The kind old woman had kept her word about giving them a ride. They loaded their belongings into the car, and despite her brother's annoyed expression, Emma settled into the passenger seat. Ethan had always been fiercely protective of her, but since their mother's death, that behavior had increased considerably.

For some unknown reason, the sweet old lady gave her brother the creeps. But he agreed to let her take them, since they'd run out of options.

At some point on the trip, Emma and her brother lost track of time. They couldn't tell if it had been minutes or hours since getting in the car, so they began to feel drowsy and eventually fell into a deep sleep.

It was strange, especially for Ethan, who couldn't relax enough to fall into a deep slumber. Emma attributed her own drowsiness to exhaustion from traveling all the way from Pennsylvania to Alaska. When she finally opened her eyes, the cityscape had given way to a breathtaking mountainous landscape.

They found themselves amidst towering mountains, traversing a slender road that offered a breathtaking panorama of cliffs and a snowy landscape stretching as far as the eye could see. The temperature had plummeted noticeably, causing her to instinctively cup her hands to her lips, seeking solace in her warm breath.

"Here we are," the elderly woman said, turning to touch Ethan's knee gently to wake him. "From this point onward, you'll be on your own, but trust me, you won't miss it."

Emma peered through the car windows, then shifted her gaze back to the old woman. "But there's nothing here..." She discreetly cleared her throat, attempting to conceal the mounting anxiety within her. The mere thought of being forsaken in the midst of those frigid, snow-covered mountains, left to succumb to the chilling grasp of hypothermia, threatened to overwhelm her, evoking a desire to unleash a torrent of tears.

Her brother woke up suddenly, realizing he had fallen asleep. Looking around, he instinctively reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder. Through this simple gesture, he silently conveyed his dedication to protecting and caring for her. However, amidst the uncertainty of the moment, it was hard to to believe that her brother could transform into a superhero capable of easily freeing them from their predicament.

"For the right eyes, Silvershade Summit will show itself," the old woman murmured, accompanied by a slight, unflattering chuckle. Then she held up two hats and gave one to Emma and the other to her brother. "Put them on to cover your hair."

Desperate to ward off the freezing cold, Emma accepted the hat without hesitation and immediately placed it on her head. Her brother, on the other hand, showed some reticence. However, after receiving a subtle signal from Emma, he understood that it would be rude to refuse the gift, and he reluctantly agreed to accept it.

"Thank you. Actually, I'm freezing here. I think I've lost all sensitivity in my ears," Emma stammered as the old woman approached her, gently tucking loose strands of hair under her hat. "Are you sure this is the right place? Perhaps my eyes aren't the ones that can see it, for my severe myopia seems to reveal nothing but a landscape of snow."

"Maybe her senile dementia has led her astray," her brother muttered. "Or she could be a sneaky killer who tricks people with her wrinkles, leading them to nowhere before ending their lives in cold blood. But I won't let that happen. You're wrong, you clever old lady."

Ethan was caught off guard when the woman's hand slapped him across the forehead. Her sudden blow was followed by a burst of laughter. "I find your cautious nature quite appealing," she chuckled. Undeterred by her brother's reaction, the old lady calmly reached into a small bag, opened it, and pulled out a photo showing a small but cozy cabin. "This will be your new home. Just follow the path to the left, and you'll see it. I've kept it intact for your arrival."

Emma held the photo she was shown but couldn't look at it because she was lost in the old lady's words. "What are you even saying? Are you serious? Ma'am, you're crazy! There's absolutely nothing here," her brother complained, but the old lady silenced him with just a glance.

No matter how desperately Ethan tried to speak up to continue ranting, his words were trapped, unable to escape his lips.

"Your sister called me before she arrived to rent my cabin," the woman said casually, causing Emma's eyes to widen in astonishment. "What?!" she gasped, feeling a wave of surprise. Suddenly, the old lady gently touched her arm, locked eyes with her, and triggered a vivid memory of the phone call she had made to arrange the cabin rental. "How strange, how could I have forgotten? You're right, I did call her."

"Emma, are you absolutely sure?" Ethan stammered, seemingly freed from whatever had silenced him.

"Yes, I think so," she replied, though not entirely convinced by her own words.

"Go on sweetheart, it's getting late and I've waited far too long. Just keep going straight, and when you see the town, take the path to the left. You'll have no trouble finding your way," the woman instructed. She handed Emma a surprisingly large key that seemed incompatible with a modern lock. It was made of solid iron and carried a considerable weight.

They stepped out of the car hesitantly, gathered their belongings, and began walking in the direction the woman had indicated. Emma was on the verge of turning around to tell the old lady that there was nothing there and to ask for a ride back to the station. But her brother grabbed her arm and urged her to continue.

"I'm not going back with that weird woman, even if we have to hide in a cave and hunt mammoths," Ethan declared.

"Mammoths are extinct, Ethan. Maybe we should go back; she must have made a mistake." As Emma took the next step, she felt as if they had passed through an invisible barrier, and a picturesque mountain town unfolded before them.

"But how is that possible?" They both turned to say goodbye to the old lady, but there was no sign of the car or the woman.

"That old lady is seriously the strangest person I've ever encountered in my life," her brother muttered. "But hey, she did get us to the right place. We've made it. I just hope that house is actually real because, to be honest, I'm freezing my butt off here."

                                                                                ***

Asher felt the change in the air before his Beta stormed into his house with a worried look on his face.

"Alpha!" he called, stopping in front of him, breathing heavily. "The magical barrier has been breached; intruders have gotten through."

Upon hearing his Beta's words, Asher fell into a contemplative silence. Numerous questions swirled in his mind, aching to be answered, yet he found himself momentarily speechless.

It had been a hundred and fifty years since anyone had been able to enter or leave Silvershade Summit, the sacred home of his pack. The reason for this isolation was a vengeful witch who had not only left the former Alpha childless, but had also wreaked havoc on each of its inhabitants, denying them the chance to find their destiny mates.

Allowing a witch to dwell in their lands had been a grave mistake. Such beings were known for their disloyalty and deceit, leaving destruction in their wake. One woman had single-handedly caused the demise of his pack, as more and more of their young perished. All because of the reckless actions of an Alpha who couldn't control his lust.

The very thought of associating with a witch was abhorrent to Asher. He couldn't imagine accepting one into his life, even if it meant breaking the curse. How could he trust the words of a woman who had condemned his people for the actions of a few? Everything that came from her lips could only be a lie.

"Alpha, are you listening?" his Beta interjected, noticing Asher's lack of response. "Except for the witch who can break the curse, no being should be able to penetrate the magical barrier."

Every hair on Asher's body stood on end, and his wolf fangs strained against their restraints, yearning to emerge. The mere mention of the witch's name ignited a rage within him that threatened to consume him.

He had grown up hearing the story, unable to believe that his pack would place their hopes in the hands of the very being who had cursed them.

"We don't need them!" he shouted, causing his beta to step back as his once green eyes turned a fiery gold. "For a hundred and fifty years, we have survived without meeting our destiny mates. We don't need them. When I perform the union ceremony with Astrid, the rest of the pack will see that it is possible to live without finding a mate."

"But Alpha..."

"There is nothing more to discuss!" he shouted in frustration.

Asher, more than anyone else, longed for the curse to be broken. He couldn't stand Astrid, but she seemed to be the best option. She had strength to match the mightiest of wolves, her family had always been loyal, and she seemed attractive to him. But every time she approached him, swaying her hips and calling him "my love," he felt an overwhelming urge to rip her head off.

He could not understand his own reaction, but his wolf rejected her vehemently, feeling that she did not deserve the place he would grant her. But if what his beta had said was true, and someone had finally breached the impenetrable barrier, it meant that he would be the one to make the ultimate sacrifice to break the curse.

Asher would do anything to save his pack, but bonding with a cursed witch was not something he was willing to consider.

The joy that had lit up his Beta's face when he first heard the news now turned to an expression of sadness and resignation. His Beta would never question his orders, even if he disagreed with them.

"So, what should we do about the intruders?" his Beta asked, his voice filled with uncertainty. "They were seen heading for the witch's house."

"Intruders? More than one?" Asher asked, his brow furrowed. His Beta nodded in confirmation.

"A man and a woman. Shall I intercept them and bring them in for questioning?" his beta offered, though his tone seemed to beg Asher not to ask him to do so.

"Perhaps we should keep an eye on them, Alpha, and assess their level of danger. I didn't sense any magic in them," his beta suggested.

Asher growled, a deep rumble emanating from his chest. Ever since he had sensed the presence of the intruders, his wolf had been restless, constantly fighting the urge to transform. It was a struggle he had never experienced before, not even during his first transformation. He locked eyes with his Beta and declared:

"I'll go myself!" he roared, and in an instant his clothes were tossed to the ground as his transformation took hold.

His wolf sprinted forward, driven by an inexplicable force, toward the one place everyone avoided - the witch's house. Though the witch no longer lived there, the structure stood as a constant reminder of the curse that plagued her.

It was amazing how the property seemed to maintain itself, as if its former occupant had just left the day before, rather than over a century ago. Even the garden seemed well maintained, as if it had the power to renew itself.

As they approached, Asher's wolf became increasingly uncontrollable. It took all his willpower to stop abruptly when he saw a woman standing in front of the witch's house.

At the sight of her, his wolf felt an inexplicable desire to jump at her... to possess her. How was that possible? The unsettling feeling surged through him, leaving him unable to control the wagging of his tail, as if he were a puppy eagerly greeting its owner.

The woman crouched down, shoveled snow from the ground, and formed it into a ball, which she playfully tossed at a man who was inspecting the surroundings.

"Look, Ethan!" she called out, her laughter echoing through the air as the snowball connected with her companion's head.

Was this man her mate? The thought sparked a ferocious growl in his wolf and fueled a desire to eliminate this Ethan. Before he could act on it, Asher regained control and returned to his human form, though not without considerable effort.

Naked, kneeling in the snow, and seething with rage, his erect member stood as a testament to his intense emotions. Ignoring the lack of clothing on his body, he lifted himself from the ground and shouted:

"Who are you and what are you doing in my territory?" Asher, who had eyes only for the woman in front of him, could expect many reactions from her, except for the one she had when she noticed him.

Wrapped in a huge woolen hat and a scarf that covered almost all of her features, as if the climate of this place was too much for her, she brought her hands up to her face to hide a scream behind them, then lowered them, looked at him with her mouth open, and said:

"Holy mother of all giant penises, this is the lumberjack I've always dreamed of".