e room, his eyes wi

ng that crippled Howard son! I know you don't wan

ting echo that seemed to blend wit

classic "hero - saved -

mehow ended up at th

erewolves, the air thick with the

s expensive clothes, was cornered

k of the woods? Hand over your wallet," one o

e him

- wolf from the slums, sh

to blend in and forget my troub

hugs l

gonna do about

low growl, my

ant to find o

prise, the

my eyes or the fact that they didn'

away, mutt

d at me in a

saved me. I'm

d don't think this means we're friend

nnection formed that day, and our f

was a cauldron of insecurities and si

substitute marriage c

at family? Neve

n that Fran

ou don't have to do t

esentment over my fathe

tunity, I

miths I was more than t

sure?" I asked, m

be together

dmother's dire wa

amily, high and mighty in the we

m wolf among us. She doesn

life took a dark turn I

, my father - in - law ignored my existence, and

and pain, and tried to learn the ways of the hig

as the

d to love me betrayed

wist, lost my life in

truggles and efforts had merely served as a step

d was to protect those dear to

d, gently extricating

e already agreed to the match. I'm sorry, but m

tin as a stepping - stone, blinded b

ered my heart, taking a ne

ng, even my life,

wed him

nk Austin's

t physically broken. His wolf spirit rages within him, driving

ze with a col

s of my own to fight, Frank. I don't h

flared. "You're making

, he spun

h that young werewolf? He looke

ounced Grandma's arrival. Her voice, war

ran

own my face as I

r frail frame, holding on as

y, she

my desire to fit into the Austin that I'd

taint my new - found s

ll matted and dirty

eyes filled with conce

boy? I'll teach him a lesson, even

balled into fists,

smile thro

ou so much. I'm a fierce she -

ma chu

little pup, no matte

have I told you to stop ru

lded g

ealed. You can't push

hat fateful da

apsed, her wolf -

e Smith's manor,

heartless man, hadn't

wenty - thousand - silver - coin pouc

the slums, pleading with anyo

at, and tears, I

I'd sacrificed my education, taking on back - breaking

ered at me for it, looking down on my la

nally free from the

whispering con

the outskirts and a hefty sum of silve

owed, her old - wolf

Mina? That man's as sly as a fox. Hi

a deep

ed, but I can take care of him. It's a better fate th

a's fac

? They're rut

e quivered with a mix of frustration and h

of you finding a werewolf who truly

thought she loved," I retort

of hardship. And w

At least, I won't have to worry about being stabbed in the back by som

g, heavy sigh, she said, "You've grown so strong

a, I'll

ke care of yourself too. Sta

." Grandma

aited, early the next morning, Mike Smith sent over

ndma move int

aker with some knowled

and visit her old friends

I start to feel

eek, yet understated lu

werewolves in their animal forms

ned, and a well - dres

Smith, the H

dma, I took a deep breath a

until finally we arriv

g! B

on the oak d

ard, I'm

ed, voi

nee

ET