The Curse Of Black Hollow Pack

Moon

ung above Black Hollow like a silent witness to the sins buried beneath its soil. Aiden Cross stood

ing faintly with heat. The mark the beast had left behind throbbed beneath his skin

it now. The t

ust rage. Something o

ards creaked

gun down,

rgeant Evelyn Marks, his former partner, framed by the broken doorway, her flashlight cutting t

er you," she said softly.

aught in his throat. All he cou

.. comp

h for days, show up at a murder scene before we even get the call, and now you're standing in a c

, the curse, the beast clawing its way through his mind. But

uttered. "Something you can't s

t one of your nightmares. You'r

ter. "Hospitals can't fi

er hand hovering near his

guttural, echoing through the trees like the earth itself was g

that?" sh

nd. He'd heard it before-the night everyth

," he hiss

appeared-amber and merciless. Aiden raised his weapon, but it was too late. The c

eamed. Shot

ace. He kicked upward, hard, catching it in the jaw. The creature sna

was

rti

s mouth still bleeding from whe

his eyes, and Aiden

.." he b

ck Hollow Pack. The one who'd spared

unders

ster down. The creature-Jacob-roared and lunged again, but Aiden stood his ground this time.

vibrating through his bones, and threw him

s vision blurred at the edges, veins pulsing with something electric and alien. His

formation

whispered, stepping

nd of clarity-every sound louder, every scent sh

d from his mouth. "You feel it, don't you, broth

thing li

u were born of our blood. The curse wa

ords cut through

of our

illness. The night terrors. The whispers ab

e?" he

Because you were the one meant t

their bodies colliding with a sound that cracked the pews. Evelyn fired one

more. It was chaos. Cl

d splinters in his wake. Evelyn lay against the wall, dazed but alive. And Aiden stood in

ng-not from fear, but from power. The curs

s a whisper. "Aide

answer. H

n he didn't

ack Hollow was painte

muttered about wolves, curses, demons-depending on who you asked. The police had s

ction. His eyes looked normal now-blue-gray, tired,

hide from w

the sink until his knuck

ce only

still dusted with dried blood. She closed the door behind

," she said quietly. "He bought it-for now

f I tell you, you'll n

ry

finally met her gaze

parted. "One of

. "But I'm not

e did something he didn't expect-she stepp

ind a way t

derstand. This isn't a dis

we br

eep in him-a fragile thread of ho

chapel's records. A witch-Mara Blackthorn. She was exe

ends with her t

ed note that mentioned the Black Hollow curse. Each lead pointed to the same thing: the Bla

d been los

at's what his

with visions of fire and moonlight-wolves running through the

omething cold. A locket. One he'd never seen

Blac

thern edge of Black Hollow-the part locals called The Wastes. It was a plac

-buried crosses, the sky bleeding pale gray.

m. "You sure we'll fi

But if the curse started h

the sun slipped behind the hills. The air was colder

he ones in Aiden's dreams. At the center of the main hal

quickened. "Hel

ld gust of air rushed upward, carry

ight downward. A stairca

rst?" she j

irked. "Y

nded into t

ient chest wrapped in rusted chains. Aiden stepped forward, his hand trembling slight

a book bound

ckthorn

red, "We actua

ounding. The moment he touched it, the ai

cursed. Son o

hook. The wa

is arm. "Aiden, w

lowing faintly gold.

re the lights went out was a

e home,