Chapter 4

A firm grip on my shoulder rips me out of the nightmare. One second I’m a monster with blood on my claws; the next, I’m gasping for air, my heart racing to keep up with my fear. Then I see them. Butterscotch eyes. They’re warm, inviting, and filled with a golden light that makes the horror suddenly feel a million miles away. The intensity in that gaze pulls me back to the present, steadying my hands before I can even realize they’re shaking.

“Hey, are you okay?” the gorgeous boy asks. He crouches down, holding out his hand toward me. His navy shirt’s long sleeves are halfway rolled up, revealing a partial tattoo peeking out beneath the sleeve of his shirt. My mind skips over what it could be, eyes snapping back to his face. “Why are you on the floor? Are you hurt somewhere?”

I open my mouth, but all that escapes is a shuddering breath.

I’m lost in the chaotic, yet beautiful map of bronze and gold—twinkling like sparklers against the dark.

I don’t know how long I stare, transfixed. Minutes. Hours. Hell knows.

Until eventually, I manage to free myself from them and process my predicament. I am fine for one moment–until I wasn’t.

He cocks his head to the side, seeming unsettled. “Are you struggling to breathe? Do I need to—”

A scream bursts from my lips, and I lash out at him, but he overpowers me.

He grabs hold of both my legs and pins them down. “Relax. I’m not here to hurt you.”

A wave of calm washes over me again, choking out the sudden explosion of panic. It doesn’t make sense, but the fearful thoughts melt away as soon as they appear, and I find myself trusting him. Maybe it’s something in his eyes or it has to do with the fluttering sensation blossoming in my belly. My tense body relaxes, and I become still.

“Who are you?” I push out. “And what are you doing in my room?”

“If I let you go, would you promise not to kick me again?” he tests, the pressure of his hands on my legs slightly easing.

“If you’re not some psychopath, then no, I won’t kick you.” In the back of my mind, a voice screams that something is off about the situation. However, I shove it away with minimal effort.

His full lips curve into a smile. “If I were, you’d be dead by now.” He releases my legs and sits down on the floor in front of me. “But before we worry about anything else, are you sure you’re okay? Not having any weird side effects that need checking? It’s not every day I have to pick someone up from the floor.”

“Weird symptoms of what?” My brows furrow. “And I’m fine. As fine as I can be, I guess. I was, uh, not keen on sleeping in the bed.”

“Are you sure?” he presses. “Because last week we picked up another pup who died right after the change. It turns out he was allergic to his own wolf hair.”

My eyes widen, and I sit up. “You’re from the werewolf place?”

“As ever, we live up to our reputation.” A gilded brow arches, and he smiles. “And to answer your question, yes, I’m from the academy.”

I eye him. “You’re not what I expected.”

“What did you expect?”

“Well, a shriveled-up old woman with a mustache.” I don’t know why I’m trying to joke, but a flicker of light amusement in my current situation seems fitting.

“Good to see you come packed with a sense of humor,” he chuckles. “But I’m part of the Moon Guardians.”

He says it as if it should mean something to me, which it doesn’t. I respond by deepening my frown.

“Of course you don’t know what that means. Being from a human family and all that,” he shakes his head, sighing. “Let’s just say it’s the werewolf equivalent of a student council at the academy. It’s our job to bring back new pups. You can see me as your recruitment officer, or whatever you humans call it.”

“You mean ‘you humans’ as in the past tense, right?”

He flashes a disarming smile. “Right, of course.”

“Sooo, what happens now?” I ask, trying to keep the unease from creeping into my voice.

He extends a hand, his gaze steady and confident. “You come with me.”

A strange sensation stirs in my chest—and a warning bell faintly rings in the back of my mind, but I force myself to ignore it. With scarce convincing from him, I gather my things and allow him to guide me out of the room.

“What’s your name?” I ask as we step out into the chilly night air, the neon motel sign buzzing above us. “And how do I know you’re legit? Not just some random guy trying to lure me into the woods for… who knows what?” My voice wavers as I try to keep a light tone, but the suspicion lingers beneath my words.

Look, he’s freaking beautiful, but I’m not stupid. Or am I? Why am I following him then?

Again, my thoughts dissipate as he grabs one of my duffel bags, slinging it over his shoulder. “I’m Elijah. Elijah Ledger, but my friends and family call me Eli.”

“Right. So, Elijah?”

He expels a low breath, setting the duffel down, then pulling up the sleeve of his navy shirt to reveal the entire tattoo. It is a geometric moon symbol with a wolf paw print in the center inked on his arm. “Happy?” He raises a gold brow. “Mine’s a bit different from everyone else’s marks, considering my dad is the alpha.”

“Alpha, as in leader?” I pry.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“So he’s like a king to wolves?”

Elijah sputters a laugh, nodding. “I guess you could say that.”

“So.” I give him a sideways look. “Why is the prince out looking for a peasant?”

“I’m part of the Moon Guardians, as I mentioned.”

“Okay, but aren’t you more important compared to the others?”

“As long as my dad rules, not really,” he replies. “Guess you could say I’m a backup alpha if something happens to him. Which is unlikely. Nothing can kill that stubborn old fool.”

“You don’t seem to be close to him.”

“Not that much, no,” Elijah sighs. “But enough about me. Why are you out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“My mom dumped me at the train station, so I stayed here hoping one of you would come for me.” I pause, granting him a dubious look. “How did you know where I was? Did Luca tell you?”

“Luca, who?” He rolls his sleeve back down. “No. I used magic and my senses to track you.”

“You said our marks look similar.” I redirect the conversation. “Mine doesn’t look anything like yours. Not even close. Mine’s surrounded by creepy veins and looks like weird symbols are forming in it. It glows, too. Like my—wait, are my eyes still glowing?”

“Like a spotlight.” His eyes narrow onto my arm, covered by my jacket’s sleeve. “Can I see it? The dark veins are normal, by the way. It passes, so don’t worry.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” I push back my hair to reveal my neck. “Mine almost takes up my entire neck.”

“Your neck?” Elijah’s eyes jerk up from my arm. His face contorts in shock. He swoops forward and grabs my shoulder. “What the hell?”

My brows shoot up. “What? Is there something wrong with it?”

His gaze meets mine. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“What do you mean?” Anxiety swells in my chest. “This isn’t normal?”