Tessa stepped out into the cool night air, the quiet hum of the streetlights behind her fading into the distance as she walked toward the woods. Her thoughts were a swirling storm of confusion and disbelief. Just hours ago, she’d discovered that her brother Liam, whom she had buried two years ago, was alive—or rather, undead.

He had stood in her room, pale and unaged, revealing the impossible truth: he was now a vampire. The weight of his explanation still lingered in her mind, but one thing overshadowed even that. The wolf.

The memory of her accident resurfaced, as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. A massive wolf had appeared out of nowhere, leaping into harm’s way and saving her life. She didn’t understand why, but she knew she had to find him. After learning about the supernatural world from Liam, she realized the wolf wasn’t just an animal—it was something, or someone, extraordinary.

Determined to uncover the truth, Tessa walked deeper into the forest. The path was dimly lit by the glow of the full moon, and every shadow seemed to stretch endlessly. Her heart raced, not from fear but anticipation.

She thought of the wolf. She remembered his fierce, protective eyes and the unwavering way he had faced danger for her. Whatever he was, she trusted him instinctively. Somehow, she knew that if he was nearby, nothing would harm her.

The sound of her boots crunching against the leaves echoed in the silence. She slowed her steps, straining her ears for any sign of movement. Then, she heard it—a faint rustling in the underbrush. Tessa froze, her breath catching in her throat. Her pulse quickened as heavy pawsteps approached, deliberate and measured.

And then she saw him.

The wolf stepped into the clearing, his massive form illuminated by the moonlight. His eyes locked on hers, glowing with a familiar intensity. He stood still, watching her, as though waiting for her to make the first move. Tessa’s heart swelled with relief and gratitude.

“It’s you,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

The wolf tilted his head, his ears perking up. Slowly, he took a cautious step toward her, his movements fluid and deliberate. Tessa didn’t flinch. She held her ground, her trust in him unshaken.

“I know you saved me,” she said softly. “You protected me when no one else could.”

The wolf stopped just a few feet away, his piercing gaze fixed on her. He seemed to understand her words, his body relaxing slightly as though reassured by her presence.

But the tranquility was short-lived.

A sudden noise broke the stillness—the sound of footsteps approaching rapidly through the forest. The wolf stiffened, his posture shifting instantly from calm to defensive. His lips curled back in a silent snarl as he moved in front of Tessa, shielding her with his massive body.

Tessa’s breath hitched as she peered over the wolf’s broad back, her eyes widening as another figure emerged from the shadows.

It was Liam.

“Tessa!” he called, his voice sharp with concern. His dark blond hair was disheveled, and his pale skin glowed faintly in the moonlight. His gaze flicked from her to the wolf, and his expression darkened. “Get away from him!”

The wolf growled low in his throat, stepping forward aggressively. Tessa could feel the tension radiating from him, his body coiled and ready to strike.

“Stop!” Tessa shouted, stepping between them. “Liam, he’s not dangerous—he saved me!”

But neither Liam nor the wolf seemed to hear her. Liam’s fangs glinted as his lips pulled back in a snarl. “He’s not just a wolf, Tessa. He’s a werewolf. And you don’t know what he’s capable of.”

The wolf growled louder, his golden eyes locked on Liam with a deadly focus. Without warning, he lunged.

“NO!” Tessa screamed, but it was too late.

The wolf collided with Liam in a blur of fur and motion, the force of the impact sending them both crashing to the ground. Liam retaliated instantly, his vampire strength matching the wolf’s ferocity as they clashed violently. The sounds of snarls and growls filled the air as claws and fangs met with deadly precision.

Tessa stood frozen, her heart pounding in terror as she watched the fight unfold. She had seen enough to know that both of them were fighting to protect her—Liam from the wolf, and the wolf from Liam.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“STOP IT!” she shouted, her voice breaking through the chaos. She threw herself between them, her arms outstretched as she faced the wolf. “He’s my brother! He’s not going to hurt me!”

The wolf froze mid-attack, his snarling jaw inches from Liam’s throat. He looked at Tessa, his eyes wide with shock and confusion.

Liam, breathing hard, stepped back, his fangs retracting as he stared at the wolf warily. “Tessa, get away from him,” he said through gritted teeth.

“No,” Tessa said firmly, turning back to the wolf. “You don’t need to fight him. He’s not a threat.”

The wolf hesitated, his body still tense, but after a moment, he stepped back. Then, to Tessa’s astonishment, he began to change. His form shifted and twisted, the fur receding and his bones reshaping until, standing before her, was a man.

Tessa’s breath caught in her throat. The man was tall, his dark hair tousled, and his piercing eyes—the same ones as the wolf’s—were fixed on her. He was ruggedly handsome, his expression unreadable as he looked between her and Liam.

“Who are you?” Tessa asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man hesitated for a moment before answering. “My name is Ryker,” he said, his voice deep and steady. “And you’re in danger, Tessa.”

Her stomach twisted at his words. “What do you mean?”

Ryker’s gaze darkened as he looked at Liam, then back at her. “The Grim Reaper is after you. And he won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”

---

The forest was unnervingly quiet, the kind of silence that seemed to stretch endlessly. Ryker stood before the siblings, his wolfish intensity still sharp even in human form. His piercing gaze shifted between Tessa and Liam as if weighing the enormity of what he was about to say.

Ryker took a deep breath and began, his voice low and steady. "I didn’t know what I was stepping into that night. All I knew was that you needed saving." His eyes locked onto Tessa. "I acted on instinct. It wasn’t until later that I realized I’d done something…wrong."

“Wrong?” Tessa echoed, her voice laced with confusion.

Ryker nodded, his jaw tightening. “I didn’t just save your life, Tessa. I changed something in you, something that shouldn’t have been altered. And now, you’re in danger because of it.”

Liam stepped closer, standing protectively beside his sister. “What kind of danger are we talking about?”

Ryker hesitated, his gaze flicking between them. "The Grim Reaper. He’s real, and he’s coming for her."

Tessa’s breath caught, and Liam’s expression darkened.

“You’re joking,” Liam said, his voice incredulous. “The Grim Reaper is just a myth. It’s something people use to scare children, nothing more.”

Ryker’s sharp gaze cut through Liam’s doubt. “Do I look like I’m joking? I saw him. He’s not just some shadow lurking in the corner. He’s real, and he’s furious. When I saved Tessa, I disrupted the natural order. Now he’s determined to set it right.”

Tessa’s mind raced as she pieced together the strange things that had been happening since the accident. “You’re saying I was supposed to…die?”

“Yes,” Ryker replied bluntly. “And because you didn’t, he won’t stop until he gets you.”

Liam’s fists clenched at his sides. “Why her? Why not you? You’re the one who interfered.”

Ryker’s expression didn’t falter. “I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I touched her fate. Maybe it’s because she saw him. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we keep her alive.”

Tessa swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she asked, “What happens if he…gets me?”

Ryker’s face hardened. “If he takes you, there’s no coming back. No miracles, no second chances.”

Silence fell between them, heavy and suffocating.

Liam was the first to break it, stepping forward to glare at Ryker. “You expect me to trust you? You’re a stranger, a wolf who just appeared out of nowhere. For all I know, you could be lying to us.”

“I don’t care what you think of me,” Ryker snapped, his voice sharp and unyielding. “The only thing I care about is keeping her safe.”

“Enough!” Tessa shouted, stepping between them. Her voice wavered, but her resolve was clear. “This isn’t helping. We need to work together, not fight each other.”

Ryker looked at her, his expression softening. “You’re right. Fighting won’t help. But you both need to understand—this isn’t over. He’ll come again, and we need to be ready.”

“What’s the plan?” Tessa asked, her voice steadier now.

Ryker’s jaw tightened as he glanced between the two of them. “There’s no plan. All we can do is swear to protect you. Together.”

Liam nodded, his eyes blazing with determination. “Nothing will happen to her. I’ll make sure of it.”

“So will I,” Ryker said, his voice firm.

The three of them exchanged a look, an unspoken pact settling between them. Tessa didn’t ask for this, but she could feel the weight of their promise, heavy and comforting all at once.

Her voice broke the silence, soft but filled with a quiet defiance. "How do we fight death and win?"

Neither man answered. Because, in truth, none of them knew.