Chapter 2

Astrid sat up in bed, her heart hammering in her chest.

Kellan's words echoed in her mind: "I think we’re in danger."Unable to sleep, she paced the room, thoughts of whirlwind of confusion and fear.

She couldn't dismiss the urgency in his voice, nor the strange connection she felt to him. Who was Kellan, and what had happened when she touched him?

Morning light filtered through her curtains, intensifying her need for answers. Downstairs, Kira was making breakfast.

The smell of coffee filled the air, but Astrid had no appetite. She needed to talk to her mother but didn't know how to begin.

“Morning,” Kira said, her tone forcedly cheerful. “Did you sleep well?”

Astrid shook her head. “Mom, we need to talk. For real this time.”

Kira’s smile faltered. She put down the coffee pot and turned to face Astrid. “What’s on your mind, sweetheart?”

“The man I healed yesterday... he called me last night. He said we’re in danger. What’s going on?”

Kira’s face went pale. “He called you? How did he get your number?”

“He said he followed me. Mom, he sounded scared. I need to know what’s happening.”

Kira sighed, rubbing her temples. “Astrid, there are things I’ve kept from you to protect you. But maybe it’s time you knew the truth.”

Astrid leaned forward, her heart pounding. “What truth?”

A loud knock on the door interrupted them. Both women jumped.

Kira moved quickly to the window and peeked through the curtain. Her face tightened with fear. “Astrid, go to your room. Now.”

“But—”

“Go!” Kira hissed.

Astrid retreated to her room, her mind racing. She heard the door open downstairs and muffled voices. Straining to hear, she crept closer to the top of the stairs.

“Kira, we know she’s here,” a deep voice said. “You can’t keep her hidden forever.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kira replied, her voice shaking. “Please, just leave us alone.”

The man’s voice grew more insistent. “We have orders, Kira. She must come with us.”

Astrid’s heart pounded. Why did they want her? What had her mother been hiding?

Kira's voice trembled. “You can’t take her. She’s my daughter, and she’s not a threat to anyone.”

“Your daughter has powers that could change everything,” the man replied. “Dante himself has ordered us to bring her in. We know she’s special.”

Astrid’s breath caught. Dante? Whoever he was, he held power over these men.

Kira’s voice became pleading. “Please, give us more time. She doesn’t even know what she is yet.”

The man’s tone softened. “Kira, we don’t have a choice. Dante has been searching for her for years. He believes she can help the pack in ways we can’t even imagine.”

Astrid’s phone buzzed on her nightstand. She picked it up and saw another message from Kellan: “I’m close by. If you need help, text me.”

Her fingers trembled as she typed back, “I need help. They’re here for me.”

Kellan’s reply was immediate: “I’m on my way. Stay hidden.”

Astrid’s heart raced. She had to be ready for whatever came through that door and trust that Kellan would find her in time.

Downstairs, Kira's conversation grew more urgent. Astrid could hear the desperation in her mother’s voice, mingling with her own rising fear.

Then, silence. The front door closed with a resounding thud.

Astrid inched closer to her bedroom door, straining to hear.“Astrid,” Kira’s voice called up the stairs, shaky but composed. “You can come down now.”

Astrid hesitated before stepping out of her room and descending the stairs. She found her mother standing in the foyer, pale and drawn.“Who were they?”

Astrid asked, her voice trembling.

Kira took a deep breath. “They’re part of a group that works for someone very powerful in the werewolf community. They’ve been looking for you.”

“Why? What do they want with me?”

Kira glanced around nervously. “They believe you’re special. There’s something about you that they need.”

Astrid felt the world tilt beneath her feet. Her whole life, she’d known she was different, but this was beyond anything she could have imagined.

“What do you mean? What do they need me for? And the drugs you’ve been giving me to suppress my abilities... how could you, Mom?”

Kira’s eyes widened in shock, her hands shaking. “Astrid, I only did it to protect you. I thought it was for the best.”

Astrid felt a surge of betrayal. “Protect me? You’ve been keeping me in the dark and lying to me! How is that protecting me?”

Tears welled up in Kira’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Astrid. I thought I was doing what was right.”

Astrid’s anger began to subside, replaced by sadness. “We need to figure this out together. Whatever’s coming, we’ll face it together.”

A loud knock on the door again. Both women froze.

Kira approached the door cautiously. “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Kellan,” came the reply. “Please, let me in.”

Kira hesitated before opening the door. Kellan stepped inside, his eyes immediately finding Astrid.

“We need to leave. Dante’s men are still out there, and they’ll be back. We don’t have much time.”

Astrid looked from Kellan to her mother, her mind a whirlwind of questions and fear. “Where will we go?”

Kellan glanced out the window. “Somewhere safe. But we need to move now.”

Kira nodded. “He’s right, Astrid. We have to go.”

Astrid felt a surge of panic. Her whole world was being upended, but she had little choice. “Okay,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s go.”

They quickly gathered a few essentials. As they slipped out the back door, Astrid glanced back at the only home she had ever known, feeling a profound sense of loss.

Kellan led them through the darkened streets. “There’s a safe house not far from here,” he said. “We’ll be safe there, at least for a while.”

Astrid nodded, thoughts racing. She had so many questions, but now wasn’t the time. All she could do was follow Kellan and trust that he knew what he was doing.

As they approached the safe house, Astrid felt a strange sensation, a pull she couldn’t explain. She glanced at Kellan, wondering if he felt it too.

“We’re here,” Kellan said, stopping in front of a small, nondescript building. He opened the door. “This way.”

Inside, the safe house was modest but comfortable. Kellan led them to a small living area.

“We should be safe here for now,” he said. “But we need to figure out our next move. Dante won’t stop looking for you, Astrid.”

Astrid looked at her mother, feeling a mix of fear and determination. “What do we do now?”Kira took Astrid’s hand, her grip firm.

“We stay together and stay strong. We’ll figure this out, one step at a time.”

Astrid nodded, feeling a sense of resolve. She didn’t know what the future held, but she knew she was ready to face it.

And she wouldn’t do it alone.Just then, her phone buzzed again.

She picked it up, her heart skipping a beat as she read the message from an unknown number: “Astrid, there’s more you need to know. Meet me at the old park at midnight. Come alone.”

Her hands trembled as she showed the message to Kellan and Kira. They exchanged worried glances, and Astrid knew that the journey was only just beginning.