(Briar's POV)
The alarm clock buzzed insistently, pulling Briar out of a restless sleep. She groaned, burying her face in the pillow. Last night's revelations still clung to her like a heavy fog. She hadn't wanted to talk to her parents much after their bombshell, but she couldn't ignore the truth either.
"Werewolf," she mumbled into the pillow. "Me. A werewolf. Sure, why not?"
With a frustrated growl, she slapped the alarm clock off the nightstand by accident. The sound of plastic clattering to the floor made her wince. "Oops," she muttered, sitting up and glaring at the now-broken device.
Her dad's voice called from downstairs. "Briar! You're going to be late if you don't hurry!"
"Coming!" she yelled back, her tone sharper than intended. Immediately, she felt a pang of guilt. She wasn't mad at them-not really-but her emotions were all over the place.
She grabbed her favorite hoodie and pulled it on over her tank top. It was an oversized one with a cartoon wolf on it, something her mom had given her as a joke years ago. Now it felt oddly fitting.
As she stomped downstairs, Briar tried to shake off the tension. Her mom was setting the table for breakfast, her movements quick and precise. Her dad was sipping coffee, his eyes flicking toward her with a mixture of concern and love.
"Morning, kiddo," he said, his voice warm.
Briar plopped into a chair, crossing her arms. "Morning."
Her mom placed a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her. "How are you feeling?"
Briar poked at the eggs with her fork. "I don't know. Confused. Tired. Like maybe I'm losing my mind." She looked up, her voice softening. "But... I'm not mad at you. I get why you didn't tell me before. I just... I need time to figure it out."
Her mom reached over, squeezing her hand. "We understand, sweetheart. Take all the time you need. We're here for you."
Her dad added, "And if you feel weird or notice changes, tell us, okay? It's important."
Briar smirked faintly, trying to lighten the mood. "What if I start howling in class? Should I call you or just roll with it?"
Her mom chuckled, but her dad shot her a mock-stern look. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
---
As Briar drove to college, she tried to push the werewolf stuff to the back of her mind. Her car, affectionately named Shadow, was like a cocoon of safety. The purr of the engine soothed her, and the familiar feel of the steering wheel grounded her.
At campus, Tara and Ethan were waiting for her near the coffee shop. Tara waved enthusiastically, her red curls bouncing. Ethan gave her a lopsided grin, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Morning!" Tara chirped. "How's the newbie today?"
Briar rolled her eyes but smiled. "Still alive. Barely."
Ethan tilted his head, studying her. "Rough night?"
"You have no idea," Briar muttered, brushing past them.
Tara and Ethan exchanged a glance behind her back. They had their orders from Olivia, but seeing Briar struggle tugged at their hearts.
---
(Olivia's POV)
Olivia stood at the edge of the forest, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Lyra stirred within her, restless and alert.
"She's close," Lyra said, her voice a soft growl. "Our mate."
Olivia exhaled deeply. "I know. But we can't rush this."
Tara and Ethan appeared from the shadows, their expressions serious.
"Alpha," Tara said, bowing slightly. "We've been keeping an eye on Briar like you asked."
"And?" Olivia's tone was clipped, but not unkind.
Ethan spoke up. "She's... struggling. She doesn't know what's happening to her, but she's tough. You can see it in her."
Tara added, "She's also really sweet, in her own way. Protective, too. I think she'd make an amazing addition to the pack."
Olivia's heart swelled with pride for a girl she hadn't even met yet. "Good. Keep watching over her. Don't let her suspect anything, but make sure she's safe."
Lyra huffed. "We need to meet her, Olivia. She's ours. She needs us."
"Soon," Olivia promised, both to Lyra and herself.
---
(Briar's POV)
The rest of the day passed in a blur of classes and conversations. Tara and Ethan stuck to her like glue, their presence oddly comforting.
During lunch, Briar found herself laughing at one of Ethan's terrible jokes. She didn't even notice how Tara kept glancing at her, as if memorizing every detail of her expression.
But as the day went on, the strange sensations she'd been feeling grew stronger. Her senses were sharper than ever-she could hear snippets of conversations from across the quad and smell things she couldn't identify.
By the time she got home, she was exhausted. Flopping onto her bed, Briar stared at the ceiling, her mind racing.
"What's happening to me?" she whispered.
Deep inside, her wolf stirred again, stronger this time. It wasn't just a presence anymore-it was a part of her, waiting to be acknowledged.
For now, Briar closed her eyes, trying to find peace in the chaos.
---
Yep 2 episode in one day â¤ï¸ð