Chapter 3 The Whisper of the Ancestors

The encounter with the golden-eyed wolf left Elena restless. She spent the next day distracted, replaying the moment in her mind. The connection she felt with the wolf wasn't just curiosity-it was as if her soul recognized something in it.

"Earth to Elena," a voice snapped her out of her thoughts. It was Mira again, sneering at her during the midday meal. "Lost in your daydreams? Or maybe your nonexistent wolf is finally waking up?"

Elena clenched her fists but didn't respond. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction. Instead, she finished her meal quickly and slipped away into the woods.

The forest felt alive in a way it hadn't before. Every rustle of leaves and chirp of birds seemed to carry a message, as though the land itself was trying to guide her. She found herself at the spot where she had seen the golden-eyed wolf, her heart pounding in anticipation.

But the wolf didn't appear. Instead, the air grew colder, and a faint whisper reached her ears. It wasn't the sound of the wind-it was words, ancient and unintelligible, like a chant.

"What is this?" Elena murmured, spinning around. The whispers grew louder, leading her deeper into the forest. She hesitated, her instincts screaming to turn back, but something stronger pulled her forward.

She reached a clearing where the moonlight poured down like liquid silver. In the center stood an ancient stone, weathered and covered in strange runes. The whispers seemed to emanate from it, wrapping around her like a cocoon.

"Elena," the whispers said, her name clear and undeniable.

Her breath hitched. "Who... who's there?"

The runes on the stone glowed faintly, and a figure materialized-a ghostly wolf with glowing eyes, much like the one she'd seen before.

"You are not ordinary," the wolf said, its voice deep and resonant. "You carry the blood of the ancients, a lineage forgotten by time. But to awaken your true self, you must embrace the trials ahead."

Elena's knees wobbled, and she dropped to the ground. "I don't understand," she whispered. "I don't even have a wolf!"

The spectral wolf stepped closer. "You do, but it sleeps. You are the key, Elena. Your path is unlike any other."

Before she could ask more, the wolf vanished, and the forest fell silent.

As Elena stumbled back to the village, her mind reeled with questions. What trials? What lineage? And why her? For the first time in her life, she felt a spark of hope-and an equal measure of fear.

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