_Lisa’s POV_ I was bored. I had no one to talk to, and Roxanne’s friends were now looking at me like I was some kind of disease they didn’t want to catch. I could feel their eyes on me, hear their whispers, even when I wasn’t close. Whatever Roxanne had said to them behind my back had done its job. I was dirt in their eyes—less than that. I was invisible until they needed someone to laugh at. My parents were still busy chatting with Alpha Alexis and Luna Grace. My father, being the Beta, was probably talking about pack matters. Important things. Things that I had no place in. Kael and Roxanne were cuddled up on the couch, watching something on his phone. Roxanne kept laughing, like she wanted everyone in the room to know just how close they were. Then she kissed him again, right there, with everyone watching. My stomach twisted again, not with jealousy, but with this deep, hollow ache. I didn’t want Kael. Not really. I just wanted to be seen. Noticed. Cared for. But in this house, that was too much to ask. I sighed and placed the now-empty tray on the kitchen counter. No one even noticed. No one cared. I needed air. Quietly, I slipped outside through the side door and walked toward the garden. The night wrapped around me like a soft blanket. The music from inside was muffled now. It was only a faint hum in the distance. The moon hung high above, round and glowing. A full moon. It was beautiful. I looked up at it, letting the moonlight kiss my skin. The sky was clear tonight. A few stars twinkled beside the moon, and the cool breeze brushed against my face. Out here, in the dark, I felt peaceful. I didn’t have to pretend. I didn’t have to smile or serve drinks or dodge cruel words. I could just breathe. But then, suddenly, I felt pain. A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my stomach. I gasped and doubled over, clutching my abdomen. My knees trembled. What was happening? I thought maybe it was something I ate. Maybe stress. I waited for it to pass, but it only got worse. It spread—hot, burning pain radiating through my chest, my arms, my legs. My skin felt like it was on fire. I turned and rushed back inside, holding onto the wall as I made my way to the stairs. I had to get to my room. Maybe I had painkillers. Maybe I could lie down and it would stop. Each step was agony. But I didn’t make it. Just before reaching the top of the stairs, my legs gave out. I collapsed. I hit the floor hard, my body jerking and twisting. My screams were silent—I couldn’t make a sound. The pain was all-consuming. It was everywhere. Then I felt it—something new. Fur. Sprouting from my arms. My legs. My skin tingled and burned as it changed. I gasped, staring in disbelief as my fingers curled into claws. My bones were shifting, cracking and reforming. My heart pounded wildly in my chest. And then I heard a voice. It was soft, yet strong. Relax, Lisa. Let go and let me take over. I froze. “Who… who are you?” I whispered in my mind. I am your wolf, the voice said gently. My name is Sierra. It is time for me to come forward. You must stay calm. I will take over. “Sierra…” Tears welled up in my eyes, not from pain now, but from the sudden wave of emotion washing over me. After all these years… I had a wolf. I wasn’t broken. I wasn’t weak. I let go. And Sierra took over. The pain shifted. It became power. Energy surged through me as the final changes completed. My body was no longer mine—it was hers. I felt taller, stronger and faster. I was covered in soft silvery-gray fur. My senses exploded. I could hear everything—the crickets in the grass, the buzzing of a mosquito, even the laughter from inside the house. I could smell every single scent, fresh and sharp. Everything was new. Brighter. Sharper. Wilder. Sierra growled softly, stretching her limbs. I need to run, she whispered in my head. We have waited too long. I didn’t fight her. We turned, taking the second staircase that led to the back of the house. The door creaked as we pushed it open with our snout, and then we were off. Running. The forest greeted us like an old friend. The wind rushed past our ears. The trees blurred around us as our paws hit the earth with rhythm and strength. The moonlight danced across the forest floor, guiding us. I had never felt so alive. I could smell the damp moss, the scent of night creatures, the wildness in the air. It was exhilarating. This is what freedom feels like, Sierra said, her voice full of joy. You were never meant to be caged, Lisa. We are one now. My heart soared. We ran faster. Jumped over fallen logs. Dodged between trees. I could feel the dirt beneath our paws, the cool night air against our fur. It was more than I had ever dreamed. I laughed—not out loud, but in my soul. I wasn’t weak. I wasn’t broken. I was a werewolf. Eventually, I felt the exhaustion start to creep in. Sierra slowed down, letting us come to a stop near the edge of the forest. We should head back, she said softly. Reluctantly, I agreed. We turned and made our way back to the house, slipping through the same back door. The house was still full of noise, but no one had noticed me gone. My heart pounded with nervous excitement. I climbed the stairs quietly. I was grateful that no one was in the hallway. Inside my room, I shut the door and let Sierra pull back. I felt my body change again. My fur disappeared. I could feel my limbs reshaping. It hurt a little, but not like the first time. And when it was over, I was me again. I stood up, breathing hard. I had done it. I shifted. A smile stretched across my face, wider than any I had ever worn. My eyes filled with tears again, but this time, they were happy tears. They would see now. They would finally see. I had a wolf. I was normal. No—more than that. I was strong. And maybe, just maybe, I would meet my mate soon. Sierra said she would recognize him when we saw him. I didn’t care if he was handsome or rich or had a title. I just wanted someone kind. Someone who saw me. Who would treat me like I mattered. Someone who would love me for me. Please, Moon Goddess, I prayed silently. Let him be kind. Let him take me away from here. I don’t care what he looks like. I just want peace. I want love. I want to belong. I glanced at the clock. It was already eleven. I wiped my face and took a deep breath. The guests were probably leaving by now. Maybe it was safe to go downstairs and grab a drink or check if Mom needed help. I opened my door slowly and stepped into the hallway. And froze. Kael was standing there. His eyes locked on mine, wide and stunned. His jaw was slightly open, as if he had just seen a ghost. What was he doing here? Was he looking for the bathroom? Maybe he had gotten lost. I opened my mouth to ask, but then… I smelled it. His scent. It hit me like a thunderclap. Earthy, masculine, mixed with pine and a hint of something electric. It was overwhelming. My knees went weak. Kael stepped closer. His eyes still locked on mine. Then, he leaned down slightly. “Mate,” he whispered. My breath caught. What? No… no. That wasn’t right. Sierra stirred inside me. Mate. “No,” I whispered, stumbling back a step. No, this couldn’t be happening. The Moon Goddess wouldn’t do this to me. Not him. Not Kael Blackthorn. Roxanne’s boyfriend. The Alpha’s son. My sister’s future mate. But the bond was there. I could feel it—this magnetic pull, this electric connection that made my heart race and my skin tingle. And Kael looked just as stunned. I wanted to run. But I couldn’t move. I could only stare back at him, my whole world turning upside down.