The first rays of dawn were only beginning to streak across the sky when Eila, still pale and shaken, emerged from the Robbers' Hut. Zois and Lukas flanked her silently, their jaws tense and fists clenched. Neither had said much since she'd whispered that name—Jeremy Soren—nor did they need to. The sheer presence of Varium, coupled with the eerie confrontation, had rattled them both deeply. Even in the dream it was a shocking and unexpected event. And the fact that her dreams were premonitions or actual events that made it more interesting.
Eila returned to her house and freshened up herself and had a light breakfast with her family. Micheal was still not back home. He was in the jungle with his mate. He informed them beforehand about his plans. So, her parents were relieved. Upon seeing them she shivered remembering Jeremy's cruel words. She was determined to eliminate the threat before it could harm her Parents.
Zois and Lukas already went ahead to the pack house. They bathed and had breakfast and finally briefed Leonard on what Eila had seen in her dreams. Leonard was more interested in what they were doing in the Robber's hut. Although, he had a pretty good idea about it.
By the time Eila reached the pack house gates, the pack was stirring, warriors switching shifts and stewards preparing for the day. But there was an unnatural chill in the air—lingering remnants of the cursed wind that had haunted the forest just hours ago. It was hard to believe that it was a dream. It felt so real.
The guards opened the gates without question. Leonard was already waiting at the threshold, leaning against the stone archway with his arms crossed and a storm in his eyes. He didn't speak as he stepped forward and took Eila's hand in his. He must've sensed her turmoil through the mate bond, as surely as he had received her mind-link message earlier about reaching home safely.
They said nothing.
Not until they were in Luna's private chambers.
Priscilla was seated in her reading chair, already dressed in her ice-blue robes. Magnus stood nearby, tense and alert, reading a scroll with furrowed brows. The moment they entered, both leaders looked up.
Eila's voice was calm, but her words sliced the air like a dagger.
"I saw Jeremy Soren in my dreams outside the Robbers' Hut last night. He brought the Varium with him."
The effect was instant.
Luna Priscilla straightened, her silver eyes glowing faintly with power. Alpha Magnus's hands crushed the scroll between his fingers.
"Are you certain?" Priscilla asked, her voice low but razor-sharp.
Eila nodded. "He wasn't there to fight. He wanted me to know that… he still holds my parents' lives in his hands. That he can kill them anytime. It was a warning towards our efforts regarding closing of the Veil."
She hesitated for only a heartbeat before continuing.
"He said… 'Don't be too happy. They still have a purpose to serve.'"
Zois and Lukas exchanged grim glances. Leonard's hand tightened around Eila's, his knuckles bone-white.
Alpha Magnus growled softly. "The insolence."
Eila stepped forward. "It wasn't just words. He was floating—not standing. And the Varium were… laughing. He has become more ghastly in appearance, he doesn't look normal anymore." She swallowed hard, remembering the sound. "But something happened. I screamed. Not out of fear, but for my parents' safety. And then light—white, blinding light. It came from me. It… hurt them. They vanished."
There was a long silence.
Then Luna Priscilla rose slowly and walked to Eila. She placed her hands gently on Eila's cheeks, inspecting her with sharp, knowing eyes.
"You've begun to awaken," she murmured. "Your bond with the Veil… with the flame mentioned in the prophecy. This isn't just magic, child. It's power bound by fate."
"I don't want this power," Eila whispered. "Not if it puts my family in danger."
"You were chosen," Luna said softly, "but choice still exists. That's the paradox of all prophecies."
Magnus finally turned to his Beta and his sons. "We'll need to strengthen the perimeter and begin tracking his energy trail. Jeremy doesn't leave without a trace. Leonard, I want you to bring in Nina. She must be told everything, even the scream."
"I'll get her," Leonard said. "She's already noticed a magical shift."
The Alpha looked at Eila once more. "You're not just a key, Eila. You are a trigger. Whatever happened in the forest last night was not just a warning—it was a shift in this war. Jeremy wanted you to know he's ready. And now we must be ready too."
Eila nodded. Her voice, though soft, held resolve.
"Then let's be ready."
Later that Day
Eila returned home, exhausted but no longer trembling. Her parents welcomed her with open arms, unaware of the danger that loomed again over their lives. She didn't tell them—not yet. Instead, she focused on helping prepare lunch for the younger siblings and checking in on Micheal, who was still glowing from the joy of discovering his wolf, Sam, and his lovely mate.
But the fire in her own veins—of prophecy, of protection—was now alive.
The moon Goddess may have given her three mates.
But the Veil had given her purpose