MasukThe Witch opened the ancient, yellowed grimoire."Let me tell you a story.""Long ago, there was a powerful pack ruled by an Alpha who loved his Luna more than anything. He would have done anything for her. But it was that love — that blind, consuming love — that brought ruin.""The Alpha squandered every last coin in the pack's treasury on gold and jewels just to see his Luna smile. The pack starved. It crumbled. And in the end, a coalition of neighboring packs crushed them.""The surviving members blamed their Alpha and Luna for everything. They bound them to the altar, burned them alive, and cast a curse — that one day, the two would return to this land and pay for their sins in blood."When the story ended, I stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.The dream from that night flooded back — vivid, undeniable.The Witch shook her head with a weary sigh. "This isn't a natural disaster or an enemy's doing. It's a curse.""So I... I was always from this world?"She nodded, then continu
I sat up and instinctively reached for the wound on my chest."That's... impossible."The gash that should have been fatal was completely healed — as if the blade had never touched me. But the amethyst pendant had cracked down the middle."Stop poking at it. You're fine. If it weren't for my charm, you'd be dead. And don't forget — you owe me. A lot." The Witch was at her usual station, tinkering with potions, the heavy scent of herbs filling the room."Lucian... did we—""We won." His voice broke with emotion."Viktor's dead. We won."I grabbed his hand. "Really?"He nodded, beaming. "Really. You've been out for a month. While you were asleep, we crushed Viktor's forces and every pack that sided with him. The borderlands are ours again."The relief lasted only a heartbeat before reality hit me. I seized his sleeve. "Why are you still here? You were supposed to go back! Don't you understand — if you missed that portal, you will never be able to return to the real world!"He didn't seem
Lucian wanted to argue, but the look in my eyes left no room for it. The words died in his throat, cycling through his mind before finally escaping as two quiet words:"Be careful."He pulled me into a gentle embrace. I caught the faint scent of irises on his skin."Come back soon."My hand hovered in midair, reaching for him — but before I could return the embrace, the Witch cleared her throat pointedly, breaking the moment."Time's up, Serena. You need to go."I took one last look at Lucian — all that worry in his eyes — then turned to the Witch. "Take care of him. Send him back.""Consider it done. But before you go, I have something for you." She fished a necklace from her pocket — a string of luminous amethyst crystals, my reflection glinting off their polished surfaces."What is this?" I looked at her, confused.She clasped it around my neck. "It was my mother's. A protection charm. It'll keep you safe." She paused. "And no — this one's on the house."I touched the crystals resti
Three years ago, I'd had a chance to go back.The Witch had drawn my blood, cast a spell, and opened a portal to the real world."Walk through and you'll be home. Go on — you never belonged here to begin with."In those early days, the terror of waking up in a strange world had kept me up night after night.Back then, I would have done anything to go home.But five years in the werewolf world had changed me. I'd built a life here. I'd found people who mattered.This place had become my second home.Now, with a crisis looming over my pack, could I really abandon everyone and walk away?The Witch strained to hold the portal open. "What are you waiting for? This thing won't last much longer."I put one foot through the portal. Memories of the past five years flooded my mind.Then, as if something inside me had clicked into place, I stepped back out."Hey! What are you doing? A portal can only be opened once per person. If you give this up, you're stuck here forever.""I know. I'm not goin
The clock struck midnight on the prophesied date, and nothing had happened. The pack was safe.Lucian's presence as the fated mate had broken the first crisis.But I didn't let myself relax. I knew this was only the beginning. Bigger threats lay ahead.I promoted Lucian to Beta, then purchased a disguise potion from the Witch — one that erased his old identity completely and gave him a new face, a new voice, even a new build. Under a fresh name, he stayed by my side.It wasn't long before Viktor invited me to a meeting under the guise of "pack business."I knew the real purpose. He wanted to probe my defenses.I knew he'd been eyeing my pack for years, quietly rallying other packs to move against me.But it was a trap set in plain sight — one I couldn't afford to ignore.Just as I was agonizing over it, Lucian stepped forward. "Let me go with you. If Viktor tries anything, I'll put myself between you and him."He wasn't joking. I knew he meant every word.I let a small smile play acros
But Lucian showed no signs of waking. Apart from the faintest pulse and shallow breathing, he might as well have been dead.I rested my chin on my hand and studied his sleeping face. "Is there anything you can do to wake him up faster?"The Witch paused mid-stir, then bounced over to me with a playful grin. "There is. But that'll cost extra."She batted her eyes and extended her palm expectantly.My arrangement with the Witch was strictly transactional. Ever since I'd started relying on her help, money had been flowing out of my pockets and into hers like a river.Fortunately, my pack was one of the largest and wealthiest among all wolf world. I could still afford it.Once paid, she rummaged behind the counter and produced a small vial of green liquid. Without ceremony, she pried Lucian's mouth open and dumped the whole thing down his throat.Her technique was appallingly rough. More than half the potion dribbled down his chin.A second later, Lucian erupted into violent coughs, color







