Chapter 3: The Return to Shadow Creek

The familiar scent of home hit her before she saw it—pine and earth and the faint, coppery tang of wolves. Shadow Creek territory sprawled before her, a vast expanse of ancient forest broken by clearings and streams, dotted with the small villages and hunting camps that housed their pack.

She had been gone three days.

In her memory, those three days had been the happiest of her life. She had walked back into camp with Kaelen at her side, their hands brushing against each other, their eyes meeting with secret smiles. Everyone had seen it. Everyone had known. The princess of Shadow Creek had finally found her mate.

How they had all celebrated. How they had all been so happy for her.

They didn't know, she reminded herself. None of them knew what he really was. They just saw a handsome wolf with a charming smile and a good family name. They couldn't see the poison hidden beneath.

She entered the main village cautiously, her senses on high alert. Everything was exactly as she remembered it. The same sturdy wooden houses built into the shelter of the hills. The same cooking fires sending plumes of smoke into the crisp morning air. The same familiar faces, going about their daily routines.

Her mother was the first to see her.

"Seraphina!" Lyra Blackwood dropped the basket she was carrying and ran toward her daughter, her grey-streaked hair flying behind her. She was beautiful still, her face lined with age and wisdom, her blue eyes bright with relief. "Where have you been? We were so worried! The hunt was three days ago, and you just vanished!"

"I'm fine, Mother." Seraphina forced herself to smile, to accept the embrace she had missed so desperately. In her memories, her mother had been dead for five years. A hunting accident, they said. A tragedy that had shattered the family.

Now she knew the truth. Kaelen had killed her mother. Had made it look like an accident. Had needed her out of the way.

"You look pale." Lyra pulled back, studying her daughter's face with sharp eyes. "Are you hurt? Did something happen in the woods?"

"Nothing happened." The lie tasted bitter on her tongue. "I just needed some time alone. To think."

"Think about what?" Her mother's voice was gentle, but there was steel beneath it. She had always seen through Seraphina's lies, always known when something was wrong.

She knows, Seraphina thought. She always knew. But I didn't listen to her. I was too young, too in love, too stupid to hear what she was really saying.

"About the future," she said carefully. "About what I want. Who I want to be."

Lyra's expression softened. "You're young, sweetheart. You have plenty of time to figure out all of that. The only thing you need to worry about right now is—"

"Stay away from Kaelen Draven."

Her mother blinked. "What?"

Seraphina grabbed her mother's hands, squeezing them tight. "Promise me, Mother. Promise me you won't let him near me. Promise me you won't let him into our lives."

"I..." Lyra looked genuinely confused now. "Kaelen? The beta's son? He's a good boy. He comes from a good family. I thought you liked him."

"I don't want to talk about him." The words came out sharper than she intended, and she saw her mother flinch. "Just promise me. Please."

"I promise." Lyra squeezed her daughter's hands back, her eyes searching Seraphina's face with growing concern. "But you have to tell me what happened. Why are you so scared?"

Because he killed me. He killed our child. He killed you, and my brother, and everyone I ever loved.

"I can't," she whispered. "Not yet. But I will. I promise. Just... trust me, Mother. Please. I need you to trust me."

Her mother hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I've always trusted you, Seraphina. Even when you made terrible decisions. Even when you fell for that sweet-talking fool from the East Ridge pack who stole your heart and broke it to pieces."

Seraphina felt something crack inside her. "That was different. I was fifteen."

"Yes." Her mother's eyes were sad. "And you were so heartbroken. I remember. You locked yourself in your room for a month."

That was nothing, Seraphina thought. That was a child's pain. You have no idea what real heartbreak feels like. You have no idea what it's like to die at the hands of the person you trusted most in the world.

"Come inside," Lyra said, taking her daughter's arm. "I'll make you some tea. You look like you haven't slept in days."

The words sent a jolt through Seraphina. Tea. The poison had been in the tea.

"No." She pulled away, trying to hide her panic. "No tea. I don't want tea."

Her mother stared at her. "Since when? It's your favorite."

Since the last cup of tea I drank almost killed me.

"I've just..." She struggled to find an excuse. "I've gone off it. The taste. It's too sweet."

"Well." Lyra looked unconvinced but didn't push. "How about some fresh water, then? And maybe something to eat? You're skin and bones."

"I'm fine. I just need to rest."

Seraphina escaped to her childhood room, closing the door behind her with a click that felt far too final. She leaned against the wood, trying to slow her racing heart, trying to quiet the chaos in her mind.

Her room was exactly as she remembered it. The same furs on the bed. The same woven tapestries on the walls. The same small window overlooking the village square.

And there, on her dresser, was the locket.

She picked it up with trembling hands. It was silver, beautiful, engraved with the Blackwood family crest. Her father had given it to her on her sixteenth birthday, telling her it had belonged to her grandmother, the legendary warrior who had built Shadow Creek into the powerful pack it was today.

She opened it. Inside was a tiny portrait of her parents, their faces young and hopeful, arms wrapped around each other. Behind them, the mountains rose in the background, just visible as the picture faded into sepia tones.

They loved each other, she thought. They loved each other so much, and they loved me. And Kaelen took that away. He took everything.

She clutched the locket to her chest, feeling the familiar weight of it against her heart.

Not this time. I won't let him destroy my family. I won't let him destroy me. I'll find a way to stop him. I'll find a way to save—

A knock on her door made her jump.

"Seraphina?" Her brother's voice. "Can I come in?"

She opened the door to find Donovan standing in the hallway. He was two years older than her, tall and broad-shouldered, with their mother's blue eyes and their father's easy smile. He was the alpha of Shadow Creek now, or would be soon. Their father's health had been failing for months, and the transition of power was already underway.

And in her memory, Donovan had died in the first year of her marriage. Another hunting accident. Another convenient death.

"Donnie." She threw her arms around him before he could say anything, burying her face in his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of him. She had missed him so much. Missed his laugh, his teasing, his unwavering belief in her.

"Whoa." He laughed, hugging her back. "Okay. So you missed me that much?"

"Yes." Her voice came out muffled against his chest. "Yes, I missed you."

"Three days, Sera. It was only three days."

It was ten years. It was ten years, and you were dead for most of them.

"Don't ever leave me," she said fiercely. "Don't ever leave me alone."

He pulled back, looking down at her with concern. "What's going on? You're not acting like yourself."

"I need to tell you something." She pulled him into the room, closing the door behind them. "And I need you to listen without interrupting."

His face grew serious. "Okay. I'm listening."

Seraphina took a deep breath. She had planned to wait, to find the right moment, to somehow soften the blow. But her brother deserved the truth. He deserved to know exactly what was coming.

"I've been having dreams," she began. "Terrible dreams. Dreams about the future."

"Dreams?" He frowned. "Sera, you know those don't mean anything. Dreamwalking is just—"

"These are different." She grabbed his hands, squeezing them tight. "I saw you die, Donnie. I saw Mother die. I saw Father die. I saw Shadow Creek torn apart by a monster wearing a handsome face."

He stared at her, his face pale. "What are you talking about?"

"Kaelen Draven." She forced herself to say the name. "He's the monster. He's going to destroy us. He's going to worm his way into our family and tear us all apart, one by one, until there's nothing left."

"That's..." Donovan shook his head. "That's insane. Kaelen's been a friend to our family for years. His father is the beta. You barely even know him."

"I know him better than you think," she said darkly. "I know exactly what he's capable of. I know what he'll do to me. What he'll do to you. To our child."

"Your child?"

She realized her mistake too late. "I've seen it," she said desperately. "I've seen everything. Please, Donnie. Please trust me. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm not lying. I'm not making this up. We have to stop him. We have to stop him before it's too late."

Donovan stared at her for a long moment. Then he sighed, pulling his hands gently from her grip.

"I think you need to rest," he said carefully. "Three days alone in the wilderness... it must have been hard. Maybe you should see the healer. Get some—"

"I don't need to see the healer!" Her voice rose in frustration. "I need you to believe me!"

"Sera—"

"Please." She was crying now, tears streaming down her face. "Please, Donnie. I can't do this alone. I can't fight him alone. I need my brother. I need my family."

He looked at her with such pity that her heart shattered. He didn't believe her. Of course he didn't believe her. How could he? She was asking him to trust the ravings of a girl who had been alone in the forest for three days. A girl who had been through a trauma, whose mind was clearly struggling to cope.

"I'll take care of you," he said softly. "I promise. Whatever you're going through, I'll be right here. We'll get through this together."

No, she thought. No, we won't. Because I can't save you if you won't let me. I can't protect you if you don't trust me.

But she nodded anyway, forcing a smile. "Thank you, Donnie. Thank you for being here."

"Always," he said. "I'll always be here."

He left, and she watched him go with a heaviness in her heart.

She was alone now. Completely and utterly alone. And somewhere out there, the man who would one day destroy her was already making his move.

The Moon Goddess, she thought. The Moon Goddess gave me this chance. She wouldn't give it to me if I couldn't succeed. She must have a plan. She must have something I can use.

She closed her eyes, searching for the flicker of divine light she had felt at the moment of her death. It was still there, a tiny ember glowing in the depths of her soul.

Guide me, she prayed. Please. I can't do this alone. Show me what I need to do.

The ember pulsed, just once. And in that pulse, she saw it—a thread of silver light, stretching from her heart to... somewhere. Somewhere she couldn't quite see.

Follow the thread, a voice whispered. Follow it to the one who can help you.

She opened her eyes, and the thread was still there, visible only to her. It led out the window, through the village, into the forest beyond.

The one who can help me, she thought. But who?

She didn't know. But she knew one thing for certain: she was going to find out.