Aurelia's POV
Lucien ran as though the earth itself were falling away beneath his feet. Cold wind lashed against my cheeks, branches snapping under the pounding rhythm of his boots. Talon kept pace on the left, water swirling defensively around his arms, while Raffyn flanked the right, flames rolling over his knuckles like wildfire hungry for something to burn.
Behind us, the forest groaned with a presence that felt too heavy, too ancient, too wrong.
Jarek Nightfall was still hunting.
Lucien tightened his grip around me. "Hold on, Aurelia. Just a little longer."
I pressed trembling fingers against his chest. His heartbeat wasn't fast—it was steady, strong, determined. "Where are we going?"
"The old watchtower," Talon called. "It's heavily warded. Even Nightfall magic won't break through."
Raffyn snorted, though tension lined every muscle. "Assuming she doesn't blast the damn wards apart herself."
Heat flushed my cheeks. "I didn't mean to—"
"Oh, sweetheart, we know," Raffyn said. "You only explode when you're panicked. Which is… inconvenient."
Talon shot him an icy look. "She did more damage in a second than ten trained wolves could do in a minute. Show some respect."
Raffyn lifted a brow. "Did I say I didn't respect it? I'm just pointing out the obvious—she's unpredictable."
Lucien's voice softened, gentling like moonlight. "She's awakening. That's not unpredictability—that's power."
I swallowed hard. "But I hurt people."
"No," he corrected. "You protected yourself. There's a difference."
Before I could respond, Talon slowed. "We're close."
A clearing opened ahead, revealing an ancient stone tower half-swallowed by vines. It stood crooked but unbroken, moonlight glinting off runes carved into the stone. A heavy wooden door sealed the entrance, marked with layers of spells.
Lucien adjusted me in his arms. "Raffyn, open it."
Raffyn stepped forward, placing both flaming palms against the spells. Fire flared, reacting with the magic etched into the wood. A glow pulsed outward, the runes shifting from blue to molten gold.
The door groaned, then clicked open.
Talon moved past him, water magic sweeping through the interior like a cleansing tide. "Clear."
Lucien carried me inside. It was dim but warm—soft moonstones embedded into the stone walls cast a faint, ethereal glow. A circular staircase spiraled upward, disappearing into shadow. The room smelled of old books, herbs, and magic older than any of us.
Lucien set me gently onto a padded bench near the hearth. "Are you dizzy?"
"A little." My head felt like it was full of static.
Raffyn knelt in front of me, one large hand resting on my thigh for balance. "Look at me."
I blinked at him. "Why?"
"Because when you lose consciousness, your eyes go full white," he said calmly. "Trying to avoid that."
My breath hitched. "They do what?"
Talon stepped closer, folding his arms as he studied me. "Witch pupils fade when power overloads the mind. The fact that yours came back means you pulled the surge back in."
Lucien brushed hair from my face. "Which means your control is stronger than we expected."
"I didn't control anything," I whispered.
"You will," he promised.
Raffyn lifted my chin with his thumb. "But for now, breathe."
I did. Slowly. Deeply.
Their presence—fire, water, celestial light—felt like gravity pulling me back into myself.
For the first time since the ball, I felt almost… steady.
Almost.
Talon moved to the window slit, scanning the forest below. "The wolves are retreating. For now."
Raffyn rose to stand beside him. "Jarek won't give up. Not after seeing what she can do."
Lucien sat beside me, his shoulder brushing mine. "Aurelia, we need to talk. About your mother."
My breath caught. "You knew her?"
"No," Lucien said carefully. "But I knew of her."
Talon turned from the window. "We all did."
Raffyn crossed his arms. "We just didn't know she was your mother."
My throat tightened. "Tell me."
Lucien took a long breath. "There was a witch—powerful enough to stop an Alpha's heart with a whisper. Beautiful. Fierce. Feared. Some said she was half-wolf, others said half-angel, others half-shadow."
"A hybrid like me?" I whispered.
Talon nodded slowly. "Stronger. Maybe the strongest."
Raffyn added, "And she disappeared twenty years ago with a newborn child. No one ever found her."
A cold shiver rolled down my spine. "You think that child is me."
"We don't think," Talon said softly. "We're certain."
Lucien's expression darkened. "And Jarek Nightfall was obsessed with finding her."
My breathing stilled. "Why?"
The three men looked at each other—each waiting for the other to speak.
Finally, Raffyn answered.
"Because she was the Witchwolf Queen the prophecy spoke about."
A pulse thudded in my ears. "But you said I'm—"
"You are," Talon whispered. "She was the first. You're the second."
Lucien placed a hand over mine. "And Jarek wants the Witchwolf line. For power. For control. For war."
My heart felt like it might crack open. "Why… why didn't my parents tell me the truth?"
"Because they love you," Lucien said gently. "And because if the world knew who you were, you wouldn't have survived your first week of life."
Tears stung my eyes. I dragged in a shaky breath. "So what do I do now? Hide forever?"
Raffyn stepped toward me, golden eyes blazing. "No. You learn to fight."
Talon nodded. "You learn to control your magic."
Lucien's fingers brushed my cheek, warm and impossibly gentle. "And you let us protect you."
My heart twisted. "Why you three? Why are you so… connected to me?"
The room went quiet.
Raffyn looked away first. Talon's jaw clenched. Lucien's eyes softened.
It was Lucien who answered.
"Because we're bound to you, Aurelia."
"Bound," I repeated, pulse racing. "How?"
Raffyn stepped forward, expression serious. "Because you carry three marks. Mine. Talon's. And a bond with him"—he jerked his chin at Lucien—"that's older than anything we've seen."
Talon added quietly, "Three bonds. Three instincts. Three destinies tied to one woman."
Lucien held my gaze. "You're not meant for one mate, Aurelia."
Raffyn's fire dimmed, becoming almost tender. "You're meant for three."
My breath stilled.
Three mates.
Three marks.
Three destinies woven into mine.
A sharp knock suddenly struck the tower door.
All three men froze.
Lucien's wings flickered.
Talon's water surged.
Raffyn'
s fire ignited violently.
A voice echoed through the wood—deep, smooth, chilling.
"Aurelia… open the door."
My blood iced.
Jarek Nightfall had found us.
Again.