Jason's POV
I flash my best grin. "Stephanie! Long time no see."
Stephanie tilts her head, her hazel eyes studying me with amused disapproval. "Jason," she says smoothly, flicking open her laced hand fan. "Causing trouble, as usual?"
I smirk. "You know me."
She sighs dramatically, shaking her head. "Unfortunately, I do."
Katelyn's POV
I eye Stephanie warily. She's… elegant. And kinda intimidating. Her brown hair cascades down her back in perfect waves, and her outfit looks like something straight out of a royal banquet. Even her heels don't sink into the dirt.
Stephanie's eyes land on me, and I stiffen slightly. "And who is this?"
"Um, my name is Katelyn..." I say hesitantly.
Stephanie stares at me for a moment longer as if she was trying to read into my thoughts. Then she finally turns around. "Come."
Stephanie shoots Jason a glare. "Keep an eye on your female. Some of the humans and outcast werewolves are...touchy...to say the least."
Jason quickly grabs my arm and pulls me close.
Jason's POV
I scowl. "I always keep an eye on her."
Stephanie raises a brow, clearly unimpressed. "You also always get yourself into trouble. Do try to behave while you're here."
I snort but don't argue. She's not wrong.
Katelyn glances up at me, her green eyes questioning. "What does she mean by 'touchy'?"
I glance around, my grip on her tightening slightly. The Orian Pack may be one of the wealthiest and most respected, but that also means they attract all sorts—outcast werewolves looking for shelter, desperate humans trying to get on their good side. Most of them know their place, but some…
Some like to push their luck.
"It means stay close to me," I mutter.
Stephanie doesn't wait for us, leading the way toward the mansion's grand entrance. Katelyn and I follow, the golden lights casting long shadows as we step inside.
Katelyn's POV
The inside of the mansion is breathtaking. Chandeliers sparkle overhead, expensive-looking furniture lines the halls, and the air smells like lavender and something rich, like aged wood and expensive perfume.
I barely have time to take it all in before I notice the stares.
Werewolves. Humans. They're scattered throughout the grand hall, some talking in hushed voices, others watching us with thinly veiled curiosity—or in some cases, open hostility.
I shrink slightly under the attention, but Jason doesn't seem bothered. He just keeps walking, his grip on my arm firm.
Stephanie stops at the foot of a grand staircase. She doesn't turn around as she speaks. "The Alpha will see you shortly. Try not to make a mess while you wait."
Then, with a graceful swish of her fan, she disappears up the stairs.
I exhale. "She's… something."
Jason chuckles. "Yeah. But she's alright—most of the time."
Before I can respond, a voice from the side sneers, "So this is her, huh?"
I turn, my ears perking in alarm. A tall, sharp-eyed werewolf leans against a marble pillar, arms crossed. His smirk is anything but friendly.
Jason stiffens beside me, his tail bristling. "Mind your business, Evan."
Evan chuckles, his gaze flicking over me. "Just curious. Didn't think Jason was the type to settle down."
I frown. "I'm not settled down—"
Jason growls lowly. "Watch it."
Evan grins and shrugs. "Hey. I'm just saying… a lone female like her? Dangerous to keep around."
"Evan," A deep voice growled.
Jason's POV
The entire room falls silent.
Evan immediately straightens, his smirk faltering as the air shifts—heavy, commanding.
I turn toward the grand staircase just as he steps into view.
Andrew.
The Alpha of the Orian pack.
His black tux is perfectly tailored, his icy blue eyes as sharp as ever. He descends the staircase with slow, deliberate steps, his mere presence enough to make everyone stand a little straighter. Even the humans in the room avert their gazes.
"Alpha," Evan says quickly, dipping his head.
Andrew stops at the last step, his gaze locking onto him. "Are you questioning my guest's place in this house?"
Evan hesitates, but he knows better than to lie. "No, Alpha."
Andrew tilts his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Good. Because I decide who is welcome here."
Evan swallows hard. "Understood."
Andrew shifts his gaze to me, then to Katelyn. His piercing eyes study her for a moment before he speaks.
"Jason. It's been a while."
I smirk. "Missed me already?"
Andrew doesn't smile, but there's the slightest glint of amusement in his gaze. "Hardly."
Katelyn stiffens beside me, still tense from the confrontation. I nudge her gently. "Relax, Katie. He doesn't bite."
Andrew raises an eyebrow. "Not unless necessary."
Katelyn lets out a nervous chuckle. I swear I can hear her heart hammering.
Andrew finally steps forward, his presence towering. "Come," he says simply. "We have much to discuss."
Without another word, he turns and walks deeper into the mansion.
I glance at Katelyn, flashing a quick grin. "See? Told you he's fun."
She glares at me. "So fun."
I chuckle and follow the Alpha, pulling Katelyn along with me.
"There's something I've been meaning to give you," said Andrew.
My ears tilted. "What is it?"
"19 years ago, human scientists had made an antidote for those attacked by werewolves. I thought... I thought you would like it. I thought you would like to live a normal life with the humans for once."
I growled. "Why would you assume —"
Andrew raised a hand. "By the time I received word that the Bloodfang pack had been exterminated, I had already bought a case of the antidote."
"I assume you destroyed it because you thought Jason was dead," Katelyn wondered.
Andrew stared at Katelyn for a moment. "No."
Jason's POV
I narrow my eyes. "Then what did you do with it?"
Andrew's icy blue gaze doesn't waver. "I kept it."
I scoff. "Why?"
Andrew exhales slowly, crossing his arms. "Because I knew there was a chance—however small—that you survived." He studies me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "And if you did… I wanted you to have the choice."
I clench my fists, my claws digging into my palms. "You think I'd ever want to be human?" My voice is low, dangerous. "After what they did?"
Katelyn tenses beside me, but she doesn't interrupt.
Andrew doesn't back down. "I think," he says calmly, "that the rage inside you is consuming you. That you deserve the option to step away from it. To live without the weight of revenge."
I bark out a bitter laugh. "Oh, yeah. Because being human would fix everything."
Andrew doesn't react. "It would give you a life, Jason."
I bare my teeth. "This is my life." My ears pin back, my tail bristling. "And I'm not changing it."
Silence stretches between us.
Then, Andrew nods once. "Then you won't."
I blink, caught off guard. "What?"
He sighs. "I won't force you. I never intended to. But you deserved to know."
He pulls a large, silver case from underneath the table and places it on the table between us.
"The antidote is here," he says. "If you ever change your mind."