The forest smells like fire and old rain, and every step deeper into Blackpine territory makes my pulse spike. I shouldn’t be here. Six years gone, and yet my body remembers the path like instinct. Behind me, Rowan clutches my hand, his small fingers trembling. He doesn’t understand why we’ve come back. All I told him was, ‘We’re going home.’

Then I see him.

Silas.

The Alpha. My mate. Standing at the edge of the clearing, shirt torn, eyes blazing gold. He freezes when he sees me. The air crackles. I feel it in my teeth, in my blood—the pull, the bond, still alive despite everything.

“You,” he growls, stepping forward. “You left. You took my child and erased us.”

I want to scream that I didn’t choose this. That I woke up empty, hollowed out by magic I didn’t know existed. But before I can speak, Rowan lets out a soft whimper—and Silas’s gaze drops to him. Shock. Pain. Rage.

He takes another step. “Is he… ours?”

My throat tightens. This moment will define everything. Do I tell him the truth about the curse? Do I beg for sanctuary? Or do I turn and run before it’s too late?