An unsettling quiet wraps around me as I watch the last few embers of fire fade, like stars winking out at the end of a long night.
Staring into the ashes, I can’t help but wonder…
How much longer can this go on?
Where I once saw the cozy haven that was my new home, only charred remains clutch at the dark. The firetrucks are long gone, and the chaos has settled into an eerie calm.
Yet, disbelief gnaws at me, refusing to let go.
I stand here, heart heavy with loss and burning with anger, under the indifferent light of a crescent moon—so starkly different from the fiery inferno that consumed my home hours ago.
In the distance, the soft howls of my pack blend with the night, a mournful echo of our shared grief. Part of me yearns to join them, to share in their lament, but I can’t afford tears now.
No shrinking back.
Not when Troy, my ex-turned-foe and soon werewolf, is out there plotting with Andres—the Alpha brazen enough to threaten everything I hold dear. He dared to target my children and nearly succeeded, if not for Alanna and her mysterious, destructive powers.
And as if my plate isn't full enough, a weighty prophecy looms over Stone and me, clouding my thoughts.
I need clarity.
I need a plan.
Feeling lost, as if caught in someone else’s dark tale, I barely register Stone’s presence until his hand rests reassuringly on my back. Silent and strong, he’s always there when I need him most, reminding me we're in this together, come what may.
“We’ll rebuild,” I whisper, trying to convince myself as much as him. “Not just the house, but… everything. I won’t let Andres think he’s rattled us. The pack”—I sigh—“I’ll protect the pack. Somehow.”
“I know,” Stone replies, his voice firm as resolve bleeds into his words. His hands press against my shoulders as he twists me to face him. “Andres won’t know what hit him. But in the meantime, you need to rest.” I open my mouth to say I have no home to rest in, but he beats me to it when he continues, “You and the kids are staying with me.”
I glance into his emerald eyes and they flare, daring me to defy him.
There’s no room for argument there. I get it.
I might be Alpha, but it’s not like we have anywhere else to go.
Yet my stomach still flips at the idea of staying with him because I know where that puts me.
In his bed.
We’ve gotten so close—but not that close. Not yet.
And I still don’t have a good reason why.
So, the idea that this might finally put us on a collision course…
Instead of sinking into the strangely giddy feeling that threatens to play at my heart and definitely my body, I simply nod in silent agreement.
My gaze extends past Stone to Asher. For tonight, he’s being the protective older brother, as he stands close to Avery with his arm around her shoulders.
They’re trying to be strong, but I can see the uncertainty in their eyes. They’ve grown up so much these past few months. Yet in moments like these, I’m painfully aware that they’re still just kids.
Still ridiculously vulnerable. Breakable.
And my life is an utter mess.
A freight train of a disaster.
Big time.
Hell, my house looks like the aftermath of said train rolling through, come to think of it.
I glance at Alanna, realizing I need a word with her. Alone.
After everything she did—not only protecting my kids but the sheer scale of destruction we’re only now really comprehending—I need to get a clearer picture of what she is and if she can help us with whatever else might be coming our way.
“Asher, Avery,” I say, ensuring my voice remains steady—just a hint of the Alpha I need to be right now. “We’ll be staying with Stone for a little while. At least until things settle down. I need to speak with Alanna, then we’ll head out.”
Asher gives a firm nod. While Avery tries to match his bravery, her eyes tell a story of mixed fear and determination. Her anxiety has to be running rampant under the surface, but she’s doing her best not to let it win.
I turn toward Alanna, who stands slightly apart from the group, watching the embers wink out the way I had. She’s stayed with us, even after my pack members left.
Her ordinarily light-hearted vibe has shifted tonight. Her posture is tense, as if she’s ready to take on more adversaries at a moment’s notice.
God, I hope not.
“Alanna, can I have a word?” I ask, gesturing to a more secluded area of the yard.
She nods, an air of apprehension apparent in the way she moves. It’s like she’s been waiting for this discussion and now that it’s finally here, she’s not entirely ready for it.
Hell, I’m not sure I’m ready for it.
We move away from the others, stepping nearer the large willow tree that looks entirely too big for the space now that the house is gone.
“Alanna, I need to understand,” I begin, my gaze fixed on hers. My eyes float to the snake tattoo weaving its way up her neck and remember her description of it. About how she might look harmless but could be deadly, too. “You saved my kids, and for that, I’m eternally grateful. But the power you wielded... it’s unlike anything I’ve seen. Which isn’t really saying much, I guess.” I scratch the side of my temple. I need to just come out with it. “What are you?”
She inhales sharply.
“Ella, it’s not that simple,” Alanna says, her eyes scanning the surroundings. “The power I have... some would kill to put it to use. Bad people. It’s one thing to use it and another to say the words out loud. I can’t discuss it here, out in the open. It’s not safe.”
Her words send a chill down my spine.
The implications of that are both intriguing and terrifying.
“But you will tell me?” I press gently, understanding more than most the delicacy of the situation.
Alanna nods, her expression solemn. “Of course, I owe you that much. But it has to be somewhere private. Somewhere… secure.”
I nod, accepting her condition. There’s a world out there, full of mysteries and powers beyond my comprehension. And it seems like I’m only starting to scratch the surface.
“Okay, we’ll find another time and place. Just... be ready to explain everything.”
She nods, shooting me one of her sweet, careful smiles.
I reach out, giving her arm a gentle squeeze, and hoping it relays the message that I’m not upset with her.
“We’re heading out now. So, why don’t you go home and get some rest, too,” I say, glancing over my shoulder to where Stone and the kids are standing.
“Yeah, I suppose it’s getting late,” she whispers.
“Again, thank you, Alanna,” I say, holding my chin high.
“It was my pleasure, Ella. I know how important family is,” she replies, glancing past the house and out to the street. “Talk to you soon.”
“Sounds good.”
As she disappears into the shadows, leaving a trail of unanswered questions, I find myself standing alone under the large willow tree. The night is deathly quiet around me, however, my mind is anything but.
What kind of being could Alanna be?
Her abilities are beyond the scope of any supernatural creature I’ve come in contact with. And her caution... it suggests dangers I haven’t even considered.
I don’t like that. Not at all.
Then, on top of this clusterfuck is the prophecy Clementine dropped in our laps and promised to explain in the morning.
I lean against the willow, allowing myself a moment to just breathe and think.
The Moon Wolves prophecy.
Luna Scrolls.
Clementine’s words echo in my mind. She said it would change everything.
What did she discover? How does it tie in with me—with Stone?
The uncertainty of not knowing weighs heavily on me. There are so many secrets now and so many unanswered questions.
I don’t know how all of this happened, if I’m honest.
This prophecy could redefine our roles within the pack—within the world at large. Hell, our very existence.
For the first time since becoming an Alpha, ironically, I feel the weight of destiny—not just duty—resting on my shoulders. I can’t say I’m a fan.
I turn back to Stone, Asher, and Avery, trying to steady the whirlwind of thoughts in my mind. They need me to be stable. Grounded.
Kicking off the tree, I make my way back to them. I glance at the kids, hoping to sound reassuring and calm when I’d rather be in the woods screaming my head off.
“Let’s get going,” I say, my voice more steady than I feel. “But first, we need to grab some essentials. Clothes, for starters.”
The thought of going shopping seems ludicrous in the current scenario, but I’m nothing if not practical. Besides, the makeshift clothes I’m wearing, given to me in a blur of emergency, hang off me awkwardly and are a constant reminder of how unprepared we were for tonight’s events.
The last thing I want to do is dress in them again in the morning. I’d rather toss them into the pit of my house and watch them burn, too.
Stone nods, understanding clear in his expression. “We’ll make a quick stop on the way home.”
Home.
The word hits different now, filled with images of Stone's place, not mine—a thought that sends a confusing thrill through me.
Focusing on Alpha duties should be my priority, not the simmering tension between us, but Stone’s magnetic pull is a flame that I can't ignore—not sure if I even want to, to be honest.
With every glance, every brush of our hands, a sharp spark of awareness zips through me. My mind screams of the bigger threats—Andres, the safety of our pack, Troy’s next move, the futures of my children—yet my heart stubbornly drifts toward him, tugged by a force that’s getting harder to resist.
“The kids need clothes too,” Stone adds, his voice breaking through my tumultuous thoughts. “We’ll get everything sorted.”
I nod, trying to focus on the practicalities, but my mind is like a pingpong ball stuck inside my head. Bouncing back and forth between all the insanity we’re under.
We walk toward my Highlander, the only thing left untouched in the chaos, it seems. As Stone opens the rear passenger door to help Avery into the vehicle, I catch another glimpse of the protective side of him that I’ve come to rely on.
Come to adore about him.
He treats my children with such respect—such love and devotion. It makes my heart skip beats.
Asher opens his door and then takes a moment to look back at the ruins of our home. His face, usually so full of youthful confidence, now mirrors the loss we all feel. We haven’t lived here long, but it was the new beginning we all needed.
And now…
I have no idea what it all means. Or what to do next.
I just know I can’t take this lying down. It’s not how werewolves work.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned these past few months, it’s that.
To not fight back is certain death.
Following to the Highlander, a sudden, unfamiliar scent catches my attention. It’s faint, yet distinctively magical. Like the redolence of lightning right before it strikes.
A sense of unease washes over me, and I pause, sniffing the air, trying to pinpoint its origin.
Meeting Stone’s eyes, I see the same alertness mirrored in his gaze. He’s noticed it too.
Someone’s here, watching, he says through our mental bond as he scans the shadows around us.
The revelation sends a new jolt of adrenaline through me.
Who would be watching us from the shadows?
A spy of Andres?
Or perhaps something even more sinister—unknown to us?
My jaw tightens, and I scan the dark perimeter of my property.
We need to find out who it is before we leave. If they’re tracking us… His mental voice trails off, but the implication hangs heavily in the air.
The danger of leading an unknown threat to his home—where Asher and Avery would be, is too great.
We can’t risk it. Not after tonight.
Just as I’m about to call out, a figure shrouded in shadow steps into a sliver of moonlight.