LOGINThe mountain shook. ⸻ Stone cracked overhead. Dust rained from the ceiling. ⸻ And for one terrifying second— Nobody moved. ⸻ Victor stared at Amara. Lucian stared at Victor. ⸻ The air itself felt charged. ⸻ Dangerous. ⸻ Like something ancient was waking beneath the earth. ⸻ Amara pressed a hand against her chest. ⸻ Pain exploded through the bond. ⸻ Not physical pain. ⸻ Something deeper. ⸻ Power. ⸻ Too much power. ⸻ The silver mark beneath her collarbone burned brighter than ever before. ⸻ Lucian noticed immediately. ⸻ “Amara.” ⸻ His voice sounded distant. ⸻ The world suddenly felt strange. ⸻ Blurry. ⸻ The tunnel disappeared. ⸻ And another vision slammed into her. ⸻ She stood beneath a crimson moon. ⸻ Thousands of wolves surrounded her. Silver wolves. Black wolves. Golden wolves. ⸻ An army. ⸻ And at the center stood a woman. ⸻ Beautiful. Powerful. Radiant. ⸻ Her silver-white hair danced in the wind. Moonlight glowing around h
The lower tunnels felt older. Much older. ⸻ The moment they entered, Amara felt it. ⸻ The air changed. Heavier. Ancient. ⸻ Like the mountain itself was watching them. ⸻ Malakai led the way through the darkness, his massive frame illuminated by torchlight. Every step echoed through the endless stone corridors. ⸻ Nobody spoke for several minutes. ⸻ Partly because they were exhausted. Partly because everyone was processing everything they had just learned. ⸻ And partly because Malakai was terrifying. ⸻ Dante finally broke the silence. ⸻ “So…” ⸻ Kael groaned immediately. ⸻ “No.” ⸻ “Yes.” ⸻ Dante pointed ahead. ⸻ “We’re following a centuries-old super hybrid through haunted tunnels while an ancient bloodline wants to kidnap Amara.” ⸻ A pause. ⸻ “Just making sure we’re all aware of how insane that sounds.” ⸻ “Very aware,” Kael muttered. ⸻ Amara almost smiled. Almost. ⸻ The bond beneath her skin continued pulsing steadily. ⸻ Not painfully now. ⸻
The howl echoed again. Closer this time. ⸻ Panic spread instantly through the underground chamber. ⸻ Kael moved toward the tunnel entrance sharply. ⸻ “That’s from the western side of the compound.” ⸻ Dante’s expression darkened. ⸻ “How many?” ⸻ Another howl. Then screams. ⸻ Too many. ⸻ Lucian’s face became cold enough to terrify everyone in the room. ⸻ “He brought an army.” ⸻ Amara’s stomach twisted violently. Because deep down— She already knew who “he” was. ⸻ Victor. ⸻ The bond beneath her skin pulsed painfully again. Like it sensed him nearby. ⸻ Selene looked horrified. ⸻ “He moved faster than expected.” ⸻ Lucian’s golden eyes snapped toward her instantly. ⸻ “You knew he was coming?” ⸻ “No!” ⸻ The panic in her voice sounded genuine. ⸻ “I knew he would eventually find her after the awakening—but not this quickly.” ⸻ Malakai growled low in his throat. A sound filled with hatred. ⸻ “He’s obsessed.” ⸻ Amara swallowed hard. ⸻ “With Moo
The name echoed through the chamber like a curse. ⸻ Blackthorne. ⸻ Amara felt the reaction instantly. Not from herself. From everyone else. ⸻ Kael went completely still. Dante stopped breathing for half a second. Even Lucian’s expression shifted into something colder. More dangerous. ⸻ Selene looked devastated. ⸻ “Malakai, enough.” ⸻ “No,” Malakai growled. The sound shook the chamber walls again. ⸻ “They deserve the truth.” ⸻ Amara’s pulse raced violently. ⸻ “What truth?” ⸻ Malakai’s golden eyes remained fixed on her. ⸻ “The hunters were never human.” ⸻ Silence. ⸻ Lucian’s jaw tightened immediately. ⸻ “Explain.” ⸻ Malakai took another slow step forward. The hybrids around the room immediately lowered themselves farther. Completely submissive to him. ⸻ “The Blackthorne bloodline were wolves.” ⸻ Amara’s stomach dropped instantly. ⸻ “No,” Selene whispered. “Don’t do this.” ⸻ But Malakai continued anyway. ⸻ “They betrayed Lunaris centuries
Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. ⸻ The monster stared at Amara with intelligent golden eyes while dust still drifted through the ruined chamber. ⸻ And somehow— That was worse than if it had attacked immediately. ⸻ Because it recognized her. ⸻ “…Luna.” ⸻ The word echoed softly through the chamber again. Not aggressive. Not monstrous. ⸻ Reverent. ⸻ Amara’s chest tightened painfully as the bond beneath her skin reacted violently. ⸻ Lucian stepped farther in front of her instantly. Protective instinct exploding again. ⸻ The creature’s gaze shifted slowly toward him. ⸻ And it growled. ⸻ Not like the hybrids. Not mindless rage. ⸻ Warning. ⸻ Lucian’s eyes darkened dangerously. ⸻ “You don’t get to look at her.” ⸻ Amara blinked once. ⸻ “…Now is really not the time to be possessive.” ⸻ “It’s always the time.” ⸻ Dante stared at him briefly. ⸻ “Do you hear yourself?” ⸻ Lucian ignored him completely. ⸻ The creature looked between them slowly. Watching
The roar echoed again. Deeper this time. Closer. ⸻ The entire underground chamber trembled violently. Dust rained from the ceiling. Stone cracked along the walls. ⸻ And suddenly— Every hybrid stopped moving. ⸻ Complete silence fell across the room. ⸻ The creatures backed away slowly. Fearfully. ⸻ Amara’s stomach twisted immediately. Because those things feared nothing. Until now. ⸻ Kael stared toward the darkness below the chamber entrance. ⸻ “…That’s not good.” ⸻ “No,” Dante said quietly. “For once, I deeply agree.” ⸻ Lucian’s body remained tense beside Amara. Protective instinct fully active. One arm still positioned slightly in front of her automatically. ⸻ The hybrids began retreating toward the edges of the chamber. Whining. Panicked. ⸻ Selene looked absolutely horrified now. ⸻ “You have to leave.” ⸻ Lucian’s gaze snapped toward her sharply. ⸻ “What is down there?” ⸻ Selene shook her head weakly. ⸻ “There isn’t time.” ⸻ Another roar
The air shifted the moment they stepped fully into the battlefield. It wasn’t just noise. Not just movement. It was chaos. Wolves clashed across the compound, bodies moving too fast for human eyes to follow. Growls ripped through the night, sharp and violent, mixed with the sound of impact, of
No one spoke. Not at first. ⸻ The training field, usually filled with movement and noise, had gone completely still. Every wolf stood frozen. Watching. Processing. ⸻ Because what they had just witnessed… Wasn’t normal. ⸻ It wasn’t just a shift. It wasn’t just power. ⸻ It was something
Morning came too quickly. Amara didn’t realize when she fell asleep. All she knew was that when she opened her eyes, the room was filled with soft golden light spilling through the tall windows. For a moment… She forgot where she was. The bed felt unfamiliar. The air smelled different. Heavi
The room was too quiet. Amara stood near the large window, arms wrapped around herself as she stared out into the fading evening light. The compound stretched far beyond what she could see, but right now… It felt smaller. Like the walls were closing in on her. Her hands trembled slightly. She







