Page 176 of Knot Your Fated M.U.S.E.

"Yes," she confirms without hesitation. "Which is precisely why I'm here. We'll need your help to plan an operation to take down Ravenscroft permanently. The action was supposed to commence today, but there's been a delay."

"A delay? From what?" Dante's question carries notes of suspicion while Atlas adds with careful precision: "And why are you introducing yourself now? You're Nyx's mother, aren't you?"

The truth hangs heavy in the air as she approaches the kitchen island, laying out papers with a familiar document prominently displayed on top – the contract bearing my signature.

"Yes. I have a parental association with Nyx Blackwood," she acknowledges, voice carrying the weight of years of careful distance. "Which as much as I'd love to dive into...circumstances are making it quite difficult to do such."

Her gaze finds mine briefly, emotion flickering beneath careful control.

"You're owed a proper explanation. For everything. However, a rushed apology is not one you've earned. Especially as the heir of our Blackwood foundation."

"Heir?" The word emerges barely above a whisper, confusion making my head spin.

Kieran's grip tightens slightly as he murmurs.

"Wait? She's the older twin?"

"Twin?" My attention snaps to him, my mind racing to process this new revelation.

He clearly wants to start to explain, realizing they never told me during recovery about meeting someone who looked exactly like me.

"Jinx Blackwood," my mother interrupts with careful precision. "Who's now on a mission to retrieve one of the most lethal packs that has ever been registered."

"Registered?" Atlas's question carries notes of growing understanding. "The only packs that need to be registered on the system are those who are subdivisions in Parazodiac Nexus."

"Correct." Her confirmation lands with deliberate weight. "Subdivision Zero. They're the first pack to ever become official lethal forces of The Parazodiac Nexus ten years ago."

I feel tension spike through Kieran's frame, anger flashing across his features with startling intensity.

"They've..." Dante trails off, concern evident as he watches Kieran's reaction. "They've been missing for years."

"Yes," she acknowledges simply. "And have been located. Mission to extract them was supposed to commence, however there's been an error in that execution."

"Because?" Atlas prompts with careful neutrality. "Does this have to do with Nyx returning?"

"Nyx will not be returning to Ravenscroft unless she'll be accompanying you with your mission to return to either retrieve or eliminate Subdivision Zero."

"E-Eliminate?!"

The word tears from my throat as horror spreads through our group.

"Charles Press's operation of selling, abusing, and killing Omegas needs to be shut down sooner rather than later," she continues with clinical precision. "Which is why this operation will be initiated. Because of the recent acknowledgment of forces that have voluntarily joined Ravenscroft this morning, it is too much of a risk to not interfere any longer. Which is why we must get involved and is why I'm here."

"Voluntarily?" Dante's laugh holds no humor. "Who the fuck voluntarily signs up to join Ravenscroft?"

Her response comes as a simple gesture toward the top paper on the pile.

"You tell me."

One step carries me to the island's edge where the contract lies exposed. There, next to my signature in bright pink ink, another name blazes like accusation:

Jinx Blackwood.

"Shit..." The curse escapes as my eyes find a tiny note beneath the signed line.

"Sacrifices need to be made in this world, but you've done more for me than I could have asked for. It's now my turn to return the favor.

Be free, Sister."

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