"What's the plan?" Edmund sighed, running a hand through his hair as dread settled deep in his bones. It's been years since he had this feeling 'fear' . Everything was aligning far too perfectly, the full moon sightings, the wolves returning to Eldermere after centuries of silence, the rise of rebels in the town, the restless unease gnawing at his gut like a warning he could no longer ignore. Even the wind felt different. Something terrible was coming. Something far worse than the events of this very night.
He knew, with absolute certainty, that killing her would change nothing. If she could even be killed at all.
"I swore to protect her," he murmured, his jaw tightening as he tired to supress the memories of her blood covered lifeless body. "Even if it costs me my life."
Missy nodded once, stepping closer. She leaned toward his ear, her voice barely more than breath. "The plan is simple," she whispered, carefully feeding him the course of action, each word heavier than the last.
Behind them, Serena stood before the gates.
The iron structure fascinated her. It loomed impossibly tall, ancient, cold, its blackened bars smooth as polished stone. More Gothic than magnificent. Something about it called to her. She stepped closer without realizing she had moved at all, lifting her hand to trace the metal.
The moment her palm slid down the rod, pain shot through her hand.
She gasped and pulled back. A deep cut split her skin, blood welling far too quickly for something so smooth. She stared at it, confused but before she could question it further, a single drop fell to the ground.
The earth responded.
From the dark, lifeless soil, a lone dandelion burst forth bright, fragile, and impossibly alive.
Serena staggered back, breath hitching. The contrast stole the air from her lungs. Surrounded by grey stone and dead land, the small flower glowed like defiance itself.
"That's… impossible," she whispered.
She crouched, drawn to it, reaching out to brush its delicate petals. The second her fingers came in touch with the petals, the pain returned.
Her head exploded with pressure, sharper than before. Serena clutched her skull, eyes squeezed shut as whispers flooded her mind. Voices overlapped, chaotic cries for help, voices speaking in tongues she couldn't understand, yet somehow felt. She was consumed by emotions, her throat tight and hoarse as she tried to scream for help.
Her knees hit the ground.
"Please… stop," she begged.
When she opened her eyes, the world was no longer the same.
The grey lifeless surrounding was completely soaked in blood.
Beyond the gates stood five towering shadows massive, monstrous forms that blurred the line between man and beast. They were too large to be human, their bodies thick with fur, claws curved and lethal, eyes glowing with predatory hunger.
Wolves?
No more than wolves.
The air felt suffocating, the power eminating from these creatures dominating the air. The creature at the center dwarfed the others. Taller. Broader. His presence alone bent the air around him. His claws were longer, sharper but his face was not lupine.
It was human.
And his eyes...
Green.
Not the red of the others, but emerald green—beautiful, piercing, devastatingly green, fillied with so much rage. For a second she forgot that they belonged to the dreadful creature beyond the gates.
"Why," the shadow demanded, his voice deep and fractured, "why did you do this, Olivia?"
Serena's breath caught.
Her legs trembled violently as she stared at him, her body frozen, unresponsive.
" Olivia?" She thought as she tried to gain control of her legs which seems to have been detached from her body. She wanted to scream, to deny it but the words refused to form.
"I trusted you," he growled, stepping closer. "I trusted you, Olivia. Look where that's gotten me." he said distastefully, he's eyes fixed on her.
Her heart thundered painfully against her ribs. Olivia.
"I'm glad I never loved you," he continued, voice thick with venom. "Because if I had… this would be harder."
Tears burned Serena's eyes. She shook her head desperately, trying to speak, but her lips betrayed her.
"I'm not—"
Nothing came out, her throat tight, she could barely breathe.
"You made your choice," he said, crouching before her, his gaze locking onto hers. "I hope you're happy with it."
Thank God for the gate.
The iron bars separated them until they didn't.
With terrifying ease, he gripped the metal and bent it like twigs snapping beneath a child's hands. The sound rang out, echoing like a death knell.
"I'm coming for you, Olivia," he snarled, his emerald eyes bleeding into crimson. "This life… or the next. I will be waiting. I will have my revenge."
The pain hit her again worse than before. Serena screamed as the voices swirled violently, tearing through her mind.
Then—
Silence.
She blinked.
She was back, the ground felt much colder than before.
Her fingers still rested on the dandelion's petals. The gate stood untouched. Her hand throbbed, but the vision was gone.
"What's wrong with me?" she whispered, dragging shaky hands down her face. "Am I… losing my mind?"
Her chest heaved as she staggered upright. "This stupid town, stupid, annoying , useless town " she muttered. "What kind of freaks even live here?"
"Freaks?"
The voice came from behind the gate.
Serena looked up sharply.
A man stood there, hands tucked casually into the pockets of a black fur coat. He was tall, impeccably built, his black curls falling just past his neck. His ruby-red eyes gleamed with intelligence and cruelty.
Elder Ileus.
"It seems I am," he said lightly, lips curling into a smile that sent chills racing down her spine.
Serena swallowed. "E-Elder Ileus… I'm sorry I didn't know... so sorry."
His gaze swept over her slowly, deliberately. "Truly a beauty," he mused. "No wonder brothers would fight over you."
Something dark flickered behind his eyes.
"Killing you would be such a waste," he whispered to himself. "Let's see how this unfolds."