Tessa’s phone buzzed in her hand as she dialed Ryker’s number. Her pulse was a constant drumbeat in her ears, echoing the urgency of the situation. She glanced at the clock—hours until midnight. They had to prepare, and she could feel the weight of Morgana’s words pressing down on her like an anchor.

  The phone rang twice before Ryker’s voice came through, groggy but clear.

  “Tessa? What’s wrong? It’s... early.”

  “We don’t have time for small talk. We need to move,” Tessa said, her voice steady despite the whirlwind inside her. “Morgana spoke to me. The attack comes tonight—at midnight. They’ll be in the clearing, and they’re expecting us to be weak. We need to surprise them.”

  She could hear the shift in Ryker’s breath as he processed the news. “Understood. I’ll get Liam. We’ll meet you at the clearing.”

  The line went silent for a moment, and Tessa pulled on her jacket, the cold air creeping in through the window. She had a million things to say, questions to ask, but time didn’t allow for it. The war was coming, and there was no more time for doubt.

  Minutes later, she was outside the Hale house, her boots crunching on the frozen ground as she made her way toward the clearing. The night felt thicker than usual, the trees casting long shadows that stretched like the hands of unseen creatures. The forest had always been a place of comfort for her, but tonight, it was a predator, waiting to strike.

  Her phone buzzed again—Ryker, a simple text message: We’re on our way. Stay alert.

  Tessa didn’t respond. Instead, she pulled the collar of her jacket up and quickened her pace, the adrenaline sharpening her senses. She could feel the pull of the clearing, like a magnetic force urging her forward, and it wasn’t long before she could see the first of the moonlight filtering through the trees. It was almost time.

  As she arrived at the clearing, she stood for a moment, taking in the peaceful stillness of the forest. The moon hung low, casting its silvery glow over the moss-covered ground. Everything felt too calm, too quiet, and Tessa could feel the tension in her bones, the gnawing fear that something terrible was coming.

  Ryker and Liam arrived a few moments later, their figures appearing out of the darkness like shadows. They moved toward her in perfect sync, their presence a reminder that she wasn’t alone in this fight.

  “You made it,” Tessa said, her voice carrying the weight of both relief and anxiety.

  Liam stepped up beside her, his face hard, eyes scanning the perimeter of the clearing. “You’re sure about this?” he asked, his tone serious.

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  Tessa nodded, her jaw set. “The vampires and the Reaper will come here. Morgana said they’ll think we’re unprepared, that we’ll be caught off guard. But we won’t be.”

  Ryker gave a grim smile, though there was a flicker of pride in his eyes. “We’ve got this.”

  Tessa turned to them both. “We fight together. We wait until they’re right in the middle of the clearing, and then we strike. They won’t know what hit them.”

  Liam’s fangs flashed in the moonlight as he grinned. “I like the sound of that.”

  There was a brief silence as they all settled into position, each of them crouching low, their senses heightened as they waited. The air was thick with anticipation, and Tessa’s mind replayed Morgana’s words over and over. The light within you is enough.

  She had to believe that.

  "I'll scout ahead," Liam said lowly, his voice filled with determination. “Stay here.”

  Tessa hesitated, but she nodded. "Be careful."

  Without another word, Liam darted off into the shadows, vanishing from sight in an instant.

  Tessa and Ryker waited, the quiet stillness of the forest pressing in around them. The seconds felt like hours as the tension built. Tessa’s breath was shallow, her mind racing. What if they were wrong? What if the attack never came? What if the vampires were already inside the perimeter, preparing to strike?

  A slight rustle in the distance broke her thoughts, and she stiffened.

  Ryker’s eyes flicked to hers, his expression unreadable, yet there was a calmness to him that steadied her. He reached over, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

  “You’re getting quiet ,” Ryker said, his voice breaking the calm.

  Tessa glanced at him. “Just...thinking.”

  “About?”

  “Everything,” she said with a shrug. “The Reaper, the vampires, Morgana...me.” She paused, letting out a small laugh. “It’s funny. I used to spend my days in labs and libraries, solving equations and dreaming of breakthroughs in quantum physics. And now? Now I’m this...this lightbearer, apparently destined to fight death itself.”

  Ryker stopped walking and turned to face her. His expression was unreadable, his sharp features softened in the moonlight. “You’re stronger than you think, Tessa.”

  “I don’t feel strong,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I feel...lost.”

  He stepped closer, his presence grounding. “You think strength is about feeling invincible? It’s not. Strength is doing what you’re doing—pushing forward, even when you’re scared, even when you doubt yourself.”

  Tessa met his gaze, something in his words settling the storm inside her. She managed a faint smile. “When did you become so wise?”

  Ryker chuckled, the sound low and warm. “You pick up a thing or two when you’ve been a wolf for a while.”

  They both laughed, the moment breaking some of the tension between them. Tessa felt a flicker of warmth—not just from his words but from the way he looked at her, as if he saw her even when she felt invisible.

  “Do you ever think about your life before all this?” Tessa asked after a moment.

  Ryker was quiet for a beat too long. “Sometimes,” he admitted. “But I try not to. That life...it’s gone. The pack, the simplicity of it—it’s all gone.”

  She hesitated, then reached out, her hand brushing against his. “I’m sorry.”

  He looked down at their hands, then back at her. “Don’t be. I do better as a lone wolf.”

  The way he said it, the weight in his voice, made her heart ache. She didn’t pull her hand away.

  “Ryker,” she started, her voice uncertain, “what happens if we lose? If we can’t fight the Reaper or the vampires? What if—”

  “You don’t have to think about that,” he said firmly, cutting her off. “We won’t let it happen. Not while I’m around.”

  His confidence was comforting, but it also scared her. “You can’t promise that.”

  “No,” he admitted, his tone softening, “but I can promise that I’ll fight for you. For Liam. For all of us.”

  The sincerity in his words caught her off guard, and for a moment, all she could do was stare at him.

  “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she said quietly.

  Ryker’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Luckily, you won’t have to find out.”

  He glanced at the moonlit forest surrounding them. “After I left my pack, I became a lone wolf. It wasn’t easy, but it taught me how to survive on my own, how to adapt to any situation. I excelled at it.”

  Tessa tilted her head, studying him. “But don’t you ever miss it? Having a pack?”

  Ryker’s expression softened. “I did. Until now. Being with you and Liam...it feels like having a pack again. A real one.”

  The weight of the moment settled over them, and Tessa’s heart thudded in her chest. She wasn’t sure what this was—this growing connection between them—but it was undeniable.

  They sat there under the stars, the world momentarily forgotten. The fight, the Reaper, the looming war—it all faded, leaving just the two of them and the quiet promise of something more.