Chapter 19

Chapter

Nineteen

C olt’s heart raced as he stared at the image before him, his pack in danger, Ariana at the center of it all. But it didn’t feel right. The Ariana he knew, the woman he loved, would never willingly harm his pack. This was another illusion, another test.

He took a deep breath, centering himself. “No,” he growled, his voice low and filled with conviction. “I won’t abandon Ariana. And I won’t betray my pack. You’re asking me to choose between two impossible options, but there’s always another way.”

Anubis tilted his head, his jackal eyes gleaming with interest. “Oh? And what way might that be, wolf?”

He squared his shoulders, meeting the god’s gaze. “Trust. I trust Ariana with my life, with my pack’s lives. Whatever power she gains, whatever challenges we face, we’ll face them together. That’s what it means to be mates, to be pack.”

The image before him wavered, flickering like a mirage in the desert heat. Anubis’s expression remained impassive, but Colt sensed a shift in the air, a subtle change in the god’s demeanor.

“Interesting,” Anubis mused. “Many would choose the safety of their pack over a single individual, no matter how beloved. Your faith in your mate is… unusual.”

Colt worked his jaw, his wolf pacing beneath his skin. “Ariana isn’t just any individual. She’s my mate, yes, but she’s also a guardian. Her strength, her compassion—they’re part of what makes her who she is. I won’t ask her to diminish herself to make others feel safe.”

The jackal god’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of what looked like approval— curiosity?—passed through their depths. “You speak of trust and faith, Alpha. But words are easy. Actions… those are what truly test the mettle of a soul.”

With a wave of his hand, the surrounding chamber dissolved, replaced by a vast, barren landscape. The air grew thick and oppressive, charged with an otherworldly energy that made Colt’s skin prickle. In the distance, a massive pyramid loomed, its peak lost in swirling storm clouds.

“Your final trial awaits,” Anubis intoned, his voice echoing across the desolate expanse. “Reach the summit of that pyramid, and you will find what you seek. But be warned—the path is treacherous, designed to break not just your body, but your spirit.”

His gaze narrowed as he surveyed the terrain before him. The ground was cracked and unstable, riddled with chasms that seemed to pulse with an eerie, green light. Strange, shadowy creatures slithered at the edges of his vision. Their forms never quite solidifying.

“And Ariana?” he demanded, his voice tight with concern. “The others?”

Anubis’s lips curled into what might have been a smile on a human face. On the jackal god, it was decidedly more unsettling. “They face their own trials, as you face yours. Whether your paths converge… that remains to be seen.”

Before Colt could respond, the god vanished in a swirl of dark smoke, leaving him alone in the foreign landscape. For a moment, the weight of the situation threatened to overwhelm him. He was alone in the realm of the dead, cut off from his pack, from Ariana, facing challenges beyond anything he’d ever encountered. But he was an alpha. He’d fought his way to that position, defended it against all comers. He’d be damned if he’d let this place break him now.

With a deep breath, he centered himself, reaching for the calm at his core. His wolf stirred within him, lending him strength and sharpening his senses. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it. For his pack. For Ariana. For the future, they were fighting to protect.

With each step toward the pyramid, the air grew thicker, more oppressive. It pressed against her skin like a physical force, making every movement a struggle. The shadows at the edges of her vision writhed and twisted, taking on half-formed shapes that vanished when she tried to focus on them.

“You have come far, Guardian,” Anubis’s voice echoed across the barren expanse, though his figure remained distant. “But the true test is yet to begin.”

Ariana squared her shoulders, pushing down the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. “I’m ready,” she called out, her voice steadier than she felt. “Whatever you have planned, I’ll face it.”

A low chuckle rumbled through the air, sending shivers down her spine. “Such confidence,” Anubis mused. “We shall see if it is warranted.”

Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet began to shift and crack. She stumbled, struggling to keep her balance as the terrain transformed around her. Jagged rocks erupted from the earth, forming a treacherous maze between her and the pyramid. Without warning, a gust of wind slammed into her, nearly knocking her off her feet. Ariana reached for her elemental powers, summoning the air to steady her. But something was wrong. The elements, usually so responsive to her will, felt distant and sluggish.

Panic flared in her chest. Her powers had never failed her like this before. She closed her eyes, trying to center herself, to reconnect with the elements that were as much a part of her as her own heart. She gritted her teeth and fought against the rising tide of panic. Her powers may have been weakened, but she was far from helpless. She was a guardian. She would not falter now.

With renewed determination, she pressed forward into the maze of jagged rocks. The wind howled around her, carrying whispers that eerily resembled voices she knew. Colt, her parents, even her own doubts and fears given voice.

“You’re not strong enough,” the wind seemed to hiss. “You’ll fail them all.”

She shook her head, pushing the doubts aside. “I am strong enough,” she muttered through clenched teeth. “I have to be.”

As she navigated the treacherous terrain, the shadows at the edge of her vision grew bolder. They transformed into humanoid shapes, reaching for her with inky tendrils. Her heart raced, her instincts screaming danger. She reached deep within herself, calling upon her elemental powers once more. This time, she felt a faint spark of response. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. With a cry of effort, she summoned a gust of wind, pushing back the encroaching shadows.

The effort left her gasping, her limbs trembling with exhaustion. But she had done it. A small victory, but one that reignited the hope in her heart.

Pressing on, Ariana found her path blocked by a chasm that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Its depths glowed with an eerie, pulsing light that made her skin crawl. She peered over the edge, trying to gauge its width.

“Your powers are failing you, Guardian,” Anubis’s voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere. “How will you proceed when you cannot rely on your gifts?”

Her jaw tightened. She focused on a point on the other side and attempted to flash there.

Nothing.

“Son of a…”

He was right. In her current state, she couldn’t flash across or manipulate the earth to form a bridge. But she refused to give up. Scanning her surroundings, her mind raced with options. There, a series of narrow ledges along the chasm wall. It would be risky, but it was her only out. Taking a deep breath, she climbed down. The rock face was slick and unstable, crumbling under her fingers in places. Every movement was a battle against gravity and her own exhaustion. But she pushed on, focusing on each handhold, each footstep.

Halfway across, disaster struck. The ledge beneath her feet gave way and sent her plummeting toward the glowing depths below. Her heart leaped into her throat, her body reacting on instinct.

In that moment of pure, primal fear, her connection to the elements surged back to life. Wind whipped around her, slowing her fall. With a desperate grab, she caught hold of another ledge, her fingers screaming in protest as they bore her full weight. For a moment, she hung there, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Then, with a groan of effort, she pulled herself up, collapsing onto the narrow ledge.

“Well done, Guardian,” Anubis’s voice rumbled, a note of approval in his tone. “You begin to understand. True strength comes not from your powers, but from within.”

Ariana pushed herself to her feet, her entire body aching. But there was a fire in her soul now, a determination that burned brighter than before.

“I’m not finished yet,” she called out, her voice ringing with conviction. “Whatever else you have planned, I’ll face it. For Colt, for my friends, for all the realms I’m sworn to protect.”

As if in response to her declaration, the landscape before her shimmered and changed. The maze of rocks fell away, revealing a clear path to the base of the pyramid. But standing between her and her goal was a sight that made her blood run cold.