Nathan's POV
The boy stood frozen in the middle of the road, the headlights bleaching his small frame in pale light. His hair was messy, his face streaked with dirt, and his thin shoulders trembled as though he had been running for miles. Something inside me clenched hard. My wolf stirred, uneasy, growling low in the pit of my chest. I didn't know him, and yet… something about him pulled at me. Drew me like a magnet. Before the driver could even speak again, I shoved the door open and stepped out. The night air bit against my skin, but all I saw was the child staring at me, his chest heaving, his eyes wide with fear and desperation.
"Hey," I said, keeping my voice low and calm. "You're safe now. No one's going to hurt you."
He shook his head violently, stumbling forward. "No! No, you don't understand!" His voice cracked, frantic. "They took my mom. They took my brothers. You have to help me. Please!"
