Kael's feet stopped moving before his brain caught up.
Liora's hand stayed on the grip of the gun. Not drawing. Just resting. Like it was part of the conversation.
The words hung between them.
*They also told me to kill you on sight.*
Wind moved through the trees. Leaves hissed. Somewhere far off a dog barked once—sharp, then gone.
Kael felt the heat in his spine again. Not full fire yet. Just embers stirring.
He kept his voice low. "You gonna do it?"
Liora didn't blink. "I haven't decided."
"That's comforting."
She tilted her head. "You're not what I expected."
"What did you expect?"
"Something… smaller. More scared." Her eyes flicked over him—shoulders, hands, the way he stood like he might bolt or fight or both. "You look like you've already lost something tonight."
He swallowed. The taste of copper was still in his mouth from the alley. "I did."
She studied him another beat. Then her hand slid off the gun. Slowly. Deliberate.
"But I'm not pulling the trigger yet," she said. "Walk."
Kael didn't move.
She sighed—small, tired. "You think running gets you anywhere? They've got your scent now. City's a cage with too many exits. You go back, you die messier. You come with me, maybe you get answers first."
"Answers from the people who want me dead."
"Not all of them." She turned halfway, started walking again. Not fast. Not looking back to check if he followed.
Kael watched her back. Leather jacket creaking faintly. Boots soft on the cracked pavement.
He cursed under his breath.
Then followed.
They moved out of the park, past chain-link fences tagged with old graffiti, past abandoned lots where weeds grew taller than street signs. The city thinned here—edge of everything. Streetlights farther apart. Shadows deeper.
Every few steps Kael felt the pull in his chest. Like the moon had hooks in his ribs and was reeling him forward.
Liora didn't speak for a long stretch.
When she finally did, her voice was quieter. "You killed that guy tonight."
Kael's stomach twisted. "He came at me."
"You didn't stop."
He didn't answer.
She glanced sideways. "First blood's always the worst. After that it gets easier. Or you get better at pretending."
"I'm not pretending."
"You will."
They crossed a rusted train track. Rails glinted cold under the moon.
Kael asked, "Why do they want me dead?"
Liora kept walking. "You're silverblood."
He frowned. "What the hell is that?"
"Rare. Dangerous. Old bloodline. Means the wolf in you isn't normal. It's… stronger. Hungrier. If you turn fully, if you claim alpha—" She stopped. Looked at him. "The pack tied to you dies. Every last one."
Kael felt the words land like a slap. "That's bullshit."
"Is it?" She kept moving. "Your father carried it too. He didn't know until it was too late."
"My father's dead."
"I know."
Silence again. Heavier this time.
Kael's voice came out rough. "You knew him?"
Liora didn't answer right away. When she did: "I was a kid. Watched him burn out. Watched the pack fracture after."
Kael's hands flexed. Nails bit into palms—still too sharp. "And my mother?"
"She ran. Took you. Hid you. Thought distance would keep the curse quiet."
"It didn't."
"No." Liora's tone flattened. "It just waited."
They reached a chain-link gate half off its hinges. Beyond it—dark woods. Pines thick enough to swallow light.
Liora stopped. Turned to face him fully.
"This is the line," she said. "City ends. Pack begins."
Kael looked past her. Trees moved like breathing things. Moonlight carved sharp edges between trunks.
He felt it—the shift again. Skin crawling. Heart too loud.
"I'm not going in there."
"You already are." She nodded behind him.
Kael turned.
Two shapes stepped out from the shadows. Tall. Broad. Eyes catching light like animals.
One male. One female. Both watching him the way wolves watch something that wandered into their territory.
The male spoke first. Voice low, gravel. "Liora. You brought him."
"She didn't have much choice," Kael said before she could answer.
The female laughed—short, cold. "He talks back. Cute."
Liora stepped between them and Kael. Not protective. Just positioning. "He's here. That's what matters."
The male tilted his head. "Alpha wants him now. No detours."
Kael felt the word *Alpha* hit like a stone. "Darius?"
The male's eyes narrowed. "You know the name."
"Word travels."
Liora shot Kael a look—*shut up*.
The female stepped closer. Sniffed the air. "He smells like fresh kill."
Kael tensed. "Back off."
She smiled. Teeth too white. "Or what?"
The shift hit harder this time. Sudden. No warning.
Heat surged up his spine. Bones cracked—loud in his own ears. Knees buckled. He caught himself on one hand. Claws scraped pavement.
The male laughed. "Look at that. Already leaking."
Liora moved fast—grabbed Kael's arm, yanked him upright. "Breathe. Slow. Fight it."
Kael snarled—actual snarl. Teeth too long. "Get off me."
She didn't let go. Grip iron. "You turn here, they put you down. No questions."
The female drew a blade—curved, silver edge glinting. "Maybe we should anyway."
Liora's voice dropped. "Touch him and you answer to Elysia."
The name stopped them.
The male frowned. "She's not Alpha."
"She's still his mother."
Silence. Thick. Dangerous.
Kael's vision cleared a little. The heat receded—just enough.
He straightened. Breathing hard.
The female sheathed the blade. Slow. Reluctant.
The male jerked his head toward the trees. "Move."
They walked.
Deeper in. Pines closed around them. Ground soft with needles. No path—just instinct.
Kael's legs felt heavy. Every step dragged the wolf closer to the surface.
Liora stayed beside him. Close enough their arms brushed once. She didn't pull away.
After maybe twenty minutes the trees opened.
A clearing.
Firelight flickered—small camp. Tents. Shadows moving.
People turned.
Eyes on him.
Then one stepped forward.
Woman. Mid-forties. Dark hair gone half-silver. Face lined with too many hard years.
She looked at Kael.
Stopped.
Eyes wide. Wet.
Kael knew her.
From the photo.
From dreams he never admitted to having.
Elysia.
His mother.
She took one step. Then another. Faster.
Kael didn't move.
She reached him. Hands shaking. Reached for his face.
He flinched back.
She froze.
Then spoke—voice cracked, barely above whisper.
"You were never hidden, Kael."
She swallowed.
"You were bait."
The words landed.
Everything stopped.
Kael felt the world narrow to that one sentence.
Bait.
For what.
For who.
The wolf inside didn't care.
It just wanted out.
And this time, Kael wasn't sure he wanted to stop it.