~Samantha~

Black Moon really had the absolute audacity to flash a smile my way.

He stood dead center in that cursed clearing like he was the VIP host who’d personally hand-delivered the invites, looking entirely too unbothered.

His hands hung loose at his sides, his hood casting a lethal shadow over his face while veins of dark energy literally parkoured through the dirt around him.

“So you came without your children.”

I literally went dead silent.

Dominic did too, but he looked like he meant to. I just looked like I was one second away from catching a case. Black Moon just tilted his head.

“Cat got your tongue now? I was really looking forward to seeing which twin you’d sacrificed to spare your lives.”

“The only one who is going to be sacrificed here today is you!”

Black Moon’s grin widened. “I see you got more delusional than last time.”

Lila drew one dagger and twirled it once. “Watch that delusion turn into your fucking reality.”

Killian’s blade slid free, eager to fight. “This is supposed to be an in and out job. Cut the small talk already.”

Black Moon looked toward him. “You want to be embarrassed badly then.”

Dominic stepped forward, voice cold enough to freeze skin. “I’m not going to spend the next one hour listening to this boring loser.”

“Everyone, fall into your formation.”

The elites moved instantly.

Black Moon gave a small laugh. “You can bring a million of your warriors and they will still not be able to stop me.”

Dominic did not bother with a reply. He lifted his hand and dropped it.

The clearing erupted.

Cursed wolves burst from the shadows so fast the first line of warriors barely had time to brace before steel met teeth. Killian moved from the opposite end, shouting sharp orders while cutting down the first beast that lunged at him.

“Left side, tighten up. Reynold, watch your back.”

Dominic drove straight into the pack on his side like he had personal issues with every creature in front of him. “Push them out. Do not let them circle.”

Lila grabbed my arm. “Don’t just stand there. Fight for your life if you want to see your kids again.”

We ran.

A cursed wolf lunged right in front of us. I blasted it with blood before it could even get close. It crashed sideways, shrieking its head off while its fur literally started smoking.

Lila sliced through another one that came from the right. “Outer ring first.”

“Taking him out is getting harder by the minute.”

“Don’t be surprised when we face worse.”

Just like she predicted, the shadow pressure got worse with every single step. Breathing suddenly felt like a whole workout.

Behind us, the fight was just getting bloodier.

A warrior yelled, “Alpha, we need more warriors!.”

Killian barked back, “To die? That’s just a lame excuse, fight harder!”

Dominic blocked a wolf mid-air and drove his blade clean through its throat. “Hold the line and quit whining. If you can still talk, you can still kill.”

We pushed through the outer edge while shadow symbols pulsed under our feet. Lila slashed her palm and dropped blood over one of the markings. The thing dimmed for half a second, then lit right back up.

“What are we going to do now? We are running out of time.”

“Maybe, we need to head over there.” I pointed.

Her gaze followed my finger and immediately we ran for the center platform.

The deeper we moved, the worse the air got. My chest felt tight. My skin kept crawling. The closer we got to the tomb, the more the pressure around the array pressed against my bones like it wanted me on my knees.

Black Moon stood ahead of us near the raised center, watching all of it like a smug demon with a front row seat.

“You still have time to beg for my mercy,” he called.

I kept moving. “I’d never do that.”

“I admire your confidence a lot, it makes me want to humble you even more.”

Lila muttered, “I really can’t wait till we get rid of him for good.”

“It’s only a matter of time. Ignore him, he’s trying to distract us.”

Yeah and I had to listen to my own advice. As we kept trying, I suddenly heard a familiar voice that ruined my mood.

“Mum!”

Goddess, please tell me that’s not Diana and Devon.

Whipping my head around, I saw them running towards us.

“Does this look like a manor to you? Why are you out here?!”

Taking a mere look at Gamma, he was a second way from begging for his life and title.

“Why do you keep letting them sneak out? And don’t even apologize because I know it won’t be the last time.”

He bristled instantly. “I know this makes me look like a terrible babysitter but I really tried to lock them up.”

Devon reached us first, breathing hard but still bold enough to open his mouth. “Blame me instead.”

I swung to him. “Oh, I was definitely coming to you. You’ll always have to be at the crime scene.”

Gamma gestured sharply at both of them. “Diana was good and did her best convincing Devon.”

I turned on Diana next. “You just made your recovery a whole lot worse.”

Her eyes watered immediately, but she still held my gaze. “I didn’t want Devon to go without me.”

I blinked at her. “Well, you should have.”

Black Moon interrupted. “My minions came sooner than I anticipated. I told you can’t keep them away from me.”

I snapped my head toward him. “They are here to destroy you, not join you.”

He spread his hands. “We will see who gets to decide that.”

Dominic’s voice tore across the clearing. “Gamma, get them out.”

Devon shouted back before Gamma could move. “No!”

Diana flinched. “Devon!”

“No, he’s right,” Black Moon said silkily. “Let them stay. I would hate to miss such a touching family last moment.”

“You say that like I need your permission.”

Dominic looked over, saw the twins, and all the blood drained out of his face for one brutal second before rage replaced it. “Why are they here? I thought I gave them a stern warning.”

“Ask your son.” I shouted back.

“He got your stubbornness so I should be asking you.”

“I’m not arguing with you in the middle of this,” I said to Dominic before turning away. “Gamma, take them back home.”

Diana grabbed my sleeve with cold fingers. “Mummy, please. Just let us try everything we’ve learned. If it doesn’t work, we’ll go and never mention this again.”

I stared at her like she had lost what was left of her mind. “You say that every time but here we go.”

Her lower lip trembled. “Please.”

Gamma said, “Luna, I’ll take them back.” 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Devon stepped in front of Diana now too. “We are not going back there.”

Lila looked from the core to the twins. “Their power might actually get us out of here faster.”

I turned to her. “If you want to pick a side, it better be mine.”

“I’m picking us to win.”

Black Moon took one slow step toward us.

He smiled at me like I was a joke. “You still think you can protect them from me.”

“Yes, I can.”

“You might as well say goodbye to them now.”

Behind us, the crystal pulsed harder, almost reacting to the twins just standing there. Devon noticed first.

“Mum, look.”

Thin silver threads had started flickering around his fingers.

Diana lifted her hand slowly. Her light answered too, weaker but there.

Lila’s voice sharpened. “The core is reacting to purification.”

Black Moon’s head turned fully toward them.

“No,” he said.

That one word told me everything. It was the first genuine crack in his composure all night.

Devon looked at me, breathing hard. “See?”

Diana whispered, “We can do it together.”

I grabbed both their wrists before they could lift their hands higher. “Listen to me carefully. Do not overuse your powers, you know what happened to Diana.”

A huge part of me was scared of losing my daughter again but the other side knew to take the risk.

Dominic looked like he wanted to teleport over and lock them in a cell. Killian just shouted, “Don’t just stand there. Show them what I taught you!”

Black Moon sneered. “You let these guys teach your kids? You couldn’t have found a stronger Alpha?”

He strode toward us.

Lila lifted her daggers. “Gamma, if he gets close, take Diana first.”

“And Devon?” Gamma asked.

“I have legs to run,” Devon snapped.

I tightened my grip on him. “You better run as fast as you can if your powers fail us.”