Elowen POV

By the time I stumbled back through the front door, my knuckles were bruised, my legs ached, and I was still seething.

I didn’t say a word to Eron or Maria, who were sitting on the couch like two uptight gargoyles pretending not to eavesdrop. I just stomped upstairs and slammed my bedroom door behind me.

Safe.

For now.

I peeled off my training clothes, tossing them into the hamper, and pulled on an oversized hoodie that smelled like cedarwood and sweat. I was halfway through wiping the dried blood from my knuckles when my phone buzzed violently on the nightstand.

7 missed calls – Taya Quinn.

Shit.

Right as I grabbed the phone, it lit up again…FaceTime.

I hit accept.

Her face filled the screen instantly, wild red curls tied up in two messy buns, eyes wide.

“Oh my GOD, are you alive?!” she shouted. “You ghosted me and the whole pack is talking about ‘The Alpha Princess Choke Slam of the Century.’ You’ve gone viral, babe!”

I dropped onto the bed, covering my face with one hand. “Kill me.”

“Nah. Too iconic. I’m making you a sticker for it. Says ‘Don’t spit at wolves unless you wanna die tired.'”

Despite everything, I snorted.

She paused, eyes narrowing. “Wait… you okay?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “Something happened, Tay. I felt like I blacked out but also like I was more awake than ever. I could feel Lyssi in every inch of my bones. It was like… she wasn’t just pissed. She was awakened.”

“Because she’s a bad bitch,” Taya said. “And so are you. The princesses had it coming.”

Before I could answer, a soft knock tapped against my door.

“Come in,” I called out, expecting Maria with another tight lipped warning.

But it was Eron.

He carried a small, ancient looking chest with black wood, silver hardware, glowing faintly with runes.

“Leave your phone,” he said. “This is important.”

I raised an eyebrow but did as I was told, holding the phone away from my face. “Tay, I’ll call you back.”

“Ooooh mystery box. Don’t die. Love you.” Click.

Eron placed the chest on my desk like it might bite him. “It was left for you by Caelan. Strict instructions to only open it on your 18th birthday. No sooner.”

My breath caught. “You… kept this from me?”

“It wasn’t my choice,” he said. “The Alpha King himself reinforced the seal.”

My heart thundered. “What’s in it?”

“No idea. But the enchantments are still intact. Do not open it early, Elowen. I mean it.”

He left without another word.

I stared at the box.

It stared back.

And even though my fingers itched to pry it open, I didn’t.

I couldn’t.

Not tonight.

Not when my soul still felt like it was unraveling.

So I crawled into bed, pulled the blankets up to my chin, and let exhaustion win.

The dreams came fast.

Fire.

Screaming.

Cages.

Wolves muzzled in silver chains.

Syringes.

Steel walls dripping blood.

A girl with my eyes..strapped to a table, screaming for a father who couldn’t save her.

I ran through hallways of smoke and shadow, chased by white masked men with blades and needles. Behind them, a symbol burned…a black blade, a silver cage, a white mask.

The Aegis Protocol.

A voice echoed in the darkness.

“You were not born to survive. You were born to end it.”

Then light.

Blinding. Moonlight pouring like a river of silver.

A woman stood before me, tall, radiant, eyes glowing like galaxies. The Moon Goddess.

“Find the others. Unite them. Or all will be lost.”

I screamed, and sat bolt upright in bed, drenched in sweat, heart hammering like a war drum.

“Shit,” I whispered. “Shit, shit, shit.”

I scrambled out of bed and checked the time.

7:32 AM.

“SHIT.”

Ten minutes later, I flew down the road in my rusted out blue Chevy pickup, the windows down, wind tangling my hair into chaos. Silver stars swayed from my rearview mirror, dancing with every bump and turn.

I cranked the volume on my playlist, punk rock screaming through the speakers.

This was my morning chaos ritual. It always helped.

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