Seraphine's magic and Kael's amber eyes blazing through the mist. The witch conjured a spell and bound his legs with roots, but his dark energy filled claws sliced through

circle of twisted trees, their branches dripping red sap under a crimson-tinted sky. Seraphine was standing in the middle, surrounded by three figures, witches. A stone altar marked with runes, the energy from the altar humming against Lia's skin."Welcome," Seraphine said, her voice silky. "The coven of the Bloodmoon will break your curse-but first, you serve us."Lia's stomach twisted, not from the curse but from dread. "Serve how?" she asked, gripping her dagger tighter. The blood pact burned in her palm, a reminder of her hasty choice.Seraphine gestured to the altar. "Your hybrid blood-wolf and witch-is rare. Offer it to the Bloodmoon, and we'll sever Kael's curse. Refuse, and the pact will bind you to us forever."Lia's heart sank. A blood sacrifice? She'd traded one trap for another. "And my child?" she asked, her voice steady despite her fear."Safe," Seraphine said, but her eyes gleamed with hunger. "If you comply."One of the witches, a gaunt woman with green eyes, stepped forward. "The Alpha's curse is tied to his blood," she rasped. "To break it, you must face him. Blood for blood. But first, the Bloodmoon demands its due."Lia's mind raced. Seraphine's pact had saved her from Kael, but at what cost? The cramps in her abdomen were fainter now, the blood pact's magic holding the curse at bay, but her child wasn't safe yet. She needed time to think, to plan. "How do I face him?" she asked, stalling. "What does blood for blood mean?"Seraphine's eyes narrowed, sensing her hesitation. "You'll spill his blood or offer your own. The curse binds your life to his-only one can survive." She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But the Bloodmoon can amplify your power, hybrid. Join us fully, and Kael will kneel."Lia's breath caught. Kill Kael? The father of her child? Despite his betrayal, the bond's ghost stirred, a flicker of longing she hated herself for feeling. But the curse's burn and the memory of his rejection steeled her. "And if I refuse?" she asked.The gaunt witch hissed, her green eyes flaring. "The pact binds you. Refuse, and your blood feeds the grove anyway."A chill r