Ava
The beach bar was buzzing with life. The sound of waves crashing against the shore mixed with the steady hum of conversation and laughter, creating a perfect backdrop to our evening. Caleb and I had been here for a couple of hours already, and everything was going smoothly. More than smoothly, actually—we were having a great time.
We'd finished eating a while ago, and now we were sipping on cocktails, enjoying the warm, salty breeze that drifted through the open-air bar. Caleb looked relaxed, his usual Alpha intensity softened by the island air and the peaceful vibes around us.
I smiled, taking a sip of my drink, feeling the warmth of it spread through me. It was hard not to feel at ease here, with him. The past few days had been incredible, more than I could have hoped for. Despite the constant battle inside me to keep my heyena at bay, I had somehow managed to stay in control. Being with Caleb had made that easier, even if I hadn't told him everything yet.
"I'll be right back," I said, giving Caleb a quick smile as I stood up.
"Bathroom." He nodded, watching me with that familiar gaze of his—protective, attentive, but still relaxed.
"Don't get lost." I laughed softly, shaking my head as I made my way toward the back of the bar. The bathroom was tucked away in a quieter area, and thankfully, there wasn't much of a line. Everything went smoothly, my hyena staying quiet as I took a moment to breathe and splash some cool water on my face.
You're fine, I told myself. Everything is fine.
When I headed back to our table, still feeling that calm, warm buzz from the drinks, the sight in front of me stopped me dead in my tracks.
There was a woman—a tall, gorgeous woman with long, dark hair and a figure that looked like it belonged on the cover of a magazine—practically draped over Caleb. She was leaning in close, her hand resting on his arm, her laughter ringing out as she whispered something to him.
For a moment, I couldn't move. My heart clenched painfully, and it felt like someone had just punched me in the gut. The scene in front of me felt like a sick echo of my past—Lucas and Elara, laughing and leaning into each other to make fun of me, their betrayal unfolding right in front of me.
The old wound resurfaced, sharp and raw. Anger, hurt, and jealousy surged through me, the emotions hitting me all at once. I clenched my fists, my hyena stirring inside me, growling in the back of my mind.
Not again. This can't be happening again.
I blinked, trying to clear my vision, but I could feel it—the faint burn in my gums, the itch in my fangs, the flicker of something hot and wild rising to the surface. My eyes flashed with the glow of my hyena, a surge of power rushing through me as I stared at the woman draped over Caleb.
I need to get out of here.
Caleb
I hadn't noticed the woman at first. I was enjoying the evening, savoring the last bit of warmth from the sun and thinking about Ava, when suddenly, she appeared at my side, leaning in closer than anyone had a right to. She was drunk—clearly. Her laughter was too loud, her hands too free as they touched my arm, her fingers trailing along my skin like she thought she had permission to be there.
"Sorry, but I'm not interested," I said, trying to gently push her away without causing a scene. But she wasn't taking the hint.
"Aw, come on," she cooed, her voice slurred. "Just one drink. What's the harm?"
I turned my head slightly, trying to spot Ava, but she wasn't back yet. Damn it, this woman was persistent. I felt the tension rising in my chest, a deep sense of discomfort as she moved even closer leaning on me. My wolf growled inside me, irritated and ready to snap.
"I said no," I repeated, my voice firmer now. I tried to push her off me, her smell was getting on me and i now needed a shower, great.
And then I felt it. A flicker of something powerful. An Alpha aura, strong and malicious.
I turned, my heart skipping a beat as I caught sight of Ava standing near the edge of the bar. Her eyes were locked on me—and the woman—and for a split second, I saw it. Her eyes flashed, a bright, glowing yellow. My wolf immediately went on alert, and I knew I needed to act fast.
Shit
Her aura was pulsing around her, strong and sharp, her emotions spiraling out of control. I could feel it—feel her—and the heat of it hit me like a tidal wave. She was furious, but it was more than that. There was pain there, too. A deep, raw pain that cut through her anger, twisting it into something volatile, something she couldn't control.
Ava wasn't just mad. She was going to shift.
I stood up quickly, brushing the woman off with a quick, sharp movement, my attention entirely focused on Ava now. "You need to back off," I muttered at the woman, not even looking at her. My only concern was Ava.
I took a step toward her, but the second I moved, she turned on her heel and started walking away.
Damn it.
I hurried after her, pushing through the crowd, my heart pounding in my chest. I needed to get to her. I needed to get her out of here before she shifted, before anyone saw the glow in her eyes, before our secret came out in front of a bar full of humans.
"Ava, wait!" I called after her, but she didn't stop.
She was walking fast, her shoulders tense, her movements sharp. I could feel the storm brewing inside her, the power crackling in the air around us. I had to get her out of here—now.
"Ava, wait!" I called after her again, but she was already storming off, her back rigid, shoulders tight with anger.
I knew I'd screwed up somehow. The second she saw that woman hanging on me, I saw the change in her, like something inside her had snapped. The flicker of yellow in her eyes, the barely-contained power that rolled off her in waves—it had been enough to set my wolf on edge. She was losing control, and the longer I waited to talk to her, the worse it would get.
I pushed through the crowd of people in the bar, trying to get to her before she disappeared, but by the time I reached the door, she was gone. She was fast when she wanted to be, and with the tension I'd felt from her earlier, I knew exactly where she was headed.
The hotel.
I moved quickly, my heart pounding with a mix of worry and frustration. She hadn't even given me a chance to explain. That woman didn't mean anything to me, and I was seconds away from brushing her off when Ava had walked in. But Ava's past with Lucas had left her scarred, and I knew that the scene she'd witnessed tonight had triggered painful memories.
I reached our suite within minutes, my footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. The door to our room was slightly ajar, and as I stepped inside, I immediately felt it—the heavy, electric charge of her aura. It was thick in the air, pressing down on me like a weight, and the second I closed the door behind me, I could feel my wolf stir uneasily.
Ava was pacing near the window, her back turned to me, but I could see her aura, bright and wild, oozing off her like steam. Her entire body was tense, and when she turned to face me, her eyes were fully glowing, the yellow so bright it was almost painful to look at.
She was fuming. Angry didn't even begin to cover it.
"Ava," I said softly, keeping my voice low as I slowly stepped toward her. "You need to calm down."
She clenched her fists, her whole body trembling with the effort to keep control. "Calm down?" she echoed, her voice sharp, laced with bitterness. "You expect me to *calm down* after what I just saw?"
Her words cut through me, but I held my ground. I couldn't let her emotions get the better of her. Not now.
"That woman meant nothing," I said firmly, meeting her glowing gaze head-on. "I didn't even know her name. She was just some drunk who wouldn't take no for an answer." Ava's eyes narrowed.
"That's not the point, Caleb! It's never the point! You think this is just about that?" I took another step forward, careful not to move too quickly. I didn't want to set her off any more than she already was.
"Then tell me what it's about, Ava," I said quietly. "Because I know this isn't just about tonight."
Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath. The glow in her eyes flickered, but it didn't fade, and her aura pulsed around her, wild and untamed.
"It's about everything," she said, her voice trembling with barely-contained emotion. "It's about Lucas. About how he cheated on me, about how he made me feel worthless. And tonight… seeing that woman on you—it brought everything back."
I clenched my jaw, anger bubbling beneath the surface, not at her, but at Lucas. That bastard had left scars on her that still hadn't healed. "I'm not Lucas," I said, my voice low and steady. "You know that."
She let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she pressed them to her forehead.
"I know. But it doesn't change how it feels. It doesn't change the fact that no matter how much I try to move on, he's still there. Still lingering. And it's driving me insane."
Her aura flared again, brighter this time, and I could feel her hyena fighting to surface, desperate to take control. I stepped closer, my hand hovering just above hers, unsure if she'd let me touch her.
"Ava," I said softly, "you need to breathe. You need to get control of this or you will shift."
She shook her head, her voice cracking.
"I don't think I can. Not this time."
My heart twisted painfully in my chest as I watched her struggle. She was on the verge of losing herself, and I knew if she didn't pull back now, her wolf would take over completely. And once that happened, there was no telling what might happen next.
I reached for her hand, gently clasping it in mine.
"I'm right here," I said, my voice steady. "I'm not going anywhere. But you have to fight this, Ava. You can do it." Her breathing hitched, and for a moment, I thought she might push me away. But then, slowly, she unclenched her fists, her eyes locking onto mine as the glow in her gaze began to dim. Her aura settled, still heavy but no longer crackling with wild energy.
"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"You won't," I said, pulling her into my arms. "I trust you."
But the second I touched her, something shifted. Her body tensed beneath my hands, and a low, guttural growl escaped her lips. She pulled back from me, her eyes wide, glowing brighter than ever, her breathing fast and erratic.
"Caleb… I can't stop it. I can't—" I watched in horror as her form began to shift, her body trembling violently as the wolf inside her fought its way to the surface. Her skin rippled, her muscles tensing, and before I could even process what was happening, she dropped to her knees.
"Ava!" I shouted, rushing forward, but she held up a trembling hand, stopping me in my tracks.
"Stay back!" she gasped, her voice thick with strain. "I… I can't control it."
Her body convulsed again, her nails lengthening into sharp claws as her bones began to twist and reshape. Her eyes, now fully glowing yellow, locked onto mine for a brief second before she let out a raw, animalistic scream, and I knew.
She wasn't a wolf.
She was something else much more terrifying.