Chapter 169 AURORA

The house was unnervingly quiet as I stirred awake. My eyes fluttered open to the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains. My heart raced, though I couldn’t place why. A vague sense of urgency tugged at my mind, a pull I couldn’t ignore. I sat up, the bedsheets pooling around me.

The world outside was still, but inside, my thoughts swirled like a storm. I’d told Evelyn we would leave at first light, but as the hours crept by, the waiting felt unbearable. I didn’t want either Trajan or Evander to see me leave; I don’t want to cause them trouble. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, the cool floor grounding me.

My gaze flicked to the pearl pendant resting on the nightstand, its surface catching the faint light. I reached for it, the weight of it familiar and reassuring. The dream from the night before lingered in my mind—a silver light, a shadowed figure, and Dane, whole and untarnished.

The vision burned like a beacon, urging me forward. I stood, slipped into my boots, and pulled on my coat. The decision solidified in my chest. I couldn’t wait until morning. Every moment spent idle was another moment wasted, another step further from Dane. I moved through the darkened halls of the pack house, my footsteps silent.

At Evelyn’s door, I hesitated only briefly before knocking lightly. The door opened almost immediately, and Evelyn stood there, fully dressed and ready. She raised an eyebrow, a knowing look on her face.

“I was ready because I knew you couldn’t wait till dawn,” she said, her voice low.

I shook my head. “I don’t think I’ll be able to rest until we’ve tried.”

Evelyn sighed, grabbing her sword from where it leaned against the wall. “You’re relentless, you know that?”

“And you’re still here,” I replied, a faint smile tugging at my lips.

She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, following me as we slipped out of the house and into the night.

The forest felt different in the dark. The moonlight filtered through the branches, casting eerie patterns on the ground. The air was colder and sharper, and the silence was oppressive. Every crunch of leaves beneath our boots sounded louder than it should.

Evelyn kept her sword in hand, her posture tense. “I don’t feel right,” she muttered.

“Neither do I,” I admitted. “But this has to be done.”

We moved quickly but cautiously, the path ahead illuminated only by the faint glow of the moon. My heart pounded with every step, the weight of what we were about to do pressing down on me.

When we reached the edge of the Nameless’s territory, the air shifted. It was subtle at first, a faint hum like a distant vibration, but the closer we got, the stronger it became until it felt like the ground itself was thrumming beneath our feet.

“There,” Evelyn whispered, pointing ahead.

The relic’s glow pierced the darkness, a sinister light that pulsed like a heartbeat. It sat at the center of the clearing, surrounded by jagged rocks and shifting shadows. The sight of it made my stomach turn, but I couldn’t look away. Evelyn’s grip on her sword tightened.

“Are you sure about this?”

“No,” I admitted. “But we’re here now.”

We crept forward, staying low and silent. The darkness moved unnaturally, twisting and writhing like living things. My skin prickled as we passed through them, every instinct screaming at me to turn back. But I didn’t.

As we neared the relic, I felt it, a strange, magnetic pull. The air around it shimmered, and the runes etched into its surface glowed brighter with each step we took.

Evelyn stopped abruptly, her eyes narrowing. “Do you feel that?”

I nodded, my throat tight. The relic wasn’t just an object. It was alive, in a way, pulsing with power, radiating a malevolence that made my skin crawl.

“Whatever we do, we can’t touch it,” I said, my voice barely audible.

Evelyn nodded, her gaze fixed on the relic.

As I moved closer, I caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye. I froze, my heart leaping into my throat.

Dane.

He stepped out of the darkness, his golden-ringed eyes locking onto mine. He didn’t speak, but his presence was enough to freeze me in place.

“Evelyn,” I whispered, not taking my eyes off him.

She followed my gaze, her sword lifting defensively. “Damn it.”

Dane’s expression was unreadable as he stepped forward, the dark wolves curling around him like living things.

“Aurora,” he said, his voice low and rough.

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. “Dane.”

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his tone sharp.

I took a step forward, ignoring Evelyn’s hiss of protest. “Neither should you.”

His eyes flashed, a brief flicker of something that looked almost like pain. “You don’t understand. You need to leave. Now.”

“I can’t,” I said, my voice trembling. “I came for you.”

His jaw tightened, and the dark wolves around him seemed to snap at me like they could feel what he felt. “You’re making a mistake.”

“No,” I said firmly. “The mistake would be leaving you behind.”

For a moment, he didn’t respond. The tension between us was palpable, the air thick with unspoken words.

Then, without warning, the dark wolves surged towards me. Evelyn stepped in front of me, her sword raised, but Dane held up a hand, stopping them in their tracks.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said, his voice softer now. “But if you stay, the Nameless will.”

“We’re not afraid of him,” Evelyn said, her voice cold.

Dane’s gaze shifted to her, then back to me. “You should be.”

I stepped ahead of Evelyn again, my heart aching at the sight of him. “Dane, please… Let me help you… I know you’re still in there.”

His expression twisted, a flicker of conflict crossing his face. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I do,” I said, my voice steady. “And I’m not giving up on you.”

For a moment, it felt like the world held its breath. Then Dane took a step back, the darkness around him retreating.

“Go,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I hesitated, my heart breaking as I looked at him. “Dane.”

“Go!” he thundered, his voice echoing through the clearing.

Evelyn grabbed my arm, pulling me back. “Aurora, we have to go. Now.”

Reluctantly, I let her pull me away, my chest tight with pain.

As we retreated, I glanced back one last time. Dane stood there, his golden-ringed eyes watching us, a shadow of the man he used to be.

And for a moment, just a moment, I thought I saw something else. Hope.