*Chapter 13: Secrets Unraveled*

The truth, when it finally came, was more complicated than Selene could have imagined.

They sat in Selene's living room, an uneasy truce framing their conversation. Outside, the Blackwood forest loomed, its dense trees holding centuries of secrets.

Nelly's story spilled out in fragments, like blood from an old wound. The pack wasn't just a family—it was a centuries-old lineage with a mission that transcended simple survival. Protecting humanity from something far more dangerous than werewolves.

"The 'alphas' Cane mentioned aren't rival werewolf packs," Nelly explained, her fingers tracing patterns on the table. "They're ancient predators that feed on human fear, human life. Parasitic entities that have existed longer than our bloodline."

Selene listened, her newfound abilities crackling just beneath her skin. The metal objects in the room hummed with potential energy, responding to her growing understanding. A lamp flickered. A picture frame tilted.

"We're not the monsters," Nelly said, her golden eyes intense with a conviction that bordered on religious fervor. "We're the guardians."

"You killed my friend," Selene countered, her voice sharp as a blade.

Nelly didn't flinch. "Allen discovered something he wasn't supposed to see. Our existence depends on secrecy. On maintaining the boundary between your world and ours."

"By murdering anyone who gets too close?"

A moment of silence stretched between them. The room felt charged, electric.

"Sometimes," Nelly said slowly, "protection requires sacrifice."

But Selene was done being told what was necessary. Her abilities were growing stronger with each passing moment. With each revelation. She was transforming from a victim to something else entirely.

The supernatural world had taken her friend. Now, it would answer to her.

"Tell me everything," Selene demanded. Not a request. A command.

And for the first time, Nelly looked slightly afraid.