Ethan’s POV
“No! Stop—don’t do it!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the freezing air.
I stood in the cold, my breath fogging in front of me. A towering, rusted gate loomed ahead, and behind it… a beast. Caged. Enraged. Its eyes locked on mine like it knew me—as if it had always known me.
And then—I jolted awake, gasping.
It was that dream again. The same one that kept haunting me ever since the curse awakened. Always the same gate. Always that creature.
I sat up slowly, running a hand through my hair. My heart was still pounding. The room was dim, quiet, safe—but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the dream was more than just a dream. It felt too real.
I must have dozed off while trying to find something to wear for the dinner. I was exhausted—physically and mentally. But there wa
