotional resonance stabilized the dimensional breaks around us, the Elena-thing¡¯s expression changed from rage to something far worse.


    Satisfaction.


    "Perfect," it said softly. "Now you¡¯re all linked. All united through the same emotional anchor."


    Toote, I realized what we¡¯d done. By connecting ourselves to Lily¡¯s bond with Caleb, we¡¯d made exactly what this creature wanted - a single point of control for multiple supernatural beings.


    "When I sever that link," the Elena-thing continued, raising one hand that now dripped with void energy, "you¡¯ll all lose your anchors to reality at the same time. Six beings, scattered across six different worlds, with no way home."


    The void energy began to form into a de aimed directly at where all our links met.


    And there was nothing any of us could do to stop it.

 Chapter 165: Pack Integration

    <h4>Chapter 165: Pack Integration</h4>


    BROCK POV


    I threw myself between the void de and Lily without thinking.


    The energy hit me straight in the chest, and for a horrible second I felt my connection to everything I loved start to unravel. My bond with my brothers, my loyalty to the pack, even my own sense of who I was - all of it began sliding away like water through broken fingers.


    "Brock!" Lily screamed.


    But instead of losing myself totally, something unexpected happened. The void energy hit the wall of feeling I¡¯d built around my family and bounced back. Not destroyed, but... rerouted.


    "Impossible," the Elena-thing snarled. "No single emotional anchor should be strong enough to resist the void."


    I stumbled but stayed on my feet, breathing. "You¡¯re right. A single pin wouldn¡¯t be enough."


    I looked back at Lily, Aiden, Caleb¡¯s unconscious form, and the others. "But I don¡¯t have just one base. I¡¯ve got dozens."


    The thing tilted its head, confused.


    "You said emotions make beings unpredictable," I continued, feeling strength return to my voice. "You¡¯re right. They do. Because when you truly care about someone, you don¡¯t just think about yourself anymore. You think about them. And them. And them."


    I motioned to each person in the room. "Every pack member I¡¯ve ever protected. Every child I¡¯ve helped train. Every adult I¡¯ve listened to. Every wolf who¡¯s ever trusted me to keep them safe. They¡¯re all part of who I am."


    "Sentiment," the void creature spat. "Weakness."


    "No," I said strongly. "Strength. Real strength. The kind that doesn¡¯te from power or magic or being able to destroy things. Ites from having people worth saving."


    As I spoke, I felt something incredible happening. The pack bond - not just between me and my brothers, but between all of us and every member of Silver Peak - began to glow brighter. Stronger.


    "Lily," I said quickly. "You¡¯re not just connected to Caleb. You¡¯re linked to all of us. The whole pack."


    Her eyes widened with understanding. "The Triple Moon Mark. It wasn¡¯t just about finding my mate. It was about finding my ce in the pack system."


    "Not finding your ce," I amended. "Creating a new one. One that includes everyone."


    The void entity¡¯s expression changed from confusion to rm. "No. The pack hierarchy must stay rigid. Alphas lead, betas follow, omegas help. Order. Structure. Predictability."


    "Says who?" I challenged. "Who decided that¡¯s how it has to be?"


    "The natural order¡ª"


    "The natural order says families adapt," I interrupted. "They grow. They change. They make room for everyone, even those who are different."


    I thought about all the times I¡¯d seen pack members excluded because they didn¡¯t fit the usual roles. Wolves who were too gentle to be fighters, too independent to follow blindly, too creative to stick to old ways. Including Lily, who¡¯d been forgotten for years because she was "just an omega."


    "The pack bond isn¡¯t about following rules," I realized out loud. "It¡¯s about joining. Really belonging. Having a ce where you¡¯re respected for who you are, not what rank you were born into."


    As I said this, something amazing started happening around the room. The spatial cracks weren¡¯t just stopping anymore - they were healing. Sealing themselves shut as the emotional connection between all of us grew stronger.


    "Brock¡¯s right," Aiden said, his polite mind catching on quickly. "A pack that excludes its own members isn¡¯t strong - it¡¯s broken."


    "And broken things need to be fixed," Sage added, her witch instincts knowing the magical implications. "Not thrown away."


    Prince Ash and Dmitri nodded agreement. Even Viktor, who wasn¡¯t part of our pack, seemed to understand what we were talking about.


    "This is what you¡¯re really afraid of," I said to the void creature. "Not chaos. Connection. Because when beings are truly rted to each other, they can¡¯t be controlled. They protect each other. They change. They grow."


    The Elena-thing¡¯s face twisted with rage. "You understand nothing! I have seen what unchecked emotion leads to - war, betrayal, endless pain!"


    "And I¡¯ve seen what happens when you try to remove emotionpletely," I shot back. "Nothing. Just empty room where life used to be."


    "Better empty than chaotic!"


    "No," Lily said softly, but her voice held absolute conviction. "Better chaotic than dead."


    As she spoke, her mate bond with Caleb red even brighter. But this time, instead of just linking her to him, it spread outward, touching each of us. Not recing our individual ties and connections, but weaving them together into something bigger.


    "The pack integration," I breathed. "This is what the Triple Moon Mark was really meant to do. Not just connect Lily to one mate, but integrate everyone¡¯s ties into a stronger whole."


    The void creature raised both hands, void energy crackling between its fingers. "Then I will destroy all of you at once!"


    But as it prepared to attack, something unexpected happened. The Void Walkers that had been standing quietly around the room suddenly moved - not to help the entity, but to surround it.


    "We remember now," the lead Void Walker said in its hollow voice. "We remember what we were before the void took us. We remember having links. Having purpose beyond maintaining bnce."


    "Impossible," the thing shrieked. "You are mine! You serve the void!"


    "We served bnce," the Void Walker amended. "But this is not fairness. This is removal."


    The creature¡¯s power over Elena¡¯s body began to flicker. For brief moments, I could see the real Elena underneath - confused, terrified, but trying to break free.


    "Help," she gasped during one of these moments. "It¡¯s been... controlling me... for months. Ever since I first... touched void energy. I didn¡¯t mean... for any of this..."


    Then the entity reasserted control, Elena¡¯s features going nk and lifeless again.


    "You cannot stop what has already begun," it said coldly. "Even now, your dear Caleb learns the truth about his mate¡¯s true nature. When he learns what she really is, when he sees the memories I have shown him, his emotional anchor will shatter. And when it does, your entire reality will fall."


    My blood went cold. "What memories?"


    The creature smiled with Elena¡¯s face. "The memories of every lifetime Lily and Luna have shared. Including the one where Lily betrayed her sister to save herself. The one where she picked power over family. The one where she became everything you im to stand against."


    Before any of us could react, Caleb¡¯s unconscious body suddenly convulsed. His eyes snapped open, but they were filled with fear and betrayal.


    "Lily," he whispered, staring at her like she was a stranger. "What have you done?"


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 Chapter 166: The Vampire’s Departure

    <h4>Chapter 166: The Vampire¡¯s Departure</h4>


    <strong>DMITRI POV</strong>


    I grabbed Caleb¡¯s shoulders as he tried to lunge at Lily.


    "Let me go!" he growled, his eyes wild with hurt and anger. "She¡¯s not who we thought she was!"


    "Caleb, stop," I ordered, using the vampire authority I rarely showed. "Whatever you think you saw in there, you need to calm down and think clearly."


    "Think clearly?" Heughed bitterly. "I saw everything, Dmitri. Every lifetime. Every move she made. Every time she picked herself over Luna."


    Lily¡¯s face went white. "What are you talking about? I would never¡ª"


    "Wouldn¡¯t you?" Caleb spun to face her, his look full of pain. "In 1847, when Luna was dying of fever, you had the medicine that could save her. But you kept it for yourself because you were scared of getting sick."


    "That¡¯s not¡ª" Lily started.


    "In 1623, when Luna was used of witchcraft, you could have spoken up for her. You knew she was innocent. But you stayed quiet because you didn¡¯t want to be used too."


    Each word hit Lily like a physical blow. Tears streamed down her face, but Caleb wasn¡¯t finished.


    "In 1205, when Luna was taken by raiders, you had the chance to rescue her. Instead, you ran. You saved yourself and left your sister to die."


    "Stop," I said strongly, but not to Caleb. I was looking at the void creature wearing Elena¡¯s face. "Those memories are lies."


    The thing smiled coldly. "Are they? Or are they simply facts your precious omega was too ashamed to remember?"


    "They¡¯re maniptions," I maintained. "Twisted versions of real events designed to break their bond."


    But uncertainty was already spreading through the room. I could see it in everyone¡¯s faces. Even Brock and Aiden were looking at Lily with uncertainty.


    "How would you know?" Caleb demanded. "You weren¡¯t there."


    He was right. I wasn¡¯t there for those lives. But I knew something about being haunted by past mistakes, about having your worst moments used against you.


    "Because," I said quietly, "I¡¯ve seen this kind of maniption before. In my own memories."


    Everyone turned to look at me. I¡¯d been fearing this moment for centuries, but now it seemed like the only way to save Lily and Caleb¡¯s bond.


    "Five hundred years ago, I was different," I began. "Young, reckless, angry at the world. I made choices that hurt people I cared about. Terrible choices."


    I looked straight at Prince Ash, knowing he deserved to hear this from me. "I vited your grandfather¡¯s trust. I stole ancient magical artifacts from yournd to trade for vampire immortality. Good people died because of what I did."


    Prince Ash¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but he didn¡¯t stop.


    "For centuries, I¡¯ve been haunted by those memories," I continued. "Every night, I see the faces of the people who suffered because of my greed. I¡¯ve spent five hundred years trying to make up for it, trying to earn forgiveness I probably don¡¯t deserve."


    "Dmitri," Lily whispered. "You don¡¯t have to¡ª"


    "Yes, I do," I cut her off. "Because that¡¯s exactly what this thing is doing to you. It¡¯s taking your worst times, your biggest regrets, and making them seem like the only truth about who you are."


    I turned back to Caleb. "But here¡¯s what I learned after five centuries of guilt: we are not our worst times. We are the sum of all our choices, including the ones we make to be better."


    "Pretty words," the void entity mocked. "But the feelings are real. The betrayals happened."


    "Maybe some version of them did," I admitted. "But memories can be changed. Twisted. Made to seem worse than they really were. And even if they¡¯re fully urate, they¡¯re still just part of the story."


    I stepped closer to Lily, who was shaking with shame and fear. "Tell me, when you regained your emotions earlier, what was the first thing you felt?"


    "Peace," she said barely above a whisper. "When I was sitting with Caleb, holding Luna¡¯s hand, I felt like I was exactly where I belonged."


    "And why did you feel that?"


    "Because..." she looked up at me with dawning understanding. "Because I wasn¡¯t thinking about myself. I was thinking about them. About how much I wanted to save Luna, how much I needed Caleb to be safe."


    "Exactly. The person you are now, in this lifetime, decided to sacrifice herself to save the entire pack. She decided to risk her life defending Luna, someone she thought was her enemy. She picked love over power, connection over safety."


    I turned to address everyone in the room. "I¡¯ve been watching all of you for weeks now. I¡¯ve seen how you treat each other, how you¡¯re willing to die for each other. That¡¯s not the behavior of selfish people."


    "But the memories¡ª" Caleb started.


    "Are the void entity¡¯s attempt to destroy your bonds," I finished. "Think about it. What¡¯s the one thing that could break the pack unity you just achieved? Making you lose trust in each other."


    I saw understanding dawn in several faces, but Caleb still looked torn.


    "I can see those memories too now," he said. "They feel so real."


    "I¡¯m sure they do," I answered. "But let me ask you something. In all those lifetimes of alleged betrayals, did you ever see what happened to Lily afterward? Did you see her grief? Her regret? Her tries to make things right?"


    Caleb¡¯s face flickered with uncertainty.


    "Of course not," I continued. "Because showing you her pain, her growth, her efforts to be better wouldn¡¯t serve the void entity¡¯s purpose."


    The creature¡¯s face twisted with rage. "Enough! Even if you break through the memory trickery, it changes nothing. The dimensional damage is already spreading. Soon, every world will¡ª"


    It stopped mid-sentence, its ck eyes going wide with something that looked like fear.


    "What?" Prince Ashmanded. "What¡¯s happening?"


    The void entity backed away from us, genuine fear recing its earlier confidence. "This is impossible. She¡¯s meant to be contained. She¡¯s supposed to be helpless."


    "Who?" I asked, but I was already getting a bad feeling I knew the answer.


    "Luna," the thing whispered. "She¡¯s not just fixing her own memories. She¡¯s taking back all the memories I stole from every world. Every lifetime. Every option."


    The basement began to shake, and through the dimensional cracks that were still healing, I caught glimpses of something that made my centuries-old heart race with fear.


    Luna was walking toward us through the space between realities, but she wasn¡¯t the same broken girl who¡¯d fallen earlier. She was every version of herself from every lifetime, all at once. And she looked absolutely angry.


    "Oh," I breathed. "We might have made a very big mistake letting Caleb wake her up."

 Chapter 167: Fae Complications

    <h4>Chapter 167: Fae Complications</h4>


    <strong>PRINCE ASH POV</strong>


    Ice exploded from my hands as three Fae messengers materialized in the basement without notice.


    "Prince Ash of the Winter Court," the lead messenger said in a voice like crystal bells. "By order of Queen Titania, you aremanded to return immediately."


    "Now?" I ordered, not lowering my defensive ice barrier. "In case you hadn¡¯t noticed, we¡¯re in the middle of preventing reality from copsing."


    The messenger¡¯s silver eyes flicked dismissively toward Luna¡¯s approaching form in the dimensional space. "The Queen is aware of the... situation. She has decided it requires Fae help."


    My heart sank. When the Fae Court decided something required their intervention, it generally meant they were about to make everything ten times moreplicated.


    "What kind of intervention?" Dmitri asked warily.


    The second messenger stepped forward, her voice honey-sweet but dangerous. "The omega who bears the Triple Moon Mark muste with Prince Ash to face judgment before the Court."


    "Absolutely not," Brock growled, moving protectively toward Lily.


    "The Fae Court has no jurisdiction over werewolves," Aiden added, his diplomatic training kicking in.


    The third messengerughed, a sound like wind chimes in a storm. "Doesn¡¯t it? The moment your precious omega began controlling dimensional energy, she entered our domain. Magic that crosses between realities falls under ancient Fae rule."


    I felt sick. They were right, technically. The old treaties were clear about dimensional magic, even though they¡¯d been written thousands of years ago when no one thought a werewolf could actually reach that kind of power.


    "There has to be another way," I said desperately. "Lily can¡¯t leave now. She¡¯s the only thing keeping the dimensional damage together."


    "Precisely why she must face judgment," the first messenger responded. "Her uncontrolled powers threaten the stability of all realities. The Court must determine if she should be... contained."


    "Contained?" Lily¡¯s voice was small and scared. "What does that mean?"


    The messengers exchanged nces before the honey-voiced one replied. "It means you would be ced in a dimensional prison where your abilities cannot harm the bnce between worlds."


    "For how long?" Caleb asked, his earlier anger forgotten in the face of this new danger.


    "Forever," the messenger said simply.


    The word hit us like a physical blow. I watched Lily¡¯s face crumble, and something fierce and protecting roared to life in my chest.


    "No," I said strongly. "I won¡¯t let that happen."


    "You have no choice, Prince," the lead messenger said. "Queen Titania has already chosen. Either you bring the omega freely, or we take her by force."


    "Try it," I growled, ice spreading across the floor toward them.


    But the messengers didn¡¯t look worried. Instead, they smiled.


    "We hoped you would resist," the third one purred. "It gives us legal justification for whates next."


    The temperature in the basement dropped twenty degrees in an instant. Not from my ice magic, but from something much more strong. The air itself began to crystallize, and I felt the overwhelming presence of Fae power pressing down on all of us.


    "Mother," I whispered, recognizing the special signature.


    Queen Titania herself appeared in the center of the room, her beauty terrible and cold. She was smaller than the werewolves around her, but her presence filled the area like a cier filling a valley.


    "My son," she said, her voice carrying the weight of winter storms. "You disappoint me."


    I¡¯d been afraid of those words my entire life. As a child, disappointing my mother meant ice sses that left me bleeding. As a teenager, it meant weeks of exile in the mortal world. As an adult, it could mean losing my ce in the Winter Court forever.


    But looking at Lily¡¯s scared face, I realized I didn¡¯t care anymore.


    "If protecting innocent people disappoints you," I said, "then I guess I¡¯m a disappointment."


    My mother¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, but the temperature dropped another ten degrees. "This omega is not innocent. Her powers have already caused dimensional rifts that threaten three different realms. Left unchecked, she could unravel the barriers between all worlds."


    "She¡¯s learning to control them," I argued. "With help, she could stabilize the damage instead of causing more."


    "Help?" Queen Titania¡¯sugh was like icicles breaking. "From whom? You? A half-trained prince who barely understands his own magic? These wolves who know nothing of dimensional theory?"


    She waved dismissively toward the others. "The only help this creature needs is a secure prison where her chaos cannot spread."


    "She¡¯s not a creature," I said angrily. "She¡¯s a person. And she¡¯s already proven she can settle dimensional energy when she¡¯s emotionally grounded."


    "Emotions," my mother spat. "The most unstable force in existence. You would trust the security of reality to feelings?"


    "Yes," I said without doubt. "Because feelings are what make reality worth protecting in the first ce."


    For the first time since she arrived, Queen Titania looked truly surprised. "You truly believe that?"


    "I do."


    She studied me for a long moment, then turned her attention to Lily. "Child, step forward."


    Lily paused, but Caleb squeezed her hand encouragingly. She walked slowly toward my mother, her chin raised despite her clear terror.


    "You have caused considerable damage," Queen Titania said coldly. "Dimensional rifts, reality distortions, time anomalies. What do you have to say for yourself?"


    "I¡¯m sorry," Lily said simply. "I never meant for any of this to happen. I was just trying to save my pack."


    "And would you do it again? If your pack were threatened, would you risk reality itself to save them?"


    I held my breath, knowing this was a test. The wrong answer could doom Lily to endless imprisonment.


    Lily looked back at Caleb, at the twins, at all the people she cared about. Then she turned back to my mother.


    "Yes," she said quietly. "I would."


    Queen Titania smiled, and it was the most terrifying look I¡¯d ever seen on her face.


    "Interesting," she whispered. "Very interesting indeed."


    Before I could ask what she meant, the basement suddenly filled with bright white light. When it faded, my mother was gone.


    But in her ce stood a figure I recognized from old Fae histories. Tall, elegant, with eyes like stars and power that made Queen Titania look like a child ying with ice cubes.


    "Hello, granddaughter," the figure said to Lily. "We need to talk."


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 Chapter 168: Aiden’s Diplomacy

    <h4>Chapter 168: Aiden¡¯s Diplomacy</h4>


    <strong>AIDEN POV</strong>


    I stepped forward before anyone else could react, cing myself between the strange Fae being and Lily.


    "Wait," I said strongly. "Before anyone ims anyone as family, we need to establish exactly who we¡¯re dealing with and what authority you have here."


    The old Fae tilted her head, looking amused. "A minister. How nice. Very well, young Alpha. I am Lady Seraphina, First of the High Court, grandmother to Queen Titania herself."


    My blood went cold. I¡¯d heard whispers of Lady Seraphina in the oldest diplomatic papers. She was older than most countries, more powerful than entire armies, and apparently hadn¡¯t been seen in a thousand years. "With respect, Lady Seraphina," I said carefully, "that doesn¡¯t exin why you¡¯re calling Lily your granddaughter."


    "Doesn¡¯t it?" She smiled, and starlight seemed to dance in her eyes. "Tell me, child," she said to Lily, "what do you know of your grandmother¡¯s family line?"


    Lily looked confused. "My grandma was human. She died when I was little. She taught me about healing nts, but she never mentioned anything about being Fae."


    "Because she didn¡¯t know," Lady Seraphina said softly. "My daughter chose love over life many generations ago. She gave up her Fae nature to marry a human man, and her descendants forgot their true ancestry."


    "That¡¯s impossible," Prince Ash argued. "Fae blood doesn¡¯t just disappear."


    "It doesn¡¯t disappear," Lady Seraphina agreed. "It sleeps. Waiting for the right circumstances to awaken. Usually, it takes strong emotional traumabined with exposure to dimensional magic."


    She looked straight at Lily. "Both of which you experienced when you sacrificed yourself to be a Guardian."


    I could see everyone processing this knowledge, but I focused on the diplomatic implications. If Lily was part Fae, it changed everything about the jurisdiction problems.


    "Lady Seraphina," I said politely, "if Lily is your great-great-granddaughter, then she has rights under Faew, doesn¡¯t she?"


    The old Fae¡¯s smile widened. "Very good, young diplomat. Yes, she does. Including the right to choose which realm she serves."


    "But she¡¯s also part of our pack," I pushed. "She has obligations here."


    "True. Which makes quite the diplomatic puzzle, doesn¡¯t it?"


    I could feel everyone watching me, waiting to see how I¡¯d handle this. As future Alpha, pack diplomacy was my duty. But this was unlike anything I¡¯d been trained for.


    "What exactly are you proposing?" I asked.


    "A trial by choice," Lady Seraphina said. "Ancient Faew allows individuals of mixed heritage to show their allegiance through actions rather than blood. Lily would face three tests - one representing her human nature, one her wolf nature, and one her Fae nature. The realm she serves most truly during the trials gets to im her."


    "And if she fails the tests?" Caleb asked, his voice tight with worry.


    "Then she belongs to no realm," Lady Seraphina said simply. "And must be contained for the safety of all realities."


    I thought quickly. This wasn¡¯t ideal, but it was better than instant imprisonment. It gave us time to figure out how to help Lily seed.


    "We ept," I said before anyone could disagree.


    "Aiden!" Brock objected. "You can¡¯t just¡ª"


    "Yes, I can," I said strongly. "As acting Alpha in our father¡¯s absence, I have the authority to make diplomatic decisions for the pack."


    Lady Seraphina pped her hands together, looking pleased. "Excellent! The trials will begin immediately."


    "Wait," I said quickly. "We need to set ground rules. What exactly defines sess or failure? Who judges the trials? What happens to Lily between tests?"


    The ancient Fae paused, clearly not used to having her statements questioned. "You want to negotiate the terms?"


    "I want to ensure fairness," I corrected. "If Lily is going to face trials that determine her entire future, she deserves to know exactly what she¡¯s up against."


    "Very well. Each trial will test her ability to protect and help others, as that is the core of all three natures. Sess means preserving life and keeping bnce. Failure means causing needless death or chaos."


    "Who judges?" I pressed.


    "One representative from each country. The Fae Court will send a watcher, as will your pack. The human realm..." She paused carefully. "The human realm will be represented by the person whose opinion matters most to Lily."


    I saw Lily¡¯s eyes instantly go to Caleb, and I felt a pang of something that might have been jealousy. But I pushed it away. This wasn¡¯t about personal feelings.


    "And between trials?" I asked.


    "She remains with her pack, under Fae supervision to ensure she doesn¡¯t flee."


    "Prince Ash stays as the Fae supervisor," I bargained. "He understands both worlds and has already proven he cares about Lily¡¯s wellbeing."


    Lady Seraphina looked at her great-grandson, who nodded eagerly. "eptable."


    "When do the trials begin?" I asked.


    "The first trial starts now," she said with a smile that made me instantly worried.


    The basement around us began to shimmer and change. Not disappearing, but expanding somehow, bing bigger than it should be able to fit.


    "The trial of human nature," Lady Seraphina dered. "Lily must choose between saving one person she loves or saving a hundred strangers."


    Therger space filled with people - some I recognized as pack members, others I¡¯d never seen before. But in the middle of the crowd, bound and clearly in danger, was Elder Iris.


    "Lily!" the old woman called out. "Don¡¯t worry about me, child. Save the others!"


    But as I looked around, I realized the horrible truth. There was no way to save everyone. The magical scenario was meant to force an impossible choice.


    "This isn¡¯t fair," I argued. "No one should have to choose between¡ª"


    "Life is not fair, young Alpha," Lady Seraphina said coldly. "It needs impossible choices. This trial tries whether Lily¡¯s humanpassion will override her practical judgment."


    I watched Lily look anxiously between Elder Iris and the crowd of strangers. Her face was filled with pain, and I realized that no matter what she chose, it would haunt her forever.


    "There has to be another way," I said desperately.


    "There is," a new voice said from behind us.


    We all spun around to see Luna walking toward us, but she looked different now. Older somehow. More aware. And her eyes held the collected knowledge of every lifetime she¡¯d ever lived.


    "The trials are fake," she said simply. "They¡¯re meant to break Lily¡¯s spirit, not test her allegiance. Lady Seraphina isn¡¯t who she ims to be."


    The old Fae¡¯s beautiful face twisted with rage. "Impossible. You¡¯re just a broken beta girl."


    Luna smiled, and it was frightening. "No. I¡¯m the Guardian of Memories now. And I remember everything. Including who you really are... Mother."

 Chapter 169: The Witch’s Gift

    <h4>Chapter 169: The Witch¡¯s Gift</h4>


    <strong>SAGE POV</strong>


    I threw my power around Luna like a shield the second she called the fake Lady Seraphina "Mother."


    "Everyone get back!" I shouted, feeling the dimensional energy in the room spike to dangerous levels. "Something¡¯s about to happen!"


    The creature wearing Lady Seraphina¡¯s face growled, its beautiful features melting away like wax. Underneath was something far older and more terrible - a being of pure void energy with eyes like ck holes.


    "Clever little memory keeper," it hissed at Luna. "But you¡¯re toote. The anchor is already in ce."


    "What anchor?" I demanded, but even as I asked, I could feel it. A magical tether twisted around Lily¡¯s dimensional energy, pulling her toward something I couldn¡¯t see.


    "The trials were never real," Luna said, her voice carrying the weight of countless lives. "They were a distraction. While we argued about authority and tests, this thing was weaving a binding spell around Lily."


    My heart sank as I realized what was happening. "It¡¯s not trying to cage her. It¡¯s trying to steal her power totally."


    The void creatureughed, a sound like reality tearing apart. "The omega¡¯s dimensional powers are the key to controlling all realities. With them, I can reshape life itself."


    "Over my dead body," I growled, reaching for every spell I¡¯d ever learned.


    But as I tried to cast a counterspell, something strange happened. My magic felt different. Stronger, but also more vulnerable. Like it was being intensified by something I didn¡¯t understand.


    "Sage," Lily gasped, "your magic is glowing."


    I looked down at my hands and saw she was right. Instead of the normal green witch-light, my magic was shining with the same silver radiance as Lily¡¯s Triple Moon Mark.


    "Impossible," the void creature breathed. "You¡¯re not connected to the dimensionalwork."


    "Maybe I wasn¡¯t before," I said, understanding rushing through me. "But I am now."


    It hit me all at once. When we¡¯d linked ourselves to Lily¡¯s emotional anchor earlier, we hadn¡¯t just shared her load. We¡¯d shared her power. All of us had be connected to the dimensional energy running through her.


    "The pack bond," I whispered. "It works both ways. She¡¯s been unconsciously sharing her skills with everyone she cares about."


    As if to prove my point, Prince Ash¡¯s ice magic suddenly exploded with dimensional frost that sparkled with otherworldly light. Dmitri¡¯s vampire speed left hints of silver energy in the air. Even the triplets were glowing with faint dimensional auras.


    "This changes everything," I said, a crazy n forming in my mind. "If we¡¯re all connected to Lily¡¯s power, then we can all help control it."


    "Help how?" Aiden asked quickly.


    "By creating a proper anchor," I exined quickly. "Not the binding spell this thing is trying to weave, but a real magical anchor that lets Lily travel between dimensions safely without losing herself."


    I pulled items from my pouch - moonstone for stability, silver wire for connection, herbs for grounding. But as I started weaving them together, I realized I needed something more. Something special.


    "I need something from each of you," I said. "Something that represents your connection to Lily."


    Without pause, Caleb pulled off the bracelet Lily had made him during their courtship. Aiden contributed a pin from his diplomatic coat - the one Lily had liked. Brock offered a small stone from their first shooting trip together.


    Prince Ash gave me a snowke he¡¯d kept with ice magic from the day he first saw Lily use dimensional energy. Dmitri contributed a drop of his own blood, saying softly, "For redemption found through service."


    Even Luna stepped forward, putting a small silver locket in my hands. "From our first lifetime together," she said simply. "When we were sisters who actually protected each other."


    As I wove these things into my spell, something amazing happened. The anchor began forming not just around Lily, but between all of us. Awork of magical links that would let her travel dimensions while staying grounded in her rtionships.


    "It¡¯s working," I breathed, watching silver threads of magic connect each person to the center anchor around Lily¡¯s heart.


    But the void thing wasn¡¯t finished. "You think your little friendship spell can ovee cosmicw?" it sneered. "I have been consuming realities since before your species existed!"


    It raised both hands, void energy sparking between its fingers. But as it prepared to attack, something unexpected happened.


    The magical anchor I¡¯d formed suddenly red brighter, and through it, I felt something that made my witch instincts scream in rm.


    This wasn¡¯t just about Lily¡¯s power. The void creature had been using her as a gateway to reach something much bigger.


    "Oh no," I whispered, the terrible truth hitting me. "It¡¯s not trying to steal Lily¡¯s skills. It¡¯s trying to use them to ess the source of all dimensional magic."


    "What source?" Prince Ash asked.


    "The Heart of Reality," I said, my voice barely audible. "The original point where all dimensions split apart. If it gets that..."


    "It can rewrite the fundamentalws of existence," Luna finished grimly.


    The void entity smiled proudly. "Finally, someone gets the scope of my vision. Yes, I will remake all worlds. No more chaos. No more unpredictable feelings. No more free will causing pain. Perfect order across endless dimensions."


    "That¡¯s not order," I said strongly. "That¡¯s death."


    "Death of chaos," it corrected. "Birth of peace."


    As it spoke, the anchor I¡¯d made around Lily began to change. Instead of grounding her to our world, it was starting to pull her toward something else. Something vast and faraway and incredibly dangerous.


    "The anchor is being corrupted," I realized with fear. "It¡¯s turning into a bridge to the Heart of Reality."


    "Sage!" Lily cried out as she began to glow brighter. "I can feel it pulling me! There¡¯s something huge out there, and it¡¯s calling to me!"


    I tried desperately to break the link, but it was toote. The bridge was forming, and through it, I could feel something ancient and powerful stirring in response to Lily¡¯s dimensional signature.


    Something that had been waiting a very long time for someone like her to find it.


    "What is that?" Caleb asked, looking at the growing light around Lily.


    Before I could answer, a voice spoke from the bridge itself - not the void creature, but something else. Something that sounded like the echo of creation itself.


    "Finally," the voice said with endless sadness and relief. "My daughter hase home."


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 Chapter 170: New Responsibilities

    <h4>Chapter 170: New Responsibilities</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    I reached toward the voice calling me "daughter" before anyone could stop me.


    The moment my fingers touched the bridge of light Sage had made, everything changed. I wasn¡¯t in the basement anymore. I was standing in a ce that felt like the heart of everything - a vast space filled with swirling gxies and floating inds of pure energy.


    "Wee home, little one," the voice said, and now I could see who it belonged to.


    She looked like me, but older. Wiser. Her hair flowed like starlight, and her eyes held the depth of endless space. She was beautiful in a way that made my heart ache with recognition.


    "Who are you?" I whispered.


    "I am what you will be," she said softly. "The original Guardian. The first being to sacrifice herself to protect reality itself."


    "That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m just an omega monster who got in over her head."


    She smiled, and it was like watching suns being born. "That¡¯s exactly what I said, eons ago, when I first found my abilities. I was just a young woman trying to save the people I loved. But sometimes, little sacrifices grow into something much bigger."


    As she spoke, images shed around us - countless realities, infinite possibilities, all connected by threads of light that looked strangely like the pack bonds I¡¯d been forming.


    "Every time you chose others over yourself," she continued, "every time you put love before fear, you strengthened the connections between worlds. You became not just a Guardian, but a bridge."


    "I don¡¯t understand."


    "The void entity was right about one thing - the barriers between nes have been weakening. But not because of chaos. Because beings in different realities have been losing their links to each other. Forgetting how to love across differences. Forgetting how to sacrifice for something bigger than themselves."


    She motioned to the swirling energies around us. "This is the Heart of Reality. The ce where all options meet. It¡¯s been dying, slowly, as beings throughout the infinite dimensions have be more isted, more selfish, more afraid."


    "And you want me to fix it?" I asked, feeling overloaded.


    "I want you to do what you¡¯ve already been doing," she said. "Build links. Help beings understand that they¡¯re stronger together than apart. Show them that love is worth any sacrifice."


    "But I don¡¯t know how to¡ª"


    "You¡¯ve already started." She waved her hand, and I could see them - silver threads extending from my heart across various realities. Some led back to Caleb, to the twins, to everyone I cared about in Silver Peak. But others stretched further, linking to beings I¡¯d never met in worlds I¡¯d never seen.


    "Every person you¡¯ve helped, every connection you¡¯ve made, has created a new thread in the web that holds reality together," she exined. "But now you have a choice to make."


    "What kind of choice?"


    "You can go back to your simple life as an omega werewolf. I¡¯ll remove your dimensional abilities, close the bridges you¡¯ve opened, and let someone else carry this load."


    The deal was tempting. I could go home to Caleb, settle down, have the quiet life I¡¯d always dreamed of.


    "Or?" I asked.


    "Or you ept your job as an inter-dimensional mediator. You travel between realities when needed, helping beings who are losing their links to each other. You be the bridge that holds everything together."


    "What would that mean for my pack? For Caleb?"


    "It means sometimes you¡¯ll have to leave them to help others. It means carrying responsibilities that spread far beyond Silver Peak. It means making choices you can¡¯t even imagine yet."


    My heart clenched at the thought of leaving Caleb behind, even temporarily. But then I thought about Luna, about how she¡¯d been my sister in every lifetime and I¡¯d never known. About all the connections I¡¯d missed, all the love I¡¯d failed to notice.


    "If I don¡¯t do this," I said slowly, "what happens to everyone else? To all the other realities?"


    "They fade," she said sadly. "Slowly, one by one, as beings forget how to care about anyone beyond themselves. Eventually, there¡¯s nothing left but empty space."


    I thought about the void entity¡¯s n - perfect order through eliminating feelings and connections. Maybe it wasn¡¯t evil, just desperate. Maybe it had watched reality die and decided that emptiness was better than slow decay.


    "I can¡¯t let that happen," I said.


    "Even knowing what it will cost you?"


    I looked back toward the bridge that led home, where I could see my friends and family waiting anxiously for my return. Caleb¡¯s face was tight with worry. The triplets looked ready to fight their way through dimensions to reach me. Even Luna was reaching toward the light, trying to help her sister.


    "They¡¯re the reason I can do this," I realized. "Knowing they¡¯re out there, knowing love like this exists - it gives me something to fight for."


    The original Guardian smiled, and I felt warmth rush through me. "Then you ept?"


    "I ept."


    The moment I said it, power rushed through me. Not the chaotic dimensional energy I¡¯d been fighting with, but something steady and sure. I could feel every reality, every link, every thread of love that held existence together.


    And I could feel where those threads were breaking.


    "Your first assignment," the Guardian said, "is closer to home than you might think."


    She waved her hand, and I could see Silver Peak, but not as I¡¯d left it. The basement was empty except for one figure - the void creature, standing over Luna¡¯s unconscious form with void energy crackling around its hands.


    "It¡¯s going to kill her," I gasped.


    "Not kill," the Guardian amended grimly. "Transform. It¡¯s going to turn Luna into a void creature like itself, using her as a weapon against you."


    "I have to stop it!"


    "Yes. But first, you need to understand something important." Her face grew serious. "The void thing isn¡¯t your enemy, Lily. It¡¯s your brother."


    The words hit me like a physical blow. "What?" "Another Guardian, from eons ago. He chose the path of order over connection, thinking that eliminating chaos was the only way to save reality. Now he¡¯s so lost in the void that he¡¯s forgotten what he was trying to protect."


    "You want me to save him?"


    "I want you to choose," she said. "Kill him and end the threat quickly, or try to remind him who he used to be and risk losing everything."


    As she spoke, I watched the void creature bend over Luna, its hands glowing with terrible energy. In seconds, my sister would be lost forever.


    "Choose now, daughter," the Guardian urged. "And remember - this is just the first of many impossible decisions you¡¯ll face as reality¡¯s protector."

 Chapter 171: Emotional Growth

    <h4>Chapter 171: Emotional Growth</h4>


    <strong>CALEB POV</strong>


    I grabbed the bridge of light with both hands and pulled myself through before anyone could stop me.


    "Caleb, no!" Aiden shouted behind me, but it was toote. I was already tumbling through worlds, chasing after Lily.


    Inded hard in the whirling space where she stood with the original Guardian. Both women turned to stare at me in shock.


    "How did you¡ª" the Guardian began.


    "Mate bond," I said, getting to my feet. "It works both ways, remember? If Lily¡¯s here, then part of me is too."


    Lily¡¯s face lit up with joy and relief. "Caleb! But you shouldn¡¯t be here. It¡¯s dangerous."


    "Everywhere you go is dangerous," I pointed out. "That¡¯s never stopped me from following you before."


    The Guardian looked between us with interest. "Fascinating. The bond survived dimensional travel. That¡¯s... unusual."


    "What do you mean?" I asked.


    "Most mystical connections break when exposed to the Heart of Reality," she stated. "The pure energy here dissolves artificial bonds, leaving only what¡¯s genuinely real."


    I felt a chill of fear. "Are you saying our mate bond isn¡¯t real?"


    "On the contrary," the Guardian smiled. "I¡¯m saying it¡¯s more real than most. It survived because it was never just about magic or mystical force. It was about choice."


    I looked at Lily, remembering all the moments that had led us here. Not just the night her Triple Moon Mark showed, but all the quiet times before that. When I¡¯d noticed her kindness with the pack children. When she¡¯d shared insights that surprised me with their wisdom. When I¡¯d found myself looking forward to her shy smiles.


    "I loved her before the mark appeared," I realized. "Didn¡¯t I?"


    "And I loved you," Lily said softly. "I just didn¡¯t think I was allowed to hope for someone like you."


    The Guardian nodded approvingly. "True mate bonds aren¡¯t about fate pushing you together. They¡¯re about finding someone whoplements your soul and choosing to build a life with them."


    "So our rtionship," I said slowly, "it¡¯s not predetermined anymore?"


    "It never was," Lily answered. "The Triple Moon Mark just helped us admit what was already there."


    For a moment, I felt lighter than I had in weeks. Our love was real. Not magicalpulsion, not cosmic destiny, just two people who truly cared about each other.


    Then I remembered why we were here.


    "Lily," I said quickly, "you have toe back with me. Luna¡¯s in danger. That void thing is going to¡ª"


    "Transform her," Lily finished. "I know. I can see it happening."


    She pointed, and suddenly I could see through her eyes back to Silver Peak. The void creature had Luna suspended in the air, dark energy pouring into her unconscious form. Her hair was already starting to turn ck, and her face was taking on the gray pallor of a void creature.


    "We have to stop it," I said.


    "It¡¯s not that simple," the Guardian interjected. "The void creature is Lily¡¯s brother. Another Guardian who lost his way."


    "I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s her long-lost cousin," I said furiously. "It¡¯s about to destroy Luna."


    "But if Lily kills him," the Guardian continued, "she bes exactly what he feared - a being who chooses violence over understanding."


    I looked between them, annoyed. "So what, we just let Luna die?"


    "There might be another way," Lily said slowly. "Caleb, what if we went back together? Your analytical mind mixed with my dimensional abilities?"


    "How would that help?"


    "You helped me understand the memory maniption before," she exined. "You saw through the lies to the truth underneath. Maybe you can help me see what the void thing really is under all that emptiness."


    The Guardian shook her head. "Too dangerous. If you¡¯re both linked to him when he fully transforms Luna, you could all be pulled into the void together."


    "Then we¡¯ll just have to work fast," I said.


    Lily looked at me. "You¡¯re willing to risk it? Even knowing what could happen?"


    I took her hands in mine, feeling the warmth of our genuine bond. "Lily, before your change, I was just going through the motions of life. Following standards, doing what was expected of me. You taught me what it means to really live, to really love."


    "I did?"


    "You showed me that strength isn¡¯t about following rules or keeping order. It¡¯s about caring enough to fight for what counts, even when the odds are impossible."


    I squeezed her hands. "If loving you means risking everything to save your sister, then that¡¯s what we do. Together."


    The Guardian smiled, but it was sad. "You understand that this changes everything? If you both escape this, your rtionship will be tested in ways you can¡¯t imagine. Lily¡¯s new tasks will take her away from you, sometimes for long periods. You¡¯ll have to choose each other again and again, without the certainty of a mystical bond to promise you¡¯ll stay together."


    "Good," I said, startling myself. "I don¡¯t want to love her because magic tells me to. I want to love her because I choose to, every single day."


    Lily¡¯s eyes filled with tears. "Even knowing how hard it will be?"


    "Especially knowing how hard it will be," I responded. "Easy love isn¡¯t real love. Real love is choosing someone even when it¡¯s tough."


    The Guardian nodded approvingly. "Then you¡¯re ready for whates next."


    She waved her hand, and suddenly we were back in the Silver Peak basement. But everything had changed. Luna was floating in a cocoon of void energy, her change nearlyplete. The others were stuck in cages of dark light, unable to move or speak.


    And the void creature was waiting for us, its empty eyes fixed on Lily.


    "Wee home, sister," it said in a voice like dying stars. "I was hoping you¡¯d return in time to watch your lovely Luna be my first convert. Soon, she¡¯ll help me change everyone you care about."


    "Don¡¯t do this," Lily begged. "Please. I know you¡¯re trying to save reality, but this isn¡¯t the way."


    "Isn¡¯t it?" The entity indicated to Luna¡¯s changing form. "Look how peaceful she is now. No more pain, no more confusion, no more messy feelings causing chaos."


    "No more growth either," I said, moving forward. "No more joy, no more love, no more reasons to keep fighting."


    The nk entity¡¯s attention shifted to me. "Ah, the mate. Tell me, wolf, what will you do when your dear Lily leaves you to fulfill her cosmic duties? When she picks saving strangers over staying with you?"


    I felt the intended hurt in those words, but also the truth. Lily would have to leave sometimes. Our rtionship would be tried.


    "I¡¯ll support her," I said simply. "Because that¡¯s what you do when you really love someone."


    "Even if it breaks your heart?"


    "Even then."


    The creatureughed, but there was something desperate in the sound. "Love is weakness. It causes nothing but pain."


    "No," I said, understanding rushing through me. "Love is what you¡¯re really afraid of. Because if love is real, if connection is stronger than control, then everything you¡¯ve done to ¡¯save¡¯ reality has actually been killing it."


    The void entity¡¯s form flickered, and for just a moment, I saw something else underneath - a young man, scared and alone, who¡¯d made the wrong choice eons ago and was too proud to admit it.


    "You¡¯re not evil," I realized. "You¡¯re just scared."


    But as I spoke, Luna¡¯s transformation finished. Her eyes opened, and they were solid ck.


    "Toote," she said in a voice like winter wind. "Now the real fun begins."


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 Chapter 172: The Second Feeling

    <h4>Chapter 172: The Second Feeling</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    The scream cut through the morning air like a knife through quiet.


    I dropped the healing herbs I¡¯d been sorting and ran toward the sound. My feet barely hit the ground as I raced through Silver Peak¡¯s main clearing. Other pack members were running too, their faces full of fear.


    "Help! Someone help us!" The voice belonged to Maya, one of our younger moms. I could see her near the nursery, holding her three-year-old son Tommy. Blood covered his small arm.


    Without thinking, I pushed through the crowd of wolves gathered around them. This was my job now - helping people when they got hurt. But as I knelt beside Tommy, something strange happened inside my chest.


    It felt like a warm fire had suddenly zed to life where my heart used to feel empty. The feeling was so strong it almost knocked me over. I had to grip the ground to stay steady.


    "What happened?" I asked Maya, forcing my voice to stay calm even though this new feeling was making my hands shake.


    "He was ying near the old storage shed," Maya sobbed. "A loose board fell and cut his arm. There¡¯s so much blood!"


    I looked at Tommy¡¯s wound. It wasn¡¯t life-threatening, but it was deep enough to need stitches. As I pressed clean cloth against the cut to stop the bleeding, that warm feeling in my chest got stronger.


    Protect him. Keep him safe. This is your pack.


    The thoughts came from somewhere deep inside me, just like when I¡¯d felt love for Caleb yesterday. But this was different. This wasn¡¯t about one guy - it was about everyone here. Maya, Tommy, the worried pack members watching us, even Luna who stood at the edge of the crowd.


    They were all mine to protect.


    "Get me my healing kit from the cabin," I told Luna. "And bring clean water."


    For a second, Luna looked like she might argue. We still weren¡¯t exactly friends, even after everything that happened three months ago. But then she saw something in my eyes that made her nod quickly and run toward my cabin.


    As I worked on Tommy¡¯s arm, cleaning the cut and preparing to stitch it closed, more pack members gathered around us. I could hear their whispered talks.


    "Thank goodness Lily was here."


    "She always knows what to do."


    "The Triple Moon bearer will keep us safe."


    Each word made that protective feeling burn brighter inside me. These people trusted me. They looked to me when things went wrong. And right now, I would do anything - anything - to make sure they were okay.


    "Is Tommy going to be alright?" asked little Sarah, another child from the nursery. Her big eyes were full of tears.


    I smiled at her, and it felt normal for the first time since my sacrifice. "He¡¯s going to be just fine. But we need to be more careful around that old shed, okay?"


    As I stitched Tommy¡¯s wound, my mind started working in ways it hadn¡¯t for months. The shed where this happened - it was falling apart. Other children could get hurt. There were probably more dangerous spots around Silver Peak that no one had checkedtely.


    Protect them all. Fix what¡¯s wrong. Keep the pack safe.


    The feeling was getting so strong I could barely focus on my stitching. But I forced myself to finish Tommy¡¯s arm first. He was brave, only crying a little bit when the needle went through his skin.


    "There," I said, tying off thest stitch. "Good as new. But you need to keep this tape dry for a few days, okay?"


    Tommy nodded seriously, then hugged me with his good arm. "Thank you, Miss Lily."


    That hug nearly broke me. The protective feeling burst through my whole body like lightning. I wanted to grab every child in Silver Peak and hide them somewhere safe where nothing could ever hurt them.


    But I couldn¡¯t do that. What I could do was make sure our territory was safe.


    "Luna," I called as she brought back my groceries. "I need you to get Aiden and Brock. Tell them we¡¯re doing a safety check of every building in Silver Peak. Today."


    Luna raised an eyebrow. "Every building? That¡¯ll take all day."


    "Then we work all day," I said strongly. "And tonight too if we have to."


    Something in my voice must have convinced her because she nodded and ran off to find the Alpha and his brother.


    As the crowd started to break up, with Maya taking Tommy home to rest, I stood in the middle of the clearing and felt this new feeling settling into my bones. It wasn¡¯t the sweet, gentle feeling that love had been. This was fierce and pressing and demanding.


    I needed to protect my pack. All of them. From everything.


    But as I started walking toward the old shed to study it myself, I heard something that made my blood turn to ice.


    Howling. Coming from the northern border.


    Not the happy screams we used for talking to each other. These were rm sounds. Danger growls.


    And they were getting closer.


    I ran toward the sound, my protective instincts shouting at me to find out what was threatening my pack. Other wolves were running too - Brock appeared beside me, his face grim.


    "Border patrol," he panted as we ran. "They¡¯re calling for help."


    We reached the northern hill just as three of our patrol wolves came stumbling out of the trees. They were bloody and tired, their clothes torn.


    "Report," Brock ordered.


    "Strange wolves," gasped Marcus, one of our best scouts. "Not rogues. Something else. They¡¯reing this way, and they¡¯re not alone."


    "What do you mean, not alone?" I asked.


    Marcus looked at me with eyes full of fear. "They have people with them. Humans with tools we¡¯ve never seen before. And Lily..." He swallowed hard. "They were asking about you. By name."


    The protective feeling in my chest turned into ice-cold fear. Something wasing for Silver Peak. Something that knew who I was.


    And I had no idea how to stop it.


    "How long do we have?" Brock asked.


    Marcus looked back toward the trees, where we could now hear the faraway sound of engines.


    "Maybe an hour," he whispered. "They¡¯ll be here by sunset."

 Chapter 173: Luna’s Leadership

    <h4>Chapter 173: Luna¡¯s Leadership</h4>


    <strong>LUNA POV</strong>


    The radio crackled to life in my hands just as I was running toward the Alpha house.


    "Luna Morrison, this is Captain Reed of the Human Defense Corps. We need to talk."


    I stopped so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet. A person was calling me by name on our pack¡¯s emergency radio. That was impossible. Humans weren¡¯t supposed to know we existed, let alone have our contact codes.


    "How did you get this frequency?" I demanded, putting the radio close to my mouth.


    "We¡¯ve been watching your pack for months," came the cold remark. "We know about the Triple Moon bearer. We know about the changes in your area. And we know you¡¯re the one who speaks for Silver Peak in talks."


    My heart hammered against my ribs. How did they know so much about us? I looked around the area, wondering if we were being watched right now.


    "What do you want?" I asked.


    "A meeting. One hour. The old oak tree at your southern line. Come alone, or we start shooting."


    The radio went dead.


    I stood there for a moment, my mind racing. This was bad. Really, really bad. Humans knowing about werewolves had always been our worst horror. But them knowing exact details about our pack? That was scary.


    I ran the rest of the way to find Aiden, Brock, and Lily crowded together near the Alpha house. They all looked up when I approached, their faces tight with worry.


    "The patrol said strange wolves areing from the north," Aiden said quickly. "We¡¯re preparing defenses."


    "Forget the north," I interrupted. "We have bigger problems. Humans are at our southern border, and they want to meet with me."


    The color drained from Lily¡¯s face. "Humans? But how do they¡ª"


    "Know about us?" I finished. "I have no idea. But they do, and they¡¯re asking Ie to them alone in one hour."


    Brock growled low in his throat. "It¡¯s obviously a trap."


    "Of course it¡¯s a trap," I snapped. "But what choice do we have? They said they¡¯ll start shooting if I don¡¯t show up."


    For the first time in my life, I was the one everyone was looking to for answers. Not Aiden, even though he was Alpha. Not Lily, even though she was the Triple Moon carrier. Me. Because I was Silver Peak¡¯s diplomat, and this was a diplomatic problem.


    The weight of that duty hit me like a physical blow. Three months ago, I would have panicked or tried to push the choice onto someone else. But something had changed in me during the winter. All those times I¡¯d had to swallow my pride and work with Lily instead of against her. All those negotiations with nearby packs where I¡¯d learned to think before I spoke.


    I¡¯d grown up. And now my pack needed me to prove it.


    "I¡¯m going," I decided.


    "Luna, no," Lily said instantly. "It¡¯s too dangerous."


    "Everything is dangerous right now," I answered. "But I¡¯m the only one they asked for. Maybe I can find out what they really want."


    Aiden shook his head. "As Alpha, I can¡¯t let you¡ª"


    "As Alpha, you need to trust your diplomat to do her job," I stopped. It felt strange to talk to Aiden that way, but it also felt right. "This is what I trained for."


    Well, not exactly this. I¡¯d trained to deal with other werewolf packs, not armed humans. But the main principles were the same: stay calm, listen more than you talk, and always look for what the other side really wanted.


    "At least take backup," Brock offered. "Hidden in the trees."


    I considered it, then shook my head. "They¡¯ll be watching for that. If they see other wolves, they might fear and start shooting before I can talk to them."


    "Then what¡¯s your n?" Lily asked.


    I took a deep breath. "I¡¯m going to do what I do best. I¡¯m going to talk."


    The truth was, I was scared. My hands were shaking, and my stomach felt like it was full of angry bees. But I couldn¡¯t let my pack see that fear. They needed me to be strong.


    "Give me fifteen minutes to prepare," I said. "Then I¡¯ll head out."


    As the others separated to get ready for whatever might happen, I went to my cabin to think. How had people found out about us? And why did they want to talk to me specifically?


    Unless...


    My blood turned cold as a horrible thought came to me. What if this wasn¡¯t about our pack at all? What if this was about Lily¡¯s transformation? About whatever she¡¯d be when she made that sacrifice?


    I grabbed my emergency kit - first aid supplies, a backup radio, and a silver knife that had belonged to my grandma. Not much against human guns, but it made me feel better.


    As I walked toward the southern border, I tried to channel all the confidence I¡¯d learned during months of pack talks. I was Luna Morrison, Silver Peak¡¯s chief negotiator. I could handle this.


    But when I reached the old oak tree, what I saw made my faith crumble.


    There weren¡¯t just a few people waiting for me. There were dozens. Military vehicles circled the area, and soldiers in strange ck uniforms pointed weapons I didn¡¯t recognize in my direction.


    In the middle of it all stood a tall woman with steel-gray hair and cold blue eyes. She wore the same ck outfit as the others, but with more silver decorations.


    "Miss Morrison," she said as I neared. "Thank you foring. I¡¯m Colonel Hayes, and we have a lot to talk."


    "What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.


    The Colonel smiled, but it wasn¡¯t a friendly look. "We want the Triple Moon carrier. And you¡¯re going to help us get her."


    "Never," I said instantly.


    "Oh, I think you will," Colonel Hayes responded. She gestured, and two soldiers stepped aside to show a cage in the back of one of their vehicles.


    Inside the cage was a werewolf I recognized - Daniel, one of our youngest patrol members. But he looked wrong. His eyes were boring and empty, and when he moved, it was like he was sleepwalking.


    "We¡¯ve developed some interesting new technology," the Colonel exined. "Mind control, you might call it. Very effective on your kind. Daniel here has been our friend for three weeks, and he¡¯s told us everything we wanted to know about Silver Peak."


    My heart stopped. Daniel was the spy. That¡¯s how they knew so much about us.


    "The choice is simple," Colonel Hayes continued. "Bring us Lily Carter, and we¡¯ll give you Daniel back and leave your pack alone. Refuse, and we¡¯ll use our new technology to turn every wolf in Silver Peak into our obedient ves."


    She leaned closer, her cold eyes boring into mine. "You have until dawn to decide. And Luna? If you try to run or fight, we¡¯ll start with the children."


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 Chapter 174: Elder Iris’s Passing

    <h4>Chapter 174: Elder Iris¡¯s Passing</h4>


    <strong>ELDER IRIS POV</strong>


    I dropped my teacup when the image hit me.


    The hot liquid sshed across my kitchen table, soaking into the old papers I¡¯d been reading. But I barely noticed. My mind was somewhere else entirely, seeing things that hadn¡¯t happened yet.


    Luna standing at an intersection, tears streaming down her face. Lily trapped in a cage made of silver and stars. Caleb yelling my name as darkness swallowed our pack whole.


    "No," I whispered, holding the edge of my table. "Not like this. Not when we¡¯re so close."


    The vision faded, leaving me gasping in my small cell. My old heart hammered against my ribs like a caught bird. I¡¯d been having these views of the future for seventy years, but never one this clear. Never one this bad.


    I looked at the mess I¡¯d made. Tea had ruined weeks of careful study, the ink running on pages I¡¯d spent months tranting from the oldnguage. But maybe that didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    Maybe I was running out of time.


    I stood up too quickly and my knees buckled. Pain shot through my old bones as I caught myself against the wall. When had I gotten so frail? When had walking across my own house be such a struggle?


    But I had work to finish. Important work.


    I grabbed my walking stick and made my way to the wooden chest in the corner of my house. Inside were all my most precious things - books written by omega wolves from centuries ago, detailed maps of spiritual energy lines that ran under Silver Peak, and most importantly, my study notes about the Triple Moon prophecy.


    The prophecy that was still ying, even now.


    My hands shook as I pulled out a leather notebook filled with my own handwriting. Fifty years of careful observations about the energy trends in our pack. Fifty years of waiting for the right omega to be born. Fifty years of nning for what wasing.


    I¡¯d thought Lily¡¯s transformation was the end of the prophesy. The moment when bnce returned to our pack and my life¡¯s work wasplete. But the vision I¡¯d just seen told a different story.


    The real test was stilling.


    I opened the book and began to write, my old fingers cramping around the pen. There were things Lily needed to know. Things I should have told her months ago but hadn¡¯t because I thought we had more time.


    The Triple Moon carrier is not just a healer, I wrote. She is a bridge between ces. When the big darknesses, she will have to choose between saving her pack and saving herself. But there is a third choice, hidden in the oldest texts.


    I paused, remembering something my own master had told me decades ago. Elder Sarah had been the omega keeper of secrets before me, and her grandma before her. A line of omega women going back to the very beginning of our pack, all of us guarding the same terrible knowledge.


    The void creatures are not our enemies, I kept writing. They are our lost family. Wolves who chose emptiness over pain so long ago that they forgot how to feel. The Triple Moon bearer can bring them home, but only if she knows the cost.


    My hand was getting tired, but I forced myself to keep writing. There was so much to exin and so little time.


    Outside my cabin, I could hear the pack moving around in fear. Shouted directions, running feet, the sound of weapons being prepared. They knew trouble wasing but not what kind. They were preparing to fight, not knowing that fighting might be exactly the wrong thing to do.


    I wrote faster, my handwriting getting messy as I rushed to get everything down.


    The people who havee are not the true threat. They are being controlled by something older and hungry. Something that feeds on fear and gets stronger with every act of violence. Lily must not let the pack fight. She must choose another way.


    A sharp pain stabbed through my chest, making me gasp. I dropped my pen and pressed my hand against my heart. It felt like someone was squeezing it with icy fingers.


    Not yet, I thought desperately. Just a little more time.


    But my body had other ns. The pain spread through my chest and down my left arm. My vision started to blur around the edges, and I could taste copper in my mouth.


    With myst bit of power, I reached for a small silver bell on my table. It was attached to a rope that ran to Lily¡¯s cabin - an old omega emergency system that hadn¡¯t been used in years.


    I rang the bell three times, the signal for "urgent help needed." Then I copsed back in my chair, the book falling from myp onto the floor.


    I could hear footsteps running toward my house. Voices calling my name. But they sounded far away, like they wereing from the bottom of a deep well.


    The world was getting darker around the edges, but I wasn¡¯t scared. I¡¯d done what I could. The information was written down. The signs were clear.


    Now it was up to Lily and the others to save our pack.


    My cell door burst open and Lily rushed in, her face full of worry. Behind her came Caleb, Aiden, and even Luna, all of them crowded around my chair.


    "Elder Iris!" Lily knelt beside me, taking my cold hands in her warm ones. "What happened? Are you hurt?"


    I tried to speak but could barely whisper. "Journal," I managed to say, pointing at the falling book. "Read it. All of it. The real forecast... not finished yet."


    "Don¡¯t talk," Lily said, tears starting in her eyes. "Save your strength. We¡¯ll get you help."


    I shook my head slightly. There was no help for this. My time hade, just like I¡¯d always known it would. But I had one more thing to tell her.


    "The void entity," I whispered, using thest of my strength. "It¡¯s not her brother."


    Lily leaned closer. "What do you mean?"


    With my final breath, I looked into her puzzled eyes and spoke the truth that would change everything.


    "It¡¯s her son."

 Chapter 175: Grief and Connection

    <h4>Chapter 175: Grief and Connection</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    I threw Elder Iris¡¯s book across the room with such force that it hit the wall and pages scattered everywhere.


    "It¡¯s not true!" I screamed at the empty air. "She¡¯s lying! She has to be lying!"


    But even as the words left my mouth, I knew they weren¡¯t true. Elder Iris had never lied to me. Not once in all the years I¡¯d known her. And now she was gone, and her final words were ringing in my head like a nightmare I couldn¡¯t wake up from.


    It¡¯s her son.


    The void entity that had been terrorizing our pack, the thing that had tried to transform Luna, the being I thought was my lost brother - it was my child. A child I didn¡¯t even know I had.


    I sank to my knees among the scattered pages, and that¡¯s when it hit me.


    Pain. Raw, crushing, intense pain that felt like someone had reached into my chest and squeezed my heart until it burst.


    I doubled over, gasping for breath as waves of pain crashed through me. This wasn¡¯t like the gentle warmth of love or the fierce burn of protectiveness. This was sharp and terrible and it made me want to crawl into a dark hole and nevere out.


    But underneath the pain was something else. Something I hadn¡¯t felt in months.


    I was feeling. Really, truly feeling.


    Tears poured down my cheeks as I grieved for Elder Iris, for the doubt about my supposed son, for all the months I¡¯d spent as an empty shell. Each sob hurt, but it also proved I was alive again.


    "Lily?" Caleb¡¯s voice came from the doorway. "I heard yelling. Are you¡ª"


    He stopped when he saw me on the floor, surrounded by scattered papers and crying harder than I¡¯d cried since my change.


    "She¡¯s gone," I whispered. "Elder Iris is really gone."


    Caleb ran over and pulled me into his arms. "I know. I¡¯m so sorry."


    "But that¡¯s not the worst part," I said, my words buried against his chest. "Caleb, what she said before she died. About the void thing being my son. How is that possible? I¡¯ve never had a child."


    Caleb held me tighter. "Maybe she was confused. She was dying, and sometimes people say strange things when¡ª"


    "No." I pulled back to look at him. "You know as well as I do that Elder Iris was never confused about anything. She knew things. Saw things. If she said that thing is my son, then somehow it¡¯s true."


    The thought made me feel sick. How could I have a child and not know it? And how could that child have be something so terrible?


    "We¡¯ll figure it out," Caleb promised. "Together. But right now, we need to focus on the current threats. Luna is still talking with those humans, and we don¡¯t know what they want."


    I nodded and starting gathering up the scattered pages from Elder Iris¡¯s journal. My hands were still shaking, but I forced myself to read her closing words.


    The void thing is not our enemy. It is our lost family.


    Lily must not let the pack fight. She must choose another way.


    The Triple Moon bearer can bring them home, but only if she knows the cost.


    "Caleb," I said slowly, "what if Elder Iris was right about everything? What if the void entity isn¡¯t trying to kill us but trying toe home?"


    "You mean your... son... might not be evil?"


    I winced at the word ¡¯son,¡¯ but forced myself to think about it rationally. "Think about what happened when he changed Luna. He didn¡¯t kill her or hurt her. He just... emptied her. Made her peaceful."


    "That¡¯s not exactly better."


    "But what if that¡¯s how he sees love?" I continued, the pieces beginning to fit together in my mind. "What if he¡¯s so hurt and lonely that he thinks the only way to keep people safe is to take away their ability to feel pain?"


    Caleb frowned. "That¡¯s a pretty twisted way of thinking."


    "Is it?" I asked. "Three months ago, I decided to sacrifice my emotions because I thought it would save everyone. How is that different from what he¡¯s doing?"


    Before Caleb could answer, we heard screaming from outside. We ran to the window and saw Luna stumbling back into the pack clearing. Her face was white with fear, and she was running as fast as she could.


    "Emergency meeting!" she screamed. "Everyone to the main hall! Now!"


    Caleb and I traded worried looks before running outside. Other pack members were already moving toward the hall, their faces full of fear and confusion.


    Inside the hall, Luna stood at the front, breathing hard and looking like she¡¯d seen a ghost.


    "The humans," she gasped. "They have Daniel. They¡¯ve been controlling his thoughts for weeks, using him to spy on us."


    Gasps and angry yells filled the room. Someone yelled about saving Daniel, while others talked about fighting the humans.


    "There¡¯s more," Luna continued, raising her voice. "They want Lily. They¡¯ll trade Daniel for her and leave the rest of us alone. If we refuse, they¡¯ll use their mind control techniques on all of us."


    The room exploded in chaos. Some people yelled that we should fight, others that we should negotiate, and a few that we should run.


    But I barely heard them. I was looking at Luna¡¯s face, seeing something there that made my blood turn cold.


    She was lying.


    Not about the people or Daniel or the mind control. I could tell those parts were true. But there was something else, something she wasn¡¯t telling us.


    "Luna," I called out over the noise. "What aren¡¯t you saying?"


    She met my eyes, and for a moment I saw guilt and fear and something that looked almost like relief.


    "They gave me until dawn to decide," she said quietly.


    "To decide what?"


    Luna¡¯s voice broke as she spoke the words that would change everything.


    "Whether to bring you to them freely, or let theme here and take you by force. Along with anyone who tries to protect you."


    The room fell silent.


    "But Lily," Luna added, tears starting in her eyes, "there¡¯s something else. Something I didn¡¯t tell them."


    My heart stopped. "What?"


    "I¡¯m already carrying a message. From the void entity. It¡¯sing here tonight, no matter what we decide about the people."


    She pulled a small, dark gem from her pocket. It glowed with void energy.


    "It says it¡¯s time for the Triple Moon carrier toe home. Time for mother and son to be reunited."


    The crystal began to glow brighter, and suddenly I could hear a voice in my head. Young and sad and terribly familiar.


    Mother, I¡¯ve been waiting so long for you to remember me.


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 Chapter 176: Caleb’s Patience

    <h4>Chapter 176: Caleb¡¯s Patience</h4>


    <strong>CALEB POV</strong>


    I caught Lily¡¯s hand just as she was about to smash the dark rock against the wall.


    "Wait," I said gently, wrapping my fingers around hers. "Breaking it might make things worse."


    Her whole body was shaking with rage and confusion, but she stopped trying to destroy the crystal. That was progress. Three months ago, when her emotions were totally gone, she would have just stared at the thing with empty eyes. Now she was feeling enough to want to break it.


    Even if that feeling was mostly anger and fear.


    "It¡¯s talking to me, Caleb," she whispered, her voice cracking. "That thing is in my head, calling me mother, and I don¡¯t understand any of it."


    I could hear the fear rising in her voice. The pack meeting had broken up in chaos after Luna gave her terrible news, but I¡¯d stayed with Lily. Someone had to keep her grounded while her world fell apart again.


    "Let¡¯s sit down," I offered, guiding her to a chair. "And let¡¯s figure this out together."


    Lily clutched the rock tighter, and I could see tears starting in her eyes. Real tears. The third feeling she¡¯d felt since her sacrifice - grief - was still so new that it overwhelmed her sometimes.


    "I can¡¯t be a mother," she said. "I would remember having a child. Wouldn¡¯t I?"


    I wanted to give her easy replies, but I¡¯d learned over the past few months that lying to Lily didn¡¯t help anyone. She needed truth, even when it hurt.


    "Maybe not," I said carefully. "Elder Iris¡¯s research referenced time distortions around the Triple Moon prophecy. Maybe this child lives in a different timeline, or maybe your memories were blocked somehow."


    Lily looked at me with such lost confusion that my heart ached. She was trying so hard to feel again, to be human again, but every new feeling brought new pain.


    "How do you do it?" she asked suddenly.


    "Do what?"


    "Stay so cool when everything is falling apart. The humans want to kidnap me, this void creature ims to be my son, Luna¡¯s bringing messages from our enemies, and you¡¯re just... sitting here being patient with me."


    I almost smiled at that. If only she knew how patient I¡¯d had to learn to be.


    "Because rushing won¡¯t help," I exined. "When you disappeared into that void space three months ago, I wanted to charge in after you immediately. Brock wanted to tear apart worlds to find you. But Aiden made us wait and n."


    "That¡¯s different."


    "Is it?" I asked. "You¡¯re rebuilding yourself piece by piece, Lily. Love first, then protectiveness, now sadness. Each feeling makes you more whole, but it also makes you more vulnerable. If I pushed you to feel everything at once, you might breakpletely."


    She was quiet for a moment, turning the crystal over in her hands. The void energy inside it pulsed like a heartbeat.


    "What if I¡¯m not strong enough?" she whispered. "What if I can¡¯t handle being a mother to something like that?"


    Before I could answer, the crystal red with bright dark light. Lily gasped as her eyes rolled back in her head, and suddenly she wasn¡¯t in the room with me anymore.


    I could tell because her body went stiff and her breathing changed. She was having some kind of vision, and there was nothing I could do but wait and watch over her.


    This was the hardest part of loving someone who was still healing. Sometimes she went ces I couldn¡¯t follow, and all I could do was be there when she came back.


    Minutes passed. Lily¡¯s face went through different emotions - confusion, sadness, fear, and something that might have been recognition. Whatever she was seeing, it was important.


    Finally, her eyes snapped back to normal and she looked at me with wonder and fear.


    "I saw him," she breathed. "My son. But Caleb, he¡¯s not a child anymore. He¡¯s old. Older than Elder Iris, older than our pack."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Time moves differently in the void," she exined, her wordsing fast. "What felt like a day to me was ages to him. He¡¯s been alone in that nothingness for so long that he forgot how to feel anything except loneliness."


    I felt a chill run down my spine. "So when he transforms people..."


    "He¡¯s trying to bring them to the void with him so he won¡¯t be alone anymore." Lily¡¯s voice was full of sadness. "He doesn¡¯t understand that he¡¯s hurting them. He thinks he¡¯s saving them from pain."


    "Just like you thought you were saving us when you sacrificed your emotions."


    She nodded, tears flowing freely now. "He learned it from me. From watching me choose emptiness over feeling."


    I reached out and wiped away her tears, marveling at how much more present she seemed with each feeling she reimed. "So what do we do?"


    "I have to go to him," she said. "Not to fight him, but to teach him what I¡¯m learning. That feeling pain is worth it if you also get to feel love."


    My heart stopped. "Lily, no. You¡¯re not strong enough yet. You¡¯ve only just started feeling again."


    "But if I wait, how many more people will he transform? How many will Luna and the humans hurt trying to catch me?"


    She had a point, but the thought of losing her again made me desperate. "There has to be another way."


    "Maybe there is," she said slowly. "What if I don¡¯t go alone?"


    "I¡¯lle with you," I said instantly.


    "Not just you. All of us. The whole pack." Her eyes were getting brighter as the idea formed. "What if instead of one person teaching him about emotions, we showed him what a real family feels like?"


    Before I could reply, we heard screaming from outside. We ran to the window and saw something that made my blood freeze.


    Daniel, the pack member who¡¯d been caught by the humans, was walking into our clearing. But he wasn¡¯t alone. Behind him marched dozens of our own pack members, their eyes nk and empty just like his had been in that cage.


    The humans hadn¡¯t just controlled Daniel. They¡¯d been controlling others too, pack members we thought were safe.


    "How many?" Lily whispered.


    I counted quickly. "At least thirty. Maybe more."


    As we watched in horror, the controlled pack members made a perfect circle around the Alpha house. Then Daniel stepped forward and spoke in a voice that wasn¡¯t his own.


    "Lily Carter," he called out. "The Human Defense Corps thanks you for making this so easy. Your pack members have been such helpful spies."


    Lily gripped my arm. "They¡¯ve been spying on us through our own people."


    "That¡¯s not the worst part," I realized, my stomach sinking. "If they can control our pack members, they can make them fight against us."


    Daniel raised his hand, and all the controlled wolves began to shift into their wolf shapes. Their eyes stayed empty and dead, but their teeth were very real.


    "Come out peacefully," Daniel continued, "or watch us tear apart everyone you love."


    Lily looked at me with desperate eyes. "The crystal is getting hot. The void creature ising too. We¡¯re about to be stuck between the humans and my son."


    And then, just to make everything worse, Luna¡¯s voice echoed across the clearing.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Lily! I had to tell them! They have my parents!"

 Chapter 177: Dimensional Duty

    <h4>Chapter 177: Dimensional Duty</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    The portal burst open in the middle of our crisis, knocking me backward into Caleb¡¯s arms.


    A figure stepped through the swirling light - tall, elegant, and certainly not human. Her skin shimmered like moonlight on water, and her eyes held depths that seemed to go on forever.


    "Lily Carter," she said in a voice like wind chimes. "I am Guardian Celeste. You¡¯re wanted."


    "Now is really not a good time!" I yelled over the chaos around us. Mind-controlled pack members were still circling the Alpha house, the void entity¡¯s crystal was burning hot in my pocket, and Luna was sobbing apologies from somewhere in the clearing.


    "I¡¯m afraid it can¡¯t wait," Guardian Celeste answered calmly. "Reality itself is at stake."


    Before I could argue, she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the portal. "Your first dimensional mission begins now."


    "My first what?" But it was toote. The portal swallowed us both, leaving Caleb and my pack behind.


    I fell through swirling colors and impossible shapes, my stomach doing flips as we traveled between worlds. When we finallynded, I hit solid ground hard enough to knock the breath from my lungs.


    "Sorry about the rough transport," Guardian Celeste said, helping me to my feet. "Emergency calls don¡¯t allow for gentlendings."


    I looked around and instantly wished I hadn¡¯t. We were standing on a battlefield. Bodiesy scattered across scorched ground, some human-looking, others clearly not. The air smelled like smoke and blood and something else I couldn¡¯t name.


    "Where are we?" I asked, trying not to look at the violence around us.


    "Reality designation 47-B," she exined. "A world where supernatural beings never learned to hide from people. They¡¯ve been at war for three hundred years."


    As if to prove her point, something roared in the distance. A creature the size of a building flew overhead, breathing fire down at tiny figures running below.


    "Why am I here?" I asked. "I¡¯m not a fighter. I can barely handle the problems in my own world."


    "That¡¯s exactly why you¡¯re here," Guardian Celeste said. "You understand both sides of battle. You¡¯ve been omega and leader, helpless and powerful, empty and full of feeling. These beings need someone who knows what it¡¯s like to change."


    Before I could argue, a group of people in strange armor came running toward us. Behind them chased creatures that looked like they were made of living darkness, their eyes glowing red with hunger.


    "Take cover!" one of the people yelled.


    I started to run, but something made me stop. The shadow animals - there was something familiar about them. Something that reminded me of... "The void entity," I whispered.


    These dark beings moved like they were in pain. Their actions weren¡¯t calcted or cruel - they were desperate. Like they were trying to fill some terrible hole inside themselves.


    "Guardian Celeste," I called out. "What started this war?"


    "A gue," she replied, creating some kind of energy shield to protect us from the fight. " It swept through the supernaturalmunities first, taking away their ability to feel positive feelings. Left them with only hunger, anger, fear."


    My heart stopped. "They¡¯re like my son."


    "Your what?"


    But I didn¡¯t have time to exin. The shadow animals had surrounded the fleeing humans. I watched in fear as one of them reached out toward a fallen soldier.


    Without thinking, I ran toward them.


    "Lily, stop!" Guardian Celeste shouted behind me.


    I ignored her and stepped between the shadow thing and the human. Up close, I could see that the creature had once been beautiful - maybe an elf or fairy. But now its face was twisted with endless hunger.


    "I know what you¡¯re feeling," I said softly. "The emptiness. The loneliness. I felt it too."


    The creature stopped, its glowing red eyes focusing on me.


    "You¡¯re starving for emotions you can¡¯t remember," I continued. "But taking them from others won¡¯t fill the hole inside you. I learned that the hard way."


    The shadow thing tilted its head, and for a moment I saw confusion instead of hunger in its eyes.


    "I gave up my emotions once," I told it. "I thought it would protect everyone I loved. But all it did was make me empty. The only thing that healed me was learning to feel again, little by little."


    More shadow things were gathering around us, drawn by something in my voice. The humans had stopped running and were watching in wonder.


    "What if I told you there was another way?" I asked them all. "What if instead of taking emotions from others, you could learn to grow them inside yourselves again?"


    One of the shadow animals spoke, its voice like rustling leaves. "Impossible. The gue took everything. We are dead."


    "I was hollow too," I responded. "But I had help. People who were patient with me while I learned to feel love, then security, then grief. Each feeling made me stronger, not weaker."


    I pulled out the void crystal that had been burning in my pocket. It glowed with familiar dark energy.


    "This is from my son," I exined. "He¡¯s like you - ancient, lonely, trying to fill a hole that can¡¯t be filled by taking from others. But he¡¯s learning too."


    The crystal began to glow, and suddenly I could feel something amazing. Not just my own feelings, but the emotions of everyone around me. The fear of the humans, the desperate hunger of the shadow creatures, Guardian Celeste¡¯s surprise.


    And underneath it all, something else. A link. Like invisible lines linking every living thing on this battlefield. "The Triple Moon prophecy," I breathed, understanding flooding through me. "It¡¯s not just about my pack. It¡¯s about all facts. All broken beings learning to heal together."


    The shadow animals were backing away from the crystal¡¯s light, but not in fear. In hope.


    "You can teach us?" one of them asked.


    "We can teach each other," I corrected. "But it takes time, and patience, and¡ª"


    A new opening tore open behind me, and through it stepped someone I recognized with a shock of terror.


    My boy. The void object. But he looked different now - younger, more firm, more real.


    "Mother," he said, his voice booming across the battlefield. "I felt you calling to our kind. I came to help."


    But as he moved toward the shadow things, I realized something horrible. He wasn¡¯ting to help them heal.


    He wasing to collect them.


    "All the hollow ones will join me," he stated. "Together we will make every reality peaceful. Empty. Safe."


    The shadow creatures looked between us, torn between my offer of slow healing and his promise of instant peace.


    And I realized that my first dimensional task had just be a fight for the souls of every broken being in existence.

 Chapter 178: The Pack’s Support

    <h4>Chapter 178: The Pack¡¯s Support</h4>


    <strong>BROCK POV</strong>


    I hit the mind-controlled pack member so hard he flew backward into a tree.


    It should have felt wrong - hitting someone from my own pack. But when I looked into Marcus¡¯s empty eyes and saw nothing but alien control looking back, I knew the real Marcus wasn¡¯t home anymore.


    "Stay down," I growled, even though I knew he couldn¡¯t understand me.


    Around me, the fight for Silver Peak raged on. Lily had disappeared through some kind of portal right when we needed her most, leaving us to face mind-controlled pack members and human soldiers alone.


    Well, notpletely alone.


    "Brock, iing from your left!" Aiden shouted.


    I spun and caught another controlled wolf mid-leap. This one was Sarah, who used to help in the nursery with Lily. Now she snapped at my throat with dead eyes and no recognition.


    "Sorry, Sarah," I mumbled, using a pressure point trick to knock her unconscious instead of really hurting her.


    That was the thing about this fight - we couldn¡¯t use our full strength. These weren¡¯t enemies. They were family who¡¯d been stolen from us.


    "How many more?" I called to Aiden, who was organizing our defense from the Alpha house steps.


    "Too many," he answered grimly. "And the humans are moving closer."


    I could see them through the trees - troops in ck uniforms, carrying weapons I didn¡¯t recognize. Behind them walked more controlled pack members, including some I thought had been safe in their homes.


    "We need to end this fast," I said. "Before they control all of us."


    "Any ideas how?" Luna asked, appearing beside me with tears on her face. "Because I¡¯m out of ns that don¡¯t involve everyone dying."


    I looked at her carefully. Luna had deserted us, but she¡¯d also been forced to. Her parents were still prisoners of the humans. That kind of pressure could break anyone.


    "First things first," I decided. "We get your parents back."


    Luna¡¯s eyes widened. "What?"


    "You heard me. They¡¯re using your family to control you, just like they¡¯re using mind control on our pack. We break their hold, we break their power."


    "But that means charging right into their main force," Aiden argued. "That¡¯s suicide."


    "Maybe," I agreed. "Or maybe it¡¯s exactly the kind of crazy n they won¡¯t expect."


    The truth was, I¡¯d been thinking about this ever since Lily left. She¡¯d been taken away to help other people, other realities, because her skills were needed on a bigger scale. That meant the rest of us had to step up and handle our own issues.


    I¡¯d always been the warrior brother, the one who solved things with power and fighting. But watching Lily grow over the past few months had taught me something important - sometimes the best thing you can do is protect what matters most.


    "I¡¯m going after Luna¡¯s parents," I stated. "Who¡¯s with me?"


    To my surprise, half the pack stepped forward, including several who¡¯d never liked Luna much.


    "She¡¯s family now," said old Henrik, one of our elders. "We don¡¯t leave family behind."


    That¡¯s when I realized something amazing had happened. Lily¡¯s shift hadn¡¯t just changed her - it had changed all of us. The rigid hierarchy that used to split alpha from beta from omega was really gone. We were fighting as equals now.


    "Alright," I said, feeling proud of my pack. "Here¡¯s the n."


    Twenty minutester, I was running through the forest with a team of twelve wolves, headed straight for the humanmand post. It should have been scary, but instead it felt right.


    We weren¡¯t just fighting for our area anymore. We were fighting for the idea that Lily had shown us - that every member of the pack mattered, that real power came from unity, not dominance.


    The human camp was tightly guarded, but they¡¯d made one mistake. They¡¯d positioned themselves between two hills, thinking it gave them good sight lines. What it really gave them was a great spot for an ambush.


    I signaled the others to spread out. Luna crept up beside me, her face determined.


    "They¡¯re in the silver trailer," she whispered, pointing to a car at the center of the camp. "My parents and three other pack elders."


    "Guards?"


    "Six humans, plus that woman who seems to be in charge - Colonel Hayes."


    I nodded. "On my signal, we hit fast and hard. Remember, we¡¯re not trying to win the whole war. We just need to get the prisoners and get out."


    But as we prepared to attack, something went wrong.


    One of the controlled pack members - Daniel - suddenly stopped walking in circles and looked right at our hiding ce.


    "Ambush iing," he said in that t, lifeless voice. "Northwest ridge."


    Instantly, dozens of human troops turned their weapons toward us.


    "How did he know?" Luna gasped.


    That¡¯s when I realized the horrible truth. "The mind control isn¡¯t just making them follow orders. It¡¯s making them share information. Everything any managed wolf sees, they all see."


    Which meant every controlled pack member back at Silver Peak was now watching this through Daniel¡¯s eyes.


    "We¡¯re blown," I said. "Everyone run!"


    But as we tried to flee, Colonel Hayes¡¯ voice echoed through speakers around the camp.


    "I wouldn¡¯t do that, Mr. Silver. Not if you want to see Luna¡¯s parents living."


    The trailer door opened, and two figures stumbled out. Luna¡¯s mother and father, their eyes just as empty and dead as all the other controlled dogs.


    "That¡¯s right," Colonel Hayes continued, stepping into view. "We¡¯ve had them for weeks. Every piece of information Luna gave you, every n your pack made - we knew about it all."


    My heart sank as I understood. Luna hadn¡¯t just been forced to spy on us. Her parents had been used as unwilling spies too.


    "But here¡¯s the interesting part," the Colonel said with a cold smile. "Our mind control technology doesn¡¯t just work on werewolves. We¡¯ve tried it on vampires, witches, even some creatures we don¡¯t have names for yet."


    She gestured, and more forms emerged from the shadows around the camp. Beings I¡¯d never seen before - some with wings, others with scales, one that looked like it was made of living stone.


    "Every supernatural creature we¡¯ve captured over the past five years," Colonel Hayes stated. "All of them now serving humanity¡¯s greater good."


    Luna grabbed my arm. "Brock, if they can control other supernatural beings..."


    I finished her thought with growing fear. "They¡¯re building an army. Not just to capture Lily, but to take over every supernatural group in the world."


    The Colonel nodded approvingly. "Very good. And now that you understand the scope of our operation, you can respect why your little rescue mission was doomed from the start."


    She raised her hand, and all the controlled magical beings moved into attack positions.


    "Surrender now, and we¡¯ll make your change painless. Resist, and we¡¯ll let our new ves practice their hunting skills on your friends back home."


    That¡¯s when the real nightmare began.


    Because as I looked at all those controlled faces - werewolves, vampires, creatures I¡¯d only heard about in stories - I realized something that made my blood freeze.


    If Lily came back from her dimensional mission, she¡¯d be walking into a trap built specifically for someone with her abilities.


    And there was no way to warn her.

 Chapter 179: New Threats

    <h4>Chapter 179: New Threats</h4>


    <strong>AIDEN POV</strong>


    The emergency howl cut through the night like a de through quiet.


    I bolted upright in my homemademand center, instantly alert. That wasn¡¯t one of our pack¡¯s screams. It was higher, more desperate, and it came from the direction of Moonview Pack territory - twenty miles south of Silver Peak.


    "Alpha!" One of our scouts burst through the door, his face white with fear. "River Valley Pack is gone!"


    My blood turned to ice. "What do you mean gone?" "Wiped out. Every single wolf. But not by people or rogues." The scout¡¯s voice shook. "Something else. Something that left marks we¡¯ve never seen before."


    I was already grabbing my coat and guns. River Valley Pack had over two hundred members. For something to destroy thempletely in one night meant we were facing a threat bigger than anything we¡¯d faced.


    "Get Brock," I ordered. "And send word to the other nearby packs. Everyone needs to know."


    As I ran toward Moonview territory, my mind raced through options. The humans with their mind control technology were bad enough. The void entity pretending to be Lily¡¯s son was another nightmare entirely. But this sounded like something new.


    Something worse.


    I reached the line between our territories just as howls erupted from Moonview Packnds. Not emergency howls this time - death howls. The kind wolves made when something terrible was happening.


    "Toote," I whispered, forcing myself to run faster.


    The scene I found at Moonview Pack¡¯s main vige made my stomach turn. Bodies everywhere, but not torn apart like you¡¯d expect from a normal attack. These wolves looked drained - their fur gray and dead, their eyes empty holes.


    Like something had sucked the very life out of them.


    "Alpha Aiden?" A weak voice called from behind a fallen cabin.


    I spun around to find Alpha Garrett of Moonview Pack crawling toward me. He was barely alive, his once-strong body withered to skin and bones.


    "Garrett! What happened here?"


    "Hunters," he gasped. "But not human hunts. Things that... that eat dimensional energy. They came through tears in the air, looking for something."


    My heart stopped. "Looking for what?"


    "Someone who moves between worlds. Someone who exists in various realities at once." His dying eyes met mine. "They¡¯re hunting the Triple Moon bearer."


    The words hit me like a physical blow. Entities that hunted interdimensional beings were targeting Lily specifically. And she was somewhere in another reality right now, totally unaware of the danger.


    "How many of these hunters are there?" I asked quickly.


    "Started with three. But they increase every time they feed." Garrett coughed up blood. "By the time they left here, there were dozens."


    I knelt beside him, feeling helpless as the life drained from his eyes. "How do we stop them?"


    "You can¡¯t," he whispered. "They live between dimensions. Physical strikes pass right through them. Only someone with dimensional powers can hurt them."


    He gripped my arm with thest of his strength. "But Aiden... they¡¯re not just hunting Lily. They¡¯re hunting anyone linked to her. Anyone who¡¯s been touched by interdimensional energy."


    My blood turned to ice as I understood. "The mate bond."


    "You, Brock, Caleb - all of you are linked to her across dimensions through your pack ties. You¡¯re all targets now."


    Garrett¡¯s eyes went nk, and I was alone among the bodies of two entire packs.


    I ran back toward Silver Peak faster than I¡¯d ever run in my life. These dimensional hunters had taken out four hundred wolves in two nights, and they wereing for my pack next. Coming for everyone Lily cared about.


    But as I reached our area, I found something that made my situation even worse.


    Brock was kneeling in our main clearing, clutching his head in pain. Around him, several other pack members were doing the same thing.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" I demanded, dropping to my knees beside my brother.


    "Something¡¯s happening to the mate bond," he gasped. "It feels like it¡¯s being pulled apart."


    Caleb stumbled out of his cabin, his face twisted in pain. "I can barely feel Lily anymore. It¡¯s like she¡¯s being erased from reality."


    That¡¯s when I understood the horrible truth. The dimensional hunters weren¡¯t just tracking Lily through our bonds - they were using our ties to hurt her. Every connection she had to our world was being turned into a weapon against her.


    "We have to break the bonds," I realized.


    "What?" Brock stared at me in shock.


    "The mate bond, the pack ties, every connection that links us to Lily across dimensions. We have to cut them all, or these killers will use them to kill her."


    Caleb shook his head furiously. "If we break the mate tie, we might never be able to find her again. She could be lost between dimensions forever."


    "But if we don¡¯t break it, she dies for sure," I pleaded. "Along with everyone else these hunters target."


    More pack members were dropping to their knees now, crying out as their bonds to Lily were attacked by forces they couldn¡¯t see or fight.


    "How do we even break a mate bond?" Brock asked through gritted teeth.


    Before I could answer, Elder Henrik appeared beside us. The old wolf looked ancient and tired, but his eyes were sharp.


    "There is a way," he said softly. "A rite from the old times, before the Triple Moon prophecy. But it takes a sacrifice."


    "What kind of sacrifice?" I asked, though I was afraid of the answer.


    "The Alpha¡¯s life force," Henrik stated. "To break ties that strong, someone has to give up their connection to the pack entirely. Be fully human, with no dog spirit left."


    I felt the world spin around me. To save Lily, I would have to give up everything that made me who I was. My wolf form, my enhanced strength, my connection to the pack I¡¯d been born to lead. "And there¡¯s no guarantee it would work," Henrik continued. "You might sacrifice everything and still lose her."


    Around us, more pack members copsed as the dimensional hunters¡¯ attack increased. Whatever was happening to Lily in that other world, it was tearing apart everyone who loved her.


    I looked at Brock and Caleb, seeing my own desperate decision reflected in their eyes.


    "There¡¯s something else," Henrik said, his voice heavy with fear. "The ritual has to be performed at the exact moment the dimensional hunters reach our world. Too early, and the bonds will reform. Toote, and everyone dies."


    "When will they get here?" I asked.


    Henrik pointed toward the horizon, where strange tears in the air were starting to appear.


    "Now," he whispered.


    As the first dimensional hunter stepped through a crack in reality - a creature made of shadow and hunger that seemed to exist in several dimensions at once - I realized I had seconds to make the most important choice of my life.


    Save Lily by destroying myself, or watch everyone I loved die trying to protect ties that were killing her.


    The hunter turned its empty eyes toward me, and I could feel it beginning to drain the life from every wolf in Silver Peak.


    Time was up.

 Chapter 180: The Hunter’s Introduction

    <h4>Chapter 180: The Hunter¡¯s Introduction</h4>


    <strong>KESTREL POV</strong>


    I felt the spatial tear before I saw it - a wound in reality itself that made my teeth ache.


    The Triple Moon bearer was here, in Reality 47-B, and her presence was ripping holes in the fabric of reality. I had to stop her before she destroyed everything.


    I stepped through my own portal,nding quietly on the battlefield where she stood. Around me, dark creatures and humans fought their endless war, but I ignored them. They weren¡¯t my problem.


    She was.


    Lily Carter. The omega wolf who thought she was helping people by spreading her dimensional energy like a gue. She had no idea how much damage she was causing.


    I watched her talking to the shadow beings, her voice gentle and kind. She genuinely thought she was healing them. It would have been nice if it wasn¡¯t so dangerous.


    "You can teach us?" one of the shadow animals asked her.


    "We can teach each other," she responded.


    I almost felt sorry for her. She had such good goals. But good goals meant nothing when reality itself was at stake.


    That¡¯s when her son appeared - the void entity I¡¯d been tracking across seventeen different worlds. He was just as dangerous as his mother, maybe more so, because he didn¡¯t even pretend to care about the consequences of his deeds.


    "All the hollow ones will join me," he stated. "Together we will make every reality peaceful. Empty. Safe."


    I¡¯d seen what his version of "peace" looked like. Entire worlds turned into void wastnds where nothing existed except his endless hunger.


    Time to act.


    I stepped out of the darkness, letting them see me for the first time. Both Lily and her son turned to stare, and I felt their dimensional energy respond to my presence like oil hitting fire.


    "That¡¯s enough," I said simply.


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened. "Who are you?"


    "My name is Kestrel," I answered. "I¡¯m a Dimension Hunter, and you¡¯re both under arrest for crimes against reality."


    The void creature - her son -ughed. It was not a nice sound. "Another Guardian trying to stop us? How tiresome."


    "I¡¯m not a Guardian," I amended. "Guardians try to preserve and guard. I hunt and remove threats."


    Lily stepped protectively in front of her son, which would have been admirable if it wasn¡¯t so useless. "We¡¯re not threatening anyone. We¡¯re trying to help these beings heal."


    "By destabilizing the dimensional barriers between realities," I said. "Every time you use your Triple Moon powers, you weaken the walls that keep different worlds separate. Every portal you make leaves scars that never fully heal."


    I motioned around us at the battlefield. "This world is dying because of dimensional disorder. The war between humans and magical beings started when reality began breaking down. They¡¯re fighting each other because the fabric of their world is actually falling apart."


    Lily¡¯s face went pale. "That¡¯s not... I didn¡¯t know..."


    "Of course you didn¡¯t," I said, and I meant it kindly. "You¡¯re not the first Triple Moon bearer I¡¯ve had to deal with. They¡¯re all the same - powerful, well-meaning, and totally unaware that their very existence is slowly unraveling everything."


    Her son moved to stand beside her, void energy sparking around his form. "Even if that¡¯s true, mother is trying to help. She¡¯s not the monster here."


    "No," I agreed. "Neither of you are monsters. You¡¯re just incredibly dangerous."


    I¡¯d been doing this job for three hundred years, across more worlds than I could count. I¡¯d seen worlds copse because someone with dimensional powers got careless. I¡¯d watched entire kingdoms cease to exist because a well-meaning being tried to help too many people across too many realities.


    "What do you want from us?" Lily asked.


    "Come with me willingly," I offered. "Both of you. There¡¯s a ce between dimensions where beings like you can live without damaging reality. You can help each other, heal together, learn to control your powers."


    "A prison, you mean," her son said coldly.


    "A sanctuary," I amended. "The alternative is that I have to stop you by force, and trust me, nobody wants that."


    Lily looked confused and scared. "But what about my pack? My mate? I can¡¯t just leave them."


    "Your pack is being torn apart right now because of your dimensional connections," I told her softly. "Every bond you have to your home world is being used against them by other hunters. The longer you stay linked, the more danger you put them in."


    I could see the pain in her eyes as she processed this. It was always hard for them to understand that loving someone sometimes meant staying away from them.


    "How do I know you¡¯re telling the truth?" she asked.


    Instead of replying with words, I opened a viewing portal - a small window that showed her what was happening back at Silver Peak. She gasped as she saw her pack members writhing in pain, their ties to her being attacked by hunters like me.


    "There are others?" she whispered.


    "Dozens," I confirmed. "All tracking you through your connections to that world. I¡¯m actually trying to help you, Lily. The others will simply kill you and everyone you¡¯re linked to."


    Her son stepped forward, void energy building around him. "Then we fight them all."


    "And in the process, destroy how many realities?" I asked. "Because that¡¯s what happens when beings with our level of power go to war across worlds. Entire universes be coteral damage."


    I¡¯d seen it happen before. The Crimson Wars of Reality Cluster 12. The Void Rebellion that consumed seventeen realms. Always started the same way - strong beings who thought they could solve everything with more power.


    "There has to be another way," Lily said desperately.


    "There is," I answered. "Come with me. Let me teach you how to control your powers without destroying everything around you. Learn to help people without identally killing them."


    But before she could answer, rms started screaming across the battlefield. The shadow creatures and humans stopped fighting and looked up at the sky in fear.


    Because hanging above us, blotting out the stars, was something that made my blood run cold.


    A Void Harvester. One of the most dangerous creatures in all the realms - a being that consumed entire realities for food.


    "No," I breathed. "How did it find this ce so fast?"


    Lily¡¯s son smiled coldly. "I called it. If you¡¯re going to attack my mother, then I¡¯ll show you what a real threat looks like."


    The Harvester opened what might have been a mouth, and started draining the life from everything on the battlefield. Humans, shadow creatures, even the world itself started withering away.


    "You fool!" I shouted at him. "That thing will consume this entire reality! Including us!"


    But he justughed as the world started to die around us.


    "Then we¡¯d better find a way to stop it, hadn¡¯t we, Hunter?"

 Chapter 181: The Hunt Begins

    <h4>Chapter 181: The Hunt Begins</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    I ripped open a portal just as the Void Harvester¡¯s drain reached us, grabbing both Kestrel and my son before the thing could suck the life from our bodies.


    We tumbled through twisting dimensions,nding hard in what looked like a world made entirely of crystal. Everything around us sparkled like diamonds, but I barely had time to notice before Kestrel was on his feet, scanning the distance.


    "That was foolish," he said to my son. "Void Harvesters don¡¯t distinguish between friend and enemy. It would have eaten you too."


    My son - I still couldn¡¯t think of him as anything else, even though he was ancient and scary - shrugged with frightening calm. "Better to die fighting than live as a prisoner."


    "Nobody has to die!" I shouted, my feelings still raw from everything that had happened. The sadness from Elder Iris¡¯s death, the protectiveness I felt for my pack, the love for Caleb - they were all churning inside me like a storm.


    Kestrel studied me with those strange eyes of his. "You¡¯re feeling again. That¡¯s new since thest Triple Moon bearer I tracked."


    "Thest one?" I asked. "There have been others?"


    "Seven, across different worlds. All of them started the same way - trying to help, trying to heal. All of them finished the same way too."


    A chill ran down my spine. "How did they end?"


    Before Kestrel could answer, the crystal world around us started to shake. Cracks emerged in the beautiful structures, spreading outward from where we stood.


    "We have to move," Kestrel said quickly. "Your presence is destabilizing this reality too."


    I opened another portal, this time to a world that looked like endless water under a green sky. But even there, the water began to churn fiercely within minutes of our arrival.


    "It¡¯s getting worse," I realized with rising horror. "The more I use my abilities, the more damage I cause."


    "That¡¯s why you need toe with me," Kestrel said, not unkindly. "Learn control before you identally destroy everything you¡¯re trying to save."


    My sonughed bitterly. "Control? She doesn¡¯t need power. She needs to embrace what she is. Stop pretending to be weak."


    "I¡¯m not pretending anything!" I yelled at him. "I¡¯m trying to figure out how to help people without hurting them!"


    "Then you¡¯re wasting time we don¡¯t have," my son responded. "While you y at being gentle, your pack is suffering."


    He was right, and that hurt worse than anything. Through my fading link to Silver Peak, I could feel Caleb¡¯s pain as the dimensional hunters attacked our bonds. I could sense Aiden nning to make some terrible sacrifice, and Brock fighting enemies he couldn¡¯t even see.


    "Show me," I ordered, turning to Kestrel. "Show me what¡¯s happening to them."


    Kestrel paused, then opened another viewing portal. What I saw made my heart break.


    Caleb was on his knees in our cabin, blood trickling from his nose as something unseen tore at his mind. Aiden stood in the pack clearing with Elder Henrik, making some kind of ritual that looked like it would kill him. Brock was facing creatures made of shadow and hunger, losing badly.


    And all of it was happening because they were linked to me.


    "I have to go back," I said, starting to open a link.


    "No!" Both Kestrel and my son said at the same time.


    "If you return now, you¡¯ll lead every hunter in the dimensionalwork straight to your pack," Kestrel stated. "They¡¯ll all die."


    "And if I don¡¯t return, they¡¯ll die anyway from the attacks on our bonds," I shot back.


    "There might be another way," my son said slowly. "But you won¡¯t like it."


    I looked at him warily. "What way?"


    "Break the ties yourself. Cut every link you have to your home reality. The hunters can¡¯t use ties that don¡¯t exist."


    The idea hit me like a physical blow. "That would mean giving up Caleb forever. Giving up my entire pack."


    "To save their lives," my son pointed out.


    "He¡¯s right," Kestrel admitted unwillingly. "It¡¯s the only way to protect them from the other hunters."


    I felt tears running down my face. After months of feeling nothing, now I was feeling too much all at once. The love I had for Caleb, the protectiveness I felt for my pack, the sadness of losing Elder Iris - it was all tangled together in a knot of pain that made it hard to breathe.


    "But if I break the bonds," I whispered, "how will I ever find my way home again?"


    "You won¡¯t," Kestrel said softly. "That¡¯s the point. You¡¯ll live between dimensions, helping people across multiple realities without endangering any single world."


    "A lonely existence," my son noted. "Just like mine has been."


    I looked between them - the hunter who wanted to contain me and the void creature who imed to be my child. Both of them alone, both of them powerful, both of them trying to fix problems by cutting themselves off from connection.


    "No," I said suddenly. "There has to be a third option."


    "Lily," Kestrel warned, "there isn¡¯t time to¡ª"


    "There¡¯s always time to find a better way," I interrupted. "That¡¯s what makes us different from monsters."


    But even as I spoke, rms started ringing across the ocean world. In the distance, I could see massive shapes moving beneath the waves - more Void Harvesters, drawn by the dimensional instability we were causing.


    "They found us," my son said, void energy sparking around him.


    "No," Kestrel replied, pulling out weapons I didn¡¯t recognize. "They found her. Lily, you need to run. Now."


    "What about you two?"


    "We¡¯ll buy you time," Kestrel said. "Try to lead them away."


    My son nodded in agreement. "Find your third choice, mother. But find it fast."


    I opened a portal to yet another world, my heart breaking as I prepared to leave them behind. But as I stepped through, I heard something that made my blood freeze.


    The sound of my pack howling in pain, their cries somehow reaching me across dimensions.


    The hunters had found Silver Peak.


    And I was too far away to save anyone.

 Chapter 182: Caleb’s Pursuit

    <h4>Chapter 182: Caleb¡¯s Pursuit</h4>


    <strong>CALEB POV</strong>


    I threw myself through the tear in reality just as it started to close.


    The dimensional hunters had been attacking our pack for hours, using our ties to Lily to slowly kill us all. But when Aiden tried to break those ties with Elder Henrik¡¯s ritual, something unexpected happened instead.


    I could still feel her.


    Not the original mate tie - that was gone, severed by Aiden¡¯s sacrifice. But something else had taken its ce. A new link that felt different, stronger somehow. Like an echo that had be its own song.


    Now I was falling through swirling colors and impossible shapes, chasing that echo toward wherever Lily had gone. I had no idea what I was doing or how I¡¯d live in other dimensions, but I couldn¡¯t let her face this alone.


    I crashed into solid ground so hard it knocked the breath from my lungs. When I managed to sit up, I found myself in a world that looked like someone had painted the sky purple and filled it with floating inds.


    And standing twenty feet away, looking at me in shock, was Lily.


    "Caleb?" she gasped. "How are you here? The bonds were broken!"


    I stood up slowly, my whole body aching from the dimensional trip. "Apparently they weren¡¯t brokenpletely."


    She ran toward me, then stopped suddenly, fear filling her eyes. "You have to go back! If you¡¯re here, the hunts can track you. They¡¯ll find Silver Peak through you!"


    "They already found Silver Peak," I told her. "Aiden broke the ties to stop them, but it was toote. The pack is fighting for their lives right now."


    Lily¡¯s face crumpled with sadness and guilt. But before either of us could say more, a voice spoke from behind me.


    "Fascinating."


    I spun around to see a man with strange eyes and a disturbing smile. Next to him stood a figure made of nk energy that radiated power and danger.


    "You must be Kestrel," I said, remembering Lily¡¯s words. "And you¡¯re her son."


    The void creature nodded. "The mate survives dimensional separation. That shouldn¡¯t be possible."


    "It shouldn¡¯t," Kestrel agreed, studying me like I was a puzzle to solve. "Unless..."


    He trailed off, but I could see understanding dawning in his face.


    "Unless what?" Lily demanded.


    "Unless your bond wasn¡¯t just magical," Kestrel said slowly. "True emotional connections can sometimes live when mystical ones are destroyed. But that would mean..."


    "It would mean their love was real even before the Triple Moon mark appeared," her son finished. "Interesting."


    I felt heat rise in my cheeks, but I also felt a rush of hope. "So I can stay with her?"


    "Absolutely not," Kestrel said strongly. "If anything, this makes you more dangerous. A bond that can survive dimensional severance is exactly the kind of link other hunters will exploit."


    As if called by his words, the floating inds around us began to shake. Cracks emerged in the purple sky, and through them, I could see dark shapes moving.


    "More hunters," Lily whispered.


    "We need to move," Kestrel said, already preparing to open a link.


    But I had a different idea. "What if we don¡¯t run?"


    Everyone stared at me.


    "Think about it," I continued. "Lily¡¯s been jumping from world to world, but each ce gets more unstable. What if instead of running, we find a way to fix the damage?"


    "That¡¯s impossible," Kestrel said. "The dimensional barriers are too weakened."


    "Is it?" I challenged. "Lily¡¯s abilities tear holes between worlds, right? But what if she could learn to sew them back up instead?"


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened. "You mean use my powers to heal dimensions instead of damaging them?"


    "It¡¯s never been done," her son said, but he sounded interested rather than dismissive.


    "A lot of things have never been done until someone tries," I pointed out.


    The dark forms in the sky were getting closer, and I could feel their hunger like a physical weight pressing down on us.


    "Even if that were possible," Kestrel said quickly, "she¡¯d need time to learn, and we don¡¯t have time."


    "Then we make time," I said, making a choice that terrified me. "I¡¯ll distract the hunters. Lead them away from Lily while she figures out how to fix this."


    "Caleb, no!" Lily grabbed my arm. "You don¡¯t have dimensional powers. They¡¯ll kill you!"


    "Maybe," I admitted. "But I have something they don¡¯t expect."


    I pulled out Elder Iris¡¯s study journal, which I¡¯d grabbed before following Lily through the portal. "All her notes about the Triple Moon prophecy, about omega knowledge, about dimensional energy. Maybe there¡¯s something in here that can help."


    Lily looked at the journal with tears in her eyes. "You brought her research?"


    "I brought everything I could," I said. "Because wherever you go, I go. That¡¯s what mates do."


    Before anyone could stop me, I opened a portal of my own - not using dimensional powers I didn¡¯t have, but using the echo bond that linked me to Lily. If our love was strong enough to survive dimensional severance, maybe it was strong enough to let me borrow her powers.


    The portal worked, opening onto a world of endless desert under twin suns.


    "Follow me if you want to live!" I shouted to theing hunters, then jumped through.


    To my amazement and fear, they took the bait. The dark shapes changed direction, following me into the desert world instead of chasing Lily.


    But as Inded in burning sand, I understood I¡¯d made a terrible mistake.


    The hunters weren¡¯t just following me - they were using our echo bond to drain Lily¡¯s power through me. Every second I stayed connected to her, I was making her weaker.


    And in the distance, I could see something that made my blood freeze.


    A massive creature made of starlight and shadow, easily the size of a rock. It turned its old eyes toward me and spoke in a voice that shook the desert.


    "The Echo Walker. How long we have waited for one such as you."


    I tried to run, but my feet were already sinking into sand that had turned to quicksand.


    "Your bond will be the key that unlocks all realities," the creature added. "Through you, we will reach every dimension, every world, every being that your mate has ever touched."


    As I sank deeper into the sand, I realized with rising horror that I hadn¡¯t saved Lily at all.


    I¡¯d just given her enemies the ultimate tool against her.

 Chapter 183: Dimensional Exile

    <h4>Chapter 183: Dimensional Exile</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    The ground beneath my feet turned to liquid fire.


    I screamed and threw myself sideways as the purple grass melted into boilingva. This was the third time today that a perfectly safe world had tried to kill me. My dimensional skills were getting weaker, and I could barely control where Inded anymore.


    I rolled behind a crystal tree just as the entire field became a sea of molten rock. The heat made my skin feel like it was burning, but I forced myself to think. Panicking would only make things worse.


    "Focus, Lily," I whispered to myself. "You survived the dimensional hunts before. You can do this."


    But that was when I had Kestrel and my son to help me. Now I was totally alone, jumping from world to world with nowhere safe to rest. Every dimension I entered seemed to sense I didn¡¯t fit and tried to reject me violently.


    I pressed my back against the smooth crystal and tried to open another link. The familiar tingling started in my fingers, but instead of the normal strong pull, I felt only a weak flutter. My powers were definitely fading.


    A portal finally opened, barely big enough for me to squeeze through. I dove into it just as the crystal tree began to melt behind me.


    I crashed onto soft grass under a pink sky. For a moment, I let myself hope this world might be quiet. Then I heard the screaming.


    Massive wolves the size of horses burst from a nearby bush, their eyes glowing red. But these weren¡¯t normal wolves - they moved wrong, like puppets being driven by invisible strings. Dimensional bugs. I¡¯d read about them in Elder Iris¡¯s study journal, but seeing them in person made my blood turn cold.


    They could possess any creature and use it to hunt beings like me who moved between worlds.


    I ran.


    My feet pounded across the strange grass as the possessed dogs chased me. I could hear them getting closer, their ws scratching against the ground. My heart hammered in my chest as I searched desperately for somewhere to hide.


    A cave opening appeared ahead. I raced toward it, diving inside just as the first wolf snapped at my heels. The cave was deeper than I expected, curving into darkness. I kept running, using my hands to feel along the walls.


    Behind me, the wolves howled in anger. They couldn¡¯t fit through the small opening.


    I finally stopped when I couldn¡¯t hear them anymore. My chest burned from running so hard, and my hands were shaking. I slumped against the cave wall and tried not to cry.


    Three days. That¡¯s how long I¡¯d been jumping from world to world, barely staying ahead of the hunts. I hadn¡¯t eaten anything except some strange berries that made my stomach hurt. I hadn¡¯t slept for more than a few minutes at a time. And worst of all, I had no idea if my pack was still living.


    The thought of Caleb made my chest ache. When Aiden broke our mate bonds to save the pack from the dimensional hunts, I thought I¡¯d lost Caleb forever. But somehow, he¡¯d followed me through the opening. Somehow, our love had been strong enough to survive even magical separation.


    Until I¡¯d led him straight into a trap.


    I pulled out Elder Iris¡¯s notebook with trembling hands. The pages were getting worn from me reading them over and over, searching for solutions. There had to be something I was missing, some way to fight back instead of just running.


    I flipped to a part about dimensional energy and omega abilities. ording to the notes, omegas like me were natural bridges between worlds. That¡¯s why my powers could tear holes in reality. But Elder Iris had written something else that I¡¯d never really understood before: "The greatest omega gift is not death, but healing. What tears apart can also be put back together."


    Healing dimensions instead of hurting them. That¡¯s what Caleb had suggested before he... before the hunts took him.


    I closed my eyes and tried to feel the energy of this world. It was different from what I was used to - wilder, more disorderly. But underneath the strangeness, I could sense something familiar. The same basic life force that exists in all realities.


    What if I tried to work with it instead of fighting against it?


    I ced my hands t against the cave floor and reached out with my powers. Instead of pushing a portal open, I tried to gently touch the world¡¯s energy. At first, nothing happened. Then I felt a small reaction, like the dimension was curious about me.


    "I¡¯m not here to hurt you," I whispered. "I just need somewhere safe to rest."


    The cave walls began to glow with soft blue light. The air became warmer and more cozy. Somehow, I¡¯d managed to speak with the world itself.


    Hope fluttered in my chest. Maybe Elder Iris was right. Maybe I could learn to heal instead of harm.


    But that hope died when I heard footsteps echoing from deeper in the cave.


    I scrambled to my feet, ready to run again. But the figure that emerged from the shadows made me freeze in fear.


    It was me.


    Another Lily stood at the edge of the light, wearing clothes I¡¯d never seen and a cruel smile I¡¯d never worn. Her eyes were cold and empty, like looking into a mirror that showed only darkness.


    "Hello, little sister," she said in my voice. "I¡¯ve been waiting for you."


    "You¡¯re not real," I whispered, backing toward the cave mouth.


    "Oh, but I am." She stepped closer, and I could see scars on her arms that looked like failed mate marks. "I¡¯m what you be when you give up hope. When you let the dimensions change you instead of the other way around."


    My back hit the cave wall. "That¡¯s impossible."


    "Is it?" She tilted her head, and the move was exactly like something I would do. "How many ces have you been to, Lily? How many times have you used your powers? Each jump changes you a little bit. Each door tears away a piece of who you used to be."


    I tried to open a portal to leave, but my powers wouldn¡¯t work. The cave had be a trap.


    "Don¡¯t bother," the other Lily said. "This is a nexus point - a ce where all options meet. I¡¯m you from a future where you never learned to heal dimensions. Where you became just another monster jumping from world to world, destroying everything you touched."


    She reached out with one scarred hand. "But it doesn¡¯t have to be that way. Come with me, and I¡¯ll show you how to stop running. How to be strong enough to take what you want instead of always hiding."


    "I¡¯m nothing like you," I said, but my voice shook.


    "Yet," she agreed. "But you will be, unless you make a different choice right now."


    The cave began to shake. Through the opening, I could see the possessed wolves had found another way in. Behind me, my twisted future self waited with that terrible smile.


    And somewhere in the distance, I heard a voice that made my heart stop.


    "Lily!" It was Caleb, calling my name. But how was that possible? The hunters had taken him. Unless... Unless this was another trick.


    I was surrounded on all sides with no idea who to trust, no idea what was real. And I had about ten seconds to make a choice that would decide not just my survival, but my very soul.


    The dogs howled. My other selfughed. And Caleb¡¯s voice called out again, closer now.


    I had to choose. But every choice led to darkness.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 184: The Hunter’s Motivation

    <h4>Chapter 184: The Hunter¡¯s Motivation</h4>


    <strong>KESTREL POV</strong>


    The dimensional barrier burst in my face.


    I threw myself backward as reality cracked like broken ss, each shard showing a different world bleeding into this one. A desert mixed with an ocean. A forest grew through a city. The confusion made my stomach turn, but I forced myself to keep watching.


    This was the seventh barrier failure in three hours. All because Lily was still jumping between worlds.


    "Sir?" My helper, Marcus, appeared beside me with his clipboard shaking in his hands. "The Council is wanting answers. They want to know why we haven¡¯t caught the omega yet."


    I wiped blood from my nose where a reality shard had cut me. "Tell the Council that hunting someone isn¡¯t as simple as they think."


    But that wasn¡¯t the real trouble. The real trouble was that I was starting to understand why Lily was running, and it was making my job a lot harder.


    I¡¯d been a Dimension Hunter for fifty years. I¡¯d tracked down hundreds of beings who could move between worlds without permission. Most of them were criminals or monsters who used their skills to hurt others. Capturing them was easy because I knew they deserved it.


    Lily was different.


    I pulled out my tracking device and watched the small red dot that showed her position. She was three dimensions away now, moving fast. Every jump she made sent shockwaves through the physical structure, but I could tell she wasn¡¯t doing it on purpose. She was scared and running for her life.


    "Marcus," I said, "pull up the files on omega dimensional travelers from the past century."


    "All of them, sir?"


    "All of them."


    While he worked, I thought about my talk with Lily¡¯s son - that void entity who¡¯d spoken with such pain about his mother. He¡¯d called her a healer, someone who brought order to her pack. That didn¡¯t sound like the dangerous thief the Council had described.


    Marcus gave me a tablet loaded with files. I started reading, and with each page, my blood ran colder.


    Every omega dimensional visitor in the past hundred years had been killed by Hunters. Not caught and judged. Killed. And every single one had been described the same way in their home worlds - healers, peacemakers, bridges between different groups.


    "Marcus," I said slowly, "how many of these omegas actuallymitted crimes before we hunted them?"


    He checked his screen. "ording to the reports? None, sir. They were all ssed as ¡¯preventative threats.¡¯"


    Preventative threats. We¡¯d been killing harmless people because they might be dangerous someday.


    I closed my eyes and tried to push down the sick feeling in my stomach. I¡¯d be a Hunter because I wanted to protect innocent people from dimensional monsters. What if I¡¯d be the monster instead?


    My tracking device beeped quickly. Lily had jumped again, and this time the dimensional shockwave was huge. Reality moved around us like water, and for a moment I could see straight through to another world where giant butterflies flew through purple clouds.


    "Sir!" Marcus grabbed my arm. "Look at the readings!"


    The numbers on his screen made no sense. ording to our tools, Lily¡¯stest jump had actually strengthened the dimensional barrier instead of weakening it.


    "That¡¯s impossible," I mumbled. "Unauthorized jumps always cause damage."


    But as I watched, the cracks in reality started to heal themselves. The mixing worlds separated back into their proper realities. The chaos that had been growing for days started to calm down.


    "Run a full scan," I ordered. "I want to know exactly what she did."


    The results came back ten minutester, and they changed everything I thought I knew about dimensional flight.


    "Sir," Marcus said in a shocked voice, "it appears the omega didn¡¯t force her way between worlds. She... asked permission first."


    "Exin." " The readings show she interacted with the dimensional structure itself. Instead of tearing a hole, she convinced the barriers to open freely. That¡¯s why it fixed the damage instead of making it worse."


    I stared at the numbers, my mind running. In fifty years of shooting, I¡¯d never seen anything like this. Dimensional travelers always damaged reality when they jumped. It was a basic rule of physics.


    Unless they weren¡¯t really tourists at all. Unless they were something else entirely.


    "Marcus, get me a direct line to the Council. Emergency priority."


    While he set up the connection, I thought about what this meant. If Lily could fix dimensional barriers instead of breaking them, then everything the Council had told me about omega threats was wrong. They weren¡¯t dangerous - they were exactly what reality needed to stay grounded.


    The Council¡¯s leader showed on my screen, his ancient face twisted with impatience. "Kestrel. Report."


    "High Councilor," I said carefully, "I¡¯ve found something important about the omega we¡¯re hunting. Her powers don¡¯t hurt dimensions - they heal them."


    The Councilor¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. "Irrelevant. Continue the hunt."


    "But sir, if she can repair dimensional damage, shouldn¡¯t we be working with her instead of hunting her?"


    "The omega is a threat to dimensional stability," he said coldly. "Eliminate her."


    Something in his tone made me pause. "High Councilor, did you know about her healing abilities?"


    For just a moment, his mask slipped. I saw something in his eyes that made my blood freeze - not surprise, but anger that I¡¯d figured it out.


    "Kestrel," he said slowly, "there are things you don¡¯t understand about the bigger picture." " Then exin them to me."


    He was quiet for a long moment. When he spoke again, his voice was different - older and more tired.


    "The dimensional structure isn¡¯t breaking down by ident," he allowed. "We¡¯ve been weakening it on purpose for decades. Small tears, managed damage. It gives us power over which realities live and which ones don¡¯t."


    I felt like he¡¯d punched me in the stomach. "You¡¯re destroying worlds on purpose?"


    "We¡¯re controlling them," he amended. "Reality is chaos, Kestrel. Someone has to decide which dimensions deserve to exist. We bring order to the multiverse."


    "Bymitting genocide," I whispered.


    "By making hard choices that others are too weak to make." His eyes hardened. "Omegas like Lily threaten that order. They heal what we carefully harm. They give hope to realities we¡¯ve marked for death."


    The truth hit me like a sledgehammer. The Council wasn¡¯t protecting the worlds from omega travelers. They were protecting their own power from people who could undo their harm.


    "I won¡¯t hunt her," I said.


    "Yes, you will," the Councilor answered calmly. "Because if you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll send someone else to hunt both of you. And we¡¯ll start with your home dimension."


    The screen went ck, leaving me staring at my own image.


    Marcus stood behind me, his face pale. "Sir? What are we going to do?"


    I looked at my tracking device. Lily¡¯s dot was moving again, jumping to another world that would probably try to reject her. She had no idea that the organization hunting her was the same one destroying worlds across the multiverse.


    But now I knew the truth. The question was: what was I going to do about it?


    I made my choice and started typing a message into mymunicator. Not to the Council, but to someone else entirely.


    "Marcus," I said, "how do you feel about bing a traitor?"


    Before he could answer, rms started sting throughout our ship. The tracking device in my hand burst in a shower of sparks, and every screen around us went dead.


    Someone had just cut off all our contact with the Council.


    And in the sudden darkness, I heard a voice that made my heart stop - Lily¡¯s son, the void entity, speaking from the shadows.


    "Hello, Father," he said. "We need to talk."

 Chapter 185: Allies in Exile

    <h4>Chapter 185: Allies in Exile</h4>


    <strong>CALEB POV</strong>


    The mountain creature¡¯s w cut inches from my face.


    I rolled sideways and grabbed Lily¡¯s hand, pulling her behind a rock as the starlight beast roared. We¡¯d been running for three hours through this nightmare world, and I was starting to think we¡¯d never escape.


    "This way!" I shouted, finding a gap between two rocks.


    We squeezed through just as the creature¡¯s huge head smashed into the stone where we¡¯d been hiding. Its angry howls echoed through the canyon, but the gap was too small for it to follow.


    "I can¡¯t keep doing this," Lily gasped, leaning against the rock wall. Her face was pale and tired. "Every world we jump to has something trying to kill us."


    I wanted tofort her, but she was right. Ever since I¡¯d followed her through that first portal, we¡¯d been hunted in every world we entered. Sometimes by animals, sometimes by the world itself, sometimes by those dimensional hunters who seemed to track us everywhere.


    "We¡¯ll find somewhere safe," I promised, though I wasn¡¯t sure I believed it anymore.


    Lily tried to open another link, but only weak sparks came from her fingers. "My powers are almost gone," she whispered. "I don¡¯t think I can make another jump."


    My heart sank. Without her dimensional powers, we were trapped in this world of hungry monsters and endless night.


    That¡¯s when we heard voicesing from deeper in the canyon.


    "Someone¡¯sing," I said, pulling Lily further into the darkness.


    But the voices didn¡¯t sound dangerous. They sounded... young? And one of them was crying.


    "I want to go home," a small voice sobbed. "I don¡¯t like it here."


    "I know, sweetie," another voice answered softly. "But we can¡¯t go home yet. The bad people are still looking for us."


    Lily and I exchanged looks. Other people were hiding in this world too?


    We crept forward carefully until we could see around a bend in the creek. What we found made my jaw drop.


    A group of about twelve people sat around a small fire, but none of them looked normal. One girl had skin that sparkled like diamonds. A boy kept shing in and out of sight like he couldn¡¯t decide if he was real. An older woman had flowersing from her hair.


    And they were all soothing a little girl who looked maybe eight years old and had tiny wings folded against her back.


    "Dimensional refugees," Lily breathed beside me.


    One of them - a youngster with bright purple eyes - looked up suddenly. "There¡¯s someone else here," he stated.


    Before I could stop her, Lily stepped into the light. "Please don¡¯t be afraid," she said. "We¡¯re not here to hurt anyone."


    The group tensed, but the older woman with flower hair stood up slowly. "Show us your hands," she said.


    Lily held out her hands, and I did the same. The woman studied our wrists carefully, then rxed.


    "No hunter marks," she told the others. "They¡¯re like us."


    "What¡¯s a hunter mark?" I asked.


    "Scars that dimensional hunters leave when they try to drain your powers," the purple-eyed boy exined. "Anyone who¡¯s been caught and escaped has them."


    The flower-haired woman gestured for us to sit. "I¡¯m Vera," she said. "Wee to the Exile Network."


    "The what now?" Lily asked.


    "A group of people who¡¯ve been forced to live between dimensions," Vera stated. "We help each other survive and stay ahead of the hunters."


    As we joined their group, the others introduced themselves. The sparkling girl was named Crystal and could turn invisible in certain types of light. The flickering boy was Ghost, and he could phase through solid things but couldn¡¯t control it very well. The little girl with wings was Pip, and she could feel danger before it happened.


    "How long have you all been jumping between worlds?" I asked.


    "Three years for me," Ghost said sadly. "The hunts came to my world when I was fourteen. They killed my whole family because they thought dimensional powers were spreading."


    "Five years," Crystal added. "They said I was dangerous because I could watch on people. But I never hurt anyone."


    Each person had a simr story. They¡¯d all been driven from their home worlds by hunters who feared their powers. Some had lost their families. Others had watched their entire realities get destroyed.


    "The hunters don¡¯t just chase us," Vera stated. "They systematically destroy any world that creates people with dimensional abilities. They call it ¡¯preventing infection.¡¯"


    I felt sick. "They¡¯remitting genocide."


    "Exactly," Vera said sadly. "And we¡¯re the survivors."


    Little Pip tugged on Lily¡¯s sleeve. "You smell like omega," she said in her tiny voice. "Are you the one the whispers talk about?"


    "What whispers?" Lily asked, kneeling down to Pip¡¯s level.


    "The dimensions talk to me sometimes," Pip said seriously. "They¡¯ve been saying someone special ising. Someone who can heal the broken ces."


    Vera¡¯s eyes widened. "You¡¯re an omega dimensional traveler? But those are myths!"


    "Not myths," Lily said quietly. "But apparently very rare."


    "The whispers say you can fix what the bad people broke," Pip continued. "But you have to learn how first."


    Ghost leaned forward excitedly. "Maybe that¡¯s why we found each other! Maybe we¡¯re supposed to help you!"


    "Help me do what?" Lily asked.


    "Learn to heal dimensions instead of just traveling through them," Vera said slowly. "It¡¯s something we¡¯ve theorized about but never seen done."


    Crystal bounced up and down. "I could show you how different ces feel! My powers let me sense their energy patterns."


    "And I could phase you into the space between dimensions," Ghost added. "Maybe you could practice there safely."


    For the first time since this nightmare started, I saw hope on Lily¡¯s face. "You¡¯d really help us?"


    "We help each other," Vera said simply. "That¡¯s how we survive."


    But our moment of hope was broken by Pip¡¯s sudden scream.


    "They found us!" she cried, her little wings fluttering in fear. "The killers areing! Lots of them!"


    In the distance, I could see lightsing through the canyon - too many to count and moving too fast to be anything good.


    "Everyone grab hands!" Vera shouted. "Emergency jump!"


    The group linked together quickly, but as Lily tried to join the circle, her powers flickered and died totally. She couldn¡¯t make a link.


    "I can¡¯t!" she said desperately. "My abilities are gone!"


    "Then we all stay and fight," Ghost said strongly.


    "No," Vera said, her face grim. "Some of us take her and run. The others buy time."


    "I¡¯m not leaving anyone behind," Lily argued.


    "You have to," Crystal said, already starting to fade from view. "If you¡¯re really the one who can heal dimensions, you¡¯re too important to lose."


    The hunting lights were getting closer. I could hear cars now, and something that sounded like energy weapons charging up.


    "Caleb," Vera said hurriedly, "there¡¯s an old emergency portal hidden in this canyon. It only works once, but it might get you two away from here."


    "What about the rest of you?"


    "We¡¯ll scatter and regroupter," she said, but I could see in her eyes that she didn¡¯t believe it.


    Pip ran up and grabbed Lily¡¯s hand. "The whispers say to tell you something," she said quickly. "The man who¡¯s hunting you isn¡¯t really bad. He¡¯s going to help. But first, you have to save him."


    "Save who?" Lily asked.


    But before Pip could answer, the first hunter truck burst into the canyon, its searchlights flooding the area with blinding white light.


    "Go!" Vera screamed. "Now!"


    I grabbed Lily and ran toward where Vera had pointed, leaving our new friends to face the hunts alone. Behind us, I heard energy weapons firing and people yelling.


    We found the emergency opening - a small, shimmering crack in the canyon wall that barely looked big enough for one person.


    "Together," I said, taking Lily¡¯s hand.


    We jumped through just as something burst behind us. As reality twisted around us, I caught onest view of the canyon.


    Little Pip was floating in the air, her wings spread wide, holding back three hunter vehicles with some kind of force field while the others fled.


    Then everything went ck.


    When we tumbled out the other side, we were falling through empty space toward a world that looked like it was madepletely of mirrors.


    And reflected in every surface, I could see the same terrifying picture repeated a thousand times: Dimensional hunters weren¡¯t chasing us anymore.


    They were waiting for us.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 186: The Fourth Emotion

    <h4>Chapter 186: The Fourth Emotion</h4>


    <strong>LILY POV</strong>


    My mirror grabbed my throat and started squeezing.


    I gasped and stumbled backward, but everywhere I looked, another mirror showed the same thing - my own face twisted with evil purpose, my own hands trying to kill me. The mirror world had turned my image into a weapon against myself.


    "Lily!" Caleb reached for me, but his image did the same thing - grabbing him around the neck. We were both being crushed by ourselves.


    I tried to break the nearby mirror with my fist, but my hand passed right through it like water. The reflections were real here, strong enough to hurt us but impossible to fight back against.


    My lungs burned as my evil twin tightened her grip. ck spots danced in front of my eyes. This was it. I was going to die looking at my own face.


    Then something new happened inside my chest. Not the anger I¡¯d felt when Aiden sacrificed our bond. Not the shame about leading everyone into danger. Not even the sadness of losing my pack.


    Pure, cold fear.


    It hit me like ice water, freezing my blood and making my heart race. I was going to die. Caleb was going to die. Everyone who counted on me would be lost forever. The fear was so strong it felt like drowning.


    But instead of making me weaker, something strange happened. The fear made me think faster, move quicker, fight harder than I ever had before.


    I stopped trying to fight my image and did something else instead. I looked her right in the eyes and spoke.


    "You¡¯re afraid too," I said, even though it was hard to talk with her hands around my throat.


    My reflection¡¯s grip loosened slightly. "What?"


    "You¡¯re afraid," I replied, louder this time. "You¡¯re afraid that I¡¯ll learn to heal instead of harm. You¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll figure out how to fix what¡¯s broken."


    The bad version of me snarled, but I could see uncertainty in her eyes - my eyes.


    "You¡¯re not really me from another future," I continued, understanding rushing through me. "You¡¯re just my fear made visible. The fear that I¡¯ll be a monster."


    Around us, the mirror world began to shake. Cracks emerged in the surfaces, showing glimpses of something else beyond them.


    "But fear doesn¡¯t have to make me a monster," I said, and meant it. "Fear can make me careful. It can make me think before I act. It can help me protect the people I love."


    My reflection¡¯s hands fell away from my throatpletely. She stared at me with an expression I recognized - the same look I¡¯d worn when I first got my Triple Moon mark and didn¡¯t know what it meant.


    "I¡¯m not afraid of being afraid," I told her. "I¡¯m afraid of not caring enough to be scared."


    The mirror broke, taking my evil twin with it. All around us, the other mirrors began breaking too, freeing Caleb from his own reflection¡¯s attack.


    As the mirror world copsed, we fell through empty space again. But this time, I was ready. The fear was still there in my chest, but it felt different now - like a guard dog instead of a wild beast. It was warning me, helping me, making me stronger.


    I reached out with my powers, not trying to force a portal open, but asking the worlds for help. And for the first time since this whole nightmare started, they answered.


    Wended gently on solid ground in a world that felt peaceful. No monsters, no angry scenery, no hunters waiting in ambush. Just calm.


    "How did you do that?" Caleb asked, staring at me in wonder.


    "I stopped fighting my emotions," I said. "I epted the fear instead of trying to push it away."


    As I spoke, I realized something amazing. The first three feelings I¡¯d experienced after Aiden¡¯s sacrifice - anger, guilt, and sadness - they¡¯d all been about the past. About things that had already happened. But fear was different. Fear was about the future, about defending what might be lost.


    "Fear makes you care," I whispered, understanding growing in my mind. "It makes you want to keep things safe."


    That¡¯s when I heard the pping.


    We spun around to find a group of dimensional seekers standing behind us, pping slowly. But these weren¡¯t the normal dark-armored figures. These hunters wore white uniforms with silver marks I didn¡¯t recognize.


    "Very impressive," the boss said. She was a woman with kind eyes and a warm smile that somehow made me more worried than any weapon could have. "We¡¯ve been watching your progress through the mirror world. Quite interesting."


    "Let us go," Caleb said, stepping protectively in front of me.


    "Oh, we¡¯re not here to capture you," the womanughed. "We¡¯re here to recruit you."


    "Recruit us for what?" I asked suspiciously. "The Dimensional Protection Agency," she said proudly. "We¡¯re the good guys, Lily. We hunt the shooters who¡¯ve been chasing you."


    I felt Caleb tense beside me. After everything we¡¯d been through, trust didn¡¯te easy.


    "Prove it," I said.


    The woman smiled wider and pointed to her team. "Show them."


    One of the other shooters stepped forward and pulled back his sleeve. His arm was covered in the same scars that Vera had called "hunter marks" - proof that he¡¯d been abused by dimensional hunters.


    "We¡¯re all refugees," he stated. "People who escaped from the Council¡¯s genocide and decided to fight back."


    "The Council?" Caleb asked.


    "The group that¡¯s been ordering the destruction of dimensional travelers and their home worlds," the woman said. "They call themselves the Dimensional Stability Council, but they¡¯re really just power-hungry tyrants who want to control all of reality."


    She held out her hand to me. "We¡¯ve been looking for someone like you, Lily. An omega who can fix dimensional damage instead of just causing it. With your help, we could start undoing centuries of damage."


    It sounded too good to be true. After being hunted and attacked everywhere we went, someone finally wanted to help us?


    But my new understanding of fear made me careful. "What¡¯s the catch?" I asked.


    "Smart girl," the woman said approvingly. "The catch is that to help us, you¡¯d have to go back to your home world. The Council has your pack surrounded, nning to use them as bait to draw you into a trap."


    My blood went cold. "My pack is in danger?"


    "More than danger," she said grimly. "The Council is nning to destroy your entire reality tomorrow night. Every person, every wolf, every tree and stone - all of it will be erased to make an example of what happens when dimensions house omega travelers."


    The fear in my chest burst into panic. "We have to warn them!"


    "That¡¯s exactly what the Council is counting on," the woman said. "They know you¡¯lle back to save your pack, and they¡¯ll be waiting with a trap that will drain your powers permanently."


    I looked at Caleb, seeing my own terror mirrored in his eyes. Our pack, our family, everyone we¡¯d ever loved was going to die unless we walked straight into certain capture.


    "But," the woman added, "there might be another way. A risky way that¡¯s never been tried before."


    "What?" I asked desperately.


    She smiled, but this time it looked more like an animal showing its teeth. "We send you back in time instead of just back in space. Before the Council circles your pack. Before they set their trap."


    "Time travel?" Caleb shook his head. "That¡¯s impossible."


    "For normal dimensional travelers, yes," the woman agreed. "But an omega who¡¯s mastered her fourth emotion? Who¡¯s learned to use fear as strength instead of weakness? She might be able to do it."


    "Might?" I said.


    "The odds aren¡¯t good," she allowed. "Time travel through dimensions could tear you apartpletely. Or worse, it could spread pieces of you across multiple timelines, leaving you aware but unable to act in any of them."


    I stared at her, my mind running. Save my pack by risking a fate worse than death, or let them all die while I stayed safe.


    "When do we start?" I asked.


    The woman¡¯s smile became real for the first time. "Right now. But Lily, there¡¯s something else you need to know before you decide."


    "What?"


    "If the time travel works, you¡¯ll arrive in your past before you ever got your Triple Moon mark. Before you met Caleb as your mate. You¡¯ll remember everything, but he won¡¯t remember you."


    My heart shattered. "I¡¯ll lose him?"


    "Maybe," she said. "Or maybe you¡¯ll find a way to make him fall in love with you all over again. But that¡¯s not the worst part."


    I was afraid to ask, but I had to know. "What¡¯s the worst part?"


    "If you change the past to save your pack, you might prevent yourself from ever gaining dimensional powers in the first ce. You could save everyone you love and lose the ability to ever see them again."


    The choice stretched out in front of me like a chasm. Save my pack but lose my skills and possibly Caleb. Or keep my powers and watch everyone I¡¯d ever cared about die. "I need a minute to think," I said.


    "You have thirty seconds," the woman answered, checking a device on her wrist. "The Council just moved up their schedule. They¡¯re attacking your pack tonight."

 Chapter 187: Caleb’s Sacrifice

    <h4>Chapter 187: Caleb¡¯s Sacrifice</h4>


    <strong>CALEB POV</strong>


    Time stopped moving around Lily.


    The woman with the kind eyes froze mid-sentence, her mouth open as she waited for Lily¡¯s answer. The other dimensional hunters stood like statues. Even the wind quit blowing.


    But I could still move, and I could see what was happening to Lily that the others couldn¡¯t.


    She wasing apart.


    Tiny pieces of her were shing in and out of existence - a finger here, a strand of hair there, like she was being erased bit by bit. The stress of making this impossible choice was physically tearing her apart at the dimensional level.


    "Lily!" I reached for her, but my hand passed right through her arm. She was bing unstuck from this world.


    She didn¡¯t seem to notice. Her eyes were focused on something far away, probably seeing dreams of what would happen to our pack if she didn¡¯t save them. The fear in her face was so strong it made my heart break.


    I had to do something. But what could I do against dimensional magic?


    Then I remembered what little Pip had said back in the canyon: "The man who¡¯s hunting you isn¡¯t really bad. He¡¯s going to help. But first, you have to save him."


    What if she hadn¡¯t been talking about Kestrel? What if she¡¯d been talking about me?


    I thought about the echo bond that had let me follow Lily through her first portal. Our love had been strong enough to survive when Aiden broke our magical mate link. Maybe it was strong enough for this too.


    I closed my eyes and reached out with everything I had - not with my hands, but with my heart. I thought about every moment Lily and I had shared since the Winter Moon Festival. The way she¡¯d looked when her Triple Moon mark first appeared. How brave she¡¯d been facing Luna¡¯s anger. The soft way she cared for the pack children.


    The echo bond burst to life between us, stronger than it had ever been. Through it, I could feel Lily¡¯s fear and confusion. But I could also feel something else - the dimensional energy that was pulling her apart.


    Without thinking, I grabbed onto that energy and pulled it into myself.


    Pain burst through my body like lightning. It felt like being torn apart and put back together wrong, over and over again. My vision went white, then ck, then showed me impossible colors that didn¡¯t have names.


    But it worked. The pieces of Lily that had been disappearing snapped back into ce. Time started moving again around her as I took some of her dimensional load into myself.


    "Caleb!" Lily spun around, her eyes wide with shock. "What did you do?"


    "I shared the load," I gasped, falling to my knees as waves of dimensional energy crashed through me. "You don¡¯t have to carry this alone."


    The woman hunter stared at us in wonder. "That¡¯s impossible. Normal beings can¡¯t handle dimensional energy without being destroyed."


    "He¡¯s not normal," Lily said, dropping down beside me. "He¡¯s my mate. Our bond lets us share things."


    She was right, but sharing her dimensional powers was different than I¡¯d expected. I could feel every reality she¡¯d ever visited pushing against my mind. I could feel the damage the Council had done to dozens of worlds. And most terrifying of all, I could feel the time portal they wanted Lily to use - a swirling vortex of options that could spread her across a thousand different timelines.


    "The time travel," I said quickly. "It¡¯s not safe. I can feel it now. If you go through that door alone, you¡¯ll be lost forever."


    "But my pack-" Lily started.


    "Will still die if you get scattered across time and can¡¯t save them," I interrupted. "We need a different n."


    The woman hunter looked angry. "There is no other n. The Council has already started their strike. Your pack has maybe six hours before they¡¯re all dead."


    Through our bond, I felt Lily¡¯s desperation spike. But now that I was sharing her dimensional awareness, I could also feel something else - a pattern in the way realities connected to each other.


    "Wait," I said, struggling to understand what I was feeling. "The Council isn¡¯t just fighting our pack. They¡¯re using our world as an anchor point for something bigger."


    "What do you mean?" Lily asked.


    I closed my eyes and let the dimensional energy show me what it had learned. Images shed through my mind - the Council¡¯s true n emerging like a nightmare.


    "They¡¯re not just destroying our world," I said in fear. "They¡¯re using it as the center of a massive reality breakdown. Once our dimension falls, it¡¯ll cause a chain reaction that destroys dozens of other realities too."


    The woman hunter¡¯s face went pale. "That¡¯s... that can¡¯t be right. Even the Council wouldn¡¯t risk that much damage."


    "They would if they thought they could control which realities survive," I said, more pieces of the n bing clear. "They¡¯re going to copse half the multiverse and rebuild it the way they want it."


    Lily grabbed my hand. "Then we have to tell everyone. All the cosmic refugees, all the other worlds-"


    "There¡¯s no time," the woman said. "And even if there was, most realities don¡¯t have the technology to protect themselves from a dimensional copse."


    I felt something move in the energy around us. The echo bond was changing, getting stronger, connecting not just me and Lily but somehow reaching out to touch other realities.


    "What if we didn¡¯t warn them?" I said slowly. "What if we connected them instead?"


    "Connected how?" Lily asked.


    "Through our bond," I exined, the thought forming as I spoke. "If I can share your dimensional powers, and our love is strong enough to survive magical severance, maybe we can use that rtionship to link other realities together. Make them strong enough to fight the copse."


    The woman hunter shook her head. "Two people can¡¯t possibly join that many dimensions. The energy would kill you both."


    "Not two people," I said, thinking of our friends back in the canyon. "All the dimensional refugees. Everyone who¡¯s been spread across realities by the Council¡¯s attacks. If we can link them together through awork of ties..."


    "A resistance made of connections instead of weapons," Lily whispered, understanding. "Using love and friendship to fight back instead of force."


    "It¡¯s insane," the woman said. "It¡¯s never been tried. It might not even be possible."


    "But it¡¯s better than letting half the multiverse die," I pointed out.


    Lily squeezed my hand. "How do we start?"


    I looked around at the hunters who had found us. "We start with them. These refugees who became rebels. If we can link their ties to ours..."


    "You want to turn us into some kind of dimensionalwork?" one of the hunts asked.


    "I want to give you the power to save your home worlds," I said. "All of them."


    The woman hunter stared at me for a long moment. Then she smiled - a real smile this time, not the hungry one from before.


    "You know what?" she said. "Insane ns are the only ones that ever work against the Council. Let¡¯s do it."


    But as we prepared to try something that had never been done before, my dimensional awareness picked up something terrifying.


    The fall had already started.


    I could feel our home reality starting to destabilize, could sense the chain reaction spreading to neighboring dimensions. We were toote to prevent it.


    "Lily," I said quickly, "we don¡¯t have time to build awork. The crash is happening now."


    Her face went white. "Our pack-" "Is dying as we speak," I finished. "Unless we do something right now."


    Without waiting for permission, I opened my mind fully to the dimensional energy flowing through our bond. The pain was incredible, like being hit by lightning made of starlight. But through it, I could feel every reality that was starting to fall.


    "Caleb, stop!" Lily screamed. "You¡¯ll burn out your mind!"


    "Then help me!" I shouted back. "Link with me totally. Share everything. If we¡¯re going to save everyone, we have to risk everything."


    Lily paused for just a moment. Then she grabbed both my hands and opened her mind to mine.


    The world exploded into infinite potential around us. I could see every realm, every timeline, every possible future spreading out like a vast web. And at the heart of it all, a growing darkness as the Council¡¯s copse spread.


    But I could also see something else. A way to turn the copse against itself, to use the Council¡¯s own weapon to make something beautiful instead of destructive.


    "I see it," Lily breathed beside me. "But Caleb, if we do this, we¡¯ll never be able toe back to our own world. We¡¯ll be spread across all dimensions forever."


    I looked at her, my mate, my partner, my other half. "Together?" I asked.


    "Together," she agreed.


    We reached out with our united power and grabbed hold of the dimensional copse just as it was about to destroy our home world.


    And then everything changed.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!