Nyra Adeyemi hated night shifts.
Not because of the silence. She actually liked silence. It was honest. Predictable. Nothing like the noise inside her head that had haunted her since her parents died three years ago.
Tonight, however, the silence felt wrong.
The private hospital corridors were unusually empty. The fluorescent lights flickered faintly above her as she walked toward the emergency storage room, her footsteps echoing against polished tiles.
She rubbed her arms slowly, trying to shake off the sudden chill creeping under her skin.
Something was watching her.
Nyra paused.
She looked around.
Nothing.
Just the hum of medical equipment and distant beeping monitors. She exhaled sharply, forcing herself to continue walking.
"You're imagining things," she whispered to herself.
But the dreams had been worse lately.
Always the same.
A massive black wolf standing beneath a glowing red moon. Golden eyes staring directly at her. Calling her name in a voice that felt like thunder and heartbreak mixed together.
Nyra pushed the thought away and reached for the storage room handle.
The lights went out.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Darkness swallowed the corridor instantly, thick and suffocating. The emergency lights flickered on seconds later, bathing everything in a dim red glow.
Her breathing grew shallow.
The air smelled different now.
Metallic.
Like blood.
A slow scraping sound echoed from the far end of the hallway.
Nyra's pulse roared in her ears as she turned.
Three figures stepped from the shadows.
They were tall. Too tall. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and their movements were unnaturally still… like predators studying prey.
Fear locked her feet to the floor.
"Found her," one of them muttered.
Nyra's stomach dropped.
"I think you've mistaken me for someone else," she said, forcing confidence into her trembling voice.
The man smiled, revealing teeth that were far too sharp.
"Oh no," he said softly. "We've been looking for you for a very long time."
Something ancient and instinctive screamed inside her.
Run.
Nyra turned and bolted down the corridor, her shoes slamming against the tiles as panic fueled her speed. The emergency exit sign glowed at the end of the hallway like salvation.
Behind her, she heard footsteps.
Fast.
Too fast.
A hand nearly grabbed her hair, missing by inches as she pushed through the exit door and stumbled into the cold night air.
Rain had begun pouring heavily, soaking her clothes instantly. She ran into the empty parking lot, her breath burning in her lungs as thunder cracked across the sky.
She didn't know where she was running.
She just knew she had to get away.
A growl echoed behind her.
Not human.
Nyra froze.
The sound vibrated through her bones, deep and primal. Slowly, she turned around.
The men had followed her outside. But they weren't alone anymore.
A massive black wolf stood between them and her.
Rain rolled off its dark fur as it lowered its head, baring sharp, deadly fangs. Its golden eyes burned like molten fire locked onto the hunters.
The men cursed.
"She's protected," one of them hissed.
"Kill the beast," another ordered.
Everything happened too fast.
The wolf lunged.
Nyra gasped as chaos exploded before her. Bones cracked. Screams tore through the storm. The creature moved with terrifying precision, ripping through the attackers like they were nothing more than paper.
She stumbled backward, slipping against the wet ground.
Her mind refused to process what she was seeing.
This wasn't possible.
This wasn't real.
Within seconds, silence returned. The rain washed crimson streaks across the pavement as the last attacker collapsed.
Nyra's entire body trembled as the wolf slowly turned toward her.
Its golden eyes softened slightly, but its presence still radiated raw, dangerous power.
It began walking toward her.
Each step was slow.
Controlled.
Deliberate.
"Stay back," Nyra whispered, though her voice barely existed.
The wolf stopped inches away from her. It studied her face intensely, its breathing deep and steady. Something passed through its eyes… recognition… shock… something deeper.
Nyra felt it too.
A strange pull gripped her chest, warm and overwhelming. Her fear tangled with something unfamiliar. Something that felt like being seen for the first time in her life.
The wolf leaned closer, inhaling her scent.
Then it stepped back.
Before her eyes, its body twisted and shifted. Bones snapped. Fur melted into skin. The transformation was brutal and mesmerizing.
Within moments, a man stood before her.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Rain clung to his dark hair as it fell across his forehead. His sharp jaw was tense, and scars traced across his muscular chest. His golden eyes still glowed faintly, locked onto her with overwhelming intensity.
Nyra couldn't breathe.
He looked both human… and something dangerously not.
"You…" His voice was rough, almost disbelieving.
Nyra staggered backward. "What… what are you?"
He ignored the question, his gaze scanning her like he was searching for something hidden beneath her skin.
Then his expression darkened with realization.
"No," he muttered under his breath.
Thunder roared across the sky as the red moon slowly emerged from behind storm clouds, bathing them in crimson light.
The man clenched his jaw, struggling against something invisible.
"You shouldn't exist," he said quietly.
Fear returned in full force. "I don't even know you!"
His eyes flashed.
"I know exactly who you are."
Nyra shook her head frantically. "You're insane."
Before she could move, he stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. His touch sent a burning warmth racing through her veins, stealing the air from her lungs.
Her heart pounded violently.
"Let me go!" she shouted, struggling against his grip.
"I can't," he said, his voice low and conflicted.
Panic filled her chest. "Why?!"
His gaze softened for a brief second… like the answer hurt him.
"Because," he said quietly, "you're mine."
Nyra's world tilted.
"What—"
"You're my mate."
The word hit her like a physical blow.
Before she could react, her vision blurred as exhaustion and shock dragged her into darkness. The last thing she felt was his arms catching her as she collapsed.
And the last thing she heard was his whisper against her hair.
"Shadowfang Legacy has finally begun."