Chapter 6

- Alice -

I sat alone outside Emory’s office, my heart pounding so loudly I thought it might burst. The room behind me was silent, but inside my mind, something else was stirring—something I’d never felt before. A voice. Soft, gentle, almost tender.

"Alice," it called, as if whispering right into my ear.

I froze, my breath hitching. My brows drew together as I tried to process what I’d just heard. Had I really just heard a voice? Was this some kind of nightmare? Or had I finally gone crazy?

"Lyra," the voice repeated, as if it could hear my thoughts, more confident now. "I am your wolf."

My eyes widened in shock. My wolf? I’d always known I could turn into a wolf—had done so in nightmares, sometimes when I was angry or scared—but I’d never heard her speak. Never knew she had a voice inside me.

A shiver ran down my spine as fear crept into my chest. A wolf inside me? My heart started pounding even harder. It was overwhelming—almost impossible to believe. I was scared—terrified, really. This was so much to take in.

"You’re scared," Lyra’s voice echoed softly in my mind. "That’s okay. I’m here."

I clenched my fists, trying to shut out the voice, to block out the chaos inside my head. But Lyra kept speaking, calm and steady.

"You’re stronger than you think. I’m your wolf, and I’m part of you. We just need to get to know each other."

I shook my head, feeling almost dizzy. I couldn’t believe what I was experiencing. This can’t be real. I must be losing my mind.

But then, without realizing it, my feet moved of their own accord. I pushed open the door to Emory’s office, my heart racing. The room was filled with quiet voices, papers rustling, and the scent of someone’s cologne. My eyes darted around wildly, then settled on Emory, Liam, and Angora—all seated in a semi-circle, watching me with wide eyes.

Before I knew what I was doing, I burst in, my voice trembling as I started to talk—no, to ramble—my words tumbling out.

“There’s… a wolf,” I whispered, voice cracking. “I hear her. I never knew I had one. I thought maybe… I thought it was just me. But it’s her. Lyra. She’s real. I can hear her. I don’t know what’s happening—what I am—”

They all stared in silence. Emory sat back, expression unreadable, listening quietly as I kept talking, trying to make sense of what was happening inside my head. My hands trembled as I fidgeted, my voice barely more than a whisper.

“I didn’t know I had a wolf. I never knew I could hear her. Not until today—when we was in the bath together, i thought i could hear something but i didn't know.. She’s… she’s real. Lyra. But I don’t understand. Why didn’t anyone tell me? Why didn’t I know?”

Liam leaned forward, a teasing grin on his face. “Easy tiger” he said with a laugh.

My face burned bright red. I looked away, cheeks flaming, feeling exposed and vulnerable. I mumbled apologies, trying to explain how I felt—how I was overwhelmed by everything. But the words caught in my throat.

Suddenly, everyone burst into laughter. Liam chuckled and shook his head.

“You’re going to be Luna of this pack, Alice,” Liam said with a grin. “You can be anywhere you want—whenever you want.”

Angora nodded, smiling warmly. “You’re not alone anymore. We’re all part of this now. And your wolf… well, that just makes everything more real.”

They all settled into chairs, and the conversation shifted to the world of wolves and mates.

“Have you shifted before?” Angora asked softly. “Have you met your wolf? Do you hear her?”

I hesitated, cheeks flushing again. I looked down at my trembling hands.

“I… I didn’t know I had one,” I admitted. “I thought it was just me in my head. I never knew I could hear her. Not until today—when ... She’s… she’s.. But I don’t understand. Why haven't i been able to hear her? Why had my wolf been hidden from me?”

Emory finally spoke, his voice calm but gentle. “You get your wolf when you turn 18. Everyone does. That’s just part of growing up in this world.” His brow furrowed as he looked at me, studying me carefully. “But you’re already 19. So I don’t understand why you’ve never met her. Or heard her before.”

My stomach twisted. I’ve never met my wolf? I thought. Never heard her? It was like discovering I was completely in the dark about the biggest part of myself.

Emory offered a warm, knowing smile. “Let’s introduce our wolves"

"My wolf is Nixon—he’s a fierce leader. He is pitched black with green eyes, and has no patience in the world, he's a big softy, like a teddy bear". Emorys eyes flicker, darken, and he begins to laugh, as if he was talking to his wolf now, in front of everybody.

Liam’s face lit up with pride as he spoke. "Conan is my wolf," he said warmly. "He’s a beast—massive, fearless, with a thick grey coat and piercing green eyes. He’s the best wolf in the pack, the fastest too. Nobody can catch him." His tone was full of admiration, a clear sense of pride in his voice.

Emory chuckled, cutting in with a grin. "You wish, Liam. Nixon will always be the fastest. He's next in line for alpha, after all."

Liam rolled his eyes, laughing softly. "Yeah, yeah," he replied, shrugging. "We’ll see about that."

Angora, leaning casually against the wall, smirked at their playful exchange. "Don’t worry about the boys," she said, a teasing tone in her voice. "They’re always fighting over who’s the best." She paused, then smiled warmly. "My wolf is Accalia. She’s absolutely gorgeous—dusty brown with striking purple eyes. She’s always been there for me, my emotional support through some really tough times. She’s fiercely protective, and she’s a reminder that I’ll never be alone." She laughed softly, a fond look in her eyes. "You’d be able to spot her from a mile away."

They all shared a light-hearted moment, the camaraderie and warmth filling the room, even as they spoke about their wolves with pride.

They all shared stories, how they found their wolves, how they bonded, how mates were intertwined with these creatures.

“The Moon Goddess blesses us,” Emory explained softly. “She gives us our wolves, our mates—each part of a bigger plan. Everything happens for a reason. Mates are meant to find each other.”

He reached out and lightly grasped my hand in his. “Marking is how we claim each other. A bite on the shoulder or neck—binding us forever. It’s how we hear each other’s thoughts, how we know if the other’s in trouble or pain. It’s like an open book between us.”

My stomach clenched. If Emory knew what I was thinking all the time—what I was feeling—would he be scared of me? Would he be repulsed? The thought made me blush again. Would he want me if he knew what I thought?

I looked down, feeling exposed and vulnerable.

Liam broke the silence, “Linking’s how we connect with others in the pack. But sometimes, people are blocked from linking—our wolves have the power to do that to”

I shook my head slowly. “I… I never knew I could do that,” I whispered.

Emory’s eyes softened with a hint of anger. “Your pack might have kept that from you. Maybe they didn’t want you to know—that’s why you’ve been kept in the dark.” He paused. “But now, you’re waking up to who you really are.”

My mind spun with questions. Why had no one told me? Why had my wolf been hidden? Why had I never heard her before?

As I looked around at all of them—these new family members—I felt a strange mixture of fear and hope. Maybe I was finally starting to discover who I was meant to be.