Chapter 70: The Series Of Visions
She saw herself walking into the scene, the shock freezing her in place. Then the image shifted again, fast and harsh, to her own death. She saw her body on the floor, blood pooling beneath her. Her vision is fading.
And then, a large shadow appeared. A massive jaguar stood beside her fallen body. It growled, circling protectively, as if trying to ward off something unseen.
Aveloria’s body began to shake violently in bed. Her breathing turned ragged. Her wolf pushed to the surface, desperate to protect her, but the visions wouldn’t stop. Her heart pounded against her ribs. The glowing amulet pulsed faster, synchronizing with her panic.
Suddenly, she heard a deep voice calling her name.
"Aveloria."
Someone was shaking her.
Her eyes fluttered open briefly. The room swam in and out of focus. Galen’s face hovered above hers, his hands gripping her shoulders gently.
"Aveloria, wake up," he said firmly.
She tried to respond, but no words came out. Her lips parted slightly as she gasped for breath. Her whole body felt heavy, unresponsive.
Galen’s jaw tightened. He shook her again, more urgently this time. "Aveloria, please."
Her eyes rolled back slightly. The glow from the amulet dimmed for a moment, then flared again.
Galen pressed his hand over it instinctively, feeling the strange heat radiating from it. "What is this thing doing to you?" he muttered under his breath. Galen tried to remove the amulet, but it didn’t come off.
When she didn’t respond, he leaned closer, his voice softer now. "You’re safe. You’re here. Just breathe."
But she couldn’t. Her body suddenly went still. Her eyes closed, her breathing stopped. The glow from the amulet faded completely, leaving the room in darkness.
Galen froze. He pressed his fingers to her neck, searching for a pulse. It was faint — too faint. His heart clenched in his chest. He held her tightly, his voice breaking slightly.
"No, no, stay with me. You can’t do this."
He brushed the hair from her face, his expression tight with panic. She looked pale, her skin cold. He didn’t know what she had seen, but whatever it was, it had broken her inside.
"Wake up, Ave!" He held her closely in his arms.
Moments passed, then minutes. The silence was unbearable. Finally, her chest rose again. A small, shaky breath escaped her lips.
Galen exhaled in relief, pressing his forehead against hers. "Don’t ever do that again," he whispered.
But Aveloria didn’t answer. She was unconscious, trapped somewhere between worlds, her body alive but her mind still caught in the echo of what she had seen.
Inside that silence, she was floating in darkness. Her mother’s face flickered before her eyes again. Her voice, faint and soft this time, echoed in her head.
"My daughter," the voice said. "You have seen the truth. Now protect what remains."
Aveloria tried to reach for her, but her body felt weightless.
"Do not fear what you are," her mother’s voice continued. "The bond you carry will guide you. Trust your instincts, even when they lead you into danger."
The voice began to fade.
"Mother—"
But there was no answer. Only darkness again.
Then, she felt warmth, Galen’s hand still holding hers, his voice murmuring something she couldn’t quite hear.
Her wolf stirred weakly, trying to bring her back. Finally, she opened her eyes.
The room was dim. The fire had gone out. Galen was sitting beside her, his head bowed, exhaustion written across his face.
Her throat was dry. "Galen," she whispered.
His head snapped up instantly. Relief washed over him as he leaned closer. "You’re awake."
She nodded weakly. "What...what happened?"
"You tell me," he said quietly. "You were shaking. You stopped breathing for a while."
Aveloria’s eyes flicked down to the amulet. It wasn’t glowing now, just a piece of metal. But she could still feel it, the weight, the power, and the truth it had forced her to see.
She didn’t tell him what she saw. Not yet.
Instead, she whispered, "It’s only the beginning."
Galen frowned. "What do you mean?"
But Aveloria just turned her face away, staring at the ceiling. Her mother’s dying image still burned into her mind, the sound of her choking still echoing in her ears.
She knew what she had to do now. And this time, she wouldn’t fail.
********************
Aveloria woke to the weight of an arm draped firmly around her waist. For a moment, she didn’t move. The room was quiet, the faint sound of morning birds outside breaking the silence. She felt Galen’s steady breath against her neck, warm and calm. His hold was protective, almost possessive, as if he feared she would disappear if he let go.
She tried to shift slightly, but his grip only tightened.
"Galen," she whispered, turning her head a little. "You’re crushing me."
No answer. Galen was still half asleep, his breathing deep and even.
She sighed quietly, deciding to wait it out. The warmth of his body against hers was comforting, something she hadn’t realized she needed until that moment. After everything that happened the night before, the visions, the terror, the feeling of dying and waking again. It was strange how peaceful this morning felt.
Half an hour passed before Galen stirred. His arm moved slightly, loosening just enough for her to turn to face him. His eyes opened slowly, and when he saw her awake, he blinked a few times before whispering, "Aveloria."
"I’m right here," she said softly, resting her hand on his chest.
He exhaled a shaky breath. "You gave me a scare last night."
She frowned slightly. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to."
He brushed his thumb along her cheek. "You stopped breathing, Aveloria. I thought I lost you."
Her chest tightened at his words. She had felt it too, the darkness, the stillness, like her body had given up. But hearing the fear in his voice made it more real.
"It won’t happen again," she said quietly. "I promise."
He studied her face for a few seconds, as if checking for any sign that she was lying. Then he nodded.
"How are you even in my room?" she asked, glancing around.
He gave a small, tired smile. "Well, I only went home to change into neat clothes. Then I was standing guard at your door when I felt something in our bond...a pull. Like you were slipping away."
Aveloria’s expression softened. "So you came in."
"I couldn’t just stand there," he said. "You were shaking, gasping for air. I tried to wake you, but it was like you were somewhere else."
She remembered parts of it, the voices, her mother, the visions. It still felt raw. She didn’t want to talk about it yet.
"Thank you," she murmured.
Galen leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Whatever scared you last night, whatever tries to hurt you? It’ll have to go through me first."
That made her chuckle. "You don’t have to play the hero all the time."
He smirked. "It’s not about being a hero. It’s about not watching you die."
Aveloria looked away, her throat tightening. She didn’t have an answer to that. The silence that followed wasn’t awkward; it was calm, almost grounding.
