The forest was unnervingly silent. Aria walked beside Kael, her fingers brushing against the mark on her wrist, a cold sensation crawling up her arm. She had felt uneasy ever since they left the pack's borders. Something—no, someone—was watching.
Kael, leading the way, remained tense. His instincts screamed danger, but he didn't want to alarm Aria. She was already on edge. Instead, he focused on the path ahead, the moon casting eerie shadows between the twisted trees.
"Are you sure your grandmother will help us?" Aria finally broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kael hesitated. "She will… but her answers won't be easy to hear."
Aria's chest tightened. She already knew that. The prophecy haunted her—the choice between love and death. She hadn't told Kael that she already knew about it, and she wasn't ready to. Not yet.
A rustle in the trees made her freeze. Kael's sharp gaze snapped toward the sound, his body tensing.
"We're being watched," he muttered.
Aria swallowed. "I know."
Before Kael could respond, a chilling whisper brushed against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. It wasn't the wind. It was a voice—distorted, unfamiliar, and filled with malice.
Kael growled, stepping in front of her, his protective instincts kicking in. "Who's there?"
Silence. Then, laughter. Low. Mocking. It came from nowhere and everywhere at once.
Aria's heartbeat pounded in her ears. She reached for Kael's arm, her fingers tightening around him. He was warm, steady—her anchor in the suffocating darkness.
"We need to keep moving," he said, his voice firm but quiet.
They walked faster, but the feeling of being hunted didn't fade. Every shadow seemed to stretch toward them, every whisper a taunt.
After what felt like an eternity, they reached the clearing where Kael's grandmother lived. The small, crooked cabin sat in the middle, smoke curling from the chimney.
She was waiting for them.
An old woman with piercing golden eyes stood at the door, leaning on a staff. She didn't look surprised to see them.
"I've been expecting you," she said, her voice strong despite her age.
Aria and Kael exchanged a look before stepping forward.
Kael's grandmother studied Aria for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she spoke words that sent a chill down Aria's spine.
"You've already seen the prophecy, haven't you?"
Aria's breath hitched.
Kael turned to her sharply. "What?"
She couldn't speak. The truth had finally caught up to her.
The shadows had been watching all along.