Selina’s POV

Selina took a wobbly step back from the brink of the abyss, but the ground was still shaking. The crackling energy in the air remained unabated, even if the silver light from her mark had waned. Under the wide hole, her name was repeatedly spoken in murmurs that rose like a rising wind.

"Selina..."

"Selected..."

"Go back."

None of that, however, caused her heart to freeze.

It was the trees' abrupt silence.

The kind of quiet that indicated someone was observing.

"You sense that?" she muttered.

Beside her, Caleb stood tight, every muscle taut. "There's something close. It's not coming from the pit, though.

The forest, now shrouded in rich, golden shadows from the waning light, caught Selina's attention. She noticed a faint, silent movement between the trees. A black blur.

After that, it emerged.

A wolf.

Not like any she had ever seen, though.

It was enormous, easily a bear's size, and its glossy black fur glistened in the last of the light in shades of midnight blue. However, its eyes weren't natural.

They were precious. Shining. old.

The moon in her dream was the same shade.

Selina's breath froze in her throat the instant their eyes met. She *recognized* it from within.

For a moment, Selina thought the wolf was examining her—*waiting*—as it cocked its head.

Caleb responded, "Don't move," and moved ahead of her.

The wolf, however, did not snarl.

kept its teeth hidden.

It advanced a step.

Selina also did something that she was unable to explain.

She moved away from Caleb and in its direction.

"*Don't—*, Selina."

"I am aware of it," she muttered. "I won't get hurt by it."

Though he didn't stop her, Caleb swore behind her.

As she walked closer, the wolf remained motionless. Every instinct in her body told her that this was hazardous and crazy, and her heart was racing. However, there was a calmer, deeper, older component.

Upon approaching her from a few steps away, the wolf bowed its head gently.

Then her mark suddenly came alive once again.

Her arm burst into silver light—and the wolf answered.

Above its left eye, a luminous emblem appeared: a crescent moon just like hers.

Selina let out a gasp.

The wolf approached, gently pressing its snout on her palm.

A surge of heat swept across her chest.

Then she noticed *him*.

Not the wolf.

But a man.

She thought of his face: tall, dark-haired, strong,.. Her soul was pierced by his golden eyes.

He was also *familiar*. Terribly familiar.

"Keane," she murmured.

However, this was a different Keane from the one who had emerged from the trees before.

No, the *real* one was this one.

Her former life's man.

She had *loved* him.

Then all of a sudden, she was overcome with feelings of loss, love, betrayal, and desire.

The vision then broke.

She had returned to the woods.

The black wolf remained motionless, intently observing her.

"What was that?" She took a breath.

Caleb grabbed her arm and charged forward. "We must leave. Right now.

But—something he showed me. It was the black wolf, Keane. He *is*—

"No," answered Caleb sternly. "The wolf is doomed." Nothing it indicates you can be trusted.

Selina looked at him abruptly. "Did you not see it? The mark. I'm attached to him.

According to Caleb, "connection does not equate to safety." "I understand that you felt something, but that wolf is dangerous." And there are other things out here besides it.

A cry, deep, guttural, and *wrong*, broke the sky as if called forth.

The wolf's ears perked up.

It clouded its golden eyes.

Then it bolted, disappearing like smoke into the woods.

"What was that noise?" Selina, who was holding Caleb's arm, inquired.

With grimness, he said, "Hunters." "They're on their way."

"Hunters? Like *people*?

"No. No more.

They never reached the truck, but he dragged her out of the pit and ran back toward it.

All around them, the trees moaned.

Subsequently, tall, skeleton beings with twisted, excessively long limbs, dressed in dark robes, came into view. They held jagged weapons that hummed with black energy, and their faces were hidden under bone-carved masks.

One took a whiff of the air.

It snarled, “The Reborn.

Selina took an impulsive step back. "What are they?"

She was shoved behind him by Caleb. "Shadowbound." The Void King is their patron. They're not here to converse, either.

The animals drew their weapons.

Selina's heart was racing.

Something *wild* surged up from within her, and the mark on her arm burned once again.

She simply knew that she needed to defend herself; she had no idea what she was doing.

Thinking nothing, she held up her hand.

A flash of silver light sliced through the air as it burst from her palm.

With a screech, one of the creatures disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

The others growled and lunged forward.

There were too many, but Caleb drew his blade and battled hard. Trying to recall the reflexes from her vision, Selina kicked aside another beast and ducked a blade.

A flash of black crashed into it in midair as another one attacked.

The wolf in black.

His body was a tornado of teeth and claws as he tore through the Shadowbound like a storm. Stunned, Selina watched as the monsters started to flee, screamed in wrath.

They vanished in a matter of seconds.

The jungle fell silent again.

The wolf's golden gaze met hers again as it stood over the final slain creature.

After that, it turned and started to move away.

"Hold on!" she yelled.

The wolf hesitated.

Finally, though, it *spoke*.

Not in words. However, she had a voice in her *mind*.

**"Look for the Temple. Prior to it being too late. **

After that, it disappeared into the woods.

Selina blinked and stumbled.

"I take it you heard that?" she asked Caleb.

However, he appeared pallid. Startled.

"No," he replied. "I heard nothing at all."

Selina's gaze lowered to her hand. The mark was different. It had *grown*; delicate swirling patterns, resembling veins or roots, now encircled the crescent.

It pulsed gently.

"Caleb... What does this signify?

He looked at her for a while. It signifies the start of the Awakening. And others are aware of it besides you.

Selina couldn't get the wolf's message out of her head as they resumed their journey.

The Temple.

Which temple?

And why was there not much more time?

Dazed, she and Caleb climbed back into the truck. Something chilly gathered in her chest as they drove up the forest trail, headlights cutting through the darkness.

She wasn't merely there to be killed by the Shadowbound.

It was something they had been *looking* for.

or someone.

A sound interrupted her thoughts as she reclined in her chair.

A quiet laugh.

from the rear seat.

Selina stopped.

She turned her head slowly—

I noticed a young girl seated behind her.

She had snow-pale skin.

Her eyes are completely black.

And she had an empty smile.

"I have been anticipating your arrival," the girl muttered.

Then everything turned dark.