Chapter 81. Confrontation at the Portal

Lottie's POV

The tunnel walls seemed to close in around me as we walked, the damp air heavy with an unnameable tension. Astaroth led the way with an assured stride, his silhouette cutting a sharp figure against the dim glow emanating from ahead. Nera—no longer Fluffy—kept pace at my side, her presence a comforting anchor in this labyrinth of uncertainty.

We emerged into a vast chamber that felt eerily familiar, though I couldn't recall ever being here before. The ceiling stretched high above, disappearing into shadows, while ancient symbols etched into the stone walls pulsed with a faint, otherworldly light. At the center of the room stood an ornate archway shimmering with a swirling, iridescent energy—a portal.

I halted, my instincts screaming at me to be cautious.

"Where are we?" I asked, my voice echoing softly. "We must have walked miles. We're far from pack territory now." Astaroth turned to face me, his eyes inscrutable.

"A place between worlds