Elara barely slept.
The seer's words echoed in her mind like a chant — The flame inside you… will either save us all or destroy everything. What did it mean? She had always felt different, yes — more sensitive to the moon, to the shifting energy in the earth, in people. But fire?
That wasn't something she had ever known in herself. Until now.
By dawn, she found herself in the sacred spring — a place older than any pack, where moonlight never faded and the waters glowed faintly with ancient magic. Elders said it revealed what one carried deep inside.
Kael found her there, crouched near the water's edge, her reflection rippling beneath her fingers.
"You've been quiet," he said softly, stepping beside her.
She looked up at him, her eyes a shade darker with worry. "What if she's right? What if there's something inside me… something I can't control?"
Kael knelt, brushing a lock of damp hair from her face. "Then we learn to control it. Together."
Elara gave a small, sad smile. "Easy for you to say. You were born for this. You've always had control."
Kael's hand paused. "No. I've spent most of my life pretending I did. Until you."
His words hung in the air, warm and grounding.
"I've seen the fire in you, Elara," he continued. "But it's not something to fear. Fire burns, yes — but it also protects. Warms. Heals."
She looked into his eyes, and for a moment, the fear eased. Then the spring's surface began to shimmer, the water swirling without wind. Elara gasped, clutching Kael's arm.
Flames danced within the water — not consuming it, but moving through it, golden and wild.
Then a voice, faint and echoing, rose from the spring:
"She who carries moon and flame shall choose the fate of wolves. One path saves. One path ruins."
The water stilled.
Elara backed away, heart pounding. "It's true. There is something inside me."
Kael stood beside her, firm and steady. "Then we'll find out what it is. Before Vael does."
He took her hand, threading their fingers together.
"You're not alone."
And for the first time in days, she believed it.