Serafine's POV"What if there is no winning this without losing something or someone close to me?It still does now as I sit beside Daniel, my hands shaking while channeling what's left of my energy into his healing process. His wounds are deep, but he is strong,much stronger than I had been aware of. I feel his body respond to my magic, the edges of his cuts knitting back together, though it is far too slow.The fight outdoors had subsided, and to the surprise of all, the forces of Lucian fell back, melting into the trees without delivering the coup de grâce. Damien, David, and the rest of the pack prepared themselves for one last charge, but instead, the rogues simply… vanished.It's Lucian's game. Weaken them. Strike at them bit by bit till they fall. He's just playing with us, breaking us bit by bit.I let out a heavy breath as my body sags, worn out by the exhaustion of the healing magic. Daniel's breathing slows and evens out; his chest rises and falls gently. Hе is gоing t
Daniel's POV"Okay. We wait."Serafine's words echo in her mind but one can see the strain on her face, the frustration in her. As we all walk out of the room, the tension is still in the air and I know we need a break. The pack has been through too much and it feels like there's much more coming.But I've always believed sometimes that laughter is the best medicine.I watch David as he walks down the hall, exhausted and spent, and then one silly notion enters my head. It has been quite a while since any of us laughed good and proper. Maybe it's kinda time to remind everyone that we're still family even with all this sickness and despair.I snuck up behind him trying my best to make as little noise as possible. Right when I am behind him, I try my best to put on the most serious tone of voice."David," I say in a low, no-nonsense tone, "it would appear that Lucian has sent a spy, and I'm afraid I am going to have to take you into custody based on suspicion of suspicious behavior.
Serafine's POV"What just happened?"The question seems suspended, still floating on the air as the pack closes in, circling Abigail, faces stamped with shock and wonder. Yet, as the cheering goes on, a heavy weight presses against my chest. Her power,her ability to cure us all,came out of nowhere and I just can't shake that feeling there's more to this than what we understand.Later that night, after the excitement dies down, I stand outside of my mother's room, the urgency gnawing at me. I push open the door, finding her with her back to the bed and wearing an expression of confusion and concern to match my own."Mom," I say,my voice a little shaky."We have to talk about Abigail's magic. We have to find out what is going on.She nods, her eyes sharp and thoughtful. "I've been thinking the same thing. There's more at play here, something we're missing." She motions for me to sit beside her, and I do, tension in my body refusing to ease."Let's try finding some answers," I say, my
How am I to save them, to save everyone, when the path ahead of me remains so unclear?"What If the decisions I've made so far have already set us on the path to destruction."The feeling of Lucian's prophecy weighs down on me, an uncontrollable fog; uncertainty claws at my insides. I sat with my mother, Susan, in the darkened room, the both of us in such a haze from what we had seen in that vision. It is too much to handle, knowing that Abigail and her brothers literally hold in their hands the fate of all wolves. Protection? How could I protect them when I don't even know what the right choices are?"We need help, Mom," I say, my voice barely audible. "I don't know how to guide Abigail through this. Her powers… they're already stronger than I can handle."Susan nods, her gaze distant, lost in thought. "There was someone who offered to help once… Amara."The name brings a flash of hope, but it's succeeded all too soon by doubt. Amara was an extremely powerful witch whose knowledg
"Abigail is waking up."The words hang in the air as I watch Serafine rush back into the room where her daughter lies. Abigail stirs on the bed, fluttering her eyes open, the haze of unconsciousness lifting. I stand at the doorways, watching the girl's every move. So much power resides in her, more than any might realize. But also, there's a danger which cannot be ignored.The moment I am inside, Abigail's eyes widen with curiosity and fear mixed in them, "Who. who am I?" she asked, slightly quivering in her voice."My name is Amara," I told her, calm, in a very steady tone. "I have come to help you."Serafine stands watch beside Abigail, her eyes wary yet hopeful. Susan, too, hovers close by, her eyes filled with a mother's concern. They want answers, and they need guidance. But what they really do not know is that the path ahead of them will not be easy to walk. The truth lies deep inside, in places where only the bravest go."We can't keep fighting this power without understandi
Before us, the clearing spreads, and the further we go towards the sacred lands, the heavier the air feels like the very air has thickened. The magic here is old, as heavy as fog, that clings to each breath I take. Every step forward feels like moving through water, growing thicker with every minute. There's this weird sound in the back of my mind like a whisper. I'm not sure if it's coming from the land or from inside me.That night, when we made camp, finally, exhaustion weighed me down. I barely got my head against the earth before my eyelids closed. I was expecting an unconscious sleep to claim me, but rather it was a vision seized me.The world around me is dark, though not in a sense of lacking content. It's that type of darkness that pulsates with energy, seemingly watching me as I am standing in the center of some aged stone chamber. Torches dance across the walls, casting long shadows against the rough cut stone. The air is thick with a strange scent of a mixture of herbs
"And you have to decide whether to embrace it… or let it consume you."Her words still echo in her mind as we moved toward the sacred lands. Serafine walks by my side, but her eyes are farther away still. There's heaviness within them, one that has seemed to grow further day by day. She has been quieter than usual since the visions really started. I can see the stress building in her features, the fear that she tries hard not to show.The sun was setting, and it was growing dark by the moment. We would have to set up a camp for the night. Slip out to the edge of the forest I did manage to catch Serafine doing. There, she disappeared among the trees as her silhouette grew dimmer into the darkness. Something tugged at me ,the urge to follow her, to see if she's all right.I find her standing in a small clearing, her back to me. She gazes at the moon, the outline of her back lit by the soft glow of the night sky. She looks lost, searching for answers that aren't there."Serafine," I
"What… was that?"David's voice is no more than a whisper, and the fear written across his face is immense as he struggles to rise. I reach out toward him-my limbs all heavy and weak. But before I even touch him, the darkness around us shifts again, and suddenly we are not alone.A flash of movement catches my eye, but it's too fast to follow. Something sharp slices across David's arm, and he cries out in pain, stumbling back. My heart pounds furiously in my chest as I try to find the source of the attack, but there's nothing-no figure, no creature-just the eerie darkness swirling around us like a living thing.David!" I scream, my voice shaking in panic, as another cut appears on his shoulder, then another on his side. He struggles to defend himself, swinging his arms in all directions, but he is hitting nothing but air. The shadows appear to mock us, dancing in and out as if it's some sort of sadistic game."We're. trapped," he gasps, falling to his knees, blood running down his arm
"This is my fight now."I can feel the weight of those words as I unleash the magic inside me, channeling everything I have into this strange man who surprisingly was as strong or perhaps stronger than I am. The air crackles and hums, vibrating with energy that seems to move with time to my heartbeat. I watch as his expression changes, his eyes widening in surprise. Then I feel something else, a shift deep inside, a change that isn't altogether my own.I feel some strength gathering within me, and in an instant, it runs hard through my veins. The energy suddenly surges and explodes inside me like a continuing storm ready to tear me apart. With each surge, it becomes so much stronger than the one before and I am fighting hard to keep it inside me. My hands are shaking terribly, and my breathing is reduced. With a sense of anticipation, I realize that I could be losing this battle not to this man in front of me but to myself.Stay back!" I scream, but it sounds more like I'm plea
"Do you feel that? What is this?"The words echo in my mind as I step into the clearing,the chaotic power, like a hurricane, surrounds me. I followed my mother for quite a long time when the air changed, it tugged at me begging me to follow her to this place before it was too late.Now, from behind the scenes, I finally see before me the scene of Serafine standing in front of the mysterious man who had set into action so much pain and manipulation, The air is really crackling with tension, and the dark magic wraps them like a cover."Let her go!" I scream, my voice carrying across the clearing. The weight of my power surges forward inside me, tightening against the reins of my control. I don't think, I act.They both turn to me then, surprised across the man's face. "You!" he exclaims, his composure cracking for a moment. "What are you doing here?"I move forward, my veins coursing with determination and fear. "I felt your presence," I say, locking eyes with him. "I knew you we
"We have to keep running until there's no other choice but to fight."With every step, it beats in my chest, fighting my way through the thick underbrush of the forest, placing distance between myself and chaos at the stronghold. The darkness wraps around me. My mind races with thoughts of all that has brought me to this moment in life. The weight of the world is held on my shoulders and with it, the balance of my family's fate.Before me, I see the bush he told me to meet him at, with every step my pulse quickens. The thought of his wicked grin seems to flash before my mind a chilling reminder of my bargain struck. A deep breath is taken and in it, I steady myself for what is about to be. Strong, though frightened, I must be.Finally reaching the place, it is bathed in moonlight, the tall grass gently swaying with the wind of the night. There he was, waiting to see me with that annoying smirk, arms folded at his chest, as if the world belongs to him. "Serafine," he calls, with
"Let's get this over with."The words are still on my lips when the dungeon door swings open, and the man steps out, pulling me along with him. But before we can take more than a few steps, the sound of heavy boots echoes down the corridor. I froze, my heart pounding as Lucian's familiar silhouette emerged from the shadows, his cold eyes narrowing at us.What are you doing here?" Lucian demands, his eyes flicking with suspicion from the man to me and back again.The man's hand tightens on my arm for a moment before he releases me, his face smoothing into casual indifference. "Just checking the prisoners," he returned smoothly, his tone didn't betray him."I wanted to make sure everything was in order.A mocking smile curls around Lucian's lips. "You're not normally this watchful" he says, stepping closer to him. "What's the real reason you're here?Nothing in the man's face alters, but I catch a flicker in his eyes that says he works something out. "The ritual draws near," he says
"We are left alone again, imprisoned by this impossible choice and its weight presses upon me now more than ever."Days run together in a haze of dark depression. The chill, wet air rises up from the dungeon, filling our bones, and constantly reminds us that we are imprisoned. Every moment seems like a fight to cling on to that little hope. But despite all, I find myself awaiting Abigail's visits with a mind set to expect little or no warmth, yet still hoping something may penetrate that wall she has thrown up around herself.The next time she comes, she lingers by the door longer than she usually does, hesitates a second before stepping into the dim light. I see it in her eyes now, something flickering inside that wasn't there before. Is it a doubt? Or regret? I cannot tell, but enough to make my heart beat just a little bit faster.She sets the tray down in front of me, her eyes not even flicking in my direction before she turns to leave, but I just can't let her go. "Abigail,
"As much as I try to keep hope alive, I couldn't help this nagging feeling that Lucian's grip on Abigail was increasing. and the time for all of us was running out."The air was thick in this dungeon like the walls were closing in on us. Days will pass in tense silence, our minds focused on nothing else but the ritual that closes in with each passing heartbeat. We know we can't wait any longer. The more time we spend here, the more powerful Lucian will become over Abigail, over our combined destinies. And the more his power grows, the smaller our window becomes.We sit in the darkness, tired, and on our shoulders weighs the heavy mantle of our tiredness. No one needs to say it, but it's there, hanging in the air amongst us, like a ghost not invited.Susan breaks the silence. Her voice is soft but firm as she turns to each one of us. "We have to accept that man's offer," she states. "There's nothing else we can do.And then the words came like a kick to the stomach, and a moment pa
"I don't know. I really don't know."The words just seem to hang in the air, heavy with weight, almost choking. It is as if the dark dungeon walls are closing in on me as my mind finalizes the weight of our situation. The others are staring at me, their eyes drilling into me for some sort of answer, a decision that would somehow change everything. Only I don't have one. The very thought of agreeing to the terms of that man makes my skin crawl, and yet… the desperation in our situation is simply not to be denied."No," I whisper, shaking my head. "We can't… I can't do this.The triplets exchange a glance, their faces filled with a mixture of pain and uncertainty. Damien steps forward, frustration and sorrow etched on his face. "Serafine, we gotta think this through," he says in a low, urgent tone. "I hate the thought of it as much as you do, but what choice do we have?I glare at him, narrowing my eyes. "There must be some other way," I answer, though my voice carries no convictio
"Am I really on the right side?" The sound of Abigail's question echoes through her head The creaky door to the dungeon drags me back into the reality before me.I look up, expecting to see Abigail or another of Lucian's followers come inside to mock us some more. Instead, it is him, the man who has been to see us before the one that proposed such a crazy deal. He steps inside, into the poor light and as I have come to expect, a dark silhouette greets me with a curled smile that truly chills.Well, well," he says, his voice dripping with mockery. "It would appear that you still have not made a decision. I gotta say, for one so hesitant, it's quite disappointing." He moved closer, his eyes glowing with amusement and annoyance. "I am a busy man, and I don't like waiting around."We got nothing to say to you," Damien growls from the corner, his voice weak but defiant. "Go back to wherever you came from."The man chuckles, shaking his head. "You're in no position to make demands, w
This dungeon is cold,the walls heavy with the weight of despair. Every day is no different: I pace down the narrow corridor, carrying trays of food to my family,if they still are, that is. Chains rattle around me, their metallic clicking no louder than the guilt whispering in my ear. I force myself to remain calm, my expression cold, detached. I have nothing else for them to see. If I do, it all will fall apart.I set a tray down in front of my mother, and she reaches out, catching my wrist. Her touch is soft in every movement. "Abigail," she murmurs, her voice hoarse. "Please, you don't have to do this. You are stronger than what Lucian's influence has done. Come back to us.I pull my hand away, the gesture sharp, deliberate. "It's too late" I say, keeping my tone as flat as possible. "I've made my choice.But even as I say it, an ache burns hollow in my gut. I glance around at Serafine, the triplets, Amara, Susan,all of them shackled, weakened. They have been reduced to mere