ログインMy breath caught.Grandfather.But that was impossible.Marcus was already trapped on the other side of the gate.I looked at Elias.His face had gone completely pale.“You know him.”Elias didn’t answer.Kael stepped closer to me.“Aria, stay behind us.”I couldn’t move.The man standing among the trees looked exactly like Marcus.Same face.Same eyes.Same voice.But something was different.This man looked younger.Stronger.And far more dangerous.He smiled at me.“You’re wondering how there can be two of me.”I swallowed.“Yes.”He stepped into the moonlight.“The man you know as Marcus is my son.”Silence.My mind struggled to process the words.“Your… son?”He nodded.“I am the original Marcus Blackwood.”Kian’s expression hardened.“Then who is the man in Northvale?”The stranger smiled.“My son.”Kael frowned.“Why does he look exactly like you?”“Because he was created to.”My stomach dropped.“Created?”The man looked at me.“Your grandfather didn’t disappear twenty years a
Don’t open the gate again.My mother’s voice echoed through my mind.I stood frozen, the Moonstone burning against my palm.“Aria!”Kael’s voice snapped me back.Selene had lunged toward me, but Kael intercepted her.The two collided hard enough to send them crashing into the ground.Kian rushed forward.“Kael!”“I’m fine!”Selene rose slowly.Her eyes were still completely black.She smiled.“Two Alphas.”Her gaze shifted toward me.“And a very powerful mate.”Kian’s expression hardened.“Stay away from her.”Selene laughed.“You still don’t understand.”She looked at me.“Your mother never wanted you to open that gate.”“I know.”“Then why are you holding the Moonstone?”I looked down.The silver stone was glowing red.“I thought it was the only way to save her.”Selene’s expression changed.“Save her?”She shook her head.“You’re making the same mistake she made.”“What mistake?”“Believing the gate was a prison.”I frowned.“What is it, then?”Selene looked toward the ruins.“A do
The silver light beneath our feet grew brighter.I tightened my grip around the Moonstone.“What did you mean when you said something else was coming through with us?”The creature’s warning echoed in my head.Kael looked at the circle of light.“I don’t know.”Kian stepped closer.“Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it.”The ground trembled.The silver light rose around us.For one terrifying second, I couldn’t see anything.Then—we were back.I stumbled forward and Kael caught me.The forest was exactly where we’d left it.But something was wrong.The air felt heavier.Colder.Kian looked around.“Where’s Elias?”I froze.He was gone.We had left him beside the ruins.Now there was no sign of him.“Maybe he went after us,” I said.Kael shook his head.“He would have told us.”A branch snapped behind us.We turned.Nothing.Then another sound came from the trees.Footsteps.Slow.Approaching.Kael immediately moved in front of me.Kian stood beside him.“Who’s there?”No answer.The fo
I stared at the place where the gate had disappeared.My mother was on the other side.My father was there.And Marcus was there.I couldn’t leave them.“We need to get back,” I said.Kael looked at the empty space.“The gate is closed.”“I know.”Kian stepped closer.“Then we’ll find another way.”I looked at him.“You think there’s another entrance?”My mother had spent twenty years in that strange world. There had to be a way in and out.Before anyone could answer, the creature that had come through the gate earlier appeared between the silver trees.It looked at me.“You want to return.”“Yes.”“Then you must understand what you are asking.”“I don’t care.”“You should.”It stepped closer.“That place doesn’t open for strength.”I frowned.“Then what does it open for?”“Blood.”I looked down at my hands.“Mine?”The creature nodded.“Your blood opened the gate once.”Kael immediately shook his head.“No.”I looked at him.“What?”“You’ve already given enough.”“I have to go back.”
My mother’s warning echoed through my mind.Don’t let him touch you.I stared at Marcus through the shimmering gate.He stood only a few feet away, yet something about him felt different in this place.The confidence he’d carried outside the gate was gone.His eyes moved across the strange landscape before settling on my mother.“Isabella.”My mother stepped in front of me.“Stay away from my daughter.”Marcus smiled coldly.“After twenty years, you’re still protecting her.”“That’s what mothers do.”His expression hardened.“You don’t understand what she is.”My mother glanced at me.“She knows enough.”“No,” Marcus replied. “She knows nothing.”Kael stepped forward.“Then why don’t you tell her?”Marcus looked at him.“You should be careful, Alpha.”Kael didn’t move.“I’ve heard enough threats.”Kian stood beside his brother.“Neither of us is afraid of you.”Marcus laughed softly.“You should be.”My mother suddenly grabbed my hand.“Aria, we need to leave.”“Where?”“Inside the ho
stepped through the gate.The moment my foot touched the ground on the other side, the world changed.The cold disappeared.So did the forest.I stood beneath a dark violet sky filled with unfamiliar stars.Behind me, Kael and Kian crossed the threshold.The gate remained open.For now.I turned slowly.“Where are we?”Elias stopped just beyond the entrance.He looked around in disbelief.“I’ve never seen this place.”My father stepped through next.His face had gone pale.“I have.”Everyone looked at him.“When?”He stared into the distance.“Twenty years ago.”My heart tightened.“This is where my mother was?”He nodded.“Yes.”A narrow path stretched ahead, surrounded by enormous silver trees.At the end stood a small house.Smoke curled from its chimney.My breath caught.“Someone lives there.”Kael looked at me.“Stay close.”We walked toward the house.With every step, my heartbeat became faster.Then the front door opened.A woman stepped outside.She was older than the photogr







