She Accidentally Time-Traveled into the Ruthless Alpha’s Lands - He Claims Her Straight After

She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looking at her reflection with a mix of boredom and existential disdain. Her blonde hair was a bit messy, dark circles under her eyes that could easily be mistaken for gothic makeup. And that expression of someone who had given up on life before even trying.

"Blair, are you coming out or are you going to live in that bathroom?" her roommate Jessica's shrill voice echoed from outside.

"I'm considering the latter option," Blair mumbled, but opened the door anyway. Jessica stood there all made up, with an annoyingly cheerful smile on her face. "You're going to love it. We're going to that new museum, the one with ancient artifacts. They say it has some incredible Celtic relics."

Blair blinked slowly. "Jessica, I literally told you I'd rather watch paint dry."

"I know, but you need to get out of the house, or rather out of the room. You're turning into a mushroom."

"Mushrooms are useful. I'm just decorative."

Jessica laughed and pulled Blair by the arm. "Come on, at least take a picture for Instagram and pretend you have a life."

Blair sighed so deeply she practically exhaled her soul. But she went.

The museum was exactly what Blair expected. Boring, dusty, and full of people pretending to understand the profound meaning of a broken pot. She quickened her pace, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. As she passed the souvenir shop, however, something caught her eye. Amidst plastic keychains and historical miniatures, in a small glass display case, there was a necklace. And it wasn't just any necklace. It was a silver piece intertwined with symbols that seemed to pulsate even under the dim light. In the center, a dark stone that glowed as if it had a life of its own.

Blair approached almost hypnotized. "Cool, right?" Jessica appeared beside her, chewing gum. "Side on the plaque, says it's from a lost Celtic tribe. Something about wolves and magic. Blah blah blah." But Blair wasn't listening. Her eyes were fixed on the necklace. There was something about it that called to her. Something wrong, something right.

Before she could think about what she was doing, her hand reached out. "Blair, don't." Her fingers touched the glass and then everything exploded. It wasn't a literal explosion. It was worse. It was as if the whole world had been pulled inside her and then spat out. Inside, out. Blair screamed, but no sound came out. There was only light and a sensation of being torn apart and reassembled at the same time. And then silence.

Blair slowly opened her eyes. Her body was lying on something soft. Grass. She was lying on grass. "What? What the hell?" She got up, dizzy, looking around. There was no museum. There was no Jessica. There was nothing familiar. Instead, there was a forest. Gigantic trees so tall she could barely see the sky. Sunlight filtered through the leaves in golden rays, and the air smelled of wet earth and something wild.

"Okay, this is a dream. Obviously, I passed out and now I'm having a very elaborate dream." She pinched her arm. It hurt. "Ow. Okay, not a dream. Great. Perfect. I finally gone insane."

Blair started walking in no specific direction, just trying to find any sign of civilization, or at least a cell signal. Her phone was in her pocket, but the screen showed no signal in large mocking letters. "Of course, why would I expect anything different?"

She walked for what felt like hours. Her feet achd, her throat was dry, and she was starting to seriously consider the possibility of being abducted by aliens and dumped on some random forest planet. And then she heard it, a growl. She froze slowly. Very slowly, she turned her head. At the edge of the clearing, among the shadows of the trees, there was a wolf, but it wasn't a normal wolf. It was enormous, the size of a horse, maybe bigger. Its eyes were a bright, inhuman yellow, and its fangs were exposed in a low, menacing growl.

"Okay, Blair," she whispered to herself. "Okay, this is this is bad." The wolf took a step forward. Blair took a step back. "Good boy. Good girl. Good giant terrifying wolf." The wolf growled louder. Blair did the only rational thing a person could do in that situation. She ran. Her lungs burned. Her feet stumbled over roots and stones. She could hear the wolf behind her. Its heavy steps echoing on the forest floor. "This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't."

Blair tripped and fell. The world spun and she closed her eyes, expecting to feel fangs sinking into her throat. But instead, she heard a voice. "Stop." A single word, deep, authoritative, and absolutely icy. The wolf's growl stopped instantly. Blair opened her eyes, still on the ground, and looked up. There was a man standing between her and the wolf. A man who definitely wasn't there a second ago. He was tall, very tall, broad shoulders, rigid posture, like someone accustomed to being obeyed. His hair was black as night, messy in a way that seemed intentional. He looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without taking his eyes off Blair, he spoke again, his voice low and dangerous. "What are you doing in my territory?"

Blair opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again. "I I don't know."

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

"No, I just I was at the museum and then I touched a stupid necklace and now I'm here being chased by a wolf the size of a bus."

The man didn't respond immediately. His eyes scanned her slowly, as if he was deciding whether she was a threat or just pathetic. Apparently, he decided on the ladder because he sighed and ran a hand over his face. He ignored her and turned to the wolf. "Go back. I'll handle this." The wolf, to Blair's absolute shock, simply obeyed. It turned and disappeared among the trees as if it had never been there.

Blair stared, jaw a gape. "He He just What?"

The man turned back to her and there was something dangerous in his eyes. "Get up." Blair quickly got up, her legs trembling. She brushed the dirt off her hands onto her jeans and tried to look less terrified than she was. "Okay, look. I don't know where I am or what's going on, but if you could point me in the direction of the nearest town."

"There are no towns here."

Blair blinked. "What do you mean no towns? What is this, the Middle Ages?"

He gave a cold, humorless smile. Blair looked around, processing the forest, the giant wolf, the man with golden eyes who apparently controlled wild animals. "I've gone insane officially. This is a psychotic break."

"It's not. And if you want to survive here, I suggest you start paying attention." Blair swallowed hard. There was something about the way he spoke that made her believe him. "Survive," she repeated slowly. "Okay, great. I love surviving. It's kind of my favorite thing."

He looked at her with an expression bordering on contempt. "You're annoying."

"Thanks. I practice." For a brief second, Blair swore she saw something flicker in his eyes. Maybe amusement. Maybe irritation. Or maybe she was just delirious with panic. He turned and started walking.

"Come where?"

"Somewhere you won't be devoured in the next 5 minutes." Blair hesitated. Every logical fiber of her being told her not to follow the strange man with wolf eyes into the magical forest. But then she heard another growl in the distance. "Right. Yes. Going." She ran to catch up.

They walked in silence for several minutes. Blair tried to ask questions a few times, but all she got were short answers or absolute silence. "So, do you have a name?" she finally asked. He didn't look back. "Cassian."

"Cassian. Cool. I'm Blair."

"I didn't ask."

"Wow. Okay. Noted. Are you this charming with everyone or am I special this time?"

He stopped and turned around and Blair almost bumped into him. He looked her up and down with an intensity that made her stomach churn. "You appeared out of nowhere in the middle of my territory without warning, without permission, and without any notion of where you are."

"Yes, I'm like this with intruders."

Blair raised her hands. "Okay. Okay. Sorry for existing."

Cassian snorted and continued walking. Blair followed him, but this time she remained silent. Finally, they reached a clearing, and in the center of it, there was a village. No, it wasn't exactly a village. It was more like a camp. There were wooden huts scattered around, campfires burning, and people, many people. But they weren't normal people. Some had the same intimidating aura as Cassian. Others had strange eyes or marks on their skin that glowed faintly. And everyone everyone stopped what they were doing when Cassian appeared.

"Alpha," someone said, bowing their head. Blair froze. "Alpha as in werewolf alpha?"

Cassian didn't answer. He just kept walking and Blair realized she had no choice but to follow him. They passed several people all looking at Blair with expressions ranging from curiosity to hostility. "Why is everyone looking at me like I'm a stake?"

"Because you're human," he replied simply.

"And that's bad."

"Depends."

"Depends on what."

He stopped in front of a hut larger than the others. "On how stupid you are." And then he went inside, leaving Blair alone outside, surrounded by dozens of golden eyes. "Great," she muttered to herself. "Just another normal day in Blair's life."

Blair stood there for exactly 10 seconds before deciding that being alone in the middle of a werewolf pack was probably the worst idea of her life. And she had a considerable history of terrible ideas. She entered the hut behind Cassian. The interior was surprisingly normal, or at least as normal as a wooden hut in the middle of a magical forest could be. There was a large table in the center, maps scattered everywhere, some weapons hanging on the walls, and a lit fireplace casting dancing shadows. Cassian had his back to her, studying something on one of the maps.

So Blair began closing the door behind her. "Werewolves, that's real. You guys are real, obviously. And you're the alpha."

"Yes. Which means you're like the boss."

"It's a simplistic way of putting it, but yes." Blair crossed her arms. "Okay. And where exactly am I? Because this is definitely not 2025 anymore."

Cassian finally turned to face her. There was something calculating in his eyes, as if he was trying to decide how much to tell her. "You are in the wildlands, specifically in the territory of the Black Moon Pack. And it's the year 1723."

Blair blinked. Once, twice. "You're kidding."

"I already said I don't joke."

"1723. You're telling me I time-traveled?" Blair laughed. It was a high-pitched, hysterical laugh that echoed through the hut. "Okay. Okay. This is great. This is perfect. I can't even get to class on time, but apparently I can accidentally time travel."

Cassian didn't seem impressed by her outburst. "You said you touched a necklace?"

"Yes, a stupid necklace in a stupid museum."

"Describe it." Blair took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Silver with Celtic symbols and a dark stone in the center that glowed."

Cassian's expression changed. It was subtle, but Blair noticed. His eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened. "The Veil stone," he said softly, more to himself than to her.

"What?" he slammed his hand on the table, making Blair jump. "How did you manage to activate it?"

"I didn't do anything. I just touched it."

"Humans cannot activate the stone. It responds only to magic."

Blair opened her mouth to protest, but then stopped. "Wait, are you saying that I that I have magic?"

"No, I can barely make toast without burning it." Cassian studied her for a long moment, his golden eyes practically piercing her soul. "Then there's something different about you."

Blair felt a shiver run down her spine. "Look, I'm the most normal person in the world. The only thing different about me is that I watch reality shows at 3:00 in the morning."

"Then you're useless."

"Hey."

"A human without magic, without survival skills, and apparently without self-preservation instinct, trapped in the past in a world full of creatures that would love to eat her." Blair swallowed hard. "When you put it that way, it's exactly that way."

There was a moment of heavy silence. "Okay," she said, raising her chin. "Then send me back."

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? The Veil stone is in your time, not mine. And even if I could access it, I don't know how to use it. That kind of magic was lost a long time ago." Blair felt her stomach drop. "So, I'm stuck here."

Cassian didn't answer, which was answer enough. "Perfect. Absolutely perfect."

The hut door opened abruptly and a man entered. He was almost as tall as Cassian, but had a completely different energy. Messy brown hair, a wide smile, and eyes that sparkled with humor. "Cassian, I heard you brought a human. I had to see this with my own Ah." He stopped when his eyes met Blair's. "Wow. Okay, she's blonde. We haven't had a blonde in centuries."

Blair frowned. "Seriously, that's your first observation."

The man laughed. "I like her. She's got spunk." He extended his hand. "I'm Tristan, beta of this pack and more importantly, the only person here with a sense of humor." Blair hesitantly shook his hand.

"Blair."

"Blair," Tristan repeated as if testing the name. "Strange name. Where are you from?"

"The future," she replied dryly.

Tristan blinked, then looked at Cassian. "Is she delusional?"

"No," Cassian replied, returning his attention to the maps. "She came through the Veilstone."

Tristan's smile vanished instantly. "You're serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Tristan let out a low whistle. "That's That's big. The stone hasn't been activated in..."

"I know." Cassian cut him off.

Tristan looked between Cassian and Blair processing. Then the smile returned, but there was something darker about it now. "Well, this is going to be interesting."

"Interesting how?" Blair asked, not liking his tone.

"Interesting as in you just dropped into the middle of a territorial war surrounded by creatures who don't trust humans and led by an alpha who has a reputation for being absolutely ruthless with intruders." Blair looked at Cassian. "Ruthless?"

Cassian didn't take his eyes off the map. "Tristan exaggerates."

"I really don't exaggerate," Tristan muttered to Blair, but loud enough for Cassian to hear.

Blair felt that familiar panic rising again. "Okay, so what happens to me now?"

Cassian finally looked at her. "You stay."

"Stay. Just stay. You have no choice. You're trapped here. And if I let you wander off alone, you'll die in less than a day."

"How comforting."

"I'm not here to comfort you." Tristan cleared his throat. "What our dear alpha is trying to say in a very indelicate way is that you are under the pack's protection now. At least until we figure out how to send you back."

"And if you don't figure it out?" Blair asked, her voice smaller than she would have liked.

Silence. Tristan broke the tense atmosphere with a slap on Blair's back that almost made her choke. "Then you'll learn to survive here. It'll be fun. I can teach you how to hunt, how to fight."

"She won't fight," Cassian interrupted, his voice sharp. "She's human, weak. She'll stay inside the camp where it's safe."

Blair felt something hot ignite in her chest. Anger. "Weak? Yes. Look, I may not be a superpowered werewolf, but I'm not weak."

Cassian looked at her with that impassive expression. "You ran from a wolf and fell because it was a giant wolf."

"Exactly. You're weak." Blair stood up, her fists clenched. "You're an..."

Tristan laughed. "Oh, I definitely like her."

Cassian didn't move, but there was something dangerous in his eyes now. "Watch what you say, human. Or what?"

"You're going to devour me?" The air in the hut changed. It became heavier, more tense. Blair could feel it on her skin like static electricity. Cassian took a step towards her, slow and deliberate. "You don't understand where you are. You don't understand what we are, and you definitely don't understand the danger you're in by speaking to me like that."

Blair raised her chin, even as her heart pounded wildly. "Then explain it to me."

They stood there looking at each other, the tension practically vibrating between them. It was Tristan who broke the silence, stepping between them. "Okay, how about we give everyone a moment to calm down?" "Blair, how about I show you where you'll be staying?"

Blair didn't take her eyes off Cassian for a long moment. Then, finally, she backed down. "Fine." She turned and left the hut, Tristan following quickly. Cassian was left alone, his hands resting on the table, breathing controlled. "Troublesome," he muttered to himself. But as he looked at the door she had exited, he couldn't ignore the strange feeling in his chest.

Tristan led Blair through the camp, pointing things out as they walked. "That's the communal kitchen. Yes, we cook. No, we don't just eat raw meat. That's the training area. You'll want to stay away from there, especially in the morning when the younger ones are practicing. They tend to get a little wild." Blair was barely listening. Her mind was still in the hut on the way Cassian had looked at her as if she were an annoying puzzle he couldn't solve.

"Hey." Tristan snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Are you with me?"

"Sorry, it's just a lot."

Tristan gave a gentle smile. "I know, but look, you'll be fine. Cassian can be an ass, but he doesn't let anything happen to the people under his protection."

"He called me weak."

"Well, compared to us, you kind of are. No offense."

"Offense taken." Tristan laughed. "You're funny. I didn't expect that."

They stopped in front of a small hut at the edge of the camp. It was simple, but it seemed sturdy. "This is yours," Tristan said, opening the door. "It's not luxurious, but it's warm and dry. It has a bed, some blankets, and wait."

Tristan interrupted him, entering. "This is mine? Like, just mine?"

"Yes." Blair looked around the small space. It was basically a room, but it was hers. She didn't have to share with anyone. Didn't have to negotiate closet space or bathroom schedules. "This is this is actually really nice, actually."

Tristan smiled. "See, not everything is bad." Blair sat on the bed. It was hard, but comfortable enough. "I can make this work. So," she said, looking at Tristan. "Tell me the truth. What's my chance of surviving here?"

Tristan leaned against the door frame. "Considering honestly, it depends on you. How helpful."

"What I mean is, if you follow the rules, don't cause trouble, and let Cassian protect you, you'll probably be fine."

"And if I don't want to let Cassian protect me?"

Tristan gave a short laugh. "Then you're even more troublesome than I thought." He paused. "Look, Cassian can be tough, but he's like that for a reason. He's lost a lot of people, and when you're alpha, every loss weighs on you differently." Blair felt something stir in her chest. Curiosity. "What happened?"

"It's not my story to tell," Tristan said softly. "But just try not to judge him too quickly. He has his reasons." Before Blair could respond, a howl echoed through the forest, loud, long, and terrifying. Tristan straightened immediately, all trace of humor gone from his face.

"What was that?" Blair asked, her heart racing.

"Alert," Tristan said, already moving towards the door. "Stay here. Lock the door. Don't come out no matter what."

"Wait, what?" But he was already gone. Blair was left alone in the hut, the sound of the howl still echoing in her ears. And for the first time since arriving in this strange and dangerous world, she realized something. She was absolutely terrified.

Blair didn't lock the door, not because she was brave, but because the idea of being trapped inside a wooden box while something potentially deadly lurked outside seemed even worse than seeing the danger coming. She stood in the doorway, watching the camp transform into organized chaos. Werewolves poured out from all directions. Some were already shifting as they ran, their bodies contorting in ways that made Blair's stomach churn. Others shouted orders, grabbed weapons, formed groups, and then she saw him, Cassian. He was at the center of it all, absolutely motionless amidst the chaos. His golden eyes glowed in the dim twilight, and there was an intensity about him that made the air around him feel heavier. He wasn't shouting orders like the others. He didn't need to, just his presence commanded absolute attention. He looked directly at Blair across the camp. Even from a distance, she felt the weight of that gaze. There was a warning in it. Stay where you are.

Blair, being Blair, took a step out of the hut. Cassian's expression darkened. But before either of them could do anything else, another figure appeared, a woman. She was tall with fiery red hair that fell in waves to her waist and green eyes that practically glowed. She moved with a predatory grace until she stopped beside Cassian, placing a hand on his arm in a familiar way. Very familiar.

"Cassian." Her voice was soft but carried authority. "It's the shadow blood. They've crossed the southern border."

Cassian nodded, his attention finally leaving Blair. "How many?"

"At least a dozen, maybe more. They want war. Or they want to get your attention. You know how Darius is." The name seemed to cause a reaction in Cassian. His jaw tightened and his eyes darkened even further.

"Gather the elite group. We finish this today." The woman smiled. It was a dangerous smile with pleasure. She turned to leave, but then her eyes met Blair's. For a moment, the two women just looked at each other. There was something appraising in the redhead's gaze. And maybe curiosity. "Who's the human?" She asked without taking her eyes off Blair.

"No one," Cassian replied quickly. "She's not your concern."

"Mave," Cassian's voice was a warning. "A human in our camp isn't my concern. Interesting." Mave smiled again, but this time there was something sharp about it. "As you wish, Alpha." She cast one last look at Blair. "Welcome to the wildlands, human. Try not to die." And then she was gone, shifting into a fiery red furred wolf in mid-run.

Blair stood there impressed and horrified at the same time. Tristan appeared beside her suddenly making her jump. "Didn't I tell you to stay inside?"

"You did? I'm not good at following orders."

"I noticed. You will want to get inside now. When they go out to fight, it's not pretty."

"Who are the shadow blood?"

Tristan hesitated. "Another pack. Rivals. They and the Black Moon have history."

"What kind of history?"

"The kind that ends in blood." Blair felt a shiver and Cassian is going to fight them. "It's what alphas do."

Tristan looked at her with a strange expression. "Why? Are you worried about him?"

"No, I I just I just met him. It would be weird if he died right away."

Tristan chuckled. "Cassian doesn't die easily, believe me."

There was another howl, but this time it was different. It was a call. Cassian transformed. Blair had never seen anything like it. One moment he was there, human and intimidating. The next, a massive wolf stood in his place. But it wasn't like the other wolves. He was bigger, darker. His fur was a black, so deep it seemed to absorb the light around it. And his eyes, his eyes remained golden, glowing like embers. He was absolutely terrifying. and somehow magnificent. The wolf looked at her one last time and then he ran. The pack following him like shadows. In seconds, the camp was empty. Only a few younger and older members remained along with Blair and Tristan.

"So," Blair said in the silence that followed, "what do we do now?"

Tristan sighed. "We wait and hope they come back alive."

The hours dragged on slowly. Blair tried to stay in the hut, but anxiety kept her restless. She went out, walked around the empty camp, tried not to think about the fact that she was stuck in the 18th century, surrounded by warring werewolves. Tristan found her by the communal fire, poking the embers aimlessly. "You're not going to be able to sleep, are you?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"Able to? No. Should I?"

"Probably." He chuckled. "You're strange in a good way."

"Thanks, I guess." They sat in silence for a moment, watching the fire dance. "Can I ask you a question?" Blair finally said.

"Sure. Why does everyone here act like humans are aliens? I mean, do you do you never interact with humans?"

Tristan grew serious. "Not anymore. We used to a long time ago, but things changed. There were incidents."

"What kind of incidents?"

"The kind that involves hunters, bonfires, and a lot of fear. Humans are afraid of what they don't understand. And when humans are afraid, they destroy." Blair swallowed hard. "But not all humans are like that."

"We know. But it's hard to trust when you've lost so many." He poked the fire with a stick. "Cassian lost more than most. His parents were killed by hunters when he was 15. He saw it."

"God. Yeah. So, when he acts like an overprotective jerk, it's because he's seen what happens when we let our guard down." Blair stared at the fire, processing. Suddenly, the way Cassian had treated her made more sense.

"That's heavy," she murmured. "Welcome to our world."

A sound cut through the night. Footsteps. Many of them. Tristan stood up immediately, tense. And then they appeared. Wolves emerging from the darkness of the forest. Returning to the camp. Blair looked for one in particular, the big black wolf with golden eyes. He was there in front. But something was wrong. He was limping.

Blair stood up before she even thought, her feet carrying her towards him. "Blair, wait." Tristan tried to hold her back, but she was already running. Cassian shifted back as she approached, and Blair stopped abruptly. He was covered in blood. He had deep cuts on his chest and arms and a nasty gash on his side that was clearly from claws.

"You're bleeding," she said stupidly.

"I noticed," Cassian replied, his voice strained with pain.

"You need help."

"I heal fast."

"That's not fast enough." Blair didn't know where the anger came from or the concern, but it was there burning in her chest. Cassian looked at her with those golden eyes and there was something different in them now. Surprise. Maybe. "Why do you care?" he asked softly.

Blair opened her mouth, closed it. "I I don't know, but someone needs to take care of you because you clearly don't take care of yourself."

Tristan appeared beside them holding something that looked like a first aid kit. "She's right. You look like crap."

"Thanks, Tristan. Very helpful."

"That's what I'm here for." Tristan looked at Blair. "Help me get him to the hut."

Cassian protested, but he was losing blood. And even with his accelerated healing, he was clearly weakened. Blair slung his arm over her shoulders, ignoring the way her stomach churned as she felt the warm blood against her skin. Inside the hut, they got Cassian seated in the chair. Tristan began to clean the wounds with water and something that smelled of herbs. Blair stood there, not knowing what to do with her hands.

"You can pass that," Tristan said, pointing to a vial with a strange liquid. Blair picked it up and handed it to him. Her fingers brushed Cassian's as he reached for the vial at the same time. The touch was electric. Both recoiled quickly as if they had been burned. Tristan looked between the two, a smirk forming. "Interesting."

"It's nothing," Cassian said quickly.

"Definitely nothing," Blair agreed too quickly.

"Sure, nothing." Tristan was clearly enjoying himself. "Well, now that we're done here, I'll leave you two to talk."

"Tristan," Cassian began, but Tristan was already leaving. "Good night," he called cheerfully from the doorway. And then they were alone. The silence stretched heavy and filled with something Blair couldn't name. Cassian finally said, "You didn't have to do that."

"Do what? Worry. Help me." Blair crossed her arms. "Well, sorry for having a modicum of human decency."

"I wasn't complaining." He looked at her and there was something vulnerable in his eyes now. The hard facade was cracking. "To humans caring. I know." He paused. "You proved that to me today."

They looked at each other for a long moment. And in that silence, something shifted. Blair didn't know what it was, but she felt it. And by the way, Cassian's eyes softened, he felt it, too. "You should rest," she said softly.

"You, too." Blair nodded and turned to leave. But before she stepped out, she stopped at the door. "Cassian, yes. Don't die. It would be really inconvenient."

I could hear the smile in his voice when he replied, "I'll try." And as Blair walked back to her hut, she realized she was smiling, too.

Blair woke up to the sound of voices outside her hut. Many voices and laughing. She got out of bed, still wearing the same clothes from the day before, jeans and a top that were now dirty and torn, and opened the door. Outside there was a group of children. Werewolf children she assumed, though at that moment they looked like normal children, curious and boisterous. The oldest, a girl of perhaps 10 with brown hair in uneven braids, stepped forward.

"Is it true you came from another world?" Blair blinked, still processing being awake. "Who said that?"

"Everyone's talking about it. Tristan said you appeared out of nowhere in strange clothes." Blair looked down at her jeans. Right. Jeans were probably pretty strange in 1723.

"What are your clothes made of?" Another child asked, touching the fabric with fascination. "It's soft," another said. "And blue. I've never seen blue fabric like that." Blair found herself surrounded by curious little werewolves, all asking questions at once. It was chaotic and adorable and utterly overwhelming.

"Okay, okay," she raised her hands. "One at a time." The oldest girl shushed the others. "I'm Muriel," she said with an authority that didn't match her age. "And these are children of the pack. Most of us have never seen a human up close before."

"Great, no pressure," Blair muttered. "Did you really come from another world?" Muriel asked, her amber eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Blair hesitated. "Sort of. I come from very far away and from a long time ahead." The children looked at her confused. "How far ahead?" a small boy asked.

"300 years." There was a moment of silence. Then the children burst into laughter. "300 years?" a girl giggled. "That's impossible. Nobody lives that long." Another agreed. "Unless you're a witch," the small boy said with wide eyes.

"I'm not a witch," Blair said quickly. "I time-traveled. It's different." The children clearly didn't believe her, but they seemed fascinated by the story nonetheless.

"Prove it," Muriel said, crossing her arms. "Prove what?"

"That you're from the future. Show us something from the future." Blair looked around at the expectant little faces. Great. No pressure indeed. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. It was dead, obviously, but it was still something they would never have seen. The children crowded around as she held it up.

"What is that?" Muriel whispered reverently.

"It's a phone. Where I come from, we use these to talk to people who are far away."

"How does it work?"

"Well, normally you call and..." Blair stopped. How would she explain technology to 18th century people? "It's complicated, but there's something better I can show you." She turned on the phone. There was still a little battery left, maybe 2%. Enough time. The screen lit up. The children shrieked and jumped back.

"It's magic!" the small boy yelled.

"It's not magic. It's technology," Blair said. But then realized that to them it was basically the same thing. She opened the photo gallery before the battery died. There was a photo of her and Jessica at high school graduation, both smiling. The children cautiously approached again, mesmerized. "Are are those people inside the box?" Muriel whispered.

"It's an image, a photograph. It captures a moment in time."

"Like painting sort of, but instant. That's amazing," Muriel breathed, her fingers almost touching the screen. Blair scrolled through a few more photos, one of the city, cars, buildings. Each image elicited new sounds of wonder and awe. And then the battery died.

"No!" the children groaned in unison. "Sorry, there's no way to recharge it here." But the damage was done. The children now looked at her not with fear but with something close to adoration. "You are from the future," Muriel said with conviction. And then she ran. All the children ran, yelling to anyone who would listen about the human from the future and her magic box. So much for keeping a low profile.

News sped through the camp like wildfire. Blair was walking towards the communal bonfire when she noticed everyone stopping to look at her. Some with curiosity, others with suspicion, but no one with outright hostility. Progress, she supposed. Tristan found her near the kitchen where an older woman was preparing something that smelled surprisingly good.

"So," he said with a wide grin, "I hear you caused quite a stir with the kids."

"I didn't mean to."

"Relax. It's a good thing the kids adore you now. And if the kids adore you, the mothers trust you. Basic pack politics." Blair hadn't thought of that. "That's strategic. You're learning." Tristan clapped her on the back. "Now come on. There's someone I want you to meet."

He led her to the older woman in the kitchen. She had gray hair pulled back in a loose bun and kind eyes that crinkled at the corners. "Blair, this is Dalia. She's basically everyone's grandmother here." Dalia looked Blair up and down with an appraising but not hostile expression. "So, you're the human."

"Looks like it. The children won't stop talking about you. They say you showed them magic inside a box." Blair chuckled humorlessly. "It's not magic. It's It's complicated."

"Everything is complicated when you don't understand it," Dalia said wisely. Then she smiled. "Do you know how to cook, girl?" Blair blinked at the abrupt change of subject.

"I I do. I mean, nothing fancy, but I can manage."

"Good. I'm making lunch for the pack and could use the extra help, especially if you brought knowledge from the future." She said the last part with a touch of humor, as if she didn't entirely believe it, but was willing to play along. Blair looked at the fire and the pots. An idea began to form in her mind. "Actually, there is one thing I could make from my time. People love it."

Dalia raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

An hour later, Blair was in what could be generously called the communal kitchen, surrounded by ingredients she had to work with. Flour, eggs, milk, which Dalia assured her was fresh, sugar, a rare luxury Dalia had said, and something that resembled vanilla. Pancakes. She was going to make pancakes. Simple, familiar, and she hoped universal enough to impress 18th century people.

"So, you mix everything like this?" Muriel asked. The girl had refused to leave Blair's side since she started. "Exactly. Not too much or it gets heavy." Several other people had gathered to watch, including Blair noticed with a strange flutter in her stomach, Cassian. He was leaning against a nearby tree, arms crossed, watching with that silent intensity that seemed to be his trademark. His injuries from the night before were already visibly better. Blair tried to ignore the way her heart sped up when their eyes met. Focus pancakes. You can make pancakes. She poured the batter onto a hot griddle over the fire, watching the bubbles form.

"Now you flip it," she explained using an improvised spatula. The pancake flipped perfectly, golden and fluffy. There was an appreciative murmur from the small crowd that had formed. "It's like flatbread," someone said. "But fluffier," another added. Blair made several pancakes, stacking them on a plate. Dalia had found something like honey, and Blair poured it generously over them.

"Ready," she announced. "Who wants to try?" Muriel was first, obviously. She took a piece, chewed, and her eyes widened. "It's sweet," she said reverently. "And soft," and she took another piece, then another. "Why is it so good?" That opened the floodgates. Suddenly, everyone wanted to try. Children, adults, even some of the more serious warriors came to taste, and everyone everyone loved it.

"Is this from the future?" a middle-aged man asked, his mouth still full. "Yes, where I come from, we eat this for breakfast."

"You eat this everyday?" Muriel asked, horrified by the luxury.

"Well, not every day, but the future sounds amazing," a young woman. Blair felt something tighten in her chest. Because yes, there were amazing things in her time, but there were also things she took for granted, things these people would never have. She looked around at the happy faces, at the laughing children, at the way even the most serious adults smiled, and she felt homesick.

"Blair?" she turned. Cassian had approached, holding a plate of pancakes. "May I?" he asked, indicating a space beside her, away from the crowd. "Of course." They moved away to a quieter area. Cassian ate in silence for a moment and Blair couldn't read his expression. So she finally asked, "Verdict."

"It's good," he admitted. "Different but good."

"High praise coming from you." He gave a small smile. "You made an impact. People are talking."

"Hopefully in a good way."

"More curiosity than suspicion now. It's a start." He paused. "You really are from the future." It wasn't a question. Blair looked at him. "You believe me?"

"I do." Their eyes met and there was something there. Something unsaid but felt.

"Cassian." Mave's voice cut through the moment. She was approaching. Her expression serious. "We need to talk. It's about the shadow blood."

Cassian sighed and stood up. "I'll go to your hut later."

"You don't have to."

"I want to." He held her gaze for another moment and then he left, leaving Blair with her heart beating faster than it should have.

Blair spent the rest of the day trying not to think about Cassian, which was difficult considering everyone in the camp seemed to want to talk to her now. The transformation was surreal. In the morning, she was the strange human everyone avoided. Now in the afternoon, she had children asking to see the magic box again. She had to explain it was out of battery at least 10 times. Women asking if she could teach them more recipes from the future, and even some of the warriors nodding to her with cautious respect.

"You're like a celebrity now," Tristan said, appearing beside her as she watched the sunset from her hut porch.

"This is bizarre."

"Welcome to Pack Life. You do something impressive once and suddenly everyone has an opinion about you." He sat beside her. "But seriously, what you did today was smart. Win over the kids first, then everyone's stomachs. Classic strategy."

"I just wanted to make pancakes," Blair mumbled.

Tristan chuckled. "Sure. And Cassian just wanted a private conversation with you." Blair felt her face heat up. "It was nothing."

"Uh-huh. That's why he kept staring at you for the last 20 minutes of the meeting with Mave. Totally nothing."

"He was What? Oh, you didn't know?" Tristan grinned mischievously. "Yeah. Mave was visibly annoyed. It was hilarious."

Blair frowned. "Is there something going on between them?"

"Cassian and Mave. There was once. A long time ago. They were betrothed when they were young. It's a pack thing, uniting powerful families. But after Cassian's parents died, he broke off the engagement. Said he wasn't going to marry out of obligation. And Mave, she was furious, humiliated, but she's an elite warrior, so she swallowed her pride and stayed with the pack. They keep things professional now, more or less."

Blair processed this. The way Mave had touched Cassian, she still has feelings for him. "Probably, but Cassian." Tristan hesitated. "Cassian closed himself off after losing his parents. He doesn't let anyone in. Not that way."

"Until now," a voice said behind them. Blair turned and saw Dalia approaching, carrying a basket of what looked like fresh bread. "Sorry for listening in," the older woman said, not looking at all apologetic. "But hut walls are thin and my hearing is still good." She handed the basket to Blair. "For you, payment for the pancakes. You didn't have to take it, child."

"Where I come from, refusing gifts is rude." Blair took the basket, the warm scent of bread making her stomach rumble. "Thank you." Dalia sat on her other side, her old wise eyes studying Blair's face. "You did something today that no one has managed in years."

"I made pancakes."

"You made people smile. Truly smile. I haven't seen that since before the last war." She paused. "And you made Cassian look at someone as if they were something more than a duty or responsibility." Blair swallowed hard. "I I didn't..."

"Don't deny it, dear. These old eyes see." Dalia smiled gently. "But be careful. Cassian carries a lot of weight, and hearts that carry weight don't open easily."

"I'm not trying to open anything," Blair protested weakly.

Dalia and Tristan exchanged a look. "Of course not," Tristan said. But he was smiling.

Before Blair could respond, there was commotion at the camp entrance. Loud voices, some angry. Tristan stood up immediately. "Stay here." But Blair, "Stay." He ran towards the noise. Dalia following him with surprising speed for someone her age. Blair being Blair waited exactly 30 seconds before following them.

There was a group gathered near the camp entrance. Cassian was at the center, his posture rigid, facing three strangers. No, they weren't strangers. They were werewolves. Blair could sense it just as she could now sense the difference between pack members and normal people. There was something in the air around them, something wild and dangerous. But these were different from the Black Moon wolves. Their eyes were a deep red instead of gold, and there was something darker about their energy.

"You have courage coming here, Darius," Cassian said, his voice low and dangerous.

"I came in peace, Cassian. Just to talk."

"You attacked my territory last night. That's not peace."

"That was a test," Darius tilted his head. "And you passed as always." His eyes swept across the camp and then landed on Blair. She felt a shiver run down her spine. "Interesting," Darius murmured, taking a step toward her. Cassian moved, blocking his path. "She's not your concern."

"A human here. That's very much my concern, especially one who apparently performs magic inside boxes and conjures food from the sky." Blair felt her heart race. How did he know that?

"We have our sources," Darius said as if he could read her thoughts. "Words travel fast in these lands, little human."

"Don't speak to her," Cassian growled. And for the first time, Blair heard something truly animal in his voice. Darius raised his hands in feigned surrender. "Peace, Cassian, I just came to make an offer."

"I want nothing you have to offer."

"Not even information about the Veil Stone?" The entire camp fell silent. Blair stepped forward before she could stop herself. "You know about the stone?"

Cassian looked at her with a warning in his eyes, but it was too late. Darius smiled, and it was a terrible smile. "Ah, so it's true. You came through it."

"How do you know that?" Blair demanded.

"Because my pack guards the ancient records, the stories other packs have forgotten." "The Veil Stone isn't just a time-traveling tool, little human. It's a bridge between worlds, and it only works when activated by someone with blood from both worlds." Blair blinked. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Darius said slowly, "that you are not entirely human." The world seemed to tilt beneath Blair's feet. "That's impossible," she whispered. "Then how did you activate the stone?" He tilted his head. Blair thought about it. He was right.

"You're lying," Cassian said. But there was uncertainty in his voice.

"Am I?" Darius looked at him. "Test her. Use your alpha sense. See if I'm wrong." Cassian hesitated, then slowly turned to Blair. "May I?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sense your energy? It won't hurt." Blair nodded, not trusting her voice. Cassian placed his hand over her heart, his eyes closing. The entire camp watched in silence. After a long moment, Cassian's eyes opened, and in them was shock. "He's right," Cassian whispered. "There's something in you, something ancient, dormant, but it's there."

Blair felt as if the ground had been pulled out from under her feet. "And no, no, that doesn't make sense. My mother is human. My father is human. I'm..."

"Do you think you know your full lineage?" Darius asked softly. "How many generations back can you trace?"

"Four, five."

"Magic can sleep for generations, waiting for the right conditions to awaken." Blair was trembling now. "I don't want this. I didn't ask for this."

"None of us asked for what we are," Darius said. Cassian placed a hand on Blair's shoulder, a surprisingly gentle gesture. "Enough. You've delivered your information. Now go." Darius smiled. "So protective. How sweet." He turned to leave, but paused. "One last thing, little human. If you want to learn more about what you are, about the stone, about how to get home, you know where to find me."

"She won't seek you out," Cassian said firmly.

"Won't she?" Darius looked at Blair. "We'll see." And then he left, his two companions following them into the shadows. The camp remained silent for a long moment after their departure. Cassian looked at Dalia. "Bring the ancient records. Anything about mixed lineages?" Dalia nodded and hurried away. Blair looked at him and saw something in his eyes she hadn't seen before. Concern. Real and deep.

Later that night, Blair sat in her hut, her mind racing. There was a knock on the door. "Come in," she called, expecting Cassian. But it was Muriel who entered, holding something wrapped in cloth. "Hi," the girl said shily. "I I brought this for you." She handed her the package. Inside was a dress. It was simple, made of a soft fabric in forest green hues, but it was clearly well-made.

"My mother made it," Muriel explained. "She said you can't keep wearing torn clothes and..." she hesitated. "I wanted you to know that it doesn't matter what that scary man said. You're still our special human and we like you." Blair felt tears pricking her eyes. "Thank you, Muriel." The girl smiled. "Will you teach us more things from the future?"

"Of course."

"Good." Muriel ran to the door, but stopped. "You know, the alpha never lets anyone touch him, but he touched you today. That means something." And then she left, leaving Blair alone with her confused thoughts and a dress that smelled of lavender. Blair held the dress against her chest and finally let the tears fall because she didn't know who she was anymore. She didn't know where she belonged or if she

Would ever go home. Blair woke up to the sound of thunder. Except it wasn't thunder. It was the sound of something enormous crashing through the forest, trees breaking, and then a roar that made her windows vibrate. She jumped out of bed, putting on the dress Mural had brought the night before. Her future clothes were drying after she finally washed them, and ran outside.

The camp was in chaos again, but this time it was different. It wasn't the organized chaos of when they went out to fight. It was panic. "What's happening?" Blair yelled at someone. "Anyone!" A young woman ran past carrying two small children. "Goll! An ancient golem!" Blair froze. "A what?"

A boom sounded closer this time, and then she saw it. At the edge of the camp, destroying trees as if they were twigs, stood a creature made of living stone, moss, and fragments of ancient metal. Every movement made the ground vibrate. Its eyes. Incandescent slits of blue light burned like cold embers, and archaic symbols glowed on its cracked body, and it was furious.

Cassian's voice echoed through the camp. Tristan and Mave were by his side along with at least a dozen other wolves, all in a defensive formation. The golem raised a fist the size of a tree trunk and brought it down with force. The impact shaking the ground. What followed was absolute chaos. Wolves attacking from all sides. The golem retaliating with devastating blows that sent shards of stone and sparks flying through the air. The sound was deafening. Metal against claws, magic against brute force. Blair stood paralyzed, watching in horror as Cassian narrowly dodged a blow that would have crushed his head.

"Blair. Dalia appeared, grabbing her arm. Inside now. But they they know what they're doing. Come on." Dalia pulled her toward the larger hut, the meeting hall. Inside there were other people who couldn't fight. elders, children, some injured from the previous night's battle. Mural was there, her eyes wide with fear. When she saw Blair, she ran and clutched her waist. "It's okay," Blair said automatically, running her hand through her girl's hair. "It's going to be okay." But she didn't know that.

Outside, the sounds of battle continued. growls, crashes, the horrible sound of stone crushing wood. "Why did the golem attack?" Blair asked Dalia. The older woman looked grave. "Ancient golems are ancient guardians. They don't move without purpose. Something must have disturbed their rest." Or, she hesitated. "Or or someone purposely woke it." Blair thought of Darius and his visit. "Do you think?"

A loud crash cut off her words. One of the hut walls trembled. "He's too close," someone whispered. Blair looked around at the frightened faces. Children crying, mothers trying to comfort them, elders muttering prayers, and something inside her broke. Before she could think twice, Blair was already running for the door. "Blair! No!" Dalia yelled, but she was already outside.

The scene was worse than she had imagined. The ground was cracked, the air filled with dust and vibrant energy. Several wolves were injured. Mave had an open wound on her flank. Tristan was limping and Casian. Casian was directly facing the golem, trying to keep it away from the rest of the camp, but he was tiring. Blair could see it in his movements. Slower, heavier. The Gollum seemed to notice, too. The blue light in its eyes flared intensely, and it raised its arm to deliver the final blow. "No!" Blair screamed.

And then something impossible happened. She felt something inside her break and explode like a wave. The air around her began to vibrate and shimmer with a golden glow. Everyone stopped, even the Gollum. The creature slowly lowered its arm and turned its colossal head towards Blair. The blue glow of its eyes met the gold emanating from her. And for an instant, the world seemed to stop. "Blair, get out of there!" Caseian yelled, shifting back to human form and running towards her.

But Blair didn't move. Something inside her, the same dormant force Darius had mentioned, told her to stay. The Gullum approached with heavy steps that made the ground tremble. Its runes began to pulse, reacting to her presence. Slowly, trembling, Blair held out her hand. "Please," she whispered. "Stop! They are not your enemies!"

The Gollum stood motionless for a long moment. Then slowly it lowered its colossal head to her hand. The touch was cold and pulsating like ancient energy in motion. The golden light around Blair pulsed once intensely and then faded. The golem let out a low, almost melancholy sound, an echo that seemed to come from the depths of the earth, and then turned, lumbering heavily back into the forest, leaving destruction, but no further harm.

Blair stood still, her hand still suspended, trying to understand what had just happened. Then her legs gave way. Caseian caught her before she fell. "What did you do?" he whispered, his golden eyes wide. "I I don't know."

Absolute silence. Everyone was looking at her. It was Mural who broke the silence, her voice trembling with awe. "She glowed. Did you see? She glowed like the moon." "Magic," someone whispered. "She calmed an ancient gullum," another said reverently. "Impossible," Mave murmured, her green eyes wide. Tristan let out a low whistle. "Okay, that was officially the most insane thing I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of insane things."

Dalia approached, watching Blair intently. "The girl has power. True power." She looked at Cassian. "Darius was right. She's not just human."

The following hours were a blur of activity. The injured were treated. The destruction was cleaned up. And Blair was brought back to Cassian's cabin where Dalia and several others had gathered. "Explain exactly what you felt," Dalia instructed as she brewed some kind of herbal tea. Blair tried to find the words. "It was like like there was something dormant inside me and it suddenly woke up. It was hot, but not in a bad way. And it felt ancient, like it had been there forever, just waiting."

Dalia exchanged glances with Cassian. "Lineage awakening." "What does that mean?" Blair asked. "It means," Cassian explained, sitting down beside her, "that what Darius said was true. You have supernatural creature blood in you. It was dormant, but being brought to this time, a time where magic is stronger, more present, awakened it."

"But my parents likely never knew," Dalia interrupted gently. "Magic can skip generations, decades, centuries even. Your parents may be completely human, but somewhere in your lineage, there was someone like us." Blair felt dizzy. "So what? I'm part werewolf now."

"Not necessarily," Dalia said. "There are many magical creatures. Wolves, bears, felines, even older creatures that no longer have names. Until we find out more, we won't know your exact lineage."

"But the golden glow," Tristan said, appearing in the doorway with fresh bandages around his leg. "I've seen that before in the old records. It's related to the guardians." "Guardians," Blair repeated. "Ancient beings who could calm even the fiercest creatures. They were like mediators between different magical species. They kept the peace. But the lineage died out centuries ago, or at least we thought it had. Until now," Cassian said softly, looking at Blair with an expression she couldn't decipher.

"Ancient balms don't leave their deep forests without reason. Something or someone drew it here. Darius," Cassian said, his voice darkening. "Likely, but why? He already knows about Blair. What does he gain by creating more chaos?" "Perhaps he wanted to test something, to see if she truly had power, to see how we would react. Or," Tristan added grimly, "to see if she would use that power. Because now that she has, now that everyone has seen, other packs will want to know about her." Cassian finished. "She's become a commodity."

"A commodity?" Blair felt a chill. "Guardians were valuable," Tristan explained, his tone pragmatic. "They could calm territorial disputes, prevent wars, even heal injuries that normal magic couldn't. If you truly are descended from them, every pack in these lands will want you on their side. Or they'll want to eliminate her," Cassian added softly, "so no one else can have her advantage."

The ensuing silence was heavy. "Great," Blair said, trying not to let her voice tremble. "I'm part magical creature. I have powers I can't control, and now I'm a target. Anything else good I should know?" Cassian placed his hand over hers. "You are under my protection. No one will touch you." "He's right. Tristan agreed. You're one of us now, officially."

Blair was in the kitchen when she heard the sound of shouting coming from the camp's entrance. They weren't shouts of fear or alarm. They were shouts of indignation. "I don't care if you're giant wolves or whatever. Get your furry paws off me right now or I swear I'll..." Blair froze. That voice. She knew that voice. Impossible.

Blair ran out of her cabin so fast she almost tripped over the dress Mural had given her, her heart pounding wildly. And then she saw her. Jessica, her roommate, her best friend, stood in the center of a dozen tense werewolves, her brown hair disheveled, makeup smudged, still wearing the same hot pink bomber jacket she'd had on at the museum. And wielding a stick like a sword. "Blair!" Jessica shrieked when their eyes met. "Blair, thank God. Tell these these dog men that I'm not food."

Blair was so shocked, all she could do was stand there gaping. "You know this human?" Cassianne asked, appearing at Blair's side. He was tense, ready to act, his eyes fixed on Jessica as if she were a threat. "I... Yes, she's she's my friend from my time." "Your time?" Jessica practically shrieked. "Blair, what the hell is going on? One minute I'm in my room, I touch that stupid souvenir and then bam, I'm in the middle of a forest surrounded by..." Wait. She paused, really looking around for the first time. "Why is everyone wearing Renaissance clothes? Is this some kind of themed camp?"

"Jessica, she began. And why?" She pointed dramatically at Cassian. "Is this ridiculously handsome man shirtless? Is that allowed? Are there rules?" Tristan let out a bark of laughter behind them. "I like her, Jessica."

She tried again, slowly approaching. "Breathe. I can explain." "You can explain. Jessica, you disappeared. I called the police, your parents, the entire campus. I thought you were dead. And then I touched that cursed necklace. And wait." She paused, really looking at Blair now. "Why are you wearing a medieval dress?"

"Because we time-traveled. This is 1723." She stared at her, blinked, looked around at the camp, at the werewolves, back at Blair. "No," she said firmly. "Yes. No. Yes, Jessica." "Blair, I love you, but have you gone crazy? Time travel isn't real. This is probably, I don't know, some weird psychological experiment or..." she stopped as one of the wolves behind her partially shifted his hand, claws extending. "Okay, what was that?" "Werewolves," Blair said simply. "They're werewolves." Jessica looked at the clawed hand, then at the wolf, then back at Blair, and then her eyes rolled back and she started to fall. Tristan caught her before she hit the ground, holding her easily with one arm. "Does she always faint like that?" he asked. "Only when she's overwhelmed," Blair sighed. "Which, to be fair, is pretty justified right now."

When Jessica woke up, she was lying on the bed in Blair's cabin with a damp cloth on her forehead. Blair was sitting beside her along with Dalia and, to Jessica's dismay, a full circle of unfamiliar faces staring at her curiously. "Please tell me it was a dream," Jessica mumbled. "It wasn't a dream," Blair said gently.

Jessica sat up so fast the cloth flew off her face. "Werewolves! You brought me to a time full of werewolves." "Technically, you brought yourself. Details, Blair." Jessica looked around at the gathered faces. "Okay. Okay. Rational thought, deep breaths." She took exaggerated breaths. "Okay. Let's recap. When you disappeared, I was trying to figure out where you went. And then I bought that stupid souvenir, that necklace you were holding when you vanished. And then last night it started glowing for real, like a flashlight beam. I thought it was shorting out, but when I tried to put it away, the light got brighter. And..." She made a broad gesture with her hands. "Suddenly, I was here in the middle of the forest, surrounded by Hollywood-level werewolf cosplay."

Blair blinked, surprised. "Last night?" "Yeah. Why?" "Because that's exactly when when my power awakened. When I fought the golem, the stone reacted. Maybe what I did activated it across all times." Jessica's eyes widened. "So your magic awakening pulled me along." "I guess so." "Great." Jessica sighed theatrically. "First you discover superpowers. Now I'm like the unwanted bonus feature of the spell." "Hey, you're alive." "Don't complain. Alive, yes, but in 1723, surrounded by hot werewolves. That's too much information for my modern brain to process." Tristan, listening from the corner, mumbled with a grin. "She'll fit right in here."

"This is real. Werewolves are real. Time travel is real. I'm stuck in 1723 with my best friend who apparently now wears dresses and makes friends with..." She pointed at Cassian who was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. "...with GQ man over there." Tristan burst out laughing. "GQ man. I'm calling him that now." "His name is Cassian. He's the alpha of this pack." "Alpha? Of course. Obviously." Jessica shook her head. "And let me guess, you're like in love with him now because of course you are. This is exactly like those books you read." Blair felt her face flush. "I don't..." "You're blushing. Oh my god." Jessica pointed between Blair and Cassian. "You two? Seriously?"

"Can we focus?" Cassian began. "No. No, Mr. Sexy Alpha Werewolf man. We cannot focus because I came here with a mission." She turned to Blair. "I came to take you home."

The ensuing silence was heavy. "How?" Blair finally asked, her voice small. Jessica reached into her jacket pocket and pulled something out. The necklace. The veilstone glowed faintly in her hand. "I brought it with me when I came." She looked at Blair with pleading eyes. "Blair, you can take us back now. We can go home."

Blair felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath her feet. Home. She could go home. Back to her tiny apartment, her predictable life, where the biggest danger was forgetting an assignment. Back to where she belonged. "Blair?" Jessica asked, concerned, tinging her voice. "You want to go home, right?"

"I..." Blair looked around at Dalia, who had been so kind to her, at Tristan, who made her laugh. At Mural, who appeared in the doorway holding another child, her eyes wide with hope that Blair wouldn't leave. And Aacian, whose expression was carefully blank, but his eyes, his eyes were telling a different story. "I don't know," Blair whispered.

"You don't know?" Jessica practically shrieked. "Blair, this is 1723. There's no internet, no Netflix, no indoor plumbing, and there are werewolves." "Hey," Tristan protested. "Werewolves are great." "You don't have a face in this conversation, Mr. Werewolf Man." "It's Tristan." "I don't care." Jessica turned back to Blair. "Blair, please. Your parents are worried. I'm worried. You can't just stay here."

"Why not?" Blair heard herself asking. "Blair." Blair felt tears pricking. "Jess." Jessica continued, "I get it. I get it. And hey, if you want to stay here playing Hunger Games Werewolf Edition, that's your choice." She took a deep breath. "But I can't stop me from at least trying to convince you to return to civilization." "I won't stop you." "Good, because I'm very persuasive. Okay. Can someone give me a tour? Because if I'm going to be stuck here trying to convince my best friend to return to civilization, I need to know what I'm working with." Tristan stepped forward, a wide grin on his face. "I'd love to give you a tour." "You're annoyingly handsome, too. Is there something in the water here?" "Werewolf genetics." Tristan winked. "Of course it is." Jessica looked at Blair one last time. "We'll talk more." "Seriously, I know." And then Jessica was gone, swept away by Tristan, who was already chattering happily about the camp, leaving Blair alone with Caseian and a heavy silence.

"You want to go?" Caseian said after a long moment. "It wasn't a question." "I don't know what I want," Blair admitted. He moved closer, and there was something vulnerable in his eyes she'd never seen before. "If you had a choice, if you could freely choose without worries about what's right or safe or expected, what would you choose?"

Blair looked at him. At this man who had been cold and distant at first, but who had slowly opened up to her? "I would choose to stay," she whispered. Something sparked in his eyes. Hope. "But but I don't know if that's fair to Jessica, to my parents, to myself. How can I just abandon my entire life?" Cassian said gently. "You don't have to decide now. Your friend is here. You both have time to talk, to think," he hesitated. "But Blair, whatever you decide, I will we will respect it." And before she could answer, he left, leaving her alone with her jumbled thoughts and a heart that pulled in two opposite directions.

The next three days were a chaotic blend of comedy, drama, and escalating tension. Jessica, to her credit, truly tried to convince Blair to return, but her attempts were questionable. "Okay, point number 47," Jessica announced on the morning of the second day as Blair taught a group of children how to make origami out of leaves. "Starbucks, you love Starbucks. Caramel macchiato, extra caramel. You can't live without it." "I can learn to live without it," Blair replied, folding a leaf into a crane shape. "Heresy. Jessica dramatically placed her hand over her chest. The Blair I know would die without caffeine. The Blair, you know, would also die of existential boredom. But here I am teaching origami to werewolf children." "People change, Jess." My held up her leaf bird triumphantly. "Look, I made one." "Beautiful." Blair smiled. "That's witchcraft." "A little boy mumbled. You turned leaves into birds." "Witchcraft. Technically, it's Japanese art. But Blair, focus."

Tristan, who had become Jessica's unofficial tour guide, appeared carrying two steaming mugs. "Herbal tea. Not Starbucks, but Dollalia said it's good." Jessica took the mug, sniffed it, and grimaced. "It smells like grass because it has grass in it. I knew it." Despite the complaints, Blair noticed Jessica drank the tea anyway. And more importantly, she noticed the way Jessica's eyes followed Tristan when he walked away.

On the afternoon of the third day, something changed. Blair was in the communal kitchen with Dalia making more pancakes, which had become a constant demand, when Mave entered. She had been strangely absent since Jessica's arrival. "We need to talk," she said without preamble. "All of us." Blair exchanged a look with Dalia. "About what?" "About the fact that Darius is moving and fast. They're forming some kind of alliance." "Why?" Tristan asked, though his expression suggested he already knew the answer. "Because of her," Mave pointed at Blair. "Word about the Guardian has spread. Every pack in these lands knows now that there's someone with that power, and they want it for themselves."

Jessica raised her hand. "Excuse me. Guardian as in guardian of what?" "It's an ancient lineage. Beings who could mediate between different magical species, calm conflicts, even heal injuries that normal magic couldn't. We thought they were extinct. Until Blair showed up glowing and making giant gollms turn into puppies." "That did not happen," Blair mumbled. "Totally happened," Cassian said. And there was the ghost of a smile on his lips. Jessica looked between them all. "Okay, so let me get this straight. Blair has magical superpowers that make her super valuable and now entire packs of murderous werewolves want to get their hands on her." "Basically," Mave confirmed. "Great, perfect. All the more reason to leave." She pulled the necklace from her pocket, dangling it. "We have the magic stone. We can get out now."

"Jessica, Blair began. "No, Blair. This has gotten too dangerous. I get that you like it here. I really do. But your life is at risk." "My life was at risk the second I got here. That hasn't changed anything." "It's changed everything. She's right," Cassian said softly, looking at Blair. "You should go while you still can before Darius makes his move."

Blair felt as if she'd been punched in the gut. "You You want me to go?" "I want you to be safe." There was pain in his eyes. "And you're not safe here. Not anymore." Blair stood up, frustration overflowing. "You said you'd protect me, and I will. But Blair," he ran a hand over his face. "It won't be enough. Not against United Ps. Not when everyone wants what you are." "So what?" Blair's voice broke. "I just run away, go back to my boring life, and pretend none of this happened." "You survive," Cassian said firmly. "That's what matters." "I care!" Blair yelled, and the air around her began to glow again, that golden light pulsing. "I care about this place, about these people, about you, and you're just sending me away."

The glow intensified, making everyone take a step back except Cassian. He took a step forward and gripped Blair's shoulders. "Hey," he said softly. "Breathe." Blair took a breath, focusing on his hands, on his eyes. Slowly, the light subsided. "It's getting stronger," Dalia observed. "Her power. The longer she stays, the more emotional she gets, the stronger it becomes, which means more people will feel it," Mave added grimly. "It's like a beacon calling everyone who wants to use that power." Jessica held Blair's arm. "Please, let's go home. Please."

Blair looked at her at her best friend with tears streaming down her face. Then she looked at Cassian, who was clearly holding himself back from begging her to stay. And then she looked at Dalia, whose old wise eyes were thoughtful. "Is there another way?" Blair asked the older woman. "Some way for me to stay without putting everyone in danger." Dalia was quiet for a long moment, perhaps. Everyone turned to her. "The veil stone is not just a tool for time travel. According to the ancient texts, it can create bridges, links between different times. If Blair could learn to control it, to control her own power, she could travel between both times." Tristan finished, his eyes widening. "Go back and forth whenever she wanted." "But that requires immense control and training. The kind of training that takes weeks, perhaps months." "Time we don't have," Mave said grimly. "Darius will attack within days."

"Then we need to buy time," Cassium said, his voice taking on that alpha commanding tone. "Make Darius think she's gone." "How?" Jessica asked. A slow smile spread across Tristan's face. "With a ruse, a very good one." The plan was risky, possibly insane, but it was all they had. Jessica would publicly take Blair back, using the Veilstone in a ceremony that the entire pack would witness. They would make it seem as though Blair had left, that she was back in her own time and out of reach. But in truth, Blair would hide in the deep caves beneath the pack's territory, where the magical signal of the stone was blocked by ancient rock. And there Dalia would train her, teach her to control her power, to understand the stone, and to create the bridge between times.

"How long will it take?" Blair asked. "At least a month," Dalia said. "Perhaps longer." "A month here," Jessica said slowly. "But in our time, time flows differently between eras. Days here could be just days there or weeks." Jessica looked at Blair. "You're actually doing this, risking everything to learn werewolf magic so you can what?" "I don't..." Blair began, but stopped when she saw Jessica's expression. Her friend was trying to joke, but there was real fear in her eyes. "Jess, come with me. Stay with me while I train." "I can't stay. My parents will." "Days in our time, remember? You can stay. You can support me." And Blair looked at Tristan, who was clearly trying not to look too hopeful. "Maybe find out if werewolves are really that bad after all." Jessica followed her gaze, saw Tristan, and blushed. "I I don't..." "Jessica." Tristan stepped forward. "Stay, please. I promise to make it worth your while." "That sounds vague and potentially inappropriate. I have jokes. So many jokes and stories. And I can show you the parts of the forest that glow at night. Parts that glow." Jessica hesitated. "Magical flowers. Absolutely beautiful." Jessica looked at Blair, then at Tristan, then back at Blair. "I'm actually considering this. I've gone crazy." "Welcome to the club." Blair smiled. "Okay." Jessica took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll stay. But if I get eaten by a magical creature, I'm going to haunt you." "Fair enough."

Cassian cleared his throat. "Then it's decided. We prepare the ruse for tomorrow at dawn. That gives us tonight to prepare." He looked at Blair and there was something intense in his gaze. "May I speak with you?" Blair nodded, following him out of the cabin. They walked in silence to the edge of the camp where the forest began and the stars were visible through the tree canopy.

"A month," Cassian finally said. "Or more," Blair added softly. "In the caves. No proper sunlight, no open space." He turned to her. "You hate small spaces." "How do you know that?" "I pay attention." He touched her face. "You always stay near doors. Always choose outside when given an option. And you always breathe a little deeper when you're in open spaces." Blair felt her heart clench. "You really do pay attention to you always." He hesitated. "Blair, you don't have to do this. You can go back. Live your life. Be safe." "But I wouldn't be happy." Cassian looked at her for a long moment. Then slowly he smiled. "You are the most stubborn person I have ever met." "Thank you. And the bravest." "Is that a compliment, too?" "The greatest I can give." He pulled her close, resting his forehead against hers. "When you return, when you can control your power and can travel between times." "Yes." "I want to be there when you decide where you want to stay permanently." Blair swallowed hard. "What if I choose both?" "Part of the time here, part there." "Then I will count every second you are here and hate every second you are not." He smiled sadly. "But I will accept it because having you in any way is better than not having you at all."

Cassian. He kissed her. It was soft and desperate at the same time as if he were trying to memorize every detail, every sensation. When they parted, both were breathless. "Train hard," he murmured. "Learn fast and come back to me. I promise." And as they stood there under the stars, Blair knew that no matter how long it took, no matter how difficult the road ahead, she would find a way to have both worlds. Because for the first time in her life, she had something worth fighting for.

Dawn came too quickly. The entire camp gathered in the central clearing, the air heavy with anticipation and something that looked suspiciously like sadness. Blair wore her original clothes, the jeans and top that now felt strange after days of wearing the dress to make the ruse more convincing. Jessica was by her side. "Are you ready?" Jessica whispered. "No," Blair admitted. "But we're doing it anyway."

Cassian stepped forward, his expression carefully neutral, but Blair could see the tension in his shoulders, in the way his eyes kept coming back to her. "Members of the pack," his voice echoed through the clearing. "Today we bid farewell to Blair. She will return to her time, to her home. It is it is safest for her." There were murmurss throughout the camp. Some people seemed relieved. A troublesome human leaving meant fewer complications, but more people seemed genuinely sad. Mural broke from the crowd, running up to Blair and clutching her in a tight hug. "You can't go. You haven't taught me more things from the future yet." Blair knelt, holding the girl's shoulders. "You've taught you enough. And you?" She had to choose her words carefully, aware that people from other packs might be watching from afar. "You'll always have the memories, right?" Mural sniffled but nodded. "I'll make pancakes and think of you." "Perfect."

Other people came closer. Dileia hugged her tightly, whispering, "Be strong," in her ear. Tristan gave her a pat on the back and a sad smile. And then it was Cassian's turn. He stood in front of her. And for a moment, neither of them spoke. There was too much to say, but they couldn't say it here. Not now. Not with everyone watching. "Thank you," Blair finally said, keeping her voice formal. "For your protection, for for everything." "It was an honor," Cassian said. And his words were correct, appropriate, but his eyes his eyes wanted to say something else. Blair swallowed her tears. "Take care, Alpha." "And you, Traveler." Blair cleared her throat. "Okay, let's do this before I start crying." Blair took Jessica's hand, and together they held the stone, which began to glow in response to their touch. "Think of the place you wish to go," Dalia instructed, loud enough for everyone to hear. The glow intensified. Blair was actually doing it, activating the stone's power enough to create an impressive light show. The air around them began to ripple like heat rising from asphalt. "It's working," someone whispered. The light became blinding and then explosion. Not literal, but a wave of energy that made everyone close their eyes. When they opened them again, Blair and Jessica had vanished.

In the deep caves beneath the pack's territory, Blair and Jessica appeared in a chamber lit by glowing crystals. "It worked!" Blair gasped, looking around. "My god, it really worked." two other older pack members who had been informed of the plan and were waiting for them. "Welcome to your new temporary home." Blair looked around. The cave was surprisingly beautiful. The crystals provided soft, constant light. An underground stream ran along one wall, and someone had set up cozy sleeping areas with furs and blankets. "It's not so bad," Jessica admitted. "Like it's still a cave, but it's a fancy cave."

"You will spend most of your time in training, learning to feel your energy, control it, direct it. The veil stone responds to intention and power. If you can master both, you can use it to travel at will." "What about me?" Jessica asked. "You," Tristan, appeared from a side passage carrying supplies, "will help me keep both of you fed and sane, and perhaps," he grinned, "learn a few things about our culture in the process." Jessica blushed, "That better include those glowing flowers you mentioned." "Tonight, I promise." Blair watched the exchange, a smile tugging at her lips despite everything. At least Jessica would have something, someone to make this more bearable. "All right," Dalia arrived and clapped her hands. "Let's begin. Blair, sit down. We'll start with basic meditation." "Meditation? Seriously?" "How else do you think you're going to learn to control ancient power?" Dalia raised her eyebrow. Jessica laughed. "She has a point."

And so began the strangest, most difficult, and most transformative days of Blair's life. A few weeks later, Blair sat in the center of the training chamber, the Veilstone floating in front of her, glowing with constant golden light. She wasn't touching it. She didn't need to anymore. "Good," Dalia said, watching from where she stood. "Now maintaining that control, try to visualize the path. Not just the time, but the space. Where do you want to be?"

Blair closed her eyes. In her mind, she could see two places. Her and Jessica's apartment. Small, messy, smelling of coffee and scented candles. Safe, familiar, home. And the camp. Cassian's cabin with maps spread across the table. The communal campfire where laughter echoed the space between the trees where she and Cassian stood under the stars. Also home. "I can see both," Blair whispered clearly. "Then you are ready," Dalia said softly. "Ready to create the bridge to make your choice or in this case your choices." Dalia smiled. "You don't have to choose one, child. You can have both."

Jessica appeared in the entrance looking different from a few weeks ago. Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid. She wore pack clothing now, and there was a confidence about her that hadn't been there before. "Hey, Tristan told me. Are you really ready?" "I think so." "She is," Dalia confirmed. "Her control is exceptional, and the stone responds to her as if it recognized its own master." "So, what now?" Blair asked. "Now," Dalia said, "you test. You try to travel forward first, back to your time. See if you can arrive exactly when you want, then come back here." "If it works, I can go back and forth whenever I want," Blair finished, barely daring to believe it.

"But Blair," Dalia warned, "Even with perfect control. Frequent travel comes at a cost. Each journey drains you. You will need rest time between travels, days, perhaps weeks." "How long in total?" Jessica asked. "If she travels weekly, perhaps 5-10 years before it starts to cause permanent damage." "10 years," Blair thought. That was more than she could have hoped for. "I want to try," Blair said.

Now they gathered in the main chamber. Blair held the veil stone, Jessica beside her. "Think of your home," Dalia instructed. "Let the stone take you there." Blair took a deep breath, closed her eyes, visualized. The stone grew warm in her hand, then began to vibrate. The air rippled, and then she was standing in her apartment living room. Jessica gasped beside her. "It worked. Holy crap. It really worked." Blair looked around. Everything was exactly as they'd left it. "What day is it?" Blair asked, picking up her phone. It had battery now. They were back in the right time. "October 15th, 2025," Jessica read from the screen. "Which means a month there was basically a day here," Jessica finished, amazed. "It's perfect. We can go to classes tomorrow and no one will even notice we left." Blair felt tears of relief. She could have both. She really could.

"Are you going back to them?" Jessica asked softly eventually. "But first," Blair looked at her friend. "We have lives here, too. We can't just ignore that." "So, what's the plan?" Blair thought about it. "We live here during the week. School, normality, all that stuff. But weekends? Weekends we go to 1723 and live with hot werewolves." Jessica finished with a grin. "I have to admit, as insane plans go, this isn't the worst." "You'll come with me on weekends." Jessica looked at her, then at the stone still glowing faintly in Blair's hand. "Will Tristan be there?" "Probably." "Then yes, obviously yes." Jessica hugged Blair.

Two days later, Blair and Jessica appeared in the crystal chamber in the caves. Dalia was waiting, a wide smile on her face. "Welcome back. How was it?" "Perfect," Blair said. "We arrived exactly when we wanted, stayed 2 days, and now we're back." "Excellent. So, the bridge holds." Dalia gestured towards the passages. "Go. There are people waiting for you." Blair and Jessica climbed to the surface, emerging in a hidden part of the forest near the camp. It was late afternoon and the camp was alive with activity. Campfires burning, people laughing, life happening. "They're back!" Mural shrieked, seemingly having the sole job of watching through the secret entrance. "They're back." Suddenly, people were running towards them. Children, adults, everyone wanting to know if it was true. And then the crowd parted, and Cassian was there. He looked different, perhaps thinner, more tired. "Hi," she said softly. "Hi," he replied, his voice rough. And then he was moving, closing the distance between them in three long strides, pulling her into his arms and holding her as if she might disappear again. "A month," he murmured into her hair. "Sorry, Cassian, but it was worth it." "Cassian. It worked. I can travel between times now. I can I can have both." "What does that mean?" "It means I live my life there. But weekends, holidays, whenever I can, I come here to you all, to you." Something lit up in his eyes. Hope, joy, relief. "For how long? This ability, does it last forever?" "10 years, maybe a little longer." "10 years," Cassian repeated. And then he smiled, a real full smile that transformed his entire face. "10 years with you is more than I ever dreamed of having. And after that," after that, he touched her face gently. "We'll figure it out together. But for now," he kissed her soft and deep and full of promise. "For now, this is enough." Around them, the pack began to cheer. Someone started singing. Children ran around laughing. Tristan appeared beside Jessica, a smug grin on his face. "So, you came back." "Can't stay away from the glowing flowers," Jessica said. But she was smiling. "Only the flowers. And maybe you a little." "I'll take it. Want to go see the flowers? They're especially beautiful tonight." Jessica took his hand. "Lead the way, werewolf man." Blair watched them go, then looked back at Cassian. "This is insane, you know. Two worlds, two times, trying to balance it all." "Completely insane," Cassian agreed. He led her by the hand through the camp back to his cabin. Inside everything was as she remembered, except now there was a small clear space on the table. A space for her things. "I kept a place for you," Chassian said softly. "Just in case, hoping." Blair felt tears pricking. "I'll always come back. You know that, right? No matter what, I'll always find my way back to you." "I know because you're stubborn, brave, and completely impossible." "Don't forget beautiful and modest." "Don't forget modest." Blair playfully nudged him, but she was laughing, too. And for the first time since she touched that stupid stone in the museum, she felt peace. She didn't have to choose. Not yet. She had a best friend who would follow her across centuries. She had a pack that welcomed her. And she had a stubborn, protective, and completely impossible alpha who looked at her as if she were her moon and her stars. It wasn't the life she had planned, but it was the life she chose.