Deeper

15. In The Stillness

The air inside the safehouse was heavy. Not with fear—but with something older. Deeper.

Josh hadn’t left Brooklyn’s side in hours. He sat in silence, hands folded, watching her chest rise and fall under the soft linen blanket. Her skin shimmered faintly now, like moonlight through mist.

He could feel her—her energy humming beneath the surface, shifting and swelling as if waking up before her body could.

The door cracked open behind him.

“Alpha,” Frederick’s voice was hushed but urgent.

Josh didn’t look away from her. “Come in.”

Talon stepped in behind Frederick, blood smeared across his temple and a fresh tear in his jacket. Both men looked exhausted—yet alive.

“We got the books,” Frederick said, voice low. “But it wasn’t just a raid. Monica’s people were there.”

Josh’s jaw clenched. “How many?”

“Too many,” Talon replied. “Well trained. She sent her best. They tried to torch the records before we could get them.”

Josh finally turned to face them. “Did they see what you took?”

“They didn’t get the chance,” Frederick said. “Brooklyn… she intervened.”

Josh blinked. “What?”

Frederick met his gaze. “Not physically. But we felt her. Her energy. She stopped one of them from throwing a cursed blade. It shattered midair. And we were shielded… like a wall of air around us.”

Talon rubbed his arms, shivering. “I’ve never felt anything like it. Not from a Luna. Not even from a full Alpha.”

Josh’s throat tightened. “She’s not just a Luna.”

Frederick nodded. “We know.”

Josh turned back to her, his voice soft. “She’s been like this since that surge.”

“We’ll rest and regroup,” Frederick said. “You stay with her. She might need you when she wakes up.”

Josh didn’t reply. The door closed quietly behind them.

Silence returned. Only the sound of Brooklyn’s breath remained.

---

In the hallway, Dara sat at a long table in a small room lit by low lanterns, the books they recovered stacked high around her. Symbols lined every page, but her eyes always returned to the same phrase.

> *“The Alpha Queen must awaken on her own. The bond must not be rushed, or the power will burn them both.”*

She chewed her lip and flipped another page.

---

Josh watched as Brooklyn’s fingers twitched. Her brow furrowed, lips parting in a silent breath. Then—

Her eyes fluttered open.

Golden flecks danced in them, more vibrant than before. But they didn’t burn—they shimmered. Confused, dazed. Vulnerable.

Josh leaned forward instantly. “Brooklyn?”

She blinked, her gaze landing on him. “You’re here…”

“Always,” he murmured, brushing a curl from her face. “You’ve been out for a while.”

“I saw…” she paused, eyes unfocused. “Things. My parents. My grandmother. Monica’s parents—they killed mine. To stop me from becoming this.”

Josh’s breath hitched. “You remember?”

“Not everything. But I saw how they died. I saw how they gave me away to save me.” Her voice trembled. “I didn’t know who I was because they hid me. To keep me alive.”

He reached out, gently taking her hand in both of his. “You don’t have to carry it all right now.”

She looked at him, tears brimming. “But I do. They died for me, Josh. And I’m waking up with powers I can’t control. I saw Frederick and Talon fighting. I felt it all. And I wanted to help them.”

“You did help them,” he said softly.

Brooklyn looked down at their joined hands. “And you. You were with me. Even in the dream.”

Josh smiled faintly, squeezing her hand. “You think distance could stop me?”

She let out a small laugh that cracked halfway into a sob.

He pulled her close—not a passionate embrace, but an anchor. Warm. Steady. Protective.

Her head rested against his chest, and for a while, neither of them said a word.

Eventually, she whispered, “It’s getting stronger. Whatever’s inside me. And it’s like it knows you.”

Josh nodded against her hair. “Our bond is forming… slowly. Naturally. That’s how it should be.”

She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. “Is it okay if I’m not ready for it to be… fully sealed yet?”

His smile was soft. “Brooklyn, I’m not here to claim you. I’m here to *protect* you. Every part of you. Even the scared parts.”

Her eyes welled again, but this time with something gentler than pain. “Thank you.”

Josh traced the back of her hand with his thumb. “We’ll figure it all out. Together. No pressure. No rush.”

They sat there in silence again, letting the moment stretch. Not a full bond—but a promise.

One heartbeat at a time.

---

Josh had barely moved from Brooklyn’s side when there was a soft knock on the edge of the doorframe.

Dara stood there, arms wrapped around an old book, her eyes tired but thoughtful. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Josh gave her a small nod. “It’s okay. Come in.”

Brooklyn sat up slowly, still pressed to Josh’s side for balance, her body not quite trusting itself yet. “You’re the one who helped collect the books,” she said softly.

Dara stepped into the room and placed the old, leather-bound tome gently on the table near the bed. “We found most of what we were looking for. History, records, bloodlines, prophecy… But this one—” she tapped the spine gently, “this one’s different.”

Brooklyn glanced at it. The book didn’t just look old—it felt old. It radiated heat and cold at once, like it had a pulse of its own. Symbols etched into its cover shimmered faintly, shifting like they were alive.

Dara continued, “It won’t open. Not for me. Not for any of us. It resisted even Talon.”

Brooklyn’s brows furrowed. “So… what is it?”

“We believe,” Dara said carefully, “that it was made for you.”

Josh’s arm tensed around Brooklyn instinctively.

“For me?”

Dara nodded. “The pages are locked by energy—ancient, protective, and blood-bound. The seal matches your aura perfectly. It’s like the book knows you. Waited for you.”

Brooklyn hesitated, her gaze drifting to the mysterious tome.

Josh’s voice was quiet beside her. “You don’t have to touch it if you’re not ready.”

But something inside Brooklyn pulsed—an echo from her dream, a whisper from her past. “It will only open when you are ready to carry the truth.”

She slowly reached her hand toward the book.

As her fingers brushed the cover, a soft glow rippled outward like moonlight touching still water. The air shimmered. Josh rose slightly behind her, eyes sharp and ready to shield her from whatever came next.

The book breathed.

Then… it opened. Just a crack.

A hum filled the room. Ancient and sacred. The edges of the first page curled, revealing words written in silver ink that glowed with her touch.

Josh whispered, “Brooklyn…”

She didn’t turn. Her voice was distant but steady. “It’s in an ancient tongue… but I understand it.”

Dara’s breath caught. “That’s not possible. That language has been dead for—”

“It speaks to me,” Brooklyn said, eyes wide but clear. “Not just in words… in memory. It’s like I’ve always known it.”

Josh placed his hand gently on her back. “We’ll go through it together. No rush.”

Brooklyn finally turned to face him, the light from the book glowing against her skin. “This book holds what I am. The rest of the truth. And maybe… how to control what’s happening inside me.”

“And if it does,” Josh said, brushing her knuckles gently, “then we protect it. With everything we’ve got.”

Brooklyn nodded, determination stirring beneath the fear. “No more running.”

Dara stepped back slowly, giving them space, her expression a mixture of awe and hope. “I’ll let you read in peace. But… whatever is in that book, I think it will change everything.”

As she left the room, the door clicking quietly shut, Brooklyn stared down at the glowing page. Her pulse was calm now. The symbols made sense. The light didn’t frighten her.

Josh rested beside her again, shoulder to shoulder.

And in that moment—just the two of them, the hum of destiny in their hands—they read together.

The Alpha Queen had awakened. And her story was finally ready to be told.