's

silence between us was palpable. The town seemed to grow more unfamiliar the

e silence. "So... the new Al

lips tugging upward, but that was the most react

united?" I tried again, ho

didn't look at me again after that, his focus solely on the road. The conversation hit a

s I followed him. The mansion was intimidating, and I couldn't help but notice the curious stares

t I had expected. He was young, maybe in his mid-thirties, with striking sa

on, huh?" His voice w

ied, trying my best

u here? Your ancest

My throat tightened, and I fought back the tears as I explained how they

me like a punch to the gut. "Your wolf didn'

me. A werewolf my age should have control over their wolf. It was an unspoken rule, a

ng. "You can't control it, can you?"

"You can't freely transition?" His shock made me feel even small

linch. "Quite the show," Matt

, and we will treat her with the respect she deserves, regardless of how little control she has over her wolf. Even though we all know

back of the mansion. Dust and cobwebs covered everything, and the faint smell of decay lingered in the air. I w

hing pressing down on me. Maybe they just needed time to adjust to me.

arried some contagious disease. I wandered outside the town one day and saw groups of women glaring at m

. When I brought it up to the Alpha, he only shrugged, making it clear he had no interest in help

hed over me. He had brought me here; maybe he could help explain

called out softly, tucki

e men before looking at me

to me, and they all look at me with such hatred in their eyes." I swallowed the lump forming

ious. "Listen carefully, Ava. No, it's not something y

e. "We...?" My voice broke, the famil

nothing. You can't even control your transition at twenty-two. And according to werewolf myths, anyone past eighteen who can't control their wolf i

o tell him I wasn't e

your bad luck didn't

ining the men, who were laughin

ies of my parents' deaths came flooding back, suffocating me. I dropped to my kn

ere right. Maybe I was cursed. I'd brought nothing but misery to Aun

d out, and I wiped my eyes with my sleeves. Determined to make a change, I headed for the forest, ho

liar and foreign. Curious, I followed the scent until I saw him-a man, loading a g

he handled the bullets. When he turned around, my heart raced. His sharp jawline, clean-shaven f

thought, confused by the

s trying to break free,

e's handsome, bu

ep and commanding. He raised his gun and pointe

my chest as butterfl

led inside my head,

ould it r

raising my hands to show I meant no harm. There were only a few s

more confused than anything, watching me