🌑 Chapter 40 — The Awakening
The ground continued to tremble.
At first, it was only a faint vibration beneath their feet.
Then it became stronger.
The trees surrounding the Crimson Dusk Pack bent as though an invisible storm had swept through the forest.
Every wolf fell silent.
Even the night seemed to hold its breath.
Ivy tightened her arms around Xander.
"Stay behind me."
Xander nodded, frightened.
Jayden stepped forward, placing himself between his family and the dark-eyed man.
"What did you awaken?"
The man smiled.
"Not what."
His silver eyes flashed.
"Who."
A deep sound echoed beneath the earth.
It wasn't quite a roar.
It was something older.
Something that made every supernatural creature in the territory instinctively lower their heads.
Jake staggered backward.
His hand pressed against his chest.
"I can feel it."
Kael looked at him.
"So can I."
Ivy suddenly gasped.
Her eyes turned completely violet.
Images flashed through her mind.
A massive ancient temple.
Three glowing symbols.
Her parents standing before them.
Her mother holding a newborn Ivy.
Her father holding Jake.
And another baby...
Kael.
Ivy's breath caught.
"Three children."
Jake stared at her.
"What?"
She looked at him.
"We weren't the only ones."
Kael went completely still.
"I already knew."
Everyone turned toward him.
Ivy's voice became barely audible.
"You knew?"
Kael nodded slowly.
"My memories were sealed too."
Jake's expression hardened.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because I didn't know if the memories were real."
Kael looked toward the mountains.
"Until now."
Another tremor shook the ground.
The dark-eyed man laughed quietly.
"You finally remember."
Ivy stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The man removed his hood.
For the first time, his face was completely visible.
His features were calm, almost unnaturally so.
"My name is Malthor."
Jake's eyes narrowed.
"Malthor..."
The name seemed to awaken something inside him.
He remembered the old records.
A forbidden name.
A wolf who had disappeared centuries ago.
A guardian who had betrayed his own order.
Jake whispered,
"You were one of the original Keepers."
Malthor smiled.
"Very good."
Ivy's heart raced.
"Then why are you doing this?"
Malthor looked at her.
"Because your parents were never supposed to inherit the Seal."
Silence.
"They stole it."
Ivy shook her head.
"My parents were protectors."
"They were."
Malthor's expression darkened.
"And that is exactly why I had to remove them."
Jake's wolf stirred.
"You murdered our parents."
"I gave them a choice."
Jake stepped forward.
"They chose to protect us."
Malthor nodded.
"And that choice destroyed everything."
Before anyone could respond, a brilliant light erupted from the center of the battlefield.
Ivy shielded her eyes.
Three symbols appeared in the air.
Purple.
Silver.
Gold.
They moved toward Ivy, Jake, and Kael.
The moment the symbols touched them—
BOOM!
A wave of energy swept across the territory.
Jayden grabbed Ivy's hand.
"Ivy!"
"I'm okay!"
But she wasn't.
Something had changed.
Her eyes glowed brighter than ever.
Wind spiraled around her.
Water rose from the ground.
Fire flickered around her fingertips.
And beneath her feet, roots pushed through the soil.
All four elements answered her.
Jake's eyes flashed silver.
Kael's aura turned gold.
The three siblings stood together.
Malthor's smile disappeared.
"No..."
For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.
Ivy noticed.
"You said we could destroy you."
Malthor took a step backward.
"You're not ready."
Ivy looked at Jake.
Then Kael.
Then Jayden.
Finally, she looked at Xander.
"I don't need to be ready."
Her voice was steady.
"I just need to protect my family."
Malthor raised his hand.
The shadows surrounding the battlefield rushed toward them.
Jayden stepped forward.
"Everyone!"
The warriors raised their weapons.
"Protect the Keepers!"
The pack charged.
But before the shadows could reach them, James stepped into their path.
His silver-ringed eyes glowed.
"I've got this."
Ivy looked at him.
"James—"
He smiled faintly.
"For once, let me do something right."
He raised both hands.
A massive barrier of silver energy formed around the pack.
The shadows crashed against it.
James cried out as he struggled to hold it.
"Go!"
Ivy looked at Jake and Kael.
"Together?"
Jake nodded.
"Together."
Kael smiled.
"Like we were always supposed to be."
The three siblings stepped forward.
Their powers joined.
Purple.
Silver.
Gold.
The sky above them erupted with light.
Malthor stared upward.
"No..."
Ivy raised her hand.
"You wanted the Keepers."
The energy around her intensified.
"Now you have all three."
And for the first time in centuries...
Malthor looked afraid.
But beneath the battlefield, something else was watching.
Something even Malthor feared.
A pair of ancient eyes opened beneath the shattered Seal.
And a voice whispered through the earth:
"The children have returned."
Ivy froze.
She heard it.
Jake heard it.
Kael heard it.
And Xander...
heard it too.
The little boy slowly looked toward the ground.
"Mommy?"
Ivy turned.
Xander's eyes were glowing faintly purple.
"I think..."
He swallowed.
"...something is calling me."
Ivy's blood ran cold.
Because the voice beneath the earth whispered again.
"The fourth bloodline has awakened."
End of Chapter 40 🌑
Next: Chapter 41 — The Fourth Bloodline