CHAPTER 6 : THREE YEARS OF GROWTH

POV: ELARA

THREE YEARS LATER

I wake up to Arin screaming my name like the world is ending.

“Muuum!”

My whole body jumps like I have just been electrocuted. I sit up too fast, heart slamming against my ribs, blood rushing in my ears, and for a second I’m like—

Where the hell am I?

What’s happening?

Who’s dying?

The cave walls are all shadows and cold air and my brain is still half asleep. And then this huge blast of silver light flashes across the whole room and I swear my soul jumps out of my body.

It’s him. Dreaming.

Again.

Arin’s sitting on our blanket pile, shaking so hard the fabric is moving under him. His eyes are squeezed shut and that glowing mark on his palm is basically a mini sun right now. Silver light everywhere. It’s so bright it hurts to look at it.

My heart just… drops.

“Arin,” I choke out, crawling over to him so fast I almost face-plant. My legs are still numb from sleep but I don’t even care. “Hey, hey, baby, look at me. It’s okay. I’m here. Mummy’s here.”

My voice sounds like it’s falling apart. Whatever.

I look around the cave like there’s an attacker hiding in a corner or something because that’s honestly what it feels like, like something broke in through the walls. My wolf is pacing inside me, ready to rip anything apart.

But there’s nothing. No shadows moving. No scent. Just us.

Just my son glowing like a freaking moon lantern.

And he is not even awake.

His little hands keep clenching and unclenching like he’s grabbing at thin air. Sweat is dripping down his face. His mouth is twitching like he wants to say something but can’t.

It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen. I swear it physically hurts to watch him go through this.

“Come on,” I whisper, touching his cheek even though my hand is shaking like crazy. “Come back to me, sweetheart. Please. Just look at me.”

He lets out this tiny broken breath.

Then he whispers one word.

“Chains.”

I stop breathing.

No. Nope.

No no no no.

He’s NEVER talked during one of these. Not once. The word slams into me so hard I feel sick.

Where would he even hear that?

We’ve been alone for three years.

Nobody is here.

I don’t talk about—

I don’t talk about anything like that.

So how?

I cup his face, panic burning in my throat. “Arin. Baby. Wake up. You’re safe. It’s just us. Open your eyes.”

His eyes twitch under his lids. His whole body keeps shaking.

The light on his palm pulses again and again, like it’s matching something, like a heartbeat that isn’t his.

Then it flickers.

Then dies down.

He jerks like someone threw him out of a dream and he gasps for air.

“Mama?”

I grab him so tight he squeaks. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m here. I’m right here.”

I don’t let go. I don’t even think I breathe for a whole minute.

When he finally pulls back, he’s still groggy, like his mind is half stuck in whatever nightmare he was just pulled through.

“I dreamed again,” he murmurs.

“I know,” I whisper, smoothing his hair even though my hands still won’t stop shaking.

“There was a voice.” He frowns, staring at the cave entrance like someone’s standing out there talking to him. “He keeps calling me.”

A cold spike runs down my spine.

He. A man.

Calling my baby?

“What did he say?” My voice barely works.

Arin shakes his head. “I don’t know. It’s like… like the words go away after I hear them.”

“Dreams are weird like that,” I lie, because I don’t have any other explanation that won’t make me start crying. “Don't let it worry you too much.”

He leans against me. He nods. But he doesn’t believe me. I can feel it.

He looks down at his mark like it’s a secret he’s not sure he wants to keep.

And that scares the hell out of me.

By morning, he’s finally asleep again and I go outside with our water jug because if I stay in that cave one more second I’m going to scream.

The forest air is sharp and cold and smells like pine and wet leaves. We’re far, far out. Past every border. Past every rogue trail I know about. It’s supposed to be quiet out here.

Safe-ish.

I kneel by the stream, let the freezing water numb my fingers.

But something feels wrong.

The forest is… holding its breath.

I listen. Wind. Birds. Water. Us.

Then…

A soft crunch.

Too soft.

Too careful.

Like someone stepped on a twig and wanted to pretend they didn’t.

Every muscle in me goes tight.

I stand slowly and scan the clearing.

And then I see it.

Tracks.

Fresh ones.

Big ones.

Still pressed into the frost. Way too recent.

Someone was here.

My stomach twists so hard I almost throw up. I crouch and touch the print.

Not a patrol wolf. Not a hunter. Not a pack.

Rogue.

My heartbeat goes insane.

No. No.

We’ve been careful.

We’ve been SO careful.

If a rogue sees Arin, if they see that mark…

I stand up so fast my head spins. I grab the jug and sprint back into the cave.

“Arin,” I whisper, shaking him awake. “Get up. We’re leaving.”

He rubs his eyes. “Now? But why-”

“No questions. Shoes on. Now.”

He nods immediately because he can feel the fear rolling off me.

I pack everything at lightning speed. I lift him, shove the vines aside, and step out into the cold.

We leave without a single look back.

We’re halfway across the clearing when Arin suddenly grabs my leg like he’s trying to stop a car.

“Hey, what’s-”

But he’s not looking at me.

He’s staring into the trees.

Completely still.

Like he’s listening to someone.

His palm starts glowing again. That pale silver. Quiet but bright enough to make my stomach drop.

“Mama…” he whispers. “He’s still calling.”

The world literally tilts.

Before I can say one goddamn thing,

His mark explodes in light.

So bright it burns.

And everything goes white.