--
A soft breeze brushed my cheek.
I blinked slowly, groaning as a dull pain throbbed at the back of my head. My body felt heavy, like I hadn't moved in hours. The scent of damp earth and pine surrounded me.
Where was I?
Memories came flooding back—the rejection, the cave, the silver light.
I jolted up, or at least tried to. A warm hand gently pushed me back down.
"Easy. You hit your head pretty hard."
The voice was calm, deep… unfamiliar.
I turned my head and finally saw him. A man knelt beside me, his silver hair falling into storm-grey eyes that studied me with intensity. His presence felt ancient, powerful. But it wasn't oppressive like Fredrick's—it was warm, steady, and oddly comforting.
He looked young, maybe twenty-something, but his aura said otherwise.
"Who are you?" I croaked.
He smiled faintly. "My name is Lucien. And you… you're not just a wolf, are you?"
My breath hitched. "What do you mean?"
Lucien didn't answer. Instead, he held out a hand, helping me sit up against the wall of the cave. I noticed the intricate tattoos running along his forearm—they glowed faintly, as if alive.
"You're something rare, Felice. Very rare. I've been looking for you."
"Looking for me? Why?" I asked, my voice laced with suspicion
"Because you're in danger. And because the balance of power in this realm depends on what you choose next."
I stared at him, heart racing.
"I just wanted to leave the palace. I didn't ask for any of this."
"I know. But your blood, your soul—it carries a power long forgotten. And now that you've awakened it, others will come for you."
"Awakened…?" I repeated, confused.
He nodded solemnly. "When Fredrick rejected you, he didn't just reject a mate—he triggered your full awakening. Your magic is no longer dormant."
I felt dizzy. My entire life had just collapsed, and now this mysterious man was telling me I was some kind of… chosen one?
"So what now?" I whispered.
Lucien stood, offering me his hand once more. "Now, you learn who you are. And we prepare for what's coming."
Hesitating only a moment, I took his hand.
The moment our skin touched, a pulse of magic rushed through me like lightning. My wolf stirred. My vampire hissed. And deep within me, my witch side whispered words I didn't understand.
Something inside me had been unlocked.
And nothing would ever be the same again.
---