The drive back to the farm was filled with tense silence. I sat beside Andreis, my fingers laced with his, heart pounding as I tried to process everything Max had told us. Zevian. Hollow Peak. The Divide. My family was in danger. Everyone we loved was in danger.
When we arrived, Marco was already on the porch. He must have sensed us coming. His brows were furrowed, tension radiating off his body like heat waves. My father stood beside him, and when my mother emerged from the house, her expression was unreadable.
We didn't wait. The moment the doors closed behind us, Andreis spoke.
"We need to talk. Now."
My dad led us to the main study, the heavy wooden table in the center quickly becoming a war room. Maps, notes, and territory lines were pulled out from locked drawers as if they had been waiting for this moment. Andreis recounted everything Max had said, and I filled in the gaps, my voice shaking at first, but firm.
"Hollow Peak?" Marco repeated, standing with arms crossed. "That place is crawling with old tunnels. If Zevian's been operating there, it makes sense how he's gone undetected."
My father nodded grimly. "He wants to attack the farm to draw us out. But he's mistaken if he thinks we're unprepared."
"We need to reinforce the perimeter," Andreis said, pointing to the southern ridge on the map. "Place guards here, and along this stretch. I'll send word to the southern pack. We'll need their help."
"And the west orchard," Marco added. "It's still too exposed. I can move two more patrol units there."
As the men planned, I sat quietly, listening, heart still racing.
Then my mother stood.
"If there's going to be a war," she said calmly, firmly, "then I'm fighting too."
The room fell silent. I blinked, turning to her.
"What?"
My mother looked at me with a calm, fierce gaze. "I am not just a healer and a mother, Mia. I am one of the last Moonshadow warriors."
I stared at her. "You're a... werewolf?"
She smiled gently. "Your father and I met during the great migration. He saved me from a trap set by humans. We chose this life together."
All this time... I never knew. I had always thought my mother was the quiet strength in our home, but never imagined she had once been a warrior herself.
"You kept it from me?" I asked, my voice small.
"We wanted to protect you from the burden of knowing too much too soon," she said. "But now, it's time."
Something deep inside me shifted. A strange energy pulsed beneath my skin, not painful but warm—awakening. I gasped, stepping back.
Andreis caught me. "Mia?"
"I feel... something," I said, breathless. "It's like... heat in my chest. In my head. My skin feels too tight."
My father was already beside me, eyes searching. "It's starting."
"What's starting?" I asked, panicking.
He reached for my hand. "Your gift."
"Gift?"
My mother explained, "Each bloodline holds potential for gifts beyond transformation. Some control elements. Some manipulate sound, scent, even memory. But yours... yours is rare. You're beginning to Awaken."
"What is it?" I asked, breath quickening.
"We won't know fully until it reveals itself," Andreis said, steadying me. "But from what I sense... you're tied to the threads of emotion. Energy manipulation. You can feel others' intent. Maybe even influence it."
My heart hammered. "You mean... I could stop a fight before it starts?"
"Or calm a wild mind," my mother said. "Strengthen allies in battle. Even confuse the enemy. It's powerful—but dangerous if uncontrolled."
I looked down at my hands. They didn't glow. They weren't different. But I could feel it now—a hum in the air, like I was connected to something larger, older, waiting.
"How do I control it?"
"With time," my father said. "And training."
"And I will help you," Andreis promised.
Marco looked over, something softer in his eyes. "You really are our Alpha's daughter."
I didn't feel powerful. I felt overwhelmed. But I nodded.
Just then, one of the guards burst into the study. "There's movement on the north ridge. One of our scouts reported a rogue group near the boundary line."
My father's expression darkened. "It's already starting. Zevian is testing us."
"Should I lead a patrol?" Marco asked, stepping forward.
"No," Andreis said firmly. "Not yet. Let's not show our full hand. I'll go alone. I can move faster."
"I'll go with you," I said before I could think.
Everyone looked at me.
"No," my father said immediately.
"She needs to learn to use her gift," my mother argued gently. "And if her presence helps sway the outcome without bloodshed…"
Andreis glanced at me, then nodded slowly. "I'll keep her safe."
"Fine," my father said after a long pause. "But stay hidden. No engagement unless absolutely necessary."
I nodded. "I understand."
As the group dispersed to prepare for the night, I stepped outside with Andreis. The moon was rising, casting a silver sheen over the trees. I took a deep breath, the cool air filling my lungs.
"I can't believe my mom is a warrior," I whispered.
"And you?" Andreis said, smiling softly. "You're just beginning to see who you really are."
I turned to him. "Are you scared of what's coming?"
He was silent for a moment. "No. Not if you're with me."
We stood there a little longer, in the quiet before chaos.
Because we both knew the storm was coming.
And this time—I wouldn't be hiding from it.
This time, I would rise to meet it.