Chapter 32Lurking ShadowsQuinton's POVThe night air was thick with tension as I paced in front of the cabin, my thoughts a tangled mess of frustration and worry. I could feel the weight of the moon above, not yet full, but enough to send ripples of power through my veins. The wolf inside me was restless, prowling just beneath the surface, and the longer I waited, the more impatient it grew.Fiona should have been back by now.I clenched my fists, trying to rein in the growing unease gnawing at me. She was strong—stronger than most—but something about this whole situation didn’t sit right with me. Ever since Elian’s cryptic message, I’d had this gut feeling that we were walking into a trap, and now, with Fiona missing, that feeling had only grown worse.“Where the hell is she?” I muttered under my breath, my eyes scanning the surrounding woods. The darkness seemed to press in on all sides, and even with my heightened senses, I couldn’t pick up any trace of her scent. It was as if sh
Chapter 34The Edge of ControlQuinton’s POVThe sight of Fiona crumpling to the ground beneath that beast haunted my every step. Blood trickled from her shoulder, soaking the earth as I ran toward her. Time seemed to stretch, but I reached her in a heartbeat. My wolf growled and howled within me, urging me to destroy the creature that had dared harm her.With a savage roar, I launched myself at the creature still hovering over her, my claws raking its side. The thing barely registered the blow, turning its glowing eyes on me. It didn’t seem alive—it was like it was possessed by something darker, something that had already claimed its soul. I tore into it with everything I had, letting my rage fuel me. The creature screeched, a sound that made my ears ring, but it finally went limp beneath me.I barely noticed. My attention was only on Fiona, whose body lay motionless at my feet."Fiona!" My voice was rough, desperate.I dropped to my knees beside her, brushing her blood-soaked hair f
Chapter 35Shadows Of The PastQuinton's POV As I stood over Fiona, the weight of the bond thick in the air, I could feel something pulling—dragging us deeper into a space I didn’t recognize. My wolf stirred, agitated and restless. The connection between Fiona and me had always been powerful, but what I was facing now was different, darker. This wasn’t just about saving her. It was about something larger, something ancient that had been awoken by the darkness.I clenched my fists, trying to ground myself as the sensation of burning coursed through my veins. My father’s voice echoed in my mind, instructing me to hold the bond and pull out the poison. But it wasn’t just poison. It was a curse.The darkness inside Fiona wasn’t simply from the bite of that creature. It was tied to something else. The moment I tapped into her essence, I saw fragments of her memories—ones she didn’t know I was seeing. Dark flashes of a time long ago, of blood and pain, of a pact made in desperation. I cou
Chapter 35The ConsequencesQuinton’s POVThe moment Fiona stepped forward, my heart sank. I didn’t know what she was choosing, but whatever it was, it felt like the ground had just dropped from beneath us. The air around us grew thick, charged with something dark and ancient, like the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable.The woman—this strange figure who’d appeared out of nowhere—nodded in approval, her lips curling into a smile that chilled me to my core.“You’ve made the right choice,” she said, her voice smooth but laced with something predatory. “Now we can begin.”“Begin what?” I growled, stepping closer to Fiona, my hand brushing her arm as if touching her could tether her to reality, to me. “What the hell did she choose?”The woman’s eyes gleamed in the moonlight as she glanced between Fiona and me. “That is not for you to know, Quinton. Not yet. This is a journey Fiona must take on her own.”Fiona flinched at the woman’s words, and I could feel th
Chapter 36Descent into DarknessFiona’s POVThe world felt distant as my vision blurred. I wasn’t fully conscious of what was happening, but the thick tension in the air was impossible to ignore. Quinton’s voice called out to me from the edge of consciousness, his touch anchoring me, but the more I tried to respond, the further I felt from reality. I was stuck in the space between waking and a nightmare, tethered to something that refused to let me go.I could feel it—the darkness inside of me. It pulsed, alive and sinister, feeding off something deeper within my blood. It was as though it had always been there, lying dormant, just waiting for the right moment to rise. The idea of a prophecy tied to my family made no sense, but the truth was undeniable now. There were secrets buried in my bloodline that I never even imagined.The pain in my chest was sharp, spreading outward as if something was clawing its way through my veins. It wasn’t just the wound from the attack—it was more, so
Chapter 37Shadows Of DestinyFiona’s POVThe room was a chaotic mess of shadows and shifting light. The aftermath of the battle had left its mark—furniture was overturned, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and fear. My heart raced as I tried to grasp the enormity of what had just happened. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion and dread. I had unleashed a power I didn’t understand, and now I was left trying to piece together the fragments of reality that had shattered around me.Quinton’s father stood in the middle of the room, his expression cold and unreadable. Quinton, still in his human form, was pacing back and forth, his face a mask of worry and frustration. I felt the weight of their eyes on me, the silent question of what came next pressing heavily on my shoulders.I could still feel the residual dark energy coursing through me, a subtle reminder of the power I had tapped into. The sensation was both exhilarating and terrifying. It had been a reflex, a desper
Chapter 38In The Shadow Of The ProphecyQuinton’s POVThe weight of the recent events pressed heavily on me. Fiona was struggling to come to terms with her newfound power, and every day felt like a race against time. The darkness that had been unleashed within her was something we had to confront, and the threat of the creatures that hunted us loomed ever closer.The study had become our command center. Fiona, with her newfound determination, was diving deep into the ancient texts, while her father and I worked on fortifying the house. Protective wards and enchantments were being laid down, but it felt like a temporary solution to a much larger problem.I watched Fiona from across the room as she pored over the manuscripts. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, her eyes scanning the pages with an intensity that I admired and worried about in equal measure. She was stepping into a role she never asked for, and I could see the strain it was putting on her.“How’s it going?” I asked,
Chapter 39Shadows at DawnQuinton’s POVThe days seemed to blur together in a haze of preparation and tension. The rituals had become a regular part of our lives, each one bringing Fiona closer to understanding and controlling her power. The study was littered with ancient texts, magical artifacts, and protective charms, a testament to the gravity of our situation.As the first light of dawn crept through the windows, I could see Fiona’s silhouette hunched over one of the manuscripts. She had been working tirelessly, her determination unwavering. I admired her strength but couldn’t ignore the toll it was taking on her.I approached her quietly, careful not to startle her. “How’s it going?”She looked up, her eyes tired but resolute. “I’m making progress, but it’s slow. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.”I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You’re doing great. We’re all in this together.”She gave me a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks, Quinton. I ju