Among the wolves

Chapter One The plan for Montana felt endless. I spent most of the trip staring out the window, watching Seattle fade into clouds. By the time we landed, the airport was so small it barely looked real, just one building surrounded by mountains. A taxi driver waited with a sign that had my name on it. “You’re the girl going to the Blackwood place?” he asked. “Yes.” He loaded my suitcases, and we headed into the mountains. The roads narrowed. The trees grew darker and closer together, like they were swallowing the sky. “How much farther?” I asked. “Almost there.” He glanced at me in the mirror. “You sure you want to do this, kid?” My stomach tightened. “Why?” “The Blackwoods… people don’t go near their land. Strange things happen out there. Animals going wild. People disappearing. And those boys…” He shook his head like he regretted saying anything. “What about the boys?” “They’re not normal. That’s all.” Before I could question him, he turned down a long driveway. Hidden between the trees stood a massive log house three stories high, sitting right at the edge of a thick, shadowed forest. “Sixty dollars,” he said, already reaching for the trunk. He practically threw my bags out and drove off fast, like he couldn’t wait to get away. I stood alone in the quiet, staring at the house. The forest whispered behind me, as though watching. The front door opened before I even reached it. A tall woman stepped out. Beautiful, with long black-and-silver hair and eyes that were unmistakably… gold. “Maya.” Her voice was warm and aching. “I’m so sorry about your mother. Catherine was my best friend.” “Thank you,” I whispered. Before she could hug me, loud footsteps and voices erupted from inside. “She’s here?” “Finally!” “Move, I can’t see!” Seven young men pushed through the doorway. All tall. All striking. All with the same strange grace—as if they moved too smoothly for humans. And every single one of them had golden eyes. “Boys! Give her space,” the woman snapped. They obeyed instantly. She pointed to the oldest. “This is Dominic.” A huge guy with dark hair nodded once. “Asher.” The second one stepped forward. Our eyes met. Everything inside me jolted. Heat rushed under my skin. My breath caught. His golden eyes widened—recognition, shockbefore he stepped back like he’d touched fire. “This is Marcus,” Elena continued, pretending she didn’t notice. He smiled warmly. “Cole and Finn,” the twins said together, grinning. “Liam,” another waved gently. “I’m Jace! Welcome to the pack!” Silence slammed into the porch. Dominic shot him a death glare. “Family,” he corrected quickly. “Welcome to the family.” But I’d heard it. Pack. “Asher, go inside,” Elena ordered. He hesitated, staring at me again—another electric pulse—then fled into the house. “Come in, Maya,” Elena said softly. As I stepped inside, a long, wild howl rose from the forest. “What was that?” “A wolf. Don’t worry, you’re safe here.” But her hand trembled slightly. --- My room was huge and warm, nothing like the small one I’d left behind. When the door closed, the silence hit me. I sat on the bed and pulled out my phone. The last picture of Mom and Dad smiled back at me—our last family dinner, the night I won my debate competition. They’d promised to take me out the next day. But the next day never came. --- Dinner was at six. The voices of the brothers guided me to the dining room, where the table overflowed with food. Seven pairs of golden eyes snapped toward me. “Maya! Sit here,” Marcus said. I slipped into the seat beside him. Across the table, Asher stared hard at his empty plate. “Everyone, manners,” Elena warned. “We’re always perfectly behaved,” one twin said. The other snorted. “Liar.” The boys ate like they hadn’t seen food in days mountains of it. Dominic tore through three chicken breasts alone. Asher ate quickly, tense, like he was trying to outrun something inside him. “Maybe go for another potato, Ash?” a twin teased. He glared. “Shut up.” I took tiny portions, my stomach too tight to eat. “So, what year are you in?” Liam asked gently. “Senior. I was supposed to graduate this year.” “You still will,” Elena said firmly. “You start school Monday. Marcus will take you.” Marcus nodded. “Don’t worry. The school’s small. I’ll show you everything.” “Is it true you were debate captain?” Jace asked with wide eyes. “That’s because you talk too much,” a twin said, ruffling his hair. “Do not!” “Do too!” Elena sighed, and the boys laughed softly. As the dinner went on, I noticed how they moved, how they would suddenly stop talking and tilt their heads like they heard something far away. They weren’t normal. Not even close. And Asher never looked at me. Not once. After dinner, when I helped clear dishes, Marcus caught my eye. “You don’t have to be so quiet. We don’t bite.” I tried to smile. “Just tired.” “It’ll get easier,” he murmured, though his eyes said he wasn’t sure. --- Later, in bed, sleep refused to come. The forest outside shifted with sounds I didn’t recognize. Wolves. Wind. Something else. Something watching. I was drifting off when I heard the voices downstairs low, urgent. I slipped out of bed and crept toward the stairs, sitting hidden in the shadows. “You can’t avoid her forever,” Dominic said. “Watch me,” Asher snapped. His voice sounded strained—almost painful. “She’s your mate,” Dominic continued. “The bond isn’t going to disappear.” “I know!” Asher shouted. “But if I get too close, it could kill her. The mate bond with a human is forbidden.” My breath caught. Mate? Kill? “This is different,” Liam said. “Maya might not be fully human. Mrs. Chen was half wolf—maybe—” “We don’t know that,” Dominic cut in. “We can’t risk it.” “The bond feels like dying,” Asher whispered. “Every instinct in me is pulling toward her.” “Then leave for a while,” Marcus said softly. “No,” Elena said. “The rogue is still out there. If he’s targeting Maya, we need everyone home.” A chill crawled up my spine. Rogue. Targeting me? “Does Maya know?” Asher asked. “About her mother?” “Not yet,” Elena replied. “She’s grieving. I won’t overwhelm her.” “She’ll figure it out,” Marcus murmured. “Let her,” Dominic said. “Then we’ll answer questions.” “And the mate bond?” Asher asked. “You stay away from her,” Elena said firmly. “For her sake.” Footsteps moved, and I hurried back to my room, slipping under the covers before anyone found me. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. Mate bond. Half wolf. Rogue. Forbidden. My mother was a half werewolf. Which meant I was part werewolf too. And Asher, the boy who couldn’t meet my eyes was my mate. But getting close to him could kill me. Three weeks ago, I had parents, school, a normal life. Now I was living with werewolves… and bound to someone I could never have. How was this my life?