Kendrick's POV
"SPREAD OUT! Search every inch of this territory!"
My warriors scatter into the forest, following the dark magic trail that monster left behind. But it's fading fast—too fast.
Emma stands frozen, her face white with terror. "Liam. My baby. She has my baby."
The guardian bond screams at me to comfort her, but there's no time. Every second we waste is another second that thing has her son.
"Marcus!" I roar. "Get trackers on Josie's scent. NOW!"
"Already on it!" Marcus sprints toward the dogs.
I turn to Emma. "I need you to focus. Where would Josie hide him? Think."
"I don't know! I don't—" Emma's shaking, panic overtaking her.
I grab her shoulders. "Yes, you do. You know her. You were friends for years. Where's her safe place?"
Emma's eyes dart around wildly. Then stop. "The old cabin. On Silverpine territory. Her family's hunting cabin. She took me there once, said it was her secret hideaway."
"How far?"
"Twenty miles north. Deep in the woods."
I release her, already shifting. "Marcus! North territory, old hunting cabin. Take ten warriors."
"I'm coming too." Emma tries to follow.
"No." I block her path. "Your ribs are still broken. You'll slow us down."
"That's my son—"
"And I swore to protect you both." I force her to meet my eyes. "Trust me. I will bring him back."
The guardian bond pulses between us. Emma's fear, her desperation, her love for her child—I feel all of it.
"Please," she whispers. "Please don't let him die."
"I won't." I shift fully into my wolf form and run.
Twenty miles takes fifteen minutes at full speed. Marcus and the warriors keep pace behind me.
The cabin appears through the trees—small, rundown, dark. But the stench of dark magic is everywhere.
I shift back to human. "Surround the building. Nobody gets out."
Warriors move into position silently.
I approach the door. It's locked, but one kick breaks it open.
Inside is chaos. Furniture smashed. Walls covered in black symbols drawn in what looks like blood. And in the center of the room, a cage.
Liam.
The little boy is huddled in the corner, crying silently. His eyes are wide with terror.
"Liam." I keep my voice gentle. "I'm Kendrick. Your mother sent me."
The boy flinches. "Emma's not my mother."
The potion's still working. He doesn't remember her.
"Well, she sent me anyway." I approach the cage slowly. "I'm going to get you out, okay?"
"Where's Josie?" Liam asks. "She said she'd come back."
"Josie's gone." I examine the lock. It's sealed with dark magic. "She's not coming back."
"Good." The word is so quiet I almost miss it. "She's mean now. Scary."
So the potion's wearing off. He's starting to see the truth.
I rip the cage door off its hinges, magic be damned. The spell fights back, burning my hands, but I push through.
Liam scrambles back. "Don't hurt me!"
"I won't hurt you." I kneel down to his level. "I'm here to take you to safety. To someone who loves you very much."
"Daddy?" Hope fills his voice.
My jaw tightens. "No. Someone better."
Before I can reach for him, the walls explode inward.
Josie—the dark magic monster—crashes through, roaring. She's even bigger now, more monstrous. Dark magic has consumed her completely.
"MINE!" Her voice is inhuman. "The boy is MINE!"
I shift instantly, placing myself between her and Liam. My wolf snarls a warning.
She lunges. I meet her mid-air, claws and teeth tearing. She's strong—stronger than any normal wolf. Dark magic makes her fast, deadly.
But I'm stronger.
We crash through the cabin wall into the clearing. Marcus and the warriors attack immediately, but she throws them off like toys.
This thing isn't just Josie anymore. It's pure dark magic in wolf form.
"Kendrick!" Marcus shouts. "Helena says if we kill her, the spell on Liam becomes permanent! He'll never remember Emma!"
I freeze. That's the trap. Kill the monster, lose the boy's memories forever.
Josie's laugh is horrible. "That's right! You can't kill me! I win either way!"
She lunges for the cabin—for Liam.
I intercept, taking a hit meant for the boy. Her claws rake across my ribs, burning with dark magic.
Pain explodes through me. The guardian bond flares—Emma feels my pain through the connection.
"Alpha!" Marcus is beside me. "We need a plan!"
"Get the boy out," I growl. "Now!"
Marcus shifts, darts into the cabin. Emerges with Liam on his back.
Josie roars, trying to follow. I block her path again.
We're at a standstill. I can't kill her without damaging Liam. She can't get past me to take him.
Then Emma's voice cuts through the chaos.
"Stop!"
Everyone freezes.
Emma walks into the clearing, limping but determined. Mira is beside her, holding her hand.
"Emma, get back—" I start.
"No." Emma approaches Josie calmly. "Josie, I know you're still in there. We were friends once. You cared about Liam once."
Josie's monster form laughs. "That weakness is gone!"
"Is it?" Emma keeps walking closer. "Then why hide him in your family's cabin? Why put him in a cage instead of just killing him?"
The monster hesitates.
"You didn't want to hurt him," Emma says softly. "Even now, consumed by dark magic, part of you knows he's just a child. An innocent."
"He's my son!" Josie roars. "Mine! Not yours!"
"He was never yours." Emma's voice is gentle but firm. "And deep down, you know it. The potions, the magic—you had to force him to love you. That's not real."
"Shut up!"
"I forgive you." Emma stops just feet from the monster.
Everyone gasps.
"What?" Josie's voice cracks.
"I forgive you for everything. The betrayal, the lies, trying to kill me. All of it." Emma's tears flow freely. "Because you're in pain. You've always been in pain. And I'm sorry I didn't see it before."
The dark magic flickers.
"You're just trying to trick me—"
"No tricks. Just truth." Emma opens her arms. "Let it go, Josie. Let the magic go. Let Liam go. Let me go. You don't have to be this monster."
"I can't!" Josie's voice is human again, broken. "The magic won't let me!"
"Then fight it." Emma's voice strengthens. "You're strong enough. You always were. You just chose the wrong strength."
The dark magic swirls around Josie violently. She's fighting it, I can see it.
"I'm scared," Josie whispers.
"I know." Emma steps closer. "But you don't have to be scared alone. Let us help you."
For a moment—one perfect moment—the magic breaks. Josie's real form appears, human and terrified.
"Emma," she chokes out. "I'm so sorry—"
Then the magic surges back, angry at being denied. It consumes her completely.
But not before Josie does one final thing.
She breaks the spell herself.
Golden light explodes from her chest—the counterspell. It shoots toward Liam, slamming into the boy's chest.
Liam gasps. His eyes clear. And he looks at Emma like he's seeing her for the first time in months.
"Mama?" His voice is small, confused. "Mama, why are you crying?"
Emma collapses, sobbing. "Liam. My baby. My sweet baby."
The dark magic consumes Josie completely. She screams once—a sound of rage and pain and regret.
Then she dissolves into shadows and is gone.
The clearing goes silent.
Liam runs to Emma, throwing himself into her arms. "Mama, I'm sorry! I don't know why I was so mean! I'm sorry!"
"Shh, baby. It's okay. It wasn't your fault." Emma holds him like she'll never let go.
Marcus approaches cautiously. "The magic's gone. Completely. Josie's dead."
I shift back to human, pressing a hand to my bleeding ribs. "And the spell?"
"Broken." Helena appears, checking Liam with her magic. "His memories are restored. All of them. He'll remember everything—the good and the manipulation."
I watch Emma hold both children—Liam and Mira—while they cry together.
The guardian bond hums with her joy, her relief, her overwhelming love.
We won. Against impossible odds, we actually won.
But as warriors help me stand, as Helena heals my wounds, I see something that makes my blood run cold.
Declan.
Standing at the edge of the clearing. Watching his son choose Emma over him. Watching his empire crumble.
And the look in his eyes isn't defeat.
It's pure, murderous rage.
"This isn't over," he mouths at me.
Then he's gone, melting into the forest.
"Alpha," Marcus sees him too. "Should we pursue?"
I watch Emma with her children, finally reunited, finally safe.
"Let him run," I say. "For now."
But I know the truth.
Declan won't accept defeat. He's lost everything—his mate, his reputation, his son, his power.
Men like that don't just disappear.
They plot revenge.
And somewhere in the darkness, Declan Thorne is already planning his next move.