The door creaked open.
Nora stepped out slowly, closing it behind her so Eva could rest.
The hallway was dark.
Too dark.
The candles that were burning earlier… were gone.
Nora frowned.
"That's strange…"
She took a few steps forward.
Then stopped.
Something was wrong.
Her wolf instincts screamed inside her.
There was something in the corner.
Not moving.
But Breathing.
Just… there.
Nora narrowed her eyes, trying to focus.
A black shape stood near the far wall.
Tall.
Still.
Unclear.
"Who is that?" she said slowly.
No response.
She stepped closer.
Her eyes tried to adjust.
"I can't… see you properly…"
Behind her, the door opened.
Julien, Lucas, Zoe, and Velik stepped out.
"What happened?" Julien asked.
Nora pointed toward the corner.
"There."
Everyone looked.
Nothing.
Lucas squinted.
"…I see a wall."
Zoe shook her head.
"There's nothing there."
Nora's voice grew sharper.
"No. Someone is there."
From inside the room—
Kaela's voice came out, low and quiet:
"You can see him."
Nora turned sharply.
"What's wrong with you?"
Her voice snapped.
"You crazy or what?"
Kaela slowly stood up inside the room, her chains rattling slightly.
Julien frowned.
"What is she talking about?"
Kaela looked straight at Nora.
"He's letting you see him."
Lucas crossed his arms.
"…Okay that's definitely not comforting."
Julien shook his head.
"We don't see anything."
Zoe nodded.
"There's nothing there, Nora."
Nora looked back at the corner.
The shadow was still there.
Watching.
Her heart started beating faster.
"Then why can I see him…?"
Before anyone could react—
Kaela moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
She shoved Julien hard.
He stumbled back.
"Kaela—!"
But she was already running.
Out the door.
Into the night.
Lucas didn't even look surprised.
He just smirked slightly.
"…And there it is."
Julien got up instantly.
"What are you doing?! She escaped!"
Lucas grabbed his arm.
"Relax."
Julien looked at him in anger.
"Relax?!"
Lucas leaned closer, calm as ever.
"I let her go."
Silence.
Zoe frowned.
"What?"
Lucas smiled slightly.
"Think about it."
He pointed outside.
"She wasn't talking here."
"But out there?"
He tilted his head.
"She'll run somewhere safe."
Velik's eyes narrowed.
"You planned this."
Lucas winked.
"Of course."
Then he stepped toward the door.
"Now we follow."
The Escape
Outside—
The night air felt heavier.
Kaela ran through the forest.
Fast.
Desperate.
Her breathing uneven.
Her eyes filled with fear.
"Don't look back…"
She whispered to herself.
"Don't look back…"
But she could feel it.
Behind her.
Around her.
Watching her.
Suddenly—
Darkness moved.
The shadow from the house…
Covered her.
Like smoke swallowing her whole body.
Kaela gasped.
"NO—!"
Then silence.
The shadow disappeared.
And Kaela collapsed to her knees.
Free.
But shaking.
Terrified.
"He's here…"
She whispered.
"I waited too long…"
She stood up quickly and ran again.
Deeper into the forest.
The Mansion
Lucas, Julien, Zoe, and Velik followed quietly from a distance.
Lucas moved like he already knew where she would go.
"She's heading somewhere important," he said.
Julien looked at him.
"You're way too calm about this."
Lucas shrugged.
"I trust my plans."
Zoe whispered softly—
"She's scared."
Velik nodded.
"Fear reveals direction."
After a few minutes—
Kaela stopped.
In front of something massive.
An old mansion.
Broken windows.
Dark walls.
Like it had been abandoned for decades.
Lucas stopped at the edge of the forest.
"…Now that's creepy."
Julien frowned.
"This place…"
Kaela ran inside without hesitation.
Lucas turned to Velik quickly.
"Stay here."
Velik looked at him.
Lucas pointed at the forest ground.
"Watch the surroundings."
Velik understood immediately.
Something wasn't right.
He stayed back.
Lucas and Julien moved closer to the mansion.
Quiet.
Careful.
Inside—
Kaela fell to her knees.
"Please…"
Her voice echoed through the empty halls.
"You wanted me free—"
"I'm here!"
Silence.
Then—
A voice.
Soft.
Close.
But coming from nowhere.
"You took long enough."
Kaela froze.
Her body trembling.
Outside—
Lucas suddenly stopped walking.
His expression changed.
Serious.
He looked at Velik in the distance and shouted:
"Velik!"
Velik turned instantly.
Lucas's voice was sharp now.
"Stay exactly where you are!"
Julien frowned.
"What's wrong?"
Lucas looked at the mansion.
"…This isn't right."
Before anyone could react—
The mansion flickered.
Like a broken illusion.
Then—
It disappeared.
Gone.
Completely.
Nothing left.
Just empty ground.
Julien stepped back.
"What the hell—?!"
Zoe stared in shock.
"The house…"
Lucas looked around slowly.
Even he looked confused now.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"How does a whole mansion just disappear?"
Velik stepped forward now.
"This is not normal magic."
Julien clenched his fists.
"Where did she go?"
Lucas exhaled slowly.
Then smirked again.
"Okay…"
"This just got interesting."
The Shift
Back at the house—
The door opened slowly.
Eva stepped out.
Her eyes were calm now.
But something had changed.
The air around her felt heavier.
Controlled.
But dangerous.
Nora looked at her carefully.
"…You okay?"
Eva nodded slowly.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then she added—
"I can control it now."
But as she spoke—
The lights flickered again.
For a split second—
A shadow moved behind her.
Watching.
Waiting.
But now she's controlling it.