Chapter 3

Kat's POV

We got home in a hurry, my mom driving faster than she ever had before. The tires screeched a little as she pulled up in front of our small cabin, hidden deep in the woods where the pack houses were spread out. My heart was still pounding, and my hands felt clammy.

She threw open the car door and rushed inside, not even bothering to lock the car behind her. I followed quickly, confusion and fear twisting in my stomach.

As soon as we stepped inside, she turned to me, her eyes filled with urgency.

"Kat, start packing up your things. We need to leave now."

I froze. "Mom, wait. I need to know why Alpha Jacobs wants me. What does he want?"

She let out a frustrated breath, running a shaky hand through her hair. "I promise I’ll explain soon, sweetheart, but right now, we don’t have time."

I wanted to argue, to demand answers, but something in her voice—the fear—made me shut my mouth. I had never seen my mom like this before. She wasn’t just worried. She was terrified.

"Go to your room and pack," she said, already moving toward her own. "Take only what you need."

She disappeared into her bedroom, and I stood there for a second, my mind racing.

What was happening? Why did we have to leave so suddenly?

I swallowed hard, pushing down my panic, and hurried to my room to do what she said.

I rushed into my bedroom, my hands trembling as I grabbed my backpack from the floor. My heart pounded so loudly I could hear it in my ears. My mom had never acted like this before—so panicked, so desperate. What was she so afraid of?

I yanked open my dresser drawers, stuffing clothes into my bag without thinking. A pair of jeans, a sweater, socks—I didn’t even know if I was packing properly. My mind was racing too fast to care.

We were leaving.

Just like that. No warning. No time to say goodbye. I had spent my whole life in this pack, walking the same streets, going to the same school, dealing with the same bullies. And now we were just... running?

I grabbed my phone and charger, throwing them into the bag. My gaze swept over my room. My bed, my books, the small dreamcatcher hanging from the window. A sinking feeling settled in my chest. Would I ever see any of this again?

"Kat, hurry up!" my mom called from the living room, her voice tight with urgency.

I zipped my bag shut and slung it over my shoulder before rushing out.

She was already outside, shoving bags into the trunk of our old car. Her movements were frantic, her head snapping up every few seconds to check the road. Like she was expecting someone to stop us.

I swallowed hard and ran to help. We packed quickly, throwing our things into the backseat. I wanted to ask her what was going on—why we were suddenly running, why Alpha Jacobs was a threat—but she was too on edge.

We got into the car. Mom turned the key, and the engine roared to life. She didn’t hesitate—she hit the gas, and we sped away from the cabin, away from the pack, away from everything I had ever known.

I glanced at her, expecting to see determination on her face, but all I saw was fear.

Her knuckles were white against the steering wheel. Her lips were pressed together, and her eyes flicked between the road and the rearview mirror every few seconds. She looked terrified.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

"Mom, what is going on?" I asked. "Why are we running? What did Alpha Jacobs say to you?"

She gripped the wheel tighter but didn’t answer right away.

"Mom!" I pressed.

She let out a shaky breath. "Everything will be fine, baby," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Then she glanced at me, her eyes shining with something that made my stomach turn. "I will die before I let anyone take you."

A chill ran down my spine.

Before I could respond, something huge appeared in the middle of the road.

My breath caught in my throat as the wolf appeared in the middle of the road. It was huge—bigger than any wolf I had ever seen—with dark fur that almost blended into the night. Its glowing golden eyes locked onto our car, unblinking, like it had been waiting for us.

"Mom!" I screamed, my fingers digging into my seatbelt.

My mother gasped and yanked the wheel to the side. The car skidded violently, tires screeching against the asphalt as she tried to avoid hitting the wolf. My stomach lurched as the car spun, the world tilting sideways.

For a second, I thought she had regained control, but then—

BAM!

The right side of the car slammed into something—a tree? A ditch? I couldn’t tell. My body jerked forward as the impact sent us spiraling off the road. My seatbelt locked, cutting into my chest. The car flipped, the world turning upside down.

Glass shattered.

Metal crunched like paper being crushed in a fist.

I screamed, but my voice was drowned out by the deafening sound of destruction.

The car landed hard, slamming into something that made my head snap forward. Pain exploded in my skull, and for a moment, my vision blurred. I felt something warm trickle down my forehead. Blood.

Everything was spinning. The world outside was dark and silent, except for the faint hissing of steam escaping the crushed hood. The car was completely wrecked.

My ears were ringing, and my whole body ached. I turned my head sluggishly, my vision swimming as I tried to focus.

"Mom…" My voice was weak, barely a whisper.

My mother was slumped over the steering wheel, her hair covering her face. For a second, my heart stopped.

Then she moved.

She groaned, slowly lifting her head, and I felt like I could breathe again.

"Kat… baby, are you okay?" she rasped, reaching out to me with shaking hands.

"I-I think so," I whispered, even though my entire body hurt.

She winced as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "We have to get out of here. Now."

That was when I heard it.

A low, menacing growl from outside the car.

My blood ran cold. The hairs on my arms stood up.

Slowly, I turned my head toward the shattered windshield.

A massive shadow moved just beyond the flickering headlights. A wolf.

Not just any wolf. A rogue.

Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto mine through the cracks in the glass. It stood perfectly still, its dark fur blending into the night, but I could see its muscles tensed, ready to pounce.

A second growl rumbled from the trees to our left.

And then another from the right.

More of them.

We weren’t in a car crash. We were in an ambush.

My mom seemed to realize it at the same time I did. She grabbed my wrist, her grip tight despite the way her hands shook.

“We run.” Her voice was low but urgent. “The moment I open this door, you follow me. Do not stop. Do not look back.”

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it was trying to break free from my chest.

“Mom, I’m scared,” I whispered.

“I know, baby.” She cupped my cheek for the briefest moment, her touch warm despite the cold fear in her eyes. “But you’re strong. Stronger than you know.”

Before I could ask what she meant, she threw open the door.

The wolves lunged.

She yanked me out of the car, and we ran.