LOGINFor one suspended moment, no one breathed.Scarlett's fingers tightened around the edge of the stone wall as the stranger's calm gaze remained fixed on the passage where she and the others were hiding. There was no uncertainty in his expression, no searching glance that suggested he was taking a chance.He knew.Not suspected.Knew.Lucas slowly shifted his weight, placing himself slightly in fro757nt of Scarlett without making it obvious. It was such a natural movement that she almost smiled despite the danger. He had done it countless times since they began this journey, always believing she deserved the chance to decide her own fate while never hesitating to stand between her and death.The stranger's smile deepened."You may come out."His voice echoed gently through the chamber."There is no purpose in pretending you are invisible."No one moved.The silence stretched until one of the hooded wolves gripped Kael by the shoulder and forced him painfully to his feet.The scout wince
The words spoken by the hooded wolf settled over the hidden chamber with suffocating weight."The Alpha of the Shadow Council will be here within minutes."Scarlett instinctively held her breath.For months, every clue, every betrayal, every murder, and every sacrifice had pointed toward an invisible hand directing events from the shadows. They had heard whispers of secret meetings, hidden alliances, and powerful wolves manipulating entire packs without ever revealing themselves.Now, for the first time, that unseen leader was close enough to reach.Lucas slowly tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword, his attention never left the chamber beyond the stone wall."Do we move now?"The question wasn't directed at anyone in particular.It belonged to all of them.The Black Fang Alpha remained perfectly still, his sharp eyes studying every corner of the room where Kael was being held.Scarlett could almost see him calculating every possibility.Five armed wolves guarded the prisone
The scream faded into an eerie silence, but its echo lingered inside Scarlett's mind long after the sound itself had disappeared.No one in the cavern spoke.Even the underground river, which had churned violently only moments before, now flowed with an unsettling calm, as though the mountain itself had returned to waiting.Scarlett lowered her eyes to Elena's notebook again.The faded sketch seemed almost insignificant compared to the terror that had just echoed through the darkness, yet something inside her refused to ignore it.Her mother had drawn a second passage. Not the obvious route, a hidden one.Lucas stepped beside her and studied the page. "You've already made up your mind."Scarlett looked at him. "Have I?"He smiled faintly despite the tension surrounding them. "You only stare at something that long when you're arguing with yourself."A quiet laugh escaped her before she could stop it."You know me too well.""I've had practice." The warmth in his voice steadied her raci
The grinding sound continued beneath the mountain, vibrating through the cavern until even the glowing river began to ripple more violently. Tiny fragments of crystal broke loose from the ceiling and scattered across the stone floor, their sharp echoes reminding Scarlett that whatever had been awakened was far older than the wolves now standing beneath the mountain.Gideon remained frozen, his eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the underground river.Scarlett had never seen fear settle over a person's face so completely.It wasn't the fear of death, it was the fear of watching history repeat itself.Lucas noticed it as well. "You've seen this before."Gideon swallowed before answering. "No."His voice came out rough."But Elena did."Scarlett felt her heart tighten."What did she tell you?"Gideon slowly closed his eyes as though recalling words he had spent years trying not to forget."She said there were places in this world that were never meant to become legends." He looked toward
Gideon's words hung over the underground chamber like a storm cloud that refused to pass."I think... they followed one of you."No one reacted immediately.Scarlett looked slowly from one face to another, searching for any sign of panic or guilt. She saw none. Instead, she saw the same disbelief reflected in every pair of eyes.Lucas stood perfectly still, but she knew him well enough to recognize the subtle tension in his jaw. Ethan's hand rested on the hilt of his blade, not because he intended to attack anyone in the room, but because years of instinct had taught him that betrayal often struck when trust was at its weakest.The Black Fang Alpha's expression remained unreadable.He had led warriors into countless battles, yet Scarlett suspected this was the kind of fight he hated most.An enemy outside the walls could be defeated.An enemy hidden among allies could destroy everything.Gideon noticed the silence he had created."I know what you're thinking."His voice was calm, almo
The footsteps echoed steadily through the narrow tunnel, each one striking the stone walls with quiet precision.Scarlett instinctively slowed her breathing.Nobody inside the underground chamber dared to move.The dim shaft of sunlight pouring through the fractured ceiling barely illuminated the ancient room, leaving the hidden passage wrapped in darkness. Lucas stood directly in front of Scarlett, his posture tense but controlled, while Ethan disappeared into the shadows near the entrance with the silence only an experienced scout could achieve.The Black Fang Alpha raised a single finger.Wait.No one questioned the order.The approaching footsteps grew louder before finally stopping just beyond the mouth of the tunnel.An uncomfortable silence followed.Scarlett felt her heartbeat pounding against her ribs.She expected an attack.A weapon.A growl.Instead, a weary voice drifted through the darkness."I know you're in there."Every muscle in Lucas's body stiffened.The voice belo
As the echoes of battle died, Scarlett's heart pounded on. The Shadow Pack had retreated, taking Lucas with them as their prisoner. Eerie shadows were cast on the moonlit floor of the forest, with the tang of blood still fresh in the air."We've got to go," he said with a sense of urgency, his voic
Scarlett made her way back to the cabin, her head still reeling from the brief argument with Lucas. The forest with all its shadows seemed to bear down on her, yet she forced her eyes fixed forward, not letting her mind wander. No second-guessing of decisions. Not now.As she pushed open the door t
Scarlett lay on the ground. Heavier, Lucas pinned her, and she panted, gasping for breath. Her every instinct screamed at her to keep fighting, to push him off, but she was pinned. Her muscles burned, and her heart thumped in her chest to the primitive rhythm of anger and fear.Lucas's face loomed
The tires screeched as Alex pulled the car into a concealed clearing, far from the packed ground. Scarlett jumped out; her head was pounding since her run-in encounter with Lucas. The night air was cool, but the rush of adrenaline kept her warm.Rachel staggered out of the car, gasping for breath.







