Chapter 4 SECRET

SECRET

Grandpa lay motionless-he couldn't speak or open his eyes. Blood pooled around him, but it wasn't his. Someone had scrawled a chilling message in crimson: "Give her up or lose everything." The strokes were jagged, angry-as though scratched by claws instead of fingers. Whoever wrote it hadn't just come to threaten us. They wanted me gone.

I stood frozen, staring as Mama and Dad lifted Papa off the floor. Mama went into her drawer and returned with a bundle of herbs-an ancient remedy passed down through the pack. She administered it swiftly before tucking him into bed.

"They're here," Mama whispered, panic tightening her voice. "I told you she wasn't safe."

Fear gripped her face like a clawed hand.

Dad knelt beside the bed, speechless.

"Who is she?" I whispered to myself. "And why isn't she safe here?"

I crept quietly toward Mama Lupa's room, pausing by her slightly open door. Their hushed voices reached me.

"What did they say? What were they after this time?" Mama's voice trembled.

"They wore long black coats," Papa rasped. "Hoods shadowed their faces. In their hands-blades engulfed in flame. And their bodies sparked with white lightning. The kind that would make even an Alpha flinch." He coughed weakly. "They smelled... like magic. Old, dark magic."

Mama gasped. "Then it's true. The old enemy has returned. Rowena is not safe here. She must go to Moonlight Institute. The full-moon barrier there wards off anything dark. As long as she stays within it, she'll be protected."

A chill ran through me. Oh no... I finally understood who she was.

She was me.

What was going to happen to me?

A memory stirred-half-forgotten. I'd once heard whispers about such enemies in a bedtime story meant to scare pups. Warriors with lightning in their veins. I'd laughed back then. But Mama wasn't laughing now.

I ran to my room and collapsed onto my bed. Outside, the moon glowed wide and bright.

Was I cursed? Why me?

The weight of unanswered questions pressed into my chest. I couldn't sleep-thoughts stormed inside my head. For the first time in years, I longed for the daylight. My heart pounded like a caged animal.

"Hey, honey, everything will be fine," Mama said gently.

But I saw it-fear plain on her face, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

I didn't want her to worry more, so I forced a smile. Even though my own heart raced like a runaway wolf.

"Come on, Mama Lupa," I said, pretending to be brave. "I'm a grown woman-like you said earlier. I can handle a few spooky warnings." I laughed lightly. "I'm fine. Go to bed."

It was morning before I dragged myself out of bed. My eyes were red-like I'd spent the night in battle, though my only fight was with sleep. I'd been glued to my laptop, researching every detail Papa had described. No rational explanation came up. The closest thing I found were ancient texts-about soul-bound hunters and elemental warriors. Mythical enemies of wolf-kind.

My head throbbed. I stumbled into the kitchen. The warm, familiar space grounded me. The aroma of coffee and the quiet hum of appliances helped me feel normal, if only for a moment.

The crisp white walls and deep wood cabinets radiated comfort. The floor, worn from years of barefoot meals and early morning routines, creaked beneath me. The fridge stood tall in the corner, plastered with magnets, notes, and smiling photos. Opposite it, the gas range hummed. This was the heart of the house-untouched by fear.

I grabbed a bottle of milk and drank like I hadn't eaten in days.

Still restless, I stepped outside. My headphones blared my favorite jam on loop, trying to distract me from the chaos in my mind. The woods smelled fresh-like pine and dew. In the distance, pups chased each other through the clearing, shifting mid-run. Their playful howls echoed through the trees.

I longed to join them, to feel the wind in my fur-but I'd been warned not to shift.

Not until I was sure.

Not until it was safe.

I ran harder. Maybe if I moved fast enough, I could outrun the truth.

Outrun whatever I really was.

"Hey Rowena! It's been a while!" a voice called from behind me.