The Price of a Second Chance의 모든 챕터: 챕터 161 - 챕터 170

The hall of the town hall smelled of dust, old leather, and false respectability. I climbed the steps slowly, lighting a cigarette on the way. The guard at the door made mention of complaining, but when he recognized me, he just swallowed dry and opened the door.Upstairs, the council room was lit by a yellowish light, with stacked papers and a long table, where men and women sat in chairs too heavy for their backs. The chairman of the council, Councilor Holt, a fat and always sweaty fellow, hit the wooden hammer. He was an alpha wolf, but below me. "City council meeting. Main subject: safety of the population in the face of recent rumors involving unstable wolves."Rumors. I almost laughed. What they called a rumor was my job well done. Newspaper headline, blurry photo, whisper in the bakery. It was funny how fear moved faster than any truth.I sat down in the corner of the table, uninvited. No one complained. Holt cleared his throat, looking at me. "Casper, you brought this informa

Lancelot’s cafe seemed larger at night. The dark windows reflected the almost empty street, and only the yellow light inside broke the silence. I crossed the sidewalk with the paper still crumpled in the bag, my heart beating too fast.I pushed the door slowly. He was sitting on one of the tables in the back, elbows leaning, head down as if carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Lancelot.""Naomi. I thought it was too early for you to come."Closed the door behind me, locking it without asking permission. "I needed." I took the newspaper out of my purse and threw it on the nearest table.He looked over but did not touch the paper. "I see.""That’s not just a headline." My voice trembled, but I didn’t back down. "It’s a gun. And you know who it came from."He sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. "Casper.""Yes. Always him." I sat in front of him, tapping my finger on the newspaper. "And you’re going to leave? Will you stay here, hidden, waiting?"Lancelot looked up s

The wind from the road was still beating in the windows when we stopped. The noise of the engine ceased, and for a moment, the world was too quiet. The moon was full."We’re far enough away," he said, turning off the light."Far from what?" I asked, even though I knew the answer."Of all the rest."We got out of the car. The air was cold, the kind that cuts through the skin but awakens the body. There was an open field ahead, surrounded by trees and a stream. The sound of water was the only living thing nearby. He took off his coat and threw it into the hood. I faced him."Are you sure of that?" he asked, his eyes meeting mine with a strained, almost supplicant gleam."I have," I replied. "If this is where you want to stay, I’ll stay with you."He gave a half smile, tired. "I don’t want to scare you.""I’ve seen the worst. And I’m still here."We stood face-to-face, with the moon between us. The wind lifted its hair, and the smell of it, that mixture of earth, rain, and something wild

The forest always had a way of calling me. Sometimes with the sound of the wind, sometimes with the smell of wet earth. Today, silence called me. Drove to the quarry and left the car before the turn. I walked the rest on foot, without haste, with the moon lighting the way.The trees leaned as if they wanted to hide me, but nothing could hide what I carried inside. Each step made the ground creak, and the wolf in me moved, impatient, rubbing inside the skin. It was as if I was tired of waiting.I took a deep breath. The air was cold and sharp. That kind of cold that doesn’t hurt, just remember you’re still here. It was not fear of what I could find. It was the fear of what I could become.I stopped in the middle of the clearing. The same place where, days ago, Adrian had forced me to confront the monster. There were still marks on the ground: broken earth, broken stones. Signs of struggle. Signs of me. I touched the ground with my fingertips. Cold.I closed my eyes and heard the sound

The house still smelled of smoke and sweat. The wood of the balcony had claw marks, the handrail was scratched, and fresh memories of what had happened a few hours before. I sat on the steps with my body covered by a blanket and my chest still burning. The sun rose slowly, burning the clouds with shades of orange and gray.The transformation chamber was still locked. I could still smell concrete, dry blood, and trapped wolf. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Casper’s smile. That false calm, that sick pleasure in seeing the chaos he himself caused. He had not come to talk.I ran my hand over my face, feeling the rough beard and hot skin. My body hurt as if I had fought against a wall. The transformations always left a trail of tense muscles, throbbing bones, and the mind trying to reorganize itself between two natures that never accepted each other completely.I took a deep breath, trying to drive away the sound. The cold air came in and burned my lungs, bringing the smell of the fore