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He slams against the invisible barrier and snarls as I snap my wrist just like he taught me. It leaves a bloody streak across his face, and I take my chance to hurry around him.

As the shadows disappear into mist, I find, to my relief, that the tower is almost within reach. I’m in the thick of darkness, with red eyes everywhere, but I’m almost there.

Keep going.

An arrow strikes the ground right in front of me, but I don’t stop. Ze’ev, even if he isn’t in control, won’t end my life. Even under the influence of whatever this dark magic is, he would rather⁠—

Pain shoots up my leg as an arrow pierces straight through my thigh.

Motherfucker.

I stagger along as I grip my leg. Godric’s wolf cuts me off and snarls, but I know how to deal with him.

I only need a few more steps to reach the tower now.

“You chose me, wolf,” I snap at him.

He growls and begins to pace around me. His muzzle nudges my stomach.

“I can’t have a child, you stupid wolf,” I whisper. “My mother took an antiaging tonic while pregnant with me. That means parts of me never age, too.”

The beast just stares up at me with enough color in his eyes that I keep talking, even as my vision blurs with tears. I kneel and run my fingers through his scruff.

“I can’t have your pups,” I admit. “I can’t be the Omega to your Alpha.” I stand and then stagger away from him, ignoring how his lips peel back in a growl. “Move, stupid beast. I rejected you because I know you’re going to have to reject me.”

Something flickers with gold in the wolf’s eyes.

Realization?

Denial?

It doesn’t matter. The emotions bring about the inevitable hesitation that I knew would buy me the time I needed. I snap the whip and use the flash to disguise my exit as I rush around the stunned wolf.

A deep, sinister chuckle unfurls over the isle, and I look up at a new form that blocks me off.

King Njord.

No… there’s someone with him.

I squint into the darkness as I take in the strange silhouette of a tall male wearing elegant knee-high boots and a fine suit, with his hair slicked back into the perfect Elite City style. The gesture of adjusting silver cuff links is one that makes my mouth go dry.

“Brother?” I ask as shock thrums through my system and makes my fingers tingle.

The undeniable form of a very tangible Edward takes shape before me. I would think him alive and well if not for the way blue motes sparkle through him.

“Sister,” he says in that smug way of his that makes my extremities go numb and my chest constrict. “It’s so like you not to follow instructions. You were supposed to go to the castle.” He clicks his tongue. “Now I’m going to have to get my puppet to guide you over there in one piece without the cameras picking it up.”

King Njord towers behind him like a nightmare, but he doesn’t move from his spot or speak.

“What have you done to him?” I ask.

My brother is human—or at least, he used to be.

His soul has always been as black as night, and now it has found a place to call home.

And King Njord is an Undertaker beast. If he swallowed my brother’s soul, it wouldn’t surprise me if that didn’t quite agree with him.

My brother is a sour pill indeed.