Chapter 165 AURORA

The journal lay open before me, its old pages still faintly glowing with the residual magic that had broken Reed’s enchantment.

My fingers trembled slightly as I turned another page. Reading my mother’s words felt almost intrusive, but I couldn’t stop.

Her voice seemed to echo in my head as I traced the delicate symbols, their meaning unraveling effortlessly before my eyes.

Her warnings about the Nameless were vivid and terrifying, but there was a hope woven through them, a belief that she had left tools for me to fight back.

A soft knock at the door broke my focus.

“Come in,” I called, my voice steadier than I felt.

Evander stepped in, his face looking dull.

His usual charm was absent, replaced by the sharp intensity that had defined him since he started leading missions for me.

He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, completely worn out. “I just got word from my team,” he said, going straight to the point.

“We’ve narrowed the Nameless’s lair to a region in the mountains, but it will take more than just scouting to confirm.”

My heart raced at the news, but I forced myself to stay calm. “How dangerous are the wards?”

Evander crossed his arms, leaning against the wall.

“Well, my dear, it’s strong enough to kill anyone who gets too close without the right protection. The Nameless isn’t leaving anything to chance.”

“Then we’ll need to act quickly,” I said, closing the journal and rising to my feet. “We can’t let him strengthen those defenses any further.”

His expression darkened. “You’re not seriously thinking about going yourself.”

I met his gaze.

“Of course, I am. Who else would go? This isn’t just about strategy, Evander. It’s about Dane. If there’s even a chance I can weaken the Nameless’s hold on him, then so be it…”

“Don’t,” he cut in sharply, his voice low. “Don’t make this about him. Not entirely.”

I flinched at the edge of his tone but refused to back down.

“This is about all of us. About the pack. About stopping the Nameless before he destroys everything we’ve built. But yes, it’s also about Dane. I’m not going to apologize for that.”

Evander’s jaw tightened, but before he could respond, the door opened again, and Trajan entered. He took one look at us and sighed heavily.

“What now?” he asked, his voice filled with anxiousness.

“Evander has news,” I said, stepping back to give him space.

Trajan raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as he waited.

Evander filled him in on the lair’s location, the wards, and the challenges we’d face getting close.

By the time he finished, Trajan’s expression had gone from annoyed to dull as well.

“And Aurora wants to go alone,” Evander added, his tone biting.

Trajan turned to me, his expression a mix of frustration and concern. “Aurora, no… Absolutely not.”

I crossed my arms. “I didn’t realize I needed permission.”

“You don’t,” he said, his voice softening. “But this isn’t like the traps you’ve set before. This is the Nameless’s stronghold. If you get caught…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening.

“We can’t afford to lose you.”

“I’m not planning on getting caught,” I replied, rolling my eyes.

“You think that’s enough?” Trajan’s voice rose, frustration boiling over. “You think your plans and your magic and your good intentions are enough to keep you alive against a god? You have no wolf, Aurora. You can’t keep relying on….”

“That’s enough,” I snapped, my voice cutting through his.

The room fell silent.

“I know the risks,” I said, my voice steady but firm. “I know what I’m walking into. But I also know what’s at stake. This isn’t just about me. This is about the entire pack, the twins, you, and yes, it’s about Dane. So unless you have a better idea, I suggest you stop trying to talk me out of it and start figuring out how to make this work.”

Trajan stared at me for a long moment, his frustration warring with something else, something deeper.

Finally, he exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

“I’ll go with you,” he said at last.

“No,” I said immediately. “I need you here. If something happens, the pack needs its Beta.”

Trajan’s expression hardened. “And the Luna?”

“The Luna will come back,” I said, forcing a small smile. “She always does.”

It was a lie. I didn’t know if I’d come back. But I couldn’t let them see my fear. Not now.

Evander shifted, breaking the tense silence. “I’ll go,” he said.

I turned to him, startled. “What?”

“You need someone to scout ahead, to check for weak points in the wards,” he said. “I’m your best option. Let me handle this.”

I hesitated. Evander was right, he was the most experienced, the most capable. But the thought of sending him into that danger made my stomach twist.

“Are you sure?” I asked quietly.

He nodded, his expression resolute. “This is what I do, Aurora. Let me do it.”

I swallowed hard, then nodded.

“All right. But you don’t go alone. Take two of the best with you. No unnecessary risks.”

A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. “When have I ever taken unnecessary risks?”

I raised an eyebrow, but he was already heading for the door.

Trajan stayed behind, observing me. “You’re playing with fire,” he said quietly.

“Well, let me give you a heads up, I know that already,” I replied.

“Do you?” His gaze was piercing. “Because if you’re wrong, if this goes sideways… we’ll lose more than just Evander. You’re the glue holding this pack together, Aurora. Don’t forget that.”

I looked away, the weight of his words settling heavily on my shoulders.

“I won’t forget,” I said softly.

But as Trajan left the room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was already losing pieces of myself to the fight.

I turned back to the journal, running my fingers over its worn cover. My mother’s words had guided me this far. Maybe they would guide me through this, too.

As I opened the book and began to read again, a faint whisper brushed against my mind, a warning, or perhaps a promise.

The Nameless is watching.

I shivered but didn’t stop reading.

I couldn’t afford to stop.

Not now.

Not ever.