Chapter 4: Dangerous Territory
Sophia stared at the massive wolf standing where Kai had been moments before. The transformation should have been impossible, should have sent her screaming from the garage. Instead, she felt an odd sense of completion, as if a puzzle piece had finally clicked into place.
The wolf—Kai—watched her with those impossibly blue eyes, intelligent and patient. When she reached out tentatively, he remained perfectly still, allowing her fingers to sink into his dark fur.
"You're really him," she whispered, her voice filled with wonder rather than fear.
The wolf made a soft sound, almost like a purr, and pressed closer to her touch. A moment later, the air shimmered again, and Kai was human once more, crouched naked on the concrete floor.
"Are you alright?" she asked, reaching for his discarded shirt.
"I should be asking you that." He accepted the shirt gratefully. "Most people would be running by now."
"I'm not most people."
"No," he said, studying her face. "You're definitely not."
He stood and pulled on his jeans, his hands trembling slightly.
"How long have you been able to do that?"
"Since I was sixteen. Every person in Millbrook can shift, Sophia. We're all werewolves."
The magnitude hit her like a physical blow. An entire town of werewolves, living in secret.
"How has no one ever found out?"
"Because we're very good at keeping secrets. Which is why your presence here is... complicated." His expression darkened. "There are rules, Sophia. Laws that govern our kind. Humans who learn our secret..."
"What?" she prompted when he trailed off.
"They don't usually survive to tell anyone else."
The words hit her like ice water. "Are you threatening me?"
"No. Never. But others might see you as a threat that needs to be eliminated."
She felt her medical training kick in, the part that stayed calm in emergencies. "What kind of threat?"
"The kind that could expose our entire community. But some think that maybe, under the right circumstances, a human could be trusted. Could even be useful."
"You want me to be your pack doctor."
"Some do. Others want you gone. And a few think you might be something more than just human."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're unusually perceptive, Sophia. You can sense things others can't. You knew the patients were lying before you had any reason to suspect the truth."
Before she could ask what he meant, the sound of cars pulling up outside made both of them freeze. Kai's head snapped toward the closed garage door, his nostrils flaring.
"Someone's coming," he said, voice tight with tension.
"Who?"
"The pack council. They know you're here."
He pressed a button, and the garage door began to rise. Afternoon sunlight streamed in, revealing six figures standing in the gravel lot.
Margaret was there, looking more serious than Sophia had ever seen her. Beside her stood an older man with silver hair and sharp features that reminded her of Kai. Two middle-aged women flanked him, both wearing expressions that could have frozen water. Behind them stood Jake Morrison and another man she didn't recognize.
"Kai," the older man said, his voice carrying unmistakable authority. "We need to talk."
"Uncle Marcus," Kai replied, stepping protectively in front of Sophia.
"Dr. Sophia Reeves. You've caused quite a stir in our little community."
"I wasn't trying to cause anything," Sophia said, stepping out from behind Kai. "I just wanted to practice medicine."
"And ask questions," added one of the women, her voice cold. "Lots of questions."
"Crystal," Margaret said, warning in her tone.
Marcus raised a hand, and the group fell silent. "Dr. Reeves, you've stumbled into something much larger than a small-town medical practice. The question now is what we do about it."
"What are my options?"
"You have two," Marcus said. "You can leave Millbrook tonight and never return. We'll ensure your silence through... appropriate means."
"Or?"
"Or you can stay and become part of our community. Permanently."
The word carried weight that made Sophia's skin crawl. "What does 'permanently' mean?"
"It means accepting our laws, our ways, our secrets," Crystal said, stepping forward. "It means proving you're worthy of the trust we'd be placing in you."
"And if I can't prove that?"
The silence that followed was answer enough.
"This is insane," Sophia said. "You can't just force people into your community or eliminate them."
"Can't we?" Crystal smiled, revealing teeth that seemed sharper than they should be. "We've been protecting our secret for generations, Dr. Reeves."
"Crystal, enough," Marcus said sharply. "The core issue remains—you know our secret now. We can't simply let you return to your old life."
Sophia felt the walls closing in around her. Everything she'd worked for was being stripped away by circumstances beyond her control.
"What kind of proof would you need?" she heard herself ask.
Kai turned to stare at her, surprise flickering in his eyes.
"You're considering staying?" Margaret asked, and Sophia thought she heard hope in the older woman's voice.
"I'm considering my options. Which seem to be limited."
Marcus exchanged glances with the other council members. "There's something you need to understand first, Dr. Reeves. Your arrival here wasn't entirely coincidental."
"What do you mean?"
Margaret stepped forward, her expression pained. "Your grandmother, Sophia. Elena Reeves. She was... special. Like you."
"My grandmother died when I was five. She was a librarian."
"She was also what we call a Guardian," Marcus said. "A rare human born with abilities to sense and heal supernatural beings. The heightened intuition you've always had, your ability to read people—those are Guardian traits manifesting."
Sophia's world tilted. "That's impossible."
"Is it?" Margaret's voice was gentle. "Think about it, Sophia. You've always known when people were lying. You can sense things others can't. You chose medicine because you wanted to heal people, but it goes deeper than that, doesn't it?"
It did. Sophia had always felt drawn to help others, had always been able to sense pain and illness in ways that went beyond medical training.
"The Whitmores," she said slowly, pieces clicking together. "They didn't just leave, did they?"
Marcus's expression grew grim. "They were murdered. By humans who discovered our secret and tried to expose us. Your grandmother had been helping us secretly for years, but when the Whitmores threatened to reveal Guardian bloodlines to outsiders..."
"She had them killed?" Sophia felt sick.
"No," Margaret said quickly. "She tried to protect them, but she was too late. That's when she went into hiding, severed all ties with our world. She never told you about your heritage because she wanted to keep you safe."
"But the bloodline doesn't die," Crystal added with obvious satisfaction. "Guardian abilities manifest whether you know about them or not. You were always going to end up here, Dr. Reeves. The question is whether you'll survive long enough to fulfill your potential."
"The trials," Marcus said, "would test whether you can handle the responsibility of being a Guardian. Whether you can be trusted with our lives."
"What kind of trials?"
"Four tests over the lunar cycle. Survival, courage, wisdom, and loyalty. Pass all four, and you'll be welcomed not just as a pack member, but as our Guardian—a position of great honor and responsibility."
"And if I fail?"
"Then you join your grandmother's legacy in a different way," Crystal said coldly.
Sophia looked around at the assembled faces—some hopeful, some threatening, all watching her with predatory intensity. Her old life was gone, that much was clear. The question now was whether she could build a new one, or if she'd die trying.
"When do the trials begin?" she asked.
Marcus studied her for a long moment. "Tomorrow night. With the new moon."
"Then I guess I have some preparing to do."
As the council members dispersed, Crystal lingered long enough to give Sophia a look that promised trouble. Margaret