AVERY
The cold wind stung my face as I stepped off the last bus into the heart of a sprawling city. A new world stretched out before me, its skyline glimmering like a promise of anonymity. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t a Holloway, a mate, or a wolf. Here, I was nobody, and I clung to that anonymity like a lifeline.
The decision to come to the human world wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. Tobias, my father, and the entire werewolf world would be looking for me, though I doubted they’d think to look here. It had been weeks since I severed my bond with Tobias and left the Red Hollow Pack, and I had ensured that no trace of me remained.
Finding my footing among humans took time. I rented a small, rundown apartment under a fake name, purchased with the little money I had managed to steal from Tobias before I left. With my altered ID, I managed to secure a job as a cleaner in a local cafeteria. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was honest work, and it gave me the stability I needed to begin anew.
Mia, one of the baristas, was the first to welcome me. “You’re a mystery, you know that?” she said one afternoon as we cleaned the tables together. Her easy smile and kind eyes made me feel lighter, even if I never fully let my guard down.
“I like it that way,” I replied softly.
Mia laughed. “Fair enough. But if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.”
The days passed slowly, and I sank into a routine. I cleaned, worked, and kept to myself. The dull ache of my severed bond still lingered, but I buried it deep, focusing on survival. My wolf, however, was restless. She reminded me often that Tobias and his men were likely scouring the werewolf world for me, but I refused to let fear dictate my life.
Weeks turned into months, and as my belly swelled, I started to feel the tiniest flickers of joy. The twins were my only family now. Their kicks reminded me that despite the pain and betrayal, I had something precious to protect.
One evening, Mia and I sat on the café’s back steps after closing. She offered me a steaming cup of tea and tilted her head. “So, any big plans for the future?”
I hesitated, unsure how to answer. “I’m just taking things one day at a time,” I said finally.
Mia nodded, her gaze thoughtful. “Well, you’ve got grit. I like that about you.”
I smiled faintly, touched by her words. But the truth was, my future was far from certain.
The final weeks of my pregnancy were the hardest. My body ached constantly, and my wolf grew more restless with each passing day. I stayed indoors as much as possible, knowing the full moon would soon bring a heightened risk of being discovered. My instincts whispered that danger was closing in, but I ignored them, too tired to care.
Then, the night of the full moon arrived.
The pain came suddenly, sharp and relentless, as labor began. Alone in my tiny apartment, I struggled through the hours, my wolf lending her strength when I thought I couldn’t continue. By the time the first cry echoed through the room, tears streamed down my face.
Cairo. My eldest. He had a fierce cry, his dark hair already thick and wild. Minutes later, his twin followed. Caelum was quieter, but his presence felt just as powerful, his eyes shimmering with an otherworldly light.
I held them close, their tiny bodies fitting perfectly against mine. “Cairo, Caelum,” I whispered. “You’re everything to me now.”
The exhaustion hit me like a tidal wave, but I fought to stay awake, my wolf growling low with unease. Still, the pull of sleep was too strong. I curled protectively around my newborns, letting my guard drop for just a moment.
When I woke, the apartment was eerily silent.
My heart stopped as I reached for the bassinet. It was empty.
“Cairo? Caelum?” I called out, my voice breaking.
Cairo and Caelum were gone.
The scent of wolves lingered in the air, faint but unmistakable. Panic surged through me as my wolf howled in despair. They’d found me.
For a moment, I was paralyzed. Tobias? My father? Had they sent someone to take the prophecy’s children? Or was it something—or someone—else entirely?
My mind raced as I stumbled to my feet, scanning the room for clues. A single thought burned through my fear, igniting a resolve I didn’t know I had.
No one was taking my children.
I grabbed the dagger I kept hidden beneath my mattress and stormed out of the apartment, my wolf snarling with rage. Whoever had taken them would pay, and I wouldn’t stop until Cairo and Caelum were safe in my arms again.
As the full moon hung heavy in the sky, I swore to myself that no force in this world—human or wolf—would keep me from my children.
The city stretched out before me, a labyrinth of shadows and danger. But I would find them. And when I did, the world would know what happens when a mother is pushed too far.
