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I persuaded Emiliano to allow Edoardo and Roberto to attend the emergency meeting in the war room. Together, the three of us joined the commanders of General Emiliano's army. To my surprise, no one questioned our presence; not a single gesture or glance hinted at disrespect or animosity, though some must have known that we were from the resistance or that I was Alpha Stefano’s mate. Instead, they all lowered their heads in acknowledgment of my Luna status.

Emiliano astonished me even more when he publicly revealed that I was Alpha Salvatore's daughter. No one demanded proof; they simply trusted his word, accepting it as if it were law. I doubted that Ornella could inspire such loyalty from her warriors if the blood spell were broken.

"We reinforced each post along our borders, General," reported Ubaldo, one of Emiliano's commanders. "But without substantial reinforcements, our defenses could crumble within three days."

I glanced at Edoardo, then turned to Emiliano. "Can a small group of three still leave Night Mist undetected?"

Emiliano frowned, misunderstanding. "You're thinking of leaving now?"

"I'm not going anywhere," I replied, "and Roberto will stay here with me."

A nervous laugh escaped Roberto. "I am?"

"Yes, you are," I said, turning back to Emiliano. "Only Edoardo will go—he needs to notify Stefano and our forces. They’ll come to your aid."

Emiliano let out a relieved sigh. "When you mentioned three leaving, I assumed..."

"I need two of your men to escort Edoardo," I clarified. Edoardo, thankfully, held his tongue.

Emiliano nodded. "Of course. I'll assign two warriors from my Supreme squad."

"Good. The sooner they leave, the better." I cast a meaningful look at Edoardo, who returned a brief nod.

Emiliano gestured to one of his commanders, who rose and signaled for Edoardo to follow him out of the room. Moments later, a man in a plain gray tunic and breeches entered, bowing as he stopped at the threshold.

"Come closer, Vasco," Emiliano instructed. The man stepped forward, halting in the center of the room. "Did you locate her?" Emiliano asked.

The man nodded. "The witch, Leandra, resides on the northern edge of Ferville's ramparts."

My heart raced with sudden hope. "Can you lead me to her?"

The man nodded and smiled, somewhat shyly. "That's why I came."

Emiliano squeezed my hand lightly. "If this works, it could change the course of the entire battle."

I swallowed, feeling the weight of expectation settle on my shoulders, but I nodded resolutely. "I’ll do everything I can."



"This way!" Vasco directed us down a narrow path through the forest. Roberto and I followed, scanning our surroundings for any sign of enemy scouts as we neared the lakes. Finally, we emerged by a small cottage near the clearing.

Vasco stopped short of the porch. "Leandra dislikes visitors. She wards her home with spells and curses, allowing only those the spells deem worthy to enter."

Roberto gave me a half-smile. "Reassuring."

"Right?" I laughed, a bit nervously, as we hoped the witch would accept us.

Without another word, Vasco turned and hurried back the way we’d come, as if eager to leave Leandra's presence. Taking a steadying breath, I stepped onto the porch.

"Hello? Leandra? I'm Gianna, daughter of Alpha Salvatore and Giada Marino." Silence met me from within.

Drawing another breath, I moved to the door. "May I come in?"

The door swung open on its own, revealing a dim hallway. I looked back at Roberto, who tried to follow, but was stopped by an invisible barrier.

"What the—?"

"She enters; you stay," croaked a woman's voice from within.

Roberto shook his head. "I'm not leaving you alone with her."

"Please, Roberto." I forced a tight smile. "It's her home; we have to respect her terms."

Reluctantly, he sighed. "Fine. I'll wait outside. Just... yell if you need me."

Before I could respond, the door closed, sealing me inside. It was too late to second-guess now. I ventured further in and found an elderly woman lying on a sofa, her tangled gray hair in a long braid over her shoulder, her frail form draped in a white linen robe.

"Leandra?" I asked gently, moving closer.

"Sit, Gianna," she murmured, a faint smile lighting her tired face. "You... look like her. Like Giada."

A lump formed in my throat. Fighting back tears, I took a seat next to her.

Struggling with each movement, she sat up and placed her bare feet on the worn rug. "Why... are you here?"

"I need to know about a certain blood spell," I explained.

She smirked. "You seek power?"

I shook my head. "No. I want peace, yet Ornella leads these armies into bloodshed."

Her face twisted in disdain. "Ornella... I should never have helped her."

A chill ran through me. "So you taught her the spell to bind armies?"

She clenched her jaw. "Alpha Salvatore asked me to... but I knew, even then, I shouldn’t." Suddenly, she seized my hand, her gaze piercing mine. "Now the Fates have sent you… so I can atone before I die."

My breath hitched. "You’re dying?"

A bitter smile touched her lips. "Ornella poisoned me, thinking I'd perish quickly." She let out a dry laugh. "She underestimated a witch."

"I can find a healer—"

"No," she replied, calm. "There’s no cure... for this."

I nodded, feeling the gravity of her resolve. "Will you help me free the armies from Ornella’s control?"

"I will." She reached for a parchment on a nearby table. "This spell… must be cast by the lake's shore… and requires a few drops of your blood."

I took the parchment carefully. "And that's it? I’ll control the armies?"

"Not instantly. The spell… needs time."

I felt the air leave my lungs. "How long?"

"Weeks… perhaps a month," she shrugged faintly.

"A month? We can’t wait that long!"

"It depends on your intentions… and the strength of your spirit. The mind link will form first… and from there, the blood spell can be broken."

"Broken?"

"It would grant the warriors… free will. They could choose whether to follow Ornella."

My mind whirled. "So I either wait for this bond to form or attempt to break the spell entirely?"

She nodded. "But only… if your wolf is stronger than hers."

A hysterical laugh escaped me. "No guarantees, then."

"Have faith," she said, lying back down. "Now, go to the lake… I must rest."

But I felt a pressing urgency. "Please, I need to know how to break the blood spell."

Her faint smile lingered as her body transformed into dust, dissolving into the air. I gasped, staring at the now-empty couch. Behind me, the door swung open, a clear signal for me to leave. Clutching the parchment, I stepped outside.

Roberto joined me, his expression wary. "Where's the witch?"

"She’s gone," I replied, quickening my pace.

"Did you...?"

"No! Ornella poisoned her. She waited for me to give me this." I held up the parchment.

His eyes widened. "The spell?"

I nodded. "Yes. I only hope I can read it."

We hurried down to the lake. My hands shook as I held the parchment and began to read. A strange warmth enveloped me, sinking into my blood. It felt almost… familiar. As I recited the words, I felt power heat my veins. Roberto watched, wide-eyed, as I completed the incantation. I drew my knife, cut my palm, and let my blood drip into the lake. The water absorbed it, and I sensed the faint beginnings of new bonds forming.

"Gianna, watch out!" Roberto’s shout tore through my concentration.

Too late—I felt the searing pain of an arrow lodging deep in my chest.