The light swallowed everything.
Aria couldn’t see.
She couldn’t hear.
She felt only the warmth of Kael’s arms wrapped protectively around her.
Then…
Silence.
A cool breeze brushed against her face.
Slowly, Aria opened her eyes.
The battlefield was gone.
The Shadow Gate had vanished.
The forest lay in ruins.
Ancient trees had been reduced to splintered trunks, and the earth was scarred with deep cracks.
Wisps of silver light floated through the air like falling stars.
She looked around desperately.
“Kael?” “I’m here.” His familiar voice steadied her racing heart.
He was kneeling beside her, his black ceremonial coat torn and stained with blood, but he was alive.
Without thinking, Aria threw her arms around him.
For a moment, Kael froze.
Then he gently embraced her.
“You don’t have to be brave every second,” he whispered.
She buried her face against his chest.
“I thought I’d lost you.” “You never will.” Rowan emerged from the smoke with several Lycan warriors.
“My King!” Kael released Aria reluctantly.
“Report.” “The Shadowborn have disappeared.” “The Gate is sealed again.” “But…” Rowan lowered his head.
“We can’t find the First Alpha.” Silence settled over the group.
Aria looked toward the place where the old guardian had stood.
Only his silver staff remained, standing upright in the ground.
She walked to it slowly.
As her fingers touched the polished wood…
The staff dissolved into countless silver lights.
They circled around her once before disappearing into the crescent mark on her wrist.
The oldest Lycan elder, who had arrived with the warriors, fell to one knee.
“The Guardian…” “He has passed his blessing to the Moonborn Queen.”