Goddess Of The Underworld (Sheridan Hartin) novel Chapter 111

Chapter 111

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The portal shimmered open just beyond the Tolaris border, spilling me into the cool morning air. The scent here was different from Red Moon, pine, iron–rich soil, and something faintly smoky that clung to the wind. I’d been here before, but stepping onto this ground now felt heavier, like the land itself remembered the blood spilled on it. The guards stationed along the treeline stiffened when they saw me, but they didn’t draw weapons. One of them nodded curtly before shifting back into wolf form and bolting toward the heart of the territory, no doubt to announce my arrival. By the time I reached the main clearing, Zion was already walking out of the packhouse. He was taller than I remembered, his broad shoulders squared under the weight of the Alpha mantle. His golden–brown eyes flicked over me, taking in every detail. Behind him, Theo emerged, his dark hair neatly tied back, posture crisp in a way that screamed Beta.

“Envy,” Zion said, stopping a few feet away.

“Zion.” My voice was even, though my heart ached at the subtle change in his scent, loss lingering beneath the usual clean cedar and wind.

Theo’s gaze shifted between us but stayed silent, standing just off Zion’s shoulder like a

true second.

I took a breath. “Marcus is gone.”

Zion didn’t flinch, but the muscle in his jaw ticked. He nodded once. “I felt it. The bond to him… broke.”

Silence stretched for a moment. Then he said quietly, “I won’t pretend I’m not… grieving. He was my father, despite everything. But…” He met my gaze fully, his voice firm despite the rawness beneath it. “…I also won’t pretend I’m blind to what he did. To you. To my pack. To everyone.”

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Theo’s head dipped slightly in agreement, but his eyes stayed on me, as if measuring my

reaction.

Zion stepped closer, close enough that I could see the faint shadows under his eyes. “I’m sorry, Envy. For letting things get so far out of hand. For not stopping him sooner. For… not saving you.”

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Chapter 111

The sincerity in his voice was heavy, and I knew how much it cost him to say it.

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“You’re Alpha now,” I said quietly. “You have the chance to make it right. For them. For yourself.”

His lips pressed into a tight line, but he nodded. “I will.”

For a moment, we just stood there, two people linked by a past neither of us had chosen, facing a future that might finally be free of Marcus’s shadow.

Theo cleared his throat softly. “We’ll spread the word to the pack. They need to hear it from us.”

I nodded, taking a step back. “Then I’ll leave you to it. I didn’t come here for politics. Just

closure.”

Zion’s eyes softened, and there was something in his voice when he replied, something that sounded almost like gratitude. “You have it. And Envy… thank you.

With that, I opened the portal back to Red Moon. As the swirling magic closed behind me, I realized I wasn’t carrying the weight of Marcus anymore. I’d left it here, in the heart of the pack he’d once ruled. The portal deposited us just outside the Red Moon gates, the familiar scent of our territory curling around me. The sharp weight in my chest from the trip to Tolaris had dulled to something lighter, unfinished business finally put to rest. Haiden and Levi were waiting for me, leaning against the low stone wall near the

entrance. Levi’s mouth curved into one of his small, steady smiles.

“All good?” Levi asked.

Haiden pushed off the wall, slinging an arm loosely around my shoulders as we started toward the village path. “Good. Now let’s go see our boy before he’s completely corrupted Macey with glitter bombs and bad ideas.”

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Macey spotted us first, her eyes lighting up as she waved frantically. “Envy! Haiden! Levi! Come play!”

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