The evening stretched long and tense. Thunder rumbled in the distance as Nova stood at the window, acutely aware of Kaidan’s presence just behind her, pacing slowly. Her lips still tingled from the raw essence of his kiss the night before. She couldn’t believe she was still thinking about it, with dangers lurking outside. She could feel the heat of his body, mere inches away. The air between them crackled with unresolved tension—part desire, part danger.

Kaidan’s breath ghosted over her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. “You should get some rest,” he said gruffly, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her body. But he didn’t move away.

“How can I?” she asked softly, turning to face him. Her breath caught. He was standing so close, close enough that she could reach out. She shifted her gaze. “I can’t rest when you’re practically wearing a path in the floorboards.” Her attempt at casualness fell flat, betrayed by the tremor in her words.

“Did something happen out there in the woods?” she asked, trying to catch his gaze. He stepped back and turned away.

“No,” he replied, voice rough. Nova opened her mouth to argue, but pain suddenly lanced through her temples. She gripped the window frame as dizziness swept over her, the world tilting sideways. Behind closed eyes, images began to flash: marble hallways stretching endlessly before her, the rustle of papers in her hands, the thunder of footsteps behind her, getting closer…

“Nova?” Kaidan’s voice cut through her vision, closer now. His hand hovered near her shoulder, not quite touching. “What’s wrong?”

She forced her eyes open, finding him mere inches away, concern breaking through his carefully maintained distance. “I remembered something,” she whispered, voice trembling. “I was running from someone. There were documents…”

She searched his face, noting how he went completely still. “Why would someone be chasing me, Kaidan?”

“What else do you remember?” he asked softly.

Before she could answer, another memory crashed over her: a man’s voice, smooth as silk but dripping with menace: “You can’t hide forever, little wolf…”

Her eyes flew open, heart hammering. “Little wolf?” she repeated, confusion etched across her features. “Why would someone call me that?”

Kaidan went completely still, his face draining of color. In that moment, a howl pierced the night—not the mournful cry of a lone wolf, but something far more sinister. Something hunting.

“We need to leave,” Kaidan announced abruptly, moving to gather supplies. “Now.”

“What? Why?” Nova stood, legs shaky. “Kaidan, what aren’t you telling me?”

He paused in his frantic packing, green eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. “Because you’re not just running from someone, Nova. You’re running from something. And it’s found us.”

A crash echoed from outside, followed by multiple howls that seemed to surround the cabin. Nova’s newly remembered words echoed in her mind: “You can’t hide forever, little wolf…”

“Kaidan,” she whispered, terror creeping into her voice. “What am I?”

Before he could answer, the cabin’s windows exploded inward in a shower of glass and splintered wood. Through the broken panes, pairs of glowing eyes peered in—far too many to count, and definitely not belonging to ordinary wolves.

But what made Nova’s blood run cold wasn’t the sight of the creatures. It was the fact that, deep inside, something within her wanted to howl back.

The world exploded into chaos. Glass shards rained down as massive wolves crashed through the windows, eyes gleaming with predatory intelligence. Kaidan moved with supernatural speed, shoving Nova behind him.

“Run,” he commanded, his voice transforming into a growl that seemed barely human. Before Nova’s stunned eyes, Kaidan’s body began to change, muscles rippling and expanding beneath his clothes.

Nova couldn’t move. Another memory slammed into her: “The first change is always the hardest,” a woman’s voice, gentle but firm, whispered in her mind. “Accept what you are, Nova. Fighting it only makes it worse…”

Pain hit her then—bone-deep and searing. Nova collapsed to her knees, body burning from within. Through tear-blurred eyes, she watched Kaidan complete his transformation, becoming the massive wolf she’d seen in the woods. He stood between her and the intruders, black fur bristling, fangs bared in challenge.

Kane’s wolf form sauntered through the broken window, larger than the others. His amber eyes fixed on Nova with knowing amusement. When he spoke, his thoughts projected directly into her mind: “So, brother, you didn’t tell her? How deliciously cruel of you.”

Kaidan’s answering growl shook the cabin’s foundations. But before either brother could move, Nova screamed. Her bones were shifting, realigning in ways that should have been impossible. The change was taking her, ready or not.

“No,” she gasped, fighting the transformation. “This isn’t… I can’t be…”

“Oh, but you are,” Kane’s mental voice purred. “You’re not just any wolf, dear Nova. You’re an Alpha’s daughter—the reason why Kaidan was banished.”

Fresh memories cascaded through Nova’s mind: her father’s compound, the secret documents she’d stolen, the truth about why Kaidan had really been banished, the conspiracy that went deeper than pack politics.

“That’s right,” Kane continued, circling closer. “Remember who you are. Remember why you ran. Remember what your father plans to do with the other packs…”

Kaidan lunged at his brother, jaw snapping. The other wolves surged forward, but froze at a commanding howl from outside—a howl that made Nova’s blood run cold. Through the broken window, a massive white wolf appeared, its presence radiating absolute authority. Despite his age and weakness, power emanated in waves.

Nova’s heart stopped. She knew that wolf.

“Father,” she whispered, just as the change finally took her. Her last human thought was a desperate realization: she hadn’t fallen from that cliff she’d jumped from… now she remembered why.