Emma's POV

I got swept up in the moment. My desire took over, leading me into dangerous territory. If Raphael ever found out, it would be the end of me. The end of everything. I wasn't supposed to sleep with Blake, a man I've only known for a short time but have fallen deeply for.

        After committing what I didn't initially see as an error, I picked up the clothes I had worn into his room and decided to leave. Since he wasn't in bed when I woke up, it provided the perfect opportunity to sneak out. I couldn't stay in this house any longer. After the night we shared, I found myself not wanting to leave, which created a problem for me. As their dog, I could still fulfill my duties and do my job.

        As I descended the stairs, the sound of movement and the shadows of activity were quite loud and revealing. As I slipped on my shoes that were technically his and stepped out onto the front porch, I saw Blake holding a pair of clothes covered in filth. My heart hammered against my chest as I recognized the clothes he was holding, and I began to panic. I thought I had been careful in hiding them, but they weren't where I had left them. They were the clothes I borrowed from Blake's closet. I needed to hide them from him while also keeping them accessible for later. Someone had sabotaged me, nearly exposing my identity and deceit to Blake and his son.

My breath quickened when I found a note attached to the sodden clothes that I knew I hadn't put there. I could only imagine who left it and what it might say. "It's not what it looks like," I stammered, trying to find the right words to explain.

As he handed me the note with a disappointed look, I saw the words written in bold: "Emma isn't who she says she is."

"It looks like my wife's clothes. My dead wife's clothes," he said, taken aback by disbelief. "Was your plan to steal them? What are they worth to you?" he demanded, unsure how to react around me. He wasn't sure whether he should be hot or cold with me.

"They're not worth anything. They're not mine," I countered, feeling the heavy burden of my secret. It was a constant reminder of the truth I was keeping from him, gnawing at my chest until it could feast its way out. "I don't know what those are," I lied flatly. I couldn't reveal to him now that I was his dog. It just didn't feel right to disclose that I borrowed these clothes when I shifted and we first met.

The biggest challenge I was facing was the note that put me high on a pedestal for all to see. I wasn't who I said I was. I wasn't the person I pretended to be. Would it damage the connection we have, or would it hurt him?

...

Blake's POV

       A part of me felt a sense of betrayal. Even if these clothes weren't hers, the note still resonated in my mind. She was playing me, and someone sent me a warning. There was something going on, and I avoided it for too long. Why wouldn't she tell me what she was hiding? There was something about the way she isolated herself that didn't sit right with me.

Honestly, I don't think any of this was the best thing for my family. My family had endured a lot, similar to what a child experiences during puberty. If there was even the slightest doubt about her, it could hurt us in ways we never imagined. "I think it's time you leave. If we find our dog, I will let you know," I said, which was the hardest thing for me to say to her, but the pout caressed her face with a hint of sadness.

For a moment she appeared innocent, and it seemed like she might protest, but then she simply nodded and walked away, tears trickling in her eyes. That sight hit me hard, especially after the night we had. As I watched her leave, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that this was far from over, and that silence felt heavy, like there was much left unsaid between us.

...

Emma's POV

As devastated as I was to leave on bad terms, he didn't need to say what I was already feeling inside. This was going to hurt us both in the end. Now, I need to find a way to get him a note to tell him where his dog was, but I don't completely know my way around this area. New Mexico is vast, and it's easy to get lost.

I walked into a local tavern, admiring the family-friendly atmosphere. It felt warm and inviting, like a place where everyone knows each other. Maybe they had a newspaper I could rip a section out of and write on with crayon. I asked the man behind the counter. His sharply dark eyebrows knitted together. He proceeded carefully with a warm smile, "I've never seen you around here before. Just visiting?"

As I nodded, about to say something else, I saw the TV hanging over his head on the back wall. Another attack has occurred, alerting the police. They were suspicious of the killer, who had an MO. Feeling uneasy about this incident, I wrote what I needed in peace. The man offered me a coffee, and we talked a little bit. I drank it until it was gone, said my goodbyes, and left.

I dropped the note on Blake's doorstep, letting him know his dog was located at the park. I waited around for hours, and there was no response. I went back to where I left the note on the front porch. The door was cracked open, revealing a recent break-in. Nothing else mattered. I couldn't imagine anything bad happening to Blake and Liam. I should have been more careful with my actions and realized the notes were going to pose a threat to them.

      I should have known I was the biggest threat.

I tracked down the book that Trixy had given me, learning anything and everything I could about Skinwalkers. If I was going to confront the leader of the Skinwalkers at the warehouse, I would need to know what I require to survive and make it out alive. I lay there in the grass before a hole I had dug with my own, skinny hands, watching as various thoughts flickered across the page.

Some individuals endure painful transformations. It could explain why someone might reject the turn. It could explain why I did. As they change from human to dog or vice versa, they leave behind lingering emotions. Sometimes, those lingering moments don't vacate the body, they follow them. In order to endure no pain, they must focus solely on shaping their new form.

Believe it or not, Skinwalkers have the ability to transform not only into animals but also into another human's form. They can become identical, or a clone to that individual. However, it's rare for someone to possess this ability. It's so rare that they must have a specific genetic code to access it. In fact, there's a prophecy that speaks of the one true Skinwalker, a person who can transform freely between forms and grant freedom to others. The one true Skinwalker, once they get past the painful transformations, can blossom into something so much more. Not even an Alpha Skinwalker can hinder them from greatness. As they gain the knowledge they must learn, they can execute their power flawlessly.

Mastering the ability to change forms quickly without error or pain is crucial. If I can learn to do it, I can handle anything. It's important to understand the magical and mystical elements that enable transformations and powers. As a Skinwalker, we must view combat as a survival instinct, not just a right. As someone who finds it hard to adapt, adjusting to new environments, especially when venturing into the wild, is essential. Being well-informed about the history of the Skinwalkers and the lore surrounding them is necessary for strategic planning. They originate from Navajo folklore and are believed to be witches. Only, I'm not a witch, I'm a bitch with a vengeance and on a mission for justice.

All of the knowledge from the book settled in my mind, but I knew I couldn't bring it with me. I couldn't risk revealing to Raphael that Trixy and I have the book. Trixy must be someone I can trust, given how much I gained from her. I'm not sure how to repay her in a way that shows my gratitude. She risked severe punishment from our leader, and I don't know many people with that kind of bravery. I'll repay her once I figure out how to keep Blake and Liam safe. I thought I had more time, but Raphael ended my recruitment period early. Days turned into mere hours. Everything was riding on my success. Raphael snatched the two most valuable people from me, and he was about to see a whole new side of me. I won't allow him to harm Blake and Liam.