Lila's POV
Early the next morning, Cole and I rushed into his car, eager to face the day without pausing for breakfast.
We were off to his aunt Nana's house in Nestle village, not too far from our home.
"Cole, are you sure about your aunt Nana? Can she really help us? I need someone who can truly interpret our vision—I'm scared."
"Me too," Cole admitted, "but I trust my aunt Nana. She's a sidekick, some may call her a witch because of her gift of interpretation."
"Trust me, Lila, she will deliver," Cole assured me.
"Okay, I trust you."
As I began to speak again, an unknown beast slammed into our car, forcing Cole to stop suddenly.
He opened the door and jumped out to investigate what had hit us.
"Cole, what was that?" I asked.
"I don't know, but I guess it was a werewolf or something bigger. It came at us like a flash."
"It might have been trying to stop us or warn us," he speculated.
"What the hell, Cole? Weren't you paying attention? If you'd been focused on the road—"
"I know, I should have seen it. I'm sorry," he said, his voice filled with guilt. "I was just thinking of how to save my pack, my family, and most importantly, you, Lila."
He reached for my hand, looking deep into my eyes. "I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt. What if what Adrian said is true—that you are a true Luna? Do you know what that means?"
"I don't know, Cole, but I won't let anything happen to me."
"I believe in you, Lila."
He flashed me a smile, and I melted inside. Cole was undeniably handsome, and I couldn't wait to have him to myself.
"Lila, are you okay?" he asked, noticing the depth of my thoughts.
"Yes, Cole, I'm fine. We need to keep moving; time is running out."
"Okay, let's go."
We got back into the car and continued our journey.
Less than an hour later, we arrived at Nestle village.
"I hope you haven't forgotten your aunt Nana's house," I said.
"I haven't forgotten her address," Cole replied confidently.
"There it is!"
We parked gently and stepped out, heading straight for the front door. We knocked, but no one answered.
"Cole, I guess no one's home. Try knocking again."
"I'm back here!" Aunt Nana shouted from the backyard.
Eagerly, we rushed to meet her.
"Aunt Nana, it's been a while," Cole said warmly.
"Yes, my darling, how have you been?" she asked.
"I've been holding up," he replied.
"And who is this lovely lady with you?" Aunt Nana inquired.
"This is Lila, a friend." I looked at Cole, surprised. Why did he only call me a friend?
"No, Cole, she's more than a friend," Aunt Nana said with a knowing smile.
Cole smiled faintly. "We're just friends, aunty."
"If you say so, genius," Aunt Nana teased.
"Let's go inside, shall we?" she said, leading us into her home where strange decorations and ancient artifacts, showcasing her unique gifts, captivated me.
"Something like that," she replied with a hint of amusement.
"How did you know what I was thinking?" I asked in awe.
"I hear everyone's thoughts and can read minds too. That's why they call me a witch," Aunt Nana explained.
"It's indeed a gift."
"Some see it as a curse, but I choose not to care about what they think or whisper about me," she said, exuding confidence.
"That's a wise choice," I said.
We moved to a table that resembled an altar.
"Sit," she commanded gently.
She lit red candles, sat in silence for a moment with her eyes closed, then declared, "Shall we begin?"
"Yes," we both replied in unison.
"The vision you see indicates great danger ahead. The enemy is within your pack. I detect a strange presence, but he's family," Aunt Nana revealed.
"Family? How?" Cole asked, brows furrowed.
"You will know soon enough, darling," she assured him.
"Can you at least tell us what he looks like?" I requested, desperately seeking answers.
"No, his face is unclear to me," Aunt Nana replied, her eyes still shut.
"You must be prepared for what's to come, Cole. It won't be easy—life will be lost, but I can't promise victory," she added gravely.
"And as for you, true Luna," Aunt Nana called out to me.
How did she know that? I wondered.
"You are the key to light and dark. Everything lies in your hands. You alone can stop this impending war," Aunt Nana declared with certainty.
"But how? I don't even know how to control my powers. I can't even change into my wolf form," I confessed, feeling lost.
"But you will soon enough. Just be patient, and most of all, be yourself," Aunt Nana advised wisely.
"When that time comes, choose your path wisely. You must stick with Cole, even if he doubts you. You are all each other has now," she urged with sincerity.
"You are powerful, Lila. Trust in yourself and use your powers wisely. Channel them with purpose."
What do we do now, Cole, I asked, conf
used and scared.
The first thing to do, is to get your wolf out, Cole said confidently.
But how are we going to do that?