Chapter 1: The beginning

I remember the moment I fell

The gates of light shattering behind me, their glow fading as I cast into the void and stripped of my throne, my dominion, my rightful power. They thought they had won. Thought locking me away in the fragile world would end me.

Fools.

This planet became mine the moment I touched its soil.

For centuries, I ruled from the shadows whispering into the minds of kings, bending creatures to my will, shaping war and chaos like a sculptor shapes clay. Until they found me.

The creations.

Born of nature. Blessed by light.Protected by balance

They feared me….so they united.

And they sealed me away.

Not destroyed.

Never destroyed. Just…waiting.

But time is a patient ally.

And cracks form, even in the strongest prison.

I feel it now, the barrier is weakening.

The island….obutema….calls to me again. Its magic pulses like a heartbeat I intend to stop.

This time, I will not hide…this time I will burn their sanctuary to ash.

And when I rise…even the blood of their strongest bloodlines will not be enough to stop me.

Not the Alpha

Not the witches

Not even the tribrids.

So much power gathered in one place, how convenient.

A sharp wind cut across the skies of Obutema.

High above the island, Zarina hovered effortlessly, her wings shimmering like liquid light against the sun. Below her, the island stretched endlessly—lush forests, glowing rivers, and ancient stone structures hidden beneath vines and time.

Below her the island thrived.

A forest shimmering with life, a river glowed faintly with magic where creatures moved in harmony untouched by the chaos of the human world beyond the oceans.

This was home, this was peace.

That’s what this island was supposed to be anyways .

Zarina closed her eyes, breathing in deeply, letting the magic flow freely through her veins. It hummed softly, alive and steady—like it always had wrapping around her like a second skin.

Until—

It stopped.

Zarina’s eyes snapped open.

The magic around her didn’t disappear ... .faltered.

Like a heartbeat skipping.

Her wings flickered, Forcing her to steady herself midair

“What was that…?” she whispered.

The wind shifted sharply this time, turning cold against her skin.

The sky dimmed ever so slightly as if something unseen passed between the sun and the island.

Below her the forest reacted , the trees rustled violently as. Birds scattered into the sky, their cries sharp with panic even the river moved unnaturally

Zarina’s chest tightened.

This wasn’t normal

This wasn’t nature

This was wrong

And deep down she knew exactly what that meant.

Something ancient had stirred beneath the surface of the island.

Something that didn’t belong.

Na’Thena stood at the edge of the training grounds, her eyes scanning the horizon. She hadn’t moved in minutes, her body completely still—but her senses were screaming.

Something was coming.

She didn’t know what.

She didn't know where.

But she felt it.

A pressure in the air.

A weight pressing against her chest.

Her wolf stirred uneasily beneath her skin.

“Do you feel that?” Jahzara’s voice came from behind her.

Na’Thena didn’t turn.

“Yes.”

Jahzara stepped beside her, her expression serious now. Gone was any trace of lightness—replaced by the same tension gripping her sister.

“It feels like…” Jahzara hesitated.

“Like something watching,” Na’Thena finished.

Their eyes met.

And for the first time—

They were afraid.

Miles away Nadrwka stood motionless

The Alpha didn’t move.

Didn’t breathe.

But his wolf—

His wolf was awake.

Danger.

The word echoed through his mind like a warning carved in stone.

His fists clenched.

“I thought it was over…” he muttered.

The ground beneath him trembled ever so slightly—barely noticeable to anyone else.

But not to him.

Never to him.

His BloodRed eyes darkened.

“Gather them,” he ordered into the wind, his voice carrying through the unseen bonds of the pack. “Everyone.”

Because whatever was coming…

Was strong enough to make an Alpha uneasy.

In a small, dimly lit caravan at the edge of the island, Elora gasped sharply as her body jolted forward.

Cards scattered across the table.

Candles flickered wildly.

Calum caught her before she hit the ground.

“Elora—what did you see?”

Her hands trembled as her eyes slowly lifted to meet his.

Fear.

Real fear.

“The darkness…” she whispered. “It never left.”

Calum’s expression hardened.

“No…”

Her grip tightened on his arm.

“It’s waking up.”

Back in the skies, Zarina turned toward the horizon.

She could feel it now.

Not just a disturbance.

Not just a shift.

Something was coming.

And for the first time in a long time…

The island of Obutema didn’t feel like a sanctuary.

It felt like a battlefield waiting to happen.

Like a shadow crawling beneath the surface of everything she loved.

And for the first time in her life…

Zarina felt something she never thought she would.

Uncertainty.

Her wings slowly folded as she turned toward the heart of the island.

Whatever this was—

It was only the beginning.