Everything was eaten up by the darkness. But there was... nothing instead of pain. Elara opened her eyes.
Something was wrong with her while she was still in the pack house. It was no longer dark for the Devourer.
Her kids were safe in Evelyn's arms as they floated. No one moved. They were all like statues. "Confused?" Someone asked from behind her.
Elara turned around. Alpha Marcus stood there, but his eyes glowed with strange strength.
"You're not really Marcus," she said. "Smart girl." He smiled, but it was cold and cruel. "I've been wearing his face for twenty years."
"What did you do to him?" "Nothing permanent. He's sleeping deep inside his own mind. He'll wake up when I'm done with his body."
Horror filled Elara's chest. "You're working with the Devourer." "Working with it?" The fake Marcus laughed.
"I AM the Devourer. Just a small part of me, anyway." The truth hit her like a punch. "You've been planning this the whole time."
