LOGINCharlotte's POVI finally freed Melissa from the restraints and helped her stand on her feet. Her legs nearly gave out, so I caught her around the waist and steadied her."Can you walk?"Melissa nodded, though her breathing remained shaky. "I'll manage."I slipped an arm around her shoulders and guided her toward the stairs. We crawled down the hallway and advanced toward the living room. We had barely stepped a foot inside when Melissa suddenly stopped, her fingers digging into my arm."Charlotte..."I followed her gaze. Two men were standing in the parlor.Morgan and Dalton.Morgan leaned casually against the fireplace as if he had been waiting for us. Dalton stood beside the sofa with both hands tucked into his coat pockets, a faint smile playing on his lips.Melissa's breathing became frantic."No."Morgan gave her a demeaning look. "You really thought you could escape me?"Melissa pressed closer to me. "How did you get in here?"Morgan gave a quiet laugh. "This is my home now.""
Charlotte's POVThe Johansson mansion looked strangely lifeless when I arrived. Usually, the property was busy with workers moving between the main house and the gardens, security personnel stationed around the gates, and household staff coming and going throughout the day. Today, there wasn't a single person in sight.I stopped my car outside the massive iron gates and pressed the intercom.No response.I tried again.Still nothing.I knocked repeatedly against the metal gate, but the sound only echoed across the empty driveway. After several attempts, I stepped back and scanned the property.Every window was dark. The gates remained firmly locked.Something was wrong.Melissa's phone had been switched off for days too. That was quite unusual. Melissa was practically addicted to the Internet. She could spend hours online, constantly checking messages, social media, emails, and whatever else caught her attention.Even after our disagreement, when she had every reason to avoid me, I c
Charlotte's POVIt was still early in the morning, but I was already sitting up in the bed. I barely had any sleep last night. The encounter with Dalton and Morgan in the woods refused to leave my mind.Even after returning to the mansion, I kept replaying everything that happened during the confrontation. Dalton and Morgan were working together, but that still didn't explain why Morgan had been connected to my life for so long. Moreover, I needed to get answers concerning how Dwayne was taken away from me after I had conceived him.The hospital could have gone a long way in making my investigations quite easier. Unfortunately, it had been shut down by the government over alleged illegal selling of newborn babies. The orphanage, however, remained my last resort. If anything had been recorded about what happened to my child seven years ago, there was a chance the answer was still hidden somewhere inside that building. Back then, I had seen the look on Elaine's face. It was uneasy. S
Charlotte's POV In response, the creatures moved swiftly, surrounding us in a deadly circle. I glanced at Michael, who gave me a small nod, assuming a fighting stance. I've fought gangsters and assassins, but I've never stood against a supernatural creature or, rather, genetically altered humans. However, I believe I could do this with Kira and Michael by my side.Taking a defensive position, I bared my fangs and spread my claws.The first one lunged forward. It was a leopard chimera. Its body moved so swiftly that I barely registered it before Michael intercepted it. Their bodies collided, sending frozen freckles flying in every direction.The Chimera twisted in midair and landed, skidding several feet away.Michael lowered himself into a defensive stance."He's almost as fast as us," he muttered distinctly.The creature charged again. This time, I made a move. Kira took over my instincts, and I slipped sideways just before the Chimera's claws tore through the space where my head ha
Charlotte's POV I was still getting used to having Kira inside me. Everything felt different since my transformation. Sounds seemed sharper, scents were stronger, and even the cold winter air felt strangely refreshing against my skin. I could feel Kira moving restlessly within me, eager to run, and I couldn't blame her. After spending so many years without knowing I even had a wolf, I wanted to understand what she could do.Michael seemed to notice my restlessness.We were standing near the open balcony doors, watching snow fall over the trees surrounding the mansion, when he turned toward me."Would you like to take a run?"I glanced at him."A run?""Your first one. Under the moonlight."My face lit up immediately."Really?"A smile tugged at his lips. "Unless you'd rather stay here and stare at the snow all night."Kira practically bounced inside me.{Run}Her excitement made me laugh softly.I shifted before Michael could say anything else. My bones twisted, my muscles expanded,
Charlotte's POVSomething changed within me after the transfusion. At first, I blamed it on stress. My body had been through too much in such a short time. I had spent hours at Dwayne's bedside, barely slept, and was still trying to process the discovery that he was my biological son.But the strange sensations didn't disappear. Instead, they became stronger. The first thing I noticed was my hearing. I could hear footsteps from the other end of the mansion even when the doors were closed. I could distinguish Marie's soft steps from Corey's heavier ones. Sometimes, I could clearly hear conversations taking place downstairs, word for word even while I was upstairs in my room.Then my sense of smell changed drastically. The scent of coffee drifting from the kitchen suddenly seemed overwhelming. I could smell the wood burning in the fireplace, the detergent on freshly washed sheets, and even the faint scent of Michael's cologne from the hallway.One morning, I stood in the kitchen staring







