. Panting. I had

o I am. A person I'm proud of. I breathe in, cal

thing is coming, something b

d stare at my house's interior. Pride swells in me. I built this house with my own hands. I

r. Faster. I'm the only Lycan in my bloodline in the last hundre

so will my child. New Orleans is home. The Pack is family. And I'm sensing a threat.

his name in his honor. My parents live in Uptown New Orleans. I live in Midtown. I'd have preferred the French Quarters for its history and aesthet

the mirror and beg

our Alpha at the time, wanted change. He said we had to evolve with time. So we opened ourselves to the world forty years ago. As a L

surprising even myself. That's when I realize, I'm in heat. I haven't felt t

are you

p it. In a flash, I turn. I already know it's Camille,

away. "Hi

ng. She's al

, Alex," she says,

wiping away the swe

women who raised me, a

You could make me a book holder-like

les and

ey've been married thirty-five years. I envy

kids," I say, lockin

s her mother, but every time I see her, I'm reminded of Aurora. I've s

in a ditch. I fell into a dark place. I was heartbroken. And it didn't

ed she felt it too. But all I saw was an empty room and her sad parents. She took off. No warning. N

rmwork," I explain, teaching. "Carpenters used to work solely with raw wood, performing harder tasks like framing. Today, a variety of materials are used, and even refined trades like

f-sufficient. We have a hospital with top-tier doctors. A school, where I hel

nge. Some even specialize in specific woodworking techniques or products," I continue,

on my way out. "Saturday is Grandma Camille's par

" Fabien, Elena's son, ha

spicy," he whispers. I

ry, pleaseeee!

know the drill. Get plates and spoons, we split the food

and I laugh, beca

o be fast. I h

ish out the meal. They

ut history. Some say werewolves are humans who can transform into powerful wolves. Others say w

ns of the werewolf myth are unknown. Some say it started in The Epic of Gilgame

den with inte

s sons into wolves. Early Norse folklore tells of a father and son who found wolf pelts that transformed them for ten days. Th

us. But we don't dwell in

our Alpha, says, clapping me

ffen. I ignore h

m one of the strongest, I don't crave leadership. I'd rather follow. Still

Rick says. Faye, his

o," I say, my

" Zach, the

ready, whoever

ection spell. No one enters or leaves New

lle

guards everywhere. And we a

a?" Pet

ckland Pack in fifteen years.

our greatest enemy. They wa

ack is the largest in America. It could

ing. But we wait. Ready for anything. We do

Louisiana. Subtly. They could have a

d I know the meeting is over

as the door

forget how

hink I'm angry

nd there's a kn

od is

ast g

rrupting?"