Chapter 182

After a long, hot shower, I felt the weight of the dream begin to lift, the water rinsing away some of the tension still cooled inside me 1 dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, grounding myself in the Lamilias, casual comfort. It was only once I’d finished dressing that silence.

Midnight’s mer finally came to me, breaking her

“Welcome back from the land of visions, Scarlett,” Midnight’s voice echoed in my mind a steady presence

“Where were you in that dream?” I asked, remembering the terrifying emptiness I’d felt without ber.

“Keeping you alive,” she replied with a hint of pride but also concern. “I may be a Valkin Alpha, Scarlett, but I’m still young. Our magic. It’s strong, but it’s overwhelming. It’s like it’s concentrated, condensed into something so volatile. Keith’s magic feels balanced stable, while öars feels like it could combust any moment.” Her tone softened, an undercurrent of worry there. “It bothers me. We’re unstable, Scarlett, and that frightens me

Her words sent a chill through me, but I didn’t need her to explain. I could feel that instability myself, the sense of walking a line between power and chaos. But her honesty was grounding; she was as uncertain as I was, and that shared fear somehow made it more manageable.

The omegas arrived not long after with breakfast, their demeanor timid, almost fearful, as they set the tray down. I couldn’t blame them. I hadn’t exactly been warm to them since I returned. The “old” Scarlett-the one who smiled easily and bent over backward to please-was gone. I didn’t crave their acceptance, nor did I pity myself for no longer being the docile Luna they once knew. If anything, they’d often made me feel like I was never quite enough, a “useless Luna,” a title they’d let me carry for far too long. Now, that Scarlett was gone, replaced by someone they barely recognized. They looked at me with fear, and while I didn’t savor it, I understood it.