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"I...I don't know what I want," she admits, biting on her lip like it's the source of all her mixed-up feelings.

With a heavy sigh, I just nod, watching her retreat. The harsh truth is setting in—I am not the sole owner of my heart anymore. Dani's sparked something fierce inside me, and it's a threat, dangerous and wild. But goddamn, if I don't want to chase that danger as far as it'll go.

A chilling howl echoes through the moonlit forest. Before we react, a branch cracks behind us, and a menacing growl interrupts me. Spinning around, we face the monstrous beast slavering before us, yellow eyes gleaming with evil intent.

Danica stumbles back with a scream, clutching my arm desperately. My muscles coil, ready to rip the vile creature apart. But with a sickening crunch of bones, it shifts into the form of Marcus Welsch, Cascade Pack leader, sneering cruelly. "Rhyland Eriksson. It's been a while."

Burying my violent urges, I demand through clenched teeth, "Not nearly long enough, asshole. The hell do you want?"

Marcus's laughter is hellish. Danica grips my arm, trembling. "I caught a strange scent. These are my woods, after all. Had to investigate."

My mind races for a solution as he scans Danica hungrily. Her aura attracts predators—even the wolves drool for her.

Feigning nonchalance, I snort. "No idea what you mean. All I smell is your nasty ass fouling my air."

Marcus takes another step, pine needles crunching underfoot. Behind me, Danica grips my arm tightly, barely peeking out. His tongue flicks over his lips lecherously. "Oh, I know exactly what I mean," he growls, stepping closer. "A new toy for me, Rhyland?"

"Back off, you mangy fuck," Danica growls. "Touch me, and I'll neuter your ass!"

Marcus cackles as I plant myself firmly between them. "Got yourself a wildcat, eh Rhyland?" His smirk promises cruelty.

Red creeps into my vision. One wrong move from this bastard, and my restraint will snap.

"Get lost before I beat your sorry ass, Marcus," I spit, barely containing my rage.

The motherfucker just laughs bitterly, knowing he's outmatched if I fully unleash. "Watch yourself, Rhyland."

His bones snap and contort sickeningly, pale skin erupting in dark fur. Muscles ripple and reform as the hulking beast emerges. Deadly claws gouge the dirt, and drool drips from gleaming fangs.

With an ear-splitting howl, the wolf bounds away, dirt and leaves spraying in its wake.

Beside me, Danica spews out stunned curses. "What the hell?! Did…he…was that a goddamn wolf?!"

I crush her shaking form against me, wishing I could keep her innocent from this shitstorm a little while longer. In the distance, the wolf's mournful cry echoes through the trees like an omen. Our troubles have only just begun.

The whisper of leaves is the only sound in this loaded hush. Danica tries to find her words, mouth opening then snapping shut like she's wrestling with some fucked up puzzle. Finally, she spits out the bombshell—her lab tests—showing an intertwined wolf gene.

My hands clench around her like a vise. "Let's get back to the house." I snatch up her hand, pulling her with a fierce grip. Every shadow in the woods seems like it's hiding some kind of threat, lurking, waiting.

Danica matches my pace and pins me with that searching stare. "So what's the beef with you and Marcus?"

The truth feels like a goddamn boulder in my throat, but I spit it out. "That son of a bitch laid waste to my turf centuries ago. I had the bastard under my boot, and I let him slide. He's on my shit list for good."

She nods, her head spinning from the load of crap I've dropped on her. "Werewolves," she mutters like the word tastes weird on her tongue. "Just when I thought I'd seen it all." She huffs out a breath like she's been sucker-punched. "Everything's turned to chaos, and I'm here wondering why the hell my life's the punchline!"

It's gotta be her scent, whipping up a shitstorm and calling every freaky thing with fangs or fur right to our damn doorstep. Our hands locked, we beeline for the house. Danica sneaks peeks at me, like she's stealing herself to spill her guts. She's twitchy as hell, her shoulders rigid, and her breaths coming too quick. Her face gets all flushed, and she's playing some mute game, her mouth flipping open and shut without spitting out a single word. I ride it out, silent as the grave, until we hit her doorstep.

Then she just loses it. "Okay, what the hell?!" she explodes, pacing like she's gearing up for a fight. "Werewolves, vampires — what are we ticking off some monster bingo card here? Zombies up next?!" She's chucking her hands around like grenades, vibrating with the insane shit we're living.

I mull over Dani's off-the-charts flip-out about Marcus. Even after she explained, her wolf DNA find. Now, Marcus's show-and-tell turns her world upside down? I was banking on some nerves or curiosity — not a damn near heart attack. Something doesn't line up, and it's gnawing at me, making my skin itch. I figure she’s holding back, playing her cards close. Makes sense since trust's a fragile fucking thing between us—and, shit, I'm no saint, sitting on my own dirty secrets. I wish she'd let her guard down and spill it all. Our tie's about as sure as a house of cards in a windstorm. For now, we're both digging our heels into our own shadowed corners.

I let her rip into her panic until the storm burns itself out. Then I’m closing in, fingers tipping her chin up to meet my burning stare. "I get it. You're rattled and all sorts of messed up. But hear me—I'll protect you. You're not alone."

Danica's eyes are all pleading, like she's reading my face, looking for some damn lifeline. "All I want is to piece this crazy puzzle together."

That stops me cold. She's hitting notes of something way deeper than our supernatural clusterfuck. A bad feeling twists in my gut.

I've been missing the plot, overlooking some heavy burden she's lugging around. Dani damn near faced a horror show not long ago, and now she’s like a beacon for trouble of the hellish kind. But her plea's hinting at some deep-seated chaos I've been blind to, or just plain ignored.