LOGINThe silence that followed Aldric's warning felt heavier than any battle Scarlett had ever faced.The Alpha Council.For years, the name had existed like a distant authority, something woven into the structure of werewolf society. They governed territories, settled disputes, and maintained order among the packs. Wolves respected them. Many feared them.Now, for the first time, Scarlett was being forced to consider something far worse.What if the people responsible for protecting the packs were the same people destroying them?The thought settled like ice beneath her skin.Aldric stood motionless near the fractured clearing, his attention fixed on the northern forest. Whatever he saw in the distance seemed to confirm his fears."They moved faster than I expected," he muttered.Rowan's jaw tightened."You knew they were coming."Aldric looked at him."I knew they would eventually find me."The words carried years of exhaustion.Scarlett could see it now. The man wasn't merely hiding. He
The woman standing beyond the fractured opening looked so much like the memories Scarlett carried that her chest physically hurt.For years, she had replayed fragments of her mother's face whenever grief became too heavy to bear. She remembered warm hands brushing tangled hair from her forehead. She remembered quiet laughter drifting through their home before everything was taken away. She remembered the promise that no matter what happened, family would always find its way back to one another.Now, staring through the veil of silver light, Scarlett wanted desperately to believe what she was seeing.Yet something held her in place.Not fear.Instinct.The same instinct that had kept her alive through betrayal, exile, and war.Beside her, Lucas remained alert. His arm brushed hers lightly, offering support without interfering. He knew better than anyone that this moment belonged to Scarlett.The woman took a step forward.Tears glistened in her eyes."Scarlett."The sound of her name c
The words echoed across the clearing like a hammer striking stone.“Welcome home, daughter.”For a heartbeat, nobody moved.The forest seemed to hold its breath.The fractures stretching across the sky stopped spreading. The wind died between the trees. Even the hunters, who moments earlier had looked consumed by worship, stared toward the opening with expressions Scarlett could not fully understand.Shock rooted her to the ground.The First Alpha's golden eyes remained fixed on her.Patient.Certain.As though it had spoken an undeniable truth. Scarlett felt her pulse hammering against her ribs."No." The word escaped before she realized she had spoken. The creature's smile did not fade. Around her, tension tightened like a drawn bowstring.Lucas immediately stepped forward, placing himself between Scarlett and the gate. Every protective instinct inside him rose to the surface. His wolf growled low in his chest.Dangerous.Warning.Ready.The First Alpha watched him with mild curiosi
The sound of her mother's voice shattered something inside Scarlett.For a moment, the chaos in the clearing faded into the background. The spreading fractures across the sky, the darkness swallowing the center of the broken gate, the hunters kneeling in worship all of it seemed distant compared to the single word that had reached her ears."Scarlett."The voice came again.Soft.Warm. Achingly familiar.Tears immediately filled her eyes.Every childhood memory she had buried beneath years of grief came rushing back at once. She remembered being wrapped in strong arms after waking from nightmares. She remembered bedtime stories told beside a fireplace while snow fell beyond the windows. She remembered laughter filling rooms that no longer existed.Most of all, she remembered love. The kind of love only a mother could give.Scarlett took an involuntary step toward the darkness. Her father saw it immediately."No." The command came sharply.The urgency in his voice snapped her attention
The moment the gate shattered, the world seemed to tear apart with it.A shockwave exploded from the center of the clearing, throwing wolves, hunters, and broken debris in every direction. Scarlett felt herself lifted from the ground before slamming hard against the roots of an ancient pine. Pain shot through her shoulder, but she barely noticed it. Her eyes remained fixed on the place where the gateway had stood.The golden doorway was gone.In its place floated hundreds of fragments of light, suspended in the air like shattered glass caught between moments. Each piece glowed with the same ancient energy that had fueled the symbol beneath the clearing. Instead of disappearing, however, the fragments began orbiting a dark center that had formed where the gate once existed.And the darkness was growing.Lucas was at her side almost immediately.His hands found her shoulders, searching for injuries."Scarlett, look at me."She turned toward him."I'm fine."The lie sounded weak even to
Golden light exploded beneath Scarlett's feet, tearing through the clearing in blinding waves.The ancient symbol carved into the earth awakened all at once, its lines burning brighter than fire as energy surged through every mark and circle hidden beneath the soil. The ground trembled violently. Trees swayed despite the absence of wind, while cracks raced across the clearing like lightning spreading through stone.Scarlett staggered backward.Lucas burst through the tree line at the same moment."Scarlett!"Relief hit her before panic quickly followed. Behind him came Damon, Ethan, Jax, Alex, and nearly twenty warriors. They entered the clearing ready for battle, but the sight before them brought every one of them to an abrupt halt.The glowing symbol stretched across almost the entire clearing now.Ancient runes rose from the earth itself, hovering above the ground like strands of molten gold.Lucas immediately moved toward Scarlett.The lead hunter stepped forward."Stop him."The







