Aria My body felt like it was floating through a void. I didn’t have any dreams—no prophecies, no dead parents coming to give me cryptic messages, none of that. Everything was just… dark. And then I woke up. Sort of. The first thing I noticed as I slowly returned to consciousness was the s
Darren The door to Tracy’s office slammed against the wall as I stormed inside, the toxicology report from Aria’s hospital visit clutched tightly in my hand. Tracy looked up from her desk, her eyebrows shooting up with surprise. “Darren!” She offered me one of her usual cheerful smiles—the sort
“What’s best for us?” I repeated, incredulous. “You think nearly killing my mate was what’s best for us?” “She’s a human, Darren!” Tracy hissed, standing from her chair and planting her hands on the desk. “A human mate is nothing but a liability. You know that. The elders know that. Everyone knows
Aria Lucas nuzzled into my lap, his mismatched eyes wide as I read aloud the story from the children’s book. He’d found it in the playroom at the hospital, and snuggled up into bed with me, practically begging me to read it for him. “And then the rabbit said,” I continued, “‘But how can I trust
Liam snorted a little. When I glanced over at him, he was clearly trying to hide a smirk. Lucas perked up. “Does that mean Mommy’s a wolf like me?” The doctor chuckled as he prepared a syringe. “We’ll see, little guy. For now, let’s just get this blood drawn.” I held out my arm, and the doctor
Aria My backpack lay open on my bed, half-packed with clothes I wasn’t even sure I would even need. It wasn’t exactly as if I had a manual for what to bring to the pack lands—what did one even wear to meet a council of werewolf elders? I sighed, staring at the modest pile of sweaters, jeans, and
He hesitated, his gaze flicking to my backpack before returning to me. “You’ll also need to refer to me properly when we’re in front of the pack.” “Properly?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’ll need to call me ‘Alpha.’ It’s a sign of respect.” I blinked, caught off guard. I’d heard the other
Aria The moment we walked into the store, I could tell that I didn’t belong here. The racks of hiking boots smelled like expensive new leather, the shelves of puffy coats practically reeked of cash, and the few other customers who were browsing looked like they were planning month-long expeditions
“Trying to be brave?” Sarah taunted. “Trying to protect your little dog? Maybe you need to learn a lesson.”The first shove came from behind, sending Aria stumbling forward. Then another from the side. And another. They were pushing her between them like some cruel game, laughing as she tried to kee
DarrenAria’s scream tore through the air, and time slowed to an excruciating crawl. I saw the chief’s finger squeeze the trigger, saw the flash as the gun fired, saw the bullet begin its deadly journey toward us.Toward Aria.In that moment between life and death, my mind flew backward, tumbling th
I took another step forward, still holding Darren’s hand. “You wouldn’t dare shoot your own people,” Darren said, his eyes fixed on the chief. “Would you?”For a flickering instant, I thought I saw uncertainty cross the faces of some of the officers holding guns. Their weapons seemed to lower slight
Aria“Stop!”Darren held his hand up to halt the procession as those guns pointed at us. I felt suddenly sick, and couldn’t help but glance over my shoulder at the crowd of people behind us—humans and werewolves alike.They wouldn’t shoot, would they?Beside me, Darren tightened his grip on my finge
As I spoke, I became aware of a strange silence falling over the scene. Not just Darren, but everyone seemed affected by my words. The officers had lowered their weapons slightly. The crowd had gone still, quiet… calm.My voice seemed to carry farther than it should, resonating with a power that fel
AriaI couldn’t breathe. The white fog permeated everything—my clothes, my skin, my lungs. It burned with each inhale, making my wolf howl inside of me. The tincture couldn’t have prepared us for this. Not entirely.But most terrifying of all was the absence of Darren by my side.“Darren!” I shouted
But as we turned onto the main avenue, the counter-protesters grew bolder. They followed alongside us, shouting slurs and insults.“Go back to the forest where you belong!” one man yelled.I kept my eyes forward, trying to project a calm I didn’t feel. Beside me, Darren was doing the same, although
AriaThe trek back to the portal was long and tiring, and by the time we arrived at the mysterious little elevator in the woods, the sun was beating on our backs and a fine coat of sweat had formed between my skin and my jacket. Darren, Liam, and the Lunar Labs gang and I stepped into the elevator f
Nodding, I hugged her again, tighter this time. “I promise.”Wendy approached next, her arms filled with flowers—wildflowers gathered from the meadows surrounding the village.“An old pack tradition,” she explained, placing a stem in my hand. “Carrying a piece of home with you for protection.”The f