Chapter Three: The Truth Beneath the Skin
Sylvia did not scream.
Even as the man stepped fully into the moonlight, even as the forest seemed to recognize him and fall into an unnatural stillness, she did not panic. Her heart raced, yes—but not from surprise.
She already knew.
"I was wondering when you'd stop pretending," Sylvia said quietly.
The man froze.
Slowly, he straightened, the tension in his body shifting from guarded to alert. His eyes—dark moments ago—flickered briefly, revealing a sharp glint that no human could possess.
"You knew," he said.
It wasn't a question.
Sylvia folded her arms despite the pain still lingering in her body. "I've known for years. The town. The school. My family. Humans don't heal that fast. They don't smell like iron and moonlight."
The corner of his mouth twitched. "Then why didn't you run when you saw the wolf?"
"Because wolves don't hunt their own," she replied. "And I knew that grey one wasn't just an animal."
Silence stretched between them.
Then he exhaled and let the disguise fall.
The shift wasn't violent. It was controlled—like a veil being lifted. His presence deepened, the air bending subtly around him as his true aura surfaced.
"My name is Alex," he said. "And yes—I'm your brother's friend."
Sylvia's jaw tightened. "I know."
That surprised him.
"You were always around," she continued. "Always watching. Always stepping in just before things got… fatal. You thought I didn't notice."
"I never meant for you to," Alex said. "You weren't supposed to awaken yet."
Sylvia laughed bitterly. "That's what everyone keeps saying. Yet. Like I was a delayed mistake."
Alex shook his head. "No. You were sealed."
That word settled heavily in her chest.
"I suspected," Sylvia admitted. "That's why I stayed quiet. Why I didn't fight back. Power locked away doesn't disappear—it waits."
Trix stirred inside her, her voice sharper now. And waits for the right moment.
Alex's gaze flicked to Sylvia, brows drawing together. "You already have a spirit guide."
"She's been with me longer than you think," Sylvia replied. "Just asleep. Like me."
Alex was silent for a long moment.
Then he bowed his head slightly.
"I owe you an apology," he said. "Not as your brother's friend—but as someone who knew what you were."
Sylvia's eyes hardened. "You watched them hurt me."
"I watched to keep you alive," he said firmly. "Your brother's pack would have destroyed you if they knew the truth. They already feared fox blood. A pureblood nine-tailed fox?" His voice dropped. "You would have been hunted."
"And now?" Sylvia asked.
"Now they've felt your awakening," Alex replied. "They know."
As if summoned by his words, the forest rustled.
Footsteps echoed—deliberate, confident.
Sylvia turned toward the sound, calm settling over her like armor.
"They're here," she said. "My brother included."
Alex stepped beside her, his stance protective but not possessive. "You don't have to face them."
"I do," Sylvia replied. "Running is what they expect."
Figures emerged from the shadows—seven of them. Wolves, all in human form, their eyes glowing faintly in the dark. At the center stood her brother, his expression unreadable.
"So it's true," he said. "You awakened."
Sylvia met his gaze without flinching. "You always knew I wasn't human."
He smirked. "Knowing isn't the same as believing you'd survive long enough to matter."
Alex growled low in his throat.
Her brother's eyes snapped to him. "You chose a side."
"I always had one," Alex said. "You just never noticed."
The wolves shifted uneasily.
Sylvia stepped forward.
"You sealed me," she said. "Not because I was dangerous—but because I was inconvenient."
Her brother's silence was confirmation.
"You let them bully me," she continued, voice steady. "You let them erase me."
"You would've died if you awakened early," he snapped. "This was mercy."
Sylvia smiled then—but there was no warmth in it.
"No," she said. "This was fear."
Power rippled outward—not explosive, not wild. Controlled. Ancient.
For a heartbeat, nine glowing fox tails shimmered behind her before fading back into nothing.
The wolves recoiled.
Alex watched her with something close to awe.
"You don't own me," Sylvia said calmly. "None of you ever did."
Her brother swallowed. "What do you want?"
Sylvia thought of the cliff. The dream. The choice.
"I want freedom," she said. "And the truth."
The forest seemed to breathe again.
"Leave," she commanded. "Before I decide you're no longer worth sparing."
The pack didn't argue.
They vanished into the trees, fear heavy in their wake.
Silence returned.
Alex turned to her. "You were ready long before today."
Sylvia looked at her hands, still faintly glowing. "I was just waiting for permission to stop surviving."
Trix's voice hummed with satisfaction. And now we hunt answers.
Sylvia lifted her gaze. "You're staying."
Alex nodded. "Until the disguise is no longer needed."
She exhaled slowly.
For the first time, the world felt honest.
And far more dangerous.