Chapter 4

The person who had burst through the door was a tall man with broad shoulders and dark hair that was slightly messy like he had been running, and even in the dim lighting I could see that his eyes were an unusual amber color that seemed to almost glow in the dark.

He was wearing jeans and a dark jacket and there was something about the way he carried himself that reminded me of Killian in terms of raw power and confidence, but unlike Killian who always seemed controlled and calculated, this man had a wild energy about him that made me instinctively want to take a step back.

Killian immediately moved in front of me in a protective stance and his whole body had gone rigid with tension as he stared at the intruder with an expression that was equal parts surprised and furious, and I could see his hands clenching into fists at his sides like he was preparing for a fight.

The two men stood there for several long seconds just staring at each other in a way that made it clear they knew each other and that there was some kind of complicated history between them that I knew absolutely nothing about.

“What the hell are you doing here, Tyler?” Killian finally demanded in a voice that was low and dangerous and filled with barely restrained anger, and the man he had called Tyler just smirked in response like he found the whole situation amusing rather than threatening.

Tyler took a few steps further into the room and his amber eyes moved from Killian to me and back again as he said, “I could ask you the same question considering this warehouse belongs to the pack and you’re not supposed to be using it for your personal business, especially not with a human girl who has no idea what you really are.”

My heart nearly stopped beating when I heard him say those words because they didn’t make any sense and yet at the same time they made me feel like I was standing on the edge of a cliff about to fall into something dark and unknown.

I looked at Killian expecting him to deny whatever accusation Tyler was making or to tell him that he was crazy, but instead, Killian just closed his eyes briefly like he was in pain, and then let out a long breath before opening them again.

“Get out, Ty,” Killian said in a tone that left no room for negotiation, “This is none of your business and you have no right to interfere with what I’m doing.”

Tyler laughed and it was a harsh sound that echoed off the concrete walls as he replied, “Actually it is my business because the Alpha is going to want to know that you’ve been sneaking around with a human girl who happens to be your stepsister and bringing her to pack territory, which breaks about half a dozen rules that we have specifically for situations exactly like this one.”

I felt like I couldn’t breathe properly anymore. Nothing that was being said made any sense to me and I kept waiting for someone to explain what was happening, but both men seemed to have forgotten that I was even there as they continued to glare at each other with an intensity that made the air in the room feel dangerous.

Killian took a step toward Tyler and I could see every muscle in his body coiled tight like he was about to attack, and there was something about the way he moved that reminded me of a predator stalking its prey.

“If you tell the Alpha about this I will make you regret it in ways you can’t even imagine,” Killian threatened and his voice had dropped to almost inhuman in its roughness, “She has nothing to do with pack politics and I won’t let you or anyone else drag her into our world.”

Tyler’s expression became more serious and he crossed his arms over his chest as he said, “It’s too late for that because the moment you brought her here you made her part of this whether you wanted to or not, and you know as well as I do that the Alpha doesn’t tolerate loose ends or security risks.”

I was completely lost and terrified by this conversation that seemed to be about me but that I couldn’t understand, so I moved out from behind Killian and said in a voice that was shakier than I wanted it to be, “What are you two talking about and what does any of this have to do with me?”

Both men turned to look at me and I saw something flash across Killian’s face that might have been guilt or regret, but before he could say anything Tyler spoke up first and said, “It seems that your stepbrother hasn’t told you the truth about himself or his family. Well, he is a werewolf and so am I, and the warehouse we’re standing in right now is owned by our pack which means you’re currently on supernatural territory without permission.”

I stared at Tyler for a long moment waiting for him to laugh and tell me that he was joking or that this was some kind of elaborate prank, but his expression remained completely serious and when I looked at Killian for confirmation or denial I saw that he wasn’t laughing either.

My legs suddenly felt weak and I had to grab onto the back of the chair to keep myself from falling because this couldn’t be real and there was no way that werewolves actually existed outside of movies and books.

“You’re insane,” I finally managed to say even though my voice came out sounding thin and unconvincing, “Werewolves aren’t real and this is just some kind of sick joke that you’re both playing on me.”

Killian moved toward me slowly like he was afraid that any sudden movement would make me run away, and he reached out to touch my arm but I jerked back from him because I didn’t know what to believe anymore.

His eyes looked pained as he said in a quiet voice, “I know this sounds impossible and I never wanted you to find out this way, but Tyler is telling you the truth. I am a werewolf which is why I’ve always tried to keep my distance from you because getting involved with a human is forbidden by pack law.”