| RED POV |

The night enveloped us like a shroud as Uncle J gathered a group of guardians and warriors from Nicholas' pack. The air crackled with tension, a palpable sense of urgency hanging in the atmosphere. Shadows danced and flickered, casting eerie silhouettes on the forest floor. We were embarking on a treacherous journey-a quest to find him.

A man, tall and imposing, approached me. His eyes held a glimmer of determination as he introduced himself as Nicholas' Beta. "Don't worry, Luna," he said, his voice laced with reassurance. "We will find him."

Luna? The unfamiliar name echoed in my mind, but amidst the confusion, I nodded, my heart heavy with grief. The group assembled, a collective force bracing for what lay ahead, and we ventured deep into the heart of the forest-a territory unknown to me.

The path we treaded diverged from the familiar, verdant foliage I had grown accustomed to. A sense of foreboding washed over me as we delved deeper into the abyss. I held my breath, the air thick with tension and the scent of danger. This part of the forest was different-oppressive and suffocating.

Whispering quietly to Uncle J, I asked, "Isn't this the forest where we were once chased by wolves?" His grip tightened on his gun as he took each step with calculated precision. "Not exactly," he replied, his voice low and filled with caution. "Some paths intertwine with the one we knew before."

I nodded, my eyes scanning the faces of my friends who followed closely behind. Dean's hands trembled, his nerves laid bare for all to see. Ana, sensing his unease, held his hand tightly with a warm smile on her face before she left him and walked towards Avery. After I noticed she was no longer there, I mustered the courage to approach him.

"Hey," I whispered, his gaze shifting to meet mine. A fleeting smile graced his lips, but his eyes betrayed a hidden turmoil. "Hey," he replied.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my concern palpable. "You know, you didn't have to come. Aunt May would have welcomed you staying with her back at school." I had pleaded with Aunt May to take care of Xavier's mother, as she was the only one who knew about her peculiar condition.

"It's fine, Red," he replied, his voice tinged with resignation. "I've got this. Besides, it wouldn't be fair if the others came here and I didn't." His gaze shifted to Ana, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them.

"So, what's going on between you and Ana?" I prodded gently, hoping to alleviate the tension that clung to the air. His eyes widened, and he stumbled over his words. "N-Nothing," he stammered, his gaze darting nervously around the darkened forest. His attention, however, was abruptly diverted by something else.

"Do birds inhabit such places?" he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible. I followed his gaze and found myself staring into the unwavering eyes of an owl perched on a nearby branch. Its gaze penetrated my soul, a sense of foreboding emanating from its piercing stare. Suddenly, the forest erupted in a cacophony of bird calls, as if the very creatures of the wild sensed the impending danger.

The moon, once a beacon of light, now shrouded by a swirling mass of birds, cast an eerie glow upon our surroundings. Darkness descended, clinging to every corner of the forest. Uncle J's voice broke through the tension, his declaration sending shivers down our spines.

"They are here," he announced, his voice laced with a grim certainty.

"Who?" one of the men inquired, his voice trembling with curiosity.

"All of them,"

The tension in the air was stifling as we waited for his command, our eyes trained on the darkness that enveloped us. Suddenly, as if summoned by some unseen force, shadowy figures emerged from the depths, their forms twisted and contorted. Without hesitation, Nicholas Beta's voice pierced the night, his command ringing out with authority. "Attack!"

A symphony of bone-crushing sounds filled the air as warriors transformed into powerful wolves, their fierce howls echoing through the trees. Others clutched their guns tightly, their voices rising in a cacophony of battle cries. Chaos erupted, the clash of metal and the frantic thud of paws against the ground creating a disorienting symphony of violence.

In the midst of the chaos, I attempted to tap into my powers, to channel the energy that usually surged through my veins. But to my dismay, my powers lay dormant, like a flickering flame on the verge of being extinguished. Panic gripped me as I stared at my powerless hands, desperately willing them to ignite with the familiar surge of energy. "Come on! Come on!" I pleaded, my voice trembling with frustration.

"Red!" Avery's voice cut through the chaos, her powers sending a creature hurtling through the air. She rushed to my side, concern etched on her face. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.

"My powers..." I trailed off, my voice quivering. "I can't feel my powers." Avery paused, her gaze searching mine for answers. The realization that my powers had abandoned me in this crucial moment left us both bewildered. They had been working perfectly fine before, so why now?

"Red," a voice called out amidst the chaos and violence. I turned to see Reyes, his presence calming amidst the turmoil. A soul eater charged toward me, but before it could reach me, it vanished into thin air. I watched in awe as Jacob emerged and quickly blew the smoke from his gun, a smirk on his face. "You're welcome," he winked before rushing off to face another creature.

"Red," Reyes whispered my name once more, his voice urgent. "Please, you must save Nicholas." Fear gripped me, its icy tendrils winding around my heart, as the gravity of the situation became clear.

"You're Nicholas' wolf, aren't you?" I asked, seeking confirmation as I sought shelter behind a tree amidst the chaotic battle. Reyes nodded, his expression filled with a mix of determination and concern. "Yes."

"I--"

"Red, now is not the time for questions," Reyes interrupted, his voice pleading. "Can you trust me this once and allow me to guide him to you? He's growing weaker, losing control over his mind."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of confusion and dread.

"Morgan is trying to use him against you," Reyes revealed, his words hanging heavily in the air. A surge of anger coursed through my veins, my body heating up as my grip on the tree intensified, causing it to melt beneath my touch.

"Take me to him," I demanded.

Without hesitation, I left the others as they fought the dark creatures, my feet carrying me forward as Reyes guided my every step. Doubts nagged at the edges of my mind, but an unwavering intuition whispered that I was heading in the right direction. My legs propelled me forward with an urgency I couldn't ignore, each stride bringing me closer to an uncertain destiny.

"Stop," Reyes's voice broke through my thoughts, causing me to halt in my tracks. I looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings.

"We're here," he said softly.

As my lips parted, ready to question someone silenced me, a firm hand covered my mouth, pulling me into the sanctuary of a thick bush. The rustling leaves whispered their secrets as Xavier's voice, both familiar and unexpected, shattered the silence. "It's me, Red," he whispered urgently, his words muffled by his hand. With a surge of relief and surprise, I pushed his hand away, my eyes widening in astonishment. "What are you doing here?" I murmured, my voice barely audible.

His jaw clenched with determination, Xavier met my gaze, his eyes burning with an intensity that mirrored my own. "I want to see him," he declared, his voice a low rasp.

"You mean--"

"Yeah," he confirmed,

I sighed,"I don't know if he's here, Xavier, but we can try," I whispered, my voice tinged with doubt and determination. Casting a cautious glance through the dense foliage, we surveyed our surroundings, searching for any signs of danger. Amidst the towering trees, a gate emerged, its iron bars entwined with the very essence of the forest. An eerie absence of guards raised suspicions, leaving me torn between the possibility of a stroke of fortune or a bloody trap.

" What do you think?" Xavier's gaze locked with mine, his eyes silently urging me to take the lead. Without uttering a single word, I stepped forward, my feet carrying me toward the gate. The weight of uncertainty settled upon my shoulders, but I couldn't ignore the haunting words that lingered in my mind, a testament to the danger that lurked within.

'Morgan is trying to use him against you.'

Doubts tugged at the corners of my mind, threatening to unravel my resolve. Xavier's voice trembled with concern, mirroring my own inner turmoil. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I fought to steady my nerves. "Let's give it a try," I replied, my voice laced with a mixture of fear and determination. Xavier nodded, his silent support a lifeline amidst the encroaching shadows.

Summoning every ounce of courage, I reached out, my hand trembling as it made contact with the cold, unforgiving metal of the gate. Hesitation gripped my heart, but I refused to let it overpower me. With a surge of resolve, I pushed the gate open, its rusty hinges groaning in protest.

And then, there was nothing.

Confusion swirled around us, mingling with the disappointment that settled heavily upon our shoulders. Xavier's voice pierced the silence, his words echoing with a touch of disbelief. "There's nothing here." The emptiness threatened to crush our spirits, but it was the unexpected response that shattered the silence, leaving us breathless and filled with a tumult of emotions.

"Red."

Tears welled up in my eyes, tracing wet paths down my cheeks, as I heard the voice I had desperately longed for. "Nicholas," I whispered, my voice barely audible amidst the weight of the moment.

"Red, please leave. Please," he pleaded, his voice a fragile plea carried on the wings of desperation. But I shook my head, defying his entreaties. "Where are you?" I called out, my voice echoing through the barren expanse as I frantically searched for any hint of his presence. "Answer me!" I screamed, my voice a desperate cry that reverberated through the vast emptiness.

"I'm here, Red," his voice came softly, like a whispered secret, brushing against my ear. " I'm looking at you right now. You're wearing a black top, your tiredness is etched in the lines beneath your eyes, and I can hear the rapid thud of your heart."

As Nicholas's voice resonated in my ears, an inexplicable force compelled my legs to move forward, as if guided by an invisible hand. Step by step, I traversed the path before me, a sense of both anticipation and trepidation building within me. But abruptly, I halted, my hand instinctively reaching out into the air. A sudden resistance met my fingertips, an invisible barrier that halted my progress. "That bitch, she used an invisibility spell," I muttered through clenched teeth, my frustration mingling with a surge of adrenaline.

Time seemed to stand still as the air crackled with an otherworldly energy. And then, with a voice that sent shivers down my spine, Morgan materialized before my eyes, emerging from the shadows as if conjured from thin air. A twisted smile curved her lips, her presence both unsettling and expected. "Took you long enough," she taunted, her words laced with a venomous delight. "You know, I expected you to go crazy when I kidnapped your beloved, but I guess you don't love him enough."

Her gaze shifted to Xavier, a malicious glimmer dancing in her eyes. "Oh, and you brought another one," she sneered, her tone dripping with derision. "Woah, Nicholas, what have you been doing in that school?" Her gaze darted towards the invisible barrier she had conjured, as if expecting an answer, yet only silence greeted her ears.

" Now, now," A new voice sliced through the tension, resonating with a chilling authority. A man emerged from the shadows, his footsteps the only sound that dared to echo in the room. His hair, white as frost, framed a face with skin as pale as moonlight. Though he appeared youthful, there was an undeniable aura of power that emanated from him. And as his golden eyes locked with Xavier's, a realization struck me like lightning.

The Dark Lord.

"Morgan, that's not how we treat our guests," he mused, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. His gaze shifted towards me, a spark of recognition flickering in his eyes. "Or my son," he added, his words a revelation that froze Xavier in his tracks. I could feel the weight of Xavier's astonishment, his voice trembling as he uttered the words that had long remained unspoken.

"Y-You," Xavier stammered, his voice laced with disbelief, a rare vulnerability piercing through his usual composure.

The Dark Lord, clad in modern attire of a casual top and jeans, moved closer to Xavier, raising both hands in a gesture of invitation. His smirk deepened, his golden eyes glinting with a mixture of pride and menace. "Come, son," he coaxed, his voice dripping with a seductive charm.

"Won't you say hello to your father?"