41_ Cabin

Alpha.

The term felt foreign, heavy with responsibility I wasn’t sure I was ready to carry. I looked around the cabin, at the faces of the werewolves who had placed their faith in me. Each of them had lost so much. They were looking for someone to guide them, someone who could protect them and help them fight back.

I wasn’t sure if I was that person. But what choice did I have?

Kyle cleared his throat, pulling me from my thoughts. “We need to stay here, together,” he said, his voice steady but firm. “At least until the full moon passes tomorrow night. It’s the safest option.”

I frowned. “Stay here? All of us?”

Kyle nodded. “Yes. It’s not just about safety. We’re stronger together. The curse… it works through the people closest to us. If we’re all here, away from any loved ones who aren’t part of this pack, we can minimize the risk.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the logic in his words silenced me. He wasn’t wrong. The vision of Dylan hurting me, the pain I’d felt when the others had died—it all pointed to one horrifying truth. The curse wasn’t something we could outrun.

Still, the idea of staying in the cabin, of being isolated with these strangers, made me uneasy. I glanced at Dylan, searching for his opinion, but he avoided my gaze and stood up abruptly, walking out the door without a word.

My heart sank. “Excuse me,” I murmured to Kyle and the others before following Dylan outside.

I found him standing by a tree, his back turned to me. The cool night air nipped at my skin as I approached him cautiously. “Dylan?”

He turned to face me, his expression a mix of frustration and hurt. “You’re really going to stay here?”

I nodded slowly. “Kyle’s right, Dylan. I need to stay with them. With my pack.”

“Your pack?” he echoed, the words tinged with bitterness. “What about me, Katrina? Am I just supposed to leave you here and hope for the best?”

My chest tightened at the pain in his voice. “Dylan, you know that’s not what this is about. It’s about keeping everyone safe. Including you.”

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “I would never hurt you, Katrina. You know that.”

“I do,” I said softly, stepping closer to him. “But this curse… it’s not about what we would or wouldn’t do. It’s about Talia’s power. We don’t know what she’s capable of. I can’t take that risk, Dylan.”

He let out a frustrated sigh, looking away. “I don’t like this,” he admitted.

“I don’t like it either,” I said, my voice trembling. “But it’s only until we figure out how to stop her. Once this is over, everything will go back to normal.”

Dylan’s eyes softened as he looked at me. “Promise me this isn’t goodbye.”

“It’s not,” I assured him, reaching out to take his hand. “It’s just… see you later.”

He smiled faintly, but the sadness in his eyes was unmistakable. “Fine,” he said reluctantly. “But I’m texting you every five minutes. If you don’t answer, I’m coming back here.”

A small laugh escaped me, despite the tension in the air. “Deal.”

Even in the midst of chaos, Dylan had a way of making me feel at ease, of reminding me that there was still light in the darkness.

“There’s one thing I need you to do.” I said.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Claudia,” I said. “I need you to check on her. After everything that happened, I can’t just leave her alone. I need to know she’s okay.” I asked of him.

"I will check up on her," he said.

I nodded, grateful. “Thank you,” I said.

He stepped closer, cupping my face in his hands. “Be careful, Katrina,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I will,” I promised.

Our lips met in a tender kiss, a moment of solace amidst the chaos. For a brief second, it felt like the rest of the world had faded away, leaving only the two of us.

When we finally pulled away, Dylan lingered for a moment before turning and walking back toward his car. I watched him go, my heart heavy but resolute.

I had made my decision. Now, I just had to see it through.

When I returned to the cabin, the atmosphere was subdued. Kyle and the others were quietly discussing their plans for the next day, their voices hushed but urgent.

Hannah glanced up as I entered, her expression unreadable. “Is everything okay?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. Dylan left."

She nodded in understanding. “That’s probably for the best.”

Kyle introduced me to the pack officially and we got to know ourselves.

One of the guys, a tall man with dark hair and piercing green eyes, was the first to speak. “You’re really her?” he asked. “The one the Moon Goddess chose?”

I nodded hesitantly. “I guess so,” I said, my voice quieter than I’d intended.

Another man, shorter with sandy blond hair, leaned forward. “Do you have a plan? We can’t keep losing people like this.”

A sharp pang of guilt shot through me. They were looking to me for answers I didn’t have. “I… I don’t know yet,” I admitted. “But I want to stop Talia as much as you do.”

Kyle stepped in, sensing my unease. “We’ve already started gathering intel on Talia’s movements,” he said. “Now that Katrina’s here, we’ll come up with a solid plan.”

The others nodded, some more reluctantly than others. I could see the doubt lingering in their eyes, but I couldn’t blame them. They barely knew me, and I barely knew myself.

\---

The hours that followed were filled with strategy discussions. Kyle led the charge, outlining what they knew about Talia and her network. She was cunning and powerful, using her magic to manipulate and destroy without ever getting her hands dirty.

“She’s been moving between abandoned towns,” Kyle explained, pointing to a map spread out on the table. “Her last known location was here.”

“How do we know she’s still there?” I asked.

“We don’t,” he admitted. “But it’s a start. We need to find her before she can hurt anyone else.”

Hannah chimed in. “We also need to figure out how to protect yourselves during the full moon tomorrow. It’s going to make you all vulnerable.”

The conversation shifted to defensive measures, and while I listened intently, my thoughts kept drifting back to Dylan. I hoped he’d made it home safely, that he was checking on Claudia as he’d promised.

By the time night fell, everyone was drained. Kyle assigned rooms, and Hannah guided me to the small bedroom we would share.

“It’s not much,” she said, gesturing to the twin beds crammed into the space. “But it’ll do for now.”

“It’s fine,” I said, offering a small smile.

She sat on her bed, studying me for a moment. “You’re doing okay?”

I hesitated. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “This is all… a lot.”

Hannah nodded. “It is. But you’re stronger than you think, Katrina. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t.”

Her words were comforting, but the doubt still lingered. “Thanks,” I said softly.

After a brief goodnight, she turned off the light and settled in. I climbed into my own bed, but sleep didn’t come easily. The events of the day played over and over in my mind.

I reached for my phone, scrolling through my messages until I landed on Dylan’s name. Without overthinking it, I sent him a quick text:

Katrina: Hey. You okay?

A few seconds later, his reply came.

Dylan: I was going to ask you the same thing.

I smiled faintly, the knot in my chest loosening just a little.

Katrina: I’m okay. Just… overwhelmed.

Dylan: I get it. You’re amazing, you know that?

My cheeks flushed, and I was grateful for the darkness.

Katrina: I don’t feel amazing.

Dylan: Well, you are. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

I hesitated before typing my next message:

Katrina: Did you check on Claudia?

Dylan: Yeah. She’s okay. The doctors said she's improving.

Relief washed over me.

Katrina: Thank you.

Dylan: Always.

For a moment, I just stared at the screen, wishing he were here.

Dylan: Get some sleep, okay? You need it.

Katrina: I’ll try.

Katrina: Goodnight, Dylan.

Dylan: Goodnight, Katrina.

As I put my phone down, a warmth settled in my chest. Despite everything, Dylan still found a way to make me feel safe.

I closed my eyes, the sound of his voice echoing in my mind as I finally drifted off to sleep.