Behind the willow

What the willow knows

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting an amber glow across the property, Sophia stood near the willow tree. Its long, sweeping branches swayed gently in the breeze, creating a cocoon of rustling whispers around her. She’d always felt drawn to the tree, its presence calming yet mysterious, as though it were watching over her.

Today, however, the air around it felt different—charged, alive.

Sophia placed a hand on the rough bark, and for a moment, she thought she felt a faint hum beneath her fingers, as if the tree itself was trying to speak. The sensation sent a shiver through her, but she didn’t pull away.

“What are you trying to tell me?” she murmured softly, half-expecting silence.

Instead, a sudden gust of wind swept through the branches, tugging her hair and carrying with it an almost human sigh. The sound wasn’t random—it was deliberate. A warning.

Inside the house, James stood at the window, watching Sophia under the tree. He felt the shift too, the air vibrating with an energy he hadn’t sensed in years. His brow furrowed. The willow had always been protective, but now it seemed restless, agitated.

Amanda stepped into the room, her leather boots clicking softly on the hardwood floor. “Still as sentimental about that tree as ever, I see,” she said, her voice dripping with mockery.

James turned, his green eyes turned to sparkling gold narrowing. “What do you want, Amanda? You’ve made your point.”

Amanda smirked, crossing her arms. “Oh, I’m just here to warn you. The rival pack—you remember them, don’t you?—has caught wind of your… little human guest. They don’t like loose ends, and they definitely don’t like prophecies. You know what that means, don’t you?”

James’s hands clenched into fists. “If they step foot on my land—”

“They will,” Amanda interrupted, her tone sharp. “And when they do, they won’t bother asking questions. They’ll kill her to be safe.”

James took a step toward her, his voice low and threatening. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with, Amanda. That tree out there—it knows things. It feels things. If the pack tries anything, they’ll regret it.”

Amanda raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “A tree? Really, James? That’s your big defense?”

But as she spoke, the house seemed to groan slightly, a deep creak echoing through the walls. Amanda paused, her confidence faltering for the first time.

“It doesn’t like you,” James said, his voice calm now, almost amused. “It never has.”

Outside, Sophia’s hand still rested on the tree when a sudden vision flashed in her mind. Her wolf standing beside her, as Shadows—hulking figures with glowing eyes—moved through the forest, their growls vibrating through her very soul. She saw herself standing beneath the willow, a pale moon overhead, and then James, his wolf form fierce and protective, standing between her and the approaching pack.

The vision ended as abruptly as it began, leaving her gasping for air.

“What was that?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

The willow’s branches rustled again, a single tendril brushing her shoulder as though offering comfort. The hum beneath her fingers grew stronger, and she understood—though she didn’t know how—that the tree was warning her.

“James,” she said aloud, her voice shaky but resolute. She turned and ran back toward the house, her heart pounding in her chest.

Sophia burst through the door, her wide eyes meeting James’s. “They’re coming,” she said breathlessly. “The rival pack—they’re close. The willow showed me.”

Amanda, leaning casually against the wall, let out a low laugh. “Oh, so now the tree’s a psychic?”

“Shut up, Amanda,” James snapped, striding toward Sophia. He placed his hands on her shoulders, steadying her. “What did you see?”

Sophia recounted the vision in halting words, her voice trembling. As she spoke, Amanda’s expression shifted, her smirk fading into something more serious.

“Great,” Amanda muttered. “If the tree’s waking up enough to send visions, then things are worse than I thought.”

James’s eyes darkened. “They’re already here, aren’t they?”

Amanda nodded reluctantly. “Probably watching us right now. The question is, what’s your next move, James? Because they won’t wait long.”

James looked back at Sophia, his voice steady but urgent. “The willow’s on our side. It’ll protect you as much as it can, but if they come for you, you stay close to it. Do you understand?”

Sophia hesitated, fear flickering in her eyes, but she nodded. “What about you?”

James’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I’ll handle the pack. But this fight isn’t just about me anymore. It’s about us.”

Amanda sighed dramatically. “Touching. Really. But I hope you’re ready for a bloodbath, because that’s exactly what they’ll bring.”

James’s gaze hardened. “Let them come. They’ll learn what happens when they cross me.”

And outside, the willow’s branches seemed to shift, the sound of their rustling deep and ominous, as though the ancient tree itself was preparing for the battle ahead.