Morgana's words froze everyone in place. Behind them, a familiar laugh echoed through the darkness - a laugh they thought they'd never hear again.
"Did you really think I was dead?" Celeste emerged from the shadows, her skin still bearing the scars from the wolfsbane but very much alive. "Oh, my dear Evelyn, you should know better by now."
Victor pushed Evelyn behind him protectively, his eyes blazing with newfound understanding. "Celeste? But how?"
"Dark magic has its benefits," Celeste smirked, walking to stand beside Morgana. "Including protection against mere wolfsbane. Though I must admit, that was quite clever of you, Evelyn."
Ronan growled, his muscles tensing. "You're working together," he said, his voice filled with disgust. "You and Morgana."
"Sisters must stick together," Morgana purred, lowering her hood to reveal features strikingly similar to Celeste's. "Especially when there's power to be gained."
Evelyn clutched her babies closer, her heart pounding. "You won't touch them," she declared, her voice steady despite her fear. "I won't let you."
Celeste laughed again, but there was an edge to it - a hint of uncertainty that hadn't been there before. "You don't have a choice, Evelyn. I've already won. The pack believes you're a traitor, and now you're surrounded. There's nowhere left to run."
But even as she spoke, Celeste's eyes darted nervously around the clearing. Despite her show of confidence, something was bothering her. The twins' power was growing stronger by the minute, and she could feel it.
"The prophecy must be fulfilled," Morgana stated, her green eyes glowing brighter. "The twins will reshape the world, but only under proper... guidance."
Victor stepped forward, his face hardened with resolve. "The only thing being reshaped today is your face if you come any closer to my family."
Celeste's lip curled. "Still playing the loyal mate, Victor? Even after everything? How pathetic."
But Victor didn't flinch. "I know the truth now, Celeste. Your lies can't touch me anymore."
"Truth?" Celeste spat. "You know nothing of truth. Tell me, Evelyn, have you shared with Victor the real reason why the twins are so special? Why their power could destroy everything?"
Evelyn froze, her face paling. This was the moment she'd dreaded - the secret she'd kept hidden even from Victor.
"What is she talking about?" Victor turned to Evelyn, confusion clouding his features.
Celeste's smile widened, triumph gleaming in her eyes. "Oh, this is delicious. She hasn't told you, has she? About the ancient prophecy? About what your precious twins are destined to become?"
"Enough!" Ronan shouted, stepping between them. "The prophecy isn't yours to reveal, Celeste."
"The prophecy belongs to all of us," Morgana countered. "As does the power that comes with it."
But as they argued, something strange began to happen. The twins, who had been silent until now, suddenly began to glow with an otherworldly light. Amara's tiny hands emitted a soft golden radiance, while Elias's form seemed to shimmer with silver energy.
Celeste's confident facade cracked slightly. This wasn't supposed to happen - not yet. The twins weren't supposed to manifest their powers so soon.
"Take them!" she commanded, but her voice trembled slightly. "Take them now!"
Morgana raised her hands, dark energy crackling between her fingers. But before she could strike, the twins' glow intensified, creating a protective barrier around their family.
Celeste stumbled back, genuine fear flickering across her face. "This isn't possible," she whispered. "They're too young. They can't control their power yet."
But the twins could control it, and they were protecting their parents instinctively. The barrier grew stronger, pushing Celeste and Morgana back.
"This isn't over," Celeste snarled, but her voice lacked its usual conviction. "You can't protect them forever, Evelyn. The prophecy will be fulfilled, one way or another."
With a wave of her hand, Morgana created a portal of swirling darkness. The sisters stepped through it, disappearing from sight, but Celeste's final words lingered in the air:
"Watch your back, Evelyn. You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over. And next time... next time I won't underestimate those twins."
As the portal closed, Evelyn collapsed to her knees, exhausted. The twins' glow faded, and they began to cry softly.
"Evelyn," Victor said gently, kneeling beside her. "What was Celeste talking about? What prophecy?"
Evelyn looked at her mate, tears streaming down her face. "I wanted to tell you, Victor. I was going to tell you the day Celeste accused me of betrayal. But now..." She glanced at their children, who had settled back into peaceful sleep. "Now I'm afraid the truth might destroy everything."
"Whatever it is," Victor promised, "we'll face it together. No more secrets between us."
Evelyn nodded slowly, but before she could speak, Ronan interrupted urgently: "We need to move. Celeste will return with reinforcements, and next time, she won't be so easily deterred."
"Where can we go?" Alaric asked, scanning the shadows nervously. "Nowhere is safe now."
"There is one place," Ronan said mysteriously. "But reaching it will require a sacrifice none of you may be prepared to make."
"What kind of sacrifice?" Victor demanded.
Ronan's eyes met Evelyn's, and she saw the weight of knowledge in them. "The kind that could separate you forever," he said softly. "The kind that could break not just hearts, but souls."
The group fell silent, the weight of his words settling over them like a heavy blanket. In the distance, thunder rumbled ominously, as if nature itself was warning them of the trials ahead.
"Tell us," Evelyn said finally, her voice steady despite her fear. "Tell us everything."
But before Ronan could explain, a piercing cry split the night - not from the twins, but from somewhere deep in the forest. It was a sound none of them had ever heard before, a sound that made their blood run cold.
"It's begun," Ronan whispered, his face grave. "The prophecy is unfolding faster than anyone predicted. We're running out of time."
"Time for what?" Victor asked, but the answer came in the form of another cry, closer this time, and accompanied by the sound of massive wings beating against the night sky.
Evelyn clutched her babies closer, her heart racing. "Ronan," she pleaded, "what's coming for us?"
Ronan's reply sent chills down their spines: "Not what, Evelyn. Who. And they've been waiting for these twins for a thousand years."