NOAH
I cried when Ava told me she’d found my parents.
It had been too long since my mum, dad and brother had all been home. None of them were out of the
woods yet; they all had physical injuries that they needed to recover from and who knows what kind
of mental demons they would have picked up.
For now, I could just be excited to see them all again.
Goddess, I missed them.
AVA
Oscar, Callum and I jumped in the car to drive Jacob and Amelia back to the packhouse. I had wanted
to run so Artemis and I could clear our heads so we could work out a plan for tomorrow, but Callum
would have insisted on coming with us… which would have made it impossible.
He’d never agree to what I’m planning. But unfortunately for him… there was absolutely no way I
was going to let my Kings put themselves in harm’s way when it could be avoided.
I groaned inwardly. It was going to suck, trying to sneak away from them and go after the Rogue King
on my own, but it needed to be done.
I let my eyes fall closed, acting like I was dozing, but in actual fact, I was trying to find my supposed
connection with Selene.
Eventually, it worked.
“Avelina, my child,” her ethereal voice floated through my mind.
“Selene… I…”
“I know what you want to do, my daughter. I cannot tell you whether or not you will succeed, for that
is not yet written.”
“So I could fail? I could die if I do this?”
“No, you will not die, Avelina. All five of you will survive the full moon. However, there is a chance
if you do this that the Rogue King will succeed in forcing the bond on you. If that happens, it will not
only sever the connection you have with your Kings, but with me too.”
“What do I do? Do I go after him alone?”
“You’re never truly alone, Avelina, and you won’t be tomorrow either. Your protector and lover will
be by your side, always.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but then closed it again. I assumed the answer is in the original
prophecy…
My protector? Easy. That’s Callum.
Lover… Oscar?
“My child, I cannot give you the certainty that you are looking for. These are dangerous times and you
are dealing with dangerous people. I can tell you that destiny requires you to go after the Rogue King
tomorrow, you will be able to get to him before he gets to you.”
I nodded, deep in thought.
“I have another prophecy for you, my daughter,” her voice was low.
I glanced up, meeting her eyes, a question on my face.
“When the full moon rises high,
And shadows veil the silver sky,
The Alpha Queen will face her foe,
In a battle fierce of ebb and flow.
The spoken word will twist and turn,
A flame that falters, fails to burn.
But in the written truth they will find,
The path ahead, both clear and kind.
Her greatest test, her darkest night,
Will end beneath the moon’s pale light.
But whether triumph or defeat,
This tale is yet to be complete.”
“But… What does that mean I should do? What is the written word?”
“I cannot answer that, my child. I cannot interfere with destiny, I can only tell you what you need to
know.”
I suddenly jolted awake, but in my mind, I heard her reading another poem. She does like prophecies
in the form of poems… not always the most helpful thing.
“When burdens rise and shadows fall,
The Queen need not bear them all.
Her protector stands, fierce and true,
Her lover’s heart will see her through.
In their strength, she’ll find her way,
Through trials dark, to light of day.”
“Ava!” I heard Callum shout. He seemed really far away. “Are you okay?”
“Sorry, Callum,” I replied, voice low. “I was just dreaming.”
He looked suspicious, like he knew I was talking to Selene… or like I was plotting something. Staring
at my phone in my lap possibly wasn’t helping.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Ava?” Callum asked. Goddess, he can be persistent.
“All good, Callum,” I smiled. “Just doom scrolling Facebook to take my mind off everything.”
That was a lie. I had a map of the territory open and was weighing up my options for tomorrow, trying
to work out where the most likely place was that I’d find the Rogue King.
All Lycans, unless there’s a very good reason, undergo the same mandatory training. A Lycan’s
greatest strengths in combat are speed and strength, and they are true close-quarters warriors. Some
modern packs train with modern weapons, but not Lycans. Claws and canines only, anything else was
traitorous. Another thing I’d be changing when I took over.
That meant he would have to get up close and personal.
Of course, you kind of need to be up close and personal to kidnap someone anyway…
I sat back in my chair, trying to make myself comfortable. If I was the Rogue King, with his goals,
where would I be…?
And then I heard it.
“In the forest deep where shadows creep,
Through tangled paths, the silence steep.
She hunts beneath the moon’s cold light,
For a foe he waits, concealed in night.
A clearing bathed in crimson fire,
And streaks of blue, like frozen ire.
There, at last, her gaze does land,
Upon the one who makes their stand.
In red and blue, the warning clear,
Two fates converge, a clash draws near.
The forest whispers, dark and true,
For here, the trial is in view.”
I knew where I’d find him. Exactly where I’d find him.
Looks like I was going hunting at sunset… so I only had twenty four hours to make a plan.