Maya’s Pov
“Jayden, put on your shoes. We’re leaving in five.”
I called out from the hallway as I adjusted the scarf over my hair. The smell of roasted meat from the alpha house kitchen still lingered, heavy and comforting, but there was an unease in my chest I couldn’t shake.
Jayden’s voice came faintly from the next room, “Do I have to wear the brown ones? They’re ugly.”
I huffed a laugh. “Yes, those ones. They’re sturdy and you promised not to ruin another pair this week.”
Henry was seated near the door, flicking through a leather-bound book, his boots still dusty from the morning’s patrol. He looked up, catching my eyes. “We’re heading to the market,” I said. “Want to come along?”
He shook his head. “No thanks. I’ve seen enough bartering and screaming over tomatoes to last me a lifetime.”
I grinned. “Suit yourself.”
Maya's Pov“Jayden!”His scream pierced the night again.Third time.My heart slammed against my ribs as I threw the blankets off, sprinting barefoot across the stone floor. The halls of the Alpha house stretched dark and cold, lit only by the flicker of moonlight through narrow windows.I pushed open the bedroom door, breathless.Jayden was curled in the corner of his bed, knees pulled to his chest, his small body trembling beneath the covers. His sobs were ragged,deep and guttural, like they were being torn from somewhere far beyond this world.I rushed to him. “Jayden, baby, I’m here,” I whispered, dropping to my knees beside him. “Mama’s here, you’re safe.”He clutched my waist as soon as he felt me, his fingers digging into my skin.
Maya’s povThe murmurs started before the sun had fully risen. I could hear them, even from my window,low voices carried through dew-soaked leaves, whispers trailing from wolf to wolf like a contagious fever.Jonathan. Jonathan was alive.And the entire pack now knew.I pulled my shawl tighter around my shoulders, staring into the mug of tea I hadn’t touched in over twenty minutes. My stomach twisted with dread. I’d hoped we’d have time to figure things out quietly, privately,but with a pack this big, silence was never an option. Not when the ghost of the former Alpha’s son had clawed his way out of death and into our gates.Jayden sat at the table, pushing a slice of bread around his plate. “Are they going to hurt him?” he asked suddenly. His voice was small but direct.I looked up, startled. “Who?”“My dad
Maya’s Pov“Jayden, put on your shoes. We’re leaving in five.”I called out from the hallway as I adjusted the scarf over my hair. The smell of roasted meat from the alpha house kitchen still lingered, heavy and comforting, but there was an unease in my chest I couldn’t shake.Jayden’s voice came faintly from the next room, “Do I have to wear the brown ones? They’re ugly.”I huffed a laugh. “Yes, those ones. They’re sturdy and you promised not to ruin another pair this week.”Henry was seated near the door, flicking through a leather-bound book, his boots still dusty from the morning’s patrol. He looked up, catching my eyes. “We’re heading to the market,” I said. “Want to come along?”He shook his head. “No thanks. I’ve seen enough bartering and screaming over tomatoes to last me a lifetime.”I grinned. “Suit yourself.”
Maya's PovThe scream didn’t come from my mouth, but I felt it rip through me anyway.Behind the glass, a child wailed. His tiny fists pounded against the transparent wall, his voice cracked and desperate, screaming for someone, anyone. My body was rigid, frozen in place. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. My arms ached to hold him. My heart thundered, begging me to run, to break through and protect him.And then I saw her.At first, I thought it was my reflection, warped and distant. But no. It was her. A woman with my face… my nose, my mouth, even my hair, but not my heart. Her expression was stone. Eyes hollow. Movements sharp, calculated, almost robotic.She held a syringe.“No!” I tried to scream, but the sound stuck in my throat like thorns. My fists banged on the invisible barrier as I watched h
Maya’s povMy knees hit the floor before I even understand what’s happening.One moment I’m walking down the hallway with Jayden’s socks balled up in one hand, thinking about how the weather’s shifting too quickly for a child’s immune system to keep up,And the next, the ceiling is spinning above me like a carousel.Cold. Hard. Bright.Voices blur.Footsteps thunder.Hands are on me.“Maya!”Conan.I try to lift my head, try to speak, but my mouth doesn’t listen. My arms twitch like they're not mine. I can't breathe properly, like something inside is pressing against my lungs. Like I'm being pushed out.“Don’t touch me,” I gasp, barely a whisper.But he does.Gently. So carefully. Like I’m made of glass.
Maya’s PovLunch was silent.Not the awkward, we-fought-last-night kind of silence. This one was heavier. Thicker. Like the air itself had agreed to keep its mouth shut. Even Jayden, normally a ball of chatter and nonsense jokes, pushed peas around his plate without a single sound effect.Henry sat beside him, drawing quietly on a piece of paper with one of those stubby red crayons he insisted on using for everything. Conan watched us from the other side of the table, chewing, eyes sharp. He noticed too.I wasn’t hungry. None of us really were.When Jayden finally spoke, it was with that sing-song innocence that never failed to set me on edge lately.“Mommy,” he said, holding up the drawing. “Look.”I took it without thinking.And froze.It was a woman. Or something like one. No face, just a void whe