Uncle desires

dge where the silver mine had collapsed just days ago. Smoke no longe

nched h

d, Mael injured, and Thorn-missing. But the g

whispers h

ile Kaelen prowled nearby like her shado

rlet

's voice, though she

between dead mountains. The old stones were scorched black, bones half-buried

she approached the rusted iron gate. It groane

ed in silence, his wolf r

ppened," she whisper

"And where Calen f

-

De

oices slid down the walls, some weeping, others chanting. The deeper t

es devouring their own, the moon weeping bloo

room. Silver candles sat on either side, their flames still fli

murmured. "The alt

d for her arm

ed into t

shifted b

arlett

-

o M

The air was gold and black, as if the sun and nig

oice called he

field of wolves. Her hair was wild, moonlight poured from her e

whispered. "My litt

knees buckl

p a hand. "No

hy Calen turned. Why K

s gaze

r blade-but the blade cuts both ways. He was or

aved you," Sc

eek. "But you can save them. The pack. The future. Calen still carries

M

ene said.

ett t

her in the memory no

oulbound... but to win this war,

-

Ch

art froze. "B

er mother said. "He will use your love to co

cracked. "I...

e. "Just remember-sometimes lov

-

to Re

ke at the al

ace pale. "You were gon

und. But to save everythin

r, torn between agon

, voice raw, "I'll let you

's breat

, she didn't know whet

into him

was

brot

le

-

ream

sky stitched with flickering stars and dying suns. Across the clearing, he stood-tall,

t," he s

just obsidian-the

eal?" she

It's

ut the ground cracked. Ro

. "You believe our parents were heroe

urved with

And now you wear th

not true. They died

len what really happened. Ask him where h

th hitched. "Wh

ady fading, like m

ors, sister. Some are e

-

n the

r wolf snarling in her chest. She stormed out of her tent, ignoring th

r, shirtless, blade in han

idn't

d before

im," he sa

oice cracked

between twins runs d

s burned. "Where were you

en f

e it wasn't you. Tell me yo

ened. A long

t me. But I was there..

-

and

red back as if

sted me then." He stepped forward, voice trembling. "I didn

teeth. "And yet..

never fail the Alpha's blood again.

. Rage. Hurt. Confusion. Her wolf howled in her

ld burn every oath, every life I've

dn't r

alked

s wouldn't s

en them? It pulsed

r. The howls of training wolves echoed through the clearing, but Sca

Mael... all stared at he

ce sharp as a blade. "Truth. No

ind s

he said. "He spoke of betrayal. Of lies.

nged a glanc

ng," Scarlett acc

ce fought beside your father. That the

other held something powerful. A relic. One

d closer. "What

Said to be carved from the original Moon

ett f

me travel. Her fra

conn

idden

by instinct-no, by blood. Her feet moved without comma

e-its bark marked with the symbol of her fa

th the roots. It slid open with a groan of ancient

against walls lined w

it: a silver pendant glowing faintly with moo

ped forward,

ered, "The l

d the pendant, vision

cradling a child-not

scending i

tching from the shadows,

ange destiny... unless

knees. The relic pulsed in her h

t her. "What

ry and clarity bu

why Calen hates us all. And I saw the beg

ion's A

her tent, the pendant on her chest

without asking

e told me," s

n't kn

of it. No half-trut

because she tried to hide the relic. She knew

aught. "She wanted

oul binding to Varin," he whi

my fa

He made a deal. One th

endant. "Then I'll undo it. I'

you go down that path, Scar

m. "There's no f