7-𝗞𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁

My mind was full of questions as I walked through the forest with Kaidën. I had more questions than answers after seeing the visions at the Heart Tree.

"Kaidën, did you mean that I was chosen by the Heart Tree?" I inquired as my curiosity overcame me.

Kaidën paused before answering, his face taking on a serious expression. "The Heart Tree is a potent representation of the magic and history of our pack. It is believed to contain our ancestors' secrets and the ability to influence our future.

As I heard Kaidën's words, a chill went down my spine. What did being selected by the Heart Tree mean? And what did Kaidën have to conceal from me?

During our walk, I could not get rid of the impression that Kaidën was keeping something from me. In the hopes that the older woman could offer some insight, I made the decision to confide in Evelyn.

"Evelyn, I'm getting really frustrated with Kaidën," I said, trying to keep my voice down. "He never tells me anything, but he keeps giving me hints about secrets and telling me to trust him."

Evelyn leaned in close, her face growing serious. "I believe you should exercise caution around Kaidën, Astrid. He has concealed something from the rest of us about his past. Something that might endanger you."

I experienced a rush of both curiosity and fear. What did Kaidën have to conceal from me? What connection did it have to the Lunar Curse, anyway?

I could not help but feel that I was getting closer to learning the truth as I thought about these issues. However, I was also aware that I needed to exercise caution because the secrets I was going to reveal had the power to completely alter my life.

Kaidën sat up startled as his eyes swung open. His heart was pounding, and he was soaked in perspiration. He tried to calm himself by telling himself it was only a dream.

But the memories lingered, haunting him. Reminiscences of the transforming night. That night when he lost his temper and…

Kaidën's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was me.

"Astrid, what's wrong?" KaKaidën inquired, his tone tinged with worry.

 I inhaled deeply in an attempt to slow my heartbeat. I said, "I know you are hiding something from me," in a firm tone. "And I will discover what it is."

aKaidën took a step forward, his face darkening. "Astrid, I..."

But before he could finish, I discovered Kaidën's secret journal.  My eyes widened in surprise as I turned the pages.

A sinister secret that Kaidën had concealed from the rest of us was exposed in the journal. A secret that has the power to alter everything.

"Kaidën, is this true?" I asked, my voice trembling with shock. "Have you been attacking the members of the pack?"

Kaidën nodded, his eyes falling. "I'm so sorry, Astrid. I had no intention of hurting anyone. It's just...the Lunar Curse...it's consuming me."

A wave of fear and sadness washed over me. The person I had grown to trust, Kaidën, had a sinister secret. A secret that might endanger us all.

But there was something hopeful in Kaidën's eyes as I looked into them. A flicker of kindness, love, and goodness.

"Kaidën, we will work this out together," I stated firmly. "We will figure out how to lift the curse."

There was a glimmer of hope in Kaidën's eyes as they met mine. Perhaps, just perhaps, we could find a way to heal and get past this darkness.

I could not get rid of the thought, though, that Kaidën's darkest secret was just the start of a much bigger and more sinister scheme as we embraced.

I heard a faint howling in the distance, just when I thought things could not get any worse. My spine tingled at the sound, and I realized that time was running out.

"What is that, Kaidën?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Kaidën's expression darkened as his eyes snapped to the sound. He said, "It is the call of the Lunar Pack," in a threatening, low voice. "And it's coming for us.”

Kaidën's eyes met mine as the howling intensified, and I could see a fierce determination in them. He said, "We need to get out of here, now," in a low, urgent voice.

The Lunar Pack's call grew louder with each step as we ran through the forest after I nodded. I knew we were running out of time because I could feel the ground trembling underfoot.

I noticed a figure waiting for us in the distance as we came out of the forest. Evelyn was staring at us with her eyes.

"Astrid, Kaidën, come quickly," she said, her voice urgent. "The Lunar Pack is closing in. We must make our way to the den's safety."

However, as we got closer to Evelyn, I noticed that she was facing an odd symbol that had been carved into the ground. I sensed its power calling to me, and it appeared to be pulsing with a sinister energy.

"What is this?" My question was hardly audible above a whisper.

I noticed a glimmer of fear in Evelyn's eyes as they met mine. "It's a portal," she said. "A portal to the realm of spirits."

I noticed a horrified expression on Kaidën's face as his eyes darted to the symbol. "No, Evelyn," he said. "We can't go through that."

Evelyn's face, however, was stern. Her words, "We have no choice," "If we don't, the Lunar Pack will murder us. Our only chance of surviving is this.

I realized we were running out of time as the howling became more intense. I could see the fear in Kaidën's eyes when I looked at him. However, I also noticed that they were determined to keep me safe at all costs.

"Let's do it," I said, my voice firm.

I noticed a nod of agreement as Kaidën's gaze met mine. We entered the unknown together as we passed through the portal.

I could feel myself being drawn through a whirlpool of energy as the world around us vanished into darkness. Everything else was a blur, but I knew Kaidën's hand was in mine.

Then all of a sudden we were in a world I had never seen before. The trees were a vivid green, and the sky was a deep purple. However, what really chilled me were the creatures that called this world home.

They were deformed, corrupted beings that appeared to be composed of shadow and darkness; they were unlike anything I had ever seen. And they were on their way to us.

"Welcome to the spirit realm," Evelyn said, her voice dripping with irony. "I hope you're ready for this."

Kaidën had a fierce determination in his eyes when I looked at him. We would face whatever lay ahead as a team because we were all in this together.

But as we stood there, ready to face the unknown, I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were in over our heads. We were two werewolves from the mortal realm, and the spirit realm was a place of ancient power and dark magic.