MILLIE BROWN

I wake up with a splitting headache, the kind that makes me feel like my skull is about to crack open. Everything hurts—my limbs, my head, even breathing feels wrong. I blink against the harsh light, trying to get my bearings. Where am I? What happened?

I sit up slowly, wincing as the pain throbs behind my eyes. Trees. There are trees everywhere. Massive ones, taller than anything I've ever seen before. The air feels different—cleaner, sharper, almost too crisp. I can hear everything—the rustle of leaves, the hum of insects, even the quiet breeze moving through the forest.

And then, the howls.

My heart stops for a second, my breath catching in my throat. Wolves. Real wolves. And they're close.

Panic shoots through me, and without thinking, I push myself up and start running. The ground is uneven beneath my feet, branches snapping under me, roots twisting everywhere. I can barely keep my balance, but I don't care. I just need to get away. I need to figure out where the hell I am and what's going on.

But the howls—they're getting closer. No matter how fast I run, it feels like they're surrounding me, closing in.

Then I see them.

Wolves. Huge, sleek creatures with fur that glistens in the patches of sunlight breaking through the trees. They're massive—easily the biggest wolves I've ever seen. I freeze, my heart hammering as I skid to a stop, watching in horror as they rush toward me.

But then... they run right past me.

What?

I stand there, frozen, as they move around me like I don't even exist. My heart races, my hands shake, and I should be terrified—hell, I am—but there's something else too. I don't feel like I'm in danger. I actually feel... safe. Which makes no sense at all.

What is happening?

I watch the wolves disappear into the forest, heading toward a mountain in the distance. I hesitate, my mind racing with questions, but I can't just stand here. So, without thinking it through, I follow them.

The path twists and turns, the trees closing in tighter around me. I'm trying to keep up, but the questions won't stop flooding my mind. Where am I? Where's Leah? And that crystal—the one I jumped through—it's gone. I checked my pockets a dozen times already, and it's just... vanished.

I don't know how long I've been running, but eventually, the forest opens up, and I find myself standing at the base of a massive waterfall. The sound of the water crashing down is almost deafening, and for a second, I just stare, mesmerized. It's beautiful, but there's something strange about it too.

Where did the wolves go?

Then I see it. The wolves are slipping through the waterfall, disappearing like the water is just some kind of curtain. No way. I step closer, the mist cooling my skin, and before I can talk myself out of it, I push through.

And what I see on the other side takes my breath away.

It's a city. But not just any city—it's like nothing I've ever seen before. Towering buildings made of dark stone and glass rise up into the sky, gleaming in the sunlight. The streets are wide and clean, full of people walking around, talking, laughing... and wolves. Wolves are just walking around, blending in like it's normal.

What the hell is this place?

I walk further into the city, trying to blend in, but I can feel eyes on me. People are staring, and I don't know if it's because of the way I'm dressed—my torn and dirty clothes—or something else. I glance down at myself, suddenly feeling out of place. Everyone here looks so... polished, regal, like they belong here. I definitely don't.

There's something in the air too—a buzz, like the whole city is alive with energy. Music plays somewhere in the distance, and I can hear people laughing, celebrating. But celebrating what?

I push my way through the crowd, trying to figure out where I am and what's going on. Then I hear them talking.

"I can't believe she's the one," a woman says, disbelief heavy in her voice. "Living in a normie town her whole life, and now she's going to be our Alpha Queen."

I stop dead in my tracks. Alpha Queen?

Another voice chimes in. "Alpha Shane had to go get her himself. Ugh, I wish I was his mate."

Mate? Alpha Shane? No, it can't be. My mind races, trying to make sense of what I'm hearing. Alpha? Mate? What the hell are they talking about?

I move closer, trying to listen without drawing attention, but my thoughts are spinning. None of this makes sense.

Before I can wrap my head around it, the crowd suddenly erupts into cheers. I look up, and my heart stops cold.

There, plastered across a massive signboard in the town square, are two faces. Leah. And Shane.

It's an invitation—a grand banquet to celebrate Leah's coronation as Alpha Queen. My stomach churns as I stare at their faces, the words on the sign blurring in front of me.

What the hell is going on? Leah? Alpha Queen? And Shane—he's the stalker. I know it's him. But why is Leah involved? Why would she be part of... this?

Alpha Queen? Leah? And Shane... her mate? It's a joke. It has to be.

But as I stand there, watching the crowd celebrate, reality hits me like a freight train. This isn't a joke. This is real. And Leah—my best friend—she's at the center of all of it.

I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms as anger and confusion swirl inside me. Nothing makes sense, but I know one thing for sure: I have to find Leah. I have to get to the bottom of this.

And I'm not leaving until I do.