Chapter 0449

Chaos. Pure, unfiltered chaos.

Voices crash against my skull like waves in a storm. A thousand whispers, shouts, murmurs - all blending into one unbearable cacophony. I try to scream for silence, but my voice disappears beneath the tidal wave of noise.

I reach for Aurora in my mind, but she's drowned out. If she's calling for me, I can't hear her over this madness. My knees hit the ground as I claw at my temples, desperate for relief that never comes.

At first, I thought I'd lose my mind. Then slowly, the noise became background static - loud but manageable. Memories flood back. The battle. Drawing power from nearly a thousand wolves. Channeling their strength through my aura to obliterate the hunters.

That's when I understand.

I connected to every member of three packs during that desperate moment. Now I'm trapped in this web of consciousness with no idea how to free myself.

With Aurora watching over our child, I'm alone in this mental labyrinth. If my plan worked, I'll need to untangle over 1500 voices before I can escape this nightmare.

My first attempts fail spectacularly. The sheer volume overwhelms me, forcing retreat. Then - a breakthrough. A single thread glows amidst the chaos. I see its path clearly now, weaving through the others. I pull gently, separating it from the tangle.

Victor. His voice comes through clear as crystal. I keep it close, using it as my anchor in the storm.

Seraphina, Valeria, Dorian and Reginald follow. Maybe our bond makes them easier to find. Or perhaps they're physically closer, their voices carrying better through the void.

Once I crack the code, I work methodically. My pack first. Lillian, Donovan, Leopold - I find each thread and carefully extract it from the mess. The work exhausts me, but when I can't continue, I curl around Victor's voice like a lifeline.

I hear him speaking to our child. To me. Begging me to return. "Soon, my love," I whisper back into the void. "I'm coming home."

Time means nothing here. No days. No nights. Just an endless tapestry of voices waiting to be sorted. After my pack, I move to familiar voices from the other packs - Sebastian, Adrian, their ranked members. Each unraveled thread brings me closer to freedom.

Victor's voice grows increasingly desperate. How long have I been gone? His pain mirrors what I'd feel in his place. I work faster, fueled by his anguish.

The end approaches. With practice comes speed - I'm plucking threads from the chaos like a skilled weaver. The noise diminishes, allowing Victor's voice to shine brighter.

When his light burns at its fiercest, I'm down to the final cluster. His broken sobs drive me forward. Our son needs me. My mate needs me. With one final pull, the last knot comes undone.

Silence. Blessed silence.

My eyes fly open. "How do you know it's a boy?" slips out before I can stop it.

Victor's face tells the real story. Deep lines of stress. Bloodshot eyes. He looks like he's aged a decade. How long was I out?

My hand reaches for him, but he collapses against me, his body shaking with sobs. As I hold him, I take stock. Pack hospital. Unpleasant body odor. And...a noticeable bump where our child grows.

Wait. I was barely pregnant when we fought the hunters. That bump means weeks have passed. Maybe months.

When Victor finally regains control, he wipes his face and presses trembling lips to mine. The familiar sparks dance across my skin, reassuring me. Despite everything, our bond remains unbroken.