The moment that voice whispered my name—Aurelia… I found you—the world seemed to tilt. A cold rush slid down my spine, followed instantly by a thundering heartbeat that wasn't mine.
Lucien stiffened in front of me, feathers of celestial light flickering faintly at his back.
Talon's water barrier trembled like a living serpent sensing danger.
Raffyn's fire snapped and roared, swirling hotter around us.
They had all heard it too.
"Aurelia," Lucien said tightly, "don't react. Don't even breathe wrong."
"I—who was that?" I whispered.
Raffyn's eyes glowed molten gold. "Nightfall's Alpha."
A tremor seized my body. Jarek Nightfall. The Ruthless Alpha. The tyrant whispered about in every pack when pups misbehaved. A man who won wars without mercy. The one rumored to kill his own bloodline to secure dominance.
And he knew my name.
"How—?" My voice cracked. "How does he even know I exist?"
Talon stepped closer, his calm expression cracking at the edges. "Because you're not what you think you are."
Before I could question him, a deafening BOOM shook the mansion. Windows shattered. The floor pitched. Wolves screamed.
Guards shifted instantly, claws raking the marble as they formed a protective circle around the dignitaries. Chandelier crystals rained down like glittering shrapnel.
Lucien grabbed my waist before I fell. "He's breaching the grounds."
Raffyn snarled, fire curling around his fists. "I knew that bastard wouldn't wait."
Talon's eyes sharpened. "Move. Now."
The three herded me toward the eastern corridor, but before we reached the archway, a towering shadow appeared at the far end of the ballroom.
The torches flickered wildly.
Wolves stepped back in horror.
A massive silhouette materialized—broad shoulders, glowing eyes, an aura so heavy it crushed the air.
Alpha Jarek Nightfall.
He wasn't fully inside the building—yet—but his presence alone felt like a fist squeezing my lungs.
A growl rolled through the ballroom, deep and resonant. "Aurelia…" he said again, his voice layered with ancient power. "Come."
My knees nearly buckled. He wasn't speaking like a man. He was speaking like a claim.
Lucien pulled me behind him instantly, wings of shimmering energy flaring to full size. "Over my dead body."
Raffyn bared his teeth, fire blazing around him in a blistering halo. "Try stepping one foot closer."
Talon lifted both hands, water spiraling into a shield that cracked the air with power. "She's under our protection."
Jarek's silhouette paused… then smiled.
And the mansion doors finally shattered inward.
Nightfall wolves poured through—warriors with pitch-black fur, glowing red eyes, and armor forged from dark steel. The ballroom erupted into chaos as Last Growl defenders launched themselves into combat.
Talon spun toward me. "Aurelia—focus on my voice. Stay with me."
"I—I can't—" My breath hitched as the bond inside me thrummed violently. Something ancient surged beneath my skin, responding to Jarek's call like a choked whisper rising from my bones.
Lucien cupped my face, forcing my gaze to his. "Aurelia. Listen. Your powers are awakening. You need to stay centered."
"But I don't know how to control anything!" I cried.
"Then trust us." His forehead touched mine for a split second—warm, grounding. "We'll guide you."
Raffyn stepped in front of us, flames spiraling into a furious vortex. "Keep her behind me. I'll clear a path."
A Nightfall warrior lunged.
Raffyn reacted first.
A single punch—exploding into a burst of flame—sent the attacker crashing into a stone pillar, the marble scorching black.
I gasped. "You—your fire—"
"Not the time, sweetheart!" Raffyn barked, grabbing my wrist and yanking me toward the hallway.
Talon fought on our flank, water blades forming and dissolving around his hands with lethal grace. Lucien stayed pressed against my back, shielding me with every step, his celestial aura pulsing like a heartbeat.
We made it into the corridor—
BOOM.
The wall beside us shattered inward, spraying stone dust across the floor.
Two Nightfall wolves leapt through the opening.
Lucien moved with frightening speed, slamming the first into the ground with angelic force. Talon's water lasso snapped around the second, crushing its throat.
Raffyn's flaming fist ended the last one before its body even hit the floor.
"Go!" Raffyn snarled. "We're close."
But before he could finish—
The air froze.
Not temperature—instinct.
Raffyn and Talon both went rigid.
Lucien choked on a breath.
"What—?" I started—
And then I felt it.
A dark gravity pulled at my bones. A presence so powerful it made my vision blur.
Jarek Nightfall stepped through the broken wall—fully visible now, his massive form outlined in moonlight. Black hair tied back, eyes glowing like dying stars, a cruel smile curving his lips.
"Aurelia," he said softly, almost gently. "Your magic calls to me."
I stumbled back, gripping Talon's arm.
"I don't have magic!" I cried.
Lucien hissed, "Don't speak to him."
Jarek only looked amused. "You deny what you are. How adorable."
Raffyn moved in front of me, flames roaring higher. "One step toward her and I'll burn you alive."
Jarek tilted his head. "Fire Alpha. Your blood sings too loudly." His gaze slid to Talon. "And water Alpha. So steady. So predictable."
His eyes finally found Lucien. "And the angel-born." His smile sharpened. "You of all creatures should know she is mine."
Lucien's wings flared violently. "She belongs to NO ONE."
The ground cracked beneath them.
Jarek laughed. "We'll see."
His gaze turned to me.
And for the first time, something shifted in his expression.
Not cruelty.
Not triumph.
Recognition.
"You look just like her," he whispered.
"Like… who?" I breathed.
Jarek's smile vanished. "Your mother."
My heart stopped.
Behind me, Lucien froze in shock.
Talon's water stuttered.
Raffyn's fire flickered.
"My… mother?" I choked.
Before Jarek could answer, a roar echoed from the ballroom—Last Growl reinforcements surging forward.
The twins seized the moment.
"Talon—cover!" Raffyn shouted.
"On it!"
Water exploded outward in a spiraling shield.
Lucien grabbed me by the waist. "Hold on!"
Raffyn unleashed a blazing wall of fire.
The combined blast of elements slammed into the corridor, forcing Jarek to retreat two steps—just enough room for Lucien to pull me into a side passage.
"Move!" he barked. "Don't look back!"
I didn't.
Because the hallway behind us erupted with fire, water, celestial light—
And Jarek's roar shook the entire mansion.
We ran, heart pounding, breath ragged, until Talon shoved open a hidden door leading into the moonlit forest behind the estate.
The cold air shocked my lungs.
Lucien pulled me tight against him. "Aurelia… are you hurt?"
"I'm—I'm fine," I breathed. "But Jarek… he said I look like—"
"We'll talk later," Talon said sternly. "Right now we need to get you somewhere safe."
Raffyn turned, eyes still blazing. "Safe? After tonight
?" His voice dropped. "She's not just a target."
Lucien's grip tightened around me.
Talon met my eyes, voice low, trembling with truth.
"Aurelia… you're the reason Jarek crossed the border."