Chapter 14 - Among Wolves

🌙 Episode 14: Among Wolves

The forest was full with whispers as the SUV rumbled down the dirt path. Lila pressed her hands to her lap, watching the trees blur by. The deeper they drove, the less the world looked like anything she'd ever known.

At her side, Ethan's hand brushed hers. He didn't speak—he hadn't since they left the city—but his presence alone was steadying.

Marcus sat up front, tense as ever. "They're waiting," he warned.

Lila's stomach flipped. They're waiting for me.

When the SUV stopped, her breath caught. Before them lay a sprawling settlement tucked deep into the woods—rows of cabins, lanterns glowing in the dusk, the faint sound of laughter and voices carried on the air. But there was something in the atmosphere, something wild, untamed, that made her skin prickle.

They were werewolves. All of them.

As she stepped out, eyes turned. Dozens of them, their gazes sharp, assessing. Some curious. Others openly hostile.

Ethan immediately moved closer, his hand brushing her back protectively. "Ignore them," he murmured.

Easy for him to say. She felt like prey dropped into the middle of a predator's den.

A tall woman with steel-gray eyes approached, her posture regal, commanding. She looked Lila up and down, lips pressing thin. "So this is her," she said coldly.

Lila swallowed.

"This is Lila," Ethan replied firmly. "My mate."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The word mate carried weight here, she could tell. Some eyes softened, but more of them hardened.

The woman's gaze lingered on Lila before flicking back to Ethan. "She'll need to prove herself. The pack won't follow an Alpha who weakens us."

Lila's chest tightened. She hadn't asked for any of this. She wanted to scream that she wasn't here to be their leader or their liability. She was just… trying to survive.

Ethan's arm curled protectively around her. "She doesn't need to prove anything to you. She's mine. That's enough."

The woman arched a brow. "We'll see." With that, she turned, the crowd slowly dispersing but not without lingering stares.

Lila exhaled shakily. "They hate me."

"They don't know you," Ethan said gently. "They fear what they don't understand."

She gave him a sharp look. "And what am I supposed to do—smile until they stop seeing me as a weakness?"

"You don't have to do anything," he said. "Just stay close to me."

But as he led her toward the main cabin—his cabin—she couldn't shake the heavy weight of all those eyes on her.

---

Inside, the cabin was surprisingly warm and welcoming. A large hearth glowed softly, the scent of pine and cedar filling the air. For a brief moment, she felt safe.

Until Marcus shut the door behind them.

"You can't coddle her, Ethan," he said bluntly. "The pack needs to see she can handle herself. If she doesn't—"

"She will," Ethan snapped, sharper than Lila had ever heard him.

Lila turned on them both. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here."

They froze. Ethan's gaze softened, but Marcus only sighed.

"You're here now, Lila," Marcus said carefully. "Which means you're part of this world, whether you wanted to be or not. If you stay weak, the rogues will use you. If you stay invisible, the pack will turn on you. So yes—you'll have to prove yourself."

The truth of it hit hard. She didn't want to admit he was right.

"Then tell me how," she said finally, her voice steadier than she felt.

Marcus blinked, then looked to Ethan.

Ethan hesitated, conflict clear in his eyes. But finally, he nodded. "We'll start with basics. Not today—you need rest—but soon. Training. Awareness. Learning our ways."

Lila's pulse quickened. Training. She'd never so much as thrown a punch in her life, and now they wanted her to… what? Keep up with werewolves?

Still, she lifted her chin. "Fine."

Ethan's eyes glowed faintly, pride sparking there.

Later that night, when the cabin was quiet, Lila stood at the window, staring out at the forest. The air carried faint howls, low and haunting. She shivered.

Ethan came up behind her, his warmth brushing her back. "You did well today."

She huffed a humorless laugh. "All I did was not faint."

"That was more than most could've done," he said softly. "You faced them without breaking."

She turned, searching his face. "Do you really think I can fit here? In your world?"

His hand lifted, brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek. "You don't have to fit. You just have to stay alive. And I'll make sure you do."

Something in his voice—feral, desperate—made her chest ache.

Before she could answer, a sharp knock rattled the door.

Marcus's voice called through, urgent. "Ethan—we've got a problem. Scouts spotted rogue tracks. Close."

Lila's blood went cold.

Ethan's eyes hardened. "Stay here. Don't open the door for anyone but me."

Her throat tightened. "Ethan—"

He leaned in, pressing his forehead briefly to hers. "Trust me."

And then he was gone, leaving Lila staring at the door, heart pounding, knowing deep down…

The rogues weren't waiting anymore.

They were coming.

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✨ End of Episode 14