Aurora Williams only wanted to live a simple life as a veterinarian in her small town. But everything changed when she saved a wounded wolf-only to find it had transformed into a dangerous man with golden eyes and dark secrets the next day. Kael Blackwood is the Alpha of the Silverfang Pack, a leader destined to protect his kind in a brutal war against an age-old enemy. He never expected an ordinary human to be his fated mate-or the mother of his heir. When Aurora discovers she is carrying the child of a werewolf, her life is forever changed. Kael's world is filled with danger, enemies lurking in every shadow, and now, her life is at stake in a war between two rival clans. Can Aurora defy her fate, or will she surrender and take her place beside the Alpha who has claimed her as his own?
Chapter 1 The Wolf That Night
The rain poured heavily over the small town of Silverbrook, drenching the empty streets. Aurora Williams let out a long sigh as she parked her car in front of the veterinary clinic she owned. She should have been home an hour ago, but she had left some paperwork behind, and she was too exhausted to put it off until tomorrow.
Pulling her brown coat tighter around her, she hurried toward the clinic's entrance. The downpour soaked her dark hair, strands sticking to her chilled cheeks. The night air was biting, and she couldn't wait to get back to her apartment, curl up under a warm blanket, and sip a cup of tea.
But then, something caught her attention.
Under the dim glow of a streetlamp, a shadow staggered in the middle of the road. Aurora's heart clenched as she saw blood mixing with the rain pooling on the asphalt.
A wolf.
Aurora stared in disbelief. That was impossible. There were no wild wolves in Silverbrook. The town was surrounded by forests, but it was rare for wolves to wander into residential areas-let alone one in this condition, covered in blood, its body marred with deep gashes that looked like claw marks and massive bite wounds.
Without thinking, she ran toward it.
"Oh my God..." Aurora knelt beside the animal, her breath hitching. The wolf looked like it was on the brink of death. Its fur was jet black, and its body was far larger than that of an ordinary wolf. But what shocked her the most were its eyes.
Golden eyes stared back at her-not with the fear of a wild animal but with a strange awareness, almost as if... it understood her.
Aurora swallowed hard. This didn't make sense.
Yet, despite her fear, her instincts as a veterinarian took over. She had to save this creature, no matter how strange the circumstances.
"It's okay... I won't hurt you," she whispered, shrugging off her jacket and gently covering the wolf's body.
The wolf didn't resist. It only let out a weak whimper, its breathing labored, as if every breath was a struggle.
With some difficulty, Aurora began dragging the massive creature toward the clinic. Her muscles strained under the weight, but she didn't care. All that mattered was saving its life before it was too late.
---
Inside the small operating room, Aurora worked quickly.
She cleaned the wolf's wounds, trying to stop the bleeding that refused to slow. But as she examined it more closely, she noticed something strange. These injuries weren't from a car accident or an attack by another animal.
They looked more like battle wounds-inflicted by something big and powerful.
Aurora bit her lip. A bad feeling gnawed at her.
When she touched the wolf's damp fur, she realized its body was burning hot-too hot for a normal animal. She frowned. Was it suffering from an infection? Or was there something more at play here?
She was about to grab her suturing kit when a low growl rumbled through the room.
Aurora froze.
The wolf was waking up.
Slowly, its eyes flickered open. Once again, those golden irises gleamed in the dim light. Aurora took a step back. There was something in its gaze that made her hesitate-not fear, but an eerie familiarity, as if it knew her.
But before she could react further, something impossible happened.
The wolf's body began to tremble violently. Its breath came in ragged gasps, and its muscles twisted unnaturally beneath its skin. Aurora stood frozen, eyes wide, as the sound of bones snapping filled the room.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. "What's happening?" she whispered, but there was no answer.
Within seconds, right before her eyes, the wolf began to change.
Aurora couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.
Where the massive wolf had just lain, there was now a man.
A man with a powerful, battered body, wounds still fresh on his skin, and the same golden eyes as the beast before.
Aurora nearly screamed.
The man lay on the floor, his body still covered in blood. His breathing was ragged, as if the transformation had drained him completely. With effort, he lifted his head, locking eyes with her.
"Don't be afraid," he rasped, his voice hoarse, yet laced with danger. "You... saved me."
Aurora stumbled backward, her body colliding with the operating table. "Who... who are you?"
The man tried to rise, but his body was too weak. He collapsed onto the floor again, groaning in pain.
Aurora had no idea what to do. Her mind screamed that this was impossible, that she must be hallucinating. But her eyes told her a different story.
The wolf she had saved had turned into a man.
A suffocating silence filled the room, broken only by the relentless downpour outside.
Aurora clutched her chest, trying to steady her frantic heartbeat. This had to be a nightmare.
But when the man struggled to sit up, his hand reaching out toward her, pain flickering across his face, Aurora realized one thing.
Nightmares never felt this real.
And her life would never be the same again.