Chapter Three: The Weight of Legacy

The night air was crisp as Alex Wilson walked back to his penthouse, the conversation with Katherine still echoing in his mind. Her words had been like a cold slap to his face, each one pushing him further into the reality of his family's dark legacy. The weight of it all was suffocating—his parents, the werewolf bloodline, the secrets that had been buried for decades. Everything he thought he knew about his life was nothing more than a carefully constructed lie.

As he stepped off the elevator into his apartment, Alex felt the familiar pull of the wolf inside him. It had been growing stronger since that fateful night, when he had first felt the shift—the surge of power and instinct that came with his true nature. The transformation had been terrifying, but also exhilarating. He had always known there was something different about him, something wild lurking beneath the surface. But now, the truth was undeniable. He wasn't just a man. He was a wolf.

He threw his jacket on the couch and paced the room, trying to make sense of everything. Katherine's words had shaken him to his core. His parents weren't just missing—they were taken, hunted by someone within the family, someone who didn't want the truth to come out. Someone who wanted to keep the power for themselves. And that power—it was his now. But was he ready for it?

The wolf inside him stirred again, its hunger growing, its restlessness pulling at the edges of his consciousness. He could feel it—his senses were sharper, his strength greater, but with it came an overwhelming urge to run, to hunt. It was a part of him now, something he couldn't ignore, no matter how much he wanted to.

With a frustrated growl, Alex turned away from the window and grabbed a bottle of scotch from the bar. He poured himself a drink, the amber liquid glinting in the dim light. He needed something to calm his nerves, something to clear his mind. But deep down, he knew that nothing could calm him—not until he faced the truth.

He sank down into the armchair, the weight of his inheritance settling over him like a heavy cloak. It was too much to bear alone. He wasn't ready for this. He had no training, no preparation for the world he was about to step into. His life had always been about control—about building his empire, about being the successful businessman. But now, that control was slipping away. He was no longer in charge of his own destiny.

Alex's mind drifted to Katherine—cold, calculating Katherine. She had told him the truth, but she hadn't given him any answers. She hadn't told him what to do next, or how to harness the power that was now a part of him. She had only handed him the key to his legacy, leaving him to figure out the rest on his own.

And then, as if summoned by his thoughts, his phone buzzed on the coffee table. It was a text message from Katherine.

You're not alone in this. Meet me tomorrow. I'll help you understand everything. But be careful. Not everyone in your family is on your side.

Alex stared at the message, his mind racing. Not everyone in his family was on his side? He had known there were tensions within the Wilson clan, but this was different. This was something deeper, something more dangerous. Who could he trust? Who was playing him? He didn't know who to turn to anymore.

He thought about the woman who had been the first to pull him into this world—his childhood friend, Mary. The one who had always been there for him, the one who had understood him in ways no one else did. She had never known the truth about his family, but she had always felt like there was something hidden beneath the surface. He had never told her about his true nature, but now... now it seemed like she was the only person who could help him navigate the chaos of his new reality.

But even as he thought about Mary, he felt a pang of guilt. She was the last person he wanted to pull into this mess, but deep down, he knew he couldn't do it alone. He needed someone who understood him, someone who wouldn't judge him for what he was becoming.

A knock on the door pulled Alex out of his thoughts. He stood up quickly, his heart pounding. Who could it be at this hour? His mind raced, but when he opened the door, he found himself face-to-face with the one person he hadn't expected.

"Alex," Katherine said, her voice low and commanding as she stepped into his apartment. "We need to talk."

Before Alex could react, Katherine closed the door behind her and locked it with a quiet click. Her gaze swept across the room, taking in the details as if she were memorizing the layout of his life. The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unspoken words. There was no denying it now—this was no longer just a conversation about business or family. This was about survival.

"I didn't expect you to come here tonight," Alex said, his voice rough with the weight of the past few hours. He tried to sound casual, but the truth was, he didn't know what to expect anymore. Katherine had already thrown his life into disarray. What more could she possibly reveal?

"I wasn't going to," Katherine replied, her voice steady. "But things are moving faster than I anticipated. There's a storm coming, Alex. One you won't be able to outrun."

Her words hit him like a punch to the chest. A storm? He had no idea what she meant, but the seriousness in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. The game had changed, and he had just been thrown into the middle of it.

"What do I do?" Alex asked, his voice almost a whisper. He wasn't afraid to admit it—he was scared. This wasn't a fight he had ever expected to face. It wasn't just about business or family anymore. This was about his very survival.

Katherine's eyes softened, just for a moment. She stepped closer, her presence both comforting and unsettling. "First, you need to stop running. Stop pretending you're still the man you were before. You're not him anymore, Alex. You are the heir to a legacy—whether you like it or not."

Alex swallowed hard, his thoughts swirling. He was the heir. The heir to a legacy he didn't understand, a legacy that was about to change everything. And there was no escaping it.

"We'll get through this," Katherine said, her voice firm, yet oddly reassuring. "But only if you stop fighting who you are."

Alex stood there, frozen in place, as the realization hit him. This was it. There was no turning back now. His life, as he had known it, was over. The legacy was his. And whether he was ready or not, it was time to embrace it.