Chapter

136

Aurora and her group stumbled into the freezing night, the mountain trembling behind them as the Abyssal Citadel collapsed in on itself. Dust and shadow rolled out like a tide, chasing them down the treacherous path. Cassian, his arm slung over Anica for support, growled in frustration. "We had it. We were so close."

Aurora barely heard him, her focus on the faint glow of the Heart that she could still sense in the distance, now fully in the Lycan King's possession. Each pulse of its energy carried a tinge of corruption, a twisted echo of what it once was. "We failed," she said quietly, her voice thick with guilt. "I let him take it. The Heart... it's tainted now because of me."noveldrama

Cassian stopped in his tracks, gripping her shoulder firmly. "Aurora, this isn't over. You're the reason we even made it this far. Don't let him break you now."

Anica stepped forward, brushing the dust from their coat. "Cassian's right. The Lycan King might have the Heart, but he hasn't bonded with it yet. That takes time. It's a complex ritual, and it's our only chance."

Aurora's gaze lifted, her silver hair catching the moonlight as determination flared in her chest. "If there's a way to stop him, we'll find it. What do we need to do?"

Anica unfurled a weathered map, pointing to a location marked with ancient glyphs. "We need to intercept him before the bond is complete. He'll need to perform the ritual in a place where the Pact's energy flows strongest. Here the Cradle of Dawn. If we move fast, we can catch him before it's too late."

Aurora nodded, her exhaustion giving way to resolve. "Then we don't rest until we stop him."

The pack regrouped in a sheltered clearing below the mountain, tending to their wounds and preparing for the final push. As Cassian sharpened his blade, his gaze lingered on Aurora, who was sitting by the fire, clutching a shard of crystal from the citadel.

He approached her quietly, lowering himself beside her. "You're thinking too much again."

She glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I'm thinking about what happens if we fail."

"Then don't," he said, his tone firm but gentle. "We're still in this because of you. And I'll fight until my last breath to keep it that way."

Aurora placed her hand over his, drawing strength from his unwavering presence. "Then we fight together."

As dawn broke over the horizon, the group prepared to embark on the final leg of their journey. Aurora looked to the mountains ahead, her heart heavy but resolute.

The Lycan King might have the Heart, but the Pact had chosen her. And she would prove herself worthy of it.