Semua Bab Lunar Blessed : Bab 21 - Bab 30

Tamara walked back into the pack house. Everyone stopped talking. Every single wolf turned to stare at her."You actually went," Kai said. His voice was flat. Angry."He knew things." She could still see Derek sitting across from her at the coffee shop. Same booth where she'd met Jess yesterday. But instead of her best friend, a Hunter. Young, maybe twenty-five. Green eyes that didn't blink when he talked.*"My grandmother is a seer," Derek had said, sliding more photos across the table. "She's been having visions about the Bridge for years. About you."**"How do I know you won't just shoot me right here?"**Derek had pulled open his jacket. Silver knives. A gun. Wolfsbane spray. "I'm armed. Could kill you before you shift. But I'm not going to."**"Why?"**"Because in Gran's visions, if the Bridge dies, everything dies. Humans. Wolf. Witch. Everything gets swallowed by shadow."*"What did he tell you?" Marcus demanded, pulling Tamara back to the present."His grandmother knows who's

Elena's scream cut through the cemetery like broken glass."GET AWAY FROM HER! THE PARASITES—THEY'RE IN YOU! GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!"Smith's eyes went completely silver. And he smiled."Hello, Elena," Smith said. But it wasn't his voice anymore. It was deeper. Older. Wrong. "We've been waiting so long to meet the famous Bridge's mother.""Smith?" Kai's brother was gone. Something else was wearing his face."Smith's taking a little nap," the thing said. "We're driving now."Tamara scrambled back from the tomb. Her mother's form—made of light and pain—twisted in the stone."Run!" Elena screamed. "Tamara, run!"But Tamara couldn't move. Couldn't look away from her mother's face. Twelve years. Twelve years of this agony."Mom, we can free you—""NO!" Elena's scream shook the tombs around them. "I'm not just trapped here. I AM the seal. All seven seals. Pieces of me holding the barriers closed. If you free me, everyone dies!"Smith—the thing wearing Smith—laughed. "Not everyone. Just t

"Shall we discuss payment?"The Cemetery Keeper stood in the doorway, perfect even in the darkness. Her smile never reached her eyes."You helped me," Tamara said, her throat tight. "Now you want payment.""Every favor has a price, Bridge. You knew this when you asked for my help." The Cemetery Keeper stepped into the room. The temperature dropped ten degrees. "Time to pay.""What do you want?""A memory. One significant memory from your mind." The Keeper's eyes glowed pale blue. "Something precious. Something that shaped who you are.""No." Kai stepped forward. "Take mine instead.""Kai, this is my debt. I asked for her help—""But the old laws allow another to pay, don't they?" Kai faced the Keeper. "I choose to pay her debt."The Cemetery Keeper tilted her head. Her smile got wider. "Interesting. You know the old laws. Yes, Alpha Reeves, you can pay her price. But you don't get to choose which memory. I do.""Kai, please don't do this." Tamara grabbed his arm. "I made the deal. I s

Tamara couldn't focus during morning training. The image of Theo's silver-touched face haunted her. Every time she blinked, she saw those glowing eyes. That wrong smile."You're distracted," Marcus said, easily blocking her punch."Sorry. Didn't sleep well.""Neither did Theo," Jeremy mentioned from across the training ground. "Heard him screaming around three in the morning. Bad dreams again."Tamara's stomach twisted. Dreams. Or visions?After training, she found Theo sitting alone by the lake. In daylight, the corruption was easier to see. Silver veins pulsed under his skin like living things. His hands shook constantly now."We need to talk," she said."Not here." His voice was hoarse. Raw. Like he'd been screaming. "Tonight. Shadow realm. I have to show you something.""Theo, that place is killing you.""No. It's changing me. There's a difference." He stood, and Tamara noticed how thin he'd gotten. "Midnight. Same as before. Come alone.""Why can't you just tell me now?""Because

Three days passed since eight wolves walked away to join Smith's group. The pull from Nevada grew stronger every hour, like invisible hands tugging at Tamara's chest."Dawn. We go then," Kai announced to his chosen team. Marcus, Derek, Lilith, Jeremy, and Tamara. Six wolves total for what could be a suicide run. More would've been better, but trust was scarce these days."Sarah's got security covered while we are gone," Marcus offered.Tamara bit back her objection. Something about Sarah felt wrong lately. But she had no proof, just instinct.Ten hours of driving through hellish desert heat. Two cars moving through desert heat that grew worse with each mile. Kai drove one car with Tamara and Marcus. Derek drove the other with Lilith and Jeremy."That mirror's going to break if Derek keeps staring at it," Tamara observed."He's just keeping watch. Smart hunter behavior," Kai responded.But Tamara caught Derek's eyes in that mirror. He wasn't watching the car. He was watching her.Sunse