"You don't look a day older," Gabe finally said, his voice low and soft, almost drowned out by the chatter of teens filling the room.

Gale’s hand instinctively moved to her face, but she dropped it quickly. "Side effect of staying in wolf form for so long," she replied, her tone casual but laced with the weight of years.

Gabe nodded, his gaze flicking to the door, worry etched into his features. "Does Maya—?"

"Have the shifting gene?" Gale cut in, finishing his thought just like she always had. She shook her head. "I don’t think so. She’s taken after Austen completely."

A faint smile tugged at Gabe’s lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

"That’s not a good thing, Gabe," Gale said, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper as she glanced towards the door, ensuring the conversation stayed between them.

Gabe’s smile faded, his lips pressing into a thin line as his gaze locked onto hers.

"It isn’t, and you know it," Gale hissed, her eyes narrowing as she felt her emotions bubbling up inside her. "The instability, the madness—it’s part of the James legacy. You remember Francis James, don’t you? One of the most twisted, unhinged men to ever exist. Dark magic corrodes the mind, Gabe. It distorts reality, twists morals." Her voice grew colder. "It’s a curse, not a gift, to have that blood running through your veins."

"Says the woman who once wanted to marry Austen and give him all the children he desired," Gabe shot back, his tone sharp and defensive. "You sound like a woman scorned, and it’s not a good look on you, Gale."

Gale’s expression softened for a moment, pain flickering in her eyes. "I know you loved him, Gabe, but Austen was not a good man. I realized that too late. I’d already doomed my daughter." She reached out, gripping his arm, her fingers digging in, the hint of claws betraying the wolf within. "That’s why I left. I needed to understand the James family, to study their history, to find a way to protect Maya from the darkness I unknowingly cursed her with."

Gabe yanked his arm free, not flinching even as her claws scratched his skin. "So now you’re an expert on the James family?" he sneered.

"I’ve studied their history, from the very first James to Austen," Gale replied, her voice steady but with an undercurrent of steel. "I’ve walked through the sites of their dark rituals, places where nothing grows, not even after centuries. I’ve seen the blood-soaked fields where they slaughtered anyone who stood in their way, visited the villages that were thriving until they were massacred for their powers." Her fists clenched as she added, "I’ve even ventured through the Halls of Thrall."

Gabe’s eyes widened slightly at the mention of the Halls, a place steeped in dark lore.

"I may have been an ignorant sixteen-year-old back then, but I’m not her anymore," Gale continued, her voice a low growl. "I know the evil that’s in Maya’s blood. I know how to help her fight it… and the urges it will bring."

Gabe’s expression hardened as he took a step closer. "You need to stop treating this like some kind of curse, like an infirmity. And you’re going to have to accept it. Austen had six children, Gale. Six. Even if his plans for them don’t come to fruition, they’re alive, and they’ll thrive. Thanks to him, the James family will be strong again, stronger than ever. And no one will be able to stop them this time, especially not once their dark magic is fully awakened." He shook his head, disgusted. "Maya’s the Firstborn James, the natural leader of her siblings, with the purest James blood. When her siblings awaken their magic, they’ll connect to her, just like every James has since the first. No matter what you do or say, she’s going to fulfill her destiny. She’s going to lead the James family into a new era, one where they don’t have to hide in fear anymore." He stepped back, his voice softening slightly. "That girl is brilliant, kind, and if she sets her mind to it, nothing will stand in her way. If you truly care for her, you’re going to have to set aside your anger and help her become the Matriarch she’s destined to be."

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Gale watched him in silence, her heart heavy with the weight of his words.

Gabe shook his head one last time before turning on his heel and storming away.

Gale sighed deeply, leaning against the door, her eyes closing tightly as she whispered, "That’s what I’m afraid of."

The bouquet in Jason’s hands was a burst of color against the otherwise muted tones of the library. Howard raised an eyebrow as he watched Jason carefully place the flowers in a vase. "Flowers?" he asked, disbelief tinging his voice.

Jason smirked, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "I’ve figured out how to get an 'in' with the Coven here," he said, a note of triumph in his voice.

Howard leaned against the wall, intrigued. "By buying flowers?"

"No," Jason replied, rolling his eyes as he flopped onto the couch beside the vase. "By getting close to the girl who’s selling the flowers."

Howard studied Jason, his interest piqued. "Is that so?"

"With Clarissa Jackson and Harper Lang gone, the Coven’s vulnerable. What better way in than to use my incredibly good looks on the last remaining female?" Jason plucked a flower from the vase, twirling it between his fingers. "She’s my way into the Coven."

Howard’s eyebrow shot up. "She’s sixteen, Jason. Legal in Kansas, sure, but that’s still frowned upon."

Jason shrugged, unbothered. "I said I’d get close, not that I’d do anything questionable. Besides, she’ll be seventeen soon. I’m only two years older."

Howard suppressed a reaction, mulling over Jason’s words. Seventeen. Cassandra Blake had just turned sixteen a few months ago, as had Eliane Meade. Harper Lang might be older, but Maya Burns was the oldest of the group by a few months. Everything pointed to Harper being the Firstborn, everything except Jason’s instincts.

If Harper was the Firstborn, Jason should have reacted by now. Ever since getting out of the quarantine room, he’d been tense, on edge. His knuckles cracked so often that Howard half-expected them to break. Even in Harvest Grove, Jason’s usually calm demeanor had been replaced by a simmering intensity, his silence and narrowed eyes speaking volumes.

And then, like a switch had been flipped, Jason was fine. Yet, while he gave Harper the occasional glance, his gaze followed Maya like a magnet.

Howard cleared his throat, keeping his thoughts to himself. "What’s your plan?"

Jason grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I’ve got it all figured out."

Howard’s lips curled into a sly smile. "Do share."

The brunette bolted upright in bed, her heart racing, green eyes wide as she reached out, instinctively grasping for the girl beside her. "Di..."

Eliane woke with a start, her own scarred palm tingling as she clutched it to her chest. Maya. That had to be her sister Maya. Casandra had seen her before, but why was Eliane seeing her now? Was it because her dark magic was awakening?

A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. "Did I wake you?" Grant asked, peering inside.

"Where are we?" Eliane mumbled, rubbing her eyes and hiding her scarred palm instinctively.

Outside, Maya stood waiting for Angelo, her mind spinning. She knew her father wouldn’t have said a word if she stayed home from school today, but the thought of spending the day alone with Gale was too much to bear. So, when Angelo’s truck pulled up, she didn’t hesitate to climb in, closing the door behind her. Angelo didn’t say anything, just leaned over to open the door, not even surprised to see her there.

As they pulled out of the driveway, Angelo broke the silence. "People are already talking about her being back," he mumbled, his fingers tapping a restless beat on the steering wheel. "They saw her and Gabe last night. The whole town’s buzzing."

Maya flinched, sinking lower in her seat. "I need to figure out what to tell Steve. He knows she can shift… and that she attacked me."

Angelo’s grip on the wheel tightened. "I wish he didn’t. He’s a loose cannon."

"He’s fine," Maya insisted, though her voice wavered slightly.

"Sam said he wants to hunt her. Apparently, he’s a good shot and has a stash of weapons. Excuse me for not feeling safe around him," Angelo shot back, his tone laced with concern.

Maya frowned, glaring at him. "He warned me about her. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t know what she was or that she and Clarissa were working together. I trust him."

"Well, I don’t," Angelo said bluntly.

"Tough," she snapped, but before she could say more, a sharp wave of power rippled through her, leaving her gasping. "Stop the car."

"What happened?" Angelo’s voice was tense as he quickly pulled off the road, parking in front of Harvest Grove’s only motel. "Maya, talk to me."