The rain is relentless as we head back to Jinx’s house. It turns streets into rivers and the late afternoon into a blur. It’s almost as if nature itself is throwing a tantrum, mirroring the turmoil bubbling inside me.
By the time we’re inside, drenched and shivering, I can’t help but feel like the storm is a bad omen.
Jinx’s place is a haven from the chaos outside. Her walls are adorned with eclectic art and shelves crammed with books on every imaginable subject related to the supernatural. There are odd nicknacks and piles of tings stacked in every corner. However, it’s cozy in a way that makes me want to curl up and forget the world outside—if only for a moment.
Stone has been silent beside me but it’s clear a storm of his own brewing is simmering beneath the surface. Every now and then, I catch him clenching his fists, fighting whatever darkness the curse is dredging up. It’s heartbreaking to see him like this, caught in the grip of something we don’t fully understand yet.
Seeing him at the bar, fighting as a human—it was a side of him I’ve never witnessed. Battles for our pack, sure. But a bar fight?
I want to help him—go to him. But every time I get close, he pushes me away. Both physically and with his words.
“There’s no point in doing more research if my friend can help us. I’m just gonna give her a call and hope she’s free,” Trudie says, reaching for her phone in her back pocket. “If she can’t help us, no one can.”
As she scrolls through her contacts, I find myself holding my breath.
Stone shifts uncomfortably next to me, a tangible sign of his own skepticism. We’re both desperate for a solution, but the path to finding one seems to be narrowing with every turn.
“Di?” Trudie says, clutching her phone close. Her eyebrows scrunch in as she listens to the other end. “Yeah, it has been a while. Look, I know this is a bit out of the blue, but I could use your help. I have some friends here who I believe have been cursed. There’s something off about it and we need a way to diffuse the damn thing quickly. They’re on a bit of a… deadline.”
Again, she stops talking and listens intently.
There’s a lot of nodding and pacing going on.
Jinx gives me one of her lopsided grins and shrugs.
I turn my gaze back to Trudie and she locks eyes with me. Can’t lie, my heart thumps unevenly at that look.
“She wants to see the two of you,” Trudie says, covering the mouthpiece of her phone. “I’m assuming you don’t have time for an impromptu trip to Georgia.”
I shake my head and snicker. “No chance.”
The clock is ticking down to the Supermoon as it is and if the prophecy details are correct, shit’s about to hit the fan in a big way. And that’s saying something considering the week I’ve already had.
Good god, my life is a mess.
“That’s what I thought. Are you okay with a video call?” she continues.
I nod emphatically, “Of course.”
At the same time, Stone sputters, “Some psychic. This is bullshit.”
I shoot him a look of annoyance.
The sooner we can get him back to his normal self, the better. I don’t know how much of this new Stone I can handle without turning into a ball of female rage, myself.
He’s beginning to remind me too much of Troy—and some of the other asshole men I’ve dealt with lately. It’s not a good look on him.
“Can it, Stone. If there’s one thing I agree with, it’s that this woman’s the real deal,” Jinx offers, nodding at her sister. “Make the video call.”
Trudie returns her attention to the phone. “Would you be able to make an assessment with a video call?”
A tiny voice speaks on the other end and by all the nodding Trudie does, I presume she’s agreeing to the proposition.
“Thank you. I’ll FaceTime you now,” Trudie says, then hangs up. Her eyes widen as she glances in our direction. “Talk about good timing. She didn’t have another client. Are you ready?”
“What a pointless waste of time,” Stone grounds out.
I bite my lip to keep from saying something I’ll regret and opt to nod my agreement instead.
Trudie turns back to her phone and makes the call. Then, she hands me the phone.
Someone answers on the other end, but the screen is totally black.
“H—hello?” I say, peering at the blank screen.
Silence greets us and I’m about to hand the phone back to Trudie when a scratching noise blasts through the speaker.
“Is this thing on?” There’s silence, then scuffling on the other end, followed by a loud thunk. “Ren, how do I use this infernal contraption?”
“Give it here.” A loud sigh follows with a tut, and the video turns on. A man with darker skin and an impeccable hairstyle comes into view briefly. Then, he sets the phone down and I’m staring at a white ceiling as he says, “Honestly, woman. Apollo knows you’ve been alive long enough to learn how to use a phone. This should not be so difficult.”
“Indeed, I can attest to that,” someone in the background announces. He sounds like my grandpa. “You have been alive a very long time.”
“I know how to use a phone. This is not a phone. It’s a torture device,” she fires back. Then, a woman barely older than Asher comes into view and I snort far too loudly.
Oh yeah, she’s totally old.
I fight back an eye roll.
She has white-blond hair down to her shoulders—with the exception of a large bright pink chunk that sweeps across her forehead and vanishes behind her ear.
I shoot a confused look at Trudie. How is this the ‘world’s most powerful psychic?’ She’s half my age and can’t even use a cellphone.
I mean, I’m old, but at least I know how to use my calling apps without hunting Asher or Avery down, for crying out loud.
This does not bode well.
Maybe Stone was right.
Some psychic.
As much as I like Trudie, I’m beginning to think she’s a bit gullible.
The woman on the phone peers into the screen, her blue eyes narrowing into near slits. I hold it out so she can get a good look at both Stone and myself.
After a beat, she says, “Well, Trudie’s right. You’ve got one helluva curse sticking to the two of you.”
“No, shit.” Stone huffs, rolls his eyes dramatically, and crosses his arms over his chest.
“Diana, we’re hoping you’d be able to help us break the curse,” Trudie offers from the sidelines. “Can you see anything that might help?”
Diana pauses, her eyes losing focus as if she’s peering into something beyond the confines of the video call. For a moment, I swear her eyes glow slightly, but I assume it’s just the phone glitching out.
The silence stretches, becoming almost tangible until she finally speaks, her voice carrying an unexpected gravity. “I’m sorry, but I can’t lift this curse from where I am. It would require a ritual and sacred objects. The magic entwined in this... it’s deeply rooted. Like it goes into the core of who you both are. You might need to confront the source directly—the witches who cast this would be able to undo it.”
So, it was witches.
I let out a slow exhale.
Stone’s frustration is palpable, a low snarl rumbling in his chest, but before he can voice his dissent, Diana continues, capturing our full attention. “However, that’s not all I see.” She leans closer, her gaze piercing through the screen. “Beyond the weave of your curse, there’s a... resonance. Something powerful calling out to you.” Diana’s eyes narrow as if what she’s about to say next surprises even her. “The Breath of Selene.”
Her actually saying the name sends a shockwave through me.
Stone and I exchange a glance, our earlier skepticism faltering under the weight of her revelation. The Breath of Selene—an artifact we’d only just learned about last night and now here it is, surfacing again in the most unexpected way.
I kinda feel sick.
“This artifact,” Diana’s voice pulls us back, “it’s not just a relic or a myth. It’s a catalyst. For you both,” she gestures to Stone and me, “it will not only give you tremendous power but it will elevate you both into a new status—ensure your destinies as something—uh, there’s a word trying to rise up. Hang on.” Again, her eyes seem to glow. “Moon Wolves. Wolves destined to unite the supernatural realm.”
Chills race down my spine. Stone sits up straighter, his jaw set.
Whatever doubts we harbored about Diana’s authenticity dissipate under the gravity of her words.
She might be young, but she certainly is more than meets the eye.
“Look—” Diana’s gaze softens slightly. “I know this is a lot to take in, and I wish I could be there to help you navigate this path. Well, actually, no I don’t. But that’s neither her nor there. I have some serious shit happening over here, too.”
In the background, the old man mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, “Indeed.”
“However,” she continues, shooting an annoyed glance over the top of her phone, “I can give you something to start with—it’s a set of coordinates. For some reason, I feel once you’re there, you’ll find the Breath of Selene. Or perhaps the path to it.”
She rattles off a string of numbers that Trudie quickly jots down on a piece of paper.
“Go there. Face the source of your curse and keep the Breath of Selene in mind,” Diana says, her expression serious. “It’s all tied together. I think they’re trying to stop you from acquiring it. There’s a lot at stake in this. I can’t grasp the full extent—but it’s huge.”
Stone, who had been scowling again, now looks contemplative. Evidently, the gears are turning in his head. I can almost see him piecing together our next moves as the Delta in him takes over. That is, if that part of him is even left.
“Anything else?” Trudie asks, looking at us but saying it loud enough for Diana to hear.
“That’s all I’m getting right now,” Diana offers. “It doesn’t mean more won’t reveal itself, though. So, be ready.”
“Goodie,” Stone grumbles, standing up and stalking away. His fists are clenched tightly by his side and I get the distinct impression, he’d like to smash something.
“Diana,” I find myself saying, “thank you. For giving us a starting point.”
She offers a small, knowing smile. “You’re in good hands with Trudie and June. Just remember, destiny has a funny way of pushing us toward where we need to be. Embrace it and you’ll do just fine. But if I were you, I’d get your asses moving.”
I nod, letting her words sink in.
Where is destiny pushing us other than certain doom?
“Ren, how do end a video call?” Diana asks, glancing up.
“Oh, for crying out loud. The same way you end any other call. Hit the big red button,” Ren calls out from somewhere. “Honestly.”
“There is no red button,” she mutters, staring at the screen and looking perplexed.
“I believe if you tap the screen, it shall appear,” the old man in the background says, edging close enough to see white bushy eyebrows and hair, “like magic.”
We can hear her tap the phone and a huge grin erupts across her features. “Would you look at that? Thanks, Kyros. Bye, guys!”
With that, she ends the call, leaving us in a stunned silence.
The revelations and the daunting task ahead—to somehow face the witches responsible for our curse and find the Breath of Selene—fill the room with palpable tension.
“We have a lot to do,” I say finally, breaking the silence. “And not much time to do it.”
“You sure know how to enter a prophecy in style,” Jinx chides with a soft chuckle.
I huff a laugh and catch Stone’s eye. “Think you can handle a road trip?”
He manages a wry smile, the first genuine one I’ve seen since our predicament. But then his jaw sets and he slams his eyes shut. “As long as you’re driving. I don’t know if I trust myself.”
Jinx snorts. “Oh, no. You two are going to need more than a good playlist for this journey. Good thing we’re coming with ya. And I’ll drive. ”
Trudie nods, her expression serious but supportive. “We’ll gather what information we can to help. You’re not alone in this.”
Good, because I have a feeling Stone and I will need a buffer.
I let the idea of an impromptu road trip sink in, the weight of our mission pressing heavily on my shoulders. There’s so much do to.
I need to let the kids know. I need to prepare the pack. I need…
The road ahead feels daunting but I have to make this work.
“Okay, then,” I reply, trying to muster more confidence than I feel. “Let’s get prepared. We’re diving into the deep end of the supernatural world, and we’re going to come out on top.”
Jinx and Trudie start discussing logistics, pulling up new maps, and making lists of what we’ll need, but I can’t help but feel a gnawing sensation in my gut.
Clementine’s words have never felt truer. This prophecy has already begun. And I don’t think there’s any way to stop it.
As we plan our next steps, I realize that this journey isn’t just about breaking a curse or finding an ancient artifact. It’s about proving our worth—facing down the darkness, and maybe, just maybe, changing the course of the supernatural realm.
Diana’s parting words also tumble around in my mind.
Embrace destiny.
It sounds like a challenge, a call to rise above everything we’ve faced so far. And as the storm outside continues to rage on, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re stepping into a larger story—one that’s been waiting for us.
As if on cue, the power flickers, plunging Jinx’s cozy haven into darkness. A collective gasp fills the room, and then, just as quickly, the lights flicker back to life. But it’s enough to remind me that in this supernatural chess game, we’re not the only players.
Someone, or something, is watching.
Waiting.
The journey to confront the witches and unearth the secrets of the Breath of Selene is more than a quest—it’s a race against forces we can barely comprehend.
Bigger than us.
Bigger than even the witches, I think.
And as we stand on the brink of this unknown adventure, I can’t help but wonder…
Will we be able to embrace our destiny?
Or will we succumb to the forces trying to tear us apart?