Chapter 83 Chapter 83
Harper’s eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat as she stared at The One in the dim moonlight filtering through the trees.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, laced with a mix of shock and cautious hope. “You can leave Koda’s body? Get your own back? How?”
The One watched her reaction carefully, his black-rimmed eyes gleaming with something unreadable — amusement mixed with a darker satisfaction at having her full attention.
He took a slow step closer, his presence towering over her in the quiet clearing.
“There is an old ritual,” he said, his voice low and deliberate. “One my kind used long before the witches sealed us away. It requires a vessel strong enough to hold a demon soul without breaking… and a key to open the door between realms.”
Harper swallowed, her mind racing.
“A key? What kind of key?”
The One’s lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile.
“You, princess. Your power — the one that’s been waking up since you fell into the ocean. It’s not just any wolf power. It’s tied to the old seals. Only someone with your bloodline can unlock the gateway that would let me step out of this borrowed body and into my own form again.”
Harper took a small step back, her hand instinctively going to her chest where she could still feel that strange, glowing energy humming beneath her skin.
“So… if I help you, Koda comes back?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. “The real Koda? And you get your own body?”
The One tilted his head, studying her face.
“Yes. The real Koda would return to this shell. And I… I would be free. Whole again. No more sharing. No more fighting for control.”
He reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his touch surprisingly soft.
“But it comes with a price, Harper. The ritual isn’t gentle. It will test you. It will demand something from you — your power, your blood, maybe even a piece of your soul. And once I’m free… I won’t be chained anymore. I won’t have to hold back the hunger.”
Harper’s breath hitched.
She looked at him — really looked — seeing the monster who had protected her, threatened her, kissed her, and now offered her the one thing she had been secretly hoping for: Koda’s return.
“But… you’d still be you,” she whispered. “The One. The demon who wants to burn everything.”
He didn’t deny it.
Instead, he leaned in closer, his forehead almost touching hers.
“And you’d still be the only one who can make me hesitate,” he murmured. “The only one who can make me choose something other than revenge.”
The forest around them seemed to hold its breath. The distant sounds of the camp — faint laughter, the crackle of a dying fire — felt miles away.
Harper’s hand trembled as she placed it on his chest, feeling the steady, unnatural beat of the heart that wasn’t fully his.
“I… I need time to think,” she said softly. “This is too much. If I help you, what happens to everyone else? To Kai? To the camp? To… us?”
The One’s eyes darkened for a moment, then softened just a fraction.
“Think fast, princess. The seals are weakening. The voices in the forest are getting louder. And I’m getting hungrier every day.”
He stepped back, giving her space, but his gaze never left hers.
“I’ll wait for your answer. But don’t take too long.”
Harper nodded, her mind swirling with questions, fear, and a dangerous spark of hope.
As she turned to walk back toward the camp, The One’s voice followed her softly through the trees.
“And Harper… if you say yes… I promise I’ll try not to destroy everything you love.”
She didn’t look back.
But her glowing hand clenched at her side, the strange new power pulsing stronger than ever.
The choice was hers now.
And it terrified her.
Harper turned away from The One, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat. The weight of his words — the ritual, the possibility of freeing Koda, the terrifying price — pressed down on her like the ancient trees surrounding the clearing. She didn’t look back as she walked toward the camp, her glowing hand still clenched tightly at her side. The strange power inside her hummed louder now, almost as if it was responding to the conversation.
The path back felt longer than it should have. Every rustle of leaves made her jump, every shadow seemed to stretch toward her. When she finally emerged from the tree line, the camp was quiet. Most of the lanterns in the girls’ area had been dimmed for the night, but a few tents still glowed softly with conversation and laughter. She slipped past them, keeping her head down, not wanting anyone to see the turmoil on her face.
She reached her tent and quietly unzipped the flap. Catherine and Sarah were already inside, sitting on their sleeping bags in their pajamas, sharing a small bag of snacks and whispering about the day’s events.
“Harper!” Catherine said, sitting up straighter. “There you are. We were starting to worry again. You disappeared after the sparring.”
Sarah tilted her head, studying her. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost… or something worse.”
Harper forced a tired smile as she crawled into her sleeping bag, pulling the blanket up to her chin.
“I’m fine,” she said, the lie tasting bitter on her tongue. “Just needed some air. The forest is… peaceful at night.”
Catherine raised an eyebrow but didn’t push.
“Well, you missed Sarah trying to convince me that Kai is secretly into her,” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Sarah laughed and threw a pillow at her. “I said he’s hot, not that he’s into me! Although… a girl can dream.”
Harper managed a small laugh, but it felt hollow. Her mind kept replaying The One’s offer. A ritual. Her power as the key. Koda coming back. The One getting his own body. The price she might have to pay.
She lay down, staring up at the canvas ceiling of the tent, the faint glow from her hand hidden under the blanket. The power felt warmer now, almost comforting, like it was trying to tell her something.
Catherine yawned and turned off the lantern.
“Get some sleep, Harper. Tomorrow’s going to be another long day with more training.”
The tent fell into darkness, the only sounds the soft breathing of her friends and the distant night noises of the forest.
Harper closed her eyes, but sleep didn’t come easily.
She kept hearing The One’s voice in her head.
“What if I tell you there was a way I could leave Koda’s body and get mine back?”
She turned onto her side, clutching the blanket tighter.
What if she said yes?
What if she said no?
And what would happen to all of them if she made the wrong choice?
The glowing in her hand pulsed once, brighter than before, as if the power itself was waiting for her decision.
Outside, somewhere in the shadows between the tents, she could have sworn she felt eyes watching her.
The One.
Waiting.
Just like he said he would.
Harper pulled the blanket over her head and tried to breathe steadily.
The camp was supposed to be about unlocking abilities and building bonds.
Instead, it felt like the beginning of something much more dangerous.
And the choice she had to make might decide whether Koda came back… or whether the demon finally broke free.