Chapter 4 The Edge of Truth

The forest seemed alive, every branch and shadow conspiring against us as I followed Rowan through the trees. His urgency was perceptible, but my frustration burned brighter than my fear.

"Stop!" I demanded as I grabbed his arm and forced him to stop. The suddenness of my touch halted him. I stepped in front of him as my breath formed puffs in the cold night air. "You don't get to drag me into this without answers. What's really going on?"

Rowan's face was a mask of conflict, his eyes flickered with emotions I couldn't fully read. "I'm trying to keep you safe," he said quietly.

"Safe from what? The truth? The wolves? Or yourself?" I weighed on, folding my arms despite the chill seeping into my skin.

His jaw tightened. "All of it," he admitted, his voice laced with raw honesty.

I held his gaze as my frustration gave way to something else. I saw it now, the cracks in his armor, the weight he carried. And yet, I wasn't about to let him dictate my choices.

"I don't need your protection, Rowan," I said firmly. "What I need is the truth."

For a moment, Rowan looked as though he might argue. But then he sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "You're stronger than anyone I've ever met, Evelyn. But strength doesn't make you invincible."

"I never claimed to be invincible," I countered. "But I'm not going to stand on the sidelines while you shoulder all of this alone."

His eyes softened, and for a fleeting moment, the tension between us shifted. "You remind me so much of her," he murmured.

"Your sister?" I asked, my voice was gentler.

Rowan nodded. "She was fearless, like you. She didn't back down, even when the odds were against her. But it got her killed." His voice broke slightly, and he looked away. "I couldn't save her."

I reached out and my fingers brushed against his hand. "You're not going to lose me," I said with a steady voice.

Rowan's head snapped back towards me as his eyes searched for mine. "I wish I could believe that."

"You don't have to believe it," I assured him. "You just have to trust me. Please."

My words hung between us, heavy and unspoken, until Rowan took a step closer. He lifted his hand to cup my jaw, his touch was hesitant at first, as though he was afraid that I might break.

"I don't deserve you," he said softly, rubbing his thumb lightly against my cold cheek.

My heart raced as his finger caressed my jaw, but I refused to look away. "Maybe not," I said with a teasing edge to my voice. "But you're stuck with me anyway."

A small smile tugged at his lips before he closed the distance between us. His lips met mine before I could utter another word. The kiss was gentle at first, testing, but it quickly deepened, igniting a fire that spread through me like wildfire. The forest around us seemed to fade away, leaving only the warmth of his embrace and the steady beat of my racing heart.

But the moment shattered like glass when a low, guttural growl echoed through the trees.

Rowan pulled away, his eyes darting toward the shadows. And I followed his gaze, my stomach sunk as glowing eyes emerged from the darkness. The werewolves were back, their hulking forms moving with predatory precision.

"They're not going to stop, are they?" I whispered with a steady voice, despite the fear crawling up my spine.

"No," Rowan said, his voice low. "Not until we finish this."

He grabbed my hand immediately, pulling me deeper into the woods as we ran. The ruins of the old chapel came into view, bathed in an eerie silver light of the full moon. The air felt heavy and colder as we approached the crumbling stone walls.

"This is where it started," Rowan said, his voice tense.

I glanced around, my eyes catching on the strange symbols etched into the walls. They matched the ones in the journal and on the locket.

"What do we do now?" I asked, my grip tightening on Rowan's hand.

Rowan pulled the locket from my pocket, and I felt a wave of electricity as his fingers brushed mine. "We find out what they're hiding."

As he stepped toward the altar, the ground trembled beneath our feet. The whispers returned, louder and more insistent, weaving through the air like a haunting melody. I felt a chill race down my spine when I heard it, but I stood firm, refusing to let fear control me.

Rowan placed the locket on the altar, and the symbols began to glow faintly. The air crackled with energy, and the werewolves emerged from the shadows, circling the clearing like predators waiting to strike.

"You know what happens if you do this," one of them growled, its voice deep and menacing.

Rowan stood his ground, his body tense. "You've had centuries to control this power. Now, it's time to set it free."

The werewolf snarled, lunging forward but I stepped in front of Rowan with my hand outstretched.

"Enough!" I commanded. I noticed my voice ring with authority.

The werewolf froze, its glowing eyes narrowing. "You don't understand what you're doing, human. That locket is a curse."

"Or it's a key," I shot back with an unwavering voice. "Either way, we're finding out."

Rowan's eyes widened slightly as he looked at me, a flicker of admiration crossing his face. "Evelyn-"

"I'm not afraid," I said firmly.

Rowan nodded; his hand brushed mine briefly before he turned back to the altar. With a deep breath, he pressed the locket into the carved indentation in the stone.

The ground trembled violently, and a blinding silver light erupted from the altar. I shielded my eyes, and my heart raced as the energy surged around us. The werewolves howled; their cries filled with pain or perhaps fear.

When the light finally faded, the clearing was silent. The werewolves were gone, and the ruins stood eerily still. But as I opened her eyes, I realized the world around us had shifted. The air felt heavier, the darkness deeper.

Rowan turned to me, his expression grim. "This is just the beginning."

But before I could respond, the whispers returned, louder than ever, and a chilling voice echoed from the shadows:

"You've awakened something you can't control."