The guards at the servant entrance never had a chance to react. The Old Pack descended on them like a tidal wave of fur and fangs. Stewart didn't wait to see the outcome. He crashed through the door, his hybrid form giving him the strength to tear it off its hinges.The hallway was empty. He could hear chaos erupting at the front of the lodge as the Old Pack engaged with Rowan's wolves. Screams. Snarls. The wet sound of tearing flesh. But Stewart focused on what mattered. Claire's heartbeat. Two floors up. Still steady. Still alive.He took the stairs three at a time, his clawed feet gouging wood. A pack member emerged from a doorway, saw him, and shifted immediately. But Stewart was faster. He grabbed the wolf by its throat and slammed it into the wall hard enough to crack plaster. The wolf went limp. Unconscious, not dead. Stewart's promise to Claire echoed in his mind. Don't become the monster.Second floor. The sounds of battle below intensified. Something exploded, shaking the en

Stewart ran back to the cabin, his wolf form surging forward without conscious thought. The transformation happened mid-stride, clothes tearing away as his body expanded and reshaped. He covered the two miles in minutes, branches whipping past him, the forest a blur of shadows and moonlight.The cabin door hung open. Inside, Danny and Emma huddled together on the couch, their faces streaked with tears. No Claire. No blood. No signs of struggle beyond the shattered window and claw marks on the wooden floor.Stewart forced himself back to human form, the transformation agonizing in his panic. He stumbled through the doorway, naked and gasping."Daddy!" Danny launched himself at Stewart, wrapping small arms around his waist. Emma followed, both children sobbing."Where's Mommy?" Emma asked through her tears. "She scared us. She was making scary noises and then the window broke and people came and took her away."Stewart's heart shattered. His children had watched their mother transform.

The next day passed in a strange state of normalcy that felt almost surreal. Margaret arrived at nine in the morning with fresh muffins and paperwork for enrolling Danny and Emma in school. She sat at Strand's kitchen table, efficiently working through forms while the children ate breakfast."Medical history?" Margaret asked, pen poised.Stewart hesitated. How did he explain that his children might carry dormant werewolf genetics? That their mother was currently a silver wolf with no memory of her human life?"They're healthy," Stewart said finally. "No allergies. Current on vaccinations."Margaret's knowing look suggested she understood what he wasn't saying. "And behavioral concerns? Any trauma we should make the school counselor aware of?""They've seen things children shouldn't see. Their mother is missing. They watched her change into something that scared them." Stewart's voice was flat. "How do I put that on a form?""You don't. We have a counselor who specializes in supernatur

Stewart woke before dawn to find Sarah sitting in Strand's living room. The same woman from the forest, with silver streaked dark hair and those unsettling amber eyes. She sat perfectly still, almost inhuman in her composure."How did you get in here?" Stewart demanded, his wolf surging forward defensively."The door was unlocked. Victor is careless sometimes." Sarah's smile was calm, unbothered by his aggression. "Relax, Stewart. I'm here to help with your preparations.""How do you even know what I'm planning?" Stewart moved between her and the stairs where his children slept. "I only decided last night.""Because word travels fast in our world. A packless wolf attempting to break an Old Pack binding during a full moon hunt? That's the kind of news that spreads." Sarah leaned forward. "Plus, Beth contacted me before she contacted you. Asked if what you were planning was even possible. I told her it was, but warned her about the risks."Strand emerged from the kitchen, stopping short

Claire's massive white wolf form stood in the clearing for only a moment, silver eyes blazing with power that made every predator present instinctively back away. Then she turned and ran, disappearing into the forest with impossible speed."Claire, wait!" Stewart tried to follow, but Rowan blocked his path."Let her go," Rowan commanded. "She's unstable. The ritual broke the binding but didn't give her control. She's dangerous to everyone, including herself."Stewart's wolf surged forward, claws extending. "Get out of my way.""Or what? You'll fight me? You'll die, and then who protects your children?" Rowan's eyes flashed gold. "Your wife is gone, Stewart. Accept it."Anastasia recovered from her shock, screaming orders to her pack. "Find her! She cannot be allowed to escape!"The Old Pack scattered into the forest, hunting. Rowan's wolves followed. Within seconds, the clearing emptied, leaving only Stewart, Strand arriving from his position, and Sarah limping back in human form, blo