Misty
The wrongness hit her like a blade to the chest.
Misty skidded to a halt on the rooftop overlooking the warehouse, claws scraping concrete as she lifted her head and inhaled sharply. Smoke. Blood. Fear. And—
Scarlett.
The scent was faint. Broken. Moving.
"No," Misty growled, heart hammering. "No, no, no…"
She leapt down, landing silently behind the warehouse, paws barely making a sound as she slipped through the shadows. Bodies lay scattered near the entrance—wolves unconscious, some not breathing at all. The air was thick with violence that had already passed.
She was too late.
A low snarl rumbled from her chest, grief and fury twisting together. She followed the trail instinctively, slipping deeper into the yard—
Then she froze.
Three wolves stood near the wreckage, their backs to her.
One was massive, black-furred, silver-eyed—rage still rolling off him in waves.
The other two flanked him, alert, battle-worn.
Enemies, her mind concluded instantly.
Misty lowered herself, muscles coiling, ready to strike. She crept closer, step by careful step, preparing to attack from behind—
Then the black wolf spoke.
"River road. South," he snarled. "They're waiting."
Her breath caught.
That voice.
Her heart stuttered violently as recognition slammed into her.
Xavier.
Her gaze snapped to the wolf on his left—and her world tilted.
Jason.
Then the third—
Felix.
Shock froze her in place.
"Oh my—"
Before she could stop herself, she shifted.
Bones cracked, fur receded, skin replaced instinct in a rush of heat and pain—and she stumbled forward, human once more.
"Misty?" Felix blurted.
Jason turned so fast he nearly fell over.
For a second, he just stared.
Moonlight caught in her hair, still wild from the shift, eyes blazing with fear and determination. Dirt smeared her cheek. Her chest rose and fell sharply.
Jason forgot how to breathe.
"You—" he started, then stopped. "You're… you're…"
"Human," she finished breathlessly. "Most of the time."
Xavier turned fully now, eyes narrowing. "You followed us."
"I followed Scarlett," Misty shot back. "And if you don't move now, you're going to lose her."
Something raw flickered across Xavier's face.
Felix recovered first. "You scent her?"
"Yes," Misty said immediately. "But it's weak. They masked her. I can barely—"
"River," Xavier growled. "They're at the river."
Misty stiffened. "Then they're not running."
Jason swore under his breath. "They're baiting."
Xavier's jaw tightened. "Then we end this."
Jason was still staring at Misty, something unreadable in his expression—admiration, awe, something dangerously close to relief.
"You came alone," he said quietly.
She met his gaze, unflinching. "I'd burn the city down for her."
Something in Jason's chest shifted.
"Yeah," he said hoarsely. "I believe you."
Scarlett
The river whispered my name.
Or maybe that was my imagination.
Cold seeped through my clothes, the night wind biting as I stood chained to the metal post at the edge of the dock. The water below was black and endless, reflecting nothing but fragments of moonlight.
I was shaking.
Not just from fear—but from something else. Something deep inside me, restless and aching, like it was waking up against my will.
The leader approached slowly, boots echoing on the rotting planks.
"You feel it, don't you?" he asked calmly.
I lifted my head, glare trembling but defiant. "Feel what?"
He smiled faintly. "The pull."
I swallowed hard. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, you will," he said. "Your mother did."
My breath hitched violently. "Don't talk about her."
He crouched in front of me, eyes glowing faintly. "She begged us to kill you once."
My heart cracked. "You're lying."
"She begged us," he repeated softly, "because she knew what you'd become."
The river stirred.
I s*ck*d in a sharp breath as something warm flickered beneath my skin—gone as quickly as it came.
"What am I?" I whispered.
He leaned closer.
"You are a convergence."
My pulse thundered.
"A wolfless omega," he continued, voice reverent and fearful all at once. "Born without a beast because you were never meant to belong to one."
I shook my head. "That doesn't make sense."
"It does," he said. "You don't shift because you don't need to. You don't draw power from a wolf spirit."
His eyes darkened.
"You draw it from everything."
The air changed.
The river surged suddenly, slapping violently against the dock.
My chains rattled.
I gasped.
"You're a mirror," he said. "A vessel. A balance-breaker. You amplify what surrounds you—rage, fear, power, devotion. In the wrong hands…"
His voice dropped.
"You end worlds."
Tears streamed down my face. "I don't want that."
"That's why you're dangerous," he replied softly. "You don't want to rule. Or destroy. Or dominate."
He straightened as howls echoed in the distance.
"But you will," he finished. "Because love will make you choose."
Xavier
He felt it.
The moment the river surged, pain ripped through his chest like a warning bell.
"She's awakening," Felix breathed.
Xavier broke into a sprint, shifting mid-stride, fury and terror colliding violently inside him.
The dock came into view just as the leader raised his hand.
"Stop!" Xavier roared.
The wolves turned.
Too late.
Xavier crashed into them like a living weapon. Jason and Felix followed, the fight exploding instantly—snarls, snapping jaws, bodies colliding.
Scarlett screamed his name.
The sound shattered something inside him.
"Scarlett!"
The leader stepped back, calm even as chaos erupted around him.
"You see?" he called over the din. "She's already choosing."
Scarlett's knees buckled as another surge rippled through the air—this time stronger. The river rose, water spiraling unnaturally around the dock.
"No!" Xavier shouted. "Scarlett, look at me!"
Her eyes snapped to his.
For half a second, the world held its breath.
"Don't listen to them," he said desperately. "Whatever they told you—it's not who you are."
Her lips trembled. "What if it is?"
He reached her, ripping at the chains with inhuman strength. "Then we face it together."
The leader laughed. "Love," he said. "Always the catalyst."
Jason slammed into him from the side, knocking him backward. "Shut up!"
Misty appeared out of nowhere, shifting mid-leap and landing hard beside Scarlett, hands immediately gripping hers.
"I've got you," Misty whispered fiercely. "You're not alone."
Scarlett sobbed, collapsing into her arms.
The river stilled.
The leader stared, something like dread finally cracking his composure.
"Impossible…"
Xavier turned slowly, eyes burning silver.
"She terrifies you," he said coldly, "because she chooses connection over control."
He stepped forward.
"And that's something you'll never understand."
The leader backed away as wolves fell around him.
This time—
They ran.
As the night settled and the river calmed, Xavier gathered Scarlett into his arms, holding her like she might vanish if he loosened his grip.
She clutched his shirt, shaking.
"I'm scared," she whispered.
He pressed his forehead to hers. "I know."
Misty stood beside them, Jason just behind her, his gaze never leaving her face—quiet, reverent.
Felix exhaled slowly. "Well," he muttered, "everything just changed."
Xavier looked down at Scarlett, eyes soft but fierce.
"No," he said.
"Everything just began."