LOGINZander stiffened slightly. “You speak as if you’ve seen it.”
The man smiled, faint but knowing. “I have heard enough.”
Gavriel crossed his arms. “And what makes you think we’d allow a stranger to walk with us?”
The old man met his gaze without hesitation. “Because this journey is not only about war,” he said. “And you know it.”
That landed heavier than any accusation.
“You carry a woman between life and death,” the man went on, nodding toward the carriage where Althea rested. “You march toward a house built on secrets and old sins. And both of you,” his eyes move
Zander stiffened slightly. “You speak as if you’ve seen it.”The man smiled, faint but knowing. “I have heard enough.”Gavriel crossed his arms. “And what makes you think we’d allow a stranger to walk with us?”The old man met his gaze without hesitation. “Because this journey is not only about war,” he said. “And you know it.”That landed heavier than any accusation.“You carry a woman between life and death,” the man went on, nodding toward the carriage where Althea rested. “You march toward a house built on secrets and old sins. And both of you,” his eyes move
The journey to Velmora began in silence, not the peaceful kind but the heavy, uncertain silence.Everything had changed the moment that blinding radiance faded, the world felt stripped bare. No hum of magic in the air. No pull of inner wolves beneath their skin. No familiar strength thrumming in their veins. Even the mages stood frozen in disbelief, hands trembling as they tried and failed to summon the simplest spark.They were all ordinary now. Humans.Zander was the first to give the orders, his voice steady even as his eyes reflected the same unease everyone felt. With shifting gone and magic sealed, they had no choice but to travel as the old kingdoms once did.Carriages, chariots and horses. The army reo
“Nothing,” Melva replied instinctively. “I was just finishing preparations.”Simon’s frown deepened. It was obvious that he didn’t believe her.“You don’t feel like nothing,” he pointed out. “Not through the bond.”She sighed, shoulders sagging just a little. “I didn’t mean to let it slip,” she replied. Then she bit her inner cheek as she contemplated whether she would tell him or not about her worries…“That doesn’t answer my question.”She looked at him then, really looked at him, and the words she had been holding back finally surfaced.
Melva moved quietly through the palace corridors as soon as she was transported back. Chaos was everywhere, even spilling into Zander’s domain, where everyone had lost control of their inner wolves and turned on one another.She didn’t know how it had started. All she knew was that Zander’s men had done everything they could to keep them from killing each other. Her memories after that were fragmented.At some point, she felt her connection to her inner wolf snap, and then she lost consciousness along with the rest of the werewolves in Zander’s place.When she finally woke, Arlan explained what had happened—how darkness had twisted their inner wolves against them, and how a white light from heaven had descended and stopped it.
Dust and debris froze midair as if time itself had paused to witness the moment. Hades screamed, the sound raw and furious. “No! This world is mine!”The white beam widened, pouring down like a river from the heavens. It touched Althea’s bowed head and the moment it did, the darkness shattered.The black mist dissolved into ash, burned away by the brilliance descending from above. The possessed guards collapsed, freed from their torment. The demonic aura ripping through the palace screamed as it was torn apart, dragged back by a force far greater than itself.Hades staggered, clawing at Midas’s body as cracks of light split through him.“This is not over,” he roared. “Chaos and darkness will always return!”The light answered him and it surged brighter.Zander shielded his eyes, his heart pounding as he felt the remnants of darkness within him burn away.Gavriel dropped to one knee, overcome by the sheer power radiating through the hall.At the center of it all stood Althea, bathed in
Althea’s hands trembled at her sides. Slowly, she turned to Gavriel and gave him a faint, reassuring smile. The moment he saw it, his heart dropped.“No…” Gavriel growled, trying to step toward her, but the dark mist tightened instantly, locking him in place. That smile. He hated it. He could feel her emotions clearly through their bond, her resolve, her acceptance and her willingness to sacrifice herself.“Althea!” he shouted. “Don’t you dare!”Hades laughed, his voice echoing unnaturally through the hall. “Do you truly think you have power over me?” he mocked. “Did you not know that your Lycan strength was born from darkness?”His gaze







