LOGINThe admission confirms my worst fears about the position I've placed her in. By asking her to investigate Derek and Olivia, I've turned her into a potential target while compromising her professional standing. If Derek discovers her searches, he could have her fired for unauthorized access, ensuring
"You look tired, Lila," I say, keeping my voice gentle despite the urgency building in my chest. "Long night?" Her laugh carries no humor, emerging sharp and brittle in the ambient noise of clinking cups and muted conversations. "You could say that." She glances around the coffee shop once more bef
Geneva. Asset redistribution. Contingency plans. The phrases swirl in my mind as I read through the entire thread, each exchange revealing additional layers of coordination between Derek, Olivia, and unnamed external parties. References to account access, documentation preparation, and something cal
Derek Wolfe's communication patterns emerge first, predictable in their professional efficiency. Client emails follow standard templates, internal memos maintain appropriate corporate tone, scheduling confirmations arrive with clockwork regularity. But threaded through these routine exchanges are an
"I hope not," I say simply. "But I need to be certain." She nods slowly, understanding passing between us without the need for explicit explanation. Her pen returns to the paper, capturing the parameters of her assignment with renewed focus. "Complete discretion," she repeats, more to herself than
"Send her in," I say, my voice steadier than I feel. Lila enters with her characteristic energy, a leather portfolio clutched against her chest and a pen already positioned in her hand as if she expects to take notes from the moment she sits down. Her burgundy blazer is perfectly pressed, her shoes
My name commands attention, even whispered behind mirrored walls. Mara Wolfe. I sense the weight of their eyes on me, catch the reflection of their stunned admiration. Before my floor arrives, they already fear me. The girl with the coffee spills half of it on the way to her mouth, staining her bl
The wolf dominates with relentless force. The moon dictates. The moon owns. My body sings with strength. I don’t know how to be Mara in this primal melody. I don’t know how to be Mara at all. Power surges in unfamiliar rhythms. The forest yields to my strength. I don’t want to yield. It is wild. It
The sounds are a violent rush. The cracking of branches. The scurry of prey. The sounds of my life. The sound of my bones. They are more than I can take, more than I am, more than I want. The violent and primal edge of it, and the quickness of it, the quickness and the loudness and the brightness
The world is a distorted blur. A terrifying abstraction. I feel my body disintegrate with the speed of the transformation. With the urgent and uncompromising force of the change. The first tingling spreads, the initial cracks ripple, and the seams of my skin explode with light. I can’t contain this.







