Chapter 20: Return to Silver Creek

Dawn broke over Blackwood, revealing the true cost of the battle.

The courtyard was a graveyard of ash and shattered stone. We had lost twelve warriors. Dozens more were wounded. The healers worked tirelessly, their hands glowing with soft green light as they tended to the injured.

I stood on the balcony, looking out at the destruction. My hand rested on my stomach, a protective instinct I couldn't control. The baby was quiet now, the massive surge of power from last night completely drained.

Kael stepped out onto the balcony, a heavy fur draped over his shoulders. He wrapped it around me, pulling me close.

"The Council is demanding answers," he murmured. "They want to know what the Twin Flame is."

"So do I," I admitted. "The First Alpha called it the 'ultimate balance of light and dark.' But I don't know what that means."

"We need to find out before he attacks again," Kael said, his voice hard. "He won't retreat forever."

A sudden memory sparked in my mind. My mother. She had been the last High Priestess before me. She had bound my powers, hidden my heritage, and died to protect me. If anyone knew the secret of the Twin Flame, it was her.

"I know where to look," I said, turning to face him. "My mother kept a grimoire. A book of spells and prophecies. She hid it in Silver Creek before she died. I need to go back and find it."

Kael's expression darkened. "Silver Creek is Jason's territory. It's dangerous."

"Jason is gone," I reminded him. "Stripped of his wolf and rotting in the Ashen Lands. Silver Creek has no Alpha. The pack is in chaos. But the grimoire is hidden in the High Priestess's sanctuary beneath the packhouse. We can get in and out before anyone notices."

Kael studied my face for a long moment. He didn't like it. I could feel his possessive, protective instincts warring with his logical mind. But he also knew that this was my past. I had to face it.

"Fine," he said finally. "But I'm coming with you. And if anyone in that pack so much as looks at you the wrong way, I'm burning the place to the ground."

"That's a bit extreme," I said with a small smile.

"Not for you," he said, kissing my forehead.

Three hours later, we crossed the river that marked the border of Silver Creek territory.

It was strange. The last time I had been here, I had been a broken, bleeding omega running for my life. Now, I walked with my head high, flanked by Kael and an elite guard of Blackwood warriors.

The packhouse was just as I remembered it—a sprawling, wooden structure tucked into the forest. But the atmosphere was different. It was quiet. There were no warriors patrolling the walls. The gardens were overgrown. The whole place felt abandoned.

The few wolves who were still there stopped and stared as we walked in. I recognized some of them—the maids, the cooks, the old warriors. Their eyes went wide with shock and fear.

"Luna Elara?" a voice gasped.

It was Mrs. Harlow, the old cook who used to slip me extra food when Jason wasn't looking. She dropped into a low bow, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm not the Luna of Silver Creek," I said gently, helping her up. "But I am the High Priestess. I'm just here for something that belongs to me."

I walked through the packhouse, ignoring the stares. I led Kael down into the basement, past the wine cellar, to a hidden door behind a stone pillar. I placed my hand on the door and pushed my magic into it. The stone glowed gold, and the door swung open.

Inside was a small, circular room. The walls were covered in ancient runes. And in the center, on a stone pedestal, sat a massive leather-bound book.

The Grimoire of Seraphina.

I walked toward it, my heart pounding. I reached out, my fingers brushing the worn leather. The moment I touched it, a surge of magic—warm and familiar, like my mother's embrace—rushed through me.

"Elara," Kael said, his voice tense. "We have company."

I spun around. Standing in the doorway was a group of Silver Creek warriors, led by a tall, angry woman with silver hair.

"You are not welcome here, abomination," the woman spat. "You destroyed our Alpha. You brought shame to our pack. Leave now, or we will rip you apart."

Kael stepped in front of me, his eyes flashing gold.

"You will not speak to my mate that way," he growled.

I walked forward, standing beside Kael. I opened the grimoire, my fingers finding a page near the center.

"You can try to fight us," I said calmly. "But you will lose. Silver Creek is a pack without an Alpha. It's a pack without honor. I didn't come here to fight you. I came here to find the truth."

I looked at the ancient runes on the page. They glowed softly, and a chill went down my spine.

"The Twin Flame is not a weapon," I read aloud, my voice trembling. "It is a soul. A soul of perfect balance. If the First Alpha gets it, he will become immortal. If it falls into darkness, it will burn the world to ash."

I looked up at Kael.

"It's our baby," I whispered. "The First Alpha doesn't want to kill us. He wants to steal our child."