LOGINEve’s POV I stopped shrinking when I realized the forest was still listening, it wasn’t listening the way a prey listens for danger or the way wolves listen for orders, it was listening in the way a father would listen to a child,it listened in the way the ancient listens when it recognizes its own name spoken aloud after centuries of silence.I had spent a long time trying so hard to be quiet, to be the definition of perfect for a world that would end me without baiting an eyelid I tried to stay quiet in the way I breath, the way I walked through Blackthorn, the way I walked through Blackthorn, in the way I held the power folded tightly inside my ribs like a dangerous secret, I learned early that survival depended on how little space I occupied, I existed gently, I apologized for things that were never my fault. I apologized for being cursed, I remained sorry for being alive, for appearing too much but tonight it all ended, I was totally done. The decision did not come in a blaze
Malik’s POV “We cannot afford to wait…”The words slipped through the narrow crack in the council chamber doors, I stopped mid-step, one hand still on the iron handle, my body reacting fast. The corridor was empty, torchlight trembling along stone walls smooth by centuries of decisions that had only bed people dry. They had not said it yet, but with how things moved here, you had to pay attention to every gathering, you could be the next meat they are discussing on how to kill. “For the pack’s safety,”Elder Rowan said. “I think we have indulged in uncertainty long enough.”“Indulged?” Anders scoffed quietly. “We’ve only barely survived.” Of course it had to be the two scheming elders. Another voice joined them. “I’m not sure we can still call what we are facing a curse but whatever we decide to call it we can’t deny the fact that it responds to her emotions, we have all seen it happen, patrols vanishing, magic warps and her unnecessary blacking out the other day. Whether or not sh
Eve’s POV I was on my feet before Malik reached for me, the cup in my hands shattering against the floor as it slipped from numb fingers. The sound of it breaking felt small compared to the roaring in my ears. “Eve,” Malik said sharply The bells began to ring, low and frantic peaks that set every nerve on edge. Wolves poured from doorways, half-shifted, weapons half-drawn, smoke drifted over the treetops to the north, thin and black against the grey sky. We weren’t sure it was fire but that was the safest guess we had We didnt speak as we ran, the ground felt wrong, it was warm as though it had been wounded from below. I could feel the magic long before we reached the clearing,I felt it twisting against my skin like a living thing.The patrol markers ended abruptly at the tree line, no blood or bodies, the earth was scorched in a perfect, uneven ring, the soil fused into blackened glass that cracked beneath our boots. Trees leaned away from the center as if it was recoiling, bark
Malik’s POV I only realized Morwenna was missing while I was shouting at a map. The council chamber smelled like ink, old stone and sweat. Patrol routes were marked in charcoal,erased and then redrawn, borders were circled thick and then thin and then redrawn thick again, names of missing wolves circled in red, resources crossed out, recalculated and then crossed out again. I realized that throughout all the drama that had happened in the past few days, she was missing im all “Meanwhile, who approved healer roatations?” I asked knowing that whoever did may have answers as to Morwenna’s whereabouts A junior councilman cleared his throat. “Dorian did, three nights ago.” Three nights ago was definitely impossible because Dorian and I were fighting to keep our bodies together in one piece. But I didn’t say this to them. “Okayy…and then?”“Morwenn volunteered to cover additional hours,”someone said. “She said it was necessary,” I straightened slowly. “When was the last time anyone s
Eve’s POV I didn’t go looking for him, well at least that was the lie I told myself as im my feet carried me down the narrow stone corridor that led away from the council’s chamber, past the torches that flickered like nervous people. I told myself I was only walking to clear my head, to outrun the pressure building behind my eyes, that this was why I didn’t wait for Malik to open his eyes before leaving, that I was getting justice for him. Rage always had a direction and mine led straight to the alpha of Blackthorn, Dorian.I heard him before I saw him, his voice low as though he was actively trying to not be heard by anyone among us, he was speaking to one of the guards stationed near my wing. Alpha-perfect, I noticed the injury on his shoulders and for a second my resolve softened but I didn’t let it, I was angry and it was all his fault, he just stood like the world wasn’t cracking under his feet, as if he wasn’t seeing exactly what his crazy betrothed was doing, if he had forgo
Dorian’s POV I got the first warning though late, it wasn’t a sound, it was a feeling…instincts. I felt this sharp, cold pull in my got that told me something was about to go wrong and we had to make sure we survived it no matter what, I turned even as the world moved before my very eyes Steel flashed where Malik’s shoulder had been a little earlier.”Down now!” I tired, slamming into him as the blade sliced through the air, so close I almost felt it against my own skin. We both hit the forest hard, leaves and dirt exploding around us. Malik rolled instantly, already reaching for the weapon strapped to his thigh, his movements were swift despite the stiffness I knew came from the injury he suffered yesterday. That’s Malik anyway, being the hero for everyone and never letting anyone be his own hero. I was on my feet a second later but the forest had suddenly gone quiet. We were certain the path wasn’t all clear now and the quiet came from every other thing in the forest deciding the







