Chapter 22: The Warning Within

I couldn’t move.

My eyes stayed locked on the artifact resting on my shelf. It looked ordinary again, as if nothing had happened. The blue light was gone, and the strange feeling in the room had disappeared with it.

I slowly backed away from it. “No…”

I shook my head.

“That wasn’t real.”

It had to be a dream. It had to be.

I had taken too many hits from Deucalion. Maybe I had imagined everything while I was unconscious.

I looked at the artifact again.

The image of that battlefield flashed through my mind. Fire. Blood. Bodies covering the ground. Then… me. Or at least someone who looked exactly like me.

My breathing became uneven.

I walked back to the shelf and picked up the artifact with both hands, hoping it'll show me again but nothing happened.

I turned it over. Still nothing.

I pressed my thumb against the smooth surface. Silence. The strange blue glow never returned.

I frowned. “So did I really imagine it?”

But deep inside… I knew I hadn’t. The vision had felt too real. Every sound. Every face. Every drop of blood.

Then another part of the vision returned to me. Beacon Hills. It wasn’t just a small town. The vision had shown something hidden beneath it. Ancient ruins buried under the earth. Massive stone gates covered with strange markings. Creatures that were yet to come moving in the darkness below.

Whatever was sleeping beneath Beacon Hills… it was waking up. And if it ever reached the surface…everything would change.

My heart pounded.

Then I remembered something else. Someone standing beside me. Fighting with me, he resembles Eli. I squeezed the artifact tighter.

That made even less sense. He was supposed to be my enemy. We barely trusted each other. Yet in the vision… we were fighting back to back. Against something far worse.

Why?

What could possibly make us fight together?

I rubbed my forehead. None of it made sense.

A knock came from the door. Before I could answer, Ryan stepped inside.

“There you are.”

I quickly placed the artifact back on the shelf.

Ryan noticed. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

He looked at me for a moment. “You don’t sound okay.”

I forced a smile. “I’m just tired.”

He studied my face before giving a small nod. “If you say so.” He looked toward the window. “You've got school tomorrow.”

I laughed softly. “If there’s even a school left.”

He smiled. “We’ll find out.” He turned toward the door. “Get some sleep.”

“You too.”

Ryan switched off the light before leaving. The room became quiet. I lay down on my bed and stared at the ceiling. Sleep didn’t come easily. Every time I closed my eyes… I saw that battlefield again. Eventually… exhaustion won and I fell asleep.

The gates of the Guild opened as Lila walked inside. Torches burned along the stone walls. Warriors hurried from one building to another. The entire Guild was awake. Word had already spread. Deucalion had entered Beacon Hills. That alone was enough to put everyone on edge.

A guard approached Lila. “The Alpha wants to see you.”

She nodded. “I understand.”

Moments later, she entered the large meeting hall. Several elders stood on both sides of the room. At the far end sat the Alpha. His expression was calm. Too calm.

“Lila.”

She lowered her head. “Alpha.”

“I’ve been told you encountered Deucalion.”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

Lila took a slow breath. She had already decided what she would say. “I was returning to the Guild when I sensed him.”

The Alpha listened quietly.

“I hid before he could see me.” She kept her voice steady. “He came very close.”

“How close?”

“So close I could hear his footsteps.”

The room remained silent.

“I thought he had found me.” She lowered her eyes. “But something suddenly caught his attention. He looked toward the town… and left.”

One of the elders frowned. “Are you certain?”

“Yes.”

The Alpha remained thoughtful. After several seconds, he finally spoke. “Deucalion has never been seen for years now, what do you think brought him back to Beacon hills?”

No one answered.

His voice became firmer. “Increase patrols.” Several warriors nodded immediately. “No one leaves the Guild alone. Double the night watches. If anyone discovers another trace of Deucalion… report to me immediately.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

The meeting ended. The wolves quickly left to carry out their orders.

Lila remained where she stood. Her chest felt heavy. She hated lying. Especially to her own pack. But if she had told them the truth… Jax would already have a target on his back.

She closed her eyes. Please be alive…

Far beyond the borders of Beacon Hills, deep inside the forest, a massive black werewolf stood beneath the moon. Its glowing red eyes stared toward the distant town. The night breeze moved through its thick fur.

Slowly… the enormous body began to change. Bones shifted. The fur disappeared. Within seconds, Deucalion stood there in human form. He looked toward Beacon Hills without blinking. A faint smile crossed his face.

For a long moment he remained silent. Then he turned away. “I’ll return.” His footsteps echoed through the forest. Without another word… he disappeared into the darkness between the trees.

The next morning, a cold wind brushed across my face. I frowned. That didn’t make sense. My bedroom window had been closed. The wind came again. Stronger this time. Leaves rustled nearby.

Leaves?

I slowly opened my eyes. Above me… there was no ceiling. Only branches. My heart skipped a beat.

I sat upright so fast my head spun. Trees surrounded me. The smell of damp earth filled the air. Morning sunlight slipped through the leaves.

I looked around in confusion. “What…”

I pushed myself to my feet. “This isn’t my room.”

My breathing quickened. The last thing I remembered… I had been lying in bed. I had fallen asleep. So how…

I looked at my hands. They were covered with dirt. There were fresh footprints around me. My footprints.

I turned in every direction. Nothing looked familiar. The forest was silent. Too silent.

“What the hell is going on?”