Chapter 3 The Hidden Den

Draven didn't wait for Eira's response. He motioned for them to follow and began weaving through the thick forest on the other side of the river. The icy water dripped from their clothes, soaking into the ground beneath their feet. The sound of the rushing river faded into the background as they pushed deeper into the woods.

"Where are we going?" Eira demanded, her tone sharp.

"To a safe place," Draven replied curtly.

Eira's jaw clenched. "You expect me to trust you after everything that just happened? You've given me no answers-only more questions."

Draven stopped abruptly, turning to face her. The intensity in his golden eyes made her take a step back.

"Do you want answers or survival? Because if you can't focus on staying alive, none of your questions will matter," he snapped.

Eira glared at him but said nothing. She hated how right he sounded, even if his attitude grated on her nerves.

"Guys, I hate to interrupt your little power struggle," Jonah said, his voice trembling, "but are we sure they're not still following us?"

Draven's head tilted slightly, his nostrils flaring as he scented the air. "For now, they've lost our trail. The river worked, but they'll regroup. That's why we need to keep moving."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and continued through the forest.

Eira exchanged a glance with Jonah before reluctantly following.

After what felt like hours, they emerged into a clearing surrounded by towering trees. In the center stood a dilapidated cabin, its wooden walls covered in moss and ivy. It looked abandoned, but Eira could feel the faint hum of magic in the air-a protective barrier, invisible but potent.

Draven approached the cabin and pressed his hand against the door. The air shimmered for a moment before the door creaked open.

"Inside," he said, stepping aside to let them in.

Eira hesitated. The cabin reeked of secrecy, and every instinct in her body screamed at her not to trust him. But the exhaustion weighing her down left her with little choice. She stepped inside, Jonah close on her heels.

The interior was surprisingly clean. A single lantern hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the small space. There was a table with a few mismatched chairs, a worn couch, and a stone fireplace with a pile of logs stacked neatly beside it.

Draven closed the door behind them and bolted it.

"This place is warded," he explained. "No one can track us here-not even the Veil Keepers."

Eira folded her arms. "Convenient. Why do you have a warded hideout in the middle of nowhere?"

Draven leaned against the doorframe, his expression unreadable. "Because I've been running from the Veil Keepers for years, just like you."

"I'm not running," Eira said defiantly.

Draven smirked. "Keep telling yourself that."

Jonah sank onto the couch, his face pale. "Can someone please explain what's going on? Who are the Veil Keepers, and why are they after us?"

Draven's gaze shifted to Jonah, and for a moment, Eira thought he wouldn't answer. But then he sighed, running a hand through his dark hair.

"The Veil Keepers are the enforcers of the supernatural world. They maintain the balance between wolves, vampires, and humans. But their idea of balance is... strict. They don't tolerate anything they deem unnatural."

"Like hybrids," Eira said quietly.

Draven nodded. "Like hybrids. And anyone who associates with them."

Jonah's eyes widened. "So just knowing Eira puts me in danger?"

"You're already in danger just by being here," Draven said bluntly.

Eira stepped forward, her frustration boiling over. "Why do you care? Why are you helping us?"

Draven's expression darkened. "Because the Veil Keepers aren't just hunting hybrids. They're hunting something bigger-something that could destroy everything."

Eira frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Draven hesitated, his jaw tightening. "There's a prophecy. A child of both wolf and vampire blood will rise to either unite the factions or destroy them. The Veil Keepers believe you're that child."

The words hit Eira like a punch to the gut. She shook her head. "That's ridiculous. I'm no savior-or destroyer."

Draven's golden eyes bored into hers. "Maybe not. But the Veil Keepers won't take that chance."

Silence fell over the room, the weight of Draven's words settling over them like a heavy blanket.

Jonah broke the silence, his voice trembling. "So... what do we do now?"

Draven straightened, his demeanor shifting from wary to determined. "We prepare. If the Veil Keepers find this place, we fight. But first, we need rest."

Eira opened her mouth to argue, but exhaustion caught up with her. She hadn't slept in over a day, and her body ached from the fight.

Draven gestured toward a small room at the back of the cabin. "There's a bed in there. Take it. I'll keep watch."

Eira hesitated, her pride warring with her fatigue. But in the end, fatigue won.

Without another word, she disappeared into the room, leaving Jonah and Draven in the main cabin.

As she lay on the narrow bed, her mind churned with unanswered questions. Who was Draven, really? What was his stake in all this? And what would happen when the Veil Keepers caught up to them?

The blood moon's light filtered through the cracked window, bathing the room in a faint red glow. Eira stared at it, a sinking feeling settling in her chest.

She had a feeling this was only the beginning.