Chapter#20

Varian’s POV

A sudden roar split the air, reverberating through the ground beneath us. Everyone froze. My grip tightened on my sword as I scanned the treeline. Nothing moved, but I felt a threat I couldn’t see. “What the hell was that?” Rowan muttered, his blade already half-drawn.

“We shouldn’t stop,” I replied curtly as I turned back to the group. But my stomach dropped; Kaelen was gone. “Where is he?” I demanded as I scanned the group.

No one had an answer. We fanned out. My wolf stirred as I followed that faint scent. Then I saw her standing in front of a massive, ancient tree.

Kaelen stood utterly still, staring at the tree as if it had cast a spell over her. Her shoulders slackened, but her eyes were locked on it. I stopped in my tracks, watching her with quiet intensity. My wolf growled.

Liam caught up to me. His breath came in short bursts. “Did you find him?” he asked.

I nodded toward Kaelen, “There.”

Liam’s gaze shifted as he started toward her, but I held up a hand, stopping him. “Wait.”

“Wait for what?” he snapped.

“Look at him,” I said as my eyes were fixed on Kaelen. “Something’s not right.” The way she stood, like she was under the tree’s spell, sent a chill through me. My wolf paced, sensing something tied to Lunareth’s magic.

Liam hesitated. His gaze flicked between me and Kaelen. I couldn’t look away from Kaelen, “Kaelen!” I called out, but she didn’t respond, didn’t even flinch.

Liam stepped forward, unable to hold back any longer. “Kaelen, what are you doing?” he asked, but got no response.

The pull I felt toward her, toward this moment, wasn’t something I could explain. “He’s not moving,” Liam exclaimed.

“I see that,” I muttered as my grip tightened on my weapon as I moved closer. “You stay here and save your energy for our journey through the valley.”

Selene’s POV

I slowed my steps as I reached the base of an ancient tree. There was something about it. A strange warmth spread through my chest, filling me with a sense of connection, as if the ground beneath me was tethered to something far greater, a power I could feel but not name.

I couldn’t stop myself. My hand reached out slowly, almost of its own accord, toward the bark. But before my fingers could make contact, a sudden gust of wind swept through, rustling the leaves above, sending a shiver down my spine.

“You’re not like the others, are you?” a voice said.

I turned sharply. My heart leapt into my throat to find Varian standing beside me. “What do you mean?” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You aren’t who you say you are,” he growled, “Not everyone’s as stupid as you think, Kaelen.”

Before I could respond, the ground beneath me trembled. It was faint but enough to send a jolt through my body. My vision flickered. I stumbled back, my hand instinctively reaching for the tree to steady myself.

“Kaelen!” Liam’s voice cut through the haze, pulling me back to the present.

“I’m fine,” I said, though my voice trembled.

“Kaelen,” Liam said again as his hand brushed my arm, grounding me.

“I’m fine,” I repeated, shaking my head as if to clear it.

“Kaelen!” Rowan’s voice boomed, “What the hell are you doing out here alone?”

“I wasn’t alone,” I replied quickly, gesturing toward Varian, “He was…”

“I don’t care who was with you!” Rowan cut me off, stepping closer, “You can’t just wander off like this. Do you have any idea what could’ve happened?”

I flinched as guilt twisted in my gut. “I didn’t mean to,” I murmured, my eyes dropping to the ground.

Rowan turned his glare to Varian, “And you,” he said, “Why didn’t you bring him back? Were you just standing here while he…”

“Relax, little brother,” Varian interrupted smoothly, “Your precious Kaelen is fine. No thanks necessary.”

Rowan bristled as he took a step forward, “You think this is a joke?”

“I think you’re overreacting,” Varian said coldly, folding his arms. “He wasn’t in any danger. Just staring at the goddamn tree to waste our time.”

Rowan’s jaw tightened. “If anything happens to him, I’ll…”

“Enough!” I snapped. My voice came out louder than I intended, echoing in the clearing, all eyes turning to me. I took a deep breath, steadying myself, “We don’t have time for this. There’s something… off about this place. Can’t you feel it?”

Caden nodded slowly, “Yeah… no, I don’t,” he admitted.

“This tree,” I said, turning my head toward it, “Don’t you feel the energy it’s radiating? It’s…like it’s trying to speak to us.”

Caden stepped closer, “I don’t feel it the way you do, Kaelen,” he said, “but now that you mention it…there’s something. It’s subtle, but it’s there.” He crouched down, placing a hand on the ground near the tree’s roots, as his fingers brushed the earth. “It’s old…older than anything I’ve encountered. It’s like… a heartbeat, pulsing through the ground, through the roots. I think it’s tied to Lunareth’s primal magic, the kind that flows through the ley lines, connecting the packs to the land.”

“I think you’re overreacting,” Varian said coldly. “He wasn’t in any danger. Just staring at the goddamn tree to waste our time.”

Rowan’s jaw tightened. “If anything happens to him, I’ll…”

“Enough!” I snapped. “We don’t have time for this. There’s something… off about this place. Can’t you feel it?”

Caden paused. “Now that you mention it…there’s something. It’s faint for me, but it’s there. This tree…it’s not just a tree. I’ve heard of ones like this in old pack legends. They’re called Guardian Sentinels, ancient trees infused with the spirit of Lunareth itself to protect against corruption in the land.”

“Corruption?” Liam asked. “What kind of corruption?”

“The kind that comes from dark magic,” Caden replied. “Long ago, when the packs warred for dominance, some turned to forbidden rituals, tainting the land with blood and betrayal. The spirits of Lunareth chose certain trees to act as sentinels, radiating energy to ward off that darkness, and to keep the balance. This one’s awake, which means it senses something…”

“So it’s protecting us?” I asked.

“Maybe,” Caden said. “But it’s reacting strongest to you, Kaelen. You feel it more than we do. That energy, it’s like it’s reaching out to you specifically.”

“Why me?” My voice trembled.

Caden hesitated. “I’m not sure, but… the legends say these sentinels are drawn to purity…uncorrupted bloodlines, those who carry the true essence of Lunareth’s magic. The Silverthorn heritage might be why it’s responding to you.”

Varian opened his mouth to speak, but Rowan grabbed my hand. “We need to leave. Now.”