**(Leah"s Perspective)** I barely slept last night. My mind kept replaying those insane images on a loop: the red-gold fire in Kayden"s eyes, the sharp gleam of Elliott"s fangs, the blood, the roars, and my stepdad"s world-shattering words. **Werewolf. Vampire. Fated Mate. Bloodmate.** The terms sliced through everything I"d known for sixteen years like shards of a nightmare. I drifted downstairs like a ghost in the morning, heavy shadows under my eyes. Mom asked worriedly if I"d slept poorly; I mumbled something incoherent. Tyler glanced at me but said nothing. For once, he didn"t vanish immediately. He waited by his truck until I finally dragged myself outside. "Come home right after school today," he stated gruffly, then drove off. The uncharacteristic concern made my nose sting, but co
