Mira sat on the bed inside a beautifully arranged room, her mind still racing. The events of the last twenty-four hours replayed over and over. Her wounds had healed too fast, her senses were sharper than ever, and the tension in the pack was visible and serious. She could feel the stares every time she entered a room. And Silas, Dane's Beta, had been the worst. He had not been friendly towards her
She stepped out of Dane's quarters, walking quietly along the small lighted hallway. The sound of voices stopped her immediately on her way. She tried to eavesdrop on them by staying quiet and pressing herself against the wall.
"She's not human anymore," Silas said in a sharp voice. He displayed his frustration during the discussion. We need to decide what she is to us. We also need to understand her strength because if she is not for us and we don't know how to handle her, then I guess we are doomed."
Mira's heart kept beating fast. Her fingers turned into fists. After everything, they still saw her as an outsider. Worse, a threat. She looked at herself and thought a mere journalist that is now feared by werewolves.
"She is not the enemy, Silas." Dane's voice was calm, but it was filled with caution. "You saw what happened to her. She didn't choose this. We have to be very careful how we handle her, we basically don't know her that much but I believe she is not yet a threat to us."
"And what if she turns on us? What if she's something we can't control? What happens when she decides to team up with the rogues against us? Can you be certain about who she chooses or how she behaves?"
Mira had heard enough. She pushed the door angrily and stepped in, making both men turn to her.
"So what you see on me is a threat now right?" she shouted, her voice filled with anger. "Something to control? All you have planned is to control me? No one seems concerned about how I have turned and what has happened to me since I knew about all these things."
Dane's eyes darkened. "Mira—"
She shook her head. "I've risked my life to get the truth, to help uncover what's happening to those missing people. And all you see is a problem?" Her eyes shifted to Silas, her voice filled with anger. "I don't need your approval. I don't trust you or any of you and as such I have been leaving my life before meeting you people. Greedy set of people."
Silas folded his arms, his expression unreadable. "Then prove it. Show us you're not a danger to us. Make us believe you are for us."
Mira turned herself and rushed out. The cool night air met her skin as she stepped outside making her feel a little calm after the exchanges, but she didn't notice it much. She was having lots of feelings (anger, confusion, and fear) at the same time making her reasoning hard. She wasn't sure what was happening to her, but one thing was certain, she wasn't safe here.
in her confused state, while walking, she heard footsteps behind her. She already knew it was Dane even without turning back to check who it could be.
"I don't know what's happening to me," she asked, her voice quieter now. "But I'm not going to sit around while your Beta decides if I live or die."
Dane breathed out slowly. "I won't let anyone harm you, Mira. You have my word. I have done nothing since we met than to make sure you are safe, and now am not ready to stop."
She wanted to believe him. But deep down, she knew trust wasn't enough. She had to handle things by herself.
Later that night, Mira sat at her laptop, going through files. More missing person cases have been reported. She noticed something strange, every single victim had undergone medical treatment shortly before they disappeared. A pattern no one else had noticed.
She reviewed her search, by checking hospital records. Most were wiped clean, but then—
She froze.
Her own name appeared in a deleted hospital file.
Her pulse increased. She clicked the file open, but it was mostly corrupted data. One phrase stood out:
"Scheduled for transfer."
Mira's breath seized in her throat. She wasn't just abnormal. She was supposed to disappear too.