Fangs and Secrets

n the forest floor. She clutched her newborn daughter tightly, praying the pack wouldn't f

et Kira would have to protect at all costs. She tightened her grip on Astr

held her breath, waiting for the sounds of pursuit, but only silence f

s, pulling her from sleep. She awoke with a start, st

n the early morning light. She sighed, brushing it away

hair, she made sure it was sec

every day?" Astrid asked, her fingers

composure. "It's for your health, sweetheart," she replied,

e you sure there's nothing else? Y

m just a worried mother, that's all. Now, finish y

shake the sense that there was more to her mother's words, mo

air greeted her. She adjusted the wig one las

mber, a daily reminder of the secret she didn

gged at her, and the flicker of guilt sh

reet. Astrid's curiosity piqued, and she qu

d around a young man lying on the ground, clutching his leg

e knelt beside the injured man, her instincts taking

managed to nod. "My leg.

he could see deep claw marks, oozing with blood.

he man's eyes, once a deep shade of brown, now glowed with an unnatural g

?" the man gasped, his

d with possibiliti

down Astrid's spine. She glanced around and noticed that the cro

man's wound, her fingers tingling unexpectedly. She clo

. She watched in disbelief as the claw marks on his leg beg

f. The wound healed completely, leaving no trace of the attack behind. Ast

n all over his face. "I don't un

lly bewildered. "I... I don

ant sound of sirens. "You need to get out of

shock. "Thank you. I don'

o his feet. She watched as he limped away

job at a local bookstore, her mind racing with questions. What had sh

the morning's events replaying in her mind. When her shift end

chen, as usual. Kira looked up, concern etching her fe

es. "Mom, something weird happened today. I... I hel

paled. "What

hurt, really badly, and when I touched him, he got better.

quickly masked her expression. "That sounds incredibl

t something... inside me. Like a power I've never felt before."Kira forced a smile. "

he headed to her room, the events of the day swirling in her mind. She knew

was about to change in ways she couldn't yet comprehend. And deep down, she

e nightstand. Groggily, she reached for it and saw an

whisper, but she recognized it immediately. It w

or what you did to me, b

unded. "How did y

ice urgent. "Please. I think we'r

, her mind racing. What ha