I tried to reach for Luna again, my wolf clawing weakly inside me, but the magic holding her back was too strong.Nora was the same, her fae spark flickering, too faint to grasp. The mindlink to Darius was silent, a void where his warmth should’ve been. I swallowed the panic rising in my throat, focusing on Rhea, on the plan I was piecing together.“Selene, what do they want?” Rhea asked, her voice trembling but curious, like she was trying to be brave.I hesitated, not wanting to scare her, but she deserved the truth. “Me,” I said softly. “They need me for some ritual, under the full moon. But they need me to agree to it.”Her eyes widened, fear flashing across her face. “You won’t, right? You won’t let them?”“No way,” I said, my voice firm, giving her the strength I was trying to find in myself. “I’m not giving them anything. We’re getting out of here, Rhea. Together.”She nodded, her small hands gripping the bars, wincing as the silver burned her. “I believe you,” she whispered, and I
His brow creased. “Seraphina? The witch? She’s a ghost—how do we even find her?”“The runes,” I said, the idea sharpening. “They’re linked to Selene, to her bloodline. Maybe they can point us to her.”It was a gamble, but it was all I had. “We go back to the mountain,” I decided, my voice firm. “Tonight. If the runes can lead us to her, we’ll make them talk.”Marcus straightened, nodding. “I’ll round up the warriors. We’ll be ready.”“Thanks,” I said, the word heavy with everything I couldn’t say. He gave me a small, rare smile.“We’ll get her back, Darius. No matter what.”He left, the door clicking shut, and I was alone. My hands shook as I sank into the chair, staring at the maps like they’d give me answers. Selene was out there—scared, maybe hurt—and I was here, useless. But not for long. I’d find her. “Hold on, Selene,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I’m coming.”Selene's POV I must have passed out, because one minute I was slumped against the cold stone floor of the silver c
“You’re in charge,” I said, my tone hard, leaving no room for doubt. “Round up the fallen—ours and theirs. Patch up the wounded. Keep this place locked tight.”Megan brushed her red hair back, her green eyes locking with mine. “We’ve got it under control, Darius. Go find her.”“Thanks,” I muttered, giving them a quick nod. There wasn’t time for more. I turned, letting my wolf take over, my body shifting in a rush of heat and power. Black fur rippled over me, claws sinking into the dirt as I bolted toward the trees, my group fanning out behind me.The forest swallowed us whole. Moonlight slipped through the branches, painting the ground in silver patches, but it wasn’t enough to shake the gloom. Shadows twisted everywhere, playing tricks on my eyes—every movement looked like Selene for a split second, then vanished. My ears twitched, catching the rustle of leaves, the snap of a twig, but nothing solid. My nose burned, sniffing for her scent—lavender and pine, that’s what she always sme
I hissed, yanking back, my skin red and blistered. “Silver,” I muttered, my voice trembling, tears falling freely now. Rhea’s sobs grew louder, her small hands gripping the bars of her cage, her face crumpling. I wanted to tell her I’d come to save her, to promise I’d get us out, but the truth was bitter—I was a captive too, just as helpless, trapped by Kasamaan’s magic.I sank back to the floor, my head spinning, and tried to reach for Luna, my wolf, but she was silent, locked away behind a wall of magic. Nora, my fae side, was just as faint, her power a dim spark I couldn’t grasp. I reached for Darius through our bond, desperate for his strength, but the mindlink was dead, cut off without my wolf. Frustration burned in my chest, hot and sharp, mixing with anger as my mind replayed the argument I’d overheard. The sacrifice must be willing.Those words stuck, heavy with meaning. If Kasamaan needed me to agree, to offer myself, then I still had power. Was this what Seraphina meant when
She was alive, but whatever hit her was strong, magical. I stumbled into our room, my heart in my throat. The window was shattered, glass scattered across the floor, claw marks scarring the frame. I didn’t think—I dove through, landing hard in the dirt below, my senses sharp despite the magic trying to fog my mind. Claw marks led from the house, faint but fresh, and I followed them, my wolf snarling, desperate to find her.The trail led to the tree line, then stopped, like whoever took her had vanished.I pushed through the bond, reaching for Selene, but it was silent, empty, like she’d been cut off. “Selene!” I roared, my voice echoing through the forest, my hands shaking as I searched the ground for any sign—a broken twig, a scent, anything. Nothing. The trail was dead, and so was my hope of finding her fast.I kept moving, running from one dead end to another, my chest heaving, my mind racing. The rogues at the border, their long pause, their sudden attack—it was all a distraction.
Dianne, walking beside me, must have felt it too—her shoulders stiffened, her eyes darting to the shadows. “Move faster, Selene,” she whispered, her voice low and urgent. “We’re not alone, damn it.”My pulse spiked, and we quickened our steps, our boots echoing on the wooden floor as we headed for the stairs. The pack house was too quiet, the usual warmth of the kitchen and the warriors’ laughter gone, replaced by a heavy silence that pressed against my skin. Going to the safehouse now, with this feeling crawling up my spine, would only draw danger to the others—the young, the elders, everyone we were trying to protect. “Our room,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, glancing at Dianne. She nodded, her jaw tight, and we veered toward the staircase leading to Darius’s and my bedroom.Halfway down the top-floor hallway, a shadow moved—a blur of motion, like a breeze wrapped in a cloak, flashing past us in the dark.My breath caught, my eyes straining to make out the figure. It looke