Damien's POV
The sanctuary went cold the instant his voice reached us.
"You've finally found the truth. You are only a few centuries too late."
Warriors closed ranks around Aria without needing an order. My wolf surged forward, every instinct screaming at the presence now filling the tunnel behind us — vast, ancient, and achingly familiar in a way that made no sense until I remembered the boy in the snow.
He stepped into the chamber's silver light.
Taller than I remembered. Silver eyes, exactly like Aria's mark. Black hair. A face that could have belonged to either of them — Aria, or the memory of the frightened child I'd shared a fire with two decades ago.
Aria made a small, broken sound beside me.
"You," she whispered.
"Me," the Shadow Alpha agreed, something almost gentle in his
