8

Emily barely slept.

Not because the cabin was uncomfortable.

It was perfect.

The queen-sized bed was softer than the one she'd left in Boston, the windows were open just enough to let in the cool mountain breeze, and somewhere outside a stream babbled over smooth stones.

It should have been peaceful.

Instead...

She couldn't stop thinking about the man outside the restaurant.

Or the stranger she'd noticed sitting alone in the back.

Kael.

She had only looked at him for a few seconds.

He hadn't smiled.

He hadn't spoken.

Yet there had been something about his silver-gray eyes that lingered in her thoughts long after she'd returned to the cabin.

"You don't even know him," she scolded herself.

Still...

It felt as though she should.

Eventually, sometime after two in the morning, she drifted off.

---

Her dream returned.

Only this time...

It was different.

Instead of standing in the familiar moonlit clearing, she was a little girl.

Maybe four years old.

She was laughing.

Someone was chasing her through tall grass.

She couldn't see his face.

Only his strong hands scooping her into the air as she squealed with laughter.

"You'll never catch me!" her tiny voice shouted.

"Oh, I think I already did."

The man's voice was warm.

Gentle.

She buried her face against his shoulder.

"Daddy!"

The word echoed through the dream.

Emily froze.

Her father?

No...

The voice wasn't Michael's.

She knew Michael's voice.

This was someone else.

Someone she'd never met.

The man set her on his shoulders.

"You know the rules."

"I know!"

"What are they?"

She giggled.

"Never leave the meadow."

"And?"

"Always listen to Mama."

"And the last one?"

The little girl became serious.

"Never go into the forest by myself."

"Why?"

"Because monsters live there."

The man laughed softly.

"No."

His voice lowered.

"Because people do."

Emily's heart pounded.

She wanted to see his face.

She needed to.

The man slowly turned toward her.

Just before she could make out his features—

A deafening howl shattered the dream.

---

Emily bolted upright in bed.

Her breathing was ragged.

Morning sunlight poured through the windows.

She looked around the bedroom.

Everything was normal.

No meadow.

No little girl.

No mysterious father.

Only the sound of birds singing outside.

She rubbed her face.

"What was that?"

For the first time in her life...

The dreams had felt like memories.

---

Across town...

Kael hadn't slept either.

He stood on the porch of the Crescent Moon Lodge watching the sunrise paint the mountains gold.

Noah stepped outside carrying two mugs of coffee.

"You know..."

Kael accepted one.

"...most people sleep."

"I tried."

"Liar."

Kael took a sip.

"I closed my eyes."

"That isn't the same thing."

They stood in silence for a moment.

Finally Noah spoke.

"She dreamed last night."

Kael looked over.

"You felt it?"

Noah nodded.

"The bond."

Kael's expression tightened.

"Stronger?"

"Much."

That wasn't good.

The bond between destined mates usually remained dormant until both wolves knew the truth.

Emily wasn't supposed to feel anything.

Not yet.

Not while she still believed she was human.

Lena joined them on the porch.

"We've got another problem."

Kael immediately recognized her tone.

"What happened?"

"Our eastern patrol found tracks."

"What kind?"

She looked directly at him.

"Not wolf."

Kael frowned.

"Bear?"

She shook her head.

"Human."

"So?"

"They came from the old cemetery."

Noah's smile disappeared.

"The hunters."

Lena nodded.

"They're back."

---

Black Hollow had a secret.

Actually...

It had several.

The werewolves weren't the only ones who knew monsters existed.

For nearly two centuries, an organization known only as The Order of St. George had hunted supernatural creatures across North America.

They called themselves protectors.

Others called them executioners.

Most humans had never heard of them.

Those who had...

Rarely lived long enough to tell anyone else.

Three members of the Order had arrived in Black Hollow during the night.

They had rented rooms at the only motel in town.

To everyone else...

They looked like tourists.

But inside Room 12...

Maps covered the walls.

Silver bullets lay neatly arranged on a table.

Ancient books sat open beside modern rifles.

A gray-haired man studied a faded photograph.

Emily.

Twenty-four years old.

Environmental consultant.

Boston, Massachusetts.

Raised Catholic.

No criminal record.

No unusual medical history.

At least...

None that anyone knew about.

A younger woman entered the room.

"She's here."

The older man nodded.

"And the wolves?"

"Watching her."

He smiled faintly.

"As expected."

The woman crossed her arms.

"Do we take her now?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because she doesn't know what she is."

He carefully folded the photograph.

"The moment she finds out..."

His eyes hardened.

"...every pack on this continent will come for her."

---

Back at her cabin, Emily finished unpacking.

She hung family photographs on the small mantel above the fireplace.

One showed her at First Communion.

Another captured her parents at Cape Cod.

There was one of Jessica making a ridiculous face during college graduation.

She smiled.

"Home."

Her phone buzzed.

One bar of service.

Barely enough for a call.

She answered immediately.

"Mom!"

Sarah's relieved voice filled the speaker.

"Oh, thank goodness."

"I've been trying to call all morning."

"The service is terrible."

"I noticed."

"So?"

Sarah asked.

"How do you like it?"

Emily walked onto the porch.

The mountains stretched endlessly before her.

"It's..."

She searched for the right word.

"...beautiful."

"I'm glad."

"The people are really nice."

Sarah smiled.

"I'm sure they are."

"I met someone."

There was a long pause.

Sarah's heart skipped.

"...Someone?"

Emily laughed.

"Mom."

"What?"

"A friend."

"Oh."

Sarah exhaled.

"His name's Noah."

"Him."

Emily blinked.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Sarah recovered quickly.

"He sounds nice."

"He is."

She hesitated.

"And..."

"Yes?"

"I saw another guy."

Sarah's stomach tightened.

"Another guy?"

"I didn't meet him."

"What did he look like?"

Emily frowned.

"Dark hair."

"Tall."

"Kind of serious."

"I don't know why..."

She looked toward the mountains.

"...but I couldn't stop looking at him."

Sarah slowly sat down.

"What was his name?"

"I think Noah said..."

Emily tried to remember.

"...Kael."

Silence.

"Mom?"

Sarah realized she'd stopped breathing.

"I'm here."

"You okay?"

"Yes."

Her voice cracked.

"I'm fine."

Michael, standing across the kitchen, recognized the expression on his wife's face immediately.

She mouthed one word.

Kael.

His shoulders slumped.

After all these years...

The past had finally found their daughter.

And neither of them could stop what was coming next.