Page 24

The first thing I notice when I step into the packhouse is the silence. Not a single shifter is up and about. It isn’t right. It isn’t normal. And my wolf knows it.

“Jaslyn?” My voice echoes through the empty space. No response.

I make my way through the house, and the knot in my stomach tightens with every room I check. Her things are still here, but she isn’t. My wolf paces beneath my skin, restless and uneasy. This isn’t like her. If she wanted space, she could’ve stayed here and made me suffer through the tension.

But she’s gone.

I’m halfway out the door to track her down when the alarm bell shatters the quiet night, its sharp clang reverberating through the pack lands. My blood goes cold, and my wolf snarls, clawing for control.

Not again .

I sprint toward the sound, every nightmare scenario driving me forward. The first thing I see when I reach the edge of the training grounds is chaos—a group of shifters, most of them young, struggling to take down a demon. The creature thrashes wildly as its sickly, blackened skin gleams in the firelight as it swipes at its attackers.

“Move!” I shout.

They scatter just in time for me to shift and lunge at the demon’s side, claws slicing through its armor-like hide. It roars, spinning to face me, but I don’t give it the chance to retaliate. My teeth find its throat, and with a vicious shake, I tear through the vulnerable spot beneath its jaw.

The demon collapses in a heap of foul-smelling ichor. I spit the taste of it from my mouth as the others gather around me.

“Where are the others?” I demand, shifting back just enough to speak.

“By the east perimeter,” one of the younger wolves stammers. “Two more demons. Theo’s leading the charge.”

I’m already running before he finishes, my wolf surging forward as I shift again. The east perimeter isn’t far, but every second feels like an eternity. Two more demons. That makes three tonight. Three too many after we thought we’d sealed the last portal.

When I arrive, the scene is a blur of snarling wolves and the stench of demon blood. Theo’s massive wolf form is clamped onto a demon’s arm while another shifter goes for its legs. The second demon is still standing, but it’s badly injured. Its movements are sluggish as a group of warriors forces it back toward the tree line.

I don’t hesitate. I charge the closer demon, crashing into its side with enough force to send it flying. It lets out a roar, clawing at me, but I keep moving, tearing into its hide with my teeth and claws until it stops thrashing. I whirl toward the second demon just as Theo delivers the killing blow, his jaws snapping its neck with a sickening crunch.

For a moment, there’s only the sound of heavy breathing and the distant echo of the alarm bell. The warriors exchange uneasy glances, and my wolf bristles with the need to do something—anything—but the words catch in my throat when Theo shifts back.

“There’s another one,” he says, his voice grim. “Southwest. Near the old trails.”

My stomach drops. Jaslyn.

I’m sprinting toward the southwest edge of the territory without a second thought. My mind races with possibilities, none of them good. If she’s there, if she’s hurt…

I force the thought away and push harder.

The scent of a demon hits me before I reach the clearing, and I hear the sounds of a fight—magic crackling, snarls, and the rasping roars of a demon.

When I break through the trees, the sight stops me cold. Jaslyn stands at the center of the chaos, her hands glowing as she blasts the demon back with a force that sends it skidding. Isadora is beside her, chanting under her breath.

The demon recovers quickly, lunging for Jaslyn with claws outstretched, but I’m faster. I crash into its side, and the force of the impact sends us both tumbling to the ground. My claws tear into its chest. It screeches, its foul breath washing over me as it thrashes wildly.

“Jaslyn, now!” I roar, pinning the demon just long enough for her to unleash another burst of magic. It slams into the creature’s head, and it lets out one final, ear-piercing shriek before collapsing in a heap and dissolving.

I shift back, breathing hard as I turn to face her. She’s pale, sweat glistening on her skin, but her green eyes burn with determination. Isadora is already moving toward me, and her expression as grim as I’ve ever seen it.

“There’s more,” she states. “The energy is stronger here. It’s pulling them in.”

I glance at Jaslyn, and she nods, already knowing what I’m about to say. “We have to go to the source.”

“No,” I growl, stepping closer to her. “You’re exhausted. Both of you are. Let me handle this—”

“It’s not up for debate,” Jaslyn cuts in. “You need us, Gray. This isn’t just a shifter fight. It’s magic, and we’re the only ones who can deal with it.”

She’s right. I hate that she’s right, but there’s no time to argue. The demon’s corpse is already dissolving into blackened ash, and the energy in the air is growing stronger by the second.

“Fine,” I grit out. “But you stay close to me. Both of you.”

Jaslyn smirks, and her magic sparks as she lifts her hands. “You’re not the boss of me, Alpha.”

“Like hell I’m not,” I snap back, but there’s no heat in my voice. Just fear. Fear of losing her. Fear of what’s waiting for us at the source of this nightmare.

The energy pulls us forward like a beacon, growing stronger with every step. I can feel it thrumming through the earth beneath my feet, a vibration that sets my wolf on edge. Jaslyn walks beside me while Isadora and the rest of the group fan out behind us. Every nerve in my body is on high alert, anticipating another attack, but so far, the woods are silent.

The closer we get, the more familiar the terrain becomes. My stomach twists with a strange sense of foreboding, and when the trees open up to reveal the glint of moonlight on water, the realization hits me like a punch to the chest.

The lake.

Jaslyn freezes beside me, her green eyes wide as she stares at the expanse of dark, rippling water. “No way,” she whispers.

I glance at the water, and my wolf snarls uneasily as I take in its unnatural stillness. The energy is strongest here, pulsing in waves that ripple across the surface. My gaze shifts to Jaslyn, and I can see the memory of her last visit to this place playing out behind her eyes. This is where I took her that night when she needed to get rid of her excess magic before it got the better of her. We came here to escape, to find peace, and now it’s become the center of everything we’re fighting against.

“Do you feel it?” Isadora asks. Her dark eyes narrow as she steps closer to the water’s edge with her hands outstretched. “The portal, it’s here. Somewhere beneath the surface.”

Jaslyn nods, her magic sparking to life as she follows Isadora’s lead. “It’s not just here. It’s strong. Stronger than any of the others.”

“That’s why the demons are coming through so fast,” Theo comments. “It’s a direct link.”

“To where?” I ask, though I already know the answer.

“Hell,” Isadora says bluntly. Her tone is calm, but the gravity of her words hangs heavy in the air. “Or whatever dimension the demons call home. This portal isn’t just a crack—it’s a doorway.”

I curse under my breath, running a hand through my hair as I try to think. The lake stretches out before us, deceptively calm, but the energy emanating from it is anything but. My instincts scream at me to destroy the portal, to close it down before another demon can come through, but the logistics are a nightmare. It’s underwater. None of us are equipped for this. Not me, not Theo, and certainly not the rest of the shifters.

“We’ll have to dive,” Isadora says suddenly, her tone matter-of-fact. She turns to Jaslyn. “The portal’s underwater. We’ll need to get close to seal it.”

“Absolutely not,” I snap before she can finish. “It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s the only option,” she counters. “You know shifters aren’t built for this. You’re strong and fast, but water isn’t your element. It slows you down. The water feeds off our magic. If anything, that’ll work in our favor.”

“She’s right,” Jaslyn adds, though her voice is quieter. She glances at me, her green eyes pleading. “We can do this, Gray. Isadora and I, we’re the best chance we have.”

“No,” I growl, stepping closer to her. “It’s suicide. If something happens down there, if you can’t—”

“We can,” Jaslyn interrupts. “You have to trust us.”

Trust. The word feels like a knife to the gut. I do trust her—more than I trust anyone—but the thought of her diving into that lake, surrounded by god knows what kind of energy and danger, makes my blood run cold.

“We’ll stay together,” Isadora interjects. “And we’ll be careful. But this has to be done, Gray. If we don’t close that portal, the demons won’t stop.”

“She’s right,” Theo adds reluctantly. “We don’t have a choice.”

I turn away, staring out at the lake as my thoughts race. Every instinct in me is screaming to keep Jaslyn out of this, to find another way, but I know there isn’t one. They’re right. The portal has to be closed, and the witches are our best shot at doing it.

Jaslyn steps closer, her hand brushing mine. “Gray, I need you to let me do this.”

I look at her, taking in the determination in her eyes, the way her shoulders are squared like she’s already made up her mind. She’s always been stubborn. Relentless in her need to prove herself, to fight for what she believes in. It’s one of the things I love most about her, but right now, it’s also the thing that terrifies me the most.

“You’re sure about this?” I ask.

“I am.” Her hand squeezes mine, just briefly, but it’s enough to steady the chaos in my chest. “We can do this.”

I nod, though the motion feels heavy. “Stay close to each other. No risks. If anything feels off—”

“We’ll pull back,” Isadora finishes for me. “We know what we’re doing, Gray.”

I force myself to take a step back as I watch the two of them prepare. Theo moves to stand beside me.

“You think they can do it?” he asks quietly.

“They have to,” I reply, though the words feel like ash in my mouth.

As the witches move toward the water, I fight the urge to stop them, to pull Jaslyn back and tell her she doesn’t have to do this. But I know better. This is who she is—strong, fearless, and ready to face whatever comes next.

And I can only pray that it’s enough.