Chapter One: The Awakening of Secrets

Alex Wilson stood by the window of his high-rise office, looking out over the sprawling city below. The world was moving on without him, but he felt like an observer in his own life. From the outside, he was everything a man could want: young, successful, charming, and with a wit that made him the center of attention at any gathering. But none of that mattered—not to him, and certainly not to the part of him that he kept hidden from the world.

The truth was, Alex Wilson was no ordinary man. And the deeper he went into his family's legacy, the more he realized that ordinary didn't even come close to describing his life.

Alex's parents had vanished when he was just a boy, and though his mind had tried to bury the memories, a deep part of him had always known something was wrong. His parents were never really gone—they were simply...missing. That absence lingered in his life, like an unanswered question. And now, at twenty-eight, running a vast and successful business empire, Alex had begun to understand the family secret that had been kept from him for so long: he wasn't just a businessman. He was the heir to a powerful werewolf clan.

It wasn't just his business acumen or his charm that had gotten him to this point. It was the blood of wolves running through his veins.

It all started during a storm—a terrible, violent storm that hit while he was alone at his family's remote estate. That night, his body had changed. The first time he'd felt the transformation, he had been terrified. His senses had sharpened, his strength had multiplied, and he had felt an overwhelming pull to something primal. Something wild. The wolf inside him had awakened, and with it, the power of his lineage.

Since that night, everything had felt different. At first, he tried to ignore it—tried to bury the fear and the confusion. But there was no denying it now. The werewolf blood inside him was real. And it wasn't just a part of him; it was who he was, whether he liked it or not.

The phone on his desk buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. He picked it up without looking, already knowing who it was.

"Alex, it's Katherine," said the voice on the other end. It was smooth, confident, and with a hint of mystery that always seemed to draw him in.

"Hey, Katherine," Alex replied, trying to sound casual. But a knot tightened in his stomach. She wasn't just any woman. Katherine Rose—who went by Mary most of the time—was well connected to the very world Alex was trying to understand. She knew more about werewolf clans and their ancient customs than anyone he had ever met.

Katherine was dangerous. But for some reason, Alex couldn't stay away from her.

"I need to talk to you. It's urgent," she said, her voice serious now.

Alex's heart skipped a beat. "What's going on?"

"I've been digging into your family's past, Alex," Katherine continued. "There are things you don't know about your parents, your legacy. Things you need to know if you're going to fully understand what's coming."

A chill ran down his spine. Katherine had always been someone who spoke with purpose, and when she said things like that, Alex knew better than to take them lightly.

"Are you suggesting my parents weren't just killed?" Alex asked, his voice betraying a hint of frustration. "I've been living with their disappearance for years, Katherine."

She was silent for a moment, as if considering her next words carefully. "There's more to it, Alex. You've always known there was something off about them. Something more than just a random tragedy."

Alex closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The last thing he wanted to deal with today was his parents' disappearance. But then again, when was the last time he'd ever been able to avoid it?

"Where do you want to meet?" Alex finally asked, knowing full well that he couldn't put this off any longer. Katherine had a way of pulling him into things he didn't want to deal with.

"Tonight," she replied. "I'll send you the location."

Before he could protest, the line went dead. Alex stared at the phone in his hand, his pulse quickening. There was no turning back now. Katherine had a way of getting to the truth, no matter how dangerous or uncomfortable it was. And Alex had the sinking feeling that the truth she was about to reveal would change everything.

He leaned back in his chair, staring out at the city again, but this time, it didn't seem as bright. The weight of his legacy—the blood of the wolf, the family secret—felt heavier than ever. What had once been a curiosity was now a responsibility. He could no longer pretend to be just a businessman or a normal man. His family's legacy was bound to this ancient, savage world, and whether he was ready for it or not, he was the one who had to step into that world.

He stood up abruptly, running a hand through his hair, trying to push away the nervous energy bubbling inside him. Tonight. He would learn something he wasn't sure he was ready to know. The woman who knew everything about his bloodline was about to tell him what he had only guessed at—a truth that could destroy him, or give him the power he had always been destined to wield.

The wolf inside him stirred, responding to the call. Alex knew that whatever was waiting for him tonight would change everything. He had spent his entire life avoiding the truth. But now, the truth was coming for him.

And there was no escaping it.