chapter 15

Chapter 15: “Show Me”

Ava’s POV…

I just stood there.

Everything around me felt like it was spinning, like my body was here but my brain hadn’t caught up yet. Kieran was changing—like, right there in front of me. Not into a full wolf exactly, but close. His hands were still human but covered in fur. His face still looked like him, but his jaw stretched slightly and those glowing red eyes… they weren’t going away this time.

And the worst part?

I couldn’t look away.

I felt like I was stuck watching something I was never meant to see.

Kieran stepped forward, grabbing the woman who had just tried to kill me—like it was nothing. She was still alive somehow, but she didn’t look scared. She actually laughed, like some villain from a movie. She smiled, teeth sharp and weirdly calm.

“No one’s gonna accept you anymore,” she spat in his face. “You’re too weak to lead. When the full moon comes, the clans will reject you. A new Alpha will rise.”

I didn’t know what any of that meant. Clans? Full moon? Reject?

But the way Kieran’s jaw clenched made it clear he knew exactly what she meant.

And then—he snapped her neck.

Just like that.

One second she was talking, the next she was a heap on the floor. My heart dropped. I felt sick. Not because she didn’t deserve it—I mean, she literally tried to kill me—but… he didn’t even hesitate. He didn’t flinch.

And I guess that was the part that scared me.

I watched as Kieran turned, eyes still glowing, and took out the two guys who were fighting Lucas. I couldn’t see everything. It happened so fast. One second they were all in the air, claws and growls, and the next second the room was quiet. Still.

Too still.

And I was standing there. Alone with him.

I didn’t want to look at him. I didn’t even want to breathe too loudly.

So I turned. Quietly. Hoping he wouldn’t notice me slipping out of the room.

But I guess he did.

Because the second I moved, I felt his hand wrap gently—too gently—around my wrist.

I turned around slowly, and my chest felt like it was about to explode from how fast my heart was racing. Kieran was back to looking like himself. His hair was messy. His face calmer. The glow in his eyes faded, but his expression… it was unreadable.

He stepped closer. “Ava, are you okay?”

I pulled my arm back instantly, holding up my hands between us. “Don’t.”

He flinched, like I slapped him.

“I just—” he started.

“No,” I said, louder than I meant to. I backed up until I hit the wall behind me. “Stay there. Just… don’t come closer.”

He looked hurt. Like, really hurt. But not confused. Like he knew this was coming.

I looked at him, really looked at him, and I asked the only thing I could think of.

“What are you?”

He didn’t answer. Just walked closer, slow like I was a bird that might fly away.

I pressed my back tighter to the wall.

“Kieran, I’m serious,” I said, voice shaking. “What are you? Who are you? Why were your eyes red, why did your teeth look like that, why did your body heal like—like it didn’t even happen?!”

He stopped just in front of me. I could feel his breath on my skin. His eyes dropped to the floor. Then, slowly, his hand came up, brushing the side of my neck. I froze.

“Kieran…” I whispered.

“I would never hurt you,” he said, his voice low. Almost broken. “I need you to believe that.”

But I didn’t. Not right now. I wanted to. God, I wanted to.

But I couldn’t ignore what I saw.

“Tell me,” I whispered. “Tell me what’s going on. No more half-truths. No more vague ‘you’ll understand later.’ I need to know.”

His jaw tightened. For a second, he just stared at me, like he was debating something. Then, finally, he stepped back and looked me in the eyes.

“I’m not human,” he said. “I’m a werewolf. I’m an Alpha.”

For a second, I just blinked at him. Waiting for the punchline. Waiting for the sarcastic smirk or him to say, just kidding or you’re on camera.

But it didn’t come.

He just stood there. Looking dead serious.

“You’re kidding,” I said flatly.

He shook his head.

I laughed. It was short and dry and sounded way more like panic than humor. “That’s not real.”

“Ava—”

“Werewolves aren’t real,” I snapped. “That’s, like, movie stuff. Fantasy books. Halloween costumes. Not real. You don’t actually expect me to believe that.”

“I didn’t either,” he said quietly. “At first.”

I slid down the wall until I was sitting on the floor, arms around my knees. My brain was going in circles. My mouth was dry. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

“Nope,” I whispered. “Nope. This is insane.”

Kieran crouched in front of me, not touching me, just watching.

I whispered it again, like it would change something. “Impossible.”

We were quiet for a long second. Then I looked at him.

“Show me.”

He blinked. “What?”

“I want to see it,” I said. “You said you’re a werewolf. Fine. Prove it.”

He hesitated. “Ava, I—”

“I need to see.”

Because maybe if I saw it again, my brain would finally believe what my eyes had already seen. Maybe it wouldn’t feel so crazy.

He nodded slowly. “Okay. But don’t freak out.”

He stood and stepped back, pulling his shirt over his head. Again.

Then I heard it.

A sound that made my whole body lock up—like bones cracking, shifting, snapping into place. It wasn’t loud or drawn out. It was fast and quiet, like his body was folding itself into something new.

Then it happened.

Kieran dropped to all fours, and right in front of me, where the guy I was starting to crush on had been seconds ago, there was now a massive brown wolf.

I stared.

Not blinking. Not breathing.

Just staring.

He didn’t move. He didn’t growl or bark or do anything threatening. He just stood there, his huge head low, his eyes watching me like he was waiting to see what I’d do.

Slowly—so slowly—I got up.

I walked toward him, every step shaking like I was made of glass. My hand lifted on its own, like I was outside my own body. And then…

I touched him.

His fur was thick. Warm. Real.

“Impossible,” I whispered.