The Twins' house loomed on the edge of town, a sprawling old manor shrouded by towering oaks. Its steep, shingled roof and weathered stone fa?ade cast long, shifting shadows under the moonlight, both welcoming and foreboding—a perfect reflection of the enigmatic family who lived there. The air around it felt charged, as if the house itself held its breath.

  Aiden stumbled across the threshold, leaning heavily on Nyx, whose frame trembled under the weight of his own wounds despite his best efforts to appear strong. The dim, golden glow of the house’s interior wrapped around them, a deceptive warmth that barely masked the tension within.

  Eleanor, the Twins’ mother, was already waiting. Her tall, composed figure stood in the doorway to the sitting room, her sharp green eyes piercing through the dim light. Though her serene demeanor filled the space with an unearthly calm, her gaze betrayed a tempest of worry.

  “Quickly, put them down,” Eleanor commanded, her voice firm but kind. She motioned to the plush sofas near the crackling fireplace, where the faint scent of herbs and aged wood hung in the air.

  Xander and Alden sank onto one sofa, their expressions tight with pain, their breaths shallow. Aiden collapsed onto another, his shirt ripped and soaked in blood. Nyx leaned heavily against the armrest, his golden eyes dulled with exhaustion as he struggled to stay upright.

  Eleanor moved swiftly, her hands reaching for a basket of bandages, salves, and vials of strange, glimmering liquids. “What happened?” she asked, her tone steady but edged with urgency, as she carefully peeled back Aiden’s shredded jacket. Her fingers worked deftly, though a tremor betrayed the fear she fought to suppress.

  “The forest,” Aiden rasped, wincing as she pressed a cool cloth against his wounds. “Something… attacked us. A creature. Huge, twisted. It wasn’t natural.”

  Eleanor’s lips pressed into a thin line. Her hands froze for a heartbeat before resuming their work. “You three are werewolves. Why aren’t you healing? Your bodies should have already begun to mend.”

  “Werewolves?” Aiden’s head snapped up, his voice sharp despite his pain. He struggled to sit, only to cry out as fresh agony tore through his side.

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  “Not now, Aiden,” Xander groaned, his voice hoarse. He coughed, a wet, rattling sound that ended in a spray of dark black blood.

  Eleanor’s sharp inhale broke her mask of calm. “This isn’t normal. Whatever attacked you, its claws were poisoned. That’s why your bodies aren’t healing. This poison is… potent.” She turned to Aiden, her eyes softening. “Honey, I know you have questions, but I need you to hold them for now. My sons—” her voice caught for the briefest moment, “—need me.”

  Aiden nodded reluctantly, though confusion and fear swirled in his expression. At least his blood, bright red, seemed normal compared to the black ichor seeping from Xander and Alden’s wounds. Eleanor’s brow furrowed deeply as she inspected the viscous substance. It pulsed unnaturally, thick as tar, and her fingers trembled as she worked to slow its spread.

  “This is bad,” she murmured, barely audible. “I don’t have the herbs I need for the antidote. The poison is spreading too quickly.”

  Nyx’s head snapped up, his golden eyes gleaming with sudden urgency. “Gemini’s Bloom,” he said hoarsely. “Amaya’s shop. She has herbs there—rare ones. I saw them. If anyone has what you need, it’s her.”

  Eleanor froze, her sharp gaze locking onto Nyx. “Are you certain?” she asked, her voice a fragile mix of hope and doubt.

  Nyx nodded, though the movement made him wince. “Her shop is full of things I’ve never seen before. Strange plants. Unnatural, maybe, but they might work.”

  Eleanor hesitated only for a moment before she rose, her movements swift and purposeful. “Stay here and don’t move,” she said, her tone taking on the steel of a command. “I’ll go to Gemini’s Bloom myself.”

  “You can’t go alone,” Aiden protested, trying once more to sit up. “If that thing is still out there—”

  “You’re in no condition to protect anyone,” Eleanor interrupted, her voice firm. “Stay. Rest. I’ll handle this. I’ll put a circle of mountain ash around the house to keep any supernatural creatures out. Just… try not to die while I’m gone.”

  Xander’s weak voice rasped from the sofa. “Hurry, Mother. Please.”

  Eleanor didn’t reply. She turned to the door, her jaw set and her green eyes blazing with determination. Yet as she stepped out into the cold night, the flicker of fear in her gaze was unmistakable. The towering oaks swallowed her figure as she disappeared into the shadows, the promise of Gemini’s Bloom and salvation urging her forward. The night air crackled with unseen tension, as if the forest itself was watching and waiting.

  Inside, the room fell into uneasy silence, broken only by the shallow, labored breaths of the wounded. The golden glow of the fire danced on the walls, casting fleeting shapes that seemed to whisper of dangers yet to come.

  ‘’ When she is back… you all better have answers… Aiden said quietly…

  All of them groaned in answers.