Chapter 1
911 Palavras
Gabriela
The world belongs to shifters. Humans merely survive in it.
I learned that the worst possible way—the day my family died.
Since then, survival has been my only goal. Rent. Food. Safety. Living.
So when Valeria offered me a job on the Black Wolf estate, I should have refused.
Instead, I accepted.
Because desperation screams louder than fear.
I met Valeria years ago. She is a shifter too. Despite her composed posture, I know she is a kind and honest woman.
I was going to be the nanny to an Alpha’s son.
A wolf cub.
An extremely dangerous one.
The rumors about the Black Wolf family were enough to keep most humans away. They are cruel. Territorial. Untouchable.
But rumors do not pay bills. They only breed more fear and resentment.
The mansion stood deep in the forest—isolated, silent. Massive security gates. Armed guards. Cameras everywhere, as if someone extraordinarily important lived on that land.
And in truth, they did.
The moment I stepped out of the car, I felt eyes on me.
Not just anyone sets foot on this property. Few humans dare to come here. But I trust Valeria enough to throw myself into a job that, honestly, I hope does not cost me my life.
So I forced myself to confront the fear living inside my chest.
"You’ll stay in the guest wing," Valeria explained calmly as we walked inside. "Do not wander the property at night. Especially during this season."
"What season?" Curiosity has always been part of me. I have tried to change that. I never could.
She paused.
"Mating season."
My stomach tightened instantly. Acid rose in my throat.
Great.
Inside, the mansion felt less like a home and more like a fortress. Old stone and dark wood blended together, radiating power—and coldness.
"And the Alpha?" I asked carefully.
"You will see him when he decides," Valeria replied.
She seemed different from the last time we met. Colder. Tense. Maybe mating season had her nerves on edge.
Not comforting.
I met Victor shortly after.
He was small. Too small for all the chaos surrounding him. Dark hair. Big, observant eyes that seemed to track every movement around him. Even little Vic felt tense, as if he sensed the heavy air pressing down on all of us.
When I picked him up, he did not cry.
He stared at me.
Then he inhaled deeply.
Something shifted in his gaze.
And in me.
Heat spread along my arm—the same arm that still bears the scar from the wolf who attacked me years ago.
Victor touched it.
The scar burned.
He whimpered.
"He has been sick," Valeria whispered. "No doctor understands why."
I swallowed hard.
The child pressed his face against my chest as if he had known me forever.
That was the first sign something was wrong.
The second came that night.
I woke in the library after falling asleep over research books about shifter bonds. My scar was burning again, dragging me into an uncomfortable fever. I rose from the large sofa, my bones aching, and made my way slowly toward the garden.
Everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
I scanned the trees—and saw movement.
As always, curiosity defeated logic. I stepped toward the forest.
That was when I understood what was moving the branches.
A massive bear emerged from the trees. Bigger than any normal bear. And it was not just an animal.
It was a shifter.
Inside that creature was a man—or a woman.
I froze completely.
The bear approached slowly, sniffing the air.
But it did not attack.
It pressed its snout against me, allowing me to touch it.
Then the air changed.
The bear instantly lowered itself, intimidated.
I frowned in confusion.
Submission.
It was completely submissive.
But why?
That was when I saw him.
A wolf.
Enormous. Black fur. Honey-colored eyes.
And on his chest—a crescent moon mark.
An Alpha.
Damn.
The Alpha.
My lungs stopped working. The air I inhaled felt like fire burning through me.
He was not looking at the bear. He did not even notice when the massive animal backed away and disappeared into the forest.
He was looking at me.
Predatory. Focused.
Claiming territory that was already his.
I stepped back.
He advanced.
In pure terror, I ran.
That was my biggest mistake.
He leaped, knocking me to the ground with terrifying ease. His teeth hovered inches from my face.
When I thought I was about to become an Alpha’s dinner, he stopped.
He sniffed.
His snout slid along my neck. My shoulder. My scar.
A low growl vibrated in his chest, sending chills through my entire body. I remained frozen, not daring to move a single muscle.
"Mr. Ethan!" Valeria’s voice cut through the darkness. "This is Gabriela. Victor’s nanny."
Ethan.
The wolf did not move. He continued smelling me as if Valeria had not spoken.
Then his snout traveled lower—exploring places it should not.
Instinct took over.
Before I could stop myself, I punched his wet nose.
Silence swallowed the clearing.
Even the giant wolf looked stunned.
"Rude wolf," I snapped, trembling but furious. "You have no manners!"
I scrambled backward and stood before the leader of the Black Wolf pack.
Valeria pulled me behind her.
The Alpha did not attack.
He simply watched me.
As if I had just become the most interesting thing in his territory.
- Escritor
