Not just a wolf

Astrid POV

The final bell rang, and I barely made it three steps out of the classroom before I heard my name.

"Astrid, wait!"

I sighed, already knowing who it was before I turned. Jason was jogging after me, looking determined—like a puppy trying to fix whatever mess he made. Again.

He caught up, breathless but still stubborn. "Look, I just wanted to apologize again—"

I rolled my eyes. "Jason, I already forgot about it. Move on, live your life."

His brows furrowed. "Really? You’re not mad anymore?"

I smirked. "Nope."

He studied me like he didn’t believe me, but I was done being angry. At least for now.

Then, of course, he had to ruin it. "So… what were you doing with Killian in the music room?"

I blinked at him, then let out a short laugh. "That’s what you chased after me for?"

Jason shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, I just—"

I scoffed, shaking my head. "Wow, so you can sprint after me for that, but where were you when your girlfriend was calling me names?"

That shut him up real quick.

His mouth opened like he wanted to answer, but nothing came out. I laughed, shaking my head again before turning on my heel.

"Exactly," I muttered, then stormed off.

KILLIAN'S POV

I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold at the front of the classroom. Jason had stormed in like a damn hurricane, heading straight for Bianca with murder in his eyes.

“If you ever talk to Astrid like that again, I swear—”

Bianca scoffed, flipping her hair like she wasn’t the least bit fazed. “Oh? So you’re choosing her over me?”

Jason didn’t even dignify that with a response. His jaw clenched, his nostrils flared, and he simply gave her one last warning. “Don’t. Ever. Hurt her again.”

I rolled my eyes at both of them. The drama in this school was ridiculous.

Before Bianca could throw more attitude, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Finally. I grabbed my stuff and made my way out, heading toward where I parked my bike.

And there she was.

Miss Angry herself, Astrid, looking like she was about to walk home in her usual stubborn way.

I smirked, stepping beside her. “Need a ride?”

She turned to me, already frowning. “I can walk.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Of course, you can. But why should you when I’m offering a faster, much cooler option?”

She folded her arms, looking at my bike like it was some kind of trap. “I don’t trust you.”

I laughed at that before pulling out an extra helmet and—without asking—plopping it onto her head.

“There. Now you have no choice.”

She huffed but didn’t fight it, eventually swinging her leg over and settling behind me on the bike.

As I started the engine, she muttered over the roar of the motor, “So… you were the golden son, huh?”

I smirked. “That’s one way to put it.”

“So what happened?” she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

I sighed, my grip tightening on the handles. “I had no choice but to listen to my father. Firstborn duties. Alpha of a pack. Next CEO. That’s just how it is.”

She was quiet after that, probably processing what I said.

The ride was smooth, and in no time, we pulled up in front of her house.

And just my luck—her mom was outside, watering some plants or whatever moms do.

As soon as she saw me, her eyes widened in that way moms do when they see someone tall, and obviously handsome.

“Oh my,” she said, lowering the watering can. “And who is this handsome young man?”

Astrid burst into laughter, shaking her head. “Mom, this is Killian.”

I flashed my best charming smile. “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

Her mom gave me an approving nod before turning to Astrid. “Now this one has manners. Not like that other one—”

“Mom!” Astrid groaned, nudging me toward my bike before things got more embarrassing for her.

I chuckled, putting my helmet back on. “See you later, Miss Angry.”

And with that, I revved up the engine and took off, already looking forward to the next time I’d get to mess with her.

After few minutes,

I had just gotten home, kicking back on the couch, when the front door slammed shut.

Jason.

I didn’t even have to look up to know he was glaring at me. His footsteps were heavy, his energy screaming annoyance as he stalked into the living room.

“What do you want with Astrid?” he demanded.

I smirked but didn’t bother responding. If he was expecting an explanation, he was wasting his time.

“she’s your girlfriend?” I asked him.

Jason let out a frustrated breath. “She’s my best friend, not my girlfriend.”

“And if you really want to do something useful, maybe teach your girlfriend how to act instead of threatening her.” I replied him.

“I didn’t threaten Bianca”

I raised a brow, amused. “hmm your best friend? Maybe you didn’t threaten Bianca.”

He rolled his eyes, clearly not in the mood for my games. “Whatever. That’s not the point.” He folded his arms. “Do you really think Astrid is one of us?”

I finally sat up, resting my elbows on my knees. “Let’s wait for tonight.”

Jason frowned. “What’s happening tonight?”

I gave him a knowing look.

“The full moon.”

Hours later

ASTRID'S POV

I tossed and turned in my bed, but no matter how hard I tried, sleep wouldn’t come. My body felt—off. Too hot. Too restless. Like something inside me was clawing to break free.

I threw my blanket off and sat up, pressing a hand to my chest. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. My skin was burning, but the room wasn’t hot.

Then, outside my window, the full moon rose.

A sharp, unbearable heat shot through my veins, and I gasped, doubling over.

My mind spun back to what Killian had said earlier. The moon. The full moon.

With shaking hands, I grabbed my phone and dialed Jason’s number. He picked up on the second ring.

"Jason," I breathed, my voice shaking. "I don’t feel good. I—something’s wrong.”

"Astrid?" His voice sharpened instantly. "I’m coming. Stay where you are—”

But I couldn't. I couldn't.

The heat turned to fire, spreading through my limbs, making my skin feel like it was melting off. A scream tore from my throat as I stumbled out of bed, my vision going in and out.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

Without thinking, I ran straight to the window and jumped.

The wind rushed against my face as I landed on my feet, then broke into a sprint toward the woods. My legs moved on their own, faster than I thought possible, but it still wasn’t fast enough to outrun the pain.

Pain.

Agony ripped through me as my bones cracked, reshaped. My muscles burned, stretching, twisting. My fingers curled, nails elongating into claws. A scream escaped me—no, a snarl.

What’s happening to me?!

I collapsed onto all fours, panting, my vision blurring, sharpening. The world around me felt different. Every sound, every scent—too sharp, too strong.

Then, through the haze of my transformation, I saw him.

A figure stood just ahead, watching.

Hooded. Unmoving.

But it wasn’t just his presence that sent a chill down my spine.

It was his eyes.

Glowing. Red.

KILLIAN’S POV

I knew it.

The second I left the house, I felt it in my gut—that pull, that damn instinct that wouldn’t let me sit still. I told Jason we’d wait until the full moon, but I already knew what was coming. That’s why I was here. Watching. Waiting.

She wasn’t going to sleep peacefully tonight. No, Astrid wasn’t built for peace.

The night air was thick, the scent of damp earth and pine filling my senses as I stood hidden in the shadows of the trees. The moon had just begun its climb into the sky, glowing like a silver beacon, calling to all of us—our kind.

And then I saw her.

Astrid ran like she was being dragged by some invisible force, her body moving on instinct, her breath ragged. She stumbled, caught herself, then kept going, her legs barely keeping up with whatever was pulling her forward.

I clenched my jaw.

I had seen first shifts before. I knew how brutal they could be. But something about this—about her—felt... wrong. Or maybe it was too right.

Then it happened.

She screamed, a sound that rattled the trees, raw and filled with pure agony. Her body collapsed onto the forest floor, her fingers digging into the dirt as violent tremors racked her frame. I took a slow step forward, watching. Waiting.

And then I heard it—the sickening crunch of bones breaking.

Her arms twisted, her back arched, her breathing turned into short, ragged gasps. This was it. She was shifting. But I could feel it—it wasn’t just a simple werewolf transformation.

The air around her pulsed, waves of something unnatural rolling off her in thick, suffocating waves. Her nails extended, her skin burned like it was glowing from the inside out. Her body convulsed, her spine snapping into a new form, her limbs stretching, reshaping. I had seen werewolves shift before, but this—this was different.

A faint glow began to shimmer over her skin, etching itself into strange, intricate patterns, pulsing like molten gold beneath her flesh.

What the hell…?

My breath hitched as she let out another scream, this one more guttural, more primal. Her teeth elongated, her eyes flashing—a burning, electric blue that seemed to pierce right through me. She was bigger than any wolf I had ever seen. Not just taller—stronger, her form towering, sleek and lethal.

And then I felt it.

The energy rolling off her wasn’t just werewolf. It wasn’t just one thing at all. It was mixed, layered, powerful. Ancient.

Then I heard footsteps behind me—Jason.

He stopped dead in his tracks, his breathing uneven as he took in the scene before him. I didn’t even have to look at him to know his eyes were wide with disbelief.

“No way…” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

I exhaled slowly, my grip tightening around the small box in my hand.

Jason’s gaze snapped to me. “What the hell is she?”

I kept my eyes on her, my mind racing, trying to put it all together.

A werewolf. A witch. A vampire. Three in one.

A Tribid.

But not just any Tribid.

She was the last one.

Jason nudged me, his voice sharp. “And what’s in that box?”

I tossed it onto the ground in front of me. “Clothes. For when she shifts back.”

Jason swallowed hard, still staring at Astrid’s hulking form, the glow of her markings illuminating the dark woods around her like embers in the night.

And then, finally, I answered his question.

“She’s not just a wolf,” I muttered. “She’s something else.”