Eila turned on her heel, her breath caught in her throat, every muscle coiled in dread. Her mind was racing, already preparing for some kind of stern reprimand or, worse, public humiliation for eavesdropping on the examiners. But instead—
She was greeted by the sound of laughter.
Loud, rich, unmistakable laughter.
Zois.
He leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, his silver-blond hair catching the daylight streaming through the hall's archway. His eyes gleamed with amusement, and his shoulders shook as he struggled to keep himself upright from laughing so hard.
Eila blinked. "Zois?!"
"You should've seen your face," he chuckled, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Like a cat caught in a wolf den."
Heat rose to her cheeks. She blushed so hard she thought steam might come out of her ears. Her embarrassment only fueled his laughter further.
"Oh, Moon," she muttered under her breath, averting her gaze.
"Come on," Zois said at last, managing to sober his expression. He reached out and gently took her hand in his. "Let's get you some lunch. You're going to need all your strength for what's coming next."
Grateful for the distraction—and for not being thrown into an underground cell—Eila allowed him to lead her to the dining hall.
It was already packed when they arrived. Dozens of candidates were gathered at long wooden tables, trays in hand, talking in hushed excitement about the written exam. A few examiners gave curious glances at the sight of Zois guiding a female candidate into the room with such familiarity, but none said a word. It seemed even among high-ranking observers, her connection to the Alpha's family was known and unquestioned.
Eila sat beside him at a quieter end of the table, letting the warm scent of seasoned stew and fresh bread calm her nerves. She took a few deep breaths, trying to steady her thoughts. Then she leaned closer to Zois and whispered everything she'd overheard near the window.
As she spoke, his expression shifted—no longer amused, but serious. He listened intently, nodding occasionally. When she finished, her voice dropped even lower.
"Zois, that woman—Violet—said they opened the Veil. That those Varium creatures… they're building some kind of army. And they're after wolves like us. With unique powers."
Zois looked at her for a long moment before answering, "We… know. Not all of it, but enough. Being the Alpha's sons, Lukas and I were told bits and pieces. Nothing official, but enough to understand the threat."
Eila stared at him, stunned. Her breath caught in her throat again—but this time, it wasn't fear. It was anger.
"You knew?" she said quietly, her voice sharp like ice. "You knew about this? That there's something dangerous out there, something that might explain what happened to my parents—and none of you told me?"
He flinched slightly, guilt flickering across his face. "Eila, we didn't want to keep it from you forever. We just… you've been so focused on the exams. You needed to be steady, clear-headed. We didn't want to overwhelm you or throw you off your path."
Eila's lips pressed into a thin line. She looked away, her hands clenching into fists in her lap.
"That wasn't your decision to make," she said finally. "You don't get to decide what I can or can't handle. Not when it comes to my family."
Zois opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out for a moment. Then, softly, "You're right."
She didn't reply.
The silence stretched between them, heavy but not unbearable.
Finally, Zois reached for her hand again. This time, she didn't pull away.
"I promise," he said quietly, "no more secrets. From now on, we tell you everything."
Eila nodded slowly, unsure if she believed it yet—but needing to, for now.
The bell chimed again—once, then twice—signaling the final assembly for the physical and magical exam.
She stood.
Time to face the next challenge.
This time, with her head held high—and eyes wide open.