Valerian finally was able to get herself inside without a problem and walked over to where they all stood. She knelt down and examined the problem, she turned to the desk and looked around for anything to unbolt the hole. Then she found a steel hammer and turned it around and pressed it up to the board. It eventually pried open, the board was loose and they were free, but a thought crossed Scratch's mind.

"Wait, where is everyone?"

"They're downstairs with your 'friend'."

"What, Shadow? What's he doing down there?" Thunderbolt wondered.

Both Scratch and Howl knew the answer.

"That fucking traitor!" Scratch snarled.

He had never felt so hurt and betrayed since his father left his family and never returned. He didn't really want to know what Shadow was up to or why they were locked up.

"Honestly, you don't want to know, Max." Valerian sighed.

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The three boys exchanged glances.

"Who's Max?"

Valerian groaned. "You're seriously losing your memories?"

The boys and Valerian looked around the corner and snuck down the stairs, keeping watch of any sign of the army of dead wolves.

"Why is Shadow with them anyway, what's up with him?"

Valerian sighed again.

"Because they respect him....almost worshipping him like a god. He may be bound to Scarlett, but he's also the one that brought them back from the dead in the first place."

"What?" Scratch said.

Thunderbolt then said. "Shadow told us the Necromancer did that! I don't understand!"

Valerian silenced them as she peeked around the corner. "He IS the Necromancer!" She whispered, peeking around the corner once more to make sure they're in the clear. "Let's go, they must be down in the tunnels. We're fine, we just need to hurry."

The three wolves obeyed as she led them out of the tower and back into the forest.

.........................................

It didn't take them very long to find a den in the thick of the trees. They all went inside as Valerian moved a few boulders to close the entrance.

"We SHOULD be safe in here."

Scratch took a sigh of relief. "Thank you. By the way, you were saying something about Shadow being the Necromancer? I- I don't understand...that's IMPOSSIBLE!"

"Oh, that's right." Valerian said. She looked at the boys, before she found a spot in their circle and sat cross legged on the cold, hard floor.

"Let me tell you a story....."

.........................................................