I, too, was surprised that Ms. Adams pretty much skirted all the rules of the Circle, as I had almost skirted my transfer in tenth grade.

“Why not, Graham?”

She glanced at him warningly, indicating that she didn’t want to talk about it around her daughter.

The DeLoughreys didn’t have a particularly good relationship with the Quatura...much less with the pack. The money they had earned over many decades within their family dynasty, through whatever crooked dealings, allowed them to buy up buildings of all kinds. In recent years, they had tried to connect the police station with their shady secret service and the Copelands hospital with the DLSC. But that’s all I knew about this family. And everything I knew, I knew through my father, who had to deal with the aggressive fronts of this town on a daily basis.

I personally had nothing to do with them, and I was glad of it. These dark creatures could keep away from me, just like the pathetic Copeland pack.

My father didn’t elaborate, but I could literally see the question marks popping up above his head.

“But it would be really nice of you, Julian, if you could give Bay a ride now and then,” Ms. Adam deflected once again. Unfortunately for me.

I couldn’t very well say no, because Ms. Adams was still being kind to me.

“Yes, I’d be happy to drive your daughter.” I winked at Bay, who reluctantly pushed back her chair and jumped up.

She seemed to be seething inside.

“Over my dead body,” it escaped her, and she shoved the chair back against the edge of the table with a clatter that made Diana wince.

“Bay!” her mother admonished.

Mia had to smirk.

Then Bay stomped up the stairs, visibly annoyed.

“She’s been unusually short-tempered since we got here. I’m sorry...” was Ms. Adams’ apology for her daughter’s behavior.

“I can still hear you, Mum!” Bay yelled, annoyed, down the stairs.

Oh yes, and how short-tempered she was. The thought of her stunned expression brought back my grin.

“I understand her,” my little sister joked with a big smile. “Julian often drives me up the wall, too.”

My sister, as I knew her. A little devil personified, pretending to be an angel.

I ignored her and finished my plate, but this time, I suppressed the urge to take another spoonful.

“The food was very good, Ms. A....” She looked at me appraisingly, and I corrected myself. “Diana.”

She smiled as if she hadn’t almost hit me with the ladle. “I’m glad, Julian.”

At least I’d made a good impression on one woman.

After we had finished the second casserole, Diana said goodbye to us.

The evening had been basically okay, even though I felt there had been some unspoken words between my father and Diana.

Whatever it was, they would probably leave it at that.

Because if all that she had told us today was true, she was no better than we were. Dad had moved us here, into the territory of our actual enemies who hated us, and was having dinner with one of them. And we acted like that was normal, like we were normal.

And for a moment, I was envious of Bayla and the life she had been allowed to lead.

“Julian!” a bloodcurdling scream echoed through the night.

I found myself on an abandoned road in the middle of a gloomy forest. Dark mountains of clouds towered on the horizon, and thunder could be heard in the distance. Powerful, almost threatening.

I had lost my orientation. The road looked familiar, but as hard as I tried to remember, I couldn’t.

“Julian!” it rang out again. It was the cry of a woman. But I couldn’t hear where it was coming from.

All of a sudden, it started to rain. The cold drops hit me like pinpricks, and I winced.

“Julian! Help me!”

With each cry, the voice sounded more desperate. And abruptly, I recognized its sound.

“Mum!”, I yelled into the gathering darkness. “Mum! Where are you?!”

I had to look for her. Something had happened, but I didn’t know what it was, and this uncertainty was driving me crazy.

The rain was getting heavier by the second, and I could barely see my surroundings. It whipped into my neck and forced me down off the street. I tried to find shelter under a large needle tree. In vain. The rain poured down through the thicket and poured over me.

“Julian!”

Finally, I gave it up and sprinted.

I had to find her!

My feet slithered across the slippery road. The adrenaline in my blood was driving me crazy, but I couldn’t give in to my nature now, so I pulled the serum from my pocket, took a sip, and felt the pain creeping through my veins. First in my eyes, then in my nose, and finally, the tugging moved through the rest of my body.

My mum needed me, not this dangerous beast.

“Julian! I’m here!”

My head whipped around. And finally... there she was.

A brown-haired woman lying in the middle of the road, writhing in pain.

“Mum! Get off the road!”, I yelled loudly, but she remained lying there.

Why the hell wasn’t she moving!!! There could be a car coming at any moment...

The last few meters that separated me from her, I ran as fast as I could. When I reached her, I knelt down on the wet asphalt.

The water soaked my pants, and it suddenly became colder around me. Almost painful goosebumps spread over my entire body. But I didn’t have time to pay attention to my surroundings or anything else right now.