Lottie’s POV

My heart slams against my ribs as the shadow flickers outside the packhouse window, a dark blur against the moonlit pines. The air inside is thick, heavy with tension and the scent of leather and woodsmoke. I’m clinging to Katie, her arms a lifeline, but my skin prickles, like something wild is clawing inside me. Noah’s words, your wolf echo in my head, impossible, insane. I’m Charlotte Montgomery, a vet, not a werewolf. Not someone’s daughter from a secret world. But that howl, that shadow, it’s real, and it’s coming for me. I feel small, pitiful, like I’m drowning in a nightmare I can’t wake from.“Lottie, breathe,” Katie says, her blue eyes fierce as she grips my shoulders. “What the hell is happening?”“I don’t know,” I choke out, my voice shaking. “They’re saying I’m a werewolf.

That Everett’s my dad. It’s crazy, Katie.”Noah steps closer, his green eyes burning with intensity. He’s all muscle and power, and despite my fear, his presence pulls at me, like a magnet I can’t resist. “It’s not crazy, Lottie,” he says, voice low, steady. “You felt that howl. Your wolf did too.”“My wolf?” I snap, pulling away from Katie. “I don’t have a wolf! I’m human!” My hands tremble, and I hate how weak I sound, how fragile I feel.Everett, his silver-streaked hair catching the firelight, steps forward, his face etched with guilt. “Charlotte, you’re our daughter. Grace and I hid you to protect you. From Mason. From this life.”“Stop saying that!” I shout, tears stinging my eyes. “My parents are Mark and Claire. They raised me. You don’t get to just… claim me!”Caden, leaning against the wall, crosses his arms, his green eyes sharp. “Doesn’t change the truth, Lottie. You’re one of us. Always have been.”“One of you?” I laugh, bitter, my voice cracking.

“I’m a vet who got her house trashed! I don’t belong here!”River moves to my side, his amber eyes soft, his hand brushing mine. “You do belong. You’re stronger than you think.” His touch is gentle, grounding, but it’s not enough to stop the panic spiraling in my chest.“Strong?” I scoff, wiping tears. “I’m terrified. Someone destroyed my home, and now there’s a… a shadow out there!”Noah’s jaw tightens, and he glances at the window. “Mason’s testing us. He wants you, Lottie. Your power.”“Power?” I shake my head, my stomach twisting. “I don’t have any power. I’m just me.”“You’re a hybrid,” Everett says, his voice heavy. “Half-wolf, half-something else. It’s why Mason’s after you. Why did Georgia try to scare you off.”“Georgia?” Katie cuts in, her red curls bouncing as she glares. “That blonde bitch from earlier? She did this?”I nod, my throat tight. “She hates me. I think I don’t belong with Noah.”

Noah’s eyes flash, and he steps so close I can feel his heat, his scent pine and musk making my head spin. “You’re mine, Lottie,” he says, voice rough, possessive. “No one’s taking you from me.” His words ignite something deep, a warmth that battles my fear, but it’s too much, too fast.“Yours?” I whisper, my pulse racing. I want to lean into him, to let his strength swallow my weakness, but I’m scared. Scared of him, of this, of everything.Katie grabs my hand, pulling me back. “Okay, big guy, back off. She’s freaking out, and you’re not helping.”“Katie’s right,” I say, my voice trembling. “I need answers, not… whatever this is.” I gesture at Noah, at the pull between us that’s making my skin burn.Caden pushes off the wall, his tone sharp. “Answers won’t keep you safe. Mason’s out there, and he’s not playing games.”

Another howl rips through the night, closer, chilling my blood. I flinch, and Noah’s arm wraps around my waist, pulling me against his chest. His touch is electric, and for a moment, I want to melt into him, to forget the chaos. But fear claws at me, and I push away, my breath ragged.“What does he want with me?” I demand, looking at Everett. “Why me?”“Your hybrid blood,” Everett says, his eyes haunted. “It’s rare. Powerful. Mason thinks he can use it to control the packs.”“Control?” I choke out. “I can’t even control myself right now!”River steps closer, his voice calm. “You will, Lottie. We’ll help you. You’re not alone.”I want to believe him, but my head’s spinning. The room feels too small, the air too thick. And then I feel a sharp tug inside, like something’s waking up, clawing at my ribs.

My vision blurs, and I gasp, clutching my chest.“Lottie!” Noah’s voice is urgent, his hands on my face. “Look at me. Focus.”“What’s happening to me?” I whisper, my voice breaking. The tug grows stronger, wild, like a beast trying to break free.“Your wolf,” Noah says, his eyes locked on mine. “She’s waking up. Let her.”“Let her?” I cry, panic surging. “I don’t know how!”Katie grabs my shoulders, her voice firm. “You’ve got this, Lottie. You’re tougher than you think.”But I don’t feel tough. I feel like I’m falling apart, like the world’s closing in. The lights flicker again, and a crash echoes outside glass shattering, wood splintering. My heart stops.“They’re here,” Caden growls, pulling a knife from his belt. “Mason’s pack.”Noah’s body tenses, his arm tightening around me. “Stay with her,” he orders River, then turns to Everett. “We take them down. Now.”“No!” I grab Noah’s arm, my nails digging in. “Don’t leave me!”

His eyes soften, and he cups my face, his thumb brushing my cheek. “I’ll come back, Lottie. I promise.” His voice is a vow, and the heat in his gaze makes my breath catch, desire warring with fear.Everett nods, his face grim. “We’ll handle it, Charlotte. Stay inside.”They rush out, leaving me with River and Katie. My chest heaves, the tug inside growing sharper, painful. I stumble, and River catches me, his arms steady.“Lottie, you okay?” he asks, worried in his eyes.“No,” I gasp, my vision swimming. “Something’s wrong. I feel… her.”Katie kneels beside me, her voice urgent. “Her? Your wolf? Lottie, what’s happening?”Before I can answer, a snarl rips through me, low and primal, not my own. My body jerks, and I scream, the sound morphing into a howl. My bones ache, my skin burns, and I collapse, the world tilting. Outside, shouts and growls erupt, the fight closing in. And then, through the chaos, a figure steps into the doorway tall, scarred, eyes glowing with malice. Mason.“Well, well,” he says, his voice a low, dangerous drawl. “There’s my Luna.”