Layla stumbled back from the charged space between Kael and Julian, her breath ragged and uneven. The rain-soaked air buzzed with tension, her mind spinning from their heated exchange. Kael's low growl still echoed in her ears, while Julian's mocking laughter lingered like a dark shadow. Clutching her backpack, she didn't wait for their next move—she bolted across the wet pavement, boots splashing through puddles, racing toward the safety of her dorm.

Her head hummed, a pulsing rhythm matching her pounding heart. She could feel their gazes trailing her—Kael's protective, Julian's predatory—but she refused to look back. Not now. She needed distance, a moment to breathe, to unravel the chaos that had consumed her life in less than a day.

Her hands trembled as she fumbled with the dorm key, taking two attempts to unlock the door. Inside, the room was empty—Mira must've been at her evening lab—and Layla welcomed the solitude. She dropped her backpack and collapsed onto her bed, staring at the ceiling as rain drummed against the window.

The pendant rested heavily against her chest, its warmth an undeniable presence. She pulled it out, holding it up to the dim light. The silver glinted, and for a brief second, she thought she saw a flicker along its edge. "It's waking up. So are you." Kael's words replayed in her mind, each syllable heavy with a truth she wasn't ready to accept.

But she had no choice. Whatever was happening, whatever she was turning into, pretending it wasn't real wouldn't stop it. She needed answers, and she needed them now.

With a deep breath, she sat up and tucked the pendant back under her hoodie. Kael had warned her about Julian, but he hadn't been fully open either. If anyone owed her the truth, it was him. She grabbed her phone, considered texting Mira, then decided against it. This wasn't something her friend could fix—not yet.

When she stepped outside again, the rain had dwindled to a misty drizzle, the campus hushed under the fading daylight. She had a hunch where Kael might be—he'd appeared near the woods before, and something told her he'd be there now. Hood up, she crossed the quad, her nerves tightening with every step.

The forest loomed ahead, a dark expanse of shadows and mist. She paused at the edge, peering into the gloom. "Kael?" she called, her voice soft, almost lost in the wind.

A twig snapped to her left. She whirled around, heart leaping, as Kael emerged from behind a thick pine. His gray eyes caught the faint light, his posture tense, hands buried in his pockets. When he saw her, his expression softened just a fraction. "You shouldn't be out here alone," he said, voice low.

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"I'm not alone," she countered, nodding at him. "You're here."

He didn't smile. "That's not what I meant."

Layla crossed her arms, steadying herself. "Then explain what you did mean. Tell me what's happening, Kael. No more vague warnings—I want the truth."

He studied her for a long moment, jaw clenched. Then he sighed, dragging a hand through his damp hair. "You're right. You deserve to know." He gestured to a moss-covered log nearby. "Sit. This might take a while."

She hesitated, then sat, watching as he paced before her. The hum in her head quieted, as if holding its breath.

"You're not fully human, Layla," Kael said, cutting straight to it. "Your bloodline stretches back further than this town, older than most of the legends whispered around here."

Her mouth went dry. "What do you mean?"

"Your grandmother, Rowan Hart, wasn't just some quirky old woman. She was a guardian, part of a lineage that's kept the balance between my kind and Julian's for centuries." He glanced at the chain peeking from her collar. "That pendant? It's a key, bound to your blood, to a power you haven't fully tapped into yet."

"Power?" Layla's voice shook. "What power?"

Kael stopped pacing and crouched before her, locking eyes with her. "You're a hybrid, Layla. Half-werewolf, half-vampire. It's rare—some would say impossible—but your blood proves it. That pendant's waking up because you are. My pack, Julian's coven—they'll both want to claim you."

Her head reeled, his words hitting her like a storm surge. "Claim me for what?"

"Your blood can forge or shatter alliances, amplify or ruin power. It's a weapon, Layla. If the wrong hands get hold of it..." He trailed off, his gaze darkening.

"Julian," she whispered, the name tasting sour.

Kael nodded. "He's a rogue, but still linked to his coven. If they learn what you are, they'll come for you. And my pack—" He faltered, a shadow of conflict in his eyes. "They'll want to shield you, but some might see you as a risk, a wild card they can't predict."

Layla's hands balled into fists, nails biting into her skin. "And you? What do you see me as?"

His expression softened, voice dropping to a near whisper. "I see you as someone who doesn't deserve this chaos. But it's here, and I can't undo it. What I can do is help you survive it."

"Survive it?" A brittle laugh escaped her. "I don't even know what 'it' is, Kael. How do I survive?"

He reached out, his hand hovering near hers before retreating. "I'll teach you. How to harness it, how to defend yourself. But you have to trust me."

"Trust you?" She shot to her feet, anger flaring. "I don't even know you! You appear out of nowhere, tell me I'm some freak of nature, and expect me to just go along?"

Kael stood too, towering over her, but his tone stayed even. "I know you're scared. You should be. But ignoring this won't make it vanish. You've felt the hum, seen the pendant glow—it's your power stirring, and it's only going to grow."

Her anger faltered, giving way to a chill of fear. He was right—she couldn't deny it anymore. The hum, the pendant, the way Kael and Julian orbited her like she was their sun. It was real, and it was dangerous.

"What do I do?" she asked, voice barely audible.

Kael stepped closer, his presence grounding. "First, you learn. About your bloodline, your abilities, how to keep both sides from turning you into a tool. I'll train you, share what I know. But it won't be simple."

Layla swallowed hard, her thoughts a whirlwind. She wanted to run, to pretend this wasn't her life, but that door had closed. She met his gaze, resolve firming. "Okay. Teach me."

Relief flashed across Kael's face, and he nodded. "We start tomorrow. Meet me here at dusk. And Layla—" He paused, his stare piercing. "Don't tell anyone. Not Mira, not a soul. This stays between us."

She nodded, the secret's weight settling on her. Kael turned and vanished into the forest's shadows, leaving her alone in the misty clearing. The hum in her head faded, but a cold certainty took its place: her world had changed forever.

From beyond the trees, a faint laugh drifted on the breeze—Julian's voice, teasing and knowing, as if he'd heard every word.