the last Nightspire

Flashback "Run, Selena, run!" my brother's voice echoed like thunder in my ears. My chest heaved, my mind spiraled—this was all my fault. Isaac, that lying traitor, had set me up. I had been blinded by love, and now my family would pay for it. "Run, Selena! Run as fast as you—" BANG. The gunshot cut off Jake's voice. My brother, the next alpha, dropped lifeless to the ground. A scream tore from my throat, splitting the night. I stumbled away, blind with grief, running as fast as my legs would carry me. I sprinted through the maze of the Nightspire dungeon, my vision a blur of tears and darkness, until I reached the border of my new pack's territory: EmberWing. I was 16 when Frostblood destroyed everything I knew. Isaac Frostblood, had been my boyfriend for six months. I thought I knew him—his charm, his sly smile—but he had been sneaking into my clan for weeks, planning an attack. I was so stupid to believe he loved me. "Let’s go out," he had said one night. "A new restaurant just opened in the human world." It was supposed to be a normal date. But Isaac had grown irritated by the humans around us, like they were gnats. I didn’t know then that it was just a distraction, a way to pull me out while Frostblood closed in. When we returned to Nightspire, his cruel laugh rang through the air. "You were the biggest mistake of my life," he hissed. And then the attack began. My parents fell first, gunned down the moment they stepped out of the packhouse. Jake, my brave brother, fought Isaac to give me a chance to run. But Isaac shot him too, his eyes gleaming with that same devilish satisfaction. I escaped only because my nanny dragged me through the maze. Frostblood merged my clan's land with theirs, erasing Nightspire forever. When I woke up, it was in a hospital bed. No one knew who I was. I had nothing left—no family, no pack. I gave myself a new name, Aneles, and took my nanny’s last name. I’ve been living with EmberWing for a year and a half now, hiding in plain sight. #BAM!# A book slammed onto my desk, jolting me out of my thoughts. I blinked up to see my teacher, Mr. Hunter, smirking. "If you can’t stay awake in my class, leave. This is your last warning, Aneles." The room erupted in snickers. My cheeks burned as I grabbed my books and bolted. Laughter followed me out the door, each snicker a dagger in my pride. I hated Mr. Hunter—he had a habit of humiliating me for no reason, maybe because I was smarter than everyone else in his class. Today, though, I wasn’t just tired—I was grieving. It would have been Jake’s birthday. I wandered to my safe haven: the library. The air smelled like old paper and ink—peaceful. I dropped into a chair at the farthest table, pulled out my book, and let it block out the world. Hours passed before Bonny found me. My best friend, the school’s untouchable queen bee. With her golden hair that fell like silk and a smile that had boys trailing after her like shadows, Bonny seemed to live in another world. Yet, we clicked. Maybe it was fate. "Hey, are you ready to go?" Bonny asked, pulling me back to reality. I sighed and slid my books into my bag. "Yeah. Let’s go." We headed for the door, but as I stepped into the hallway, a shiver ran down my spine. My body froze, every sense on high alert. I felt it—eyes on me. Watching. Waiting. "What’s the matter?" Bonny frowned, her keys dangling in her hand. "Nothing," I lied, scanning the shadows. I shook off the feeling and forced a smile. "Thought I felt something. Let’s go." Bonny shrugged, and we walked to her Audi A8. I plopped into the passenger seat, exhaling the tension that coiled in my chest. "You’re quiet today," she noted as we pulled onto the road. I didn’t answer. How could I tell her that someone—or something—was out there? Watching. Waiting. Maybe I was paranoid. Maybe it was the past catching up to me. Or maybe it was just beginning.