The wooden bell above the apothecary door chimed softly as Flora pushed it open. A faint scent of herbs and smoke drifted through the air, sage, rosemary, and moonwort, all swirling in the golden light that poured through the window.
Behind the counter stood Elara, her auburn hair tied in a bun, her sharp eyes scanning Flora from head to toe. "Good evening," she said gently, her voice low and knowing. "You look pale. What brings you here?"
Flora rubbed her hands together nervously. "I… haven't been feeling too well," she said quietly. "I can't keep food down. I keep vomiting. I think I might… I might be with child."
Before Elara could respond, the curtain behind the counter shifted and Selene stepped out, carrying a tray filled with glass vials and dried herbs. The moment her eyes met Flora's, her expression softened into a warm smile.
"Hello" Selene said, gentle. " Come, sit. You look exhausted."
Elara explained Flora's condition in a whisper. Selene's smile faded slightly, replaced by a thoughtful calm. She gestured for Flora to follow her to the back room, a cozy space lined with shelves and glowing candles. There, beside a low table, stood a small cot covered in soft white linen.
"Lie down," Selene said softly. "Let me help you."
Flora obeyed. As soon as Selene's palm rested on Flora's stomach, the air shifted. Her eyes flickered white, her lips parting as visions surged into her mind. Flashes of moonlight, a man's silhouette—Caius, half-shadow, half-beast—his hand tangled in Flora's hair. Then blood. A storm. A child born under a storm.
Selene's face twisted into a frown as the vision deepened. She saw a brown-eyed child with the mark of two legacies—a wolf's fury and a warlock's flame. A being of balance and chaos. The child would become both a curse and a redemption. The key to healing Caius bloodline... and the one who could destroy it entirely.
Elara noticed Selene trembling. "Selene!" she hissed, rushing to her side. She began to chant softly, ancient words of grounding. The candles flickered violently, then dimmed. Selene gasped, snapping back to reality, her skin clammy with sweat. She staggered and Elara caught her before she fell.
Flora sat up, eyes wide but unafraid. "Big sister… what are you?" she whispered, awe instead of fear in her voice.
Selene looked at her with a tired smile, surprised by her calmness. "Something you're not ready to understand yet, child," she murmured. "But I can tell you this, you are with child. A werewolf child."
Flora froze, eyes wide. "A… werewolf?" she whispered. "But… I'm human."
Selene tilted her head slightly. "Are you?" she asked, her tone almost too quiet to hear. "Tell me, how did you meet the child's father?"
Flora hesitated, then told her everything—first time of meeting caius, helping to pick spilled apples, the king's cruel experiment, Serwin's drugging, Caius's broken confusion and that night when desire met desperation. Her voice trembled near the end. "I haven't seen him since," she whispered. "It's been a month. It's like he vanished from the world."
Selene nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. "The father runs from his sins," she murmured. "But fate never forgets."
Then, she took a small leaf from a wooden bowl and handed it to Flora. "Chew this. It will stop your sickness."
Flora obeyed, grimacing at the bitter taste.
"One more thing," Selene continued. "Werewolf pregnancies… do not last like human ones. They are brief—six moons only. You are already one moon gone."
Flora's hand flew to her stomach, panic rising. "Six moons?" she gasped. "I can't—how will I hide this? The palace—Lady Lara—everyone will see!"
Selene's eyes softened. "If you wish, you may stay here. Among herbs and silence. I can protect you."
Elara's eyes widened in alarm. "Selene, no! The king—"
Selene raised her hand to silence her. "She carries the blood of two worlds, Elara. She cannot live among ordinary humans anymore. Her body will change… and she will crave food only wolves dare eat. She needs our care."
Truthfully, Selene's reason went deeper. She had seen the blurred image of a man cloaked in shadows, a warlock who would one day seek the child. She needed to be ready. She needed to guide or destroy this fate before it destroyed them all.
"Go back to the palace," Selene told Flora gently. "Tell Lara the truth, that you are with child and that you must leave soon. She will understand. But tell no one about me, or this place. If you love your child… you must protect what you've seen here."
Flora nodded, tears glimmering in her eyes. "I promise," she whispered. "I won't tell a soul."
When she left the apothecary, the moon had risen, round and bright, following her like a watchful eye.
***********
Back at the palace, Lara was pacing the kitchen, worry etched into every line of her face. When Flora finally entered, she ran to her and embraced her tightly.
"Where have you been, child? It's late!"
Flora smiled weakly, handing her the small parcel of gifts. "I bought these for you," she said softly. "And I have something to tell you."
They went to Lara's private quarters, a warm room filled with dried herbs and little trinkets from her years of service. Flora took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Mother… I'm with child."
Lara's face went pale. Her hands trembled. "With… the wolf boy's child?" she whispered.
Flora nodded. Tears slipped down both their cheeks. For a long time, they said nothing. Then Lara took a deep breath and asked quietly, "What do you wish to do?"
"I have to leave," Flora said firmly. "Before the king finds out. Before Serwin suspects. I won't let my child become a lab experiment."
Lara's heart ached, but she nodded. "I will speak to the king tomorrow," she promised. "Leave everything to me."
**********
The next morning, Lara entered the kitchen like nothing was amiss. Hours later, she found Flora in the storage room. "It's done," she whispered. "I told the king my sister gave birth three towns away and needs help. I said you are like my daughter and I want you to go in my place."
Flora's lips trembled. "He believed you?"
Lara smiled sadly. "He did."
Flora burst into tears and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Mama."
Lara held her close, whispering, "Go. And may the moon protect you both."
************
That night, as Flora packed her few belongings, the moonlight glowed silver through her window.
In the distance, unseen, Selene stood on the hilltop near her apothecary, watching the palace lights flicker.
"The child of the rogue and the hidden warlock bloodline," she whispered to the night wind. "Born of ruin, destined for redemption."
The wind stirred the herbs on her windowsill, carrying with it a faint, haunting howl.