Chapter 55 DANE Aurora was quiet for a long time .


    I didnt me her .


    I hadnt lied to her .


    I was working through this .


    Id fought it for so long .


    For eight years , Id believed every single terrible thing about her I could .


    I had pushed her away .


    Hurt her on purpose .


    That whole time , there was always dread that lurked in the back of my mind .


    My greatest fear was to find out Id treated someone like a monster when theyd been innocent all along .


    When I was younger , I was so sure .


    When shede back , Id doubted .


    Now , I couldnt deny it any longer .


    I had proof that she was right.


    The Reeds had forced her .


    Framed her .


    What that meant for me , for her , for our children … even for Evelyn … I didnt know .


    Dane , she said , It doesnt matter .


    You know that , right ? I nced at her sharply .


    Of course , it matters .


    Chapter 55 2/5 She shook her head .


    No it doesnt .


    And it shouldnt .


    Whether or not you believe me … you should stay away .


    Trust me .


    Its better for you .


    Were business partners .


    Everything else is over .


    Whatever is in the past , its done .


    I stalked toward her .


    Do you think its that simple ? What about the children ? She flinched .


    I dont know .


    She shook her head sadly .


    I truly dont know .


    Bute on , Dane .


    Even if youd believed met back then , would it have changed anything ? Would you have been willing to have children with a woman you believed was a Reed ? Would it have stopped you from taking Evelyn as your mistress ? I had been about to say , yes , it would have changed things .


    But at her questions , I paused .


    She was right .


    At the time , I still thought she had Reed blood .


    And Evelyn ? Nothing would ever change the fact that she had saved my life .


    when we were children .


    That I owed her everything .


    There was a low , ominous rumbling from deep below .


    Whats that ? I asked .


    Aurora was looking around the room with wide eyes .


    When the vision had taken her earlier , Id worried .


    Now she was looking around like she was terrified one was going to take her again .


    I dont know … I remember … Then her eyes went wide .


    The Chapter 55 guardian .


    What ? 3/5 She ran past me out of the room and into the basement , toward the ce wed fallen through the floor .


    Aurora , wait ! I ran after her .


    She didnt stop .


    I caught up with her , grabbed her wrist , and held her back as she pulled against me .


    Trajan ! she called .


    Just then , I heard the rmed howls of two wolves , and Archers mind crashed into mine .


    Dane ! Theres something down here .


    Something big .


    We found the pages , and now its chasing us ! Run , I told Aurora .


    Get upstairs .


    Theres something after- 義 Two lycans burst through a gaping hole in the wall and ran for us .


    It was Trajan and Archer .


    We found them ! Trajan shouted .


    He lunged for Aurora and grabbed her hand , pushing something into her palm .


    Folded pieces of paper .


    Those are the pages , he panted .


    Now you have to run .


    Get out .


    Ill buy you time .


    Trajan ? Aurora looked at the folded papers in her hands with huge eyes .


    What- ? Chapter 55 4/5 Something moved in the darkness .


    I squinted through the hole the two wolves had juste through .


    At first , my brain couldnt wrap around it .


    It was too big .


    Like the whole of the darkness moving on its own .


    Then it started to push through .


    Some sort of giant worm made of shadows .


    Aurora ! Get out of here ! Trajan called in his gruff lycan voice .


    He turned and spun to face the thing , which screamed at him from the hole in the wall .


    No ! Stop ! Aurora ran toward them .


    You cant- ! The shadow creature shot through the hole like water from a fire hose .


    It went right for me .


    It had a stinger out , like the one it used on my grandfather .


    Like the one probably used on Piper .


    No ! Aurora threw herself in front of me .


    The stinger sunk into her chest .


    Trajan and I both shouted at once .


    He was on the creature in an instant .


    Magic jolted through me as I took on my lycan form and I was right behind him .


    But the creature was so fast .


    Neither of us could stop it from Chapter 55 5/5 getting to her .


    It moved like putty or slime , oozing around her legs and trapping her feet , then pulling them out from under hez .


    Aurora ! I called .


    She reached for me .


    Dane ! He AH ! Her cries for help turned to cries of pain .


    All of us tried to get to her , but it blocked us , looping a huge coil around her .


    The side of its body crashed into us and sent us flying .


    I was first to my feet , but all of us lunged .


    I sank my ws into it , and almost howled at the pain .


    It was so cold it made me feel like my fingers were frozen down to the bone just to touch it .


    Ahh ! Please , help me ! Aurora called again .


    The monster dragged her into the dark .