Chapter Three

POV: Bella

The wind howled through the streets of the small border town, rattling windows and sending icy rain pelting against the pavement. Thunder cracked overhead, a deep, rolling sound that vibrated through my chest as I locked the door to the clinic, pulling my coat tighter around myself.

"Need a ride?"

I turned to see Lane, standing by his car, keys in hand. His blue eyes held quiet concern, his medical scrubs still damp from the long shift we had just finished.

I forced a small smile. "I’ll be fine, Lane. It’s just a short walk."

He frowned, glancing up at the storm raging above them. "You sure? It’s getting bad out here."

I nodded. "I like the rain."

It was a lie.

I didn’t like the rain. It reminded her of the night I lost everything.

Lane sighed but didn’t press further. He had learned long ago that I was a locked door, and no matter how many times he knocked, I never let him in.

"Alright," he said, tossing his keys in the air before catching them again. "But if you get struck by lightning, don’t come crying to me."

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "I’ll keep that in mind."

With one last look, he got into his car and drove off.

I stood there for a moment, letting the rain soak into my skin, my breath misting in the cold air. Four years. That’s how long it had been since I left Crescent Creek Pack, since I turned my back on everything I had ever known.

Since I was rejected.

Shoving the memories away, I started walking home.

The dirt path leading to my cabin had turned into thick, wet mud, my boots sinking with every step. The storm had gotten worse in just the few minutes I had been outside, the wind was wild, the trees swaying violently, as if warning me to turn back.

Then I saw it.

A massive, dark figure lying motionless near my cabin steps.

My breath caught. My first instinct was danger, but deep down something in my chest tightened instead of warning me to run.

A wolf.

But not just any wolf.

The creature was huge, larger than any I had ever seen, even compared to Alpha wolves. Thick, dark fur matted with blood. Its side was rising and falling in uneven breaths, Its body limp against the muddy ground.

My heart pounded erratically.

Rogues weren’t uncommon this close to the border, but this wolf… it wasn’t a rogue.

I took a cautious step forward. The scent of blood and rain filled the air, the metallic tang clinging to my nostrils. Its body was covered in deep wounds, claw marks that looked as if they had been inflicted by something as powerful as itself.

But there was something else, something familiar about the injured wolf.

My fingers trembled as I knelt beside it, pressing two fingers against its neck. Its heartbeat was faint, barely there, but it was alive.

Every instinct told me to leave it.

Wolves meant danger. Wolves meant a past I had buried behind.

But as I brushed a hand through its soaked fur, something cold and strange passed over me. A shiver that had nothing to do with the rain.

I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t leave it here.

"Alright, big guy," I muttered under my breath, gripping its thick fur. "Let’s get you inside before we both freeze to death."

It took everything I had to drag it onto the wooden porch, its sheer size making it nearly impossible. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest, my boots slipping against the rain-slicked surface, but I didn’t stop.

I couldn’t stop.

Finally, I got him inside.

The fire was still burning from that morning, casting a warm glow over the small cabin. I grabbed a blanket, wrapping it around it as I crouched beside his massive form.

Its fur was soaked, blood still seeping from some of its wounds. The wolf was burning up.

I bit her lip, forcing myself into action. Focus

I grabbed the first aid kit from the shelf, then went to work.

My hands were steady as I cleaned the wounds, wiping away the dirt and dried blood. The cuts were deep but not fatal. What concerned me more was the unnatural heat radiating from its body.

It was fighting something.

Something more than just his injuries.

As I ran my fingers carefully over its fur, searching for any fractures, something strange happened.

My vision blurred, just for a second. A strange, unexplainable pull inside my chest.

And then, the wolf stirred.

I froze.

For a brief moment, its golden-green eyes locked onto mine.

My breath hitched.

Something inside me recognized those eyes.

My fingers tightened in its fur, my heart hammering so loudly I swore the wolf could hear it.

Then, just as quickly as it had woken, it went still again.

I yanked my hand back as I felt a hot, burning sensation. I scrambled to my feet, my breathing uneven.

I took a step away, then another. My body was tense, every nerve screaming that something was very, very wrong.

No. It couldn’t be.

My mind was playing tricks on me.

I turned away, pressing a shaking hand on my forehead. Maybe it was just exhaustion. The storm. The memories.

It had to be.

Because there was no way in hell that this wolf…

Was him.

I let out a shaky breath, glancing over my shoulder at the unconscious beast lying by the fire.

Whatever happened next, I had a sinking feeling that my past wasn’t finished with me yet.