Chapter 5 The Secrets Unravel

Evelyn's heart pounded as the last traces of her thoughts scattered into chaos. The attic had always been a place of forgotten objects, dusty relics, and childhood memories.

However, today was different. Today was a place with long-hidden secrets-secrets she was only beginning to understand. The locket in her hand felt warm (as if it had her pulse).

Her fingers trembled as she traced the intricate, brilliant symbols on the surface; they were more alive now, vibrating with an energy that seemed to respond to her touch.

She could still hear the echo of the man's voice, his warning: "She shouldn't open it; what danger awaited her now that she had discovered the locket?" Before Evelyn could process her thoughts, a shadow crept into the corner of her eye.

She grinned, feeling the weight of something invisible watching her. But it wasn't the sudden chill in the attic air. It was something more primal. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she felt a wave of fear wash over her.

Even though she wanted to run, she remained frozen in place, captivated by the mystery before her. Because this moment seemed crucial, she knew she had to face what lay in the shadows. Without warning, she heard a slight creak in the boards. Then a voice, low, murmuring, barely audible. It was my aunt's voice.

Evelyn's pulse quickened as she instinctively retreated to a corner of the attic, trying to stay out of sight. "I told you it was a mistake," whispered her Aunt Doreen, her tone dry and her voice tense. "I know what you're thinking, Doreen," he replied (a voice so deep, so resonant) that it vibrated in his chest. Evelyn's heart skipped a beat as she realized the voice was coming from someone else-someone she shouldn't be. "Anyway, the girl's involved now. She's waking up. And we don't have much time."

Evelyn's breath caught in her throat. The girl, was she? She clutched the locket tightly (as if it would somehow protect her from the flood of questions flooding her mind). Dorina's voice trembled, barely above a whisper.

"I don't know if I can do this, Xavier. If she finds out everything... she'll destroy you." Xavier? Evelyn's eyes widened when she recognized the name. It was the same man in the photo, the one who had appeared to her in her dream. But what did he want from him? And why was his aunt so afraid of him? "She has to know, Doreen," Xavier continued, his voice growing harder.

"The mark she bears... it's not just a birthmark, is it? You've seen it. The bloodline is calling to her. It's time."Origin? Evelyn's pulse quickened. Brand? His fingers instinctively rested on her shoulder (where the glowing symbol had appeared earlier)-it felt warmer now, almost alive. A wave of nausea washed over him (as he realized he was playing into something bigger than he had anticipated). The sign-her birthmark-was connected to this lineage.

But what was this origin? And why had her aunt kept it hidden (when it seemed so important)? Evelyn found herself paralyzed (unable to move).

She needed answers, but they were out of reach. The weight of the conversation weighed on him; every word felt like a stone thrown into his stomach. "There's nothing to save," Xavier said coldly (his footsteps were getting closer). "You can't hide it forever." Not now. Not with the package already on the way.

Package. The term hit Evelyn like a punch to the stomach. A pack? Wolves? Everything she had experienced-everything that seemed so out of place-(because it seemed surreal to her) had led to this moment. She felt like she was losing control; the weight of what she had heard threatened to crush her. She wanted to run, to find a way to escape, but her legs felt like stone. She needed to know more because he needed to understand. "Xavier, please," Doreen's voice broke.

"You don't understand. She's still a child." I can't..." "She's not a child, Doreen," Xavier interrupted in his high-pitched voice, despite his aunt's protests. "This is the key." Everything is connected. You know this as well as I do." There was a sudden intake of breath, followed by a long silence. The atmosphere in the attic seemed to tighten as if the air around Evelyn had thickened. She couldn't take it anymore. She needed to move.

The ground beneath her feet groaned as she stepped away, but it was too late. The attic door opened, and Evelyn instinctively froze. She needed to hide, but she had nowhere to go. Her aunt's voice broke the silence, but it was too late. "Evelyn?" "Evelyn, where are you?" Evelyn's heart was beating fast in her chest. She wasn't quite calm.

She was being held. The footsteps approached, and she heard the rustle of clothes as Dorine approached. It was then that Evelyn's eyes fell on the medal, which was still in her trembling hands.

Without thinking, he slipped it into his jacket pocket and stepped out of the shadows. Aunt Doreen stood in the doorway, her eyes wide with fear.

"Evelyn... what are you doing here?" "Her voice was tense, strained.

She was hiding something. Evelyn saw it in the way her aunt's eyes trembled nervously, in her stiff posture. Evelyn folded her arms, the locket hidden under her coat. "I heard everything, Aunt Doreen.

The man, Xavier. You were talking about me. You were talking about the package. Doreen's face paled, and for the first time, Evelyn saw the fear hidden behind her aunt's calm exterior. She swallowed hard, avoiding Evelyn's gaze. "Evelyn, I... I didn't want you to find out this way," she began, her voice thick with emotion. "There are things in your family that you're not ready to understand.

"Tell me, Aunt Doreen," Evelyn demanded, her voice rising with a mixture of anger and desperation. "Tell me the truth." "What's wrong with me?" Why is this locket glowing? Why is everything so strange?" Auntie took a deep breath, her eyes slowly lifting to meet Evelyn's. "Evelyn... I've tried to protect you, but you need to know this.

The mark you bear is not just a symbol. It is the key to something much older than you can imagine. Your lineage is ancient, woven into the very fabric of the pack.

Evelyn's world crumbled, her knees buckling under the weight of her aunt's words. Her past? Her pack? Her mind tried to make sense of what she was hearing. Was this part of something... Supernatural? Was she connected to these wolves in some way? Before she could answer, a knock on the door broke the fragile silence. Dorine's face paled, and she rushed toward the stairs, her eyes fixed on Evelyn.

Go hide. " NOW."

But Evelyn couldn't move. She needed answers. She had to understand. Doreen rushed to the door, opened it, and Evelyn's eyes fixed on the figure standing in the doorway. It was Xavier. But this time, there was something different about him. His gaze was fierce and urgent, and his dark expression sent shivers down her spine. "Doreen," Xavier's voice was cold and hoarse. "We don't have time.

They've already come for him." Evelyn's heart skipped a beat, and the room seemed to shrink, the air pressing against her chest. She was trapped. The door was locked behind her aunt and she had no way to escape. "What's going on?" Evelyn asked, her voice barely a whisper. She felt the weight of her secrets weighing on her. "They know she's here," Xavier said, his voice low and threatening. "We have to go." NOW.

Before Evelyn could answer, the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed outside the house. Then a deep, savage scream echoed through the walls.