Fate Of A Hybrid

Chapter 5

I knew what they were. My fists clenched so tightly that they began to redden, and the pressure made the blood inside them feel like it was ready to burst through the skin.

They were the very essence of what I detested most in this world—even more so than the panther shifters who had nearly assaulted me earlier. My hatred for this group wasn’t superficial. It ran deep, carved into my very bones. They were wolf shifters.

Just the thought of their kind churned my stomach. The memories tied to them weren’t just bad—they were defining. Wolf shifters had been at the heart of every moment of misfortune in my life. They symbolized betrayal, cruelty, and loss.

I couldn’t look at them without remembering how their kind had ruined my life. The arrogance and overbearing attitudes they carried, as if the world revolved around them, were nauseating. But worse than their attitudes was the heartless decision they had made all those years ago—the day they cast out my mother and me from the pack.

Why? Simply because I couldn’t shift.

The memory came rushing back, unbidden and painful, like reopening an old wound. My chest tightened, and tears threatened to spill from my eyes, though I refused to let them fall. I forced myself to keep my composure, but inside, I felt like I was unraveling.

It had been the day everything was stolen from us.

Before that, my mother had held a place of respect among the pack. She was a proud Lycan, a powerful fighter, and someone who had earned her place through strength and loyalty. Even with her status, though, I had always been treated differently.

Being a hybrid, I had never truly belonged. The pack tolerated me, but only barely. I was a constant source of gossip and side-glances—a reminder that I didn’t fit into their narrow world. And when it became clear that I couldn’t shift, their tolerance turned into outright rejection.

I could still see the scorn on their faces that day. The Alpha’s cold, unrelenting gaze as my mother pleaded with him. Her voice, once strong and commanding, broke as she begged him to reconsider.

But he didn’t.

His verdict was final. We were to leave the pack immediately, never to return. If we were ever seen again, we would be killed.

The humiliation my mother endured that day broke something inside her. For years, she had built a life for us in that pack—a home, a sense of security. All of it was stripped away in an instant. And for what?

Because of me.

Even now, years later, my mother couldn’t look at me without remembering that day. She resented me for what had happened, for the life we now lived. And though I hated the wolf shifters for what they had done to us, a part of me couldn’t help but feel the guilt she carried was justified.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself back to the present. I couldn’t afford to lose myself in these memories right now. The anger that had built up inside me needed to be kept in check. My veins felt like they were about to burst, and my jaw ached from how tightly I was clenching my teeth.

Still, I couldn’t take my eyes off the group of wolf shifters. I needed to know more about them.

Years of living in Arrow Brooke had taught me how to survive. Part of that meant knowing how to gather information without being noticed. A pub like this was the perfect place for that—conversations flowed as freely as the drinks. And I had become an expert at listening without being seen.

It didn’t take long for me to pick up a few details.

Among the six shifters, two stood out besides Stanley. The first was a man named Ray. His presence was calm, almost unnervingly so. He reminded me of still water—silent and unassuming on the surface, but with an undeniable depth that hinted at something far more powerful.

His piercing blue eyes glimmered with strength, and though his words were few, they carried weight. He spoke mostly to Stanley, and the familiarity between them was obvious. It didn’t take long for me to piece together that Ray was Stanley’s Beta and closest friend.

The other was a woman named Linda. If Ray’s calmness was like water, Linda’s coldness was ice. Her sharp eyes carried an unsettling chill, like daggers that could freeze you in place with a single glance. She was the pack’s healer—a fact that almost made me laugh.

How could someone so cold be trusted with something as delicate as healing? The very idea of receiving care from her was enough to send shivers down my spine.

And then there was Stanley.

I had already sensed his power earlier, but now I knew why. He wasn’t just strong—he was their Alpha. The realization left me stunned. A pack’s Alpha had gone out of his way to help me? The thought seemed absurd.

I couldn’t help but wonder what pack they belonged to. But as curious as I was, I knew the answer would come in time. In a place like Arrow Brooke, secrets didn’t stay hidden for long.

Despite my wariness, the strange pull I felt toward Stanley lingered. It was maddening—this mix of fear, anger, and… something else. Something I didn’t want to admit to myself.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus. There was no time to dwell on these feelings. I had work to do, and I couldn’t afford any distractions.

My life wasn’t glamorous. I worked long hours just to scrape together enough money to cover the rent for the tiny, crumbling apartment my mother and I lived in.

The place was barely habitable. The ceiling leaked when it rained, and water pooled on the floor faster than I could mop it up. During storms, I joked to myself that I didn’t need to step outside to shower.

At night, my mother and I huddled in the driest corner we could find, praying that the roof wouldn’t collapse on us while we slept. It was far from ideal, but it was all we had.

The night dragged on, and as the last customer finally left the pub, I began cleaning up. I was always the last one to leave, taking on extra hours to make ends meet.

Stepping outside to dispose of the trash, I felt a chill run down my spine.

Laughter echoed in the night, sharp and mocking.

My heart tightened, and dread settled over me like a heavy blanket.

The thought struck me immediately: Am I being ambushed?