Kamrynn’s POV
Amara stared at the knife, her face as pale as the suds in the sink. Tiona was the first to speak, her voice trembling. “That knife… it would’ve gone right through her.”
“It would’ve been bad,” I murmured, barely recognizing my own shaky voice. My heart was pounding, adrenaline rushing through me so fast that my hands trembled.
The maids exchanged frightened whispers, their voices blending into a dull hum in the background. I couldn’t focus on their words. My mind was spinning, replaying the moment over and over. That feeling-that overwhelming certainty-had saved Amara’s life.
But how had I known?
Tiona placed a hand on my shoulder, her grip firm but comforting. “Kamrynn, are you okay?”
I nodded stiffly, though my throat felt tight. “I… I just knew something was going to happen. I could feel it.”
“That was more than just a feeling,” Tiona said softly, glancing at the knife again. “You saved her.”
The weight of her words settled on me, heavy and undeniable. This wasn’t a fluke. It wasn’t a coincidence.
I had seen it before it happened.
My hands curled into fists as I tried to steady myself. What was happening to me? I couldn’t brush it off this time-not after what had just occurred. The reality of it hit me like a punch to the gut: I could see the future, or at least sense it.
Was that what the dreams were about? A part of me wanted to feel relief, even pride, at having prevented a disaster. But another part of me-the part that had learned to distrust anything too good to be true-was scared.
What if I couldn’t control it? What if this strange power did more harm than good?
The rest of the day passed in a haze. I tried to stay present, to respond to the chatter around me, but my mind kept drifting back to the knife and that icy, all-encompassing sense of dread. I couldn’t shake it.
That night, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the questions wouldn’t stop. What did this mean for me? Why now? How would this affect my future?
“What’s happening to me?” I whispered to the empty room.
The dreams, the whispers, the gut feelings-it was too much to ignore. Was it a gift? A curse? Could I trust it?
“What if my predictions turn out wrong?” I muttered into the stillness of my room, my voice trembling with doubt. “What if someone gets hurt because of me?”
The thought wrapped around me like a choking vine, tight and unrelenting. My mind spiraled into countless scenarios-each worse than the last. A life not saved in time, a warning too late, a vision misunderstood. Each failure played out vividly in my imagination, haunting me with what-ifs. My heart pounded with the weight of those thoughts, and my body grew tense as exhaustion warred with fear.
I didn’t even realize when I fell asleep, but the dream came swiftly, enfolding me like a veil.
I stood in an endless meadow bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. The grass swayed gently, silver under the shimmering sky, and a cool breeze brushed my skin. Above me, the stars sparkled like tiny diamonds, impossibly close yet unattainable. The beauty of the place was ethereal, almost unreal, and it sent a sense of calm washing over me.
Then she appeared.
A figure stepped from the shadows, radiating a glow that eclipsed even the moonlight. She was indescribable, a being beyond mortal comprehension. Her silvery hair cascaded down her back like liquid starlight, framing a face so perfect it seemed sculpted by the heavens themselves. Her eyes were luminous pools of light, carrying infinite wisdom and boundless kindness. Her presence was warm and commanding, filling the space with a profound sense of peace and power.
“Kamrynn,” she said, her voice melodic and soothing, carrying both strength and grace.
I gasped, immediately falling to my knees. “Moon goddess.” I whispered, my voice reverent.
Selene’s smile was gentle, like the first rays of dawn breaking through the night. “Rise, my child,” she said, her voice wrapping around me like a comforting embrace. “You have no need to bow. Look at me.”
I hesitated, trembling, before lifting my gaze to meet hers. It felt like staring into the heart of the universe-breathtaking, overwhelming, and oddly familiar.
“I don’t understand,” I said softly. “Why would someone as great as you visit someone like me? I’m no one. Just a lowly mortal-”
“You are far more than you believe,” Selene interrupted, stepping closer. “Kamrynn, you are my descendant. My blood flows through your veins, and with it, a destiny far greater than you can imagine.”
I blinked, shaking my head in disbelief. “Your descendant? But… that can’t be true. I’m not special. I’m barely holding myself together. I’ve lost my wolf. Aryna is gone. Calvin made sure of that.”
Selene’s laughter was soft and musical, filling the meadow with an almost playful warmth. “Oh, Kamrynn,” she said, her tone laced with affection. “Your wolf is not gone.”
I stared at her, my breath catching. “She’s… not?”
“No,” Selene replied, her expression turning solemn. “Aryna slumbers. She has hidden herself deep within you, protecting herself from the torment and poison you endured. She is not lost to you, Kamrynn. She is waiting.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “But… how? After everything-how could she still be there?”
Selene stepped closer, her hand brushing my shoulder. The touch was warm, like sunlight breaking through a cold morning. “Because Aryna loves you,” she said simply. “Because she is a part of you, and you are stronger than you believe.”
I shook my head, overwhelmed. “If she’s still there… if I still have a chance, how do I bring her back?”
“A cleansing ritual,” Selene said, her luminous eyes holding mine. “You must purge the remnants of Wolfsbane from your body. It is this poison that suppresses your bond with Aryna. Once cleansed, you will not only reconnect with your wolf, but you will also unlock the full extent of your gifts.”
“My gifts?” I asked, the words barely a whisper.
Selene nodded. “Yes. The dreams, the feelings, the visions-they are a fraction of your true power. They awakened on your twenty-first birthday, but their potential is far greater than you realize. You are a seer, Kamrynn. A guide, a protector, and more. Your powers were born to serve not just yourself, but all those around you.”
I stared at her, the weight of her words pressing down on me. “What if I can’t handle it?” I asked, my voice trembling. “What if I fail? What if I… what if I hurt someone?”
Selene’s gaze softened, and she cupped my face with both hands. Her touch was impossibly gentle, filling me with warmth and reassurance. “You will not fail, Kamrynn,” she said firmly. “You were chosen because you are capable. The power within you is not meant to harm-it is meant to heal, to guide, and to protect. Trust in yourself. Trust in Aryna. Together, you will achieve greatness.”
Her confidence in me was humbling, and birthed something in me. A deep determination not to fail.
Selene leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “When the time comes, Kamrynn, you will know what to do. Remember this: you are never alone. I am always with you.”
As she spoke, the moonlight around us intensified, enveloping her in a radiant glow. I blinked against the brilliance, and when I opened my eyes again, she was gone.
I shot upright in bed, my heart pounding, Selene’s words echoing in my mind. I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, feeling the steady thrum of my heartbeat beneath my palm.
Aryna was still with me.
I didn’t know how or when, but I was determined to reconnect with her. To find my wolf. To find myself.