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Sophia's POV The shadows around me seemed thicker tonight, curling and shifting as though they were alive. The forest was silent except for the rustling of leaves and the crunching of twigs beneath my boots. Val's small hand felt fragile in mine, his tiny fingers gripping me with a trust that made my stomach churn. Are we there yet, Sophia?" he asked his voice tiny and innocent sounding. I swallowed hard, looking down at his wide, inquisitive eyes. He had no idea where I was taking him or why. He didn't deserve any of this. "Not much farther," I said, forcing a smile I didn't feel. "Be careful where you step, okay? He nodded, his little legs pumping hard to keep up as we made our way across the uneven forest floor. The moon was obscured behind thick clouds, leaving the path ahead swathed in near-total darkness. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, but I made myself press on. I wasn't doing this for myself. This was for something bigger. That's what I told myself, anyway. We did stop when Val tripped over a root and fell with a soft cry. "Sophia!" he whimpered, holding out his scraped hands to me. I knelt beside him and, suddenly, my heart turned over and tumbled in ways I didn't expect. "It's okay, Val," I said softly, brushing dirt from his hands. "You're a big strong boy, aren't you? Just a scratch this is." He sniffled but nodded, his lip trembling. I reached into my bag and pulled out a small snack, a piece of bread wrapped in cloth. "Here," I said, holding it out to him. "Eat this. It'll make you feel better." He shook his head, pushing it away. "I'm not hungry." Val," I said softly, "you need to eat something. We still have a bit of a walk ahead of us." "I want to go back," he said, his voice quivering. "I miss my dad. The mention of Connor was a gut punch. I closed my eyes for a second and just willed myself not to freak out. "I know you miss him," I said, making my tone even. "But we can't go back right now. There's someone very important who wants to meet you." His eyes clouded up with both terror and curiosity. "Who? "You'll see soon," I said, standing and holding out my hand. "Come on. Let's keep going." Reluctantly, he took my hand again, and we kept going through the forest. The clearing appeared suddenly as if the forest had conspired until that moment to keep its existence a secret. And then, there he stood: a figure in long, dark robes that seemed almost to drink in the shadows. Val hesitated, pressing closer against my side. "It's okay," I muttered, though my voice didn't sound so sure itself. "He's a friend. He turned fully then, his hood shadowing his face completely. "You're late," he said, his voice low and even, running a shiver down my spine. "I got here as fast as I could," I said, my tone sharper than I meant it to be. The situation was fraying my nerves. "Bring him forward," the man said, ignoring my tone utterly. I hesitated, looking down at Val. His eyes were fixed on the hooded figure, and for a moment, something flickered in their depths. "Val," I said softly, kneeling beside him. "Go on. He wants to see you." Val looked at me, his brow furrowed. "Are you coming with me?" "I'll be right here," I promised, though the words felt like ash on my tongue. After a long moment, he let go of my hand and took a cautious step toward the man. Then another. As he drew closer, the hooded figure knelt, opening his arms wide. To my astonishment, Val ran into them, flinging his small arms around the man's neck. "I missed you," Val said, his voice muffled against the man's cloak. The figure held him close, his hand stroking Val's hair gently. "I missed you too, little one," he said, his voice warm and filled with something I couldn't place. Affection? My stomach twisted again, this time with confusion. How did they know each other? "You're safe now," the man continued, his voice soft and reassuring. "I'll take care of you. Val pulled back a little, looking up at him with a smile. "Are we going to see Daddy soon?" The man's hand paused for the briefest moment before recommencing its soothing motion. "Soon," he said, his voice tinged with something I couldn't identify. I watched the exchange in dumbfounded silence. None of this made any sense. I did not even know this man's name, let alone his relation to Val, and he had called me out of the blue promising to help me escape my cell and avenge myself, but this. This was something altogether different. "Who are you?" I asked, the words slipping out before I could stop them. He didn't turn to me; instead, he remained focused on Val. "That's not important," he said in a very dismissive manner. "You've done well, Sophia. But there's still more to be done." I bristled at the tone of his voice but bit back a retort. "What do you mean? He finally looked up, and though his face was still hidden in shadow, I felt the weight of his gaze. "Connor," he said simply. I froze. "What about him?" "You have to kill him," the man said, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather. The words felt like a physical blow. "No," I said immediately, shaking my head. "I can't. I won't do that." "You don't have a choice," he said, his voice hardening. "I." My voice faltered as memories of Connor flooded my mind. We had grown up together and shared so many moments, good and bad. I had loved him once, truly loved him. But then Aria had come along, stealing the future I had envisioned for myself. That love had turned to jealousy and eventually hate. Or so I had thought. Now, standing here, the thought of ending his life made my chest tighten with something I couldn't quite name. "Why does he need to die?" I asked, desperate for some justification, something to make this easier. The man cocked his head slightly. "You know why. He stands in the way of everything we're trying to achieve. He's a threat." "He's not a threat to me," I said, my voice rising. "Not yet," the man said coolly. "But he will be. I clenched my fists. My mind was racing as I thought about all the lines I had crossed, all the things I'd done that I could never take back. But this. this was different. "I need time," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. The man studied me for a long moment before nodding. "You have until the next full moon. If you fail, I'll do it myself." With that, he stood, Val still cradled in his arms. “Go,” he said over his shoulder. “We’ll be watching.” And then he was gone, disappearing into the shadows with Val, leaving me alone in the dark with nothing but my thoughts and the sound of my ragged breathing.