OUR FATE

CHAPTER 4:THEY FOUND HER

Daniel’s grip on my arm tightened slightly.

And his voice dropped to almost a whisper.

“…They found you.”

My heart stopped.

“They?” I repeated.

But he didn’t answer.

Because whatever was out there…

Was no longer hiding.

The air shifted.

Heavy.

Cold.

Alive.

I could feel it now—something surrounding us, closing in slowly like it had all the time in the world.

“Daniel…” I whispered, my voice shaking.

“Don’t move,” he said.

His tone had changed.

It wasn’t soft anymore.

It wasn’t gentle.

It was sharp.

Protective.

Dangerous.

A low growl echoed from the darkness.

Not one.

More than one.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes struggled to adjust, trying to see what was out there.

Then—

Movement.

A shadow slipped between the trees.

Fast.

Too fast.

My fingers tightened unconsciously around Daniel’s arm.

“Daniel, what is that?” I asked, my voice barely above a breath.

He stepped slightly in front of me.

Blocking me.

Hiding me.

“Stay behind me,” he said again.

And this time…

I listened.

Another growl.

Closer.

Louder.

My heart started pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest.

Then suddenly—

Something stepped out of the darkness.

And I froze.

It wasn’t human.

It couldn’t be.

Its eyes glowed faintly in the night, its body large, its presence overwhelming.

A wolf.

But not a normal one.

Bigger.

Stronger.

Wrong.

I stumbled back slightly, fear rushing through me.

“Daniel…” I whispered again.

But he didn’t respond.

Because more of them were appearing.

One.

Then two.

Then three.

Shadows turning into shapes.

Shapes turning into something real.

They were surrounding us.

My chest tightened.

“They…” I breathed.

Now I understood.

This was what he meant.

Daniel’s body tensed even more, his grip on me loosening slightly as he stepped forward.

Positioning himself between me and them.

Protecting me.

Even now.

“Go home,” he said again.

But this time…

I couldn’t move.

My legs felt heavy.

My mind spinning.

“What are they?” I asked.

My voice trembled.

“They’re not here for me,” he said quietly.

My heart dropped.

“Then… who?”

He didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

Because all their eyes—

Every single one—

Were on me.

Fear hit me instantly.

Cold.

Sharp.

Real.

I took a step back.

Then another.

But I couldn’t look away.

One of them stepped forward, its growl low and threatening.

Daniel reacted instantly.

A deeper growl left him—stronger, louder, more powerful than anything I had ever heard.

And that was when I realized…

It wasn’t just them.

Something was changing.

Him.

Slowly, I turned to look at him.

My breath caught.

His posture had shifted.

His shoulders tense.

His movements sharper.

And his eyes—

They were glowing again.

Brighter this time.

Clear.

Unmistakable.

Not human.

“Daniel…” I whispered, my voice breaking slightly.

For a second…

Just a second…

He looked at me.

And in his eyes, I saw it.

Not fear.

Not anger.

Something deeper.

Like he didn’t want me to see this.

Like he was trying to hold something back.

“Don’t be scared,” he said quietly.

But it was too late.

Because I wasn’t just scared.

I was realizing the truth.

“You’re not…” I started, my voice trembling.

He didn’t let me finish.

Because in the next moment—

Everything changed.

His body tensed sharply.

A low, powerful sound escaped him.

And then—

He moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

I gasped, stumbling back as I watched him—

No…

As I watched something else take over.

His form shifted.

Not slowly.

Not gently.

It was sudden.

Violent.

Real.

My heart pounded wildly as I tried to process what I was seeing.

And then I saw it.

Fur.

Claws.

Power.

Right in front of me…

Daniel was gone.

And in his place—

Was a wolf.

Large.

Strong.

Terrifying.

My breath hitched.

My mind went blank.

This wasn’t possible.

This couldn’t be real.

But it was.

It was happening right in front of me.

The wolves around us growled louder, circling, their eyes locked on me.

But the one in front of me—

Daniel—

Stepped forward.

Protecting me.

Even like this.

Tears filled my eyes without warning.

“Daniel…” I whispered again.

He didn’t respond.

But something in me knew.

He heard me.

He knew.

And then—

The first wolf lunged.

Everything exploded into movement.

Growls.

Impact.

Speed.

Daniel attacked instantly, faster and stronger than anything I had ever seen.

I stumbled back, my body shaking, my heart racing uncontrollably.

I couldn’t look away.

I couldn’t run.

All I could do was stand there…

Watching him fight.

Watching the truth unfold.

Watching everything I thought was impossible…

Become real.

And in that moment…

One thing became clear.

This wasn’t just a secret.

This wasn’t just a mystery.

This was something dangerous.

Something bigger than me.

And somehow…

I was already part of it.