“We’ll go through the plan one more time before putting it into action,” Niva said, her voice firm. She sat close to the fire, letting her gaze sweep across us.

  “You’ll head out together through the darker part of the forest. Halfway through, Rex will break off toward the north to try and circle around to their hideout. Will and Tracy—you’ll take the southern path. It’s the most dangerous route. They’re more active there, and you risk being spotted, so you’ll need to be careful.” She paused before continuing.

  “You’ll meet at their camp. Hopefully, Rex will have found Amelia and the children before the rest of you arrive.”

  Everyone nodded quietly.

  “I’ll stay here with Sac until he wakes up. If he’s strong enough, we’ll set off to meet up with you. We’ll likely know soon enough if everything is going according to plan.”

  “If something goes wrong,” Will added, “our goal is still to reach the camp and rescue Amelia and the kids. We keep going—no matter what.”

  There were nods of agreement all around.

  I packed a bag for the three of us—with some food and basic medical supplies.

  “May your journey be safe and successful,” Niva said, pulling me into a firm, warm hug before we set off toward the darkest part of the forest.

  Will went first, I followed close behind, and Rex kept to the rear.

  We moved silently between the trees. The only sounds were our breathing and the crunch of snow beneath our boots. The darkness was thicker here—heavier than in other parts of the forest, as if the ground itself was swallowing the light.

  Will glanced back from time to time, and each time he did, the sense of safety inside me held firm. Despite the cold. Despite the silence.

  When we’d made it halfway, we stopped at a twisted old tree. Rex placed his hand against the trunk and nodded at us.

  “I’ll take the northern route from here,” he whispered. “See you at the camp.”

  Will nodded back, and Rex disappeared soundlessly among the trees.

  We stood still for a moment, just Will and me. It was as if the forest was holding its breath.

  “Are you ready?” he asked quietly.

  I nodded. “As long as you’re here.”

  He gave a faint smile, took my hand for a second before we moved on. The southern part of the forest was quieter, deader. No animals. No birds. Just the wind sliding between the trunks like a wordless whisper.

  That’s when we heard it.

  The sound of footsteps. Fast, heavy. Like several bodies moving at once—but not with a human rhythm. It was deeper than that. Heavier.

  Will pulled me close, and we crouched behind a snow-covered boulder. I saw his eyes narrow, focused on the darkness ahead.

  And there—between the trees—shadows moved. Large, dark. Wolf-shapes. Fast. Dangerous.

  They were heading straight for us.

  I felt my pulse quicken, but Will didn’t move. He tensed his muscles, ready to protect. I placed my hand on his arm. We would fight if we had to.

  But then the wolves suddenly stopped—just a few meters away. They didn’t move. Just stared.

  One of them—larger than the others, with a dark scar across its snout—took a step forward. Its head tilted to the side, sniffing the air.

  And then—slowly—the body began to shift.

  Bones cracked. Skin stretched. Fur disappeared.

  Nick.

  Will rose slowly. I followed.

  “Nick?” I breathed.

  He smiled—tired, relieved. “It’s us. We thought you were dead.”

  Behind him, the others shifted too—Gus, Sate, and three villagers I recognized from the village. They were dirty, worn, but alive.

  Will took a step forward. “How… how many of you are there?”

  “Over twenty,” Sate answered. “We got out before the darkness fully closed in. We've been hiding. Waiting. Until we saw you.”

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  Gus stepped forward, serious. “We know where they’re keeping the children. And Amelia. But we’ve been too few to do anything.”

  I looked at Will. “Not anymore.”

  They led us to a temporary camp, deep in the forest. A clearing hidden by thick spruce, shielded from the sky. There were more faces we thought we’d lost—young, old, wounded but alive. A dozen or more.

  Some began to cry when they saw me and Will. Others just stared, as if they couldn’t believe it was real. The fire they had lit was small, the smoke controlled. No sounds that could give them away.

  Nick gathered them. I watched how he moved—like a leader, not just a friend. There was respect in the air. Something remained.

  Will placed a hand on my back, a brief touch. I knew what he meant. It was time to tell the truth.

  I stepped forward. All eyes were on me.

  “There’s something you need to hear,” I began. My voice didn’t shake. “It’s about Sacra. And about why the darkness has grown so strong.”

  The silence grew heavy, like the forest itself was listening.

  “She’s alive,” I said. “Sacra isn’t dead. She’s hiding in the dark. She’s the one leading it.”

  The crowd stirred—voices, gasps, disbelief.

  “That’s not possible,” someone whispered.

  “We saw her fall—how can it be her?”

  But an older woman stepped forward. Her gaze was steady, her voice calm. “I thought I was dreaming… but I’ve seen her. In shadows. In reflections. She showed herself to me as a friend. But something was wrong.”

  More started whispering. A father—I recognized him, he had lost two of his children—stepped up. “If it’s Sacra who took our children… then she’s about to find out what we’re made of.”

  Will moved to stand beside me. “We have no proof except what we’ve seen, felt, what Vaelmark himself told us. He spoke to Tracy through Sac. He said the curse isn’t a punishment—it’s protection. And that we must choose our own path.”

  People started nodding. Not all. But enough.

  “So what do we do now?” Nick asked.

  That’s when I thought of Rex—what Niva had said. I turned quickly to Will.

  “Rex is already on his way. We have to move fast—now. He could be there any moment. If he’s found Amelia and the children…”

  Will swore under his breath. “Then we don’t have time to wait.”

  Sate stood. “We’ll show you the way.”

  Gus nodded. “Everyone who can fight—come with us. The rest stay here. If we don’t return before sundown, hide. Don’t wait for us.”

  I met Will’s gaze one last time before we moved. Neither of us said a word.

  We both knew what was coming.

  And it would be the beginning of the end.

  We moved quickly through the forest. Will led the way, his body tense like a drawn bow. I stayed close behind, with Nick, Sate, and Gus at our sides. Silence hung over the group—not from fear, but from resolve. Everyone knew what was at stake.

  As we neared the camp, the air changed. It grew colder, thicker. As if the darkness itself had gathered in the shadows of the trees. We slowed. Several villagers in wolf form moved ahead to scout.

  Suddenly—a growl. Not wolf-like. Something deeper. Darker.

  “It’s too late,” Will whispered. “They know we’re here.”

  We rushed forward. The trees opened onto a cliff overlooking the camp. There—the cages. I saw them immediately.

  Amelia. The children.

  Amelia was on her knees, tied but conscious. The children pressed against the bars, eyes wide. But no one was guarding them.

  For a moment, I hesitated. “It’s a trap.”

  Then the forest floor behind us exploded with motion. And they came. Wolves—but not like ours. Black smoke clung to them. Their eyes glowed. Their teeth gleamed like metal. They were more than we could fight. More than we could flee from.

  We had no time to turn before they were upon us.

  Will pulled me aside at the last second. Screams, claws, movement.

  Will stood in front of me.

  “Run,” he whispered. “Now.”

  “I’m not leaving you,” I said, scrambling to my feet.

  “Tracy. Please.” His voice broke. “This is bigger than us.”

  But I couldn’t move. My feet were frozen to the ground.

  Will clenched his jaw. Something in him was already changing then. A stillness. Like the silence before a storm.

  “Touch her, and you die,” he said softly.

  They laughed. Not like humans. Like something else.

  Will dropped to his knees.

  “Will!” I screamed.

  But he didn’t look at me. His eyes were vacant. Like something was pulling him inward. The ground vibrated beneath us, and the air grew heavy—filled with something ancient.

  He screamed.

  Not from pain—but like something was awakening.

  His body began to change. Not like the other transformations I’d seen. This was… bigger. More. The fur was silvery white with streaks of black. His eyes glowed like stars. His back rose higher than any wolf I had seen. His teeth—fangs—primordial.

  The dark wolves froze.

  One of them whispered: “Vaelmark.”

  They backed away.

  And Will—or whatever he was now—lifted his head and howled.

  It wasn’t an ordinary howl. It was a call through time. Through blood. Through everything.

  Everyone fell silent.

  Vaelmark had awakened.

  And he was furious.

  Earth flew as Vaelmark lunged at the first of them. No scream—just the short, brutal sound of bones breaking, then silence.

  The others didn’t even have time to react.

  It was as if time shattered. Vaelmark moved with a power that shouldn’t exist. Every move was precise. Deadly. As if he had seen the entire battle before it even began.

  I couldn’t look away—not because I didn’t want to, but because I physically couldn’t.

  It was Will.

  And it wasn’t Will.

  His gaze—when it brushed mine—was cold. Not hateful. But distant. As if I was a whisper in the wind.

  “Will,” I whispered, though even I could barely hear it.

  The dark wolves fled. They knew. This power couldn’t be stopped. But Vaelmark didn’t follow. He stood still now, in the middle of the field, blood dripping from his fangs, his eyes still glowing.

  I stepped forward.

  “Will… if you’re still in there… come back.”

  No answer. Just the heavy breathing of a body built for war.

  I took another step.

  His ears twitched.

  And then—one more step. I was close enough now to feel the heat of his fur, to hear the ground creak beneath his weight.

  “You chose me,” I said gently. “You said it yourself. Before all this.”

  He lifted his head toward me. His gaze flickered. For a moment—just a moment—I saw Will in there. Tired. Afraid.

  Then he closed his eyes.

  When he opened them again, the glow was gone.

  He fell.

  Not slowly—like a human—but like a beast no longer able to carry its own power.

  I reached him before he hit the ground.

  His body was halfway back to human, but his skin still glowed faintly.

  “Will?” I whispered, cradling his face in my hands.

  His eyes opened slightly. Now it was just him.

  “Tracy,” he said, voice hoarse, broken, but alive. “I… I knew it would be you.”

  I leaned my forehead against his.

  “You came back.”

  “Always,” he whispered. “For you.”