Darkness swallowed Evelyn before she even had time to scream.
Not cold, not empty—alive.
It pulled her downward like a current, dragging her through layers of shadows that felt like silk one moment and claws the next. Her hands reached blindly for Ronan, but his fingers slipped from hers in a burst of blinding light.
"RONAN!"
Her voice didn't echo.
It vanished.
As if the darkness ate the sound.
A moment later, shadow-solid ground slammed beneath her feet, and she collapsed onto her knees, choking on air that tasted like smoke and moonlight.
The Shadow Realm.
She knew it instinctively.Her skin prickled. Her power throbbed. Her mark burned.
And behind her…
A presence materialized.
"You return to me, child."
Evelyn spun around.The Shadow Father stood there—fully formed now.No mist body. No half shape.
Tall.Crowned in void.Eyes like violet stars dying slowly in the dark.
"Stay away from me," Evelyn hissed, stepping back.
The Shadow Father didn't move.
"You chose shadow the moment you awakened," he said softly. "All that remains is acceptance."
"I didn't choose anything," she snapped. "I was dragged here!"
A slow smile.
"Yes. Because your bond attempted to shield you."A pause."And so I broke it."
Evelyn's body went cold.
"You… what?"
A crack through her soul—sharp, painful, sickening—echoed inside her chest.
Not broken.Not destroyed.
But severed.
Ronan.
Her knees buckled. "No—no, no, he's still—Ron—"
"He lives," the Shadow Father said calmly."Which is more than can be said if I had severed it fully."
Evelyn pushed herself to her feet, fury igniting through the fear.
"If you hurt him—"
The Shadow Father raised a hand, stopping her words.
"I did nothing except take back what was always yours."
Her mark pulsed violently.
"You belong to the shadows, Evelyn. Not wolves. Not moonlight. Not an Alpha bound by mortal blood."
Her breath shook. "I belong to myself."
His head tilted.
"Not yet."
The ground trembled—and the shadows around her rose like serpent coils.
***********************************************************************************************
Moonfall Territory — Ronan's POV
The world was tearing itself apart.
Ronan smashed against the ward barrier as if something ripped Evelyn out of reality through his ribs. He collapsed to the ground, clawing at his chest, gasping as though someone had driven a blade straight into his heart and twisted.
"Evie—EVIE!"
Ash grabbed him. "Alpha! What happened?!"
Ronan shifted half-wolf instantly, eyes glowing silver with pain and rage.
"She's gone."
The warriors froze.
"Gone where?" Ash demanded.
Ronan bared his teeth in agony.
"She was pulled into the shadows—by him."
Silence.
Horrified.Disbelieving.Fearful.
Ash stepped back. "The Shadow Father?"
Ronan didn't answer.He didn't need to.
His wolf howled—loud, raw, shattering the air.
Every warrior flinched.
Ronan staggered to his feet, power sparking violently around him.
"I'm going after her."
Ash grabbed him again. "Alpha—NO. You can't enter that realm alone! It'll kill you!"
"Then let it try!" Ronan roared, power crackling from his skin.
Ash held his ground, voice shaking but firm.
"You go in now and you die—and Evelyn will be trapped there forever."
Ronan stopped.
Breathing hard.Shaking.Barely containing a grief that threatened to break him open.
Ash lowered his voice.
"We prepare. We get the witches. We get the seers. We find a way to open a safe passage. Denying him is suicide."
Ronan's voice cracked.
"She's in there alone."
Ash's voice softened.
"She's Evelyn. She won't break."
Ronan closed his eyes.
He hoped to hell that was true.
*********************************************************************************************
Shadow Realm — Evelyn's POV
The shadows closed around her like a storm.
But Evelyn lifted her chin.
"I am not yours," she whispered—voice shaking but unbroken.
The Shadow Father's eyes gleamed.
"Then why does your power call to me?"
Evelyn's mark burned in response—flaring with dark violet fire.
She grabbed her shoulder, teeth gritting through the pain.
"Because I don't know how to control it yet."
The Shadow Father stepped closer.
"Then learn."
The shadows lunged.
Evelyn raised her hand—
Darkness surged from her palm like a blade.
The Realm trembled.
The Shadow Father stopped walking.
And for the first time…
He looked almost pleased.
"You learn quickly."
Evelyn inhaled sharply, steadying herself.
"I won't be your weapon."
"You will be your own," he corrected."And I will teach you."
Evelyn stepped back.
"I don't want your lessons."
His eyes glowed brighter.
"But you want power."
Her heartbeat stuttered.
No answer.
The Shadow Father smiled wider.
"You want to protect your Alpha."
Evelyn's breath froze.
"You want to stop Bloodmoon."
Her hands curled into fists.
"You want to survive what is coming."
Silence.
Evelyn whispered,
"…yes."
The shadows tightened.
"Then embrace what you are."
She swallowed hard.
"And what is that?"
The Realm trembled like it was waiting to hear the words.
The Shadow Father leaned close.
"Shadowborn."
Darkness flared.
Violet light surged through her veins.
Her mark ignited.
Evelyn screamed—not in fear.
In awakening.
And far away, in the physical world, Ronan collapsed to his knees as her power ripped through the bond like a shockwave—so violent that even severed, it made his heart stutter.
"Evie…" he whispered, as the earth shook under him.
"Hold on."