The room was heavy with silence, the air thick with tension. Shadows danced along the walls, cast by the flickering flames of the fireplace. The familiar warmth of home did little to ease the cold, hollow ache in Opal's chest. Her body trembled, her heart pounding as she sat curled up on the worn couch, her violet eyes wide and haunted.
Her brothers were scattered around the room, each bearing the weight of their experiences in their own way. Ash stood by the window, his shoulders rigid, his fists clenched, his silver eyes fixed on the darkness outside. Ridge leaned against the wall, his arms crossed tightly, his jaw clenched, his amber eyes dark and cold. Forrest paced back and forth, his movements restless, his emerald eyes wide and wary. Brooks sat beside Opal, his shoulders hunched, his silver-gray eyes distant and hollow.
Their parents sat across from them, faces pale, eyes wide with fear. Griffin's silver eyes were sharp and piercing, his body rigid, his fists clenched. Lila's face was pale, her hands trembling as she reached out to touch Opal's arm, her voice breaking as she whispered, "You're home... you're safe... oh, thank the Moon, you're safe."
Opal's chest tightened, her throat burning. "We... we almost weren't." Her voice wavered, her shoulders trembling. "We almost... we almost didn't make it out."
Lila's face crumpled, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Oh, my babies..." Her voice broke, her hands shaking. "What... what happened to you? Where were you?"
Griffin's jaw tightened, his silver eyes cold and hard. "Start from the beginning. Who took you?"
Ash's shoulders stiffened, his silver eyes blazing. "Hunters. They were waiting for us... they knew we were coming. They ambushed us... we were outnumbered." His fists shook, his voice breaking. "We fought... but we lost."
Griffin's eyes narrowed, his voice cold. "How did they know you were coming?"
Ridge's amber eyes were cold, his voice bitter. "We were betrayed." His jaw clenched, his fists shaking. "By the packs that were supposed to be our allies. They set us up... they handed us over to the hunters."
Lila's face went white, her hands flying to her mouth. "No... no, that can't be... those packs are our friends... they're family..."
Forrest's face twisted with anger, his emerald eyes burning. "Family? Friends?" His voice was hard, cold. "They sold us out. They turned on us... every single one of them."
Griffin's body went rigid, his silver eyes wide with shock. "Which packs?"
Ash's jaw tightened, his voice low, dangerous. "All of them. Every pack we went to... they turned on us. They... they called us cursed. Said we were monsters... because of you." His fists clenched, his shoulders trembling. "They hate you, Dad. They said you made a deal... a long time ago. That you cursed us."
Griffin's face went pale, his eyes wide with shock. "A deal? A curse?" His voice was low, broken. "What... what are you talking about?"
Ash's silver eyes were cold, his voice hard. "They said you made a deal with a witch... and cursed our bloodline. That's why we're quintuplets... that's why we're different." His fists shook, his voice breaking. "They said we're cursed."
Opal's chest tightened, her heart pounding. "They... they called me cursed too. They... they wouldn't let me leave. I... I was a prisoner." Her voice wavered, her shoulders trembling. "I couldn't go anywhere... I couldn't do anything. They watched me... every second. I was trapped." Her violet eyes glistened with tears, her voice breaking. "They said I was dangerous... that I couldn't be trusted."
Lila's face crumpled, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Oh, Opal... my poor, sweet Opal..." She pulled Opal into her arms, holding her close, her shoulders shaking. "I'm so sorry... I didn't know... I didn't know..."
Ridge's jaw tightened, his amber eyes cold and dark. "They... they locked me up. Chained me in a cell... underground. It was cold... dark... I couldn't see anything." His fists clenched, his body trembling. "They said I was a monster... that I was dangerous. That I... that I needed to be controlled." His voice broke, his shoulders shaking. "I... I couldn't move... I couldn't breathe... I thought I was going to die down there."
Lila's face went white, her hands shaking. "No... no, no, no... Ridge... my baby..." She reached out to him, her fingers trembling. "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Forrest's emerald eyes were cold, his voice hard. "They drugged me. The first night... they drugged my food." His jaw tightened, his fists shaking. "I pretended to sleep... until I heard them talking. They were going to kill me... I heard them say it." His shoulders tensed, his eyes flashing with anger. "I ran. I ran all night... I ran until I couldn't breathe." His voice broke, his body trembling. "I thought... I thought they were going to catch me. I thought I was going to die."
Brooks's silver-gray eyes were haunted, his voice hollow. "They... they tried to 'cleanse' me. Said they were saving me... that they were purging the curse." His hands shook, his voice trembling. "They hurt me... over and over... said they were burning the evil out of me." His voice broke, his shoulders shaking. "I... I begged them to stop... but they wouldn't. They... they said I was cursed... that I was a monster."
Griffin's face went white, his body rigid. "They... they did that to you? Our allies? Our friends?" His voice was raw, broken. "They... they tried to kill you... because of me?" His silver eyes were wide, hollow. "No... no, I... I didn't know..."
Opal's voice trembled, her shoulders shaking. "Elena saved me... she helped me escape. She's... she's waiting for us. She... she said she'd protect me." Her violet eyes were wide, pleading. "She... she saved my life. She's one of us... she's good. I know she is."
Griffin's eyes went cold, his face hardening. "Elena... I knew an Elena once." His voice was low, dangerous. "A witch. Powerful... evil." His jaw clenched, his fists shaking. "If she's the same one... then she's the most dangerous enemy we've ever faced."
Opal's heart stopped, her body going cold. "No... no, that can't be... she saved me... she protected me... she can't be..." Her voice broke, her shoulders shaking. "She can't be evil..."
Griffin's eyes were cold, his voice hard. "If she's the same Elena... then she's been lying to you from the start. She's using you... for something worse." His silver eyes were sharp, piercing. "She's not a werewolf, Opal. She's a witch... and she's the one who cursed us."
Opal's blood ran cold, her heart pounding. She looked at her brothers, their faces pale, their eyes wide with fear. She looked at her parents, their faces grim, their bodies tense.
And she realized, with a sinking feeling, that their nightmare was far from over.
She stood quietly from the couch and walked to him, her bare feet silent against the old wooden floor. Her fingers trembled at her sides, her chest tightening as she stepped beside him.
"Ash," she whispered, barely a breath.
He didn't move.
"I need to talk to you. Alone."
His silver eyes flicked toward her, simmering with something volcanic. But he nodded once, and they slipped silently out the back door.
The night air was cold and still, the stars scattered like spilled diamonds across the velvet sky. Opal wrapped her arms around herself as they walked to the edge of the yard, to the fence that overlooked the old grove. The place they used to sneak off to as kids. It felt like a lifetime ago.
Ash leaned his forearms against the wooden railing, staring out at the tree line. He didn't speak. He didn't have to.
Opal stood beside him, her voice caught in her throat. For a long moment, there was only the sound of the wind.
Then, finally—quietly, trembling—she said, "There's more."
Ash's jaw clenched. "I figured."
She stared at the shadows. "But this part… I haven't told anyone. Not even the others."
He didn't look at her. "Why?"
"Because it makes everything real," she whispered. "Because saying it out loud feels like it happened twice."
Ash's hand twitched on the railing.
Opal inhaled sharply. "Alpha Marcus… he—"
Her voice cracked, and she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to hold herself together.
Ash turned to face her fully now, his expression unreadable, but his eyes blazing.
"He didn't touch me," she rushed out. "Not… not completely. But if I hadn't escaped—if I'd stayed there one more night—he would have."
Ash's whole body stilled.
"He would've broken me," she said, voice barely more than a breath. "He would've defiled me."
Ash exhaled sharply, stepping back from the railing like it burned him. He raked both hands through his hair, his breath coming in short, harsh bursts.
"No," he muttered. "No, no, no—"
She reached out, grabbing his arm. "Ash, please."
He turned toward her, fury etched into every line of his face. "Opal, you should've told me sooner."
"I couldn't." Her voice cracked again. "I couldn't say it. I couldn't even think it without feeling like I was going to fall apart."
Ash's hands balled into fists at his sides. "He threatened you. He terrorized you. And I wasn't there. None of us were. We were supposed to protect you."
She shook her head, tears finally spilling down her cheeks. "There was nothing you could've done. I didn't tell you because I know you. You'd march into Briarcliff right now and slaughter him."
Ash's silver eyes were deadly. "You're right."
"And I need you here," she said, her voice breaking. "I need you with me. Not gone. Not hunted. Not dead."
Ash looked at her like he was breaking inside. "Opal… he hurt you."
"I know."
His voice dropped, low and ragged. "And I can't let that go."
She stepped closer, laying her hand flat against his chest. "Please. Don't tell the others. Not yet. I can't deal with their pity or their rage or the guilt. I'm still trying to breathe. Just… let me have time."
He stared at her, his jaw clenched so tight it trembled.
"Ash," she whispered. "Please."
Finally—finally—he nodded once, sharp and silent.
His arms wrapped around her in an instant, pulling her in tight, like he could shield her from the memory itself. She buried her face into his chest, her body shaking with silent sobs, and for once, Ash didn't speak.
He just held her.
And when she could finally breathe again, when her tears slowed, Ash's voice was a low growl against her hair.
"I'll wait. But when you're ready—when you say the word—I'll burn his fucking pack to the ground."