SelenePOV
The nursery was quiet now, except for the soft, rhythmic breathing of our newborn son. The peace in the room was a stark contrast to the storm brewing outside these walls. Kragen had left to make arrangents for our departure, but the tension remained, settling deep in my chest. I could still feel the weight of Noah’s arms around , but even his touch couldn’t chase away the anxiety gnawing at .
Noah had been silent since I’d decided to leave. He was brooding, his body tense with barely contained frustration. I knew he hated the idea of leaving, of abandoning our pack. He was a Lycan and—retreating wasn’t in his nature.
I sighed, leaning back against Noah’s chest, my mind racing with everything Kragen had revealed. The council... the prophecy... the idea that they saw as a threat. It felt unreal, like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. But it was real, and the danger was closing in around us faster than I could comprehend.
"I should’ve seen this coming," Noah muttered, breaking the silence.
I glanced up at him, frowning. "What do you an?"
He hesitated for a mont, his jaw tightening before he spoke. "There were four n... they ca to the border a few days ago. They were asking about you."
I froze, my heart skipping a beat. "What?"
Noah nodded, his eyes dark and unreadable. "They showed up just beyond the boundary, late at night. Kurtis and I went to et them. At first, they were just standing there, watching us like they were waiting for sothing—or soone. But when Kurtis asked what they wanted, they said they were there for a conversation. About you."
My stomach dropped. "Why didn’t you tell ?"
"Because I didn’t want to worry you," Noah said, his voice tight. "Not when we didn’t know what they wanted or who they were besides, you weren’t back ho then."
I pulled away from him slightly, turning so I could see his face. "And now?"
"Now..." Noah let out a slow breath, his eyes flicking away from mine. "Now I’m wondering if they were from the council. Or if they were sothing worse."
My mind raced as I tried to process his words. Four n, asking about . Just days ago. "What did they say, exactly?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Noah’s expression darkened as he recalled the encounter. "One of them, the one who seed to be in charge, had this... look about him. He was tall, with dark hair, and he smiled like he knew sothing we didn’t. He said they were only there to talk, but when Kurtis pressed him, he ntioned you by na. He said they had been looking for you for a long ti."
A chill ran down my spine. "Looking for ? Why?"
"That’s what I asked them," Noah said, his voice low, dangerous. "But they wouldn’t answer. They just kept saying they wanted to talk, that they needed to have a conversation with you. Kurtis wasn’t having it—he told them to leave before things got ugly. But they didn’t back down."
I could see the tension in Noah’s face as he relived the mory. He was furious and protective, and I knew that whatever had happened at the border had shaken him more than he was letting on.
"What happened next?" I whispered.
Noah’s jaw clenched. "The leader... he said sothing that didn’t sit right with . He said, ’She can’t hide forever. The council isn’t the only one interested in her.’"
My blood ran cold. "What... what does that an?"
"I don’t know," Noah said, his voice tight with frustration. "But it was a threat. They were trying to intimidate us, to make us feel like they had power over us. And the worst part is... they didn’t even seem worried about it."
"What do you an?"
"They weren’t afraid of . Or Kurtis. Most outsiders, especially those who co to our borders uninvited, would be nervous facing the Lycan King. But these n? They didn’t flinch. It was like they knew we couldn’t touch them."
I swallowed hard, trying to make sense of what Noah was telling . If these n weren’t afraid of him or Kurtis, that ant they had power—power they were confident we couldn’t challenge. But who were they? Were they truly from the council, or was there sothing else going on here? Sothing darker?
"What did you do?" I asked, dreading the answer.
Noah’s eyes flickered with barely restrained anger. "We stood our ground. Kurtis wanted to fight them, to show them we wouldn’t be intimidated. But I held him back. There was sothing off about them, Selene. Sothing I couldn’t quite put my finger on. They didn’t co for a fight—not that night, at least. But they wanted us to know they could co back."
I exhaled shakily, my mind swirling with fear and confusion. "Do you think... do you think they’ll co back?"
Noah’s gaze was steady, but I could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "I don’t know. But Kragen’s right—You can’t stay here. Not with those n lurking on the outskirts, waiting for their chance."
My stomach twisted. Leaving our ho, our pack, felt like surrender. But what choice did we have? If these n were as dangerous as Noah believed, then staying would only put everyone at risk—our children, our pack, and each other.
"I’m scared," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. It was the first ti I’d allowed myself to say it out loud, and the words felt heavy, laden with all the fear and uncertainty I’d been trying to bury.
Noah’s hand found mine, squeezing gently. "I know," he said softly. "But we’ll get through this. I won’t let anything happen to you or our family."
His words were reassuring, but I could feel the weight of the unknown pressing down on . We were about to leave everything we knew behind, and for what? A prophecy I didn’t fully understand? A threat from n I’d never even t?
"What if they’re right?" I whispered, voicing the fear that had been gnawing at since Kragen had ntioned the prophecy. "What if I am the one they’re afraid of?"
Noah’s grip tightened on my hand. "Then they should be afraid," he said, his voice firm. "Because you’re stronger than they could ever imagine."
I looked up at him, my heart swelling with both love and fear. Noah believed in , even when I didn’t believe in myself. But was that enough to stop whatever was coming?
Before I could respond, there was a soft knock at the door. I tensed imdiately, my heart leaping into my throat. Noah’s body went rigid beside , his protective instincts flaring as he rose to his feet and moved toward the door.
"It’s ," ca Kragen’s voice from the other side.
Noah hesitated for a mont, then opened the door, allowing Kragen to step inside. His expression was serious, his usual calm deanour replaced by sothing far more urgent.
"We need to leave now," Kragen said without preamble, his eyes locking onto mine. "There’s been movent near the southern border. It’s not safe here anymore."
My heart raced as I stood up, cradling our newborn son in my arms. "What kind of movent?"
"Scouts," Kragen said, his voice low. "I don’t know who they are, but they’re too close for comfort. If we wait any longer, we won’t be able to leave without being seen."
Noah cursed under his breath, his jaw tightening. "How much ti do we have?"
"Not much," Kragen replied. "We need to be gone before they realize we’re onto them."
I felt a surge of panic rises in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. We had to move quickly, but I couldn’t let fear paralyze . My children were depending on .
"Alright," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "Let’s go."
Kragen nodded, his expression grim but determined. "I’ll get the car ready. We’ll head north, toward the safe house. It’s remote enough that they won’t be able to track us easily."
Noah was already moving, gathering a few essential items and preparing to leave. His movents were quick and efficient, but I could see the tension in his body.
"Kragen," Noah called, his voice low. "If those scouts get too close..."
"They won’t," Kragen replied firmly. "We’ll be gone before they realize what’s happening."
I glanced between the two n, feeling a surge of gratitude for both of them. As much as Noah distrusted Kragen, I knew that he was here to help. He always had been, and despite the tension between them, I trusted Kragen with my life.
With one last look around the nursery, I gathered Maeve and Vina, who had been sleeping soundly in their room, unaware of the danger that was closing in on us. I whispered reassurances to them as I bundled them up, trying to keep my voice calm despite the fear gnawing at . They were still young, too young to understand what was happening, and I wanted to shield them from as much of this nightmare as I could.
By the ti we were ready, Kragen had the car waiting just outside. Noah helped load the children into the back seat, his movents quick but gentle, as if trying to reassure them through his touch.
As we pulled away from the house, I couldn’t help but glance back, a lump forming in my throat as the only ho I’d ever known faded into the distance.
And as the moonlight cast long shadows over the road ahead, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of the storm.
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