That night, sleep came heavy, but not peaceful.
Evelyn found herself standing in the middle of a vast forest, the moon hanging huge and bright above her. The air was thick with the scent of pine and something wilder—animal, musky, dangerous.
From the shadows, wolves emerged one by one. Their eyes glowed—blue, gold, silver—watching her silently. Some were massive, their fur bristling; others circled at a distance, their low growls vibrating through the ground.
She turned in a slow circle, her heartbeat matching the rhythm of their steps. She wanted to run, but her feet refused to move.
Then she heard it.
A deep, resonant voice male, rough with something primal—whispered in the air around her.
Mate.
The word rolled through her bones, sending a shiver down her spine.
One of the wolves stepped forward from the pack, larger than the rest, fur black as midnight, eyes glowing green. He came so close she could see his breath misting in the cold air.
Her pulse raced… and then she realized—he was looking through her, as if something inside her was what he wanted.
She gasped and woke up screaming.
"Evie?" Lily's small voice came from the bed beside hers. The girl was sitting up, eyes wide. "Are you okay?"
Evelyn pressed a hand to her chest, forcing a shaky breath. "I'm fine. It was just… a dream."
Lily frowned but nodded, lying back down. Soon, the room was quiet again.
The next morning, Lily darted downstairs first while Evelyn was still freshening up.
Kael sat at the head of the dining table, eating in silence. Lily climbed onto the chair opposite him and… stared. Long. Unblinking.
Finally, he set his fork down. "What?"
She didn't answer—just kept glaring.
When Evelyn walked in, she greeted him politely. He didn't reply, just muttered, "Please tell your little friend not to say anything."
"Uncle Kael," Lily said suddenly.
One of his brows arched. "Finally, not Mr. Arrogant. Though I hear Evelyn gave me that name, not you."
"Evie had a bad dream," Lily blurted.
Kael's eyes shifted to Evelyn instantly. "What kind of dream?"
She hesitated, then told him everything—about the wolves, the voice, and how she was in the center of it.
His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking along the side of his face.
They're messing with her, his wolf growled in his head. They're trying to get to her.
she hesitated. "Are you okay?"
Kael didn't answer. His jaw was set, his gaze somewhere far away. Without another word, he pushed back his chair and walked out of the mansion.
Once in his car, he pulled out his phone and called his beta.
Lucien's voice came through, dry and amused. "Why do you always call me when I'm having intimate fun?"
"Meet me," Kael said, ignoring the comment.
When they met in a quiet, out-of-the-way spot, Kael told him about Evelyn's dream—the wolves, the voice, the black one with green eyes.
Lucien's easy manner faded. "That's not just a dream," he said.
"I'll speak to the council tonight."
Back at the mansion, Kael had sent his driver to the orphanage to get maris as he promised.
By early afternoon, the front doors opened and a familiar voice rang out. "This place is huge!"
"Maris!" Evelyn laughed, rushing forward to hug her. Lily squeezed in between them, giggling as the three clung together.
The rest of the day was warm and light, the mansion echoing with laughter as the girls explored the grand halls, played in the garden, and and filled the spaces with a kind of life the house rarely saw.