Stranger

Greg’s POV

The man smiled at me—a warm, friendly smile that immediately felt wrong. It was too familiar, too knowing.

He stepped inside without an invitation, his eyes sweeping over the living room as if he were inspecting it, like he’d been here before.

“You’ve built a nice home for yourselves,” he said, his voice smooth and casual. He glanced over at Anna, who was still sitting on the couch, and gave her a nod. “Very cozy. I can see why you’d want to stay hidden here.”

I studied him, every muscle in my body tense. “Who are you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. “And what do you want?”

The man turned to face me, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he were amused by my suspicion.

His gaze was sharp, almost predatory, and when his eyes glowed faintly, I knew immediately what he was. He was a wolf. My senses flared, picking up the distinct scent of the pack. This man was one of us, or at least, he used to be.

“My name isn’t important,” he said, casually moving further into the living room as if he owned the place. He ran his fingers along the back of the couch, taking in every detail of our home. “What’s important is that I found you.”

Anna stood up, stepping closer but still keeping her distance. Her eyes darted between us, trying to read the situation. “How did you find us?” she asked, her voice laced with a mix of fear and defiance.

The man laughed softly, a knowing sound that grated on my nerves. “It wasn’t hard,” he said, turning his attention back to me. “You’ve been making quite a name for yourself, Greg. Saving people, stopping crimes. A superhero in the city, right?”

My stomach dropped. He had been watching me. I felt a surge of anger and stupidity. I’d been so careful, or so I thought, but I hadn’t been careful enough. I’d wanted to help people, to make a difference, but I never stopped to think about the consequences. I clenched my fists, the anger rising.

“What do you want?” I snapped, stepping closer to him. “You’ve made your point. I get it. Now, tell me why you’re really here.”

He continued to stroll through the living room, picking up one of the framed photos of Anna and me from the coffee table and examining it with an amused smile. “You’ve saved a lot of people,” he said, almost to himself. “Stopped a bank robbery, took down a kidnapping ring, rescued people from a burning building. Pretty impressive for a guy who’s supposed to be hiding.”

His words stung, each one a reminder of the reckless choices I’d made. Anna watched him with wary eyes, her hand subtly moving behind her back where I knew she kept a knife, just in case.

“What’s your point?” I asked, my patience wearing thin. I could feel the heat of my temper rising, and it took everything in me not to lash out at him.

“My point is,” he continued, finally setting the photo back down and turning to face me fully, “superheroes don’t exist. Not in the way these people think, anyway. And I knew that. It didn’t take much to piece it all together. Your little acts of heroism left a trail. A pattern. And when I looked closer, I realized that all those stories led right back to you. Rogues don’t save people, but you do. Because you are an honorable prince with a heart.”

I felt a knot of dread tighten in my chest. I had been so focused on doing the right thing that I hadn’t realized how much attention I was drawing. I’d been sloppy, and now this stranger—this wolf from my past—had found us because of it.

Anna stepped forward, her voice firm but calm. “You still haven’t answered his question. What do you want from us?”

The man smiled, that same infuriatingly calm smile. “I’m getting to that,” he said, looking at Anna with a hint of respect in his eyes. “But first, how about a drink? You must have something good stashed away here.”

I saw red. In an instant, I was on him, grabbing his collar and slamming him against the wall. The framed pictures rattled, and I could feel his muscles tense beneath my grip, but he didn’t fight back. He just stared at me with those cool, calculating eyes, like this was all part of some game.

“Be serious,” I growled, my voice low and threatening. “Enough games. Tell me why you’re here, or I’ll throw you out myself.”

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just looked at me, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, his smile faded, replaced by something more sincere. “Alright,” he said quietly. “I’m here to help you.”

I let go of his collar, taking a step back. “Help us?” I echoed, my skepticism clear. “Why would you want to help us?”

He straightened his jacket, smoothing out the wrinkles from where I’d grabbed him. “Because you need it,” he said simply. “And because your brother Cole is relentless. He’s not going to stop until he finds you, Greg. And when he does, he won’t just come for you—he’ll come for Anna, too.”

The mention of Cole’s name sent a chill down my spine. I glanced at Anna, and I could see the fear in her eyes, the same fear that had driven us to run in the first place.

But this man—this stranger—had a point. Cole was out there, somewhere, plotting our downfall, and it was only a matter of time before he made his move.

“How do I know I can trust you?” I asked, my voice hard. “You’re from the pack. For all I know, you’re just another one of Cole’s pawns.”

He shook his head. “I’m not with him,” he said firmly. “I left the pack a long time ago. I’m a rogue. I don’t agree with what Cole’s doing, and I don’t agree with how he’s using our people. I want to stop him just as much as you do.”

Anna stepped closer, her gaze piercing. “Why now? Why come to us now, after all this time?”

The man sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Because you’re running out of time,” he said bluntly. “Cole’s getting desperate. He’s already reached out to your enemies, Greg. He’s making deals with anyone who can help him find you. If you keep up like this—playing hero, drawing attention—you’re going to make it too easy for him.”

I clenched my jaw, my mind racing. This man—whoever he was—was right. I’d been reckless, thinking I could live a normal life while still playing the part of a savior. But Cole was out there, always a step ahead, and I was putting Anna in danger every time I stepped out of line.

“What do you suggest?” I asked finally, my voice filled with a reluctant acceptance. “If you’re here to help, then tell me how.”

He glanced between us, his expression serious. “I can give you information—updates on Cole’s movements, tips on where he’s planning to strike next.

But you need to stop drawing attention to yourselves. You need to lay low, be invisible. Because the longer you stay in the spotlight, the more vulnerable you become.”

Anna nodded, her hand slipping into mine as we faced the stranger together. I could feel the weight of his words sinking in, the reality of our situation crashing down on me.

We had built a life here, but it was fragile—too fragile. And this man, this wolf from our past, was offering us a lifeline.

“Alright,” I said, my voice firm. “We’ll listen. But if you’re playing us—if you’re working for Cole, or if you try to betray us—you’ll…”

“I’m not like that,” he walked away from me to look through the window as I exchanged glances with Anna.

This was dangerous.