Shadows Of The Pack (Aria and Knox) novel Chapter 82

JB sat in the room, his gaze fixed on his mother's still form. The soft rays of the setting sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm, golden glow across the space. Lilian's chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm, a sign that life still clung to her fragile body. But her eyes remained closed, her consciousness shrouded in a mystery that the pack’s healer could not unravel.
As the minutes stretched into eternity, a gentle knock on the door roused JB from his thoughts. He turned his head to see the pack's healer, Elara, entering the room.
"JB," Elara's voice was soft, her eyes filled with compassion as she approached him. "I know this is hard, but I wanted to check on Lilian again.".
Elara moved to the bedside, her hands hovering over Lilian's body. Her brows furrowed as she concentrated, her connection to the healing energies of the pack evident in the way her hands emitted a faint, soothing glow. After a few moments, she sighed and lowered her hands, turning to face JB.
"I've done everything I can," Elara began gently. "But the truth is, I don't know why she hasn't regained consciousness yet. Her injuries have healed, and her body is strong. It's as if... something is keeping her asleep, something beyond the physical."
JB's heart sank at her words. The uncertainty of the situation only deepened the ache within him. He had hoped for a miracle, for some sign that his mother would wake.
Elara reached out and squeezed JB's shoulder, her touch a comforting gesture amidst the turmoil. "JB, I know it's hard to grasp, but sometimes there are forces at play that even the most skilled healers can't comprehend. All we can do now is keep hoping, keep believing in the Moon Goddess's mercy."
He looked up at her, his eyes searching hers for a glimmer of hope. "Do you think she'll ever wake up, Elara? Will she ever come back to us?"
Elara's gaze held his. "I won't give up on her, JB. None of us will. But sometimes, it's the strength of the heart that defies all odds. Keep talking to her, keep letting her know you're here. Your love, your voice might be the key that unlocks her from whatever hold is keeping her in slumber."
As Elara turned to leave, JB's voice caught in his throat. "Thank you, Elara. For everything."
Time seemed to stretch in the room, every passing second an agonizing reminder of Lilian's stillness. Just as he was about to sink deeper into his thoughts, a voice from the doorway broke the silence, and JB's head snapped up in surprise.
Winter stood there, her presence both unexpected and strangely comforting. The room seemed to hold its breath as they locked eyes, a moment suspended in time.
Silence stretched between them, pregnant with unspoken emotions. Finally, Winter's voice cut through the stillness, her words echoing with a sense of nostalgia. "It seems like an eternity ago when you were in the Whispering Woods, doesn't it?"
JB nodded, the memories of their encounter in the mysterious woods resurfacing with startling clarity. "Yeah, it does," he admitted.
Winter stood there for a while, a quiet understanding passing between them. After a moment, JB asked, "How's June?"
Winter's expression softened, her gaze momentarily distant. She offered a weak smile, her eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions. "She's hanging in there. It's been a challenging time for all of us."
As if drawn by an unspoken connection, Winter stepped closer to Lilian's bedside. Her hand gently touched Lilian's forehead. Winter's touch was gentle, her fingers lingering for a moment before she finally spoke.
"The darkness that surrounded us did a number on her," Winter's voice was soft, carrying a weight of sorrow. "She's clinging to her subconscious state because, in her heart, she knows that in reality, her mate is gone."
A surge of understanding washed over JB as he absorbed Winter's words. The bond between Lilian and his father had been unbreakable. He hated waking up everyday knowing that his father was gone. He could only imagine what it would be like for her.
Desperation welled up within JB, a burning desire to bring his mother back from the depths of her slumber. He turned his gaze to Winter, his eyes pleading. "How can we bring her back, Winter? What can we do?"
Winter's gaze met JB's, and he could see the weight of her own struggles mirrored in her eyes. "She needs to find her way back on her own, but she needs an anchor, a reason to return."
A knot formed in JB's throat as he processed Winter's words. His mother needed something to hold onto, a reason to awaken from the dreamscape that held her captive. He looked back at Lilian, his heart aching, “I don’t know if I’m enough for her to return. She loved my father so much. I saw it everyday.”
Winter's sighed, "You have to at least try," she encouraged gently, her eyes conveying a silent message of support.
As the conversation shifted, JB's curiosity about Winter's unexpected presence in the pack's territory grew stronger. His voice was cautious yet filled with curiosity as he finally voiced the question that had been lingering in his mind. "Why did the ancient healer send you here? I thought nothing ever came for free with her."
"I don't have all the answers, JB. But my mother had a vision, a prophecy that spoke of the child and the mother. She saw blood and chaos surrounding the birth of the child."
The gravity of Winter's words hung in the air, the weight of the prophecy casting a shadow over their conversation. Winter's gaze remained focused on him, her eyes carrying the weight of the message she bore. "In my mother's vision, there are others who seek to destroy the child. And on the eve of the Celestial eclipse, they succeed in killing the mother."
The words hit JB like a punch to the gut, "Who are these people?" Winter's expression remained solemn, a reflection of the seriousness of the situation. "My mother didn't reveal their identities, but she saw the chaos they would bring. I was sent to deliver this warning, to make you aware of the dangers that lie ahead."
Winter's expression remained somber, her gaze unwavering as she met JB's eyes. "My mother's visions are often enigmatic, a tapestry of possibilities that are not always clear. We cannot take this prophecy lightly, but we can work together to decipher its meaning and find a way to change the course of fate."
And Aria?" JB's voice held a touch of concern. "Does she know about the prophecy?"
Winter's gaze held a mixture of compassion and understanding. "She is aware of some of it, but not all. The burden of such knowledge is heavy, and my mother believed that revealing every detail could potentially lead to unintended consequences."
JB nodded, absorbing Winter's words, his thoughts racing as he considered the complexity of the situation. "We can't just conclude that the child will cause destruction if we don't exactly know what the prophecy says," he mused aloud, his determination to uncover the truth evident in his voice.
As they stood in contemplative silence, the room seemed to shift around them. It started with a subtle vibration, an almost imperceptible hum that sent a shiver down JB's spine. He glanced around, his brows furrowed in confusion. Winter, too, seemed to sense the change in the atmosphere, her gaze narrowing as she surveyed the room.
Then, like a whisper carried on the wind, a faint sound reached their ears. Lilian's lips were moving, her breathy exhalations forming unintelligible words. JB's heart leapt in his chest, hope mingling with disbelief as he rushed to her side.
"Mum?" He knelt beside her, his eyes locked on her lips as they continued to move, as if guided by some unseen force.
Winter followed suit, her gaze focused on Lilian.
"Wha—what is she saying?" JB's voice wavered, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to decipher the meaning behind his mother's whispered utterances.
Winter's expression mirrored JB's intensity as she listened closely, her eyes narrowing in concentration. And then, as if a puzzle had suddenly clicked into place, the words began to take shape, piecing together in a coherent sentence.
"She's... she's talking about the prophecy," Winter's voice was a mixture of awe and realization.
JB's eyes widened as he leaned in closer, his heart racing with a mixture of hope and trepidation. Lilian's lips moved, her voice faint yet clear as the words formed.
"...two paths they shall tread, destiny at hand..."
The words seemed to hang in the air, a reverberation of the prophecy itself. JB's mind raced as he tried to comprehend the implications. Lilian, from her unconscious state, was echoing the very prophecy that had been shared with them,
".... for the child's potential, the darkest hearts pursue…Once released into the world..He shall destroy us all."