Chapter 12: The prophecy

Ethan’s POV

The air inside Elena’s cabin was thick with the scent of sage and something else—something ancient that I couldn’t quite place. It was quiet except for the occasional crackle of the fire in the stone hearth. I had been here plenty of times before, but tonight, something felt different. There was a tension that clung to the air, a heaviness that settled deep in my chest.

I stood by the window, looking out at the dark forest that surrounded the cabin. The trees seemed to press in closer than usual, their shadows long and foreboding. It felt like they were waiting for something. Or maybe someone.

“Elena,” I called, my voice low but firm. “We need answers.”

Behind me, I heard the soft shuffle of Elena Grey’s bare feet against the wooden floor. She moved slowly, as if weighed down by the gravity of what she had to say. I turned to face her, watching as she approached the small altar at the center of the room. The firelight cast eerie shadows across her face, making her look older than she was. 

She was an enigmatic woman, Elena. A mystic with deep ties to our world, to the ancient powers that governed the supernatural. I trusted her judgment, her visions, but sometimes… sometimes her words were difficult to accept.

“Elena,” I said again, more insistent this time. “What did you see?”

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she reached out, her fingers brushing over the worn pages of a thick, leather-bound book. The symbols etched into the cover were unfamiliar to me, though I had seen similar ones before—in the dreams that had plagued Lila for weeks. 

“Elena,” I growled, my patience thinning. 

She finally looked up at me, her pale blue eyes sharp and clear. “The prophecy, Alpha,” she said softly. “It’s worse than we thought.”

I clenched my fists at my sides, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. I had come here looking for answers, for some way to protect Lila, to protect my pack. But hearing those words—worse than we thought—was like a punch to the gut.

“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice hard. “What did the vision show you?”

Elena’s gaze drifted toward the fire, as if she could see something in the flames that I couldn’t. Her brow furrowed, and for a moment, she looked… afraid. 

“It showed me a sacrifice,” she murmured. “A great sacrifice that must be made to defeat the evil that is coming.”

My blood ran cold. “What kind of sacrifice?”

She didn’t answer right away, and that silence unnerved me more than anything. I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. “Elena, what kind of sacrifice?” I repeated, my tone more urgent.

Her eyes met mine, and the weight of her words hit me before she even spoke them. “The sacrifice of the true mate.”

The room seemed to tilt for a moment, my stomach dropping as the meaning of her words sank in. “No,” I said immediately, shaking my head. “There has to be another way.”

Elena sighed, closing the book and stepping away from the altar. “Prophecies are not set in stone, Alpha. But they are warnings. This one is clear—if the evil is to be stopped, there will be loss. A great loss.”

My chest tightened as I thought of Lila—of the bond we had only just begun to understand. The thought of losing her… it wasn’t something I could accept. I wouldn’t accept it.

“There has to be another way,” I said again, my voice low and hard. “I won’t let her die for this.”

Elena studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. “Love has a way of clouding judgment,” she said softly. “But it also has a way of changing fate.”

I didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, and I didn’t care. All I knew was that I would protect Lila at all costs. No prophecy, no ancient evil, would take her from me.

“There’s more,” Elena added after a moment, her voice even quieter than before.

I forced myself to meet her gaze. “More?”

She nodded. “The prophecy speaks of a betrayal.”

My heart skipped a beat. “A betrayal?”

“From within your pack,” she said gravely. “Someone close to you, someone you trust, will turn against you when the time comes.”

I stood there, frozen, the weight of her words pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket. Betrayal from within my pack? The thought was unthinkable. The wolves of Silverwood were my family. I had fought alongside them, bled for them, led them through countless battles. The idea that one of them could betray me… betray Lila…

“Who?” I asked, my voice rough. “Who is it?”

Elena shook her head, her expression full of regret. “I don’t know. The vision was unclear. But you must be cautious, Alpha. The betrayal will come when you least expect it.”

I clenched my jaw, my mind racing. Who could it be? Marcus? He was my second-in-command, the one wolf I had always trusted without question. But the thought of Marcus betraying me was impossible. He had been by my side for years. 

Or maybe it wasn’t Marcus. Maybe it was someone else. Sienna? No, she had saved my life more times than I could count. One of the others? Elena?

I shook my head, frustration boiling up inside me. This was exactly what Dominic wanted. To tear us apart from the inside, to make us doubt each other. And now, this prophecy was doing the same thing.

“Elena,” I said, my voice tense, “I can’t fight a war if I don’t know who I’m fighting. I need answers.”

She nodded slowly, but there was a sadness in her eyes. “I wish I could give you more, Alpha. But the future is never certain. All I can do is warn you.”

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to push down the rising sense of dread. A great sacrifice. A betrayal from within. It felt like everything was spiraling out of control, like the world I had built was crumbling around me.

“Elena, I need you to keep looking,” I said, my voice hard. “I need more than just warnings. I need something we can use to stop this.”

“I will,” she promised. “But you must be careful, Ethan. The closer you get to the truth, the more dangerous this becomes.”

I nodded, though my mind was already racing ahead. I couldn’t afford to be careful. Not with Lila’s life on the line. Not with my pack hanging in the balance.

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As I left Elena’s cabin, the weight of the prophecy pressed heavily on my shoulders. The cool night air hit me as I stepped outside, but it did little to clear the fog of uncertainty that clouded my thoughts.

Betrayal from within.

I looked out into the dark woods, listening to the distant sounds of the night. The wind rustled the leaves, a soft reminder that Silverwood was never truly silent. Somewhere out there, Dominic was plotting, waiting for his moment to strike. And now, I had to worry about someone in my own pack turning against me.

As I headed back toward the pack house, I felt a presence nearby. My senses went on high alert, and I paused, scanning the trees. For a moment, everything was still, and then… a shadow moved.

“Adam,” I growled, recognizing his scent before I even saw him.

The young wolf stepped out from behind the trees, his expression nervous. “Alpha,” he said quickly, bowing his head in respect.

“What are you doing out here?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“I—uh, I was just checking the perimeter,” he stammered, avoiding my gaze.

I frowned, something about his behavior setting off warning bells in my mind. Adam was loyal—or at least, I had always believed he was. But now, with Elena’s prophecy ringing in my ears, I couldn’t help but wonder.

“Go back to the house,” I ordered, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Adam nodded quickly and disappeared into the shadows. I watched him go, my mind swirling with suspicion. 

Betrayal from within.

Could it be him? Or was I just seeing threats where there were none?

As I turned and continued back toward the pack house, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was on the horizon. Something that would test the limits of my loyalty, my strength, and my bond with Lila.

And when it came, I wasn’t sure if I would be ready.

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