The reception hall was massive.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling like frozen waterfalls. White flowers covered every surface. Round tables draped in silk surrounded a dance floor that reflected the light like ice. Everything screamed money. Old money. The kind that did not need to prove anything because everyone already knew.

Adrian's hand was firm on my waist as we walked in. Every head turned. Conversations stopped mid sentence. Eyes tracked us across the room.

"They are staring," I whispered.

"Let them." His voice was low against my ear. "You look like you could buy this entire wedding. Act like it."

A waiter appeared with champagne. Adrian took two glasses and handed me one. His fingers brushed mine. That same electric feeling shot up my arm.

"To revenge," he murmured and raised his glass.

I clinked mine against his. "To revenge."

The champagne was expensive. I could tell by the way it tasted like nothing I had ever had before. Smooth. Perfect. Probably cost more per bottle than I made in a week.

"Professor Metcalfe."

We both turned. A man in his fifties approached us. Silver hair. Expensive suit. Cold gray eyes that reminded me of a snake.

Adrian's hand tightened on my waist. "Asher."

My stomach dropped. This was Kelvin's father. The man Adrian had warned me about.

"I did not expect to see you here." Asher's smile did not reach his eyes. "I was not aware you knew the Brooks family."

"I know many people." Adrian's voice was perfectly polite. Perfectly cold. "Asher Brooks, this is Freya Reed. My date."

Asher's eyes slid to me. Something flickered in them. Recognition maybe. Or calculation. "Miss Reed. How lovely to meet you."

"You too." The lie tasted bitter.

"Are you a student at the university?" Asher asked.

"She is." Adrian answered before I could. "One of my brightest actually."

"How nice." Asher's smile widened. "Kelvin mentioned he had a girlfriend who attended there. Small world."

"Very small." Adrian's tone could have cut glass.

The two men stared at each other. The air between them felt thick. Dangerous. Like watching two animals size each other up before a fight.

"Well. Enjoy the evening." Asher nodded and walked away.

I released a breath I did not know I was holding. "That was Kelvin's father?"

"Yes."

"He seems-"

"Dangerous. He is." Adrian turned me toward the dance floor. "Come on. We need to be visible."

"Visible?"

"That is the whole point. Remember?" His hand slid lower on my waist. Almost to my hip. "Making Kelvin suffer."

He led me onto the dance floor just as the music shifted to something slow. His hand found mine. The other stayed on my waist. We started moving and I realized Adrian knew how to dance. Really dance. Not the awkward shuffling I was used to.

"Where did you learn this?" I asked.

"I am old fashioned." His eyes were dark again. That same look from the penthouse. "There are a lot of things I could teach you."

Heat crawled up my neck. "Adrian-"

"Yes?"

"You need to stop saying things like that."

"Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?" His hand slid lower. Right at the curve of my hip. "Or does it make you want things you should not want?"

Both. Definitely both.

I spotted Kelvin across the room. He was watching us. His jaw was tight. His hands were clenched at his sides. The woman next to him in the white dress must have been Vanessa. She was beautiful. Cold. She did not even look at Kelvin. Just stared at something across the room with bored eyes.

"He is watching," I said quietly.

"Good." Adrian pulled me closer. Our bodies were pressed together now. I could feel every hard line of him through the thin fabric of my dress. "Wave at him again."

"What?"

"Smile. Wave. Make him think you are having the time of your life."

I looked over Adrian's shoulder and caught Kelvin's eye. Gave him a bright smile. A little wave.

Kelvin's face went red.

Adrian's chest rumbled with a laugh. "Perfect. You are a natural at this."

"At what? Torturing my ex?"

"At making men want what they cannot have." His mouth was right by my ear now. "Every male in this room is watching you. Wishing they were me. Wishing they could touch you the way I am touching you."

My breath caught. "You are doing this on purpose."

"Obviously." His hand squeezed my hip. "But I am also telling you the truth. You have no idea how beautiful you are. How desirable."

"Stop."

"Why? Because it makes you nervous? Because you are not used to a man telling you what you are worth?"

Yes. Exactly that.

The song ended. Adrian did not let me go. Just stood there holding me in the middle of the dance floor while people moved around us.

"Adrian. People are staring."

"Let them stare." But he finally released me. Took my hand instead. "Come on. Let's get you something to eat."

We moved to one of the tables. Food was laid out like art. Tiny perfect portions of things I could not name. Adrian filled a plate and handed it to me.

I was not hungry but I took it anyway. Picked at something that might have been fish.

That was when I started noticing things.

The way some of the guests moved. Too smooth. Too graceful. Like they were gliding instead of walking.

The way their eyes caught the light. Reflecting it back for just a second before going normal again.

The way they watched each other. And me. Especially me.

"Adrian." I set down my plate. "Something feels wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"The people here. They are..." I could not find the words. "Different."

His expression did not change but something flickered in his eyes. "Different how?"

"I do not know. Just different. The way they move. The way they look at things." I rubbed my arms. "Is that crazy? Am I being paranoid?"

"No." He took my hand. His grip was firm. "You are not crazy. Just observant. That is good. Keep watching. Tell me if anyone makes you uncomfortable."

"Anyone?"

"Anyone besides me."

Before I could respond someone called my name.

"Freya?"

I turned. Clara was walking toward us. She wore a dark blue dress and looked completely out of place. Her eyes were wide when she saw Adrian.

"Clara? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Her eyes darted between me and Adrian. "You came with Professor Metcalfe?"

"Yes. We-" I glanced at Adrian. "It is complicated."

"Clearly." Clara's voice was sharp. She looked at Adrian. "Can I borrow her for a minute?"

"No." Adrian's tone left no room for argument.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. Freya stays with me."

Clara's jaw tightened. "I just want to talk to my friend."

"Then talk here." Adrian pulled me against his side. Possessive. Commanding. "I am not letting her out of my sight."

The two of them stared at each other. Some kind of silent communication passed between them that I did not understand.

Finally Clara looked at me. "Be careful. Please."

"Careful of what?"

"Just be careful." She turned and disappeared back into the crowd.

"What was that about?" I asked Adrian.

"Nothing. She is just protective." His hand was still on my waist. Tight. "Do not wander off. Stay close to me."

"You keep saying that. Why?"

"Because I..." He stopped. Looked over my shoulder. His expression went cold. "Kelvin. Incoming."

I turned just as Kelvin pushed through the crowd toward us. His face was red. His tie was loose. He looked drunk or angry or both.

"Freya. We need to talk." He did not even acknowledge Adrian. Just stared at me with wild eyes.

"I do not think we do." I kept my voice steady.

"Yes. We do." He grabbed my arm. "Now."

Adrian moved so fast I barely saw it. One second Kelvin was holding my arm. The next he was stumbling backward with Adrian between us.

"Touch her again and I will break your hand." Adrian's voice was quiet. Deadly. "Actually. Touch her again and I will break a lot more than that."

Kelvin straightened. Tried to look tough. Failed. "She is my girlfriend."

"Ex girlfriend." I stepped around Adrian. "And I came here with someone else. So leave me alone."

"You came here with him?" Kelvin's voice cracked. "With Professor Metcalfe? Are you serious right now?"

"Very serious."

"How long has this been going on? Have you been cheating on me?"

I almost laughed. "You are joking right? You cheated on me. Multiple times. Then told me you were getting married. So do not stand there and act like I am the problem."

"That was different."

"How?"

"My family arranged it. I did not have a choice."

"You had a choice when you slept with other women in our bed." I stepped closer to him. "You had a choice when you lied to me for months. So do not talk to me about choices."

Kelvin's hands clenched. "He is using you. Whatever he told you is a lie. He does not care about you."

"And you did?" I laughed. Actually laughed. "You could not even be faithful for a week. So save your concern. I do not need it."

"Freya..."

"Walk away Kelvin." Adrian's voice cut through whatever Kelvin was about to say. "Before I make you walk away."

Kelvin looked at Adrian. Really looked at him. Something passed over his face. Fear maybe. He took a step back. Then another. "This is not over."

"Yes it is." I turned my back on him. Faced Adrian. "Let's go."

Adrian's eyes were completely black now. His jaw was tight. He looked like he wanted to tear Kelvin apart with his bare hands.

"Adrian. Let's just go."

He blinked. The darkness faded a little. "You want to leave?"

"I want air. Can we go outside?"

"Yes." He took my hand and led me toward the doors that opened onto the gardens.

The night air was cool against my skin. I breathed deep and tried to stop shaking. That confrontation with Kelvin had left me feeling raw. Exposed.

"You did well in there," Adrian said quietly.

"I wanted to hit him."

"I would have paid to see that." He smiled. Actually smiled. "But what you said was better. Hurt him more than your fist could."

"Good." I wrapped my arms around myself. "I know I should not care. I know he is not worth it. But seeing him in there with her. Acting like I never mattered..."

"He is a fool." Adrian turned me to face him. His hands framed my face. "An absolute fool. And he will spend the rest of his life regretting what he lost."

"You do not know that."

"Yes. I do." His thumb traced along my jaw. "Because I would burn the world down before I let you go."

My heart stopped. "Adrian..."

"I know. This is supposed to be fake. Just one night. But nothing about this feels fake to me." His forehead pressed against mine. "Tell me you feel it too. This thing between us."

I did. God help me I did. But I could not say it. Could not give voice to whatever this was growing between us.

"We should go back inside," I whispered.

"Not yet." His hands slid down to my waist. "Just give me one more minute. One more minute of pretending you are really mine."

"I am not yours."

"Not yet." He said it so quietly I almost missed it. "But you will be."

Before I could respond I heard voices. Male voices. Coming from around the corner of the building.

"...getting too close. He knows something."

"Metcalfe is always sniffing around where he does not belong. It does not matter. After tonight we move forward with the plan."

I recognized one of the voices. Kelvin.

The other voice was older. Rougher. "You should have handled her mother better. Made it look like an accident."

My blood turned to ice.

"I did the best I could. She was asking too many questions. Getting too close to the truth."

"And now the girl is awakening. Do you understand what that means? If she completes the transformation everything we worked for is ruined."

"So what do we do?"

"What we should have done years ago. We end her. Tonight if possible."

Adrian's hand clamped over my mouth before I could make a sound. He pulled me back against the wall. Into the shadows. His body was rigid. Tense.

The voices kept talking.

"Metcalfe will not let you near her."

"Then we deal with Metcalfe too. I have people in position. The moment they leave this venue we move."

"Your call Father. But if this goes wrong..."

"It will not go wrong. Now get back inside before someone notices you are gone."

Footsteps. Moving away.

Adrian slowly removed his hand from my mouth. I was shaking so hard my teeth were chattering.

" Did I just hear my mother." The words came out broken. " Was I the one they were talking about, They said they killed my mother."

"I know." Adrian turned me to face him. His eyes were black again. Completely black. "I know baby. But we need to leave. Right now. They are planning something and we need to get you somewhere safe."

"Safe? They just said they were going to kill me." My voice was rising. Panic clawing up my throat. "What is happening? What transformation? What are they talking about?"

"I will explain everything. I promise. But first we need to move." He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the parking area.

"Wait. My bag. It is inside."

"Forget it. We need to go now."

We were halfway to the car when I heard it.

A howl.

Long. Low. Echoing across the gardens.

I stopped dead. "What was that?"

Adrian's face had gone pale. "Run."

"What?"

"Run. Now."

Another howl answered the first. Closer this time.

Then I saw them.

Shapes moving through the darkness. Too big to be dogs. Too fast to be human.

Wolves.

Massive wolves with eyes that glowed in the moonlight.

And they were running straight toward us.

The wolves were massive.

Bigger than any animal I had ever seen. Their eyes glowed yellow in the darkness. Teeth flashed white. They moved fast. Too fast.

"Get behind me." Adrian shoved me backward. His voice did not sound right anymore. Deeper. Rougher.

"What are those things?"

"Just stay behind me."

Three of them circled us. Growling. Snarling. Muscles rippling under dark fur. They looked like they wanted to tear us apart.

One lunged.

Adrian moved faster than should be possible. He caught the wolf mid air and threw it. Actually threw it. The animal hit a tree twenty feet away with a sickening crack.

"Run to the car." Adrian did not look at me. His eyes were locked on the other two wolves. "Now Freya."

"I am not leaving you."

"I said run."

The second wolf attacked. Adrian grabbed it by the throat. His hands looked different. Bigger. His nails were longer. Sharper. He squeezed and the wolf made a choking sound.

The third one went for me.

I screamed and stumbled backward. Hit the ground hard. The wolf was on top of me in seconds. Hot breath on my face. Saliva dripping. Yellow eyes staring into mine.

Then Adrian was there. He ripped the wolf off me and slammed it into the ground. Bones crunched. The animal went limp.

Adrian turned to face me. His eyes were glowing blue. Actual glowing. His body was bigger. Muscles straining against his shirt. His teeth were pointed when he opened his mouth.

"What are you?" The words came out as a whisper.

He did not answer. Just grabbed my hand and pulled me up. Started dragging me toward the parking lot.

The first wolf was getting back up. Shaking its head. Blood dripped from its mouth but it was not dead. It started moving toward us again.

"Get in the car." Adrian shoved me toward the Bentley. "Lock the doors. Do not open them for anyone but me."

"What are you going to do?"

"What I should have done the moment we got here."

His body started changing. I watched in horror as his bones shifted. His skin rippled. Fur sprouted along his arms. His face elongated. His hands became claws.

Within seconds Adrian was gone.

In his place stood a wolf. Bigger than the others. Black fur. Blue eyes that still glowed.

The wolf looked at me once. Then turned and ran straight at the three attackers.

I scrambled into the car and locked the doors with shaking hands. Through the window I watched Adrian fight. Watched him tear into the other wolves with teeth and claws. Blood splattered across the grass. Snarling filled the air.

This was not real. Could not be real. People did not turn into wolves. Wolves did not attack weddings. None of this made sense.

One of the attacking wolves went down. Did not get back up.

Another ran. Disappeared into the trees.

The third one kept fighting. It was smaller than Adrian but fast. It dodged his attacks and went for his throat.

Adrian caught it. Bit down. The wolf yelped and went still.

Silence.

Adrian stood over the bodies. Blood on his muzzle. His chest heaving. Then he started changing again. Bones cracking. Fur receding. Within seconds he was human again.

Naked.

He walked to the car and knocked on the window. "Open the door Freya."

My hands would not move. I just stared at him through the glass.

"Freya. Open. The. Door."

Slowly I unlocked it. He got in. There was blood on his hands. On his chest. He smelled like copper and something wild.

"Drive." He reached into the back seat and pulled out a bag I had not noticed before. Started pulling on clothes. "We need to leave before more show up."

"More?"

"Yes more. Now drive."

"I cannot drive this car. I can barely drive my own car."

He cursed under his breath and climbed over me into the driver's seat. I scrambled into the passenger side. He started the engine and we peeled out of the parking lot.

Neither of us spoke for several minutes. I watched the city lights blur past the window. Tried to process what I just saw. Failed completely.

"You turned into a wolf." My voice sounded distant. Like it belonged to someone else.

"Yes."

"That is not possible."

"Clearly it is."

"What are you?" I turned to look at him. "What were those things?"

"Werewolves." He said it simply. Like he was telling me the weather. "They are werewolves. I am a werewolf. This world has a lot more in it than you thought."

Werewolves. The word sounded insane even in my head. "That is not real. Werewolves are not real."

"You just watched me shift and kill three of them. Still think they are not real?"

I did not have an answer for that.

We pulled into the underground garage of his building. Adrian parked and got out. Came around to my side and opened the door. I did not move.

"Come on. We need to get inside."

"I want to go home."

"Your home is not safe. Neither is anywhere else right now except with me." He held out his hand. "Please Freya. Trust me."

"Trust you? You just turned into a wolf. You lied to me about everything."

"I did not lie. I just did not tell you the whole truth yet." His hand stayed extended. "But I will tell you now. Everything. Just come inside."

I did not want to go with him. Wanted to run. Wanted to wake up from whatever nightmare this was. But the memory of those wolves chasing us was too fresh. The fear was too real.

I took his hand.

We rode the elevator up in silence. My mind was racing. Werewolves existed. Adrian was one. Those things at the wedding were trying to kill us. Kill me. And somehow this all connected to what I overheard. To my mother.

The elevator opened into his penthouse. Adrian led me to the living room and pointed at the couch. "Sit."

I sat. Watched him move to the bar and pour two drinks. He came back and handed me one. Whiskey. I downed it in one gulp. The burn felt good. Real.

"Start talking." I set the glass down hard. "Tell me everything."

Adrian sat across from me. Leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Werewolves are real. We have been around for thousands of years. Living alongside humans. Hiding what we are."

"Why?"

"Because humans fear what they do not understand. And fear makes them dangerous." He ran a hand through his hair. "There are packs all over the world. Families. Hierarchies. Laws. We have our own society hidden inside yours."

"And you are one of them."

"Yes. I am an Alpha. Leader of one of the largest packs in this region."

Alpha. The word stirred something in my chest. Something that felt like recognition. "What does that mean?"

"It means I am in charge. I make the rules. I protect my pack." His eyes met mine. "And I protect what is mine."

"I am not yours."

"Yes Freya. You are." He said it with such certainty. Such finality. "You are my mate."

The word hit me like cold water. "Your what?"

"My mate. My destined partner. The one person in the world meant for me." He leaned closer. "I have been searching for you for years. And three weeks ago when you turned nineteen I finally found you."

"That is insane."

"It is the truth. Werewolves have fated mates. We can smell them. Feel them. The bond pulls us together." His hand reached out and touched my face. I flinched but did not pull away. "I knew the moment your scent reached me. You are mine. And I am yours."

"Stop saying that." I stood up fast. Started pacing. "I am not a werewolf. I am human. This is crazy."

"You are not human Freya."

I stopped. Turned to stare at him. "What?"

"You are not human. You are a werewolf. Like me." He stood and moved toward me. "Your mother bound your wolf when you were born. Hid it with magic so no one would know what you were. But the binding is breaking. You are awakening."

No. No no no. "You are lying."

"I am not. Think about it. The dreams you have been having. Running through forests. Hunting. The way your senses have been sharper this week. The way you can hear things you should not hear. Smell things you should not smell." He was right in front of me now. "That is your wolf trying to break free."

I shook my head. Backed away. "My mother was human. She died in a car accident. She was just a regular person."

"Your mother was human yes. But your father was not. He was an Alpha. A powerful one. And when you were born their enemies came for you. So your mother used ancient magic to bind your wolf. To hide you." His voice went soft. "And then those same enemies killed her to keep their secret safe."

The room spun. I grabbed the back of the couch to steady myself. "Kelvin."

"Yes. Kelvin killed your mother under his father's orders." Adrian's jaw clenched. "Asher Brooks wanted your bloodline erased. Your father created laws that Asher hated. Laws against humans and werewolves mating. When your mother had you despite those laws Asher saw it as the ultimate betrayal."

"So he killed her." The words came out flat. Empty. "And he wants to kill me too."

"Yes. But he will not succeed. Because you are mine and I protect what is mine."

"Stop saying that." I wanted to scream. Wanted to cry. Wanted to break something. "I am not yours. I am not a werewolf. This is not real."

"Freya-"

"No." I moved toward the elevator. "I need to leave. I need to think. I need-"

"You cannot leave. It is not safe."

"I do not care." I hit the elevator button. "Let me go."

"No."

"Adrian I swear if you do not let me leave right now-"

"What? What will you do?" He moved in front of the elevator. Blocked my path. "Run back to your apartment where Asher's people are probably waiting? Run to Clara who has been reporting your every move to me for two years? Where exactly do you think you can go?"

Clara. The betrayal hit fresh. "She works for you?"

"She is part of my pack. I asked her to watch over you. To keep you safe until you awakened." His expression softened. "She cares about you Freya. That part was real. But yes she reports to me."

Everyone had lied. Everyone had used me. "Get out of my way."

"No."

"Move Adrian."

"Make me."

We stared at each other. The air between us felt electric. Dangerous. Part of me wanted to hit him. Part of me wanted to kiss him. I did not understand any of it.

"Please." My voice cracked. "Please just let me go. I cannot breathe in here. I cannot think. I need space."

Something flickered in his eyes. Pain maybe. He stepped aside. "Fine. But you are not going alone."

"I do not want you with me."

"Too bad. You are my mate and my responsibility. If you leave you leave with protection." He pulled out his phone and sent a text. "Marcus will meet you downstairs. He will take you wherever you want to go and keep you safe."

"I do not want your protection."

"You have it anyway." He moved to the elevator and held the door open. "Go. But Freya. You cannot run from what you are. And you cannot run from me. Not forever."

I stepped into the elevator. Watched him standing there looking like everything I wanted and everything I feared. The doors started closing.

"I will find you." His voice was quiet. "When you are ready. I will be there."

The doors closed.

I rode down alone. My chest was tight. My hands were shaking. My whole world had exploded in the span of an hour.

Werewolves. Mates. Murder. Magic.

None of it made sense.

But the worst part was that some deep part of me believed him. Believed all of it. Because it explained the dreams. The strange feelings. The way I felt pulled toward Adrian like gravity.

The elevator opened. A man stood in the garage. Tall. Dark hair. Eyes that glowed slightly in the dim light.

"Miss Reed. I am Marcus." His voice was gentle. "Where would you like to go?"

I did not answer. Just walked past him toward the exit. Toward the street. Toward anywhere that was not here.

"Miss Reed wait. It is not safe."

I did not wait. Did not stop. Just kept walking.

Behind me I heard him curse and follow. Heard him calling someone. Probably Adrian.

I did not care.

I turned the corner and started running.

Away from the werewolves. Away from the lies. Away from the man who claimed I belonged to him.

I ran until my lungs burned. Until my feet ached in the stupid expensive heels. Until I could not run anymore.

Then I collapsed on a bench in some park I did not recognize and let myself finally break.

Tears came hot and fast. Sobs tore through my chest. Everything hurt. Everything was wrong.

My mother was murdered. I was not human. Adrian was a werewolf who thought I was his destined mate. And somewhere in the city people were hunting me.

I did not know what to do. Did not know where to go. Did not know anything anymore.

All I knew was that I could not go back. Not to Adrian. Not to that penthouse. Not to the life I thought I had.

So I sat on that bench in my expensive dress and cried until there was nothing left.

And tried very hard not to think about the blue eyed wolf who promised he would find me.

The park was empty.

Just me and the bench and the sound of traffic in the distance. The streetlights cast orange shadows across the grass. My dress was ruined. Dirt on the hem. A tear along the side where I had run too fast. The heels Adrian bought me sat on the ground next to my feet. I could not wear them anymore. Could not stand the reminder of everything that happened tonight.

My phone buzzed in the small clutch I somehow still had. I pulled it out. Twenty three missed calls. Fifteen from Adrian. Eight from Clara. Three texts from a number I did not recognize.

I turned the phone off and shoved it back in the bag.

I did not want to talk to anyone. Did not want to hear more lies or explanations or promises that everything would be okay. Because nothing was okay. Nothing would ever be okay again.

My mother was murdered.

The thought kept circling in my head like a vulture. Not an accident. Not bad luck. Murder. Kelvin put his hands on her and ended her life because his father told him to. And I had loved him. Had let him touch me. Had believed his lies for months.

I wanted to throw up.

The nausea passed after a few minutes. Left me hollow again. Empty. I stared at my hands in my lap. They looked the same as always. Small. Pale. Human hands.

But according to Adrian they were not human at all.

Werewolf.

The word sounded insane even now after watching Adrian turn into a wolf and fight off three others. After seeing his eyes glow blue. After watching him kill without hesitation.

He said I was like him. That my mother bound my wolf to hide me. That I was awakening.

I did not feel like I was awakening. I felt like I was falling apart.

A couple walked past the park. Young. Laughing. His arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him like he was her whole world. They did not even glance at me sitting alone on the bench in a torn dress with no shoes.

I wondered what their lives were like. Simple probably. Normal. No werewolves or murder or supernatural bonds. Just regular human problems like bills and jobs and what to have for dinner.

I wanted that. Wanted normal so badly it hurt.

But I could not have it. Not anymore. Not if Adrian was telling the truth.

And deep down I knew he was. Because as crazy as it sounded everything fit. The dreams. The restlessness. The way my senses had been sharper lately. The pull I felt toward Adrian that made no logical sense.

Mate.

He called me his mate. Said we were destined. That some invisible bond connected us.

I did not want to be connected to anyone. Did not want destiny or fate or whatever cosmic force thought it could decide my life for me.

I had already lost too much control. Lost my mother. Lost the truth about who I was. Lost any sense of safety or normalcy.

I was not losing my choices too.

The night air was getting colder. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to figure out what to do next. I could not stay in this park forever. Could not just sit here and wait for morning.

I needed my things. Clothes. Money. My laptop. Everything was still at my apartment.

Going back there felt dangerous. Adrian said Asher's people might be waiting. That nowhere was safe except with him.

But I could not go back to Adrian. Could not face him after running away. Could not handle more truths or revelations or the way he looked at me like I belonged to him.

My apartment then. Just long enough to grab what I needed. Then I would figure out the rest.

I stood up and picked up the heels. Started walking barefoot down the sidewalk. The concrete was cold under my feet. Rough. A piece of glass cut my heel but I kept walking. The pain felt good. Real. Something I could understand.

The walk took thirty minutes. Maybe longer. I lost track of time. My building looked the same as always. Old brick. Peeling paint around the windows. Mrs. Chen's cat sitting in the first floor window like it always did.

Normal.

I climbed the stairs slowly. Every step felt heavy. When I reached my floor I stopped outside my door and just stared at it.

This was my home. The place I had worked so hard to keep. The place where Kelvin cheated on me less than a week ago.

That felt like a lifetime ago now. Back when my biggest problem was a cheating boyfriend and money for rent. Back when I thought I was human.

I unlocked the door and went inside. Hit the light switch. Nothing happened.

The power was out.

Great. Perfect. Just what I needed.

I used my phone as a flashlight even though the battery was almost dead. The apartment looked wrong in the dim glow. Shadows in all the wrong places. My furniture looked like it belonged to someone else.

I went to my bedroom and pulled out a duffle bag from under the bed. Started shoving clothes inside. Jeans. Shirts. Underwear. I did not fold anything. Just grabbed whatever I could reach.

The bag was half full when I stopped. Looked around the small room. At the bed where I used to sleep. The desk where I did homework. The closet where I kept my mother's things.

My mother's things.

I dropped the bag and went to the closet. Pushed aside my clothes until I found the box in the back. Cardboard. Taped shut. I had not opened it in years. Could not bear to look at her things after she died.

But now I needed to. Needed to see if there was anything. Any clue about what Adrian said. About my father. About the binding.

I carried the box to the bed and sat down. Tore off the tape. The cardboard was soft from age. Inside were clothes. Her favorite sweater. A scarf. Some books.

At the bottom was a jewelry box. Small. Wooden. I opened it. A necklace. Some earrings. A ring I remembered her wearing.

And underneath the ring was a folded piece of paper.

My hands shook as I unfolded it. The paper was old. Yellowed. Covered in my mother's handwriting.

Not a letter. A list.

Names. Dates. Places. None of it made sense. But at the top in bold letters were three words.

KEEP HER SAFE.

I stared at those words until they blurred. Keep her safe. Keep me safe. From what? From who?

I dug deeper in the box. Pushed aside more clothes. My fingers hit something hard. Leather.

A journal.

Small. Brown leather. Worn at the edges like it had been opened a thousand times. I pulled it out and just held it for a moment. This belonged to my mother. She touched this. Wrote in this.

I opened to the first page.

*If you are reading this then I am gone. And you are old enough to know the truth.*

My breath caught. I read the words again. And again.

This was for me. She wrote this for me.

*Freya, my beautiful girl. There is so much I need to tell you. So much I wish I could explain in person. But if you are reading this then that time has passed.*

*You are not what you think you are. Your father was not human. He was something else. Something powerful and dangerous and beautiful.*

*A werewolf.*

My hands were shaking so hard the words jumped on the page.

*I know how this sounds. I know you will not want to believe it. But it is true. Werewolves are real. They live among us. Hidden. And your father was one of the strongest.*

*We met by accident. I was working late. He was passing through the city. One look and I knew. Knew he was different. Knew he was dangerous. Knew I should run.*

*I did not run.*

*We had three months together. Three months of stolen moments and whispered promises. He told me what he was. Showed me. I should have been terrified. Instead I loved him more.*

*Then I found out I was pregnant with you.*

I stopped reading. Pressed the journal to my chest and tried to breathe. My father was a werewolf. My mother knew. She loved him anyway.

And then she had me.

I forced myself to keep reading.

*Your father wanted to take us back to his pack. Wanted to claim me as his mate officially. But his world was dangerous. There were laws. Rules. Politics I did not understand.*

*He was an Alpha. That meant something important to his people. And mating with a human broke those laws. Laws he had helped create to protect others.*

*We argued about what to do. He wanted to fight for us. Wanted to change the rules. I wanted him to be safe. Wanted you to be safe.*

*Then they came.*

*His enemies. The ones who hated the laws. Who saw our love as a betrayal. They attacked. Your father fought them off but we both knew it was only the beginning.*

*He asked me to do something. Something that would keep you safe. He knew a witch. Someone powerful. She could bind your wolf. Hide it so deep that no one would know what you were.*

*It would hurt. The binding would take away part of you. But it would keep you alive.*

*I agreed.*

*The ritual happened the night you were born. You cried so much. I held you while the witch worked her magic. Watched your eyes change from gold back to brown. Felt the power drain away.*

*My baby. My beautiful baby. I took away part of your soul to save your life.*

*Your father left the next day. Said it was safer if no one connected us. Said he would watch from a distance. Keep us protected.*

*I have not seen him since.*

*And now I know they are coming for me. I have been asking too many questions. Getting too close to the truth about where your father went. Who hurt him. Why he stopped reaching out.*

*If you are reading this then I ran out of time.*

The words started to blur. Tears dripped onto the page. I wiped them away quickly. Did not want to damage the ink.

*I need you to know that everything I did was to protect you. The binding. The lies. Moving to this city. All of it was to give you a normal life.*

*But the binding will not last forever. When you turn nineteen it will start to break. Your wolf will wake up. And when it does you will need help.*

*Find Adrian Metcalfe.*

My heart stopped.

*He is an Alpha in the city. One of the strongest. Your father trusted him. Made him promise to watch over you if anything happened.*

*Go to him when you awaken. He will help you. Teach you. Protect you.*

*Trust him Freya. Even when it feels impossible. Trust him.*

The journal fell from my hands onto the bed.

Adrian.

My mother knew about Adrian. My father knew about Adrian.

This was not an accident. Not fate. Not destiny.

This was planned.

Adrian did not just randomly recognize my scent three weeks ago. He had been waiting. Watching. Following orders from my dead father.

Everything was a lie.

The deal. The fake relationship. The way he looked at me. All of it was just him keeping a promise to someone else.

I was not his mate. I was his responsibility.

The betrayal hit harder than anything else tonight. Harder than learning about werewolves. Harder than finding out Kelvin killed my mother.

Because some part of me had wanted it to be real. Wanted Adrian to actually want me for me. Not because of some bond or promise or obligation.

I grabbed the journal and kept reading. Needed to know the rest. Needed to see what else she lied about.

*There is more you need to know. About your father. About your bloodline. About why you are so important.*

*But I am running out of time. They are getting closer. I can feel it.*

*The rest is in the safe deposit box. Key is hidden in the lining of my jewelry box. Bank of America on Fifth Street. Box number 2847.*

*Everything is there. Your father's letters. The truth about the pack wars. Why you are in danger.*

I love you Freya. More than anything in this world. I am sorry I could not be there to help you through this.

Be strong. Be brave. Be the woman I know you can be.

And remember. You are more powerful than you know.

Love always,

Mom

The last page was blank. That was it. That was all she wrote.

I sat on the bed holding the journal and tried to process everything. My father was an Alpha. My mother loved him. They had me. Enemies came. She bound my wolf to save me. Then she died trying to find out what happened to him.

And Adrian had known this whole time.

Known who I was. What I was. What I was supposed to become.

He played me. Made me think this was about chemistry or attraction or fate. When really it was just a promise he made to a dead man.

My phone buzzed again. Still turned off but the vibration broke through my thoughts. I grabbed it and turned it back on. Another text from the unknown number.

*You cannot hide forever. We know where you are.*

Ice flooded my veins.

I jumped up from the bed. Grabbed the duffle bag. Shoved the journal inside. Went to the jewelry box and tore at the lining until I found the key. Small. Silver. I pocketed it.

Then I heard footsteps in the hallway.

Heavy. Slow. Deliberate.

They stopped outside my door.

I held my breath and stared at the doorknob. Watched it turn slowly.

I had locked it. I knew I locked it.

The door opened anyway.

A man stepped inside. Tall. Broad shoulders. Eyes that glowed faintly in the darkness.

"Hello Freya." His voice was cold. "We have been looking for you."