Chapter 98 Chapter 97: Winter

Chapter 98 Chapter 97: Winter
We finally stopped, and as Aaron, Declan, and the others shifted back to their human forms, I couldn't shake the dreamy, surreal feeling of their transformation. The night felt heavy, full of unspoken secrets, while the woods around us swarmed with shadows that seemed to curl inward.
The moonlight shimmered across the dark river ahead, its surface disturbed by floating chunks of ice, crumbling like forgotten memories. Beyond the water lay a snowy clearing, and tall trees swayed with the wind, their branches creaking ominously, almost as if they were whispering to each other.
" I feel a sense of horror," Braxton muttered as he adjusted the collar of his jacket, clearly unsettled as his gaze flickered over the area. Luca and Eva exchanged worried glances, eyes wide as they took in the scene before us.
I followed their gaze across the river to where a rustic cottage seemed to nestle into the side of a massive black rock, looking like an ancient obelisk reaching for the sky. Faint blue lights flickered in its windows, like will-o'-the-wisps, both inviting and ominous. The whole scene emanated an aura of danger, like stepping into a timeless fairy tale gone wrong. 
"The river," Declan began, his voice low but steady, "is haunted by the souls of exiles. They tried to find refuge on the other side but were consumed by the depths of this darkness." There was a weight in his words, a painful gravity that sent ripples through the air.
"And what does that even mean for us?" Eva shot back, crossing her arms defensively. "How are we supposed to cross if it's a trap?" Her voice trembled, revealing the raw fear that had settled in her throat like a stone. 
Declan's face hardened, a flint-like resolve appearing as he studied the icy flow of the river. "The last time I was here, the Diviner was waiting for me on the far shore. She held the answers I sought." There was a distant longing in his tone, hidden behind a veil of regret.
"Sounds like a convenient story," Aaron scoffed, his voice tinged with skepticism. I saw the tension ripple through his muscles, like a predator on high alert. "And how do we know you're not leading us into our death?"
Before the words even left his lips, chaos erupted around them. Declan's eyes widened, and in one quick motion, Aaron lunged at him, fingers locking around his throat, lifting him effortlessly above the snow. "What are you playing at?" he snarled, fury radiating from him like a flame.
"Stop it!" I shouted, my heart pounding at the sight. Luca and Braxton hurried to pull Aaron back, their hands struggling against his iron grip. "Please, Aaron!" I stepped forward, driven by instinct. I reached out and placed a hand on his cheek, allowing the bond we shared to flow between us, along with the wave of warm calm from my magic. His gaze softened beneath my touch, torn between fury and the primal instinct to protect.
"Let him go," I murmured, keeping my voice steady, though my heart thundered in my chest. For a moment, worlds collided in his eyes. Then, almost reluctantly, he released his hold. Declan crumpled backward into the snow, a ragged breath escaping his lips.
Immediately, I stepped between them, aware of the blurry line between compassion and fear. Aaron turned to me, his chest rising and falling quickly, and in that moment, I could feel his inner turmoil as if it were my own. I wrapped my arms around him, inhaling his comforting scent. "It's okay. We'll figure this out together."
As Aaron held me tightly, I looked at Declan—still struggling to breathe, but something unsaid flashed in his eyes. Was it pain? Regret? I had heard pieces of his past, enough to understand that beneath his bravado was a storm of grief and unanswered questions. 
"What did you want to know?" I asked softly, feeling the weight of the moment settle around us like a heavy blanket. There was hesitation in Declan's gaze; the stillness before a storm. 
"I…" He struggled with the admission, guilt flickering across his features. "I wanted to ask whether I would ever find peace again." The words were nearly a whisper, as if he feared the river would hear and claim him as its own for daring to question fate. 
That understanding hit me hard—a flash of empathy broke through my protective walls. I wished no one would have to endure the pain of losing a mate. "I'm so sorry, Declan," I said sincerely, wishing I could ease his burdens and carry my own unrelenting sorrow alongside his.
Suddenly, the air shifted, and a voice, both ethereal and commanding, cut through the tension. "You know how to pass." We all turned toward the opposite shore, where a figure appeared through the darkness. A woman, dressed in a flowing dark gray dress that rippled in the wind, stood on the banks. Her skin, pale and decorated with intricate henna designs, glowed in the moonlight. Her long silver hair flowed behind her, almost luminous, as she motioned for us to come closer.
My breath hitched. There was an ancient grace about her, a familiarity that made my pulse race. The Diviner, maybe? My heart was full of both hope and caution—could she really lead us to safety? She turned and headed toward the cottage, radiating an invitation deeper than the river itself. Every instinct told me to follow, even as icy doubt crept down my spine.
"Do we trust her?" I wondered aloud, uncertainty settling in my stomach. 
Aaron's arm snaked protectively around my waist, grounding me as he held my gaze. "There's no turning back now. We must decide."
With a collective breath as heavy as the atmosphere around us, we moved closer, the river murmuring its secrets beneath our feet, covered in ice and shadows. As the woman moved further away, the whisper of the unknown slipped into my heart, stirring questions that demanded answers with every step we took. 
The snow crunched beneath our feet as we slowly formed a hesitant circle by the riverbank, the air so cold it seemed ready to bite back at any second. My eyes fixed on the vast stretch of water ahead, swirling with a threatening ferocity that sent a shiver down my spine. Here was a force of nature—wild and relentless—a mirror of the chaos building inside me. I tried to ignore the nervous flutter that came with realizing this icy barrier trapped us, cutting us off from the answers.
"Any ideas on how we're going to get across without losing our lives?" I asked, trying to lighten the heavy air filled with anxiety. My eyes swept over my companions: Declan stood with his back to us, staring at the moon as if searching for answers. Aaron ran a hand through his hair, lost in thought. The others were also deep in thought, avoiding my gaze. Their silence was heavy, but I could feel the undercurrents of fear and hope that tied us together in that moment.