Chapter 43 Realizations

Chapter 43 Realizations
“Who is here?” I asked Luka, his imposing figure blocking my view, a solid wall of unwavering presence.

He stood in front of me for what felt like forever. I watched the tension in his shoulders slowly ease, like he was forcing himself to relax.

“It’s just the Holloways,” he finally said.

I studied him. “Did you sense something else?”

“No…” He shook his head slightly. “But I am uneasy about what has been going on around you. I just wanted to take an extra minute to be sure.”

“Oh.” I looked down, rubbing my hands together.

“You are safe here,” he added, voice firm. “Tell me if anything feels wrong. It’s better to be cautious. Vampires and others can be cunning.”

The word vampires settled in my chest like a stone, but I didn’t get the chance to question it.

Footsteps approached. They were steady and heavy. Thump, thump, thump. The sound echoed through the space. It filled the silence. My throat went dry.

Vampires… and others?

The world I knew started breaking apart. I felt a sudden, sharp ache. I missed simple things. I missed my mom's voice. I missed my dad's laugh. I missed the smell of home.

Did they know about any of this? Or worse… Were they part of it and hid it from me?

The door opened. The Holloways entered. The room changed instantly. It was as if the air acknowledged their presence. Luka had already seated me. The chair felt cool against my back. He leaned close. His voice whispered by my ear. He quietly showed me where weapons were hidden. This information should have made me feel safer.

Instead, it made everything feel more real. More dangerous, like this wasn’t a crazy dream I was having

I spotted Mary first.

Relief hit me so hard it almost knocked the breath out of me. Mary rushed to me. She opened her arms and hugged me. The hug was full of maternal comfort. It felt like home. I started to cry in her arms. I didn't realize how much I needed that. 

“Shhh, dear,” she murmured, rubbing my back in slow circles. “It’s okay.”

After a moment, I pulled back, wiping at my face. “Sorry…”

“It’s okay, dear. I’ve missed you too.” Her smile was soft, genuine.

Before I could say anything else, I was suddenly lifted off the ground.

Phil.

He had both Mary and me in a crushing bear hug, our feet dangling as he laughed.

“Okay! Love, put us down,” Mary scolded, though she was laughing too.

“Sorry,” Phil said, setting us down gently. “I just can’t stand seeing my little hippie sad.”

I smiled despite everything and hugged him again. “I love you too, Big Hippie.”

For a moment, everything almost felt normal. Like my ex wasn’t trying to kill me. That Vampires and shifters were nothing more than fantasy from books and movies. Not real life things that were trying to get me.

Then I saw Joel. And behind him was Jordan. His hood was pulled low, shadowing his face, but I could feel it. He wasn’t looking at me. Not even a little.

That hurt more than I expected.

“Hey, kid,” Joel greeted.

“Hey, Joel…” I hesitated. “Hey, Jordan.”

Joel smiled, but Jordan remained still. Joel nudged him again. Still nothing.

“Jordan James Holloway!” Mary snapped. “I raised you with manners. You best show them.”

“Hey,” he muttered, still refusing to meet my eyes.

Something twisted in my chest.

“Jordan—” Phil started.

“It’s okay,” I cut in quickly. “I want to get this over with, please.”

Now wasn’t the time. Whatever was wrong… it could wait.

I turned to Luka, unsure where to even begin. He didn’t hesitate.

“Danni is a shifter.”

A profound silence, thick and all-encompassing, descended with an immediate, almost suffocating weight.

Mary frowned. “But how? Both her parents are human.”

The words hung in the air. Then, a shift occurred. Nobody responded immediately. That silence felt wrong.

I frowned. “What?”

They all exchanged looks. My stomach dropped.

“What aren’t you saying?”

Joel dragged a hand down his face. “That’s… what we assumed...” 

Assumed.

The word hit like ice.

“What do you mean assumed?” My voice sharpened. I cut him off before he could finish.

Phil sighed, older than I’d ever seen him. “Because if you’re what we think you are… it’s not possible for you to come from two humans.”

The floor felt like it tilted beneath me.

“So one of my parents is lying to me?” My voice came out small. “Or… not who I think they are?”

No one rushed to deny it. That hurt more than anything. 

“It’s more than that,” Luka said, voice tightening. The room stilled again.

“She’s not just a shifter.”

I felt every eye lock onto me.

“Her wolf…” Luka continued, “is pure.”

A beat of silence hung heavy in the air. Mary’s hand, snapped to her mouth, her breath catching. A low, guttural curse escaped Phil, a rough sound in the stillness. Joel, a statue of tension, became utterly rigid, his muscles locked.

“What does that mean?” I whispered.

No one answered and That terrified me.

“It means,” Luka said carefully, “You are something that hasn’t been seen in generations.”

My pulse pounded.

“What kind of something?”

His gaze softened slightly.

“The kind people start wars over for the power that could reshape the packs power.”

The words slammed into me. I couldn’t breathe. I was trying to process what was just said as Luka continued.

“And Chad knows it,” Luka added.

My head snapped toward him. “What?” 

Luka spoke. “The attack was not random. Chad knew what you are. At least, he knows some of it.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” I said quickly. “He said my death would cause chaos—”

“Exactly,” Joel cut in.

“That wasn’t random,” Phil added. “That was calculated.”

Cold dread curled in my stomach.

Luka’s jaw tightened. “And Chad isn’t smart enough to plan something like that alone.”

Luka pushed on. “And there are the Vampires,” 

“They’ve been moving quietly,” Phil continued. “Too quietly. If they’re backing Chad…”

“They’re not just trying to kill her,” Luka said. His voice dropped.

“They’re trying to use her.”

I stared at all of them. Everything felt too big. Too much.

“So let me get this straight,” I said slowly. “One of my parents might not be human… I’m some rare wolf people kill for… and now vampires are working with my psycho ex who wants me dead?”

No one corrected me. No one softened it.

“I don’t even know who I am,” I whispered.

Luka stepped closer—but hesitated. Like he wasn’t sure if he should touch me.

“That’s why we’re here,” he said quietly. “We’re going to figure it out.”

But the room didn’t feel safe anymore.

Not really.

Because for the first time—

I understood.

This wasn’t just about me learning what I was. This was about me being hunted.