Haunted Vision.

Amara's POV

That night, sleep came to me reluctantly, like a shadow lingering at the edges of my mind. The warmth of my blankets wrapped around me, but my restless thoughts refused to settle. When my eyes finally drifted shut, I was pulled into a world that felt as real as the one I had left behind.

I stood in a forest bathed in silvery moonlight, the trees whispering secrets in a language I couldn’t understand. The air felt heavy, alive, and I knew this wasn’t an ordinary dream. My wolf stirred within me, her presence more vivid than ever.

"Amara," she whispered, her voice soft yet commanding. "Pay attention. They need us. This bond… it’s more than fate. It’s destiny."

Suddenly, the scene shifted, and I saw them Caden, Jaxon, and Ryder—standing apart from each other in the same forest, their expressions tense. They weren’t looking at me; they weren’t even looking at each other. They were surrounded by shadows, a dark mist swirling around them like chains.

Ryder’s jaw was clenched, his fists trembling as he glared into the distance. His pain was palpable, a heavy weight pressing down on my chest. “I don’t want to share her,” he growled, his voice raw with emotion. “Why couldn’t she have been mine alone?”

Jaxon stood a few feet away, his face uncharacteristically somber. “This bond is breaking us,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “It’s making us into something we’re not. We were supposed to be brothers, but now…” His voice trailed off, and he looked down, his shoulders slumping.

And then there was Caden, leaning against a tree, his eyes closed as if he were trying to shut out the world. “I can’t do this,” he said softly, his voice filled with anguish. “I can’t fight them. I can’t fight myself. She’s the only thing that makes sense, and it’s killing me.”

I tried to move closer, to reach out to them, but my feet felt rooted to the ground. The mist grew darker, thicker, until it began to take shape. A figure emerged from the shadows, tall and menacing, its eyes glowing with a crimson light.

"The bond was never meant to be shared," the figure hissed, its voice echoing like a thousand whispers. "It will destroy them. And you."

My wolf growled, her presence surging within me. "Fight it, Amara. Show them the truth. You are the key."

I didn’t know what she meant, but instinct took over. I closed my eyes, focusing on the connection I felt with each of them—the pain, the love, the undeniable pull. Slowly, I began to glow, a soft light emanating from my chest.

When I opened my eyes, the shadows recoiled, hissing as the light grew stronger. The triplets turned to look at me, their eyes wide with surprise.

“Amara?” Ryder whispered, his voice filled with a mix of hope and disbelief.

I stepped forward, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me. “You’re not alone,” I said, my gaze shifting between them. “This bond doesn’t have to tear us apart. We’re stronger together.”

The light enveloped them, breaking through the chains of mist, and for the first time, I saw something shift in their eyes. The anger, the jealousy, the pain—it all began to fade, replaced by something I couldn’t quite name.

As the vision began to fade, a voice echoed in my mind, soft and soothing. “You have the power to bring them together, Amara. But the choice is yours. Will you fight for this bond? Or let it consume you all?”

---

I woke up to the soft rays of morning sunlight streaming through the curtains, warming my face. For a moment, I didn’t move, letting the remnants of my dream linger in the edges of my mind. The vision of the forest, the shadows, and the triplets haunted me, but there was a strange sense of peace too.

As I shifted slightly, I became aware of a weight draped across me. Caden’s arm.

I turned my head to find him still sleeping beside me, his face relaxed and peaceful, his dark lashes casting soft shadows on his cheeks. His steady breaths tickled my hair, and the sight of him, so unguarded, made my chest tighten.

His arm was wrapped securely around me, as though even in sleep, he couldn’t let me go.

I let out a soft sigh of relief, my heart calming at the realization that he was still here. The storm of emotions from last night seemed so far away in this quiet moment.

Gently, I reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. “How can you look so innocent when you drive me so mad?” I whispered, a small smile tugging at my lips.

As if sensing my gaze, Caden stirred, his grip tightening around me for a moment before his eyes fluttered open. They were groggy at first, unfocused, but when they met mine, they softened, a lazy smile spreading across his face.

“Morning,” he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.

“Morning,” I replied, my voice just as soft.

For a moment, neither of us moved, content to stay like this, tangled together in the quiet intimacy of the early morning.

But then his brows furrowed slightly, concern clouding his features. “You okay? You seemed restless last night.”

I hesitated, debating whether to tell him about the dream. But something in his gaze—steady, patient—made me nod. “I… I had a dream. About the bond. About all of us.”

Caden shifted to lean on his elbow, his full attention on me now. “What kind of dream?”

I swallowed hard, trying to put the swirling emotions into words. “It felt real. Like I was being shown something important. You, Ryder, Jaxon—you were all there. But you were… struggling. Angry. Hurt. And there were shadows trying to pull you apart.”

His jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Shadows?”

I nodded. “It was like the bond was being tested. Something—or someone—was trying to break it. But then… I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt like I had to fight for us, for this connection. And when I did, the shadows faded.”

Caden’s hand reached up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Amara,” he said softly. “Whatever this bond is, whatever it means, we’ll figure it out. Together.”

I leaned into his touch, his words wrapping around me like a promise. “I just… I don’t want to lose any of you,” I admitted, my voice trembling.

“You won’t,” he said firmly. “Not me. Not Ryder. Not Jaxon. No matter how messy this gets, we’ll find a way. I swear it.”

I closed my eyes, letting his reassurance sink in. The dream had shaken me, but Caden’s presence, his unwavering support, anchored me.

As he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to my forehead, I couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, we could weather whatever storm this bond brought our way. Together.