Chapter 34: Chapter 34

JASMINE

The air was heavy with the scent of aged paper and the lingering warmth of our shared passion. I was still nestled against Aaron, my breathing gradually steadying as I continued to feel the heat of his body against mine.

The ancient library surrounding us seemed to echo with silence, its towering shelves filled with books that contained centuries of forgotten wisdom.

Aaron planted a kiss on the top of my head, his fingers lightly brushing my shoulders before pulling me closer.

“You’re amazing, Queen,” he whispered, his voice a low rumble of admiration and satisfaction.

I smiled against his skin, but as my fingers moved, they bumped into something hard beneath the table next to us. My eyebrows knitted together.

“What’s that?”

Aaron lifted his head, following my gaze. He shifted slightly, peering down at the spot my hand had touched.

“Perhaps a loose board?” he suggested, though his eyes sparkled with curiosity.

I pushed myself up, untangling from Aaron as we both crouched down beside the table. My fingers skimmed over the wood, searching for any gaps.

As I moved closer to the edge, my nails caught on something—an irregular groove in the grain.

“Here,” I murmured. With a bit of effort, the board lifted with a soft creak, revealing a small, dusty compartment hidden within the table’s base.

Aaron’s eyes narrowed, his hand reaching inside to pull out a heavy, leather-bound book. The cover was worn, the once golden insignia faded beyond recognition.

He turned it over in his hands, his brow furrowing as he examined the unfamiliar symbols etched into the spine and cover. It was as if the book had been intentionally concealed here for a long time.

“This is…ancient,” Aaron said, his voice thoughtful, tinged with caution. He ran his fingers across the cover again, then attempted to open it—only to find the pages sealed together, as if bound by some unseen force.

I leaned in closer. “It’s locked?”

Aaron nodded, frustration creeping into his voice.

“It appears to be written in some sort of cryptic code. It’s not just sealed; it’s been enchanted or protected by something. But whatever’s inside…someone didn’t want it found easily.”

He traced his fingers over the engraved symbols on the cover, his mind already whirring.

“I’ve seen something like this before in my pack’s archives. There’s a second part to this—another book, one that acts like a key to decipher it.”

I reached for the book, running my fingers along the cover.

“If they hid this here, in such an old, forgotten part of the library, then whatever’s inside is important.”

Aaron’s eyes darkened as he nodded.

“More than important. This could be the key to figuring out why the witches are targeting us…or maybe even how to stop them.”

He placed the book on the table, his mind already sifting through the possibilities. I stepped closer, watching him as his usual calculating look returned.

I planted a soft kiss on his shoulder, grounding him.

“We’ll find the other one together,” I said.

Aaron turned to me, his intense gaze softening as he smiled.

But even as we stood there, with the cryptic book between us, a sense of urgency hung in the air. The discovery had opened a new door—a door that could either save us all or unravel the fragile balance we had just begun to build.

Aaron ran his thumb along the edge of the cryptic symbols again, his mind clearly racing. I could see the determination settling in his features, but there was something else—worry, a shadow that flickered behind his brown eyes.

“We need to tell the others,” I said softly, breaking the silence. I could feel the weight of our situation pressing down on us now as if the hidden book itself carried the burden of secrets long kept from the world.

“We can’t keep this from them.”

I nodded, my mind now refocusing on the bigger picture. This wasn’t just about us—it was about all of us. Tieranthia, our packs, our future.

Once we stepped outside, we shifted into our wolves, sprinting through the dense woods. We found Erik and Sebastian in my room, their faces etched with concern the moment they sensed us approaching.

“What happened?” Erik’s voice was sharp, his connection to me evidently picking up on my unease.

Aaron jumped right in. “I had a dream about an old library—”

“Wait,” Sebastian interrupted, his eyes narrowing. “You said you had a dream about a library too,” he said to me directly.

A small smile tugged at my lips as I nodded.

“Yep, we both had the same dream,” I confirmed, my gaze shifting to Aaron.

“In the dream, Aaron was in a library, where he stumbled upon the meaning of Tieranthia and an old, cryptic book.”

Aaron picked up the narrative. “Tieranthia was the name of an ancient territory before our packs divided. Our land was once whole, and there’s talk of a mystical power linked to it. That’s likely why the witches are on the offensive—they’re after something hidden here, something they desire.”

As Aaron concluded, Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair, his jaw clenching. “So, the witches aren’t just targeting the packs. They’re after the power our land possesses.”

Aaron’s expression turned grim. “Most of the books about Tieranthia were lost when my father donated them to the Silverclaw pack. When they turned on us, we lost a wealth of knowledge. But I’m determined to retrieve it. If those documents hold anything that can aid us in this war or shed light on this mysterious book, we need them.”

“We’re coming with you,” Sebastian stated, without a hint of doubt.

“Absolutely,” Erik chimed in, his voice firm. “We stick together.”

Aaron glanced at me, surprise flickering in his eyes. He hadn’t anticipated this, but after a brief pause, he let out a deep breath and nodded. “We’ve got this,” Erik assured, already stepping into his alpha role. “I’ll rally my pack’s army. We’ll be prepared by the time we set off for Silverclaw.”

“Silverclaw,” Sebastian echoed with a sigh, his brow creased in thought. “That’s enemy territory.”

Aaron nodded solemnly. “We need the documents that were sent to their university. There might be something there—something about the ancient power that could help us fight back.”

Sebastian placed a hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “Let’s do this. I’ll see if I can rustle up some spells and potions to assist.”

But before I could utter a word, Aaron interjected. “But you’re not coming with us.”

His words hit me hard, but I held my ground. “Of course I’m going.”

Their concern was palpable as they all turned to face me. Sebastian sighed, his hand falling from Aaron’s shoulder as he moved closer.

“I’m sorry, Angel, but I agree with him. You need to stay behind. Silverclaw is too far and too dangerous.”

“You need to stay safe,” Erik added, his voice softer but equally firm.

My chest tightened, frustration welling up. “I won’t be able to stay away from you…” I admitted, my voice heavy with emotion.

“We’ll be quick,” Aaron vowed, his eyes meeting mine. “We promise.”

With the decision made, we exited my room and made our way to the council’s breakfast hall. The air was heavy with the tension of the impending war.

As we entered the hall, the aroma of food wafted toward us, but the stern faces of the gathered alphas told me the conversation was already underway.

Before we stepped into the hall, I grabbed Erik’s arm, stopping the three of them. “Hold on,” I whispered, glancing between them. “I don’t think we should spill everything. Not here, not now. We can tell them later, in private.”

They exchanged a glance, then nodded in agreement.

“Just say we have a lead. We need to get the books from Silverclaw. Keep it simple,” I suggested, feeling the weight of the situation pressing on my chest.

Aaron nodded. His demeanor changed, more alpha than mate now. He stepped forward, leading us into the room.

The low murmur of conversation around the table fell silent instantly. All eyes were on us.

Aaron’s voice was steady yet authoritative as he began. “We’ve uncovered something. The witches are after something more significant than we initially thought.”

The air grew dense with anticipation. All the alphas leaned in slightly, their eyes wide with curiosity, but no one interrupted. Even my father, who usually spoke first, remained silent, waiting for more.

Erik continued where Aaron left off, his words firm and commanding. “We believe crucial documents and historical books related to this power are currently in the possession of the Silverclaw Pack. We need to go there and retrieve them.”

Theodore nearly choked on his food. He wiped his mouth roughly before spitting out in a mocking tone, “So, Aaron is going to march into Silverclaw?”

Erik’s gaze hardened, slicing through Theodore’s arrogance. His voice was as sharp as a knife when he retorted, “No, he’s not. We’re all going.”

Erik’s words landed with the force of a lightning strike, and Theodore looked as shocked as I felt. The room was filled with alphas, all holding their breath as if the air had suddenly become too thick to breathe.

Erik’s words weren’t just a statement—they were a challenge, a line drawn in the sand.

Erik continued, his tone final, “We’ll head back to my pack after breakfast. I’ll gather an army, and by tomorrow, we’ll be on our way to Silverclaw.”

The alphas around the table shifted uncomfortably, but no one dared to voice their objections. The council members exchanged worried glances and whispered among themselves, but Erik’s words hung in the air like a heavy fog, silencing any potential dissent.

My parents sat quietly, their faces calm as they watched the conversation unfold. When the murmurs around the table finally died down, I walked over to them.

My mom’s warm brown eyes met mine, and even though she looked calm, I could feel her worry.

“Mom, Dad,” I started, my voice barely above a whisper as I stood in front of them. I was grateful for their unwavering faith in me, but I knew this time was different. The stakes were higher, the risks more real.

My dad stood up and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. His grip was firm but gentle, grounding me. “We trust you, Jasmine. Whatever you decide, we’re with you.”

My mom, always the voice of reason, looked at each of us—me, Aaron, Sebastian, and Erik—before her gaze settled on me. “But you need to be careful. Silverclaw is dangerous. They won’t welcome you with open arms.”

“I know, and I’m not going. I’ll stay with the Bellator pack when they head there,” I replied, my voice steady but filled with the nervous energy I was trying to hide. “But this is important. If we can get those documents, we might find something that can change the course of this war.”

My mom nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Then you should. Do what you have to,” she said, looking at my mates.

I gave her a small smile, grateful for her strength, even though I could see the worry in her eyes. My dad stepped closer, hugging me briefly but tightly.

“Be careful,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

“I will,” I promised, even though the uncertainty of what lay ahead weighed heavily on me.

As I left my parents and rejoined Aaron, Erik, and Sebastian, I felt a surge of determination. We had a mission, and there was no turning back.

Just as we started to leave the breakfast hall, my mom’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Jasmine, wait,” she called, urgency coloring her voice.

I turned around to face her, a knot of tension forming in my stomach as our eyes met.

“Take this with you,” she said softly, her voice carrying a weight that sent a chill down my spine.

She carefully took off the Aurum necklace—the one that had been passed down through generations of lunas. It was a delicate chain of pure gold, with a moonstone set in the center, forming a crescent moon. It glowed faintly, as if it held a power all its own.

“The Aurum line has its own secrets, my love,” she said, placing the necklace in my hands. Her fingers brushed against mine, a touch filled with unspoken tenderness.

“Mom, what do you mean?” I asked, confused by her cryptic words.

Her eyes softened, but there was a shadow of something unspoken there. “When the time comes, you’ll understand,” she said, kissing my forehead gently before stepping back, leaving me standing in the wake of her quiet revelation.