LOGINThe Devourer blotted out the sky, a swirling vortex of nightmares and shadows. Its thousands of eyes blinked in unison, each one burning with a cold, ancient malice. The sheer weight of its presence pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe."Give me the child," the Devourer's voice echoed in my mind, a chorus of a million screaming souls. "Give me the True Alpha, and I will grant you a quick death.""Over my dead body," I snarled, clutching Leo tighter to my chest.My mother landed her golden dragon beside us, the beast letting out a deafening roar that challenged the Devourer's supremacy. My mother slid off the dragon's back, her silver staff glowing with an intense, radiant light."Ava, listen to me," my mother said, her voice urgent. "The Devourer cannot be killed by conventional means. It feeds on fear and despair. The only way to destroy it is to overwhelm it with pure, concentrated life force.""And how do we do that?" Julian shouted, raising his silver sword as a sha
(Ava’s POV)The howling of the approaching army grew louder, echoing off the jagged mountain peaks like a death knell. But I barely heard it. Isabella's words were a thunderclap inside my skull, drowning out the sounds of the impending battle."That is impossible," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I killed him. I watched him turn to ash on the Obsidian Peak. I destroyed his soul."Isabella grabbed my shoulders, her grip surprisingly strong. "You destroyed his physical body, Ava, but you did not destroy his spirit. He anchored his soul to the corrupted Heart of the Moon before you cleansed it. When the Heart was purified, a fragment of his darkness escaped. He has been rebuilding his strength in the shadows, hiding behind the Council while he gathers an army."Julian stepped forward, his face a mask of cold fury. "And you knew about this? You knew he was alive, and you did not tell us?""I only found out a few days ago," Isabella pleaded, tears freezing on her cheeks. "I intercepted a m
(Ava’s POV)The golden light from the Sphinx's blessing slowly faded from my skin, leaving behind a strange, humming warmth in my veins. I stood over Elder Marcus, who was groaning in the dirt, his black robes torn and covered in mud."Get him up," I ordered.Two Silver Lycans grabbed Marcus by the arms and hauled him to his feet. He was bleeding from a gash on his forehead, and his eyes were wide with terror."You cannot do this," Marcus stammered, trying to pull away. "I am a Council Elder. I have rights.""You lost your rights when you tried to murder a newborn," Julian snarled, stepping up beside me. His silver sword was still dripping with demon blood. "Tell us what we want to know, or I will let the Silver Lycans have you."Marcus swallowed hard, his eyes darting between us. "What do you want to know?""Where is the rogue wolf camp?" I demanded. "Where is Silas?"Marcus let out a nervous, breathless laugh. "You think I would tell you that? Silas is a madman. He will kill you the
(Ava’s POV)The sight of my mother standing in the dark forest, surrounded by a glowing army of Silver Lycans, felt like a hallucination brought on by the blood loss. I blinked, expecting her to vanish into the shadows, but she remained there, solid and real, her silver hair catching the moonlight."Mom?" I whispered again, my voice cracking.She rushed forward, dropping her glowing staff and falling to her knees beside me. She gathered me into her arms, her scent of jasmine and moonlight washing over me. It was the exact same scent from my childhood memories."My beautiful girl," she sobbed, holding me tight. "I am so sorry. I am so sorry I left you.""You are alive," I said, still unable to process the reality of the situation. "The Vampire Council said you were their prisoner.""I was," she said, pulling back to look at my face. She gently brushed the hair from my forehead. "For twenty years, I was locked in the dungeons of the Obsidian Ruins. They tortured me, trying to find the s
(Ava’s POV)The Sphinx’s roar shook the very foundations of the manor. I stumbled backward, my hand instinctively flying to my chest where the phantom pain of the silver dagger still lingered. I was mortal now, completely stripped of my Silver Lycan magic, but the maternal instinct to protect my son burned hotter than any magic ever could."Julian!" I screamed over the deafening sound."I see it!" Julian roared, drawing his silver sword. He shifted partially, his claws extending and his eyes flashing a brilliant, furious gold. "Marcus! Get Ava and Leo inside! Lock down the estate!"The Sphinx lowered its massive, serpentine head, its forked tongue tasting the air. Its eagle wings spread wide, casting a terrifying shadow over the courtyard."I have not come to fight, Alpha," the Sphinx hissed, its voice like grinding stones. "I have come to bargain. The True Alpha is a beacon of divine power. He belongs in the Temple of the Sphinx, where he can be trained to control his abilities befor
(Ava’s POV)The silver dagger protruding from my chest felt like a block of ice burning through my flesh. I could feel my blood soaking through my torn dress, pooling on the freezing obsidian floor. The world was fading at the edges, a dark vignette closing in around my vision.But the Moon Goddess stood before me, her form radiating a blinding, ethereal white light. She was not looking at Queen Selene, who was cowering against her throne, clutching her bleeding shoulder. She was looking only at me."Ava," the Moon Goddess said, her voice echoing inside my very soul. "You have one final choice to make.""I am dying," I choked out, coughing up a mouthful of blood. "What choice is there?""You can cross over into the spirit realm," the Goddess said gently. "Your mother is waiting for you. You will feel no more pain. You will finally have peace."Julian let out a feral roar, clutching Leo to his chest with one arm while desperately trying to hold me up with the other. "No! I forbid it! Y







