Chapter 65: The Seer's Warnings

The old cabin stood alone in a clearing, its weathered wood seeming to blend with the surrounding forest. Jessica hesitated at the threshold, feeling a strange energy emanating from within. James squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"It's alright," he murmured. "Madame Celeste may seem... eccentric, but she's been a trusted advisor to the packs for generations."

Jessica nodded, taking a deep breath before knocking on the door. It swung open immediately, revealing a small, wizened woman with eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light.

"I've been expecting you," Madame Celeste said, her voice surprisingly strong for her frail appearance. "Come in, Luna. Your alphas may wait outside."

James bristled at this, but Jessica placed a calming hand on his arm. "It's okay," she said softly. "I'll be fine."

Reluctantly, the alphas stepped back, forming a protective semicircle around the cabin's entrance. Jessica followed Madame Celeste inside, the door closing behind her with a soft thud.

The interior of the cabin was a riot of colors and scents. Dried herbs hung from the rafters, and shelves lined with crystals and ancient-looking books covered every wall. In the center of the room stood a small table, atop which sat a crystal ball that seemed to swirl with an inner mist.

"Sit," Madame Celeste commanded, gesturing to a chair. As Jessica complied, the old woman fixed her with a penetrating stare. "You carry a great power within you, child. But also a great burden."

Jessica nodded, feeling suddenly vulnerable under that knowing gaze. "The prophecies-"

"Speak of your destiny, yes," Madame Celeste interrupted. "But prophecies are tricky things. They show us a possible future, not a certain one."

The seer reached out, grasping Jessica's hands in her own gnarled ones. The moment their skin touched, Jessica felt a jolt of energy pass between them. Madame Celeste's eyes rolled back, her body going rigid.

When she spoke again, her voice had changed, becoming deeper, more resonant. "The shadows grow longer, their reach extending beyond the veil. The Luna's light burns bright, but beware the eclipse that seeks to extinguish it."

Jessica felt a chill run down her spine. "What does that mean? What eclipse?"

But Madame Celeste wasn't finished. "Seven stars align to guard the moon, but one will flicker and fade. Trust must be absolute, for doubt is the seed from which betrayal grows."

With a gasp, the seer's eyes cleared, and she slumped in her chair. Jessica reached out to steady her, her mind reeling from the cryptic warning.

"I... I apologize," Madame Celeste said, her voice returning to normal. "The visions are not always clear, even to me."

"But what did it mean?" Jessica pressed. "One of the alphas will... fade? And betrayal? Who would betray us?"

The old woman shook her head sadly. "I cannot say for certain. The future is always in motion, shaped by the choices we make. But heed this warning, Luna. Dark times lie ahead, and the bonds you've forged will be tested like never before."

Jessica left the cabin feeling more unsettled than when she'd entered. The alphas immediately surrounded her, their faces etched with concern.

"What happened?" James demanded. "We felt... something. A surge of power."

Jessica recounted the seer's words, watching as her mates' expressions grew increasingly grim. Christopher paced restlessly, his eyes flashing with suppressed anger.

"This is nonsense," he growled. "None of us would ever betray Jessica or the pack."

Michael, ever the strategist, looked thoughtful. "Perhaps not willingly. But if the Shadow Walkers have ways to control or influence us..."

"We need to be prepared for anything," Andrew agreed, his protective instincts on high alert.

As they made their way back to the pack house, Jessica couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that had settled over her. The seer's warning played on repeat in her mind, each word seeming to carry the weight of prophecy.

That night, as she lay in bed surrounded by her mates, Jessica stared up at the ceiling, sleep eluding her. The thought of losing any of them, of facing betrayal from within their tight-knit group, was almost too painful to bear.

James propped himself up on one elbow, his eyes searching her face. "What's troubling you, love?"

Jessica sighed, turning to face him. "I can't stop thinking about what Madame Celeste said. About one of the stars fading. What if... what if we lose one of you?"

David stirred on her other side, his healing energy wrapping around her like a warm blanket. "We're stronger together," he murmured sleepily. "Whatever comes, we'll face it as one."

As the others murmured their agreement, Jessica felt a surge of love and gratitude. Whatever trials lay ahead, she knew she wouldn't face them alone. With that comforting thought, she finally drifted off to sleep, the moon watching over them all through the window.

But in her dreams, shadows danced at the edges of her vision, and a voice whispered warnings of trials yet to come.