"They're real," he whispered against my shoulder. "I wasn't imagining them all these years."
"They're real," I confirmed, stroking his dark hair. "And they've been watching over us."
Maison sat up beside us, his hand coming to rest supportively on Matthias's back. "What they told us about your abilities, about the sacred clearing, it changes our approach."
"We need to tell the others," I agreed, though I was reluctant to leave the cocoon of warmth and connection we'd created. "But first..." I pulled back slightly to look at Matthias's face. "How do you feel about what they said? About your abilities?"
Matthias con
I turned the page, finding detailed descriptions of the abilities my father believed we would develop. For me, he wrote of heightened empathic connections to pack members and an unusual facility with healing magic. For Matthias, the predictions were more extensive—abilities to sense disturbances in supernatural energies, to see through deceptions and illusions, and most significantly, to repair damaged connections between ley lines."This is why Nightshade wanted him," Maison said, reading over my shoulder. "Not just for his blood connection to the Stone, but for these specific abilities.""The ability to repair ley lines would give her unprecedented control," Sebastian observed, his ancient eyes narrowed in thought. "If she could harness this power through the Crimson Ascension..."
"They're real," he whispered against my shoulder. "I wasn't imagining them all these years.""They're real," I confirmed, stroking his dark hair. "And they've been watching over us."Maison sat up beside us, his hand coming to rest supportively on Matthias's back. "What they told us about your abilities, about the sacred clearing, it changes our approach.""We need to tell the others," I agreed, though I was reluctant to leave the cocoon of warmth and connection we'd created. "But first..." I pulled back slightly to look at Matthias's face. "How do you feel about what they said? About your abilities?"Matthias con
"We created it together," Sebastian confirmed. "Vivian became my eyes and ears in places I couldn't reach, and I protected her from Nightshade's suspicions.""And you never told us," Maison said, hurt evident in his voice."I couldn't risk it," Vivian replied, regret clear in her expression. "The fewer who knew, the safer we all were. Nightshade has spies everywhere. If she had discovered our connection...""She would have used it against you both," I finished, understanding completely. Hadn't I lived my own life in secrecy for the same reason?The assembly broke into murmurs, wolves processing this unexpected development with varying degrees of acceptance. Mated pairs were sacred among our kind—e
I watched him for a moment, his face relaxed in sleep, making him look even younger than his ten years. The weight of everything he'd endured and everything he'd escaped settled heavily on my shoulders. Nightshade had stolen his childhood, denied him his heritage, and used him for her own purposes. Yet somehow, his spirit remained unbroken.When I returned to the great hall, the formal Council meeting had dissolved into smaller strategy sessions. Maison stood with his father and several high-ranking Diamond warriors, deep in tactical discussions. Jacob and Uncle Mateo were huddled with representatives from allied packs, likely explaining the significance of the ritual we'd performed.Sebastian was nowhere to be seen, though his presence lingered like a shadow over the proceedings.
"Everyone's awake," she replied matter-of-factly, approaching us without hesitation. "The whole pack felt the magic." She stopped directly in front of Matthias, studying him with frank assessment. "You're the source. The new magic."Matthias met her gaze steadily, something in her direct approach seeming to put him at ease. "Part of it," he corrected. "My sister and your brother are the other parts."Lily nodded as if this made perfect sense. "You look tired. And hungry." She turned to Alpha Logan. "Father, they need food and rest before any Council meetings."I bit back a smile at her authoritative tone. Though young, she already carried herself with the confidence of her bloodline. Alpha Logan's expression softened with affection for his daughter."Quite right, little one," Alpha Logan said, trying not to smile.“Come, I’ll have a room made up for him in the Alpha suite, and I’m sure Maison and you would like to get some rest in your own. Don’t worry, you’ll be across the hall from
The Stone's surface cleared, the images fading back into swirling patterns of light. I stood trembling, tears streaming down my face as the truth settled into my bones. My little brother hadn't died with our parents—he'd been born into captivity, raised by the same monster who had orchestrated our family's destruction."Ten years," I whispered. "He's been with her for ten years."Maison's arm tightened around me, his voice rough with emotion. "We'll find him, Marabelle. I swear it."Uncle Mateo approached the Stone cautiously, his expression haunted. "The Stone showed us this for a reason. It must be part of what we need to know to perform the protection ritual.""Or to make it stronger," Jacob suggested, his tactical mind cle