Eila stepped out of the pack library just as the sun dipped behind the treetops, casting golden shadows across the stone courtyard. Her arms ached slightly from the weight of the books she hadn't found answers in, and her heart ached even more for what she had no time to do—visit her parents.
She glanced once toward the medical ward but sighed. There wasn't enough time. With a heavy heart, she turned toward home.
By the time she entered the house, the scent of a finished meal lingered in the air. Her siblings were scattered across the small home, each busy in their own little world. Eila slipped into the kitchen and quietly made herself a sandwich. She didn't feel like eating much, but she needed something to ground her after the long day.
Her mind buzzed with questions. About the Veil. About Jeremy Soren. About the strange pull of fate surrounding her.
After eating, she checked on her siblings. To her surprise, Meera was in the middle of teaching—her soft voice explaining werewolf history while the younger ones sat cross-legged, listening with rapt attention. Eila leaned against the doorway, smiling despite herself. This was peace. This was home.
When Meera finished the lesson, Eila joined in, sharing a few of the Moon Goddess's lesser-known tales—ones with dragons and old blood curses. The younger ones laughed and gasped, wide-eyed. For a moment, everything felt normal.
That night, they ate dinner together. Laughter returned to the table, soft and hesitant but real. Eila watched each face and etched it into her memory. She tucked them all in, one by one, whispered goodnights, and then slipped into her own bed.
Pretending to sleep was easy. She was too used to hiding things now.
Once the house had gone still, she rose.
Her cloak was waiting, her boots already laced. She eased the door open and vanished into the night.
Leonard stood waiting for her at the forest's edge, near the shadows of old pine trees. He looked like a wraith in the moonlight, tall and still, his icy eyes softer now that they were alone.
They walked in silence, not shifting into their wolves to avoid being spotted by patrolling warriors. Instead, they moved like whispers, circling the outer border of the merchant quarter until they reached a waiting carriage. Leonard had arranged it earlier in the day under the guise of business—just another deal with a craftsman. Eila climbed in beside him, heart pounding.
"You'll need to be discreet," Leonard reminded her quietly, "This library… it's not a place most even know exists. The Alpha guards its secrets jealously."
She nodded. "I know. I don't want more attention than I already get."
When they reached the hidden rear gate of the Pack House, Leonard helped her down. True to his word, no guards patrolled the area. That had to be Lukas and Zois's doing.
"I can't stay," Leonard whispered, brushing his fingers down her arm. "I'm needed in Ravenridge before dawn. But… be careful. If anything happens, mind-link me. I'll come."
Eila gave him a soft nod, touched by his concern. He gave her a final look—one that lingered longer than usual—then vanished into the night.
Inside the estate walls, Lukas and Zois waited behind the shadow of an archway. Zois gave a crooked grin and waved a silver key. "My finest forgery yet," he whispered proudly.
Eila chuckled, but the sound escaped louder than she intended.
Lukas quickly pressed a hand over her mouth, smirking. "You'll get us all exiled."
She grinned under his palm and nodded. He let go.
With the stealth of trained warriors, they crept down the hidden hall that led to the Alpha's private library. Zois picked the final lock and they entered.
It was massive. Far more ancient and vast than Eila expected—an entire world hidden beneath the Pack House. Dust clung to the air. Books lined the walls from floor to ceiling. Magical sigils shimmered faintly in the corners. Every surface felt alive with forgotten knowledge.
Lukas nudged her. "We don't have all night."
Eila nodded and sprang into action.
It felt like hours passed in near silence, interrupted only by the shuffling of pages and the occasional gasp when someone found something interesting. Then, Eila's hand froze.
She held an old tome with broken bindings and a cracked moon emblem. And there it was—written in faded ink:
"Those marked by the Varium shall know death soon. Their souls shall be claimed by the Veil, cursed to wander without peace. Yet those who survive its initial touch will not be spared—blackened flesh, slow decay, the soul eaten away, leaving behind only a breathing husk."
Eila stared in horror. Her thoughts turned immediately to her parents—their pale skin, the spreading black marks.
They don't deserve this.
She turned the page—and a final note, scrawled hastily in different ink, caught her eye:
"If the summoner of the Varium is killed before the final breath of the victim… the soul may still return."
Eila's breath hitched. Her hands trembled. Relief—and rage—flooded her.
"I'll find him," she whispered. "I'll destroy him myself."
But her vow was interrupted. Lukas and Zois stiffened, their bodies suddenly in front of hers like shields.
"What—?" she began, but then her wolf senses caught it too.
Footsteps. Many of them.
And then, the door exploded open.
Alpha Magnus stood tall and furious. Luna Priscilla swept in beside him, her eyes glowing like tempered steel.
"I told you," she said coolly. "They weren't asleep. I felt something slip past the wards."
Magnus growled, stepping forward. "Now I believe you."
Eila stood frozen, the cursed book clutched behind her cloak, heart hammering.
She had found the truth.
But now, the real danger had only just begun.