The soft hum of my husband's breathing filled the dimly lit bedroom, his arm draped over my waist as if he could hold me there forever. I laid still beneath the covers, my body warmed by his presence, but my mind was elsewhere already planning my escape.
I turned my head slightly, my gaze settling on James. His dark hair was tousled against the pillow, strong jaw relaxed in sleep. Even in unconsciousness, he was handsome, perfect, really. A good man, a loyal husband. But If only he knew the truth.
If only he knew that the woman he kissed goodnight, the woman he trusted with his heart, was secretly a werewolf hunter.
Every full moon, I slipped out of bed, put on my gear, and went to war. I had killed more werewolves than I could count. But James could never know. He believed in peace, in justice within the confines of the law. If he knew what I truly was, what I did when he slept soundly beside me, he wouldn't just be heartbroken. He would never forgive me.
I pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, lingering just a moment longer. "I love you," I whispered... A lie? or maybe it wasn't. Maybe I loved him, the version of myself that didn't exist.
His arm slackened as his breath deepened. He was asleep. Time to go.I slid out of bed, moving silently across the room. My black gear was waiting in the closet, leather straps hugging my thighs, a fitted bodysuit designed for movement, knives and silver-loaded guns hidden in strategic places. As I tied my dark hair into a tight ponytail, my phone buzzed.Coordinates received. "Pack sighting confirmed". "Eliminate".
I inhaled deeply. Another hunt. Another night drenched in blood. With one last glance at James, I slipped into the night.
The location sent by the organization led me to a desolate industrial site on the outskirts of town. The smell of rusted metal mixed with something darker, the scent of werewolves.
I kept low, my fingers gripping the silver-bladed dagger at my hip. The full moon overhead bathed the landscape in pale light, revealing movement in the shadows. My heartbeat steadied. The thrill of the hunt always calmed me. Then, they attacked.
Four of them leaped from the darkness, claws gleaming, eyes burning amber. They weren't just any wild werewolves. They were pack warriors. Stronger And faster, More controlled than average. But not faster than my blade.
I twisted, slicing one's throat open before rolling beneath another's clawed swipe. Silver bullets met fur and flesh, sending beasts howling into the night. Two fell instantly, writhing in agony.
And then there was one. The leader.He was bigger than the rest, a monster in his own right, His fur as black as the void.
I made a mistake, this wasn't a hunt, this was an ambush. I lunged, blade aiming for its throat, but it was too fast. He dodge my strike and hit me to the ground with one of his paw, Stepping on my write wrist snapping it like a twig. I choked on the pain, dropping my knife as his other paw slammed into my stomach, sending me flying into a crumbling wall. Blood filled my mouth. My vision blurred.
"This is it. This is how I die," I thought I was about to give up Then, out of nowhere a blur of motion. A growl that sent shivers down my spine.
Before I could understand what was happening, the massive werewolf was ripped away from me, flung into the concrete as if he was a fly waiting to be swat.
I blinked, dazed, as my savior stepped between me and death itself. And I forgot how to breathe. Standing on two legs, Towering and broad-shouldered, his body rippled with raw power. His fur was silver, not gray, but molten silver that shimmered beneath the moonlight. His golden eyes flickered with something ancient, something dangerous. I have only ever heard stories from my seniors of werewolf's being able to stand on two legs, I thought it was just a myth considering I've been a werewolf hunter for so long, killed hundreds of wolves and has never seen one this big.
This must be what they call a hybrid wolf, a wolf much more ruthless than an alpha.
During all that was happening I somehow notice that he or it was gorgeous. The kind of beauty that shouldn't belong to something so deadly. And yet, as he turned to look at me, there was no cruelty there. Only concern.He put his right hand towards me as if he was signaling me to stay back, While the rest of his body was intensely focused on his opponent. I could not understand why he was defending me. It was the perfect time to try and escape while they were fighting but Instead, I watched, mesmerized, as he ripped through the werewolf leader like a force of nature. The battle was brutal, teeth against claws, a savage dance of dominance. My attacker never stood a chance.
When it was over, my savior stood above the fallen beast, chest rising and falling with slow, controlled breaths. Then, he turned to me.
His golden eyes swept over me, his gaze darkening at the sight of my broken wrist, the blood seeping from my wounds, The expression showed concerned, I tried to act tuff showing him that I did not want any pity but the pain was sharp, making my vision swim. He moved closer. I stiffened, instinct telling me to run, but my body was too weak to obey.
I tried getting up but my body crumbled under the pain, I was about to fell back to the ground, His hands was already around me stopping me from falling, kneeling beside me. His touch was surprisingly gentle while still in his werewolf form as he reached for my wrist, fingers warm against my skin.
"You know what I am?" I breathed. A smirk ghosted his lips, revealing sharp, wicked fangs. based on his expression I could tell he know that I was hunter.
And yet, he hadn't kill me.
I should have been disgusted by him, by the way he smelled of the forest and raw masculinity. But I wasn't. Instead, I was drawn to him.
His fingers brushed against my cheek, and for a moment, I swore I saw something in his eyes—something primal. Something wanting.
His hears shot up instinctively, howling in the distance.
He stood, lifting me as if I weighed nothing. His warmth seeped into my frozen body, his scent wrapping around me like a drug. I should have fought him. Instead, I let him take me away.
And as I lay against his broad chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart against my skin.
I blanked out due to exhaustion and a few moments later woke up as he was laying medown onthe floor with gentle ease in this abundant building, it felt like I was about to pass out again when I felt his fingers touching my cheek, My eyes slightly opened and I could see the look of concern on his face.I gritted my teeth. Confused as to why a beast like him would be helping me. Slowly I reached into a pouch strapped to my waist, reaching inside I pulled out a vial of werewolf's blood mixed with a few more ingredients.
The organization had warned us, werewolf blood was potent, but it was also addictive. Mixed with the right ingredients, it could heal injuries instantly. But drink too much, and you risked becoming dependent on it... or worse. We are only to use it as a last resort. With one hand broken I tried to drink it myself, he notice that I was struggled and took the vial and opened it. "Drink," No words just an expression on his face but I could tell that is what I was instructing me to do. I cursed under my breath because he had to be feeding me because of the condition I was in. The moment the thick, warm liquid hit my tongue, my body reacted.Heat. Fire. Electricity.
The pain vanished in an instant, my broken wrist snapping back into place, my wounds sealing shut. My strength returned like a surge of adrenaline, too fast, too unnatural. I gasped, gripping my arm where only moments ago, bone had jutted out beneath my skin.
I met his gaze. "What the do they put in this stuff,"
A ghost of a smirk touched his lips, has he turned around about to leave.
I tried to stand, but my legs were still unsteady. He caught my arm, his grip firm but careful, as if he didn't want to break me.
His scent surrounded me. earthy, wild, with a hint of something dark and masculine.
"Who are you?" I asked, voice quieter than I intended.
He looked into my eyes for what felt like hours after I asked that question. Slowly I could feel his hands getting small as he hold me, his body decreasing in size and his appearance become more human like but even more attractive.
I could tell that he was careful, he did not fully transformed back to a human and he kept his face hidden as his uttered "My name is..." He leaned in just slightly, his breath brushing against my ear as he whispered, "Dante Salvador." His voice was deep but comforting.The name curled through my mind like smoke. And then, in a blink, he was gone. One moment he was holding me up, and the next, he was a blur vanishing into the shadows.
I turned in every direction, scanning the dark, ruined building, my hunter's instincts on high alert. But nothing.
Only the faint scent of him remained. And the lingering heat of his touch on my skin.
I glanced at my watch. "Damn it".The full moon was sinking, and the first hint of morning crept over the horizon. If I didn't get home now, I'd have no excuse for being missing when James woke up.I grabbed my weapons, stuffing them into my bag before sprinting through the abandoned streets, my breath coming in sharp bursts. The adrenaline still pulsed through my veins, my body stronger than it should have been after what I'd endured.I gritted my teeth, trying to shake the warmth that still hummed under my skin. That wasn't normal. I'd taken healing potions before, but never one that made me feel like this.My earpiece buzzed in my ear. The organization."Alexis," came a voice, cold and controlled. The Handler. "Report.""You sent me into a trap," I hissed, dodging into a dark alley to avoid passing headlights. "They were waiting for me. That wasn't a rogue pack, it was a damn execution squad.""They have now been three confirmed reports of this, Werewolf's setting up traps for our
Salvador!? My heart stuttered, a sharp inhale catching in my throat. No. It couldn't be.I gripped the arms of the chair, my nails digging into the fabric as my pulse thundered in my ears. My mind raced, every memory from last night flashing before me like a fever dream, the golden-eyed werewolf, the way he saved me, the way he whispered his name before vanishing into the night. "Donte Salvador".My body tensed as I rose to my feet, forcing a neutral expression even though every cell in my body was screaming. What were the chances?Was it a coincidence? Or was I about to walk into an office and come face-to-face with the werewolf who had saved my life? A thrill shot through me excitement, anticipation, desperation for answers.I had spent the entire night thinking about him, questioning why he saved me, and why, despite everything I believed about werewolves... I couldn't stop thinking about him. I needed to know. I had to know.The assistant motioned toward the sleek hallway ahead, a
I took a detour, turning off the main roads, driving a few miles away from my home into the depths of nowhere. The further I went, the more the landscape changed—trees closing in, streetlights disappearing, civilization fading. Most people wouldn't even know this place existed.And that was exactly how the Silver Order wanted it.I pulled up to what looked like an abandoned warehouse, rusted, overgrown with weeds, an old "keep out!" sign nailed to the fence. But I knew better.I parked the car, My heart was still racing from the interview, but I forced my nerves to steady. Walking up to the rusted back wall, I reached beneath a loose metal panel, fingers finding the hidden keypad embedded inside. I quickly punched in the first code, a soft beep. Next, I pressed my thumb to the scanner, a another beep. Then, came the final test, a small screen flipped open, revealing a retinal scanner. I stepped forward, letting the blue light scan my eye, a click. Then, the sound of massive gears shi
Victoria's words still echoed in my head."We have a mole." I stood there, trying to process the weight of what she'd just laid on us. Someone inside the Silver Order was betraying us. Hunters had died because of it. And now, like some cosmic joke, I was stuck working with Sarah Lambert to root them out.Victoria's sharp gaze cut between us one last time before she turned, her boots echoing across the cold metal floor. Her cybernetic arm flexed at her side, humming softly as the mechanical joints shifted with every movement. She paused at the door, throwing one final warning over her shoulder."I'm sure you two will figure it out, and fast".And with that, she was gone. I exhaled, tension bleeding from my muscles as the heavy steel door hissed shut behind her. The room felt colder without her in it or maybe that was just the weight of what she'd left behind.A spy among us. Sarah didn't say a word as she pushed off the wall, brushing invisible dust from her sleek black tactical suit.
Monday morning. The alarm buzzed faintly, but when I woke up, James was already gone. I stretched, my body still sore from the weekend, but there was no time to linger in bed. Today was my first day at Vidor Industries.After a quick shower, I dressed with deliberate care, a crisp white blouse tucked into a high-waisted pencil skirt that hugged my curves just enough to be professional yet subtly seductive. Black heels added a touch of height, and I kept my makeup simple yet polished. If I was going to be Gabriel Salvador's personal assistant, I needed to look the part.The drive to work was smooth, and as I pulled up to the towering Vidor headquarters, I took a moment to take in the sheer grandeur of the building. It was a sleek, modern skyscraper of reflective black glass and steel, dominating the skyline with its imposing presence. The large revolving doors led into a vast lobby with high ceilings, polished marble floors, and minimalist chandeliers that cast a soft golden glow. The
"I want you."The words hung in the air like a live wire, crackling with intensity. My breath hitched, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. Gabriel sat there, relaxed in his chair, completely composed while I, on the other hand, felt like the ground had just tilted beneath me.For a split second, I knew. Deep in my bones, in the way he looked at me, in the way his voice carried that undeniable pull, I knew Gabriel Salvador and Dante Salvador were the same man I just needed to prove it for myself.My mouth went dry, but I forced myself to keep my composure. Instead of acknowledging the fire burning inside me, I tilted my head, raising a single brow. "Excuse me?"Gabriel's lips curled into a smirk, he started glinting with amusement. "Don't look so shocked, Ms. Sullivan. I wanted you for this job. Out of all the other candidates, you were the perfect fit." The breath I'd been holding finally released, though my chest still felt tight. He's playing it off. I didn't k
The elevator continued its descent, but time itself seemed to freeze. The only way he could have known that I was a hunter was if he was the one that saved my life that night. Why is he making it so obvious? at first he was playing so hard but him saying he knows am a hunter its like he wants me to find him out.I kept my expression calm, refusing to show weakness. "Excuse me?" I said raising one eye bro.Gabriel's smirk was slight. "No need to play dumb, Alexis. I know exactly what you are."A slow, uneasy breath filled my lungs. "That's an interesting accusation.""It's not an accusation." He pushed off the wall, stepping closer, closing the space between us inch by inch. "It's a fact."As my fingers twitched at my sides after my guard shot up, resisting the urge to reach for the hidden blade I always carried. "And what exactly do you think you know?"He had this slight look of amusement on his face as if he was toying with me. "I know you spend your nights chasing things that most
What this werewolf had said before Sarah ended him open some new can of warms, there was too much to think about and not enough time to do so.I tried to shake it off. The wounded werewolf's words gnawed at the edges of my mind like a festering wound, but I couldn't let Sarah see it. I stiffened my shoulders and kept my face carefully blank as she approached, lowering her rifle with a sharp, satisfied smile."What the hell, Sarah?" I snapped, motioning to the dead werewolf at my feet. "I kept him alive for a reason. I was going to question him."Sarah shrugged, her expression unreadable. "It was too risky. He could've lunged at you. Better safe than sorry."I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt. She was lying through her teeth. I knew it. She just didn't want me to get any information he might have had. That unsettled me even more. "You can't just kill every lead we get!" I hissed under my breath."Maybe if you did your job faster, I wouldn't have to," she said, her voice slick with ven
Gabriel stood beside the table like a storm behind a glass wall still, silent, but charged.The moment he stepped into the restaurant, it was like the temperature dropped ten degrees. His eyes flicked between me and James, pausing for half a second longer on James's hand still hovering near mine.He didn't say a word at first, just that quiet intensity he carried like a second skin.Then, finally, Gabriel's voice cut through the tension."Alexis. We need to leave. Now."There was no urgency in his tone, just authority. Finality.I turned toward him, ready to speak, but James pushed back his chair and stood up, chest puffing slightly."Hey man," he said, brows furrowed. "Can't you see we're talking?"Gabriel's eyes narrowed. Slowly like a panther sizing up another predator, he stepped closer to James.Not rushing. Not posturing.Just existing in a way that said: You do not want this fight.And James... didn't back down.Not yet.I stood up between them quickly, heart racing. "Stop. Bot
A second message came in. "Remember our favorite restaurant? Let's meet there tonight."My breath hitched. That place 'The Fox & Fern' was where we used to go on our anniversaries. Where he proposed.The moment was delicate and loaded. And he chose that spot.I sat down slowly, placing the phone on the table like it was made of glass.Gabriel was across from me in seconds, his focus razor-sharp."What exactly did he say?"I handed him the phone. He read both messages, lips pressed into a firm line. "And what do you want?" he said after he finished reading the messages."I want to make sure he's safe," I said quietly. "Even after everything, I don't want him caught up in this. And the place he chose, it's crowded. Public. The Order wouldn't risk making a move out in the open. Not in a place with witnesses."Gabriel's expression softened slightly. "You want to go?""I need to. Even if it's nothing. Even if it's stupid. I have to see for myself."His gaze dropped to the phone again. "The
When Sarah finished explaining she lingered in the doorway longer than I expected.Her hand rested on the frame, her rifle slung over her back like it had always been a part of her. "I'll see what more I can find out," she said, voice cool and composed as always. "Victor's smart, but he's not invincible. He's arrogant. And arrogance always leaves cracks."I stayed quiet, watching the way the light from the morning sun caught in her blonde hair, making her look like some war-worn angel wrapped in matte-black combat gear. She had fought beside me, saved my life, and now... she was going back into the lion's den."Why?" I asked softly, the question escaping before I could swallow it down.Her eyes met mine. "don't get it twisted, I'm not doing this for you. I'm a hunter and I cant have a traitor in our midst," She continued as she stepped outside the room. "currently you are the only one I can trust seeing that your being falsely accused."She gave me one last nod, then turned and disapp
Sarah's words echoed through the room like a death sentence. He wasn't just careless, he wasn't just absent, he was the traitor and suddenly, the silence inside me wasn't calm, it was a roaring void, pulling memories into it like a storm sucking debris into a tornado.I blinked at Sarah, heart pounding. "Victor...?" She gave a slow, knowing nod. "He's the only one who could've pulled it off. The formula, the timing, the trust..."But I barely heard her now because my mind was unraveling everything I thought I knew and replacing it with what was real.He was always there after every meeting with Victoria, he was outside the door like clockwork. I used to joke he had a sixth sense about where I was. He'd say things like, "I just wanted to see how it went," or "You looked tense, I figured I'd check in."Always casual. Always concerned.I remembered the night I asked to meet him in secret. No comms, no trace because the information I had was too sensitive. I trusted him with that location
I finished the tea slowly, letting the warmth fill the hollow ache in my chest. My body still felt fragile like a shell of what it had been but my mind was waking up, catching up.Gabriel sat quietly beside me, he wasn't calm and Gabriel Salvador was never not calm."What happened to me?" I finally asked, setting the empty cup down."I remember... pain. Then everything went dark." Gabriel exhaled through his nose and rubbed the back of his neck. "You almost died, Alexis."The words hit harder than I expected. He looked down at his hands. "That vial... it was wrong. Something in the formula. You started rejecting it within hours. Your body seized. Fever spiked. Every cell in you was screaming like it was being rewritten and unraveling at the same time."I swallowed. My fingers curled into the blanket covering my legs. "I tried everything," he said, and his voice cracked. I looked up sharply, Gabriel never let his voice crack."Werewolf blood. My own. The old protocols from Vidor Indust
I blinked through the haze of pain and dust, barely able to lift my head. Gabriel stood in front of me, his back arched. I knew that stance, I'd seen it before the night I almost died in the forest. The night Dante Salvador saved me and now, as he looked at me, my bloodied, failing body crumpled behind him, I saw the same rage flash behind his golden eyes.Alexander charged at us but before he could reached where I was Gabriel met him in his tracks.Gabriel slammed into Alexander with a roar, claws colliding with claws, their bodies crashing like gods at war.Gabriel's fists tore into Alexander's chest, sending him staggering but Alexander came back harder, faster. They exchanged blows that would kill a normal man a dozen times over.Fur flew. Blood splattered the ground. Their snarls shook the very walls around us and then... the earth cracked again.From the rubble nearby, a shadow rose, not just a shadow Victoria.She erupted from the debris, her eyes wild with fury, blood drippin
Blinding, white-hot pain tore through my stomach as Alexander’s boot slammed into me, sending me flying like a rag doll.I hit the stone wall so hard it cracked, breath exploding from my lungs as my body crumpled to the ground. My vision blurred, a buzzing in my ears as darkness tried to pull me under.I could barely lift my head. What did he mean " you used his batch?"Gabriel froze. Staring at me. Blood dripping from his lip. Hands shaking.And then...Something inside him snapped.It started in his chest, his ribs expanding, cracking open with sickening pops as his spine arched, vertebrae stretching. His skin split in thin glowing lines that pulsed like molten silver before his fur burst through.His scream was not human. It echoed across the battlefield like a demon being born.Muscle stacked over bone, growing, shifting. His arms elongated, claws ripping through his fingertips like blades of midnight steel. His jaw cracked open wider than it should’ve, teeth lengthening into perf
Victoria didn’t hesitate.The moment Alexander stepped into view, she turned sharply, surveying the field of hunters with eyes like sharpened blades."Everyone into squads of five!" she shouted. "Pick a target and drop it fast! These aren’t grunts, they’re enhanced generals. You stay solo, you die."Her voice was thunder, and the hunters obeyed without question, moving quickly across the rubble and forming tight clusters.She spun toward Sarah and me."Hold back until it’s chaos. Then pick them off from the sides."Sarah cocked her rifle and gave a single nod.I gripped my blades tighter, adrenaline buzzing under my skin.All around us, hunters were pulling out syringes, small black vials filled with silver-threaded liquid.They jabbed them into their necks or arms, eyes flickering brighter as the enhancements kicked in, muscles twitching, breaths deepening, stances sharpening.A hunter beside me punched straight through a chunk of concrete just to test his strength.Another moved so
For one breath of time, everything slowed. The courtyard buzzed with movement, hunters sharpening blades, checking weapons, bandaging wounds. Smoke curled into the sky like war-torn ribbons. The moon hung higher now, fat and full and watching.Gabriel stood beside me, quiet. Still. His eyes never stopped moving but mine were only on him.We hadn't spoken since the battle ended, his arm brushed against mine as we stepped out of the main hallway together, into a quieter stretch of stone behind the command tower.I exhaled slowly, the chill biting at my bloodstained skin.Gabriel looked at me then really looked like he was memorizing me."You scared me back there," I said softly. "You didn't even flinch when he came at you."He smiled faintly. "He was never going to touch you." I stepped closer before I even realized it, my hand brushing against his chest."You've been holding something back," I said. "You keep saying 'later.' You said you'd explain. I don't even know what you are."Gab