Chapter 24

Riley wasn't running anymore.

But she had no idea what she was walking toward.

The air in the gas station felt too heavy, too thick like the whole world had shifted slightly off its axis.

Nova paced near the grimy counter, chewing on the sleeve of her hoodie. Kieran stood by the door, arms crossed, golden eyes unreadable.

And Riley?

She just existed in the space between them, feeling like a stranger in her own body.

She could still hear the creature's voice.

"You don't remember me but I remember you."

She could still feel the ruins under her fingers, answering her.

Not just a memory.

A warning.

She had thought that walking away from the ruins, from Callum, from that thing in the forest, would bring her clarity.

Instead, all she had was more questions.

She exhaled sharply. "Someone better start talking."

Nova stopped pacing. "About what?"

Riley snapped her gaze to her. "Don't play dumb with me."

Kieran cut in before Nova could respond. "She's right. We're out of time." His voice was low, controlled. "Tobias won't wait forever. He knows something's changing. He knows Riley isn't" He trailed off like he wasn't sure how to finish the sentence.

Riley's chest tightened.

She wasn't what?

Human?

Normal?

Safe?

Nova sighed, running a hand through her wild blonde curls. "Okay, fine. You want the truth?" She turned to Riley, arms crossed. "You're not the first person to see that thing in the woods."

Riley's pulse stumbled. "What?"

Nova nodded. "There are stories. Not just werewolves about something else. A shadow in the woods. A hunter. A ghost."

Kieran tensed. "It's not a ghost."

Nova ignored him. "Whatever it is, it's been in Silverwood for a long time. People see it. And then they disappear."

A chill crawled down Riley's spine.

She swallowed. "Disappear?"

Nova hesitated. "Or worse."

The words hung in the air, heavy and cold.

Riley didn't know what was worse, that there was something older than the werewolves hunting in the woods, or that it had been waiting for her.

She turned to Kieran. "And you? How much do you know?"

Kieran's golden eyes flickered. "Enough."

Riley stepped closer. "Enough to lie to me?"

Kieran exhaled slowly. "I never lied to you, Riley."

"Not telling me something is still lying." Her voice was sharp, edged with something she couldn't quite name.

Kieran held her gaze, silent.

That was enough to answer.

Riley took a slow breath, forcing herself to focus. "Alright. Then here's what I do know." She counted on her fingers.

"One I opened the ruins, and something woke up."

"Two It recognized me."

"Three It recognized you."

Kieran's jaw tensed.

Bingo.

Riley narrowed her eyes. "That thing wasn't just talking to me, was it?"

Nova glanced between them, frowning. "Wait. It recognized Kieran, too?"

Kieran said nothing.

But the look on his face

He knew.

And Riley was done waiting for answers.

She closed the distance between them, forcing Kieran to meet her gaze. "Tell me the truth. Right now."

Kieran's throat bobbed.

Then, softly too softly he said, "I've seen it before."

The words hit her like a knife to the ribs.

Riley stumbled back, shaking her head. "No. That's not possible."

But deep down, she knew it was.

Kieran's voice was quiet, careful. "I didn't know what it was. Not at first. The pack doesn't talk about it. But I saw it when I was a kid once. Just a glimpse." His golden eyes darkened. "And I never forgot it."

Riley's skin prickled.

It had been here before her.

It had been waiting.

Waiting for her to come back.

Her breathing turned shallow. "Why me?"

Kieran hesitated.

Then he said something that made her blood turn to ice.

"It's not hunting you, Riley."

She frowned. "Then what"

Kieran's gaze burned.

"It's following you."

The world tilted.

Riley took a step back, legs shaking. "No."

Kieran didn't move. "I think you brought it here."

The words landed like a strike of lightning.

She wanted to deny it. Wanted to scream that he was wrong.

But the memories in her head, the ruins, the whispers, the pull in her chest told her otherwise.

She had woken it up.

Because it had been waiting for her.

Because it had been here all along.

Nova let out a slow, shaky breath. "Okay. That's officially the most terrifying thing I've ever heard."

Riley didn't speak.

Couldn't speak.

If this was true

If she had brought it here

Then she wasn't just part of the story.

She was the reason it existed at all.

The Plan

The gas station was silent for a long time.

Then, finally, Kieran straightened. "We need to leave."

Riley frowned. "And where?"

"To someone who might have answers."

Nova let out a bitter laugh. "And who the hell would that be? Because last I checked, the pack wants Riley dead, Callum is playing some weird long game, and the thing in the woods is" She hesitated. "Yeah, no. We're screwed."

Kieran shot her a look. "Not necessarily."

Nova blinked. "Do you have a plan?"

Kieran sighed. "Not exactly. But I know someone who might."

Riley frowned. "Who?"

Kieran hesitated.

Then he said a name that made the room feel colder.

"Elias Rowe."

Nova swore under her breath. "You're kidding."

Riley glanced between them. "Who's Elias Rowe?"

Nova groaned. "Only the most paranoid, unhinged werewolf that ever lived."

Kieran ignored her. "He was exiled years ago. No one knows where he went. But he knew things about the pack things Tobias didn't want getting out."

Riley crossed her arms. "And you think he knows about the thing in the woods?"

Kieran exhaled. "I think he knows about you."

Riley's stomach twisted.

Great.

Another person who knew more about her past than she did.

Nova sighed. "Fine. Let's say we find Elias. What's the plan? We just ask him for help?"

Kieran's jaw tightened. "Something like that."

Riley didn't like the sound of that.

Not one bit.

But what choice did she have?

The pack was closing in.

Callum was waiting for her to make her next move.

And the thing in the woods

It wasn't done with her yet.

Riley clenched her fists. "Alright. Let's find him."

Kieran gave a sharp nod.

Nova groaned. "I'm gonna regret this."

And with that, they walked out into the night.

Straight toward the next piece of the puzzle

Straight toward the next monster.

Riley didn't know what terrified her more, the thing in the woods, or the ghosts of her past.

She followed Kieran and Nova into the cold night, her breath coming fast, sharp. The weight of everything pressed against her ribs the ruins, the visions, the creature that knew her.

And now, Elias Rowe.

Another name tied to a story she didn't remember living.

Kieran moved ahead, his body tense, watchful. Nova stuck close to Riley, muttering complaints under her breath, but Riley barely heard her.

The woods stretched on, endless and shifting, shadows flickering in her peripheral vision.

She didn't trust the dark anymore.

Not after tonight.

Not after waking something up.

A shiver crawled down her spine.

Somewhere, deep in the trees, something watched.

Riley felt it.

A presence. A whisper in the back of her mind.

Not human.

Not a wolf.

Something else.

Something waiting.

And this time, she wasn't sure she'd survive meeting it.