Fated to a human

Haylie POV  

I followed the other me into the woods, my stomach churning with unease. It was eerie, watching her tread so carelessly into the darkness. Didn't she realize how dangerous it was? If she could hear me, I would scream at her to stay out of the freaking woods. 

The hoot of an owl echoed through the pine trees, making the hair on my arms stand on end. The dark always unnerved me, and even though I knew this had already happened, it was no less terrifying. Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, I tried to find comfort in the gesture, but the creeping cold of the forest was relentless. 

Then, a noise. Strange sounds rustled on both sides of me, faint but menacing. I froze in place, my breath catching in my throat. Ahead, I saw the other me stop in her tracks too. 

"Hello? Is anyone out there?" she called, her voice trembling slightly. 

I wanted to scream at her, I told you so! Turn around! Run! But of course, she couldn't hear me. 

The shadows around us seemed to shift, and that's when I saw them—glowing red eyes appearing out of the darkness. My scream echoed through the forest, though no one could hear it but me. The other me saw them too, her expression shifting from curiosity to terror. Without hesitation, she turned and bolted deeper into the woods. 

"Wait up!" I yelled, chasing after her. 

As I ran, the pounding of paws echoed in the air around me, growing louder and closer. My heart raced, my chest heaving as I struggled to keep up. Then, out of the shadows, a massive black wolf emerged, its eyes burning like embers as it lunged after her. 

Panic surged through me, my legs moving faster than I thought possible. But just as I drew closer, I saw the other me trip over something hidden in the undergrowth. She tumbled to the ground, her knees scraping against the dirt. 

"Get up!" I shouted uselessly, my voice a mix of desperation and fear. 

The other me crawled toward a tree, her movements frantic as she tried to shield herself. The wolf was closing in, its growl a low, menacing rumble that seemed to shake the earth itself. Just as it was about to pounce, something—or someone—stepped in its path. 

I skidded to a halt, my breathing shallow as I watched in stunned silence. 

A young man, about my age, had appeared out of nowhere. Without hesitation, he threw himself at the wolf, his movements precise and powerful. The two clashed, the man's strength seemingly unmatched despite the wolf being nearly twice his size. He struck the wolf with a sharp blow, forcing it to retreat momentarily. 

The air was thick with tension as the wolf snarled and circled him, but the young man didn't back down. Instead, he lunged forward, delivering a final, powerful strike that sent the wolf fleeing into the shadows, its pack following close behind. 

For a moment, all was still. 

I wiped my eyes, unsure if I was dreaming. Did that really just happen? That man—whoever he was—had just saved me. Or rather, he had saved her. 

Taking a deep breath, I watched as the young man turned and approached the other me. His expression was calm but serious as he extended a hand to her. 

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice steady and warm. 

The other me hesitated before reaching out, her hand trembling as she took his. 

I stood frozen, unable to look away. Who was he? Why couldn't I remember this part of my life? 

Whoever this man was, I had a feeling that what came next would answer the questions I didn't even know I had. 

My eyes didn't leave them as I watched the young man offer help for my bleeding knee. 

 I swallowed hard, my own heart skipping beats as I followed them. The man supported the other me, his arm steady around her side, guiding her carefully. There was something about him that made it impossible for me to look away—a calm aura that radiated from his every move. 

As we approached a sleek black truck parked under the shadow of the towering trees, I studied him further. His brown eyes were steady and kind, a stark contrast to the raw strength suggested by his athletic frame. 

 His jawline was strong, and his hands, though large and powerful, moved with a tenderness that left me breathless. 

The young man opened the truck's cabin door and helped the other me into the seat. I moved to stand beside him, unable to tear my gaze away as he worked, carefully cleaning the wound on my knee before wrapping it with a bandage. 

Something about him stirred a strange familiarity within me. My heart raced as I whispered to myself, "Why do I feel like I know you?" 

A magnetic pull drew me closer. Without realizing it, I reached out a trembling hand, placing it gently against the side of his face. The warmth of his skin was intoxicating, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like the world stopped spinning. 

But then, a sudden jolt of heat shot through my palm, spreading like wildfire through my entire body. 

Memories I hadn't even known were missing surged forward, their weight overwhelming me. Pain lanced through my skull, forcing me to jerk my hand away. My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, clutching my head as the flood of memories hit me with unrelenting force. 

Images of him—of Liam—flashed vividly in my mind. His laughter, the way his eyes softened when he looked at me, the first time I saw his wolf form under a full moon. He wasn't just any man. He was me fated mate. 

Memories poured in, each one more vivid than the last: Liam standing in the rain, confessing his love, and when he kisses me for the first time under that tree in the park; the way his strong arms wrapped around me, shielding me from the world. 

The birthday trip to Paris, where he surprised me with a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower lit up at night. Our first kiss beneath the canopy of a tree in the park, the leaves whispering in the wind like a blessing. 

The intensity of the memories brought tears streaming down my face, mingling with the pain that gripped my mind. My chest heaved as I fought for air, my hands trembling against the earth. He had been my everything—my anchor, my first love, my protector. 

As I opened my eyes, I realized I was no longer in the woods. The dense trees and shadows had vanished, replaced by the familiar surroundings of my old room. For a moment, confusion clouded my thoughts, but then it all came rushing back. I remembered everything. 

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted when I felt an icy grip tighten around my throat. My breath hitched as I moved my eyes slowly, following the hand that held me. It was her—Melody. 

I remembered her wicked smile, her dark intentions. She had kidnapped me, along with her brother, and somehow taken my place in my life. I recalled being trapped, while she posed as me, manipulating everyone I loved. My heart clenched at the memory of JC in Greenland, unaware of the deception. 

My eyes darted forward, and there he was—Liam. Tears streamed down his face, his fear palpable as he stood frozen, pleading with Melody to let me go. My heart ached as I saw the raw anguish in his eyes. 

In the corner of the room, my aunt Camelia stood, her presence a beacon of strength. 

Her hands crackled with energy as she summoned her magic, defiance written in every line of her face. She wasn't afraid to fight, even against the dark forces Melody wielded. 

The air in the room grew heavy, thick with tension and the suffocating presence of power. My heart raced, each beat pounding in my chest as Melody's voice rang out, sharp and cold. 

"Well, this has been fun but it is time to go," she hissed. 

Before I could process her words, a blinding wave of magic erupted from her hand. The world seemed to slow down as I watched in horror. 

The first strike hit Aunt Camelia. The blade of dark magic sliced clean through her, and her head tipped off like a doll head. 

 A blood-curdling scream tore from my throat, echoing in the room as her lifeless body crumpled to the floor. 

"No!" I shrieked, struggling against Melody's grip, but her hand remained like a vice around my neck. 

Then, as if the nightmare couldn't worsen, the next wave of magic struck Liam. The force of it hurled him against the wall with a sickening thud. His body slumped to the floor, motionless. 

"Liam!" I screamed his name, my voice breaking as a flood of anguish overwhelmed me. Tears streamed down my face as I watched him lying there, unmoving, his eyes closed. 

My body shook with sobs, each one wracking me to my core as I collapsed to my knees. I couldn't feel the cold floor beneath me or the oppressive air in the room. All I could see was the lifeless body of my aunt and the man I loved, broken and still. 

I cried out, my voice raw and guttural, a sound born from the deepest pits of despair. My heart shattered as I sat there, powerless and consumed by the nightmare unfolding around me. I began to scream like I had never screamed before. At that moment the scream was helping me to get the pain out of me. My body was shaking from the snobs that was leaving my body. I was alone and it hurt so badly to see the two people who I love the most get hurt.

Liam POV  

As soon as Melody disappeared into thin air, my wolf allowed me to regain control, and I shifted back into my human form. I knelt on the ground, my knees pressing into the dirt of the woods as my body trembled from the exertion. 

Next to me, Titan shifted back into his human form as well. Rising to his feet, he wasted no time before turning to me, his voice laced with anger. 

"I can't believe you, Liam," he snapped. "You have a child with Melody?" 

A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I pushed myself up from the ground. My gaze met his, weary and pained. "I didn't know," I said, trying to explain. "Back then, Melody was pretending to be Haylie. I didn't know who she truly was, Titan." 

Frustration churned within me, my hands clenching into fists. Just saying her name made nausea twist in my gut. 

Titan's voice softened but carried an edge of accusation. "And what about Haylie?" 

The weight of her name hit me like a blow. I inhaled deeply, trying to steady myself, but the emotions surged too strongly. 

"What about Haylie?" I shouted, my voice cracking. "She's gone, Titan! She's gone, and I'd give anything to bring her back. Anything to end this madness!" 

I was trembling, my breaths ragged as I realized my claws had dug into the palms of my hands. Blood dripped from the wounds, staining the dirt beneath me. 

Titan noticed and opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, a searing, burning sensation erupted on the side of my neck. 

The pain was so intense, it dropped me to my knees. My hand instinctively shot to my neck, clutching at the source of the fiery agony. 

A guttural growl tore from my throat as my wolf howled within me, echoing the torment coursing through my body. 

"Liam!" Titan's voice was urgent, worried as he knelt beside me. His presence was a faint comfort amidst the storm of pain. 

I clawed at the dirt, the stabbing sensation in my neck overwhelming me. Titan's voice broke through the haze. 

"Liam, you won't believe this," he said, his tone incredulous. "There's… a wolf. It's inked into your neck. A tattoo." 

His words barely registered at first, but when they did, my eyes shot to him, my teeth gritting against the pain. 

"What did you say?" I demanded, my voice rough. 

Titan's worried gaze met mine. "I'm telling you—there's a wolf tattoo on your neck. It wasn't there before." 

My breath hitched as I slowly raised a trembling hand to touch the burning mark. Why would there be a wolf tattoo on my neck? I reached out to my wolf. 

"Ace," I whispered internally, desperate for answers. "What's happening?" 

Ace's voice came through, steady but laced with disbelief. "I think… Haylie's wolf just imprinted on us." 

The words hit me like a thunderclap. My mouth fell open as I stared at Titan, who was waiting for an explanation. 

"My wolf says…" I began, my voice shaky, "It's Haylie's wolf. She just imprinted on me." 

Titan's face twisted in shock. "That's insane, Liam. Haylie's dead. How could her wolf do something like that?" 

"I don't know," I said, my heart pounding erratically. "This doesn't make sense. None of this does." 

Titan shook his head, his own disbelief evident. "This is crazy, man. Just crazy. Haylie does not have a wolf side" 

My heart skipped wildly as questions flooded my mind. What was happening? How could Haylie's wolf have done this? And most importantly—where was Haylie?