The next morning brought no relief from the storm. Rain hammered the pack house like angry fists, and the wind howled through the mountains. Elena stood at the window of her room, watching gray clouds swallow the sky. Two days until the full moon.
She hadn't slept much. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw that flicker of foreign darkness in the woods—something ancient watching her.
Kaelan had not returned since last night.
A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts. The door opened to reveal a young woman with warm brown eyes and braided hair—Lira, the pack's healer.
"The Alpha asked me to check on you," Lira said gently, carrying a tray of breakfast and fresh bandages. "He's been with the elders all night."
Elena sat on the bed, letting Lira examine the faint bruises on her wrists from the ropes.
"Is he… angry with me?" Elena asked quietly.
Lira smiled kindly. "Kaelan? Angry with you? No. He's furious with the elders for doubting you. He nearly challenged Elder Thorne to a dominance fight."
Elena's eyes widened. "Because of me?"
"Because you're his mate," Lira said simply. "Shadow Alphas are rare. Their bonds are… intense. When he says he'll protect you, he means it with his life."
She finished wrapping a soothing herb paste on Elena's skin. "But the pack is scared. The drained animals… it's like the old stories. The Void Spirit."
Elena froze. "What's that?"
Lira hesitated, then sighed. "Long ago, before the Shadow Pack was formed, a powerful spirit of pure darkness terrorized these lands. It fed on life force. Our ancestors trapped it in a sealed cave using blood magic—the blood of the first Shadow Alpha."
She met Elena's gaze. "They say only someone with matching shadow blood can break the seal."
Elena's stomach dropped. "You think… my curse…"
"I don't know," Lira admitted. "But the elders do. That's why some want you gone."
The door suddenly burst open. Kaelan stormed in, rain still dripping from his hair and cloak. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, but they softened the moment they landed on Elena.
"Lira, leave us."
The healer bowed and slipped out quietly.
Kaelan crossed the room, pulling Elena into his arms without a word. She stiffened at first, then slowly relaxed against his solid warmth. He smelled of rain and forest and safety.
"I'm sorry I left you alone," he murmured into her hair.
"What did the elders say?"
He pulled back, jaw tight. "They want to perform a binding ritual tomorrow night. To suppress your shadows until we understand what's happening."
Elena stepped away. "Suppress? You mean weaken me?"
"No." He caught her hands. "It's temporary. It will keep the darkness quiet until after the full moon. Keep you safe."
"And if I say no?"
His eyes flashed. "Then I'll stand against the entire pack to protect you."
Elena searched his face. He meant it. This stranger—this possessive, terrifying Alpha—was willing to risk everything for her.
"Why?" she whispered again.
Kaelan cupped her face, thumbs stroking her cheeks. "Because from the moment I smelled your scent in the woods, something in me changed. The shadows that have haunted me my whole life… they finally feel complete with you."
He leaned closer, breath warm against her lips. "You're not just my mate, Elena. You're my salvation."
The air thickened. Elena's heart thundered. She rose on her toes, drawn by the invisible pull between them—
A deafening howl shattered the moment.
Kaelan's head snapped toward the window. Shadows exploded from his body, filling the room with darkness.
"They've found something," he growled.
He grabbed Elena's hand and pulled her into the hallway. Wolves were running toward the main doors, faces grim.
Elder Thorne waited at the entrance, face pale.
"Alpha," he said gravely. "The border patrol… they found human remains. Drained. Just like the animals."
Kaelan's grip on Elena's hand tightened painfully.
"And there was a mark carved into the ground," Thorne continued. "The ancient symbol of the Void."
Gasps echoed through the hall.
Elena felt her shadows surge violently inside her, responding to the name. Black tendrils leaked from her skin before she could stop them.
Everyone stared.
She yanked her hand from Kaelan's, backing away.
"It's calling me," she whispered in horror. "The Void… it knows I'm here."
Kaelan reached for her, but she shook her head.
"Don't you see?" Tears filled her eyes. "I am the key. My curse is waking it."
Silence fell. Even the storm outside seemed to still.
Kaelan stepped forward slowly, shadows wrapping gently around her trembling form—calming them, claiming them.
"Then we face it together," he said firmly. "I won't let it take you. I won't let anyone take you."
He pulled her against his chest, voice fierce.
"You are mine, Elena. Curse or key or salvation—I choose all of you."
But deep in the mountains, something ancient stirred in its prison.
The seal was cracking.
And on the night of the full moon, it would be free.