Chapter 35 – Meeting with the Seer

(Luca’s perspective)

I paced the dimly lit room, the weight of everything I’d just learned pressing down on me like a boulder on my chest. My fists clenched at my sides, and each breath felt harder to draw. Ethan stood across the room, arms crossed, frustration and concern etched on his face as he watched me. The Seer, with her silvered hair and eyes clouded by visions, sat in the corner, waiting for me to stop wrestling with the anger boiling inside.

"How the hell did this happen?" My voice trembled, edged with fury. I raked a hand through my hair, barely containing the storm within. "How did my bite do this? How did it mark Quinn—make her his?"

The Seer’s gaze met mine, calm and unyielding. "Your bite didn’t create the mark, Luca. It merely awakened something that was already there. Something tied to a force we’ve been sensing in the shadows."

I froze, my chest tightening. "You mean the one who claimed Quinn? That thing? What does he have to do with me?"

Ethan pushed off the wall, his voice low but taut. "The bite shouldn’t have triggered anything like this. You didn’t even mean to bite her—it was a mistake. Yet now she’s... marked."

The Seer nodded, her voice grave. "It’s part of a curse woven into certain wolves, like you. This figure has control over wolves of a particular lineage. When one of his wolves bites someone, they’re marked, tied to him in ways even you can’t control. Your bite activated something dormant in Quinn."

My stomach twisted. His wolves? My wolves? "You’re saying I’m connected to him? That this was his plan all along?"

"Not by choice," she replied softly. "It is said that the Echo was once an Alpha and before he turned into the Echo, he had children. I have always sensed an ancient magic, predating us all, and I believe his bloodline runs through yours. When you bit Quinn, you triggered the connection he’s been waiting for."

A sickening realization washed over me. The Echo—my enemy—was my ancestor. This was too much to bear.

Ethan’s frustration deepened, his fists tightening. "But what about Nick’s nibble? That was nothing—he barely touched her. How did that set all this off?"

The Seer sighed, folding her hands. "Nick’s bite was the spark, but it was your bond with Quinn as her mate and your bite that acted as the catalyst. Together, they activated the curse."

"So, I marked her for him. This is my fault. She’s in danger because of me."

"Not just danger," the Seer said, her voice tinged with sadness. "He’s tied to her now, Luca. He can see through her and control parts of her. Unless the curse is broken, she’ll never be free."

The air felt suffocating, the weight of it overwhelming me. I’d never wanted to hurt Quinn—never wanted her life to be tied to this nightmare.

Ethan’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "We need to tell her, Luca. She’s already feeling different—sensing things. We can’t let her face this alone."

My resolve hardened, but fear gnawed at me. "I’ll do whatever it takes to break this curse. I won’t let him have her."

The Seer’s voice was steady but grim. "The bond between you and Quinn has made the curse stronger. But there is still hope. The curse can be broken."

Before I could respond, a chill ran down my spine, my mind flashing to the figure who had claimed her—the Echo.

The air felt heavier than before, and I could barely keep the rising panic in check. "What are we really dealing with here?" I muttered, my frustration bleeding through. "First, Quinn’s marked; now this Echo wants to claim her as his own. What the hell is this?"

The Seer closed her eyes, searching through visions before she spoke. "The Echo isn’t just a creature—it’s the manifestation of a curse, older than any of us."

"A curse?" Ethan’s brow furrowed. "How does that connect to Quinn?"

The Seer’s gaze settled on me, and her next words dropped like a hammer. "Quinn is a descendant of the family that caused the curse. The Echo is tied to their bloodline."

A wave of cold dread washed over me. "The Echo’s after her... because of her bloodline?"

"Yes," the Seer said softly. "And she’s on the brink of awakening powers that could either break or fulfill the curse. The Echo senses that, which is why it’s drawn to her."

Ethan cursed under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "So, Quinn’s not just caught in this—she’s the key."

The Seer leaned forward, her eyes gleaming. "Quinn is a Lunar Guardian."

I blinked. "A what?"

"The Spirit of the Moon has chosen her to protect the balance between humans and wolves. Her powers are awakening because of her connection to you and the curse. But to fully awaken, she’ll need to undergo a ritual during the next Blood Moon."

Ethan stared at me, his eyes wide. "So, Quinn’s not just some human stuck in the middle of this—she’s a force of nature."

I swallowed hard, the weight of her destiny sinking in. A Lunar Guardian. Quinn was more important than any of us had known. But her power came with a price.

"If she fails the ritual," the Seer whispered, "your bond will break, and she will be lost to the Echo."

The room went still. My pulse hammered in my ears, the weight of it all threatening to crush me.

"This Echo," I said slowly, my mind racing. "He’s taken the form of the man who claimed her, hasn’t he? He’s the one behind the curse."

The Seer nodded grimly. "Yes. He believes Quinn is his, but the curse can be broken."

I straightened, determination flooding my veins. "Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll protect Quinn—no matter what it takes."

The Seer stood, her gaze unflinching. "The Blood Moon is coming, Luca. You don’t have much time."

“When is it coming?” I asked reluctantly.

The Seer narrowed her eyes and looked at me grimly. “In two fortnights.”

My eyes widened in terror. “That’s in four weeks!”

The Seer nodded and reiterated her warning. "As I said, you don’t have much time."

I nodded, my resolve steeling. I’d face the Echo, I’d break this curse, and I’d protect Quinn.

No one would take her from me. Not now. Not ever.