Selene's POV
The morning mist curled over the apothecary garden like soft silk. Dewdrops glistened on the rosemary leaves as the first sunlight broke through the clouds. Inside the apothecary, the air smelled of lavender and burning sage. Selene moved quietly, stirring a brew meant to ease fever. Across the room, Elara sorted jars, humming a tune that Selene recognized from their childhood lessons.
Peace. For once, there was a sense of peace.
Flora had been living with them for nearly a week now. Her once fine silks from the palace had been replaced by simple linen gowns that smelled of herbs and smoke. There was still grace in her movements, but she now carried herself like someone stripped of certainty.
Selene had seen that same look in the mirror once, the look of someone trying to remember who they truly were.
"Flora," Selene said softly as she poured tea into three small cups. "Sit. We need to talk."
Elara turned, pausing her work. She glanced at Selene with quiet curiosity, then joined them at the table. Flora obeyed, her hands clasped nervously.
"Did I do something wrong?" Flora asked, her voice low and uncertain.
Selene shook her head. "No. But there are things you need to know about yourself, truths that have been hidden for far too long."
Flora nodded. "About what that man said yesterday right?"
Selene reached across the table and took her hand gently. The moment their skin touched, faint silver sparks glimmered between their palms. Flora gasped, but Selene held on, her voice steady.
"You are not entirely human, Flora," Selene said. "The visions I saw, the energy that clings to you, the dreams you saw, are not not mortal abilities. You carry magic in your blood. You are a witch."
Flora's lips parted, her eyes wide. "That cannot be true. My parents were simple farmers. My father worked at the palace farm. My mother tended the chickens."
Selene's tone softened. "Those were your human parents, yes. But your true lineage lies deeper. Your parents died in the great war between witches and werewolves many years ago in their country. When the battle reached the outskirts of the palace, your human parents found you, an infant alone in the wreckage. They took you in, raised you as their own and loved you until their last breath."
Flora trembled. "How do you know this?"
"I saw it," Selene replied. "In the threads of your soul. Your energy bears the mark of both bloodlines. It explains why Caius was drawn to you, even if neither of you understood why and the more reason, i want you to live by my side."
Flora's eyes glistened with tears. "So everything… my whole life… was a lie?"
Elara reached over, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Not a lie, Flora. A blessing. You were loved. That is what truly matters."
Flora covered her face, trying to steady her breathing. Selene waited, giving her time. When Flora finally looked up, there was a new strength in her eyes, a quiet acceptance.
"What am I supposed to do now?" she asked.
Selene smiled faintly. "Learn. Live. And when the time comes, stand for what is right. You carry a rare gift, Flora. One that might change everything." Selene looking at her tummy.
Before Flora could answer, a sudden chill swept through the room. The flame of the oil lamp flickered, though there was no breeze. Elara straightened, her eyes narrowing. "Selene… do you feel that?"
Selene's heart quickened. She felt it too, a pulse of energy that was neither witch nor wolf, something older, colder. She rose from her seat, her fingers tightening around her pendant.
The front door creaked open on its own. Mist drifted inside. Then a figure stepped out of it, cloaked in shadow and moonlight.
Elara moved protectively in front of Flora, whispering a spell under her breath, but Selene raised her hand to stop her. "Wait," she said. "She is not here to harm us."
The woman lowered her hood, revealing eyes of pale silver and hair that shimmered like spun glass. Her presence was ethereal, otherworldly, and yet her expression carried deep sorrow.
"I am Astra," she said, her voice echoing softly through the apothecary. "A Seer of the Veilborn."
Selene and Elara exchanged a startled glance. Veilborns were spoken of only in ancient lore, creatures neither witch nor wolf, born between worlds. When Eldric talked about her yesterday, she thought, it was just a mere say.
Astra's gaze fixed on Selene. "You are the one bound by prophecy. The witch who carries the moon's gift and the wolf's salvation."
Selene swallowed. "You know of the Moonlit Prophecy?"
Astra smiled and nodded slowly. "I do. And I have come to test your bond, Selene Nightshade. You and the Alpha of Moonfang stand at the heart of what is to come. But the bond between you must be tested, for what is born of moonlight can as easily burn as it can heal."
Elara moved closer to Selene. "What kind of test?"
Astra's expression softened. "One that reveals truth." She lifted her hand and the air shimmered. In an instant, the walls of the apothecary dissolved into starlight. Selene gasped as she found herself standing in a silver field under a vast sky. Elara and Flora had vanished. Only Astra remained.
"Do not fear," Astra said. "They are safe. But you, Selene, must see what lies within your heart."
Before Selene could ask, the stars rippled and a familiar figure stepped from the light—Lucian.
Her breath caught. He looked the same as always, strong, proud, his eyes full of restrained emotion. But there was something different about him here. His aura shimmered with moonlight, his wolf spirit barely contained beneath his skin.
Astra's voice echoed faintly. "Your bond is forged by fate, but fate can be cruel. If your hearts are not aligned, your love will become the blade that severs both worlds."
The air shimmered again and the vision faded. Astra's form dimmed. "The time will come when your choice will determine the balance between light and shadow. Be ready, Selene Nightshade."
And just like that, the apothecary returned. Astra was gone.
Selene stood frozen, her heart racing. Elara rushed to her side. "What happened? You vanished for a moment."
Selene touched her chest where her pendant glowed faintly. "A warning," she whispered. "And a test yet to come."
Elara frowned. "Should we tell Lucian?"
Selene hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. He deserves to know."
*************
Lucian's POV
Lucian was in the training yard when he felt it, a sudden pulse of energy that tugged at his soul. He froze mid-swing, his sword glinting in the morning light. Darius noticed and approached.
"Alpha? You look as if you've seen a ghost."
Lucian sheathed his sword. "Something is happening. Selene. I can feel her."
Darius exchanged a knowing look with Alora, who stood nearby. "Then go," he said simply. "The pack can wait. Whatever this is, it concerns the both of you."
Lucian wasted no time. He left the yard, shifting into his wolf form halfway through the forest. The wind whipped against his fur, the scent of herbs guiding him toward the apothecary. When he arrived, he shifted back, his chest heaving, his eyes glowing faintly molten gold.
Selene was waiting at the doorway, as if she had known he was coming.
"You felt it too," she said quietly.
Lucian nodded. "Something powerful. It shook the forest and the sky changed."
He stepped inside. The air still hummed faintly with Astra's magic. Elara and Flora were seated near the hearth, watching them carefully.
Selene gestured toward them. "Flora has learned the truth about her bloodline. She is a witch, born of both worlds."
Lucian's eyes flicked to Flora, but his expression softened. "That explains much."
Selene moved closer to him. "But that is not all. First a warlock that knows my mother and flora's mother came and A Veilborn Seer appeared, Astra. She spoke of a test. A trial meant to reveal whether our bond will save or destroy both races."
Lucian frowned. "A warlock and Seer? A test? By whom?"
"By fate itself, I think," Selene said softly.
He studied her for a long moment, then reached out, taking her hand. "Then whatever test comes, we face it together."
Her heart skipped. "Together?"
He smiled faintly. "I will not let the moon decide my fate without you."
Elara looked away with a teasing smirk, while Flora's eyes shimmered with a hint of awe.
Lucian and Selene's hands remained joined, the pendant around her neck glowing softly. Outside, the wind stirred, whispering through the trees. The prophecy was in motion.
And far beyond the forest, Astra stood upon a mountain of mist, watching the two of them from the veil.
"The moon has chosen," she murmured to herself. "Let us hope they are strong enough to bear its will."