Chapter Twenty-Seven: Countdown to the Day of the Blood MoonThe air grew heavier with each passing hour, as though the world itself was bracing for something unnatural. Ever since the gods’ messenger appeared, the countdown had begun—seven days until the Day of the Blood Moon.Seven days to prepare. Seven days to survive.Ava sat beneath the twisted elder tree outside the sanctuary, the bark behind her pulsing faintly as if aware of her presence. The wind was sharp, slicing through the night with whispers. Her fingers traced the mark on her wrist—ever since she mixed her blood with Achi’s, the mark had darkened, a signal that something ancient had awakened.Across the clearing, Achi moved like a shadow, his form flickering between wolf and man. Each shift was getting harder to control. The power in his blood—once a secret—now surged through him without mercy.“We’re changing too fast,” Ava murmured, more to herself than anyone.Marcus stepped out of the shadows, holding his ancient j
The vision dissolved into shards of light, leaving behind only silence—and the racing pulse of fear in Ava’s chest.“The gods’ messenger?” she echoed, eyes locked on the seer. “What does that mean?”The seer rose to her feet slowly, as though the air had turned heavy. “That was no ordinary being. The gods only send him when judgment is near.”Marcus narrowed his eyes. “Judgment for whom?”“For all of us,” the seer said. “When a hybrid is close to full awakening… the gods grow restless.”Ava took a shaky step back, her mind spinning. “So they’re watching me now?”“No,” the seer replied grimly. “They were always watching you. But now… they’re preparing to act.”The air shifted. A sudden gust of wind swept through the chamber—icy and unnatural. The candles blew out in unison. A dark mist pooled at the center of the room, rising until it shaped itself into a tall figure cloaked in crimson.Everyone froze. MoAva’s breath caught.The gods’ messenger had arrived.The figure did not walk—it
Ava took a step back, her heart hammering against her ribs. “Unite… what does that mean? What happens to me?”Velkharon’s gaze never wavered. “When the dusk meets the twin blood fully—vampire and wolf—you will either bring balance… or burn everything.”The room fell into stunned silence.Achi’s hand found hers, gripping tightly. “She’s not ready for that.”“None of you are,” Velkharon replied. “But time no longer waits.”The seer’s eyes were clouded now, her body trembling. “This is why you came, Ava. The vision… your mother… it was to prepare you.”“You must choose,” Velkharon said, his voice like a fading storm. “Hide behind the coven’s lies, or embrace the truth of what you are.”Ava stared at him, her breath shallow. Her voice came barely above a whisper: “And what am I?”Velkharon smiled—not with kindness, but with awe.“You are the one born of fire and night. The gods marked your blood to destroy or to redeem. You are… the reckoning.”And with that, he faded—his form scattering
Darkness.Then, light—soft and golden, pouring in like morning sun filtered through smoke. Ava blinked. She was standing, but she didn’t know where. The air was heavy with silence, yet filled with whispers, as though a hundred voices were hiding just beneath the surface.She turned in slow circles. The space around her shimmered like a dream—real and unreal all at once. Then, from the haze, a figure emerged. A woman… graceful, radiant, and smiling sweetly.Ava’s breath caught in her throat.The woman looked like someone from a memory she didn’t know she had.As the woman stepped closer, a thin golden barrier flared between them, humming softly. She didn’t try to cross it. She simply stopped and looked at Ava with the warmth of a thousand lifetimes.“Ava, darling,” the woman said, her voice like a melody Ava’s soul recognized instantly, “I’m so happy you are becoming who you truly are.”The words echoed in Ava’s chest, striking something raw.“I’m a proud mum,” the woman said gently. “
As they drew nearer to Achi’s pack territory, the air thickened—not just with tension, but with something Ava couldn’t name. Magic, perhaps. Or fate. The path wound deeper into the forest, and Ava found herself inching closer to Achi, questions burning in her chest.“Achi…” she said softly.He glanced at her. “Yeah?”“Can I ask you something?”“Of course.”She hesitated, her eyes fixed on the trees instead of him. “How long have you known?”Achi didn’t respond right away. The silence between them stretched like a taut string. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost reverent.“Since I was thirteen,” he said. “The dreams started then. Visions of you—always you. A voice told me we were bound. That we were the beginning of something the world feared.”Ava’s breath caught in her throat. She turned to look at him, but before she could say anything, Marcus’s voice interrupted the moment.“Well, well, well… we’re here,” he said, drawing their attention forward.The trees opened into
What do you mean they are what the gods feared?” Darius asked, a frown forming as his curiosity deepened.Marcus sighed and leaned against a mossy stone, his voice calm but heavy. “Let me tell you something. The gods knew this long ago. They foresaw what would happen if Achi and Ava ever united. That’s why they isolated Achi on the mountain… and that’s why they ordered Elias to keep Ava far from him. But fate—fate always finds a crack in destiny’s walls.”Ava grunted, her breath catching in her throat. “Huh?”“Ava?” Marcus stepped forward, his brows creased with concern. “Are you okay?”“Yeah, yeah… I’m fine,” she murmured. “But I saw something. A woman. She said, ‘Give her my powers.’ That’s all I remember before everything went black. Then—” She paused, eyes wide with the realization. “I shifted.”“What?” Her voice cracked. “Wait… am I—am I a wolf now?”Marcus grinned, stepping behind her. “Turn your back, Ava.”She hesitated. “What are you—?”“Just look.”She twisted slightly, catc