“There is an ancient prophecy,” Noro explained. “It has been passed down through Keepers, and other shifters with the ability to use magic, suppressed or not.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Eric growled.
“Yeah, but you ain’t magic,” Ramsay muttered.
“Shut up.”
“What does it say?” I asked.
Noro lowered his eyes and read the text.
“When the fertile lands grow barren,
Seek the chosen one to awaken;
Only when opposites love together,
like bidding farewell to spring,
Can we end the suffering;
Seeds grown as one are the key,
To set the shifters free.”
Noro gently shut the book and met my gaze, waiting for a response. But how was I supposed to reply to that? The other wolves around me were similarly dumbfounded, which at least made me feel a bit less stupid.
“What does any of that mean?” Colton finally asked.
“I can only make guesses, but I don’t know for certain,” Noro admitted. “The true meaning is up to the chosen one to find out.”
Instantly, all eyes were on me. A whimper escaped my lips.
This could not be happening. This was far too much for one person to handle, especiallyme.Nothing in my life could’ve ever prepared me for this situation. Part of me still wanted to believe it was just one big cosmic joke.
But that wasn’t the case, was it?
This was all painfully real.
“Can we at least borrow the book?” Colton asked. I was glad for his calm words and presence. I needed somebody else to be rational right now, because it was the last thing I could currently muster.
Noro handed Colton the book, who took it as gingerly as possible.
“Yeah, give it to the guy who's gonna swim back to his territory,” Ramsay muttered. “One of us should take it instead.”
“Like you?” Eric said snarkily. “Why should South Pack get it? If anyone should take the book, it’s Matheson and East Pack.”
“Matheson isn’t the only one in danger,” Gabrielle growled, moving closer to her son while shooting me a cold glare. “If the gryphons come for him, then we are all threatened. Who knows what they’re capable of?”
“My son is the one they want!” Mom snapped at her. “This isn’t about you or any of the other packs!”
Dad was holding her back from starting another scuffle. “Lilian, she’s right. Matheson is in danger, yes, but so is everyone else. They don’t know where Matheson is located. They could tear apart all four pack territories looking for him.”
Mom frowned, and Gabrielle did, too. They both backed off.
Then Mom added with a sneer at Gabrielle, “Unless someone tells the gryphons where he is.”
“We’re not going to do that,” Colton promised calmly. He got in between my mom and his own. “Matheson is one of us, different pack or not. We’re all going to protect him.”
