During the burial, I wrestled with the pain of discovering my true identity and the strange half-werewolf symptoms haunting me. Why had my father and grandfather hidden my bloodline and kept me from my people? Was it simply to stop me from joining a pack — or was there a darker reason, perhaps involving Xavier?

Xavier’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save them,” he said solemnly. “I am deeply sorry for your loss.”

His words made me think about the ...