All Chapters of The Forsaken: Chapter 71 - Chapter 77

"What the fuck was that?" Thalia asks, startled by our sudden exit from what she sees as a tree. Sofia, on the other hand, looks like a kid on the best ride of her life. “That was amazing,” she breathes, turning to inspect the tree, pressing her fingers against the bark like it might open again.“It’s fine,” I say quickly, stepping fully out and brushing off the residual buzz of magic still clinging to my skin. “We’re all fine.” I glance at Shaun, whose brow is furrowed and whose eyes are locked on me like I might suddenly dissolve into smoke. “Seriously,” I add, softer this time. “We’re okay.”He nods, but it’s tight. He doesn’t look convinced. I’m not sure I am either.Behind me, Amara steps out of the shielded threshold, and I feel everyone’s attention shift to her. The air itself seems to be still, like the trees are holding their breath."She doesn't look dangerous up close. How powerful of a witch is she?" Thalia asks."Wouldn't you like to know, mutator hybridus?" Amara asks h

"Why not just have the witch lift a shield around us?" Shaun asks, his voice cutting clean through the thick silence.All eyes snap to Amara. She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even blink. She just tilts her head slightly toward Shaun, her expression sharp, almost salty."It requires a lot of power not only to lift a shield but to hold it up," she says, voice dry as a blade. "So between already doing that once today and the magic I used on Kaya, I’m a bit drained right now."I feel my stomach twist at her words. The magic she used on me. Of course, it cost her. Of course, there’s a price. I knew that, I just ignored it for a second."Great, so the witch is useless," Thalia says. "Now what?""She’s not useless," I say, turning to Thalia, voice shaking but steadying with every word. "She’s tired. She’s spent. And she still hasn’t left."Thalia exhales through her nose, not quite apologetic, but not pushing it either. "Fine. No shield. Then someone better come up with something else.""I alread

"What now?" Sofia asks, looking down at the rogues. I have no idea what now. Too many things happened so fast, and between Cole getting hurt and then being saved, I barely had time to draw a breath. "Let me," Amara says as she crunches down next to me, taking Cole's head in her lap so I can stand. "Kaya," Atlas pulls me to his side, his palms coming to rest on my cheeks as he takes a good look into my eyes. So many emotions on his face, more than I could count. "You are Alpha, Kaya. The Alpha of Silver Cressett." Not sure if that was a question or a simple statement. I'm not sure of anything. I keep telling myself it's not possible, that the Alpha is always a son... and that even if I wanted to be the daughter of an Alpha, the Silver Cressett hasn't had an Alpha in more than 300 years. None of this should be real, and yet, now here, standing on this ground... I feel the weight of it settle over me like a cloak I never asked for. Heavy. Unrelenting. Living. But I do not want it. I ca

The word blood doesn’t echo, it lands. Heavy. Final.Every wolf in the clearing stiffens at once. Even the wind seems to hold its breath. Atlas’s fingers tighten around mine like iron, his other hand already inching toward his blade, though he doesn’t draw it."What?" My voice isn’t steady anymore. It breaks, sharp as glass. "My what?"The elder woman takes a single step closer. Her eyes don’t blink. "Your blood," she repeats, and now her voice isn’t soft at all. "It’s the only way to seal what you’ve broken open."The ritual Atlas did on his ceremony. They want me to swear to this ground, leave my mark on it, and them. Goddess, maybe I should just do it and get it over with. Maybe this is where the voice wanted me to come. Maybe all of this is true even if it feels like a crazy dream. "Fine, I will do it. I will give you my blood and with it claim the right to the pack, and after that, I leave." They all share a look, not really sure what about, but it feels like fear. "But I will c