DARRYL POVI sat in the cold, sterile interrogation room, my hands cuffed to the metal table. The lights buzzed overhead, casting harsh shadows across the blank walls. Detective Rodriguez circled me like a predator, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor."Darryl Hale," she began, "we need you to explain your connection to the missing girls."I said nothing. My eyes remained fixed on a point just beyond her shoulder, my mind elsewhere. Hazel. Where was she now? Was she safe with her father?The detective slammed a file onto the table. Photographs spilled out - crime scenes, smeared with blood, showing signs of violent attacks. "These girls disappeared, and you were the last person seen with each of them."My thoughts drifted back to that moment with Katrina. The wolfsbane she'd injected. It wasn't like any wolfsbane I'd encountered before. The pain had been excruciating, unlike anything I'd experienced. And Hazel - I could still hear her desperate plea, see her being dragged aw
DARRYL "I'm a werewolf." I finally let it go, the secret that had been eating me alive for years. I didn't dare look up at Lucian. I stared at the worn-out grass beneath my feet, waiting for the explosion of disbelief, the disgust or maybe even the fear.But it didn't come.Silence stretched so far. Finally, I couldn't bear it anymore. I lifted my gaze as I steeled myself for the worst.What I saw wasn't anger, wasn't shock, wasn't even a face of disbelief. Lucian was staring at me, a soft smile was playing on his lips."I knew," he said gently. "All along, Darryl."My jaw dropped. "You… you knew?" The words stumbled out.Lucian chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "You really thought I wouldn't? Darryl, we've been best friends for… well, a long time. You thought I wouldn't notice things?"He gestured vaguely with his hand. "The way you heal from injuries that should have put you out for weeks. Remember that time you broke your leg during practice? You were back on the field in days.
HAZELJared stood there with his eyes wide with shock. He looked from the journal in my hand to my face, then back again. He opened his mouth, then closed it as if he couldn’t find the words.“Where… where did you get that?” he finally managed to stammer.I tilted my head. “Is that what you should be asking right now?” I asked. “Dad… no, Jared… you’ve kept secrets from me for years. About who I am. Both you and Mom.” My voice started to tremble, and tears welled up in my eyes. I blinked them back, but more kept coming. “You kept secrets,” I repeated, my voice cracking. “Why?”He took a step back, bumping into his counter. He put his hands on the edge of the counter, gripping it tightly as he looked down at the floor. “Hazel…” he started, then stopped as he shook his head slowly.“Why?” I asked again, my voice rising. Tears streamed down my face now. I wiped at them with the back of my hand, but they kept falling again. “Why did you lie to me? Why did you keep all of this from me?”He
HAZELI found my feet carrying me toward Mr. Thompson's office before I could second-guess myself. The hallway felt longer than usual because Everything looked different now that I knew the truth about this town. Had the school always harbored so many secrets, or was I just now beginning to see them?I stopped at his door, my hand hovering over the handle. Through the frosted glass, I could see his silhouette moving about the room. Taking a deep breath, I knocked."Come in," his familiar voice called out.I pushed the door open, stepping into the cramped office filled with towering bookshelves and the scent of old paper. Mr. Thompson sat behind his desk, not looking up from the papers he was grading."I don't recall assigning any—" he began, then stopped abruptly as he finally looked up. His eyes immediately went to my neck, where my silver necklace usually rested. The necklace that was now absent."Well," he said softly, setting down his red pen. "This is unexpected.""Is it?" I chal
HAZEL POV"Amy?" I whispered, still trying to catch my breath. "What are you doing here? How did you—" I stopped mid-sentence, taking in her appearance. The bruises I remembered were gone, and there was a newfound strength in her stance. She didn't look like the broken omega I'd left behind."Shh," she pressed her finger to her lips again, glancing nervously toward the stairwell where Lucian and Katrina's voices still drifted up. "Not here. We need to be careful."I grabbed her arm, needing to know she was real. "But... you were chained up. I saw you. How did you escape?"A small smile played across her lips. "I didn't escape," she whispered. "Darryl freed me.""What?" The word came out louder than I intended, and Amy quickly shushed me again. "That's impossible," I continued in a lower voice. "Darryl was... he was..." I thought of him lying on the cabin floor, convulsing from Katrina's wolfsbane."He came for you," Amy said softly. "Hazel, he was barely alive when he found me. Whatev
HAZELAmy and I burst through the hospital doors, slightly out of breath from running. The lights over everything, made the white walls seem even more sterile and uninviting."Are you sure about this?" I asked Amy as we hurried down the corridor. "Even if Jake says Darryl didn't attack him, how does that prove anything about the other girls?"Amy grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop. "Don't you see? If Jake confirms Darryl didn't hurt him, it shows there's reasonable doubt. The police built their whole case on the pattern of violence, starting with Jake's attack."I shook my head. "That's a pretty big maybe, Amy.""It's better than nothing," she insisted. "And right now, nothing is all Darryl has."We reached Jake's room - Room 342. I remembered it clearly from my last visit, when he'd been lying there unconscious, machines beeping steadily around him. But now...The room was empty. The bed was stripped bare and the machines were silent."This can't be right," I muttered, double-checkin
HAZELThe streetlights were just beginning to fade when I pulled into the police station parking lot at 6:45 AM. The morning air was crisp, and wisps of fog curled around the few cars scattered across the lot. Most of them I recognized – my father's cruiser wasn't among them, thank goodness.My footsteps echoed through the empty corridor as I made my way to my father's office. Officer Sarah had texted that she'd meet me there, but for now, the station felt eerily quiet. Most officers wouldn't arrive for another hour, giving us the privacy we needed to review the case.I was about to sit on one of the hard plastic chairs outside my father's office when voices drifted through the partially open door. I froze, recognizing my father's voice among them."The evidence you brought us was crucial," he was saying. "Without those photographs, we might never have built a strong enough case.""I just did what needed to be done," a familiar voice responded, though I couldn't quite place it. "He ha
HAZEL POVI burst into the classroom, already forming an apology to Mr. Thompson in my head, only to stop dead in my tracks. Instead of his familiar face, Mrs. Parker stood at the front of the room, her steel-rimmed glasses perched precariously on her nose."Miss LièRén," she said, drawing out each syllable. "How late of you again."My cheeks burned as every head in the class turned toward me. I'd rushed to Mr. Thompson's office first thing this morning, those damning photographs burning a hole in my bag, only to find his office dark and empty."I'm sorry, Mrs. Parker. I thought we had—""History?" She arched an eyebrow. "Mr. Thompson called in sick today. Though I must say, your attendance record lately has been... concerning." She consulted a sheet on her desk. "Three absences last week, and late twice this week already."I shifted uncomfortably, aware of the weight of those photographs in my bag. How could I explain that I was trying to prove my werewolf mate wasn't a serial killer
HAZELWhy would Malachi save me? The notorious rogue alpha who had terrorized our pack for years, who had ruthlessly killed all of Darryl's previous girlfriends—why would he suddenly intervene?Our eyes locked, and something strange happened. A pull so powerful—tugged at my core. Before I could make sense of it, Lucian staggered to his feet, his face filled with rage."You!" he snarled at Malachi. "You dare interfere?"Malachi's massive black wolf form didn't flinch. He stood his ground, baring teeth that gleamed like ivory daggers in the moonlight. A low growl rumbled from his chest, and without warning, he lunged.The two wolves collided in a violent clash of fangs and claws. I watched in horror as they tore at each other, rolling across the forest floor in a blur of fur and blood. The air filled with snarls and the sound of flesh being ripped.Weakness washed over me, my legs trembling beneath me. I slumped against a nearby tree, unable to tear my eyes away from the brutal fight. L
HAZEL"You're a werewolf," Amy and I whispered in unison, the realization dawning on us simultaneously.Lucian's mouth curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Very good, Hazel. I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out."My mind raced through every conversation, every moment we'd spent together. The orphanage records, his comments about feeling abandoned, the Garrett family name in that book with the pack symbol. All the clues had been there, scattered like breadcrumbs, but I'd been too blind to see them."How?" I asked, finding my voice. "How could you be a werewolf and we never sensed it?"Amy moved closer to me, her fingers already extending into claws, ready to shift if necessary. I could feel her body tensing beside mine."I've had years to perfect hiding what I am," Lucian said, stepping further into the room. "Special herbs, certain techniques... you'd be surprised what you can learn when you're desperate enough."He moved toward the photographs on th
HAZEL POVI stood in front of the entire pack, my heart hammering against my ribs. Though Darryl had asked me to show them who I was, my powers felt frozen inside me, locked away by fear and uncertainty. The judgmental stares of the pack members only made it worse."I... I can't," I whispered, my voice shaking.Darryl moved behind me, his warm hand resting on my back. "You can," he murmured. "I'm right here." His touch sent warmth through my body, and suddenly I felt my power stirring.It started slowly at first – a gentle golden glow emanating from my skin. Then it grew stronger, brighter, until my entire body was illuminated. My blonde hair shimmered like spun gold, and I knew my eyes were glowing with an otherworldly light. Gasps echoed through the room as pack members leaned forward in their seats, their faces filled with awe.An elderly woman pushed through the crowd, her wizened face full of wonder. "By the moon goddess," she breathed. "A Golden Wolf. After all these centuries..
DARRYL POVThe morning sun felt different on my skin after weeks in that cell. Standing outside the prison with Hazel in my arms, I could barely process that I was finally free. But the weight of what I needed to tell her pressed against my chest like a stone."Hazel," I started, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes. "There's something you need to know about Lucian—""DARRYL!" The familiar voice cut through the moment. Lucian came bounding across the parking lot, his grin plastered across his face. Before I could react, he pulled me into a crushing hug that felt genuine—too genuine for someone who had orchestrated my imprisonment."Man, it's so good to see you out!" Lucian exclaimed, stepping back but keeping his hands on my shoulders. "We've been working non-stop to prove your innocence.""We sure have," Hazel agreed warmly. "Lucian was instrumental in helping us find the security footage."I fought to keep my expression neutral as my mind raced. The security footage that pro
HAZELI stood in my father's office at the police station. Amy squeezed my hand, a silent show of support as Officer Sarah reviewed our statement about finding the security footage.Jared paced behind his desk, his jaw clenched tight. "This footage is eight years old," he said, his voice clipped. "Even if it shows what you claim, it might not be admissible in court.""But it proves Darryl's innocence!" I shot back, my hands balling into fists. "You can't just ignore that!""Hazel," Sarah interjected gently, "your father is just trying to—""He's not my father." The words escaped before I could stop them. The room went deadly silent. Jared's face turned pale, then red with anger. Sarah looked between us in confusion."Hazel," Jared warned, his voice low and dangerous. "Now is not the time.""When is the time?" I demanded, taking a step forward. "When you're not busy trying to keep an innocent man in prison? When you're not injecting me with—" I caught myself just in time, aware of Sara
HAZELMy hands trembled as I connected the hard drive to Amy's laptop. We sat in her car, parked in a quiet corner of the mall parking lot, hearts racing with anticipation."Are you sure you want to watch this?" Amy asked softly. "We know it's going to be..." She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't have to.I nodded, double-clicking on the first video file. "We need to know exactly what it shows before we take it to the police."The footage was grainy, typical of security cameras from eight years ago. At first, there was nothing – just an empty park path lit by scattered lampposts. Then movement caught our attention. Two figures walked into frame, and my heart clenched. Gracia and Darryl, so young, so unaware of what was about to happen."There," Amy pointed at the screen. "Something's moving in the shadows."I leaned closer, squinting at the dark shape that seemed to come from nowhere. The attack happened so fast – one moment Darryl and Gracia were walking, the next Darryl was fly
HAZELI banged my head against Amy's car dashboard for what felt like the hundredth time. The park meeting had gone exactly as we'd feared – complete disaster. My ears were still ringing with their mocking laughter."Well, that was humiliating," Amy muttered from the driver's seat, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. "Did you see the security guard face when we mentioned eight-year-old security footage?""Don't remind me." I groaned, remembering his patronizing smile. "'Oh, you sweet, naive girls,'" I mimicked his tone. "'Security footage from that long ago? Even if it existed, it would have been destroyed years ago.'""And the lady!" Amy hit her hand against the wheel. "She looked so annoyed. Like we were children playing detective."We sat in silence for a moment, parked outside the park where we'd just been thoroughly dismissed."We're idiots," I finally said, staring at the ceiling of Amy's car. "What were we thinking? Eight years. Eight years! Of course no one would keep se
HAZELI paced nervously in Art room later that day, trying to figure out how to explain everything to Lucian without revealing the supernatural truth. He sat on a desk chair, arms crossed, clearly frustrated at being left out earlier."So," he said, his voice carefully neutral, "are you finally going to tell me what Maria said after you sent me away?"I exchanged a quick glance with Amy, who was perched on her bed. We had carefully rehearsed our edited version of events."Maria witnessed what happened the night Gracia died," I began slowly. "She followed her sister to the park because she was upset about a broken promise."Lucian leaned forward, his eyes intense. "And?""She saw Gracia and Darryl together," Amy continued. "They were attacked by someone... someone who seemed to know them. A man – large, incredibly strong. He….He attacked Darryl first, knocked him unconscious.""Then he killed Gracia while Darryl was out?" Lucian's voice was gentle, understanding how difficult this was
HAZEL POVMy heart was pounding as I watched Maria struggle with her words. I knew what was coming - a truth about werewolves that we couldn't let Lucian hear. But how could we send him away without making Maria even more suspicious?Amy caught my eye, and I could see the same worry reflected there. We needed to act fast."Before you continue," I said gently to Maria, "maybe we should move somewhere more private? This hallway isn't exactly comfortable."Maria wrapped her arms around herself, looking smaller than ever. "I don't want to move. If I move, I might lose my courage."Lucian shifted closer, his presence both comforting and concerning. "We could at least find somewhere to sit properly. These floors are pretty hard."That's when Amy surprised me with her quick thinking. "Actually, Lucian, could you do us a huge favor? Maria's going to need some water, and probably something to eat. She's shaking."Lucian frowned, clearly reluctant to leave. "Can't one of you go?""You know wher