Aurora's heart hammered against her ribs as the Mother of Serpents towered above them, her massive scaled body gleaming under the rising moon. The creature's words echoed in everyone's minds: "I only needed you to unite."
"This was a trap," Elias growled, his muscles tensing as he moved protectively closer to Aurora.
Thorin's face had gone pale. "The ancient texts warned us. The Mother feeds on unity—on the power created when wolves join as one."
The giant serpent's laughter slithered through their thoughts like ice water. Below, hundreds of cultists emerged from the trees, their bodies twisting in bizarre celebration.
"Where's Juliet?" Dante suddenly asked, scanning the cultists. "She should be leading them."
Aurora gripped the Fang tighter, its silver light pulsing urgently. "She's not there," she realized. "Something's wrong."
A scream cut through the night from the far side of the settlement. Aurora spun around, her blood turning cold.
"The pups!" she gasped.
