The night felt heavier than usual, the air thick with an unspoken tension. The moon hung high above Blackridge, casting pale light over the pack's territory, but even its beauty couldn't chase away the dread that had settled in my chest.
Callum paced restlessly beside me, his gaze scanning the treeline as if expecting shadows to come to life. Since the boy's warning since the ritual the unease had only grown. It wasn't just the whispers in my dreams or the flickering light beneath my skin. It was everything.
The land felt different. Alive, but not in the same way it had been before. It pulsed with an ancient energy that made my blood hum in response.
"What if he's right?" I whispered, breaking the silence.
Callum stopped pacing, his intense eyes softening as they met mine. "He's just a ghost, Rhea. The Vale's magic is broken. The gate is closed."
I shook my head, biting my lip. "Then why do I feel like we're being watched? Like something is... waiting."
His jaw tightened. "Because we're not the only ones who know the truth. Whatever was left in the shadows... it's not gone."
The wind shifted, sending a shiver down my spine. I hugged my arms to my chest, trying to fight the cold that had nothing to do with the temperature.
"I'm not sure we can outrun this," I murmured.
Callum reached for me, pulling me into his embrace. His warmth was a balm against the chill that had gripped me ever since the boy's warning.
"You're not alone in this," he said quietly. "We'll face it together. Always."
But his words didn't soothe the growing panic within me. I could feel the weight of destiny pushing against us, pulling us toward something that neither of us were ready for.
Suddenly, the earth trembled beneath our feet a subtle shift, barely noticeable at first. Then the ground rumbled again, this time with more force, as if something deep below was waking up.
The wolves howled in unison, a sharp, mournful sound that echoed across the forest. It wasn't a call to hunt it was a warning.
"Callum..." My voice cracked. "It's happening."
He grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the heart of the pack's territory. "We need to move. Now."
As we ran, I couldn't shake the feeling that the land itself was shifting. The trees bent under the weight of something unseen, their branches twisting unnaturally, as though they were reaching for something, pulling the earth beneath them closer to an unknown source.
At the clearing where the pack gathered, the elders were already waiting. Their faces were grave, and the tension in the air was thick, as if they had sensed the same ominous presence we had.
"What's happening?" Callum demanded, his eyes flashing with anger and concern.
The Alpha elder, a woman whose silver hair had seen the rise and fall of many moons, stepped forward. "The gate was never meant to be sealed." She paused, her voice heavy with regret. "And the bloodline your bloodline has been a key to something darker than we realized."
I felt my stomach twist. "What do you mean?"
Her gaze lingered on my belly, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw fear flicker in her ancient eyes. "The curse that bound the Vale wasn't just a prison. It was a seal, keeping something far worse at bay."
"Something worse?" Callum growled. "What could be worse than the Shadow?"
"The Old Ones," the elder whispered. "Ancient forces that were never meant to walk the earth again. They were locked away long before the Vale was ever created, bound by the first Gatekeeper and the first Alpha. But the magic that held them has weakened over centuries. When the last of the bloodline a pure soul was born..." She turned to me, her voice almost a whisper. "The lock began to break."
I felt the ground shift again, more violently this time. The pack began to grow restless, their eyes wild, ears perked, as though they sensed the same threat.
"What do we do?" I asked, my voice trembling.
The elder shook her head. We can't stop it. Not without the true heart of the pack. Without the wolves who remember.
Callum stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. What do you mean?
The elder hesitated before speaking again. "There is a power in the old bloodlines, Callum. A power that only the wolves of the ancient clans can awaken. The true Alpha's line, those who can remember the old ways. You must call upon them."
I felt the air grow thick, the weight of her words sinking deep into my bones. The Old Ones... they're coming, aren't they?"
The elder nodded solemnly. "The gate is open. And the earth is waking up."