a's

me. As I moved among the great, old trees, they appeared to speak secrets of the past. Walking next me were my twin kids, Aiden

my dreams had both flown and collapsed and where I had been loved and discarded.

Kaelan's magnificent mansion, a monument to power and the life I had once wanted to share. The ancestral grounds of the pac

ried eyes. "Is this where Mom is supposed to

we should be in this place. We have

ack member who had first sent the message, emerged. Her expr

er voice shaking just a

before I could answer. "So

and for a moment the world appeared to stop. His eyes revealed a jumble of sorrow, rage,

e insisted, his voice

oice set off. "My sons need aid, so I am here. I cannot c

horror in his eyes was soon replaced by an emotional tsunami. "You

red, trying to keep my voice calm. "I left to defend them." I wante

sembling to see the encounter. The group was obviously split; some looked at me

roke through the murmurs of the as

slightly. "They will either save or wipe out the pack. Their powers

rned pale. You ought to have visited me ear

ion. And I had no idea whether the pack would be ready fo

a black man appeared. It was a huge, dark beast with terrible light in its ey

his voice tinged with a

of terror. The dark force all about him seemed to draw the surroundi

ith will. "Everybody, get to safety!

. This is not only your battle. The prophecy

hension between us. "Fine," he answered grudgingly.

energy shot out toward us. Moving intuitively, Kaelan and I coordinated to protect Aiden and Leo. Althoug

ly in panic, the pack mates hurried to follow. Originally a sy

ck on me. "We have to get the twins under cover. Under

iden and Leo firmly.

ly consoling. Old relics from the history of the pack dotted the

l hold? My voice tinge

t has to." "We are

or and anarchy was produced by the Shadow King's roar, weapon clashes, and pack mem

d. "But we cannot live here indefinitely. We must fi

past weighing heavily betwe

uth about the prophecy. More than we know, there is involvement. Shou

I turned to find Lena standing at the door. T

dden chamber." "It is supposed to have the

with a firm lo

nged with expectation of what lay ahead. Lena brought us to an old symbol-marked th

: "This is it. "These books might h

to go over the books. Our tense relationships, the prophecy, the Sha

se and concentration. "We will get through

ite things and guard our sons and the pack. Though the road ahead was u

t when Kaelan, Lena, and I collaborated, I sensed optimism flickering. Though it would be dang