Chapter 21 1/6 AURORA Dane lifted a hand and carefully traced the ce three pages had been torn from the book .


    The surrounding pages were splotched with an old , rust colored liquid .


    Blood .


    I had flipped through this book hundreds of times , trying to figure that out myself .


    But I thought I knew .


    The Reeds gave me this book because they said it was full of old scribbles .


    They didnt think it was important .


    I dont remember much about when they gave it to me because I was young .


    That was only part of the reason .


    So much of my life before marrying Dane was lost to me .


    But I think I remember Esther Reed saying she tore them out .


    Now I touched the torn ces .


    The book had been written hundreds of years ago .


    Someone might have been able to trante it , if it was written in anguage .


    Instead , it was written in a code made of strange symbols .


    As I got older , I discovered the symbols were revealing themselves to me .


    Its an old gift that runs in our pack , my grandmother says a gift of magical interpretation .


    From what Ive been able to read , the pages beforehand describe the setup for a ceremony .


    The pages are the ceremony , itself .


    Chapter 21 A ceremony ? Dane asked .


    I nodded .


    The ceremony is to reveal the moon goddesss chosen .


    2/6 Why would Esther Reed take these pages if she couldnt read the book and didnt know how important they are ? Dane asked .


    I dont know .


    I spent almost twenty two years thinking I was their biological daughter .


    Everything they ever told me was a lie .


    Except that I couldnt trust the Montagues .


    I did remember them saying that .


    Over and over again .


    Then they made me Danes wife and tried to control him through me .


    But hed won , in the end .


    Hed driven them into the shadows in the deepest parts of the forest .


    Then Id freed him from me , too .


    Do you think she kept them ? Dane asked .


    He leaned close , looking over my shoulder .


    It would have been easy toy my head on his shoulder and rx against him .


    Goddess , I hated that part of me still wanted so badly to do that .


    Iughed without humor .


    Probably .


    Esther keeps everything .


    Shes always been a hoarder .


    Dane rubbed his chin .


    It was a familiar gesture one he made when he was deep in thought .


    The old Reed pack house is on mynd .


    I remembered .


    Hed chased them out in a raid a year after our 3/6 Chapter 21 forced marriage .


    It had been the win that turned the tide of the pack war against the Reeds .


    After that was the first time he went to the Council asking to end our marriage , and the first time the Council had forbidden it .


    What are you saying ? I asked , dread rising in the pit of my stomach .


    I hadnt been back to the ce Id been raised since they poisoned me with silver and left me for Dane to find .


    I never intended to go back .


    Im saying we need to search the house , Dane said .


    I snapped the book closed .


    We dont .


    The book will guide us to the relics location .


    Thats all we need .


    Then why is this ceremony in here ? he asked .


    I hesitated .


    Dane and I hadnt had a civil conversation this long … ever .


    It was strange .


    I wasnt sure how I felt about it .


    The chosen is required to undo the magical locks that keep the relic safe .


    But I believe we can figure it out .


    At least , we could if my grandmother was right , and the prophecy on the first page of the book talk me being the chosen .


    In the few years Id known her , shed never been wrong .


    And if there was no need to find the chosen , there was no need for me to face my past and visit my abandoned childhood home .


    Chapter 21 4/6 But Dane shook his head .


    My grandfather knows a little about messing with ancient magic .


    One thing is certain , you do everything required , or people die .


    We need to go into the Reed pack house and find those pages .


    My heart chilled at his words .


    No we dont .


    Dane stalked toward me suddenly , all the rage and threat hed been missing back in his voice .


    Yes .


    We do .


    And we will .


    Meet me there the day after tomorrow .


    The next night , I dreamed of the night my family killed my wolf .


    The night I met Dane .


    Everything hurt .


    My veins were on fire .


    I crawled through the forest .


    Inside , my wolf had curled up into a tiny corner of my mind , whimpering and crying .


    Its all right , I told her .


    Please hang on .


    Please , dont leave me ! Even in the dream , my childhood was no more than a dark shadow , but I knew my wolf was the reason I had survived .


    I knew we had to keep living .


    I fell to the ground , face down .


    Help … please … My voice was so weak I could barely form the words .


    Even as I called out , I despaired .


    Chapter 21 No one woulde for me .


    No one ever had .


    Then there was a warm hand on my face .


    Shh .


    Whats your name ? His voice was kind .


    And there was something … my wolf … she reached for him ….


    And in that moment , she died .


    I didnt know what happened after that , only that he was carrying me .


    His heartbeat was steady against my ear .


    Safe , it seemed to say .


    Safe , safe , safe .


    5/6 But it had been wrong .


    Instead of curling into his chest , I started to cry .


    DANE I woke in a cold sweat from the dream .


    My clock read 2 am .


    I hated that fucking dream .


    Every time I had it , I woke up feeling like a knife had been twisted in my heart .


    Like I was in love with the woman whod ruined everything .


    Like I should protect her , even now .


    Chapter 21 6/6 In a way , I was .


    Thats why Id sent my sister Piper and my best pack warriors .


    As if my name summoned her , my phone started to ring .


    It was Pipers name .


    I answered .


    Piper ? Dane , she sounded panicked .


    The Reeds are here .


    Broken Forest wolves have us surrounded .


    They want Aurora .