Chapter Seven – Fractured Truths

Alice lay flat on her back, staring at the ceiling in Mira’s bedroom. The faint glow from the streetlamp outside slipped through the curtains, leaving silver streaks on the walls. The world outside felt calm, but inside her chest it was chaos. She couldn’t stop seeing Liam and Kane in the woods—fangs bared, claws flashing in the moonlight. The snarls, the breaking branches, the sharp smell of blood—it wouldn’t leave her.

Sleep refused to come. Every time she shut her eyes, the memories came back: Liam’s face twisting as he shifted, Kane’s warning voice, the truth she had stumbled into.

“You’re restless,” Mira’s voice cut into the silence.

Alice turned her head. Mira was lying beside her, resting on one elbow, studying her with concern. Her dark hair spilled across her shoulder, and in the dim light, her eyes looked softer than usual. She didn’t look like the popular, untouchable girl everyone feared at school. Right now, she looked almost gentle.

“I can’t sleep,” Alice admitted quietly.

Mira shifted closer, their arms brushing. “You don’t have to keep holding it all in. I can tell something’s eating you up.”

Alice’s throat tightened. She wanted to bury it, to keep it hidden like always. But before she could stop herself, the words slipped out. “I saw something, Mira. In the woods.”

Mira’s gaze sharpened. “Something?”

Alice sat up, clutching the blanket like a shield. “I’m not imagining it. I know what I saw. Liam and Kane… they’re not—” She couldn’t even finish the word.

Mira didn’t flinch. She leaned in, her voice calm. “Werewolves.”

Alice froze. “You knew?”

Mira nodded. “I’ve always known.”

The room seemed to tilt. Alice had been carrying this heavy secret, and Mira already knew?

“How?” Alice whispered.

Mira gave a small, bitter smile. “Because I pay attention. Things don’t add up here unless you look past the lies. Liam and Kane? They’ve been hiding things for a long time. I figured it out ages ago. I was just waiting for you to realize it too.”

Alice pressed a hand to her mouth. Relief and betrayal crashed together inside her. “And you never told me?”

“I didn’t think you were ready,” Mira said. Then she reached out and took Alice’s trembling hand. “But now you are.”

Alice blinked at her. She expected to feel exposed or scared, but instead she felt… lighter. Like she didn’t have to carry it all by herself anymore.

“Mira…” Alice’s voice shook. “There’s more. My dad… my family… we’re hunters. Werewolf hunters.”

Mira stiffened for just a second, then let out a quiet laugh. “Of course you are.”

Alice frowned. “You’re not scared?”

“Scared? Please. Nothing about you scares me.” Mira tilted her head, a sly smile forming. “It actually makes sense. You’ve always walked like you’ve got a knife hidden under your skin. Now I know why.”

Alice’s chest tightened. She’d always hidden that part of herself, afraid of rejection. But Mira didn’t back away. She leaned closer. “I told you, you don’t have to face this alone. Whatever you’re feeling—I’m here.”

And for the first time since the woods, Alice believed her.

Later, when the room was darker and quieter, Alice whispered, “What do I do, Mira? About Liam. About Kane. About everything. My dad can’t find out—he’ll kill them. But if I keep quiet, I’m betraying him too.”

Mira sat at the foot of the bed, looking thoughtful. “Secrets never stay buried, Alice. They’ll come out eventually. You need to stop running. Go with your father on the next hunt. Face it. If you hide, this will eat you alive. But if you step into it, you’ll be in control.”

Alice stared at her. “You want me to… hunt?”

“I want you to see for yourself,” Mira said firmly. “You won’t stop being afraid until you face it head-on. If Liam and Kane are what you say, then you need to know what that means for you.”

Alice’s stomach twisted. The thought terrified her, but Mira’s words sank deep, sounding more like a promise than advice.

“You think I can handle it?” Alice whispered.

Mira tucked a strand of hair behind Alice’s ear and smiled. “You’re stronger than you think.”

The next night, Alice stood at the forest’s edge. Moonlight painted the trees silver. Her father, Samuel Ashford, stood tall beside her with a rifle slung across his back and a silver knife strapped to his leg. His presence was so firm and cold, even the forest seemed to bow away from him.

“You sure about this?” he asked.

Alice nodded, even though her stomach churned. “Yes.”

They moved into the woods. Every crack of branches and rustle of leaves made her heart race. Samuel moved like a hunter, steady and quiet. Alice followed, clutching her crossbow, Mira’s words echoing in her head. Face it head-on. Take control.

Hours passed. Shadows shifted. The night grew colder. Then—movement.

A snarl tore through the silence.

The rogue wolf burst from the trees, huge and fast, eyes glowing gold. Samuel fired instantly, grazing its shoulder. The beast howled and lunged.

“Stay back!” Samuel shouted, swinging his silver blade.

Alice froze, panic locking her body. The fight was brutal—claws slashing, teeth snapping inches from Samuel’s throat. She lifted her crossbow, but her hands shook too hard to aim.

The wolf’s gaze snapped to her.

“Alice!” her father shouted.

She fired. The bolt cut its side, but it only enraged the wolf. With terrifying speed, it pounced. She tried to dodge, but its claws tore across her ribs. Pain exploded through her body. She screamed and fell hard onto the dirt.

Samuel roared in fury. He drove his knife deep into the wolf’s chest until the beast collapsed with a final snarl.

Alice barely noticed. She lay bleeding, gasping, the world fading. Her father scooped her up, shouting desperately, “Stay with me, Alice! Don’t you leave me!”

Everything went black.

When she woke, sunlight was spilling through her window. For a moment, she thought it had all been a nightmare.

Then she looked down.

Her shirt was ripped and stained with blood—but her skin was smooth. No wound. No scar. Nothing.

Alice gasped, stumbling back in shock.

Her father stood in the doorway, pale and shaking. But instead of relief, his face showed fear.

“Alice,” he whispered hoarsely, his voice breaking. “What are you?”

Alice stomach dropped.