The night air carried a chill that seeped into my bones as I huddled with Rachel and Lily in our makeshift safe house—a forgotten hunter's cabin deep in the woods. Lily had finally fallen asleep, her tiny body curled against mine, her dark lashes fluttering with dreams I hoped were kinder than our reality.
"You should have told him," Rachel whispered, her eyes reflecting the moonlight streaming through the cracked window. "About Lily. About everything."
I stroked my daughter's hair, so much like her father's. "He wouldn't believe me. Victoria's made sure of that."
"Then make him believe you." Rachel's voice hardened with the fierce protectiveness that had always defined her. "This isn't just about you anymore, Em."
Lyra whimpered inside me, her presence growing fainter by the hour. The potion Seraphina had given me was wearing off, and the hollow ache in my chest intensified.
"We need to move before sunrise," I said, carefully extracting myself from Lily's grip. "The rogues will track us here eventually."
Rachel nodded, but her eyes narrowed as she studied my face. "You're getting worse, aren't you?"
I couldn't lie to her. Not when she'd risked everything to help us. "Seraphina says weeks. Maybe less."
"Moon Goddess." Rachel's voice broke. "And still you won't ask him—"
"No." The word came out sharper than I intended. "I made my choice. I won't burden him with a dying mate and a daughter he never asked for."
"But—"
A twig snapped outside. We both froze, my hand instinctively covering Lily's mouth as her eyes fluttered open.
"They found us," Rachel whispered, rising to her feet.
The scent hit me then—the same rogues from earlier, their musk heavy with aggression. I gathered Lily into my arms, heart pounding as Rachel moved toward the door.
"What are you doing?" I hissed.
"Buying you time." Her eyes met mine, fierce and determined. "Get Lily out the back. Run for the pack border."
"Rachel, no—"
But she was already transforming, her body contorting as her wolf emerged—smaller than mine had once been, but vibrant with life and fury. She threw herself at the door just as it splintered inward.
I clutched Lily to my chest and bolted for the back window. Behind me, snarls and the sickening sound of tearing flesh filled the cabin. Lily whimpered against my neck as I crashed through the rotting wood frame, stumbling into the darkness.
"Mama, Aunt Rachel—"
"Shh, baby," I whispered, running blindly through the trees. "We have to be quiet now."
A howl of pain—Rachel's—tore through the night. I faltered, torn between my sister and my child. Then came the heavy thud of pursuing footsteps.
"There she goes!" A voice called. "Get the pup!"
I ran faster, Lyra desperately trying to summon strength we no longer had. If only I could shift, I might outrun them, but that ability had faded months ago.
A clearing appeared ahead—moonlight illuminating a small ravine. I veered toward it, hoping to hide Lily in the underbrush. But as I reached the edge, claws raked across my back. I screamed, stumbling forward as Lily tumbled from my arms.
"Mama!" Her terrified cry pierced my heart as she scrambled away from the advancing rogue.
"Run, Lily!" I gasped, struggling to my feet.
The scarred leader grabbed my hair, yanking me backward. "Your time's up, sweetheart. Now we take payment in blood."
A blur of tawny fur burst from the trees—Rachel, her muzzle crimson with blood, eyes wild with protective rage. She launched herself at the rogue holding me, teeth sinking into his throat.
"Get Lily!" She managed through our fading sister-bond as she shifted partially back to human form.
I staggered toward my daughter, who stood frozen at the edge of the ravine. The female rogue was closing in on her, claws extended.
"No!" I screamed, throwing myself forward.
But Rachel was faster. With a primal roar, she leapt between Lily and the lunging rogue. Their bodies collided in midair, a tangle of fur and flesh and terrible, terrible sounds.
They hit the ground hard, the rogue's massive jaws clamped around Rachel's throat. Blood—so much blood—soaked the forest floor as my sister's body convulsed.
"Rachel!" I screamed, grabbing a fallen branch and swinging it with all my remaining strength at the rogue's head.
The impact stunned her long enough for me to scoop up Lily and Rachel's broken body. The other rogues were regrouping, the leader clutching his torn throat.
"This isn't over," he gurgled, blood bubbling from his lips.
I didn't wait to hear more. With strength born of desperation, I dragged my sister toward pack territory, leaving a trail of blood behind us.
"Stay with me," I begged as Rachel's breathing grew shallow. "Please, Rach. Stay with me."
Lily sobbed quietly against my shoulder, her small body trembling with shock. The pack border loomed ahead—just a little further to Seraphina's den.
"Help!" I screamed as the healer's cabin came into view. "Please, someone help us!"
Seraphina burst through her door, eyes widening at the sight of us. "Moon Goddess," she breathed, rushing forward. "Bring her inside. Quickly!"
I collapsed on her floor, Rachel's blood soaking through my clothes. Her eyes fluttered, finding mine.
"Not your fault," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Never your fault."
"Don't talk," I sobbed as Seraphina's hands glowed blue over Rachel's ravaged body. "Save your strength."
But we both knew it was too late. The wounds were too deep, too many. Rachel's wolf was fading, faster even than mine.
"Promise," she gasped, fingers weakly grasping mine. "Tell him... everything."
"I promise," I whispered, though the words felt like ash in my mouth.
Rachel's eyes shifted past me, focusing on something—someone—behind us. Mark Blackwood, Ethan's Beta, stood in the doorway, his expression grim.
"Ask Elara," Rachel whispered to him, blood bubbling at her lips. "About the blood ritual... she knows."
Her hand went limp in mine, eyes fixed on some distant point I couldn't see. And just like that, my fierce, brave sister was gone.
Mark's troubled gaze moved from Rachel's body to me, questions forming in his eyes. But I could only clutch my sister's cooling hand and weep for everything we'd lost.
In the corner, Lily huddled, silent tears tracking down her face—her father's daughter even in grief. And I knew, with terrible certainty, that Rachel's sacrifice would be meaningless if I didn't keep my promise.
The truth would have to come out. All of it.
