Moments ago, I thought I was being forced to marry Jongho. But now, I'm tied to a tree on a sheer cliff, like a sacrifice.
"What is this? This isn't what we—"
"I would never marry someone like you, (Y/N)."
As though he's an entirely different person, Jongho removes his glasses and grins. The dagger in his grasp glints against the setting sun.
"Not when I have much bigger plans for you."
"(Y/N)!!!"
San is shackled beside Roslyn and an unconscious Yeosang. Roslyn kicks him to the ground.
"Quiet, bastard." Roslyn commands.
"Don't hurt him." I protest.
"You're really not in a position to be making demands, (Y/N). But don't worry…He's not the one I want."
"Stay away from her, you fucking freak!"
"San? What…?"
Yeosang blinks awake, his eyes growing wide at the sight of me, bound before chanting, robed wolves and Jongho's deadly blade.
"jinjeonghan jjag-eulo taeeonada…Born of True Mates…"
"Jongho, let her go! What are you doing?!"
"I'm sorry Mother and I couldn't share the plan with you two. We were afraid you'd act exactly the way you're acting now."
"You did play into our trap beautifully though, boys. Well done."
Everything begins to fall into place.
"So, everything. Buying me from Hyunjin, promising me to Yeosang, making me marry Jongho… It was all on purpose? To get me here?"
"I'll admit we had to improvise slightly. You didn't exactly cooperate all the time. But, other than that, yes. We needed to keep you in the dark until tonight. Your 21st birthday. Which by my calculation is…"
Jongho ambles up to me, dragging the blade across my cheek, just soft enough to keep it from cutting.
"…Is now. Happy Birthday, (Y/N)."
"Get fucked, asshole."
"Ah, that pretty vocabulary you possess. I must say, I'm going to miss it."
He drags the knife down to my forearm.
"Jongho. Don't. Don't!!!"
I struggle, trying to pull my arm away from him, but I am bound far too tight.
Shit. I'm really going to—
Pain blooms as Jongho sinks the blade slowly into my forearm, dragging it down to slice me open.
Oh my God!
I bite back a scream as San and Yeosang thrash, drawing their own blood in an effort to get to me. I expect Jongho to reach the artery, or to move to some other vital spot, but he stops at the gory cut on my arm.
What?
"Mother. The necklace."
My attention snaps to Roslyn. Her terrible, cocky grin widens as she approaches, holding her necklace out to Jongho. He brings the edge of the bloody knife to the surface of the cloudy red jewel…and drips my blood upon it. What happens next makes everyone gasp. My blood pools over the murky jewel…and the jewel drinks it in.
"What? Is that magic?"
"More a legend I hoped was real. Now, we know it is."
With that single drop of my blood, the jewel grows bright and polished once again. It pulses with a heartbeat all its own.
I feel drawn to it. Like it's truly…a part of me.
"Give it to me, son."
Roslyn draws in close, her eyes wide with a crazed desire. She licks her lips.
"Give it to me."
Jongho arcs an eyebrow at his mother. After a long moment…he hands her the necklace.
"Of course, Mother."
Roslyn claps the necklace back in place…and the second she does, she transforms. Her skin glows brighter, her muscles tense. She seems to grow larger and stronger in an instant.
"So. It does work."
Jongho takes his mother by the shoulders, gazing at her as though mesmerized.
"It works. It feels incredible. We can take our power past any limit we thought possible by—"
"Thank you, Mother. You have been very helpful."
With that, Jongho rips the necklace from Roslyn's neck, and shoves her back. She hurdles over the edge of the cliff.
"NO!!!"
Roslyn disappears before my eyes, crashing down into the angry ocean below.
"Jongho, that was Monstrous! She was your mother!"
"She was a means to an end. As are you."
Jongho turns to me. There isn't a shred of grief on his face.
"You barbaric son of a bitch!" San shouts.
"I'll be willing to share in the power we get from this child of True Mates. If you kindly shut the fuck up."
The robed wolves all place their hands on me, continuing their horrible chant as Jongho draws near
"Jinjeonghan jjag-eulo taeeonada…Born of True Mates…"
"Jongho. Don't do this. Please."
"Sorry, brother. Your time with (Y/N) is up."
He puts the blade to my throat.
"She is ripe for the harvest. Just think of all the new stones we can make with her blood. We'll rule over not only all shifters, but humankind as well. Out of the shadows, as the dominant race that we are."
The blade presses deep against my throat. A tear rolls down my cheek.
"San. Yeosang. Stay strong. Beat him for me."
"No. Don't say goodbye." Yeosang says.
"Don't you fucking give up, sonyeo. I won't let you!" San adds.
I hold back overwhelming fear from showing on my face as Jongho presses the knife deep. But just as it begins to dig into my skin, one hooded figure pulls Jongho's arm away, throwing him with an elaborate defensive move.
"You will not touch her."
The woman's voice cuts through the crash of the sea, awakening something long lost within my heart.
Wait. It couldn't be. Is that…my…
The woman knocks the other wolves back and pulls her robe clean off of her, her fierce eyes and powerful stance a reflection of my own.
"My daughter is not for you to 'harvest'."
The tight ropes binding me, the cut on my neck, it all dissolves in an instant at the sight of my mother. Her hair whips over her beautiful face as she walks up to Jongho. He tries to stand, but she gives him an expert kick to the gut.
"Agh! You'll regret that!"
Jongho wraps the necklace around his wrist, his back arching as my newly-awakened power sears through him. My mother, Morgan of the Far West, grabs Jongho's knife and sprints back to me.
"(Y/N). My God, I can't believe it's really you."
"I can't believe it's you, either."
"I wanted to be here sooner. I'm so sorry—"
"Dad explained it all. It's okay. I'm just…"
My words leave me on a breath, completely winded by the sight of my mother. She cuts me free. For a moment, neither of us move. She stares at me with an unreadable expression, her blue-flecked eyes searching mine. All I could think about was, is this really her? But beforeI can finish my thought, she pulls me into her arms.
"Oh, my baby. My little girl."
Her hands dig into my hair, pulling me closer and closer, as though she can never get close enough.
"I missed you. So so much."
"I've missed you, too, Mom. Every single day."
"Really? Even before you knew who I was? Or what happened?"
"Yes. Before all of that."
I bring my arms up around my mother, returning her embrace with all the warmth in my heart.
"I didn't need to know who you were, or that any of this had happened, to miss you. I felt your presence in my heart, like a missing piece. And I was prepared to do anything to get it back."
My mother chokes, her tears wetting my neck as she pulls me tighter.
"I'll never let you go again."
"How touching. Unfortunately, you won't be keeping that promise."
Jongho rises, his muscles bulging around the necklace that is wrapped at his wrist. His eyes flash and snarls.
"(Y/N). Release the others."
My mother hands me her knife.
"But what about you? You'll need this."
"Don't worry about me."
Morgan smiles, cracking her knuckles.
"I don't need weapons to take down assholes like this."
With that, my mother launches herself at Jongho, throwing him across the narrow cliff. I run to San and Yeosang.
"(Y/N), what the hell is going on?" San asks.
"I think that stone is made of the blood of a True Mate's child. But it's old and doesn't provide the power it used to."
"So Jongho wants to drain you and use your essence to take over the fucking world?"
"I won't let him. Don't worry."
"Of course, not. And you won't be alone in that fight. I just can't believe it's Jongho we have to…"
I cut Yeosang free as I catch a hint of emotion in San's eyes. Yeosang takes the knife from me and cuts San's bindings.
"I know it hurts. But he is who he is. And we can't let him—"
"Well, well, well. Long time no see, Morgan."
Hyunjin's voice crawls up the back of my spine, turning my heart to ice. My mother freezes mid-punch.
"Hyunjin." My Mother growls.
"How lucky for me. I thought when I escaped the dungeons I'd be coming to get my little piece of cargo back. I had no idea there would be a two-for-one special."
"Fucking monster. If you think you'll ever touch me or my daughter again—"
"Take a look at where you are, sweetheart."
Morgan backs up, her feet dangerously close to the edge of the cliff, sandwiched between Jongho and Hyunjin.
"Yeosang. San. Please, do something for her."
Yeosang rears back, on instinct attempting an Alpha's Command. But the collar at his throat stops him.
"Come on. We should spend some quality time with our dear brother."
"Yes. A family reunion is in order."
Yeosang and San leap into the air, slamming into Jongho with all of their might. He is strong, but he cannot easily take down the two Alphas at once. They grapple in a snarling melee of claws and muscles. But a grunt of pain from Yeosang pulls me back. And a horror like never before grips me at what you see. Hyunjin is on top of my mother, holding her by the throat, choking her as he pushes her closer and closer to the edge of the cliff.
"This brings back memories, doesn't it, little bitch?"
Hyunjin shoves himself down hard against her, tightening his grip as he licks her neck.
"My biggest regret was letting you get the best of me that day. It wouldn't have happened if I'd claimed you when I first had the chance. But I won't make the same mistake twice."
His grip on her neck tightens, leaving red, violent bruises. Blood trickles from her mouth.
"MOM! I'm coming!"
"No. Stay…back…"
My mother coughs, blood trickling down her throat. She scratches and kicks at Hyunjin, but he has overpowered her.
"Aw, have you lost your touch, Morgan? Or is it the bit of wolfsbane in my fingernails that's getting to you?"
He squeezes her tighter and she screams, her head and shoulders well over the edge of the cliff now. My mother screams and my heart wrenches at the sight.
She's been through hell to get to me. She saved me. She's my mother.
Suddenly, I feel my power wrap its way up through my veins, simmering like a flame beneath the surface. It feels nothing like the sudden rush I got before in times of great danger. This feels controlled. Like my powers are finally one with me.
Hyunjin can't take her from me again. Not like this.
"My…love…"
Hyunjin lifts my mother high over the cliff, rearing to send her flying to her death. She reaches for me.
"HYUNJIN—!"
Channeling my power, I gather light from the last of the remaining sun, and throw it at him like a blinding bomb. He is thrown back, away from my mother. Morgan slips over the edge—
"NO!"
With my whip of light fully in my control, I sling it at my mother and catch her wrist, pulling her up to safety. She coughs, clutching her throat, before looking at me with shock and amazement.
"(Y/N). Thank you."
I run to her, and she brings her fingers to my cheek.
"Your eyes. They're—"
"Like Dad's. Yeah."
"How touching."
Hyunjin staggers to his feet. He pulls out a gun, and I know from years of living with him what it is loaded with. Wolfsbane bullets.
"Nice try. But I know all of your tricks. And you don't know all of mine."
I concentrate my light into a whip again, cracking it to wrap around the hilt of his gun.
"What are you—? AHH!"
I clench my fist, tightening the light around his weapon. Then, I fling it into the sea.
"(Y/N). Your power…"
"You'll regret that."
Hyunjin lunges for me in a snarling blaze of fury. I brace myself, but something hits him first. My mother catches him around the neck, her strength renewed. She SLAMS him into the earth.
"You took everything from me. All of my happiness."
She plunges her foot into his ribs with a thundering kick, and as he vomits, she throws him in a headlock.
"You stole my baby. You tried to sell her to the worst kinds of monsters. For PARTS."
Her eyes flare a brilliant royal blue, her strength tripling. Every muscle in her wills Hyunjin's head from his body. I know in my heart. She needs this revenge. She needs to feel the life leave her greatest enemy.
"You will never know the pain I've felt. Every day of my life since then. But we can certainly try to give you a taste."
Making up my mind, I channel my light over my mother's arms, not to crush her, but to give her strength.
"He's yours, Mom."
She looks up at me, feeling your light like a vibrant embrace. She smiles through tears.
"Thank you, (Y/N)."
"You…won't…you don't have…the guts…"
Hyunjin's words awaken my mother's own power. Blue strands of darkness churn with my light, creating a deadly dusk of power over her.
"Funny. You've known us this long and you still underestimate us."
"It will be the last thing you ever do."
With my help, my mother grips and twists Hyunjin's head. His neck begins to bend unnaturally and he gurgles.
"W-wait—!"
"Mercy? Where was your mercy when you tried to kill Bang Chan? When you forced me to marry you? When you STOLE MY CHILD?!"
She twists his head further. The bones begin to snap under her grasp. I take a step forward.
"Where was your mercy when you lied to me about my family? When you sold me? TRIED TO KILL ME?!"
"Grrraaahhhh!!!! Nooooo!!!"
His last words are no more than pained screams as my Mother and I snarl. With one last, vengeful surge, we rip Hyunjin's head clean from his body. Winded, I help my Mother stagger to her feet. Holding each other, we stare at the remains of Hyunjin's body.
"It's over. He's never going to hurt us again."
"No, he won't. Thanks to you."
Darkness finally falls over the cliffside. But my relief is cut short by a pained yell.
"San?!"
I whip around to find Jongho crazed, trying to bend San back and break his spine. Yeosang is the only one barring it from happening, straining to keep Jongho at bay.
"This world could have been ours to share, brother. I never cared that you were a bastard!"
"Go…to hell…" San growls.
"You first."
I feel a wave of dark strength pulse from the necklace, and I know it will give him the strength to kill San.
"NO!"
Without thinking, I run full speed at Jongho, my own lycan claws outstretched. His feral eyes snap up to me, but not in time to stop my attack. With a wrath-filled bellow, I bring my claws down on Jongho's face. But he raises his bejeweled arm at the last second, connecting with my claws. When I connect with the stone, a huge explosion sends me flying…over the edge of the cliff.
"(Y/N)!"
"No!!!"
I careen over the cliff, falling fast towards my death. I grab for anything that can help, but I find only air.
This is it. This is how I'm going to die.
I shut my eyes, willing away the tears of regret and helplessness. But then, suddenly, warm, strong arms find their way around me.
"I've got you."
"San…are you crazy?!"
"Maybe. But I'm your only shot at surviving this."
San pulls me flush against his body, his eyes flashing silver. I feel his feral strength take hold as he twists me mid-air. I follow his lead, letting him turn me, and then his legs hit the rocks hard. Straining, he absorbs the mighty impact, and springs off, plunging us both into the safety of the water. The sea churns, ice cold, threatening to pull me down to her depths. But San holds me fast. Kicking hard, he brings us both to the surface. I gasp for air.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-yeah…but you must be hurt."
"I'm fine. I'll heal."
San whips his head around, his salt-sprayed hair sticking to his face in the darkness.
"We need to get out of here."
I look around, finally landing on a small sea cave not far away.
"There!"
San follows my line of sight, nodding when he sees the cave.
"Let's go. Hang on to me."
I wrap my arms around San's neck and we both begin to kick, trying to fight the current to get to safety. When we are almost to the cave's entrance, though, I feel something strong tug hard at my leg.
"What was that?! A shark?"
"What do you mean?"
"My leg, something just—"
My leg is yanked again, and I'm pulled under. Out of the swirling darkness, a hellish face emerges. A face I never thought I'd see again. Roslyn grabs at me, pulling me down into her watery prison. But San is able to pull me up.
"Oh my God. San, Roslyn is—"
"What?!"
Before I have a chance to explain, Roslyn bursts through the water, lunging for San and I.
"You—! You ruined EVERYTHING!"
She claws at me, scratching my face, biting down on San's shoulder. I see true fear in San's eyes as Roslyn shoves his face underwater.
"No!"
"This little prick should have never been born. Should have never fallen for your cunt and helped you!"
Her eyes are wild, black with rage. She holds San down with all of her weight.
"I'm just sorry I couldn't make his death more painful."
Her own son tried to kill her and she still thinks we're the enemy. She won't stop until we're dead. Never.
San's arms leave me as he fights for his life. I see a cloud of blood surface where Roslyn drowns him.
"The one who should have never been born was YOU!"
With the last ounce of your strength, I throw myself at Roslyn, knocking her away from San. San bursts out of the water, choking and coughing.
"(Y/N)?"
"Get your hands off of me, filthy whore!"
"You're the filthy one. The woman who robbed San and Yeosang of any love!"
I twist Roslyn's hair in my fist…and shove her down underwater.
"(Y/N), are you—?"
"She has to die, San! She only knows how to take. She'll take until there's absolutely nothing left!"
Roslyn gouges my hands beneath the surface of the water, fighting to breathe. Then, she pulls me under with her.
"No!"
But I don't give up. I hold my breath and hold her down, staring into her hateful eyes, unblinking.
Never again. You will never see the surface again.
She bites, scratches, spits curses at me under the water, bubbles escaping her mouth in huge bursts. But I hold strong. No matter how much she thrashes, I hold firm, keeping her underwater, and away from San. After what feels like forever, the light finally leaves her eyes. She claws at her throat…contorted…before she finally dies. I pry her stiff hands from my body, and watch her sink into the abyss.
Goodbye, Roslyn.
Then, I kick my way to the surface. When I emerge, San swims to me, his face washed with relief.
"(Y/N), my God. You're okay. Is Roslyn—"
"Gone."
It's the only word I can manage in my exhaustion. San slings my arm over his shoulder and ferries me to the cave. He lifts me onto a rock and I fall back, completely winded.
"Look at me."
San's words are sterner than usual. He presses his soaked body to mine, cupping my face in his hands.
"San, are you alright?"
"No. I almost lost you back there."
"I almost lost you. You were the one she was drowning."
I try to sit up, but the gown I'm in weighs me down.
"Damn it. I can't move in this."
I tear at the dress, trying to unlace it. With a growl, San flips me over like I weigh nothing at all. He tears the dress clean in half, freeing me from it.
"Th-thanks."
He grips rmy bare shoulders, penetrating me with a stare so sever it leaves me breathless.
"Why do you insist on fighting my battles for me?"
"…Do you really have to ask?"
San strokes water and wet hair from my face. After a long moment, he shakes his head.
"Damn it. Damn it all."
His lips crash against mine with more force than the waves below. Tugging at his soaked clothes, feeling his hard body beneath, I pull San to me. His tongue delves deep into my mouth as he comes closer, rocking against me.
"Nae simjang…"
"You've called me that for so long. What does it mean?"
San looks away.
"…It means… 'My heart'."
My mouth falls open.
"Wait. So all this time…long before you said you loved me…you…"
San nods, running a finger over the outline of my jaw.
"Yeah. All this time."
I stare up at the Alpha before me, the man who's harbored feelings for me long before I knew. I think of what to say. What to do. But before I can act, a disturbance in the water catches my attention.
No. It can't possibly be Roslyn again, can it?
San and I move into defensive positions. But what breaks free of the water is not Roslyn or Jongho…
"So. You two are okay."
Yeosang flashes a relieved grin in the churning sea.
"San, help him up."
"Right."
Reaching down, San holds his hand out to Yeosang. He pulls him up onto the rocks, not meeting his eyes.
"Thank you. You both nearly gave me a heart attack, flying over the ledge like that."
"It's not like we were given much of a choice."
"Wait. If you're here, then my mother—"
"She's safe. When you flew over the edge, Jongho took off for the castle, Morgan went to find your father, and I…"
"Jumped over the cliff to see if the cliff killed us?" I finish.
"…when you put it like that…"
I knock Yeosang over the head as San digs his hands in his hair.
"What are we going to do? Jongho's hellbent."
"And with that stone on his wrist, he's stronger than ever. You and I could barely keep him at bay."
I stare out at the cave, the Alpha's words echoing against the craggy walls. Then, it hits me.
"The stone. That's it."
"What?"
"There's another stone. In the tomb where I heard that voice. If we can get it, and activate it with my blood, we can take him on."
"But those stones are made of blood. The lifeblood of a wolf just like you. Doesn't that bother you?"
"It sickens me to my core. But we have no other choice. It's the only way."
"(Y/N)'s right."
San gives Yeosang a sharp look. Yeosang glares back. The tension between them grows thick, something far deeper wedged between them than the debate at hand.
"…Fine. By the looks of it this cave will lead into the catacombs. Let's go."
San turns on his heel, marching into the darkness. I move to follow him, but Yeosang grabs my arm.
"Wait."
"What's going on?"
"(Y/N)…I just…want to say…"
Yeosang's grip on my arm is strong, but I feel him tremble through it. He stares at the ground, his wet hair covering his face.
"Listen. I know you and San are…close. But after everything we've gone through…"
He finally looks up at me, his crimson eyes blazing with a fire to rival the ocean herself.
"I've been to hell and back. Literally. But what will really damn me is if I don't say this. Right now."
His words are vulnerable and sincere. He steps in closer.
"I care about you, (Y/N)."
My heart slams against my chest as Yeosang's words wash over me. I search his eyes. They look endlessly deep.
"I'll understand if you don't feel the same way. I can't imagine you would, considering I'm half-dead. But you need to know. I care about you. I would…I would die ten times over for you."
He does not move to pull me in, or kiss you. He just looks deep into my eyes, willing his words to reach me.
"Yeosang…I care about you, too."
Yeosang exhales sharply.
"You do?"
"Yes. How could I not?"
I place my hand over his, and he stops shaking.
"You've faced horrors I can only begin to understand. You died. All for San and I. I think I've known, deep down, that you've cared for a long time. And I care about you, too."
Yeosang swallows hard, warding off a swell of emotion. I feel his thumb rub my arm, tenderly.
"Thank you, (Y/N). That's…that's more than I ever hoped to hear."
With that, he gently releases my, and lets his cocky demeanor slip back into place. He gives me a devilish grin.
"We better catch up with San. That mutt's bound to get lost without my keen sense of smell."
"…Right…"
I watch Yeosang jog off ahead, his words still pounding against my chest. The walk through the catacombs is long and silent. The tension between San and Yeosang still hangs thick in the low chamber.
What keeps driving these two apart? Is it me?
The thought of them fighting over me makes my stomach twist painfully.
"We're here."
I turn a corner to find the tomb from before, the statue of the mysterious woman staring down at me.
"This tomb. Whose is it?"
"I don't know."
I step up to it slowly, each footfall bringing me closer to the strange, electrified aura around the tomb that made me dizzy before. Then, I see the dark red stone, cracked at the center of the encrusted tomb. I pull it free.
"Here. We have to drip my blood onto the stone."
"We don't have anything to cut you with though."
"No. But we have teeth."
I look from San to Yeosang, their powerful bodies outlined in the dim torchlight.
"San. You have to do it."
"Me?"
"Yes. It's not that big of a deal, I'll heal quickly."
"But it's…like marking…"
Heat rises in my cheeks at the word. Yeosang turns away, not wanting to witness such an intimate act.
"It has to be done. We don't have much time." Yeosang states.
"…Okay."
With Yeosang's back turned, San cradles my arm gently in his hands. He brings it to his lips… Then, with all the tenderness of a kiss, he sinks his teeth into my flesh. I bite back a noise that rises within me, something caught between pain and pleasure. I don't want the hot, sweet burn of his bite to end. But when it does, he angles my swollen arm over the jewel…and my blood drips upon it. The second my blood makes contact with the jewel, a burst of white light erupts in the room.
What?!
"…(Y/N)…"
As the light slowly ebbs, the slender outline of a woman appears, stepping down from the statue, and walking toward me. A strange sense of calm comes over me and I step towards the woman.
"(Y/N)? What are you doing?"
"What do you see?"
But I don't answer San and Yeosang. I am transfixed by the woman before me. The woman who has whispered to me for so long. When I reach her, she tips my chin up, her beautiful face comes into view.
"(Y/N). At last."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Amalthea. I am San's mother. And…I'm Yeosang's mother as well."
"What?"
My heart pounds. The woman's mist-like hand strokes my cheek as she looks sadly from one Alpha to the other.
"Yes. They are both my sons. I would very much like to see them. To…to speak to them. But this is your vision. You allow into it whom you please."
Her silvering eyes gleam with ghost-like tears as she looks at her sons. Sons who have no idea they are both hers.
"Please. Let them in."
I bow to Amalthea and she smiles, a look of gratitude unmistakable on her ever-youthful face.
"Thank you. So much, (Y/N)."
Amalthea waves her hand, as though lifting a veil from over me and her both. San and Yeosang stagger back, their mouths agape.
"M-mother?"
"That's…you're…"
"Yes. I'm here. San, it is incredible to see you grow. You've become such a man."
She opens her arms wide and San slowly moves toward her. His eyes shine with tears as he falls into her arms.
"Mother. Oh my God. I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you, too, my son. I've missed both of you."
San looks up at her, puzzled. Then, he follows her gaze…to Yeosang.
"What? Me?"
"Yes. You are both my sons. My twin boys."
No one moves. No one breathes. San and Yeosang stare at one another, every piece of their broken lives finally falling into place.
"You are fraternal. San looks like me, and you, Yeosang, you look like your father. The baren Queen took you from me and pawned you as her own. If I ever exposed you, she would kills us all."
"That's barbaric." I blurt.
"Yes. She was barbaric. As was the King for letting her do it. But he wanted a legitimate heir."
"So…so did you threaten to expose her? Is that why she…?"
"No. She killed me, along with your father, not because I threatened to expose her, or because she was jealous. She did it because I was, secretly, a child of True Mates."
Amalthea's words slam into me, leaving me winded. Her gaze snaps to me.
"But I thought there hadn't been one in centuries."
"There hadn't. But my parents, San and Yeosang's grandparents, were the first to emerge in living memory. It was a secret well-guarded in our small pack. But the King and his Queen found us out. And that's why they stole me."
"Mother…"
San falls to his knees, clutching his chest. Yeosang slides to the ground where he stands.
"Your father thought the best way to siphon my power would be through mating. Which is why…"
She closes her eyes, a sad smile playing on her lips.
"But the Queen knew the dark truth of True Mate children. The real way to gain their power."
My body grows cold as I look down at the cracked jewel upon the floor.
"…How much blood does it take to create a single stone?"
"…All of it. Your whole life to create a single stone."
Blind with sorrow, I throw my arms around Amalthea. Around the woman not so much older than me.
"I'm so sorry. So sorry this happened to you."
She folds her arms around me in a cool, misty embrace. Somehow, it still feels warm.
"I'm sorry, too. Sorry that you are now trying to escape the same fate."
She picks up the cracked stone from the ground, turning it to catch light over its many facets.
"This stone is not as powerful as the one in Jongho's possession. That is made of the first child of True Mates."
"The first?"
"Yes. It holds infinite power. I'm not sure this one will be any match against it. After all…It cracked because they broke me. Well before they killed me."
"Mother…"
"…Mother…"
San and Yeosang gaze up at Amalthea, tears streaming down their faces. She gives them a sad smile.
"That doesn't mean you're doomed, my sons. You must try."
As she speaks, her light begins to flicker and fade. She clutches her chest, dropping the stone.
"No!"
San and Yeosang catch her in unison as she falls, her breathing growing ragged.
"Try."
She reaches for me, desperation plain in her silver eyes.
"Try. To. Find the power. To protect the power."
"But what does that mean?"
She opens her mouth to explain but a shock of horrific darkness rockets through the room, snuffing her out like a candle.
"No!"
"Mother!!!"
"Sorry to interrupt."
Jongho's voice slithers out of the darkness. His smile is all teeth as he emerges, gleaming with bloodlust.
"But I think it's time we finish this, don't you?"
With that, Jongho rips his stone from his wrist…brings it to his unhinged jaws...and swallows it.
"No."