That night, Eila returned home with her heart brimming—full of awe, love, and a strange peace she hadn't felt in days. The storm she had feared—that her mates would walk away after learning the truth—had never come.
Instead, their heartfelt confessions and unwavering support had wrapped around her like a protective cocoon. For the first time since the prophecy had been revealed, she didn't feel like the world's burden.
She felt… cherished.
As Leonard pulled up the carriage outside her home, Lukas had leaned closer, brushing a soft kiss on her temple while Zois handed her cloak to her like a gentleman—though his smirk gave away the teasing glint in his eyes.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay the night?" Zois had asked, voice low and hopeful.
"We promise not to torment you," Lukas had added with a crooked smile. "Much."
Leonard had said nothing, but his gaze had burned with something far deeper than suggestion—something ancient and possessive and patient.
Eila had laughed softly but declined, wrapping her cloak tighter. "I need to rest… truly rest. And you three can be very distracting."
They didn't argue. When it came to her health, even the most stubborn of them knew when to let her go.
Now, seated at the dinner table with her family, the clinking of spoons and laughter of her younger siblings grounded her in the present. A part of her longed to freeze this moment—simple, warm, untouched by prophecy or death.
She will visit her parents tomorrow, they were still confined within the pack infirmary because of that wretched curse lines and watched closely since her exam results and the recent commotion. She needed to know what they thought about all of this, and more than anything, she needed to find a way to bring them home safely. The Veil had to be closed.
That was her mission now. Before anything else.
"Eila," Meera said, pulling her out of her reverie. "You forgot Michael's birthday is next week."
Eila blinked. "Oh. Right."
"And next month is Jean and Jake's. The month after that—the triplets." Meera narrowed her eyes in mock seriousness.
"Don't you dare forget again."
Eila smiled faintly. "I won't. I promise."
Thankfully, Meera's birthday—along with Emma's and her twin brother —was still six months away. By then, she'd be away at Moonshine University. She wouldn't be here for the triplets' birthday, and that stung more than she wanted to admit.
Still, she'd make sure everything was perfect for them. Gifts, decorations, a feast—something to remind them how much she loved them. Even from afar.
Her mind drifted again.
The Veil. Jeremy Soren. The prophecy.
She hadn't told her family a word about it. Not yet. They deserved peace for as long as she could buy it.
"We're out of coins," Meera said suddenly, jerking her back again.
"What?"
"For groceries," her sister clarified. Eila nodded absentmindedly, her thoughts returning to the sealed scroll and the truth inked across ancient parchment. They were out of coins… and out of time.
Zois's POV:
There's no easy way to say this: We are the three mates of Eila Johnson.
Even thinking about it still made me chuckle—three powerful, overgrown werewolves tied to one girl who didn't even know how to walk away from danger if it danced in front of her in lace.
I always had a feeling I'd end up sharing a mate. Lukas and I had always been close, and sometimes it felt like our bond ran deeper than blood. But never in my life had I expected it to become a triad.
And now Leonard Blackwell was in the mix. Our Beta. Our close friend. And apparently the first to feel the pull of the bond.
We should've been jealous. Possessive. Territorial. But instead? We were aligned in one mission:
Protect Eila.
She wanted to reject us to save us from the curse of the prophecy. Sweet, foolish girl.
She thought we cared about image, about status and pack whispers. Lukas and I? We never gave a single thought. And Leo? He's practically immune to public opinion.
But Eila… she did care. About her family, her duty, her people. So we decided to respect that—for now. Play her game. Keep things quiet. Avoid too much attention while we helped her carry the world.
Leonard was already pulling strings. He'd sent for Nina—the pack's archivist, mage and former High Seer apprentice. She was the only one who might understand the scroll better. She'd arrive in a few days.
Until then, we would lay low and plan.
Because while Eila thought she had to save us from herself… We were already plotting to save the world from everything that dared to hurt her.