Zack stood completely still.
The voice came again.
"Zack..."
Mason moved beside him.
Mason: "Who is that?"
Zack didn't answer.
His eyes were fixed on the dark window.
The figure outside slowly stepped into the moonlight.
A woman.
Long silver hair.
Pale skin.
And eyes that glowed faintly gold.
Mason's wolf immediately snarled.
Danger.
Zack's face went pale.
Zack: "No..."
The woman smiled.
Woman: "It's been a long time, little wolf."
Mason looked at Zack.
Mason: "You know her?"
Zack swallowed.
Zack: "Her name is Elara."
The woman tilted her head.
Elara: "You remember me."
Zack: "I remember you."
Mason: "Who is she?"
Zack hesitated.
Elara answered for him.
Elara: "I was the one who helped your mother get you out of town."
Mason's expression changed.
Mason: "What?"
Zack stared at her.
Zack: "You said you were dead."
Elara's smile disappeared.
Elara: "Your mother needed you to believe that."
Zack stepped closer to the window.
Zack: "Why are you here?"
Elara looked past him.
Her eyes landed on Mason.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then her expression changed.
Elara: "So this is him."
Mason stiffened.
Mason: "This is who?"
Elara: "The other half."
Zack's wolf growled.
Elara continued.
"Your bond isn't an accident."
Zack: "What are you talking about?"
Elara: "Your families were connected long before either of you were born."
Mason looked at Zack.
Mason: "Our families?"
Elara nodded.
Elara: "Your parents knew each other."
Mason's eyes widened.
Mason: "My parents?"
Elara: "They made a pact."
Zack shook his head.
Zack: "That's impossible."
Elara: "Is it?"
She reached into her coat and pulled out an old photograph.
She held it against the glass.
Zack stepped closer.
His breath caught.
The photograph showed four adults standing together beneath the same forest trees where he and Mason had played as children.
Two of them were unmistakably Zack's parents.
The other two...
Mason recognized immediately.
Mason: "...Those are my parents."
Silence filled the apartment.
Mason stared at the photograph.
Mason: "What did they promise each other?"
Elara lowered the picture.
Elara: "That when their children came of age, the bond would unite the two bloodlines."
Zack's expression hardened.
Zack: "So our parents knew we'd become bonded?"
Elara: "They suspected it."
Mason: "Then why did Zack have to disappear?"
Elara looked at Zack.
Elara: "Because someone wanted to prevent it."
Zack's eyes narrowed.
Zack: "Who?"
Elara's gaze shifted toward the street below.
Elara: "The man chasing you."
A distant howl echoed through the city.
Zack immediately understood.
Zack: "The leader."
Elara nodded.
Elara: "His name is Darius."
Mason: "Why does he want us?"
Elara looked directly into Mason's eyes.
Elara: "Because your bond together could awaken something your families spent generations trying to keep hidden."
Mason's wolf stirred.
Power.
Zack stepped away from the window.
Zack: "What kind of power?"
Elara's expression became grim.
Elara:
"The kind that could change the entire wolf world."
A sudden crash came from the street below.
Elara looked over her shoulder.
Elara: "You don't have much time."
Zack: "Where are you going?"
Elara opened the window.
Elara: "To make sure Darius doesn't reach you."
Mason stepped forward.
Mason: "Wait!"
Elara paused.
Mason: "Why should we trust you?"
She smiled sadly.
Elara: "You shouldn't."
Then she stepped onto the fire escape.
"But you should trust the bond."
Before either of them could respond, Elara disappeared into the darkness.
Zack stared after her.
Mason looked at him.
Mason: "Well..."
Zack sighed.
Zack: "Yeah."
Mason: "Your life is complicated."
Zack gave a nervous laugh.
Zack: "You have no idea."
Then, from somewhere far below, Darius' voice echoed through the alley.
"DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"
Zack and Mason looked at each other.
Mason: "We should probably move."
Zack nodded.
Zack: "Definitely."
And this time, they ran toward the unknown together.