Chapter 3

VALERIA The man’s lips are inches from mine, and he’s only getting closer. He’s going to kiss me, in the middle of nowhere after almost causing a deadly accident. I don’t know his name and I don’t know what he is, and yet I don’t move. It’s not from the spell either. It’s from this emotion deep inside me, willing him to continue. The energy around him is so strong that the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and I feel this strange rush of pure heat all over my body. Is this… desire? It feels strange to think that, especially since I have not felt that my entire life. But as I look at him, it’s as strong as ever. I find myself angling my head, leaning closer to meet his kiss…. But before our lips can touch, suddenly, all logic and reason come rushing back inside my head. I stagger away from him, my face hot with shame. Did I really almost kiss a stranger? Did I almost just want to kiss a stranger? “Get away from me,” I say, and with that I finally regain control over my body, enough to push him away. Then I start to run as fast as I can, back to my car. “You can’t just leave!” the man calls out from behind me. “You belong here. Have you never wondered why you don’t seem to fit in?” His question nearly stops me in my tracks, but I just keep running. I glance behind me briefly to check if he’s following me, and right before my eyes, the man vanishes in a thin wisp of black smoke. My stomach drops in fear. What was that? What was he? Did I hit my head in the car? Whatever it is, I only know one thing, and that’s to get out of here. Before he can reappear, I run faster, pushing the low-hanging branches away from my face. For some reason, it’s already dark now, like a couple of hours have passed since I followed the man. I rush inside my car and start the engine. Thankfully, it still works, so I quickly back out of the forest and get back on the road, my heart thudding in my ears as I slowly process everything. I drive faster and faster, this time on track. Before I know it, I already reach our house. Mom is standing by the porch waiting for me. She beckons me to come in, and I do so. Mom slams the door behind me and glares at me as I sit down. “Where the hell have you been?” I look up at her, realizing from the look in her eyes that she’s angry. For some reason, seeing her fuming makes my temper rise too. As I stare at her, I remember all the times she told me that everything will make sense in the future. Me looking like this, having surges of strength. She knows something. Hell, she probably knows everything. “Do you realize what time it is?” she continues to berate me. “Now go upstairs and pack your bags. We are leaving this place.” “Why?” I ask in a low voice. “Because you told me you hurt someone badly, Valeria!” Mom screams, pushing a duffel bag to my chest. “Now go upstairs and gather your things. I want you to be ready in—” “No.” I get to my feet and glare at her. “We are not leaving until you tell me what’s going on. You promised me you would explain.” She seems taken aback. “I did not promise you anything. Can you just get on with it so we won’t be caught here? You said you did something bad, Valeria. You said you might have killed someone. Do you really think they wouldn’t come after you, after us? I’m just trying to save you.” Something about the way she’s acting is setting all sorts of alarm bells ringing in my head. Suddenly the surge of strength is back, and it seems as though Mom can feel it because she steps away from me. “You told me you’re sorry I would find out this way.” I clench my hands. “Find out what?” Mom holds herself to her full height, opening her mouth to say something. I know she’s going to avert the topic again, and that makes me explode. I step up to her face, which is something I have never even thought of doing before. “What are you hiding from me?” “Valeria.” Her voice is low and strangled. “Let’s just go.” “Not until you tell me.” I stare into her eyes, waiting for her to do something. I will hold my own and do anything to find out. Finally, she sighs and lowers her gaze. “Valeria, you are not normal. You’re not . . . a human. Not fully a human. You’re like me. You’re a hybrid, a half-werewolf.” My world stops spinning. For a moment, the room feels so small, like the walls and the ceiling is slowly caving in on me. I look her in the eyes, wanting to see the lie, but there’s nothing but honesty there. And things just start to make sense. Why I’m bigger and stronger. Why I look like this. Why I’ve spent my whole life hiding and moving from place to place, trying to find some peace in the chaos. It explains why my mother looks like me too. “Your father died to protect us,” she whispers. “I want to do the same. I want us to leave, Valeria. We can start all over again, and this time you will be in a place where you belong.” Her words connect with something in my mind. The exact same terms that the man in the forest said. I open my mouth to ask her for more information, to know more about myself, but then a loud sound suddenly breaks through the place. The sound of sirens. We both turn around, greeted by the sight of red and blue lights flashing out the window. Heavy footsteps rock the porch, followed by a series of knocks at the door. When we don’t open it, a man’s voice from the other side calls out. “This is the sheriff. We need Valeria Marcus.”