THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW
Grace and Spencer entered the ruins for the first time, only to find Mace striding in right behind them. Their eyes met, and in that brief glance, they realized they were all there for the same reason: to find Aran. He had bolted from the clearing, his mind lost, right after he sensed Seraphina had given up her powers.
Silently, the three of them followed his scent deeper into the ruins. It was grander than they expected and the holiness in the air was something else.
“So, this was Seraphina’s, I mean, Blood Petal’s temple?” Grace’s voice trembled, unable to mask the emotions that rushed to the surface.
Mace and Spencer exchanged glances, both of their hearts heavy after knowing the entire truth about the ruins and Seraphina but they quickly steeled themselves.
“Let’s go,” Mace said, his tone sharp as he motioned for them to follow him through a narrow, winding passageway that seemed to stretch into the very earth itself.
“Aran!” Mace called out once they reached the secret chamber. The air was thick with a kind of holiness that made every breath feel heavier. They found Aran sitting on the ground, surrounded by piles of ancient scrolls, feverishly flipping through them.
“Aran, what are you doing?” Grace rushed to his side.
He didn’t look up as he spoke, his breathing uneven, his eyes wild. “Looking for a scroll written in red ink.”
“What’s in that scroll?” Grace asked.
Aran’s voice cracked as he replied, “Honestly, I’ve never heard of a goddess giving up her powers. It’s nearly impossible...but Seraphina did it. I need to understand why. Something isn’t right. She’s doing something and I have to figure out what it is.”
Mace and Spencer exchanged a glance listening to him before silently squatting beside Grace, joining her in their frantic search through the scrolls.
“I also find it strange that Ryker could mark the Luna when she’s already marked by the Lycan King,” Mace murmured. “I mean, can someone even be marked twice?”
“True,” Spencer agreed, his voice thoughtful. “I’ve never heard of anyone being marked twice. Plus, Seraphina is already marked by a Lycan—how could a werewolf’s mark possibly overpower that? It doesn’t make sense, right?”
"A werewolf mark is no close to a lycan's mark," Mace confirmed.
Grace nodded, “Something is off,”
The three of them exchanged stunned glances, the weight of the thought settling in the air.
Aran glanced up at them, pausing for a moment seeing how sharp all of their mind worked. “Where are your Alphas?” he asked, his voice strained.
“Jude disappeared with Dad, Alpha Hugo, and Alpha Darious,” Grace murmured, her eyes scanning the scrolls with lightning speed.
“When I turned around, Alpha Asher and Alpha Finn were gone too,” Spencer added, still focused on his search.
A heavy silence followed as no one spoke. After a beat, everyone’s gaze shifted to Mace, who was still absorbed in his search. Mace felt the weight of their stares and paused for a moment, letting out a long breath. “Don’t ask me, guys. I don’t know anything. You all were there when he woke up with that look in his eyes…” his voice faltered in fear and murmured, “Even his scent was gone when I turned around.”
Mace and Spencer nodded in understanding. Aran blinked, looking at all three of them. The Alphas had left their children with him. He shook his head, and continued his search. Just then, Spencer’s voice cut through the quiet.
“I found it!”
Aran’s head snapped around, his hands reaching out. “Show me!”
As Aran opened the scroll, Grace, Mace, and Spencer crowded around him. They all leaned in, desperate to understand.
“I can’t read it,” Grace muttered, frustration evident in her voice.
“It seems to be a language Blood Petal created,” Mace offered, glancing between Aran and the scroll. “I believe you can read it,”


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