Chapter 2

Elena Cruz

I woke up earlier than I expected. Maybe it was the unfamiliar bed or the fact that my brain didn’t shut up all night. Either way, I ended up wandering toward the window to distract myself. The house sat on a hill, so the view opened wide, almost too wide. I pushed the curtain aside a little more to get a better look, and that’s when I saw him.

Alex was outside in the driveway, jogging back toward the house.

At first, I thought it was someone else maybe a guard or some trainer he hired but the way he moved made it obvious. Confident steps. Strong stride. Focused. He was wearing dark joggers and one of those sleeveless gym tops men love to wear when they want people to stare at their arms. It worked. Way too well.

The early light made his skin stand out. And the tattoos across his shoulder and upper arm were clearer than yesterday sharp lines, black ink, something that looked like a wolf’s silhouette mixed with runes. I had no business staring that hard, but my eyes wouldn’t cooperate. My brain kept repeating the same useless commentary: your father’s friend, your father’s friend, your father’s friend.

Didn’t help.

I stepped back when he got closer to the porch, like I’d been caught even though he hadn’t looked up once. I muttered under my breath, “This is ridiculous,” and forced myself to stop peeking out like some creep admiring the neighborhood dad.

A knock pulled me away from my thoughts.

Mrs. Parker’s voice came through the door. “Breakfast will be ready soon, dear.”

I thanked her and grabbed a quick shower. The water felt too warm, too calming, and it gave me too much space to think. By the time I finished and opened my closet, the quiet hit me again. I reached into my bag for something light to wear, and a picture slid out and fell to the floor.

My family photo.

All of us standing outside Crescent Clinic. My dad smiling like he didn’t have the whole pack’s problems on his shoulders. My mom holding my little sister’s hand. Mateo pushing his hair back like he always did. Everything in that picture felt normal. Far from the panic he dragged us into. Then I remembered I haven’t spoken to my mom since I left. I needed to know if they were okay too.

I grabbed my phone and hit my mom’s number. Straight to voicemail.

Second call. Same thing.

One more time, even though I knew the result before pressing the button. Nothing.

I typed out a message before I could overthink it: Hey mom, please call me when you can. I love you.

I didn’t wait for a reply. I needed to get out of my head before I drowned in there.

The dining area was quiet when I walked in. Plates arranged neatly, steam rising from the food, and no sign of Alex yet. I sat alone and picked at the edge of the toast before taking a bite. The taste didn’t matter. I wasn’t hungry I just hated the idea of sitting there doing nothing.

I was halfway through a sip of juice when he finally walked in.

Fresh shirt, hair damp from a shower, watch glinting slightly as he adjusted the cuffs. He didn’t look like the man who’d been running minutes ago. He looked like a doctor about to command an entire hospital.

“Morning,” he said, taking a seat across from me.

“Good morning,” I replied, trying not to sound too aware of him.

“How was your night?”

That question felt heavier than it should. I shrugged. “Different. New place. New everything. Still settling.”

He nodded like he understood exactly what that meant. “If you need anything adjusted, just tell Mrs. Parker. She handles most things around here.”

“Thank you.”

He reached for a napkin at the same time I reached for one. Our hands almost brushed. He pulled back fast too fast for it to be casual. I felt an odd tug in my chest, like something inside me recognized the movement before I did. He returned to his plate like nothing happened, but the air between us changed. Not tense, not hostile. Just… charged.

“Are you ready for school tomorrow?” he asked.

“I think so.”

“I’ll drive you there for the first few days,” he added.

I blinked. “Really? I can manage…”

“Your father insisted,” he said. “And your car won’t be here until the end of the week.”

I stared at him. “My… car?”

He set his fork down. “You’ll need one for the commute. I arranged it already.”

I didn’t know what to say for a moment. A car wasn’t something people casually “arranged.” My own father had never bought me anything bigger than a second-hand bike when I was fourteen.

“That’s… a lot,” I said honestly.

“You’re staying here. I’m responsible for you until things settle. That includes making sure you get to school safely.”

The word responsible stung in a weird way. He didn’t say it with annoyance. He said it like a promise. A firm one. Before I could respond, he checked his watch and pushed his chair back. “I’m running late. I have a morning surgery.”

Something inside me tightened at how quickly he stood, almost like he was escaping. Maybe he was. Every time the space between us got too close, he pulled away like touching me would burn him.

“Mrs. Parker will help with anything you need,” he said on his way out. “I’ll be back this evening.”

He didn’t look back as he grabbed his keys and walked toward the entrance. The door closed behind him, and the room felt emptier than it should’ve.

I sat there with a half-eaten breakfast and a head full of questions I couldn’t even name properly. Something pulled me toward him, and I hated that I couldn’t explain it. Not to myself, not to anyone.

All I knew was that the longer I stayed in this house, the harder it would be to pretend nothing strange was happening. And whatever this connection was I could feel it getting stronger.