Adira trudged forward, each step crunching against the dried leaves and brittle branches beneath her feet. The weight of exhaustion pressed down on her, but she couldn't afford to stop. The forest was vast, and soon, it would be too dangerous to navigate in the dark. She had to find the Ostara witch coven—her only hope of breaking Selene's spell and freeing Lucian.
The Ostara witches were nearly impossible to find unless they wanted to be found. Their existence stretched back thousands of years, but after the brutal war between them and the Seelies, they had been forced into hiding. The Seelies had allied with vampires, overpowering the witches and wiping out most of their kind. Only a few witches had survived, some seeking refuge among werewolves, while the oldest and most powerful either perished in battle or disappeared into secrecy.
But Adira had no choice. She would find them, no matter what it took. Lucian wasn't just her mate—he was her husband, the man who had once defied an entire pack to be with her. He didn't deserve to live under Selene's deception. Even if she had to search every corner of the earth, she would find the Ostara witches and bring him back.
With renewed determination, Adira pressed on, hoping the shadows watching her from the depths of the forest would lead her to the witches she desperately sought.
Adira's steps grew sluggish, her limbs heavy with exhaustion. Hunger gnawed at her insides, her stomach twisting painfully with every step. She hadn't eaten since she left the pack, and now the weight of her journey was pressing down on her. She needed to find shelter, a place to rest her aching body and regain her strength. But there was no time.
She clenched her fists, forcing herself to keep moving. Her memories of Lucian—the way he had once looked at her, the way he had chosen her despite everything—were the only thing keeping her on her feet. She refused to let Selene win.
Selene.
Adira's jaw tightened. Selene had rejected Lucian once, cast him aside without hesitation. And yet, she had returned, weaving her way back into his life as if she had always belonged there. That meant one thing—she didn't just want Lucian. She wanted something else.
But what?
Adira had no answers yet, but she knew one thing for certain. Whatever Selene was after, it wasn't love. It was power. And if Adira didn't stop her, Lucian would be nothing more than a pawn in her twisted game.
She had to find the Ostara witches before it was too late.
Adira stumbled forward, her legs trembling beneath her. The forest stretched endlessly around her, swallowing her in darkness. Each breath felt heavier, each step weaker. She had gone too long without food, without rest. If she didn't stop soon, she might collapse.
That was when she saw it.
An old mansion loomed ahead, its towering structure hidden beneath layers of vines and decay. It looked abandoned-forgotten by time. The windows were dark, the paint peeling, and yet, something about it felt oddly inviting.
Adira hesitated at the entrance, gripping the doorframe for support. A part of her warned against going in, But exhaustion won. She pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Warmth wrapped around her immediately, soothing the chill that had settled into her bones. She frowned, stepping back out onto the porch. The air outside was cold. She stepped inside again-warm. Outside-cold.
Adira's brows furrowed, Someone had been here. Recently.
Her pulse quickened as she moved through the grand hall. Dust covered the chandeliers and furniture, but the air carried no musty stench of decay. It was as if someone had just left.
But who would live in the middle of the forest? And why would they leave the door unlocked?
Curiosity pulled her forward, guiding her up the grand staircase, She moved cautiously, opening door after door, finding nothing but old furniture and cobwebs. Until the last door.
The moment she pushed it open, a foul stench hit her like a wave. Adira gagged, her eyes widening in horror.
Bodies.
Rotting, fresh, mutilated-piled across the room. Blood stained the floor and walls. Human bones scattered the ground like discarded trash.
A scream tore from her throat as she staggered back, her vision blurring with panic. She turned and ran, her only thought to escape.
Her foot caught on a loose board, and she tumbled down the stairs, landing hard at the bottom, Pain shot through her, but she barely had time to react before she saw them.
Two men stood before her.
Twins.
Their identical gazes bore into her, cold and unblinking.
Adira's breath came in quick gasps as she scrambled backward. They hadn't moved, hadn't spoken-but she heard them.
"Isn't this Alpha Lucian's rejected mate?"
Her heart pounded. Their lips hadn't moved. They were speaking to each other without speaking.
"I heard she's an omega."
One of them circled her, his movements eerily fast.
"She doesn't smell like those dogs."
Adira's stomach twisted. They were vampires.
"She'll make a good meal."
Panic surged through her veins. She bolted for the door, her feet barely touching the ground as she ran. The trees blurred past her, branches slapping against her skin. But before she could make it far, she slammed into something solid.
One of the twins.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Their voices chorused as they surrounded her.
"You're ours now," the first one said.
"You invaded our privacy," the second added, smirking.
Adira's throat was dry. "Who are you?" she managed to whisper.
They grinned. And in an instant, their eyes bled into a deep, menacing red. Fangs slid from their gums, sharp and gleaming.
Adira nearly fainted.
"I-I was just looking for a place to rest," she stammered.
"You can stay with us," they said in unison.She turned to run again, but a sharp branch scraped her arm, drawing blood.
A mistake.
The moment the scent hit them, their expressions changed. Predatory. Hungry.
Adira barely had time to react before they lunged.
She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the pain-
But it never came.
Instead, a burst of energy exploded from her, sending both vampires flying backward.
Everywhere fell silent. Adira slowly opened her eyes, chest heaving.
The twins groaned, pulling themselves up. They exchanged a wary glance.
"Who is she?"
Adira had no answer. She didn't know what had just happened.
Simon, the first twin, was the first to react. He grabbed her by the throat, lifting her effortlessly.
"Simon," Gilbert, the second twin, warned. "Stay away from her."
"Not until she tells me who she really is."
Adira choked, clawing at his grip.
Simon's gaze flickered to her neck, where a faint mark had glowed just seconds ago-but now, it was gone.
Gilbert's eyes darkened. "That was a protection spell," he murmured, "Only witches can cast it. And they only grant it to Alpha wolves as part of their protection deal."
Simon frowned. "So if she isn't an Alpha..."
"And she has the mark..."
"That means she isn't a werewolf," Simon finished, his grip tightening. "She's a witch."
The realization struck them both at the same time.
"That's why she didn't shift," Gilbert said.
Adira's vision blurred from lack of air, but she managed to gasp, "I am not a witch!"
The twins exchanged amused glances. Then they laughed.
"You must be very clever to fool an entire pack," Simon said, finally dropping her.
Adira collapsed, gasping for breath, her hands flying to her neck.
"Prove it," Gilbert said.
"How?" she rasped.
"Shift," they said in unison,
Adira's blood ran cold,
"But I can't," she admitted.
The twins grinned.
"Then let's find out what you really are."
Before she could react, Gilbert grabbed her and sped toward the mountains, Simon following closely behind. Adira's screams were swallowed by the rushing wind as they carried her higher and higher-until she saw what lay below.
A vast, endless ocean.
Her stomach dropped.
"You can prove yourself here," Gilbert said.
And then he let go.
Adira plummeted. The wind roared in her ears, her screams lost in the night,
She hit the water with a force that stole the breath from her lungs. The freezing cold swallowed her whole.
She kicked, thrashed, fought to surface. But the more she struggled, the deeper she sank,
Her strength faded.
Maybe this was how it was meant to end.
Maybe Lucian was meant to be with Selene.
Either way...
She loved him.
And she always would.
Darkness took her.