Chapter Four: Unraveling the Past

The morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Alex's penthouse, casting long shadows across the room. He hadn't slept much, but the exhaustion in his body didn't seem to matter. The weight of the conversation with Katherine still hung heavy in the air, and no amount of rest could shake the reality of what he had learned the night before. His life was no longer his own. The moment he had been given the key to his family's legacy, everything had changed.

Alex paced the room, his mind racing. He had always known there was something different about him, something primal that he couldn't explain, but now that he knew the truth, it felt like the walls were closing in. The Wilson family was more than just a business empire; it was a wolf pack, and he was its heir. The responsibility that came with that inheritance was enough to make him feel like a caged animal. He wasn't ready for this. He had always prided himself on his control, but now that control was slipping away.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. There was no denying it anymore. He was part of something ancient, something dangerous. And Katherine's warning about the storm coming didn't help. Who could he trust? What did she mean by a storm? All of this was moving too fast. He needed answers, but no one was offering them.

The soft ping of his phone interrupted his thoughts. It was another message from Katherine.

Meet me at the old estate tonight. I'll explain everything. But be careful—you're not the only one watching.

His eyes narrowed as he read the text. "Not the only one watching?" The message was cryptic, but Alex didn't have time to decode it. It was clear that he was in deeper than he had ever imagined. And if someone else was watching him, someone who knew what he was, it meant he had no time to waste.

He grabbed his jacket and made his way out of the apartment, the cool air of the city greeting him as he stepped onto the streets. The world seemed normal—people walking hurriedly down the sidewalks, cars honking as they passed—but for Alex, everything felt wrong. He wasn't just a man anymore. He wasn't just a businessman. He was part of a legacy that had been hidden from him for years, and now it was catching up with him.

His mind wandered back to the conversation with Katherine. She had been vague, but her words had stuck with him. Someone inside the family had taken his parents—but who? Why? And why had they kept this from him for so long? The more he thought about it, the more the questions piled up, each one more confusing than the last.

As he approached his car, Alex spotted a familiar figure standing by the curb. Mary. His childhood friend. The one person in his life who knew nothing about his true nature. She had always been there for him, the constant in his otherwise chaotic world.

"Mary?" he called, his voice louder than he intended.

She looked up at the sound of her name, a smile creeping onto her face. "Alex, what are you doing out here?" she asked, walking toward him. "I thought you were working today."

"I... I had some things to take care of," he said, his words trailing off. He wasn't lying, but he wasn't exactly telling the whole truth either.

She raised an eyebrow, sensing something was off. "You look like you haven't slept in days. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, his voice strained. "Just a lot on my mind."

Mary didn't seem convinced. "You've always been the type to keep things to yourself, but if something's going on, you know you can talk to me, right?" She paused for a moment, her eyes softening. "You don't have to deal with everything alone, Alex."

He hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the street. Part of him wanted to open up to her, to tell her everything, to share the burden of the truth. But he couldn't. She wouldn't understand. And telling her now would only drag her into this mess.

"I appreciate it, Mary," he said finally, his voice quieter. "But I have to handle this on my own."

She looked at him for a moment, as if weighing his words, before nodding. "Alright. Just... don't shut me out, okay?"

He nodded, forcing a smile. "I won't. Thanks."

With that, she gave him a brief hug before walking off, leaving Alex standing there, feeling more alone than ever. He watched her disappear into the crowd, wishing he could share everything with her, but knowing that if he did, he might put her in danger. The world he was about to step into was not a world she could understand. It wasn't a world for people like her.

Alex didn't even realize he had been standing there for a few moments until the chill of the night air snapped him back to reality. He needed to get to the estate. Katherine was waiting.

The drive to the old estate felt like it took an eternity. The car's engine hummed steadily as Alex navigated the winding roads leading out of the city. The estate had always been a place of mystery to him—his family's ancestral home, tucked away on a hill, surrounded by trees and an imposing iron gate. It was a place that felt distant, as if it were a part of another life, another world.

When Alex pulled up to the entrance, he noticed the gate was wide open, as though it were expecting him. He parked the car and stepped out, the cool wind brushing against his face. The estate was silent, the kind of silence that made his skin crawl, as though the house itself was waiting for something. For him.

The grand house loomed before him, its old stone façade bathed in moonlight. It felt both welcoming and oppressive at the same time. This was where his family had lived. This was where his legacy had been forged. And this was where his parents had disappeared.

Alex walked up to the front door and knocked three times. A moment later, it swung open, and Katherine stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable.

"Come in," she said softly, stepping aside to let him pass.

He entered the dimly lit hallway, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The house smelled old, like dust and history. Katherine led him deeper into the mansion, her movements graceful but purposeful.

"Alex," she began, her voice steady, "this is where it all began. This is where your parents—where they found the truth."

The truth. The words felt heavy, like they were carrying more than just meaning. They carried the weight of everything Alex had ever known, everything he had yet to understand.

And as he followed Katherine further into the house, he knew that tonight, the past was finally going to catch up with him.