Page 25 of The Wolf

“Look, lady. Whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested.” Meg closes the door, slamming it in Julia’s face before she manages to get a word in.

But she holds her ground. “You don’t live in the world you think you do. And you’re in danger, Meg.” Julia’s voice is levelyet determined. “I know this sounds fucking crazy, but you’re not safe here. People—dangerous people—are looking for you, and they won’t stop until they find you.”

I prick my ears, tuning in to the sounds inside. Meg’s footsteps retreat, heavy and hurried. There’s the creak of a door, a rustling as she rummages for something, then a faintclickthat makes the fur along my spine stand on end.

Baby, step away from the door,I tell her, my voice rings urgency in her mind.She’s armed.

Julia takes a careful step back, lifting a brow.Aren’t you faster than a bullet?

Let’s not test it out today, shall we?I reply dryly, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

A second later, Meg’s face appears at the edge of the cracked door, shotgun in hand, finger hovering near the trigger. My brave little Red doesn’t even flinch, though I can feel her anxiety spiking through the bond we share. It’s faint, but it’s there.

“I don’t know what the fuck you think this is, but I suggest you leave.” Meg snaps, her eyes blazing as she glares at Julia. “Now.” She tightens her grip on the shotgun, though her fingers tremble slightly.

“Easy there, Florida.” Julia puts her hands up in a calming gesture, trying to defuse the tension. “It may seem like that to you right now, but I’m not the enemy here. I swear. If you give me five minutes—just five—I can explain everything.”

Meg opens her mouth, then shuts it, exhaling sharply through her nose. Her foot is still right by the door, ready to slam it shut, but something in Julia’s tone makes her hesitate. Her gaze slowly wavers, and finally, her shoulders drop as she steps back.

“Fine. Five minutes.” Her distrusting eyes dart to me. “But that…thingstays outside.”

“Thatthingis Alex, and he’s harmless. A good boy.” Julia gives me a wink.

I can’t help but huff in annoyance, flicking my tail, but I’ll let it slide this time. She should know better by now not to tease me.

Reluctantly, Meg lets me through with a wary look.

Her home is small but cozy, filled with well-loved furniture and the faint scent of citrus and old wood. We move into the living room, where Julia settles herself on the couch. I lay on the floor by her feet, keeping an eye on Meg, who takes a chair across from us, gun still in her hand.

“Thank you. I realize this is weird,” Julia begins softly, “but trust me, if there was any other way—”

Meg shifts in her seat uneasily. “Start talking.”

“Okay.” Julia takes a deep breath. “There are people in power who are searching for women like you, Meg. Women who carry a… particular gene.”

Meg’s eyes widen. “Gene? What are you even talking about?”

“It’s a rare mutation in your DNA,” Julia continues. “It links you to something ancient. A lineage of a sort that will be carried to your children, and later their children, and so on. You’re special, Meg.”

Meg laughs, but it’s a dry, humorless sound. “So I’m supposed to believe I’m some kind of… what, superhero?”

“Umm. No, not exactly.” Julia gives her a slight smile. “But it’s a supernatural type of thing.”

“Sure it is. And let me guess—you came to recruit me to the school for gifted children, huh?” Meg ridicules, then gives Julia a cold look. “I’m too old for this shit.”

“It’s nothing like that,” she responds, keeping her cool.

There’s a long pause. I can see Meg’s mind working, her gaze jumping between Julia and me, still trying to make sense of all this. She sighs and leans back, lowering the gun to her lap but keeping it within reach.

“You’re not the only one who has it.” Julia continues, and I stay down, letting her handle it. “But you’re one of the very few, which makes it that much more important to them to find all the carriers.”

“And who arethey, huh?” she asks, running her hand through her long, messy hair. “Some cult? The government? The Illuminati? Please! Do you even hear how insane this sounds?”

“All of the above, I guess.” Julia remains calm. “And yes, it sounds made up, but you have to trust me on this. They think of people like you as property. As tools. You’re valuable to them, Meg, but not in a way that would make your life safe. I need you to hear me when I say it—the moment you’re on their radar, they won’t stop until they have you.” She leans forward, a slight edge creeping into her voice. “We’re the only ones who can help.”

Meg scoffs. “And I’m supposed to believeyou… why, exactly? You show up at my house out of nowhere, with a pet wolf the size of a horse, and tell me I have some sort of magical gene? I don’t even know who you are. For all I know, you could be some—”

Julia cuts in gently. “You’re adopted, aren’t you?”

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