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"No!" My mother's agonized scream pierces the vision. She falls to her knees, clawing at the stones where my father vanished. "Give him back," she sobs, face twisted in grief. "Please, I beg you..."
The gathered magic surges violently, the circle's stones cracking under the pressure. My mother bows her head, shoulders shaking with sobs.
Then her body goes rigid, back arching. A glowing orb emerges from the crack in the mating circle and shoots toward her. It hits her abdomen, right where I grew inside her.
Fern's spirit. Entering the unborn child—me.
The vision fades, returning me to the present. I stand frozen, stunned by what I witnessed. Finally I find my voice.
"That was..." I trail off, shaking my head helplessly.
"Your origin," Fern finishes. "A rogue wolf, secretly mating with a pack daughter. Their recklessness sacrificed your father's life...and brought my soul to reside in you before you were even born."
I wrap my arms around myself, chilled. My father dead and gone before I could even know him. And my body inhabited by Fern all along, destined to play some part in her unfinished business.
"If you hadn't shown me, I never would have believed it," I murmur.
Fern nods solemnly. "But now you understand where you come from. Why your fate has always been entangled with the wellspring...and with me."
I take a deep, steadying breath. "So where does that leave us? Now that I'm here too?"
"Now, we find a way to protect the souls under my guard. But the ritual required will not be easy." Fern's mouth presses into a grim line. "Are you willing to make a sacrifice to prevent untold pain and torture?”
I straighten my shoulders and lift my chin. Witnessing my past has shaken me. But it's also strengthened my resolve.
"I'm ready for whatever is necessary," I tell her firmly. "This is my destiny. I can feel it."
Fern studies me a moment, then nods. "There may be a way to save the omegas and keep your mates. But it will take tremendous sacrifice—from us both. And from your mates."
She steps closer, the wellspring's waters rippling between us. "We must perform a ritual to make me the anchor that binds all souls here. My spirit will become one with the wellspring...and you will be freed."
I frown, confused. "But how? Your soul resides in me."
"That's where the difficulty lies. We will use old magic—very dark magic—to sever my spirit from yours." Fern's eyes bore into mine intently. "It will leave you wholly yourself again. But it is no simple spell."
My heart pounds. To finally be free of Fern's spirit, after all this time...it seems impossible.
But if that's the price to protect my people, I will find the strength to pay it.
"Tell me what we must do," I say steadily.
Fern nods. "First, we will need my remains. The bones I left behind when I joined the wellspring."
She grips my hands tightly. "They rest where I died, on the Sky Pack's highest peak. You must retrieve them."
I shiver at the thought of climbing the treacherous mountain. But I force myself to nod.
"Once you have my bones, return here to the wellspring," Fern continues. "The next full moon, we will perform the ritual. My remains will anchor me as guardian, while my soul is finally separated from yours."
Her eyes shine with fervor. "It is the only way. You must complete the journey...no matter the cost."
Apprehension twists inside me. The task seems impossible. But Fern is right—this is the sole path before us.
I straighten my spine and meet her intense gaze steadily. "I understand. I'll retrieve your bones from the Sky Peak and bring them here."
Fern's shoulders relax slightly, tension easing from her face. "You are a brave girl, much like I was, Caterina. Together, we will make sure the omegas' souls stay safe."
She grips my hands once more. "Now go. Hurry to the Sky Pack's territory. Time isn't on our side."
