Selena's heart slammed in her chest. Brother? She didn't have a brother. At least, not that she knew of. Her parents had always said she was an only child.
"You're lying," Selena spat, her breath shaky. "I don't have a brother."
The man's amber eyes flickered with something—something almost sad, like he was grieving the loss of something long forgotten. "I was the one who was supposed to protect you, Selena. But I was lost. I was taken when I was younger, just like you were."
Selena's mind spun. This wasn't possible. She had never heard of a brother—at least, not in any story her parents had told her. They had always been so careful with the details of her past.
"Who are you really?" Kade demanded, stepping forward to position himself between Selena and the stranger, his stance defensive.
The man's gaze shifted to Kade, but there was no fear in his eyes. In fact, there was a trace of amusement. "I am Aiden," he said, "and I was born to the Midnight Claw Pack, just like you."
Selena's world tilted. Aiden. Her brother.
The pieces of her life that had been shattered seemed to click into place. Her parents hadn't been her real parents. They had lied to her. And this man… he was the brother she had never known.
"I've been searching for you, Selena," Aiden continued, his voice almost pleading now. "I know what happened to your pack, to my pack. I know what they did to us. But we can't undo the past. We can only move forward."
Selena swallowed, trying to push past the overwhelming rush of emotions threatening to drown her. "Why now? Why are you here? Why haven't you contacted me before?"
Aiden's eyes darkened. "Because they found me first. The people who destroyed our pack—they've been watching me. And they know about you, too."
Selena's heart skipped a beat. "Who are they?"
Aiden hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. "They're the ones who want to control all the packs—the ones who killed my family and yours. They'll stop at nothing to take what's left of us."
Her throat tightened. "What do you want from me?"
Aiden's gaze softened slightly. "I want you to join me. Together, we can take them down. But I need your help. I need your strength."
The forest seemed to close in around them as the tension grew thicker with every passing second. Selena didn't know who this man was—this stranger who claimed to be her brother—but something about him felt real. The pull, the connection she felt, was undeniable.
But there was a decision she had to make.
"I'm not just going to follow you because you say so," Selena said, her voice strong despite the uncertainty clawing at her chest. "What do you really want?"
Aiden looked at her, a shadow crossing his face. "I want you to come with me. But time is running out. The people who destroyed our pack—they're coming for you. And when they do, you won't have time to prepare. We have to act now."
The sound of distant howls reached their ears—closer this time.
Selena's breath caught in her throat. "They're here."
Aiden's eyes locked onto hers. "It's now or never, Selena."
Before she could respond, a fierce roar echoed through the trees, cutting her off.
And in that moment, as the ground shook beneath her feet, she knew the truth.
Her past had finally caught up with her. And she wasn't ready for what was coming.