The shifters surged forward, enveloping us in cheers and exuberant shouts. Billy was hoisted onto shoulders and paraded around the field. Amidst this whirlwind of jubilation, I felt a wave of relief, joy, and peace emanating from the gathered shifters.Billy was about to face a challenging task, but if anyone could lead Wolf Bay to its rightful place, it was him.The entire household buzzed with activity as preparations for the Solstice celebration reached their climax. The longest night coinciding with a full moon promised an epic party.As I readied myself to greet the guests, a surge of nerves accompanied my anticipation. Tony grasped my hand reassuringly. "You’re going to be great. Nothing bad is going to happen. This is what you’ve been working so hard for the last year."He was right, and his unwavering support had been invaluable. Together, we had strived to mend pack relations and lay the groundwork for positive change among the shifters.Tonight was pivotal. Our efforts to re
I rose to my tiptoes, enveloping Billy in an embrace. "You’re going to be an amazing alpha."Returning the hug, he urged, "Be careful, okay?""You too," I replied before stepping back. "I’ll be in touch soon.""I’ll be okay," he assured me."I know you will," I said with certainty."You will too, you know. You were born for this," he smiled warmly. Our bond, forged through trials, felt unbreakable, a connection that would last a lifetime.Billy rejoined his pack, and I walked over to my waiting entourage. "Malcom, would you stay with Billy for a few days? Just so he has someone loyal here.""Of course," Malcom agreed. "Now, go. See your mom. Billy’s got this, but just in case, he’s got me."The drive back to the house felt endless. Conversation attempts failed, leaving us engulfed in a heavy silence. Most of us were too drained or overwhelmed to speak."She’s going to be fine," Tony reassured me, squeezing my hand from the backseat.I glanced at him, grateful that it was just us in th
As I stood by the window, the paper calendar on my wall rustled in the wind and I looked over at the marked-off days. Only six more days to go until I could finally be free. I tightened my jacket around me and gazed outside, where the sky was a gloomy shade of gray, and the clouds looked ominous, as if a tornado might be on its way. Late spring weather was notoriously unpredictable.Part of me hoped that the storm would hit my mother's dilapidated trailer and allow me to escape permanently. However, I knew that it wouldn't be that easy. The pack's magic kept the worst weather at bay and also prevented us from causing ourselves harm. Unfortunately, it didn't stop other pack members from hurting me.I could have tried to provoke Ray and his cronies to take more drastic action, but that would have meant risking my life. Killing another pack member was punishable by death, but I doubted anyone would shed a tear for me. And the next alpha would likely dispose of the "broken wolf" without a
Despite the pain and fear caused by Ray's attack, Elisa tried to focus on her work at the store. She couldn't shake off the feeling of dread, though. Ray had never been that violent towards her before, and she didn't know what could have triggered his behavior. The possibility that he had developed some kind of aggressive streak after shifting into his wolf form sent shivers down her spine. If he became alpha of the pack, they would all be in serious trouble.Elisa's thoughts were interrupted by her manager's voice. She snapped back to reality and started unpacking boxes of canned goods. She was grateful for the distraction, but her head was still throbbing from the assault. She had to hide her symptoms to avoid attracting attention from her colleagues or customers.As she worked her way through the boxes of beans, corn, and beets, Elisa couldn't help but wonder why they sold so many beets. Did wolf shifters have a secret craving for them? It was an odd thing, but she had to restock t
Ray seemed to be everywhere, whether it was in the halls, at the store, or even on the street. As instructed, I attempted to blend in with the crowd, cowering behind other people or even hiding behind a tree. It was hardly a stealthy approach since Ray had already spotted me, but to his credit, he averted his gaze. He even went as far as distracting his friends to ensure that they didn't catch sight of me, unless I was just imagining it.It didn't make sense. Years of being bullied and physically assaulted had left their mark on me. The memories of broken bones and bruises were too vivid for me to ignore Ray's warning. Every time I hid, I felt like a failure, even though I had survived so far on nothing more than sheer determination. Fleeing from a literal "big bad wolf" was wreaking havoc on my self-esteem.But the end was in sight. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that no one knew of my plans to attend a human college. I was determined to make something of myself, even
The abrupt sound of a slamming door jolted me from my sleep, instantly bringing me to full alertness, my heart racing. A man's voice erupted in a shout, followed by the resonating echo of my mother's voice, and then a loud crash against a wall. With urgency coursing through me, I hurriedly swung my legs out of bed and swiftly unlocked my bedroom door. Just as I stumbled into the living room, the front door to our modest trailer banged shut with a forceful finality.There stood my mom, disheveled and draped in a worn-out bathrobe, at the entrance of her slightly ajar bedroom. Her fiery red hair was in disarray, and smeared lipstick adorned her mouth. Even though she wasn't actively crying, the streaks left by her mascara hinted at recent tears."Are you alright?" I inquired, concern lacing my words.Slowly, my mother turned away from the partially open door and directed her gaze toward me. In that moment, her eyes widened as if truly seeing me for the first time in a while. Our interac
Furious, I slammed the cup down on the counter and stormed back into my room. The time had come to depart. I wasn't certain when the magic barrier would permit my exit, but I had no intention of lingering here. My educated guess was that I could probably venture out sometime after moonrise, but I couldn't afford to wait around. Any head start was better than none. Swiftly, I assembled a peanut butter sandwich and collected an assortment of snacks to sustain me over the next few days, just in case the journey to Wolf Bay took longer than expected. One more bitter aspect of this place gnawed at me: the lack of geographical knowledge. Though aware that we were situated in the United States, with temperate winters and scorching summers occasionally dusted with snow, the specifics remained a mystery. A hotel might be days away, or I might stumble upon a bustling city. But no matter how many adult
"Make your choice," Julian's voice dripped with a mixture of mockery and proximity to the door. "How wide can you manage to open that mouth of yours?""Disgusting," I retorted, repulsed by his insinuation."Why else would Ray want you around if you're not giving in?" Julian's taunting tone persisted."I'm not involved with Ray in that way," I declared firmly. In truth, I wasn't involved with anyone. There wasn't a single member of this pack I'd willingly share intimacy with. My desires were present, but they were far more subdued compared to the heightened libidos of shifters. I'd accidentally stumbled upon fellow classmates in compromising situations in the library on more than one occasion. While I might find my release privately, I reserved it for moments behind locked doors at home.At least the curse had its silver lining. I couldn't fathom engaging in sexual encounters with any of the detestable individuals here. The concern of human STDs wasn't a factor, but the risk of pregnan