I've never heard those words before, but I recognize their meaning, even as Yvonne continues chanting the words like a mantra that magically swirls the potion in the cauldron.
The cloud of smoke groans and puffs out to disappear, and Yvonne nods at me. Aurora steps forward with a ladle, scooping up some of the potion into a wooden cup.
She holds the cup out toward me, and I take it without hesitation, lifting the cup to my lips when the vision cuts and I find myself standing in front of Thane.
“Willow…?”
My breath enters my lungs with vigorous force, and I can hear my heartbeat hammering in my chest. I look down to see that I'm still holding the needle meant to draw Thane's blood, and my fingers tremble with noticeable force.
Gulping hard, the needle and tube slip from my quivering fingers, crashing on the tiles and shattering into tiny fragments of glass like my fears scattered on the ground.
Unable to meet Thane's eyes, I spin on my heels and bolt for the door, taking the steps two at a time until I'm on the landing and racing for the front door.
The cold air hitting my face is a snap back to reality, drawing out the sob in my chest that I'd been trying to stifle.
My hands fly over my face, my palms filling with my tears as realization knocks into me like a ton of bricks and forces me to my knees.
“Willow…?” Thane calls out warily from behind me, and I quickly sniffle and fight back my tears, wiping my face as I try to straighten up.
His hands are on my arms to help me, but as soon as I'm standing, I swat his hands away.
I can't face him—not after what I just saw.
He steps in front of me, bending to meet my eyes.
“Hey…why are you crying?” he asks gently, his voice my undoing.
“I-I can't—” My lips quiver, my hand flying to my throat.
“Shit,” Thane mumbles under his breath before he grabs my shoulders to steady me. “Breathe, Willow.” He inhales slowly. “Follow my breathing.”
I do as I'm told, following the way he breathes in and out, slowly, the cold air traveling down my lungs and calming me.
“That's it. You're gonna be okay,” he assures, hands smoothing my arm with so much care that I have to meet his eyes now.
That's when I see it again—my reflection, serving as a reminder of what I saw in my vision and what I must do to seal the gates that lead the demons to our world.
The vision might have cut, but there's no mistaking what happens after I drink that potion. There's a lethal amount of wolfsbane in there, and drinking the potion could only mean one thing.
I'm meant to sacrifice myself to seal the gates and protect this pack.
The shock has passed, and all that's left is the acceptance of my fate.
But I can't bring myself to tell Thane what I just saw. Not when he stares at me with the warmest green eyes, soft and glowing with safety I've never felt before.
If I sink into that feeling, I won't be able to go through with what needs to be done.
Firmly pushing him off me, I take a deep breath.
“I wanna go home,” I say, and Thane nods.
“Yeah, we should go home,” he murmurs, silently falling into step beside me as we head back to Elder Charles's place.
But the weight of Thane's worry hangs on his shoulders, his eyes boring into my neck even when we arrive. I head inside, making a beeline for my bedroom, when Thane grabs my wrist and pulls me into his.
He shuts the door behind us with a firm slam of his palm.
“What's going on, Willow?” He turns around slowly, eyes wild with confusion. “What did you see in your vision?”
