Ava
The moment Caleb left the room to answer the door, I let out a shaky breath and pressed my hand to my chest. My heart was still racing from what had almost happened between us, my skin tingling where his hands had been, the taste of his lips still lingering on mine.
I slipped out of bed, my legs trembling slightly as I made my way to the bathroom, needing some space—some air—to clear my head. The second I closed the door behind me, I let out a low groan, pressing my forehead against the cool surface of the door.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I could still feel the heat of him against me, the weight of his body, the intensity of his gaze. The way he'd kissed me, touched me—it was overwhelming. But it wasn't just desire, it wasn't just the need to be close to him. There was something else, something deeper, something that terrified me.
I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I turned, and my heart dropped. My eyes were glowing. Not the soft brown they usually were, but bright yellow. And worse, fangs—sharp and unmistakable—were starting to poke out from my gums.
I froze, panic gripping me. "No, no, no…" I whispered, backing away from the mirror. My teeth felt strange, itchy, almost burning. I pressed my fingers to my lips, trying to will the sensation away, but it only made it worse.
I'd never felt this before. Sure, I'd been close to shifting when I was angry or scared, but this? This was different. This was… primal. It was an urge I couldn't explain, a need to bite, to mark, to claim Caleb in ways that didn't make sense. My teeth ached with the desire to sink into his skin, to leave my mark on him.
But I didn't understand why.
My hyena had been dormant for months now, ever since I rejected Lucas. It had been weak, almost nonexistent, barely there at all. But now, standing here with my fangs poking out and my eyes glowing yellow, I could feel her—the hyena inside me—stirring, waking up. She wasn't just resting anymore. She was recovered. And it was happening fast. Too fast.
What is going on?
I pressed my palms to the edge of the sink, staring at my reflection as I tried to get control of myself, but my hands were shaking. I was shaking. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply, trying to calm the wild panic that was bubbling up inside me.
I had to control this. I had to keep it together. But it was getting harder. With every passing day, the hyena inside me was getting stronger, clawing her way to the surface, demanding to be let out. I had no idea how much longer I'd be able to hide this from Caleb. He couldn't know. Not yet. Not when everything between us was so new, so fragile.
But I couldn't ignore the signs anymore. My body was changing. I could feel it. The way my senses were sharpening, the way my instincts were becoming harder to suppress, the way my fangs ached with the need to bite. It was all happening, and I was losing control.
I looked at my reflection again, my eyes still glowing, the yellow a stark contrast against my coffee colored skin. I took a deep breath and tried to will my hyena back down, to push her away, but she was resisting. Hard.
Damn it.
I couldn't let Caleb see me like this. Not now. Not when I still hadn't told him the truth about what I really was. I wasn't just a she-wolf. I was a werhyena, something far more dangerous, far more hunted. And if he knew… if he saw what I really was…
I closed my eyes again, swallowing hard as guilt and fear twisted in my gut. I had to tell him. I knew that. I couldn't keep this a secret forever. But how? How could I tell him when I didn't even understand it myself? How could I explain what I was when I'd been hiding it for so long? And worse, how could I tell him when every instinct in my body was screaming at me to *bite him*, to mark him as mine, when I wasn't even supposed to feel that way?
I felt a tear slip down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away, trying to steady myself. I couldn't think about this right now. Not like this. I needed to calm down, to get control of myself before I did something I couldn't take back.
Without another thought, I turned on the shower, cranking the water as hot as I could stand it, and stepped under the spray, hoping the heat would help me relax. The water hit my skin, scorching hot, but it was exactly what I needed. I let it wash over me, tilting my head back and closing my eyes as the steam filled the room, the sensation grounding me.
But even as the water worked to soothe my tense muscles, I couldn't shake the burning need I felt. My fangs still itched, and the desire to bite, to mark Caleb, was still there, gnawing at the back of my mind.
I gritted my teeth, trying to focus on the heat of the water, the feel of it sliding over my skin, anything to distract me from the chaos inside. But it didn't work. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about Caleb—about his touch, his kiss, the way his hands had felt on my body. And worse, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that soon, very soon, I wasn't going to be able to hide my hyena anymore.
She was waking up. She was recovering.
And I had no idea how long I had before she broke free.
Caleb
The air between us was still heavy with everything left unsaid, but when Ava emerged from the bathroom, her expression seemed calmer. Whatever storm had been brewing inside both of us, we were trying to push it down, trying to keep it from bubbling over. Maybe it was for the best—for now, anyway.
"Ready for the day?" Ava asked, her voice light, though I could hear the underlying tension. She was trying to keep things normal, to move forward. I wasn't going to push her, not yet.
I gave her a small smile. "Yeah. Let's make the most of it."
We stepped outside of the hotel, the warmth of the Hawaiian sun hitting my skin. The fresh air helped. It always did. I let out a long breath as we began walking down the beach, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore providing a sense of calm. It felt good to be here, with Ava, away from all the pack responsibilities, all the noise.
Being near her helped. I couldn't deny that. Whatever tension had been brewing between us earlier had settled into something quieter, more manageable. But that persistent itch in my fangs—*that* wasn't going anywhere. It had been there all morning, this gnawing need to claim her, to mark her as mine. Every time I looked at her, every time I caught a whiff of her scent, the feeling surged through me again, strong and unrelenting.
I couldn't explain it. I'd never felt this kind of need before, not for anyone. It wasn't just physical—it was instinctual, primal. And that was the part that scared me. The part that made me feel like I was losing control.
We walked in comfortable silence for a while, Ava occasionally glancing out at the ocean, a small smile playing at her lips. She seemed more relaxed now, more at ease. And seeing her like that made something inside me calm, too. There was something about being with her that just felt right, even though I couldn't make sense of the feelings that had been building up inside me.
"So, what's the plan?" Ava asked after a few minutes, turning to me with a curious look in her eyes.
"I was thinking we could hike up to one of the volcano trails. There's supposed to be an incredible view up there," I suggested.
Her eyes lit up at the mention of hiking, and I couldn't help but smile. She loved the outdoors. I'd noticed it ever since we got here—how she came alive when we were out in nature. It was one of the things I liked about her, how she seemed so connected to everything around her.
"That sounds perfect," she said, her smile growing wider. "Lead the way, Alpha."
I chuckled at her teasing tone but couldn't deny the way my heart skipped a beat when she said that. It wasn't just the word, but the way she looked at me when she said it—like she trusted me, like she wanted to follow me. It stirred something deep inside me, that same primal instinct that had been nagging at me all morning.
As we made our way to the trailhead, I found myself watching her more than I should. The way her body moved, the lightness in her steps, the way the sunlight hit her skin—it was all so distracting. And that damn itch in my fangs only grew stronger the closer I was to her.
We started the hike, the trail winding up through dense greenery and rocky terrain, the sound of birds chirping and the occasional rustle of leaves filling the air. It was peaceful. And yet, the entire time, I was hyper-aware of her. Of how close we were. How easy it would be to reach out, to pull her to me, to bury my fangs in the curve of her neck and mark her as mine.
I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. This isn't normal, I reminded myself. I wasn't supposed to feel like this. Ava wasn't my fated mate. She couldn't be. And yet… the need was still there. Stronger than ever.
"How are you feeling?" Ava asked, glancing over her shoulder as we reached a clearing in the trail. Her tone was casual, but there was something in her eyes—something that told me she was paying closer attention than she let on. I shrugged, trying to keep my voice even.
"Good. Better, actually."
And I wasn't lying. I did feel better, being out here with her, away from all the noise. But the truth was, I couldn't ignore the tension that had settled deep inside me. That need to claim her, to protect her, was still there. And I had no idea how to get rid of it.
She smiled, clearly pleased with my answer.
"Good. You seem more… relaxed." I huffed a small laugh.
"Yeah, I guess I am."
We kept walking, the trail growing steeper as we climbed higher. The sun was warmer now, the air a little thicker, but I didn't mind. The view was incredible—lush, green valleys stretching out below us, the ocean glimmering in the distance. But even with all the beauty around me, my attention kept drifting back to Ava.
She paused ahead of me, her hand resting lightly on a tree branch as she took in the view. Her braids shifted slightly in the breeze, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.
"You okay?" she asked, glancing back at me, her brow furrowed slightly in concern.
I nodded, but the words felt stuck in my throat. I wasn't okay—not completely. Not with this urge clawing at me, not with my fangs aching to sink into her skin. But I wasn't about to admit that. Not when I didn't even understand it myself.
"Yeah," I said finally, forcing a smile. "Just taking it all in."
She smiled back, her eyes softening, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The world around us disappeared, and it was just the two of us, standing on the edge of something neither of us could quite define.
But that damn urge still lingered, pressing at the edges of my mind, reminding me that this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.