The Order

Chapter 12

Aurora’s POV

I couldn’t believe what we’d just done. Annalise and Noel had bolted to the gym to see the aftermath, and they hadn’t stopped laughing since. You’d think Annalise was hardened from everything she’d endured—losing family, battling foes, carrying burdens—but right now, she looked more like a mischievous teenager stealing a rare moment of joy. For a fleeting second, it was as if we’d gone back to a simpler time when laughter was just laughter, not a shield against sorrow.

Inside the gym, the guys lay in a tangled mess, entirely knocked out. Landon, Aaron, and Oliver were huddled together, half-cuddling each other in some kind of defensive pile. Austin was sprawled on a weight bench, dead to the world, and, incredibly, Damien and Caleb were tangled up together on the ground. Judging by the dried blood on their faces, they’d been fighting. I had to stifle a giggle—one good thing about being supernatural: we healed quickly, even if the bruises and soreness lingered just a little.

Movement at the doorway drew our attention, and we turned to see Teodora standing there with her hands on her hips, her long gray and black hair flowing freely, and her nightgown rumpled. Her stern expression might’ve intimidated anyone else, but we weren’t just anyone. Teodora could scowl all she wanted; we were beyond intimidation.

“What are you children doing, playing with magic?” she demanded, her voice edged with a mix of exasperation and suspicion.

Annalise shrugged, stepping forward with an unbothered grin. “We have something important to take care of, and we didn’t want any company.”

Teodora’s eyebrow rose, the smallest twitch that signaled her impatience. She didn’t bother hiding the doubt in her eyes, waiting for us to elaborate, but Annalise held her ground, confident and composed. Noel, on the other hand, was buzzing with barely-contained mischief.

“We remembered something—something we need to find,” he said. “We’re going back to our old home, to figure out our past.”

Teodora glanced between Noel and the pile of sleeping guys, clearly suspicious of the whole thing. Annalise and Noel were already moving, ready to shrug her off, but I hesitated. I didn’t like the idea of leaving the guys unprotected, even if it was just for a short while.

“Teodora,” I said softly, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders, “keep them safe for us until we get back. They should be awake in a couple of hours.”

Teodora nodded, but something about the look in her eyes gave me pause. As I turned to leave, an odd impulse made me glance back. She was already watching me, and in her gaze was something I couldn’t name, something that stirred unease within me. The hair on the back of my neck prickled as Azura, my wolf, pushed forward, sensing an unsettling energy.

“Aurora, come on! We need to go before they wake up!” Annalise shouted from the mouth of the cave, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Right,” I called back, hurrying to catch up. “So, where exactly are we going? I don’t remember anything about the cabin’s location.”

Annalise grinned, taking both Noel’s and my hands. “Good thing my memory’s intact.”

In the blink of an eye, we were transported to a dense forest. The once lighthearted mood faded, replaced by a somber, almost reverent silence. The air around us felt heavy with history and magic, thick enough to weigh on my chest. I took in the familiar sights—the twisted roots, the moss-covered stones—struck by an odd mix of nostalgia and dread.

Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows across the forest floor. We moved swiftly but quietly, our senses heightened, following the faint pulse of energy that only Annalise could detect. Her eyes narrowed with focus as she led us deeper into what had once been untouched wilderness, now marked by faint signs of human encroachment.

The trees around us grew denser, their roots tangling across the forest floor as if trying to reclaim something lost. I tried to feel what Annalise was sensing, some thread of magic pulling us forward, but there was nothing for me—just an unnatural silence that felt too thick, too heavy. Noel was glancing around, his expression mirroring my unease. I could tell he sensed it too: the feeling that we weren’t alone.

Annalise slowed, lifting her hand to signal us to stop. She closed her eyes, her fingers trembling slightly, as though they were reaching for something only she could feel.

“It’s close,” she whispered, her voice a mix of anticipation and dread. “But… it feels different, like it’s hidden deeper than it used to be.”

“Hidden?” Noel repeated, his voice low. “How hidden are we talking?”

“Let’s just say if we weren’t blood-bound to it, we’d never find it,” she replied, a small, almost proud smile on her lips.

As we moved forward, the air thickened with magic. The faint outline of a once-familiar cabin began to shimmer into view, solidifying with each step we took. The sight of it hit me like a wave of emotion, a bittersweet rush of memories. This wasn’t just a cabin—it was a piece of us, a fragment of who we used to be.

We stepped closer, and a low growl rumbled in my chest. Azura, my wolf, was tense, her instincts prickling with unease. Something about this place felt off, but I couldn’t tell if it was the cabin itself or the memories it brought with it.

Maybe it was lingering tension from our encounter with Teodora, but one thing I’ve learned is to always trust my wolf.

“Wait,” I whispered, grabbing Annalise’s arm just as her fingers brushed the cabin door. “Something’s off. Do you feel it?”

Annalise nodded, her gaze sharpening. “It’s not just the cabin. There’s something… or someone… watching us.” Her eyes glowed faintly as her wolf, Nova, stirred within her, sensing the same undercurrent of danger.

As if guided by instinct, the three of us slipped inside the cabin, letting the familiar space surround us. Inside, it was like stepping back in time. The walls were lined with herbs, dried and preserved as if waiting for us to return. Our old beds were still by the fireplace, untouched, and the runes our mother had drawn on the floor glowed faintly in the dim light.

“It’s like stepping into a memory,” Noel murmured, running his hand along the wall. After a moment, he found a hidden nook and pulled out a small bag. Smiling, he opened it to reveal three crystals, each a different color.

Annalise and I both gasped as memories rushed back, unbidden and vivid. Our mother had given us each a crystal, saying that each of us had a unique gift, something special that set us apart. Annalise took the blue one, Noel took the black, and I reached for the red. As soon as our hands closed around them, the crystals glowed, releasing beams of light that converged on the base of the fireplace before dissolving into dust.

Annalise stepped forward, using her powers to move the blocks from the fireplace. She knelt down, placing her hands on the ground, her eyes closing as she began to whisper a spell. The earth trembled, and slowly, a metal box rose from beneath the floor.

Annalise opened her eyes, looking drained. She reached for the box but swayed, nearly falling. Both Noel and I rushed to her side.

“Annalise!” Noel cried, his voice filled with worry.

“I’m okay,” she murmured, steadying herself. “Just used a lot of magic.”

The box was old, covered in protective runes, and on its top was a small circle with grooves running to each corner. Annalise studied it, her fingers tracing the engravings with a look of deep concentration. The room was silent except for the faint hum of magic.

My nerves prickled as Azura pushed forward, sensing the weight of the moment. Just as I was about to rise and scan the room, Annalise grabbed my hand, her eyes unfocused.

“Blood of a queen, blood of a huntress, blood of an alpha,” she whispered, her voice distant. She took Noel’s hand, placing all three of ours over the box. With a quick slice of her claws, she cut our palms, letting our blood drip onto the circle, filling the grooves.

A soft click echoed in the room, and the lid of the box lifted open. Inside lay the Fallen Star—the ancient, pulsing source of all magic. Its energy was indescribable, a living force that thrummed with power. But then, the hairs on the back of my neck rose again, and I knew something was wrong.

I grabbed Annalise’s hand, snapping her out of her trance. “We need to go. Now,” I said, urgency coloring my voice. Noel didn’t hesitate; he sprang to his feet, heading for the door. Annalise clutched the star tightly, its glow intensifying as if it recognized her.

But as we stepped outside, my heart dropped. There, waiting for us in the clearing, was our father, flanked by a small army.

“You’re too late,” he sneered. “The Star belongs to me now.”