Alden Blackwood had always lived under the weight of the Blackwood legacy. His family name, steeped in power and history, had shaped every aspect of his life, and the expectations that came with it were suffocating. His life, never his own, was governed by the shadow of his ancestors and the rigid codes of their pack. It wasn’t just the family name that isolated him; it was the haunting memories of the witches who had kidnapped him when he was only seven. They had sought revenge against his father, who was now away tending to matters with another pack.

  The details of his captivity remained a blur in Alden’s mind—he couldn’t remember what they had done to him, but the consequences were undeniable. Those witches had altered something deep within him, granting him powers he didn’t want and couldn’t control. Among them was the ability to glimpse fragments of the future. A gift, or perhaps a curse, that he kept hidden from everyone, including his twin brother, Xander.

  In their world, different was dangerous, and too powerful was deadly. Alden’s power, the ability to see the future, would mark him as an Oracle—an incredibly rare and dangerous entity within the supernatural community. If anyone found out, the very pack he belonged to would be the first to hunt him down. Before the hunters could even get close, his own kind would tear him apart.

  He had seen his brother’s fate the moment he met Nyx and Aiden at university. It was a vision so vivid it nearly knocked the air out of him: Nyx, the young man who had caught his attention with his fierce energy and wild spirit, was pinned down by an arrow, his shoulder bloody, his eyes glowing red. Those red eyes—Alpha eyes—meant that Nyx would one day claim his rightful title as Alpha. How and when, Alden didn’t know, but that day would come. He tried to shake the thought off, convinced that it was just a misfire of his power.

  But when Nyx had confronted him a few days later, claiming Alden had bitten him, his worst fears had been realized. No one in the werewolf community bit someone without dire consequences. A bite was a dangerous, slow, and painful process—it didn’t grant true power. It only meant a tortured transformation. For Nyx to come to him with that accusation only meant one thing: someone else has bitten him. There is an unknown Alpha in there town.

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  As Alden chewed his food in silence, his mind churned with the weight of everything he knew and feared. Xander, his twin, always seemed to sense when something was wrong. He studied Alden closely, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What’s on your mind, brother?" Xander asked, his voice soft but laced with concern.

  Alden shifted uncomfortably, trying to gather his thoughts. "I’ve been thinking about Dad," he began, his voice quieter than usual. "It’s been almost fifteen months now, and we haven’t heard from him. No phone calls, no texts... nothing. Mom’s worried. I’m worried."

  Xander looked up from his plate, his brow furrowing slightly. He pushed his food aside and leaned forward. "You know why he had to leave," he said, his tone steady. "The pack he’s been helping—his best friend’s pack—was attacked. Alpha dead, Luna pregnant and missing. Nobody knows how to handle the aftermath. The Beta refuses to take the Alpha title, insisting the Alpha’s child survived, and he’s been searching for the heir ever since. Dad’s only going to come back when they either find the next Alpha or the Beta steps up and accepts the mantle." Xander paused, his gaze softening. "Dad will come home, Alden. You have to believe that."

  Alden let out a heavy sigh, the worry in his chest tightening. He had tried to push it down, tried to tell himself that everything was fine, that his father was just busy with pack matters, but something felt off. His father’s absence was dragging on longer than it should have. His own fears, fueled by his visions, began to surface, twisting in the back of his mind.

  "Mom’s coming home tomorrow," Xander continued, his voice breaking through Alden’s thoughts. "She’s been at that seminar for the last few days, but she’ll be back to check on us. You know how much she worries, especially with everything going on. We’ll figure this out, okay?"

  Alden nodded, though his mind was still clouded with unanswered questions. He had always relied on his family—his pack—but the future felt uncertain, and he wasn’t sure where his place in it would be. He just hoped that when the truth finally came to light, he would be able to survive whatever was waiting for him.