The wind howled through the trees as Logan and I hurried back to the house, the key still warm in my hand. The further we went, the more uneasy I felt. Something about Miranda’s last words echoed in my mind, like a whisper I couldn’t shake. Once you unlock it, the future will no longer be yours to control.
As we approached the edge of the forest, the house came into view, its windows glowing softly in the darkness. Logan slowed his pace, casting a glance over his shoulder, his senses on high alert.
“Let’s get inside quickly,” he murmured. “I don’t like how quiet it is.”
We slipped through the back door, moving as silently as we could. The house was eerily still, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath. Logan led me to a hidden alcove in his father’s study, where the Eternity Book was kept, its presence always felt but never fully understood.
“There it is,” Logan whispered, nodding toward the ancient, leather-bound tome resting on a pedestal in the corner. Its cover shimmered faintly, as if it were alive, and the air around it felt thick with power.
I swallowed hard, the key feeling heavier than ever in my palm. “Are you sure about this?”
Logan’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing with determination. “We don’t have a choice. We need to know what’s inside. It’s the only way to protect the pack.”
I stepped forward, the key glowing faintly as I approached the book. My hands trembled as I reached out and fit the key into the lock. A soft click echoed through the room, followed by a low hum that vibrated in the air around us.
Suddenly, the book sprang open, pages flipping wildly as if a strong wind had blown through the room. The glow from the key intensified, casting eerie shadows across the walls. Logan and I stepped back, watching in awe as the words on the pages began to form, swirling like smoke.
For a moment, there was only silence, broken by the distant sound of the wind outside. Then, a voice-smooth and cold-cut through the air.
“Thank you, Logan. Audrey.”
I froze. That voice… it wasn’t coming from the book. It was coming from behind us.
Miranda stepped out of the shadows, her eyes gleaming with triumph. “You’ve done well,” she said, her smile widening as she approached the book. “I knew you would.”
Logan spun around, his eyes blazing with anger. “What the hell is this, Miranda? You said you’d help us!”
Miranda laughed softly, her voice dripping with amusement. “Oh, I am helping you. More than you realize.” She stepped closer to the book, her hand hovering just above the open pages. “But you didn’t think it would be that simple, did you?”
I stepped back, my heart racing. “You tricked us. This was never about unlocking the book-it was about you.”
“Very observant,” Miranda purred, her eyes locking onto mine. “I need the power inside this book, and you were the key to releasing it. You and Logan were always meant to open the door.”
Logan growled, stepping between us and Miranda. “We won’t let you take it.”
Miranda’s smile didn’t falter. “You can’t stop me, Logan. The moment you agreed to my terms, the power was set in motion. You see, this isn’t just about the pack-it’s about control. Control over the future. Control over everything.”
Before Logan could react, Miranda raised her hand, and a surge of energy shot from her fingertips, hitting him square in the chest. He was thrown backward, crashing into the bookshelf with a sickening thud. I screamed, rushing to his side, but he was already unconscious, his body motionless.
“Logan!” I cried, shaking him. “Please, wake up!”
Miranda’s voice cut through the chaos, cold and merciless. “Don’t worry. He’ll live-for now. But you… you have a much bigger role to play.”
I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest. “What do you want from me?”
Miranda’s eyes gleamed with dark intent. “I want the Eternity Book’s full power. And to unlock that, I need your blood.”
I took a step back, my blood turning to ice. “My blood?”
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice like a serpent’s hiss. “You are tied to the book in ways you don’t yet understand. Your blood is the final piece.”
I looked down at the open book, the swirling words calling to me like a siren’s song. It was tempting-dangerously so-but I knew that giving in would mean the end of everything.
With trembling hands, I gripped the key tighter and took a step toward Miranda. “You’ll have to kill me first.”
Miranda’s smile faded, her eyes narrowing. “So be it.”
In a flash, she lunged toward me, her hands crackling with dark energy. But just before she reached me, a blinding light erupted from the book, sending her flying backward with a scream.
I stumbled back, shielding my eyes from the intense glow. The book’s pages had stopped swirling, and in the center, a single word had appeared, glowing with a radiant, otherworldly light.
Choice.
The voice from the book echoed in my mind, deep and resonant. “You must choose, Audrey. The power is yours to wield, but at a cost. Will you sacrifice everything for the future… or protect what you love?”
Tears filled my eyes as I looked at Logan’s still body, then at Miranda, who was struggling to get back to her feet, fury etched on her face.
I knew what I had to do.
With a deep breath, I reached out and placed my hand on the book. The light intensified, enveloping me in its warmth, and I felt the power surge through me.
Miranda’s scream echoed through the room as the light consumed her, erasing her presence from the air like a bad dream. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the light faded, leaving only silence in its wake.
I collapsed to the floor, my body trembling from the power I had just unleashed. Logan stirred beside me, groaning as he slowly came to.
“Audrey…” he murmured, his voice weak.
I reached for him, tears streaming down my face. “It’s over, Logan. She’s gone.”
But even as we held each other, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.
The book had been unlocked, and with it, the future had changed.