Chapter 46 Double-crossed

• The night air over Bloodhowl Castle was tense—charged with the kind of stillness that came before a storm. The red moon’s approach had unsettled many within the pack, but tonight, Lucy’s mind was fixed solely on completing the Ritual of Binding. If successful, she would sever her powers from the realm, protecting her son from the curse that followed their bloodline.
• Layla was out with Lucy again, but this time, it was Lucy who wanted something more—something only her mother can help with.
• The courtyard had been cleared for the ritual. A massive obsidian circle glowed faintly under the moonlight, carved with ancient sigils that shimmered with a silvery hue. Candles flickered, their flames dancing in the wind like spirits warning of what was to come. In the center stood Lucy, her hands wrapped with sacred cloth, her eyes burning with resolve. Jacobs was nearby, silent, cloaked in shadows, watching over her like a sentinel.