After leaving the bar, Cole and I made our way home through the quiet streets. The next few days promised to be bustling with the celebration and festivities surrounding the welcoming party for our pack's newest members. As the full moon approached, we were preparing to usher in another generation of our kind into the world. It was a time of joy, excitement, and for some, fear.
"I'm glad we're doing this," I murmured to Cole as we walked side by side.
He glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "Doing what?"
"Making a big deal out of their first transformation. Celebrating it. It should be something exciting, not something to fear."
He nodded, understanding what I didn't say out loud. He knew of the night that still haunted my dreams, the night my life changed forever.
The night of my first transformation.
I still remembered it as though it were yesterday. The pain, the confusion, the fear... and ultimately, the tragedy. It was the night I had lost control and, in a fit of panic and fury, killed my mother and sister. They had been the innocent victims of my transformation, a result of my desperate attempt to protect them from my abusive father.
"It's different now," Cole said, pulling me back to the present. "You've made it different for them, Jason."
I nodded, pushing the painful memories away. That was the past, and I was determined to change the future for the newcomers. I wanted them to feel part of something special, not afraid of what they were.
As we neared home, I spotted Lyla waiting for me. Even in the dim light, I could see the gentle swell of her stomach, a subtle reminder of the responsibility I was about to take on.
"I've decided," I said, coming to a stop in front of her. Her eyes flicked up to meet mine, wide with anticipation. "I'll take care of you, Lyla. And the baby."
A soft smile spread across her face, but it didn't reach her eyes. "But you can't give me what I really want, can you?"
"You know I can't," I admitted. My heart was a locked door that I couldn't find the key to. I couldn't give her the love she craved. Not when my heart was still filled with guilt and self-loathing.
I left her with that bitter truth, heading towards the bonfire where the celebration was already underway. The scent of roasting meat and the sound of laughter filled the air. But underneath it all, there was a different scent, one that made me stop in my tracks.
A scent that shouldn't have been there.
Hunters.
And beneath that, something even more surprising. A scent I would know anywhere. Kelsey.
What was she doing here?
Before I could even react, chaos erupted around me. The hunters had attacked. As the screams and howls filled the night, I could only think of one thing.
Kelsey was here. And she was in danger.
Before I could piece together the puzzle, chaos erupted around us. The laughter was replaced with screams of terror as the hunters attacked, their surprise raid causing pandemonium. In the midst of it all, my mind latched onto a singular thought.
Kelsey was here. And in the ensuing chaos, I could lose her even before I had a chance to understand what she meant to me. The thought left an icy dread pooling in my stomach, a premonition of disaster that left me cold.
The scene was a blur of movement, the pack members fighting tooth and claw to fend off the hunters. Amidst the chaos, a glimpse of auburn hair and a determined set of eyes caught my attention. Kelsey. The panic in her eyes stung me more than any physical wound could.
As I watched, one of our newest members, a young hothead named Finn, lunged towards her. My heart slammed against my ribs, realization slamming into me. If Finn struck, she wouldn't stand a chance. Before I could process the consequences, I was tearing through the crowd, positioning myself between them.
"No!" The command left my lips with a force that silenced the immediate chaos around us. Finn skidded to a halt, surprise flashing across his face as he recognized me. "Take her alive," I ordered, my voice ringing with the authority of an Alpha.
Finn looked at me as if I'd grown another head, his confusion giving way to a sneer. "She's a hunter, Jason. They're all the same."
"I said No!, Finn," I growled, my gaze locked onto Kelsey, who was watching the exchange with a mixture of shock and defiance.
I saw the protests forming on Finn's lips, but a sharp glance from me cut him off. "Do as I say," I ordered, "Take her back to the house."
The command hung in the air for a moment before Finn begrudgingly nodded, shifting his gaze to Kelsey. As he moved to follow my orders, I watched Kelsey, the woman who had haunted my thoughts and dreams, be led away by my pack. I could only hope that I had made the right decision.
As the dust began to settle, the scent of blood and fear still hung heavily in the air. I looked around at my pack, their faces filled with confusion and uncertainty. I knew the decision I had just made would raise many questions, and I would have to face the consequences. But at that moment, ensuring Kelsey's safety felt like the only right thing to do.