The Shadow Queen's dark tendrils shot toward Markus and Rosie, but Aurora leaped between them. Her eyes blazed with blue light as she deflected the attack with a shield of pure energy.
"Not today," Aurora growled, her voice echoing with power.
Eli stepped forward, eyes locked on his mother. "Why open the Gates? You'll destroy everything—including yourself."
The Shadow Queen laughed. "Power requires sacrifice, my son. Something your father never understood."
"This ends now," Aurora declared, her wolf rising to the surface. Her transformation was instantaneous—fur gleaming silver in the moonlight, her wolf larger than any in the pack.
The Shadow Queen's smile faltered. "Impossible. No one transforms that quickly."
"I'm not just anyone," Aurora snarled, lunging forward.
The battle erupted around them. Wolves clashed with shadow creatures pouring from the darkening sky. Tina led a squad toward the Second Gate while Markus and Rosie fought back-to-back, protecting each other.
