Chapter 15

"Oh god... god, god, god," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Nice wolf, good wolf..."

The massive creature snapped its head in my direction, teeth flashing in what seemed like a warning. A tear escaped down my cheek as I inched backward, taking the smallest steps possible away from the beast. Its midnight fur gleamed in the dappled light filtering through the jungle canopy, muscles rippling beneath its coat with each subtle movement.

I was going to die in this jungle. I was actually going to die.

Tears flowed freely as I heard Ara calling my name in the distance. I couldn't respond—every time I moved toward his voice, the wolf advanced another step, its golden eyes never leaving mine. Those eyes... there was something hauntingly intelligent in them, something almost familiar that my terrified mind couldn't quite place.

"Please," I begged, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. "Please don't hurt me..."

"Lina!" Ara shouted, his voice closer now. The sound of hurried footsteps crashed through the undergrowth until he appeared behind me, immediately raising his hands toward the wolf. Relief flooded through me at the sight of him, though fear still kept me rooted to the spot.

"Stop!" Devin commanded sharply, appearing a moment later. The wolf turned to look at him, its posture shifting with what appeared to be hesitation, ears twitching as if in recognition.

At Devin's command, the wolf actually retreated a step, as if following orders. That made no sense unless...

"Is this some kind of trained animal?" I asked, gradually positioning myself behind Devin and Ara, my fingers gripping the back of Ara's shirt for reassurance. My question seemed to offend the creature, which snarled in response, baring teeth that could easily tear through flesh.

Ara laughed unexpectedly, the sound jarringly inappropriate given our situation. "Yeah... something like that," he said with a strange smile that made my skin prickle.

Before I could feel even a moment's relief, a horrifying sound filled the jungle—the unmistakable cracking of bones. My eyes widened as the wolf before me began to change shape, its form contorting in ways that defied everything I thought I knew about biology.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ara shouted at Devin, who tried to pull me away. But I couldn't move, couldn't even blink as I watched the wolf transform into... Barry. His naked form crouched on the jungle floor where the beast had stood seconds before, those same golden eyes now set in a human face.

"Oh my god," I gasped, my breath coming in short, panicked bursts.

"She deserves to know," Barry snapped, his naked form crouched on the jungle floor. "What's the point of hiding it anymore? She was bound to find out eventually."

Ara shoved Barry back when he tried to approach me. "We were supposed to handle this carefully, not like this. She wasn't prepared."

Werewolves. They were actual werewolves. I was standing in a jungle with actual werewolves!

"Wait," I interrupted, hands raised as if I could physically halt the madness unfolding before me. "Werewolves are real? Actually real?"

The three exchanged glances before Devin nodded, a strange smile playing on his lips. "Yes, we are. And we're not the only creatures from folklore that exist in this world."

I turned away, needing space, needing air that wasn't thick with impossible revelations. It wasn't even the fact they were werewolves that disturbed me—that part was almost fascinating in a terrifying way. It was the deception, the weeks of lies, the realization that I'd been living alongside something otherworldly without having any idea.

"See! Look at her walking away exactly like I predicted!" Barry shouted, his voice echoing through the trees. "Humans always run when they learn the truth!"

His accusation ignited something within me—anger cutting through the fear like a hot knife. I spun around, marched back through Ara and Devin, and confronted Barry directly, shoving him with all my strength.

His eyes began to glow with that golden light, and Ara tried to pull me back. "No! I have something to say, and this jerk is going to listen," I demanded, adrenaline making me reckless.

"What could you possibly say that I don't already know?" Barry challenged, his body tensing as if fighting some internal battle.

"You're an absolute idiot, Barry," I jabbed my finger into his chest. "All you do is make snide comments and jump to conclusions, just like Carl. You never gave me a chance to understand."

"Don't you dare talk about my brother like that," Barry growled, his voice dropping to an inhuman register that sent shivers down my spine.

"Oh, what—you don't like me saying he's an arrogant, self-centered jerk who only cares about his own happiness? Well, that's pretty obvious to everyone."

"I'm warning you, human..." Barry's words rumbled from deep in his chest, the sound more animal than man.

"Lina, stop this. He's different from Devin and me," Ara cautioned, genuine fear in his voice. "His control isn't as strong."

"Yes, he is different," I agreed, my anger gradually dissolving into hurt. "Just so you know, Barry, I wasn't saying no earlier. I wanted to understand what you were asking of me. But clearly, there's a lot I don't know about any of you."

Breaking free from Ara's grasp, I found the path back and followed it until I emerged from the jungle, the warm California sun a stark contrast to the cool shadows. The normal world suddenly seemed like a façade, hiding supernatural secrets I'd never imagined could be real.

"Lina," Ara called, following me. "Please let me explain."

"Explain what?" I asked, turning to face him. "That you didn't think I could handle knowing the truth because I'm just a human?"

Ara looked stunned and shook his head. "No, that's not it at all."

"I just need time to process... to accept this new reality," I said, my voice catching. "It's not every day you discover werewolves are real, let alone that you're somehow connected to four of them."

As I walked away, the weight of everything I'd learned pressed down on me like a physical force. The world as I knew it had changed forever, and I wasn't sure how—or if—I could adapt.

Ara’s POV

I watched Lina cross the lawn toward her cottage, my chest tight with each step she took away from us. The wolf inside me urged me to follow, to explain—but I knew better. She needed space.

"That could have gone better," Devin muttered beside me.

"Could have gone worse," I countered. "At least she didn't completely reject us."

Barry snorted, now dressed in the clothes Devin had brought. "Give her time. She'll be gone by morning."

The click of heels on the pathway made my skin crawl before Jean appeared. My wolf bristled beneath my skin, sensing danger.

"Well, that was quite the spectacle," she said, satisfaction evident in her voice. "I warned Kennedy that humans aren't equipped to handle our world."

"No one asked for your opinion," Barry growled, and for once, I was grateful for his bluntness.

"The poor thing looked absolutely terrified. I doubt she'll ever look at any of you the same way again." Jean circled us slowly, reminding me of a vulture. "Such a pity. Kennedy had such high hopes for this arrangement."

"She just needs time," I insisted, though doubt gnawed at me.

"Time?" Jean laughed. "What she needs is a one-way ticket back to Alabama. You saw her face—she thinks you're monsters. All of you."

I caught Devin's eye, recognizing the subtle shift in his expression—the same realization forming in my own mind. Then, surprisingly, Barry met my gaze too, something changing in his usually hostile demeanor.

In that moment, we were united by a common understanding—Jean was the true threat here, not Lina's hesitation.

"Well," Jean pressed, "aren't you going to chase after her? Beg her to accept your... condition?"

"No," I said simply, turning to my brothers. "I think it's time."

"Time for what?" Jean asked, her smug expression faltering.

"Time for our father," Devin said cryptically, "or some private conversation."