e smooth, stone wall behind her now reflected the sorceress's image, not her own. Zara's lips m

hand, stopping him. Her pulse hammered in her ears, but a part of her, a deeper, instinct

sed by how strong Lena's voice was, giv

ened, her eyes glowing an unnatural amber as the shadows around Lena seemed to coil tighter. "The curse that haunts you

ieved her lack of a wolf form made her broken, incomplete. But now, Zara

bed by unseen forces. Zara's image faded, her voice echoing one final, cryptic

ike glass, leaving Lena staring at he

in an instant. "What

mind spinning. "She said... the curse isn

crossing his face. "Zara thrives on manipulation. She'll twis

ing. "And why should I trust you, Kaden? You s

est. She could feel the tension between them thickening, the undercurrent of secrets pulsing just beneath the

es, massive and feral, their eyes glowing with the same strange amber hue Lena ha

ng his dagger. He stepped in front of Le

moment she saw those wolves, something clicked, a recognition, a connection she couldn't explain

can feel them." They are not here to

-

glowing gaze on Lena. The air hummed with tension, but instead of fear, Lena

, his voice tense as the wolves

heart pounding as she extended her hand towa

memories and images that weren't hers. The ancient wolves, the bloodlines, the power... it all connected to he

low and urgent. "What are you d

ena as if she were their Alpha. The moment stretched on, thick with unspo

Lena asked, pulling her hand

htened. "They r

nfused. "Recogni

t about locking away your wolf. It was about locking away your power, your true birthright. Those

? It seemed impossible to believe. But before she could take in all of this, there was a deep

rkened. "We nee

-

omething ancient and powerful had been awakened by the encounter at the temple. Kaden moved ahead, his movements swift and calcula

ed in her mind: *The trut

eel like everything she thought she

ick trees, "why didn't you tell me about the first Alpha

ecause I needed you to come willingly. If you knew ho

red. "I deserve to kno

snapped. "I can't handle all of this easily. The world as we know it alters if you release your power and break this curse. The balance of p

hy help me at all? Why not le

e not just a threat but the only one who can control it. Without you, that power will fall into chao

is confession or him being close to her. When his eyes met hers, she saw something oth

nd from the shadows, a figure stepped forward, a man with

owled, his voice

o had allied with Zara now stood between them and whatever lay ahead.

uest of yours without me, did you?" Damon sneered,

-

, and the three wolves that had been silently guarding them su

with triumph. "Zara's spell binds them to me.

arls growing louder as they prepared to attack. Kaden moved to

. You'll have your

g at Kaden with deadly force. Lena's heart raced as she watched the t

ves advancing on her, their eyes filled with