Chapter 459:

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“He’ll pretend none of this concerns him while knowing everything that happens within three territories.”

“That sounds about right.”

I looked down at her. “You know something?”

“What?”

“I never thought I would have this.” I gestured around the cabin. “A quiet night. A woman I love sitting beside me. No pain waiting around the corner.”

Her expression softened. The clock ticked.

Then I remembered something. “There’s something I found on my way back.”

𝗧r𝗲𝘯𝖽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘯𝗈vе𝘭ѕ 𝗼ո 𝗀𝖺l𝘯𝘰𝗏е𝗅s.с𝘰𝘮

Remi looked up at once. “What?”

I reached for the small pouch beside me and pulled out the object I had been carrying for days. I placed it in her palm. Her expression changed the moment she recognized the markings. “Isn’t this Manuel’s?”

I nodded. Her fingers tightened around it. “Where did you find it?”

“Far from here.”

“How far?”

“Far enough that it shouldn’t have been there.”

She looked at me, and I continued. “I’ve been thinking about it ever since.”

“What does it mean?”

“I don’t know yet.” I leaned back against the couch. “But I know the Chimera are moving farther than we thought.”

Remi went still.

“They aren’t only attacking packs,” I said. “They’re taking wolves. Sometimes entire families disappear, and when they’re found, they aren’t the same.”

Her eyes darkened. “They’ve been experimenting on them.”

I nodded. “Changing their bodies. Testing their blood.”

Remi looked down at Manuel’s ring again. “And you think this is connected?”

“I think it might be.” I took a breath. “The Chimera may already be closer to destroying wolves than Kade realizes.”

Her expression hardened. “Then we’ll destroy them.”

I looked at her. “Is that what you really want?” I took her hand. “Now that you’re stronger. Now that the bond is complete. What do you want, Remi?”

She didn’t hesitate. “I want revenge for Isolde.” Her voice cracked slightly. “I want justice for my sister. I want the Chimera gone. I don’t want another family to lose someone because of them.” She looked directly into my eyes. “And I don’t want anyone to ever call me Olandria.”

My chest tightened. “You are Remi.”

I squeezed her hand. “You will always be Remi.”

She smiled faintly.

The clock crept toward midnight. Eleven fifty-nine. I could hear the fire, and her heartbeat, and my own. Ten seconds. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

Midnight.

I waited, and nothing happened. I waited a few seconds more. Still nothing.

I looked at Remi, who was staring at me. “It’s gone,” I whispered.

Her eyes filled with tears at once. I touched my chest. No pain. No darkness. I laughed, and it came out shaky, almost disbelieving. “It’s really gone.”

Remi threw her arms around me. I held her tightly, burying my face in her hair.

“You’re free,” she whispered.

I closed my eyes, and after some time I pulled back to look at her. Her runes had begun to glow. Soft silver light moved beneath her skin, following every line. I reached for her arm, and the moment my fingers touched one of the runes, electricity shot through my hand.

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