Chapters

Chapter One: Wolves Don’t Belong in Silverwood

Chapter Two: The Wolf and the Girl Who Knew Too Much

Chapter Three: The Boy Who Runs with Wolves

Chapter Four: The Pack Never Forgets

Chapter Five: The Pack Strikes First

Chapter 6: Blood and Betrayal

Chapter 7: The Hunt Begins

Chapter 8: The Edge of Control

Chapter 9: The Hunger Within

Chapter 10: The Monster Within

Chapter 11: The Truth Beneath the Skin

Chapter 12: A Line in the Sand

Chapter 13: Fire and Fractures

Chapter 14: A Deal with the Devil

Chapter15: A Path of No Return

Chapter 16: The Lies Between Us

Chapter 17: A Monster’s Reflection

Chapter 18: Dancing with the Devil

Chapter 19: The Awakening

Chapter 20: The Ruin’s Secret

Chapter 21: The Hunt Begins

Chapter 22: Run Until You Break

Chapter 23: The Ghosts We Carry

Chapter 24: A Monster’s Shadow

Chapter 25: The Exile’s Truth

Chapter 26: The Alpha Strikes Back

Chapter 27: A Taste for Blood

Chapter 28: The Betrayal

Chapter 29: The Trap

Chapter 30: The Choice

Chapter 31: The Hunger Beneath

Chapter 32: The Threshold

Chapter 33: Ghosts of the Past

Chapter 34: The Breaking Point

Chapter 35: The Awakening

Chapter 36: The Wolf at the Gate

Chapter 37: A Throne of Ash and Bone

Chapter 38: The Crown of a Ghost

Chapter 39: Blood and Allegiance

Chapter 40: The Shadow of a Queen

Chapter 41: Echoes of the Fallen

Chapter 42: A Ghost in the Dark

Chapter 43: Descent into Shadows

Chapter 44: The War That Never Ended

Chapter 45: The Fire That Follows

Chapter 46: Shadows of the Past, Flames of the Future

Chapter 47: A War Written in Shadows

Chapter 48: The Ashes of the Past, the Dawn of War

The night was quiet now, the echoes of battle nothing more than embers smoldering in the cold air. But the silence wasn’t peaceful. It wasn’t the kind of quiet that came with victory. It was the kind of silence that came before the next storm. Riley stood at the edge of the battlefield, where the fire had begun to die down, leaving behind the blackened remains of the enemies she had burned away. The wind carried the scent of ash and earth, a whisper of the destruction she had left in her wake. But it didn’t feel like enough. It never did. Not when the war wasn’t over. Not when the true enemy was still out there, watching, waiting. She tightened her fists, feeling the warmth still lingering beneath her skin, the fire that refused to go out. For so long, she had been searching for the truth. And now, she has it. But knowing the truth and acting on it were two very different things. Kieran stepped beside her, his golden eyes still fierce, still unwavering. “You haven’t said a word since it ended.” Riley didn’t turn. Because she wasn’t sure what she would say. How could she? How could she explain what she had seen? The visions, the memories clawing at the edges of her mind, the past that refused to stay buried? For a moment, she thought about lying. Telling him she was fine. But she was tired of pretending. “It didn’t feel like the end,” she admitted, voice low. “It felt like the beginning.” Kieran studied her, silent for a moment, then nodded. “Because it is.” The truth settled between them, heavy, unspoken. And Riley hated it. Hated the way this fight kept pulling her deeper. Hated that no matter how many battles she won, there was always another war waiting. Lena’s voice cut through the night. “Well, if you two are done brooding over there, we should probably figure out where the hell we’re going next.” Riley turned, finding Lena standing over the remains of one of the creatures, nudging the ash with the toe of her boot. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being dragged into this mess,” Lena continued, “it’s that whenever we think we’ve won, something worse is already on the way.” She wasn’t wrong. The enemy was still out there. The ones who had erased her, rewritten history, tried to wipe her from existence. And they wouldn’t stop. Not unless Riley gave them a reason to be afraid. The pack moved through the charred remains of the battlefield, their golden eyes sharp, bodies tense. Even in victory, they didn’t let their guard down. Because this wasn’t the end. And they all knew it. The ruins were waiting for them. The past was waiting for them. And Riley was finally ready to face it. The road was long, stretching through the endless darkness of the forest, the trees looming like silent sentinels. But she wasn’t afraid. Not anymore. Not of the truth. Not of the war ahead. Because this time She was the one bringing the fire. The forest stretched before them, dark and endless, the trees standing like ancient sentinels watching their every move. But Riley didn’t feel hunted anymore. Not like before, when the past had been something she couldn’t grasp when every step forward felt like she was walking blind into a war she didn’t understand. Now? Now, she understood everything. The war wasn’t something new. It wasn’t something Tobias had started or even something Caius had been trying to finish. It had begun long before any of them. And now that she knew the truth they couldn’t stop her from burning it all down. She walked at the front of the pack, her boots pressing into damp earth, her senses razor-sharp, her breath slow and measured. Every step forward felt like stepping deeper into something bigger than herself. Not just into battle. Not just into war. But into her history. And for the first time in her life She wasn’t afraid of it. She glanced back, just for a moment. The pack was silent, steady, waiting. They had followed her into fire and blood. They had chosen her over Tobias. They had seen what she had done back there. And yet, they were still here. That should have scared her. The way they looked at her now. Not just as a leader. Not just as the girl who had survived. But as something more. As something they could believe in. It was a kind of loyalty she had never asked for. A kind of power she had never wanted. And yet She couldn’t deny that she needed it now. Because the ones who had erased her? The ones who had rewritten history? They weren’t just going to let her walk away. They weren’t going to let her exist. So she had to be ready. She had to make sure the next time they came for her they were the ones who wouldn’t survive it. Kieran walked just behind her, close enough that she could feel the weight of his presence, steady and unshaken. He hadn’t said much since the fight ended. But he didn’t have to. Because she knew. Knew he had seen what she had seen. Knew he had felt it, too the shift in the air, the change in the war. She wasn’t the same girl who had stepped into this fight. And he wasn’t the same wolf who had tried to protect her from it. They had both changed. And neither of them was turning back. The ruins were closed now. She could feel them. Not just in the earth beneath her feet, not just in the scent of stone and time lingering in the wind But inside her. Like a memory trying to surface. Like something pulling her back. The others didn’t feel it the way she did. They didn’t hear the whispers of the past curling through the trees, or the distant echo of something lost, something waiting. But Riley did. Because the ruins weren’t just another battlefield. They weren’t just another graveyard of the past. They had been hers once. And soon They would be again. As the first broken stones appeared between the trees, as the weight of something ancient, something powerful settled over the land, Riley let out a slow breath. No more running. No more hiding. No more waiting for the past to catch up with her. She was here. And this time She was going to finish what she started. The ruins rose before her, half-buried in the earth, but not forgotten. Not by her. Not by the ones who had erased her. Not by the past that refused to stay buried. The stones were ancient, cracked, and weathered by time, but the moment Riley stepped forward, she knew they still remembered her. The air shifted, thick with something unseen, something that had been waiting. She could feel it curling around her ribs, pressing against her skin not fear, not hesitation, but recognition. Like the ruins knew what she had come for. Like they had been waiting for her to return. The pack slowed behind her, golden eyes flickering in the dim moonlight. No one spoke. Because they felt it too. Not like she did not with the same deep, visceral pull that had wrapped around her the moment she set foot on this land but they felt something. Something is shifting. Something awakening. Lena let out a slow, sharp breath. “I don’t like this,” she muttered. “Too quiet. Too… expectant.” Kieran was watching Riley carefully, his stance tense, ready. “You’re sure about this?” he asked. She wasn’t. But that didn’t matter. Because she had no other choice. She stepped forward. And the ground beneath her hummed. A deep, pulsing thrum, like a heartbeat beneath the earth. The ruins were alive. Or at least something inside them was. And as Riley pressed her palm against the nearest stone, something in the air snapped. The doors to the past swung opened A rush of heat, of memory, of something vast and ancient slammed into her chest. She staggered back, gasping, her vision flashing gold and white, the ruins around her blurring. No, not blurring. Changing. The cracks in the stones disappeared. The vines recoiled, vanishing as if time itself was unraveling. And suddenly, she wasn’t standing in ruins anymore. She was standing in the past. The city wasn’t dead. It was alive. The banners still flew, their sigils catching the wind. The torches still burned, lining the great stone walls. And the streets They were full of people. Her people. She could hear their voices, their laughter, the sound of wolves moving through the city, their eyes bright with something that had once felt like home. This wasn’t just a memory. It was a warning. Because she had lived here once. Because she had ruled here once. And because she had lost it all. The air shifted again. And then, she saw him. Standing at the edge of the city, his golden eyes darker than she had ever seen them, his body coiled, tense, like he already knew how this was going to end. Caius. Not as the enemy. Not yet. Not like the man she had been hunting through fire and blood. But as something else. As someone who had once stood beside her. As someone who had once fought for her. As someone who had once tried to save her. And just like that The vision shattered. Riley gasped, stumbling back into the present, the weight of the memory slamming into her like a blade to the ribs. The ruins were silent again. Dead again. But she wasn’t. She was alive. She was awake. And she remembered. She lifted her gaze, meeting Kieran’s eyes, steady and unshaken. “They weren’t just trying to erase me,” she said, voice quiet, fierce. “They were trying to erase all of this.” Lena let out a slow breath. “What did you see?” Riley swallowed hard. “My home,” she said. “My city.” She turned back to the ruins, her ruins. And she knew she wasn’t here to uncover the past. She was here to take it back. The past was hers. The war was hers. And now, so was the future. She exhaled, slow and steady. “We’re done searching,” she said. She turned back to the pack. “Now, we start fighting.” And this time they would be the ones rewriting history. No more waiting. No more running. No more letting someone else decide what was remembered and what was erased. This war had started centuries ago, but it would end with her. And this time, they wouldn’t take her name. They wouldn’t take her city. They wouldn’t take anything. Because Riley Hayes wasn’t just a survivor. She was the reckoning. She was the fire they thought they had extinguished. And she was going to burn everything they had built to the ground. The pack stood before her, watching, waiting. They had followed her through the shadows, through the lies, through the ghosts of a history they had never been allowed to know. But they knew it now. And they weren’t afraid. The moment she had spoken those words “Now, we start fighting” something in the air had shifted. The pack wasn’t just following her anymore. They were ready to fight beside her. To die beside her. Because this war wasn’t just hers anymore. It belonged to all of them. It had been stolen from all of them. And now? They were going to take it back. A city waiting to rise again Riley turned to the ruins, her green eyes sharp, scanning the remnants of what had once been a kingdom. She could still feel it the echo of power, the weight of what had been lost. The city had been left to crumble, but it wasn’t dead. Not yet. Not if she had anything to say about it. She stepped forward, brushing her fingers over the stone, feeling the warmth beneath her skin, the whispers of something waiting to wake. And she knew This place was still hers. Even after all this time. Even after they had tried to bury it. It had been waiting for her to come back. And now, she has. Kieran moved beside her, silent, steady. “What do we do first?” Riley didn’t hesitate. “We make them remember,” she said. She turned back to the pack, her wolves, her soldiers. Her army. The ones who had chosen her. The ones who had fought for her. The ones who would help her burn their enemies to the ground. She lifted her chin, voice clear, unshaken. “We don’t just fight them,” she said. “We take back what’s ours.” She glanced back at the ruins, at the broken stone, at the ghosts of a kingdom that refused to stay buried. She smiled. And this time It wasn’t a promise. It was a warning. “Let’s go remind the world who we are.” A slow, powerful hush fell over the pack, the weight of Riley’s words settling deep into their bones. Because they knew what this meant. This wasn’t just another battle. This wasn’t just revenge. This was a resurrection. The ruins stood before them, silent and waiting, but they would not stay that way for long. Because Riley wasn’t just reclaiming what was lost. She was rebuilding it. And when the world saw what she was about to do They would never forget her again. The first steps of war The wind howled through the broken stones, carrying the scent of old magic and forgotten history. Riley stepped forward, her boots pressing into the damp earth, her heart beating with something deep, something ancient. The pack followed. Kieran was just behind her, his golden eyes sharp, steady. Lena walked beside him, twirling a dagger between her fingers, her smirk gone, replaced by something colder, hungrier. Even the younger wolves, the ones who had once hesitated, stood taller now. Because Riley had given them something they had never had before. A truth that could not be erased. A leader that could not be stopped. A war that could not be avoided. They passed beneath a crumbling archway, the remains of an entrance that had once led to a kingdom. The carvings were worn, faded but as Riley’s fingers brushed The moment Riley’s fingers brushed against the worn stone, a pulse of heat rippled beneath her skin. Not fire. Not magic. Something deeper. Something alive. The carvings were almost unreadable now, eroded by time, but the second she touched them they weren’t just symbols anymore. They were words. They were names. Her name. Not the one she carried now. The one they had erased. A sharp breath left her lips as the stone reacted to her presence, the dust falling away, the letters glowing faintly in the dim light. The wolves behind her shifted, murmuring among themselves, but Riley couldn’t look away. Because she had stood here before. Not in this life. But in the one they had stolen from her. This had been her home. Her kingdom. And they had tried to bury it beneath time and silence. A slow rage curled through her chest, the fire inside her flaring hotter, sharper. Lena let out a low whistle, stepping closer. “Okay, that’s new.” Kieran didn’t say anything, but Riley could feel his gaze on her, steady, questioning. Because they all knew. They could all see it now. This wasn’t just some ancient ruin. It was a graveyard. A graveyard for a kingdom that had once ruled these lands. A graveyard for her. A throne stolen, a war forgotten Riley exhaled slowly, dragging her fingers away from the stone, her pulse roaring. “I’ve been here before,” she admitted, voice quiet but unshaken. No one doubted her. How could they? The ruins had already spoken for her. Kieran stepped forward, his golden eyes flickering over the glowing carvings, his body coiled like he was waiting for the past to reach out and take her again. “What does it say?” he asked. Riley swallowed, staring at the letters, their meaning so clear now. “It says I was supposed to die here,” she murmured. Lena stiffened. “That’s not unsettling at all.” “But I didn’t,” Riley continued, voice growing stronger. “And that’s why they erased it.” The air thickened, the weight of her words pressing against the ruins, against the night itself. Because this was the truth they had never wanted her to find. She had been their greatest threat once. A ruler. A warrior. Someone powerful enough to change the course of history. And when they had failed to kill her They had buried her instead. But now? Now, she was unburing herself. Now, they would have to face her again. And this time She was the one who would decide how the story ended. Riley turned back to the others, fire curling between her fingers, her green eyes burning like embers in the dark. They were waiting. For orders. For a path forward. For her. She was their leader now. Not just because she had survived Tobias. Not just because she had beaten the ones who came before. But because she had shown them the truth. And the truth was more powerful than any lie history had written. “We take this place back,” she said, her voice carrying over the ruins, over the silent stone that had once belonged to her. The pack stood taller. No hesitation. No fear. Because this wasn’t just her fight anymore. This was theirs. And when the dust settled The world would remember their names. A war that could no longer be hidden The wind howled through the ruins, carrying whispers of the past, the scent of fire and vengeance. They would come for her again. She knew that now. The ones who had rewritten history, who had controlled fate, who had erased her once before They would try again. But this time She was ready for them. Because she wasn’t a lost queen anymore. She wasn’t a ghost of the past. She was something new. Something they couldn’t erase. Something they should fear. She turned toward the rising moon, toward the path ahead, toward the war that was finally here's to win. And she smiled. “Let them try.”

Chapter 50: A Throne of Fire, A War of Shadows

Chapter 51: The Kingdom of Ash and Vengeance

Chapter 52: The Throne Remembers

Chapter 53: When the Dead Howl

Chapter 54: The Fire That Would Not Die

Chapter 55: The Last Dawn Before War

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Chapter Two: The Wolf and the Girl Who Knew Too Much

Riley’s brain hadn’t caught up with reality yet.

The world had tilted on its axis, and she was standing in the wreckage of everything she thought she knew.

Kieran Wolfe. The quiet, brooding new guy at school the one everyone whispered about but no one knew had just turned into a wolf in front of her. Not an ordinary wolf. A massive, terrifying, monstrous creature that had fought off something even worse.

And now, he was standing in front of her, bare-chested, bruised, and acting like she was the problem.

“You need to leave, Riley.” Kieran’s voice was low, rough like he wasn’t fully human yet. Like there was still something untamed lurking under his skin.

Riley took another step back. Her brain was screaming at her to run, but her body was frozen in place. “You just you shifted. Into a wolf.” Her voice sounded strange to her ears. “How? Why?”

Kieran exhaled through his nose like he didn’t have the patience for this. “I don’t have time to explain. You need to go.”

Riley bristled. “I need answers.”

He looked at her then, really looked at her, like he was seeing something he hadn’t expected. Like he knew something she didn’t.

“Answers will only get you killed.”

A chill ran through her, but she forced herself to hold her ground. She wasn’t going to let him intimidate her. “Yeah, well, not knowing almost got me killed too, in case you forgot.”

His jaw tightened.

That was the thing about Kieran Wolfe he had this way of looking at people like he was calculating how much trouble they were worth. And right now, she could tell he was debating whether she was worth the hassle.

Finally, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Look, you shouldn’t have seen what you saw. But now that you have…” He trailed off, his golden eyes flicking toward the trees. “They’ll come for you.”

A cold dread settled in her stomach. “They? You mean ?”

“The pack.”

Her breath hitched. She didn’t know much about werewolf lore, but Pack sounded bad.

“So what, they just kill anyone who finds out about them?”

Kieran’s expression darkened. “Depends on who finds out.”

Fantastic.

Riley clenched her fists, willing herself to stay calm, even as panic curled its fingers around her throat. “Then what do I do? Pretend I didn’t see anything?”

Kieran hesitated. “It’s not that simple.”

“Of course, it’s not.”

“Riley.”

The way he said her name sent another chill down her spine. Not just because it was the first time she’d heard him say it, but because there was something in his voice something warning.

She swallowed. “You know my name.”

His eyes flickered, almost like he regretted saying it. “Of course I do.”

She frowned. “Why?”

Another pause. Another flash of something unreadable in his gaze.

Then he said, “Because you’re important.”

Her stomach twisted.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she demanded.

Kieran didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped forward, close enough that she had to crane her neck to look at him. “Go home, Riley. Stay away from the woods. Stay away from me.”

And just like that, he turned and disappeared into the trees.

Riley stood there, heart hammering, until the storm swallowed him whole.

Then, finally, she ran.

Riley barely remembered the walk home.

By the time she stumbled through the front door, soaked to the bone and shaking, her mind was still struggling to process everything. The fight. The shifting. Kieran.

She pressed her back against the door, eyes squeezed shut, heartbeat thundering in her ears.

Werewolves were real.

They had always been real.

And Kieran Wolfe quiet, brooding, troublemaker Kieran was one of them.

Her stomach twisted violently. This wasn’t just some supernatural fantasy. This was real. And if Kieran was telling the truth, it was dangerous.

She needed answers.

And she knew exactly where to get them.

“So, remember when you said werewolves were real?”

Nova Carter froze mid-bite into her breakfast burrito, blinking at Riley as if she had just grown a second head.

“Uh. Duh.”

Riley scowled. “I’m being serious.”

Nova chewed thoughtfully. “So am I. I’ve been telling you this for years.”

Riley pinched the bridge of her nose. “No, Nova. I mean I saw one.”

That got Nova’s attention.

She set her burrito down, leaning forward over the cafeteria table. “Wait. Hold on. Back up. What?”

Riley exhaled. “Last night. In the woods.”

Nova’s eyes widened. “Tell me everything.”

So she did.

By the time she finished, Nova was practically vibrating with excitement. “Holy shit. Kieran Wolfe is a werewolf?”

Riley groaned. “Not the point.”

Nova ignored her. “I knew he was weird. Too hot to be normal.”

Riley shot her a glare. “Again. Not the point.”

Nova grinned. “Right, right. The point is… you’re screwed.”

“Thanks.”

“No, like, actually screwed.” Nova’s excitement dimmed slightly. “Riley, if the pack finds out you know”

“They already know.”

Nova paled. “Oh.”

Riley ran

Nova paled. “Oh.”

That was the moment the weight of it settled in. The moment Riley saw her best friend the same girl who had spent years obsessing over werewolf conspiracy theories look scared.

Riley forced herself to swallow the lump rising in her throat. “Yeah. Oh.”

Nova stared at her for a long second, then leaned in, lowering her voice. “So… what exactly did Kieran say? Did he threaten you?”

Riley shook her head. “Not exactly. He just… told me to forget what I saw.”

Nova snorted. “Oh, sure. Let me just erase the memory of a seven-foot-tall wolf getting into a supernatural WWE match right in front of me. No big deal.”

Riley shot her a look. “Nova.”

“I’m just saying! That’s the dumbest advice ever.”

Riley sighed, rubbing her temples. “I don’t think it was advice. I think it was a warning.”

Nova sobered. “Okay. That’s worse.”

Riley didn’t need the reminder. The truth was, she’d barely slept last night, lying awake in bed, replaying everything over and over again in her mind. The fight. The glowing eyes. Kieran’s voice was sharp with warning.

Because now they know you’ve seen too much.

She wasn’t safe.

And she had no idea what to do about it.

Nova must have seen the panic creeping in, because she reached across the table and grabbed Riley’s hands, squeezing them tight. “Hey. You’re not alone in this, okay?”

Riley forced a shaky smile. “Yeah.”

Nova let go, leaning back in her chair. “So. What’s the plan?”

“I was hoping you’d have one.”

Nova considered. “Well, if this were a movie, we’d be looking for some kind of werewolf expert. Maybe some old guy in a dusty bookstore who speaks in riddles.”

Riley arched an eyebrow. “We live in Silverwood. Our town’s only bookstore is inside a Starbucks.”

“Fair point.” Nova tapped her fingers against the table. “Okay, plan B. We go straight to the source.”

Riley frowned. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” Nova said, grinning like this was the most exciting thing to ever happen, “we find Kieran Wolfe and make him talk.”

Finding Kieran was easier said than done.

For someone who had just dropped the biggest supernatural bombshell of all time on her, he was nowhere.

Riley checked the hallways between classes. No sign of him. She scanned the cafeteria at lunch. Nothing. It was like he had evaporated into thin air which, given everything she’d seen last night, didn’t seem impossible.

By the time the final bell rang, her frustration was at an all-time high.

Nova, ever the voice of chaos, slung an arm around Riley’s shoulders as they walked toward the parking lot. “So, here’s a thought: what if he’s avoiding you?”

Riley scowled. “No kidding.”

“Which means,” Nova continued, “we have to make it impossible for him to hide.”

Riley eyed her suspiciously. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

Nova grinned, mischief dancing in her eyes. “Simple. We find out where he hangs out when he’s not at school.”

“That’s called stalking, Nova.”

“That’s called research, Riley.”

Riley sighed. “And how exactly do we find out where he goes?”

Nova wiggled her eyebrows. “We ask the one person who pays attention to everyone in this school.”

Riley groaned. “Please don’t say”

“Oh, Heather Sinclair,” Nova sing-songed, already veering toward the school’s biggest gossip, who was currently holding court by her car with a group of cheerleaders.

Riley barely had time to protest before Nova was dragging her over.

Heather turned as they approached, flipping her perfect blonde hair over her shoulder. “Carter. Hayes.” She narrowed her eyes. “What do you want?”

Nova leaned against Heather’s car like she belonged there. “Information.”

Heather smirked. “Obviously. What kind?”

Nova wasted no time. “Kieran Wolfe.”

Heather’s eyes lit up with curiosity, and Riley immediately regretted everything.

“Kieran?” Heather said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “Why are you two interested in him?”

Nova shrugged. “Just a friendly bet. We wanna know where he disappears to all the time.”

Heather studied them for a second, clearly debating whether to spill. Then, with a dramatic sigh, she said, “He works at The Den.”

Riley blinked. “The Den?”

“The auto shop on Birch Street,” Heather clarified. “My dad took his car there once. Said the place is full of, like, scary hot delinquent guys who don’t talk much.” She gave them a knowing look. “Sounds like your boy, doesn’t it?”

“He’s not my boy,” Riley said quickly, ignoring Nova’s smirk.

Heather raised an eyebrow but didn’t push. “Anyway, if you’re looking for him, I’d try there.”

Nova clapped her hands. “You’re the best, Heather.”

Heather gave her a look. “I know.”

Riley sighed as Nova dragged her away, already buzzing with excitement. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

“I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

Nova grinned. “Believe it, babe. We’re going werewolf hunting.”

The Den looked exactly like its name suggested a run-down auto shop on the edge of town, tucked between a mechanic’s garage and a bar that never seemed to close. The neon sign flickered above the entrance, casting an eerie red glow across the parking lot.

Riley hesitated as they stepped onto the cracked pavement. “This is a terrible idea.”

Nova elbowed her. “Relax. We’re just here to talk.”

Riley wasn’t convinced.

Through the open garage doors, she could see a few guys working on cars tall, broad-shouldered, and exactly the type of people her mom would tell her to stay away from.

And then she saw him.

Kieran.

He was leaning against a motorcycle, his leather jacket hanging off one shoulder, hair still damp from sweat. He looked different here less guarded, like he belonged in the shadows and the scent of gasoline.

And when his golden eyes flicked up and locked onto her, Riley’s breath caught.

He pushed off the bike, walking toward them with a slow, measured pace. His expression was unreadable, but there was something sharp in his gaze something that said, you shouldn’t be here.

Riley lifted her chin. Too bad.

Kieran stopped in front of them, crossing his arms. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Yep. Called it.

Nova, ever fearless, grinned. “Nice to see you too, Wolfe.”

Kieran ignored her, eyes locked on Riley. “I told you to stay away.”

Riley crossed her arms, mirroring his stance. “Yeah, well. You told me a lot of things. None of them were answers.”

Kieran exhaled through his nose. “Riley”

“No. You don’t get to do that.” Her voice was steady, even as her heart pounded. “You don’t get to drop that on me and then walk away like nothing happened.”

Something flashed in his eyes frustration, maybe. Or something else.

One of the guys from the garage wandered over, wiping grease off his hands. “Yo, Wolfe. Everything good?”

Kieran didn’t look away from Riley. “Yeah. I got it.”

The guy raised an eyebrow but didn’t push. He gave Riley and Nova a slow once-over, then shrugged and walked off.

Kieran turned back to them. “You need to leave.”

“No,” Riley said, surprising even herself. “I need you to tell me what’s going on.”

Kieran’s jaw tightened.

Nova took a step closer, her usual playfulness gone. “Listen, dude. She saw everything. You think she can just pretend it didn’t happen?”

Kieran looked at Riley again, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. “I think she should.”

Riley bristled. “Well, I can’t. And I won’t.”

For a long moment, he just stared at her. Then, finally, he sighed.

“You really want answers?”

“Yes.”

He glanced toward the woods behind the shop, then back at her. “Fine.”

Riley’s pulse quickened. “Fine?”

“Meet me at the edge of the forest. Midnight.”

Nova made a noise of protest. “Oh, hell no”

Kieran cut her a look. “Come alone.”

Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing back into the garage.

Nova turned to Riley, arms flailing. “You are not seriously considering this.”

Riley swallowed hard.

She wasn’t just considering it.

She knew she was going.

Because something about Kieran Wolfe told her this was bigger than just one night in the woods.

And for better or worse…

She was already in too deep.

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