The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 180

Chapter 180

Aurora

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The boards trembled again–harder this time. Dust fell from the rafters, swirling through the lamplight like ash.

Kael’s head snapped toward the sound. He crouched, pressing a palm flat against the floorboards. “That’s not the house settling.”

The vibrations rolled through my knees, low and rhythmic. Three knocks. A pause. Then one more.

Zayn drew his knife without a word, eyes scanning the shadows. “It’s knocking now. Fantastic.”

Kael’s tone stayed calm, but his shoulders had gone tight. “Not random. It’s patterned.”

“You’re telling me the floor is trying to talk to us?”

“Or call something,” Kael muttered. “Old magic uses rhythm. It’s a signal.”

“Well, someone tell it we’re not answering.” Zayn shifted his stance, putting himself between me and the center of the room

without even thinking about it.

But I barely heard them.

The pendant against my chest had started to throb again–slow, deliberate, in perfect time with the knocks. The heat wasn’t burning this time. It was deeper, like something alive was pulsing just beneath my skin.

“Kael,” I said quietly. “It’s reacting again.”

He followed my gaze to the corner near the hearth. “There?”

I nodded. “It’s strongest there.”

He grabbed the lantern and crossed the room, crouching low. The flame threw a trembling light across the boards–highlighting

faint, circular lines burned into the wood. Old sigils. Almost invisible until you knew where to look.

Zayn caught sight of them and swore under his breath. “That wasn’t there before.”

Kael ran his fingers over the markings. “Hidden warding. Looks like was sealed until… now.”

“You mean until her,” Zayn said flatly.

Kael didn’t deny it.

The knocks came again–slower now. Closer. The air in the cabin shifted, colder, sharper, like the whole place was holding its breath.

Kael slid his knife into the seams between the planks. The wood creaked once, then gave with a dull click.

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12:16 Thu, Jan 29 BGB.

Chapter 180

A hidden latch released.

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And the floor split open.

A small, square hatch yawned in the middle of the cabin. Cold air spled up from below–wet, metallic, laced with something faintly

sweet.

It smelled like herbs. And blood. And Seraphina.

Zayn’s hand brushed my arm, his grip rough. “You’re not going down there.”

Kael ignored him. “If the spell’s anchored under the cabin, that’s where we break it.”

“Or where it eats us alive,” Zayn shot back. “There’s a difference.”

“We don’t have another option.”

The two of them locked eyes–alpha energy colliding in the small space. I could almost feel the air thicken between them.

The pendant pulsed once more. Hard. Sharp enough to make me flinch.

My hand went to my chest, fingers pressing over the metal. “It wants me to go,” I whispered before I could stop myself.

Zayn turned toward me, disbelief flashing across his face. “You’re not serious.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to,” I said. “I said it wants me to.”

Kael lifted the lantern, the light spilling into the open hatch. “Theres a ladder,” he murmured. “Looks old, but stable.”

He glanced at me. “You first.”

Zayn’s jaw tightened. “The hell she is.”

Kael’s tone stayed level. “She’s the only one the spell’s responding to. It’ll recognize her. Us? Maybe not.”

Zayn’s laugh was humorless. “You hear yourself right now?”

Kael looked up. “You want to break this loop or not?”

Silence.

Then I moved.

Before either of them could stop me, I dropped to my knees and looked into the opening. The darkness stared back–thick, endless, almost pulsing. The air that rose from it felt alive, heavy with old power. My stomach twisted.

But the pendant stayed steady against my skin, warm now instead of burning. Like approval.

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Chapter 180

“I’ll go first,” 1 said quietly.

“Aurora-“Zayn’s voice broke, anger and fear tangled in it. “No.”

1 looked up at him. “You said you’d follow me anywhere. So do it.”

For a moment, he just stared–like he wanted to shake me, or kiss me or both.

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Then he cursed softly and grabbed the lantern from Kael’s hand. “Fine. But if anything touches you down there, I’m cutting it

apart.”

“Noted,” I said, trying to ignore the way my pulse skipped.

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