Chapter 25

Achilles and Shea made their way back to his car, their footsteps crunching on the gravel driveway. Shea's heart felt heavy as she turned to say her goodbyes to Oak, Aunt Penelope, and Greg.

Oak bounded up to her, tail wagging furiously. Shea knelt down and buried her face in his soft fur, inhaling his familiar scent. "I'll miss you, buddy," she whispered, giving him one last scratch behind the ears.

Aunt Penelope stepped forward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She pulled Shea into a tight embrace. "Be safe, sweetheart," she murmured. "And remember, you're stronger than you know."

Greg stood nearby, his usual gruff demeanor softened by concern. He cleared his throat and awkwardly patted Shea's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, kid," he said, his voice gruff with emotion.

Achilles stood a respectful distance away, allowing Shea her moment with her family. As she stepped back, he approached Aunt Penelope and Greg.

"I give you my word," Achilles said, his voice low and serious. "I'll keep her safe. And I'll update you regularly on everything that's happening."

Greg nodded, seemingly satisfied. Aunt Penelope reached out and squeezed Achilles' hand. "Thank you," she said softly.

With one last wave, Shea climbed into the passenger seat of Achilles' car. She watched through the window as her family grew smaller in the distance, Oak's excited barks fading away.

Achilles slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. The car purred to life, and they pulled away from the house, heading down the winding road that led deeper into the woods.

As they drove, the trees seemed to close in around them, their branches forming a canopy overhead. Shea leaned her head against the cool glass of the window, watching the shadows dance across the road.

"You okay?" Achilles asked, breaking the silence.

Shea turned to look at him, surprised by the concern in his voice. "Yeah," she said, offering a small smile. "Just... processing everything, I guess."

Achilles nodded, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "It's a lot to take in," he admitted. "But we'll figure it out. Together."

Achilles' words hung in the air, carrying a weight that Shea hadn't expected. "Together." The simple promise resonated within her, stirring a warmth in her chest. She found herself looking at him with new eyes, seeing beyond the cold exterior to glimpse the man beneath.

"Tell me about yourself," Shea ventured, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them. "I mean, beyond being a werewolf bodyguard."

Achilles' jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening on the steering wheel. For a moment, Shea thought he would retreat behind his usual wall of silence. But then, to her surprise, he began to speak.

"I was five when I first shifted," he said, his voice low and measured. "Most kids in my family don't manifest until puberty, but I was... different."

Shea leaned in, captivated by this rare glimpse into Achilles' past.

"I remember the pain," he continued, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "It felt like my bones were melting and reforming. I screamed for my parents, but they couldn't do anything except watch."

He paused, lost in the memory. "After that, everything changed. The training started immediately. Control became everything. I couldn't be a normal kid anymore - I was a Von Lunar, and that came with responsibilities."

Shea's heart ached for the little boy who'd had his childhood cut short. "That must have been hard," she said softly.

Achilles shrugged, but Shea caught a flicker of emotion in his eyes. "It was what it was. I learned to harness my strength, to control the shift. And I learned about our family's role in Lockewood."

"Which is?" Shea prompted gently.

"Protectors," Achilles said simply. "We maintain the balance between the factions, keep the peace. And sometimes..." He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Sometimes we guard those who need it most."

Shea nodded, absorbing Achilles' words. The weight of his family's responsibility settled over her, adding another layer to the complex tapestry of Lockewood's hidden world. She hesitated, a question on the tip of her tongue.

Achilles glanced at her, his piercing blue eyes catching the flicker of uncertainty on her face. "Go on," he said, his voice softer than usual. "Ask what you want to know."

Shea took a breath. "How did you figure out that you could shift? I mean, what did it feel like?"

Silence filled the car once more, but this time it was different. Achilles' brow furrowed, his eyes distant as he searched for the right words. After a moment, he spoke.

"It's... natural," he said slowly. "Your senses sharpen up. Suddenly, you're able to sense your surroundings even without looking. You can smell the smallest scent, hear the faintest sound."

"It's like the world comes alive in a way you never knew was possible," Achilles continued. "Colors are brighter, scents are richer. You feel connected to everything around you in a way that's hard to describe."

He paused, a rare vulnerability crossing his features. "But it's also overwhelming at first. Your instincts are screaming at you, urging you to run, to hunt. It takes time to learn how to balance the human and the wolf."

Shea's eyes widened in shock as Achilles' words sank in. Her mind raced back to the previous night at her cabin, when the werewolf had attacked. In that moment of terror, she'd experienced exactly what Achilles described - heightened senses, an acute awareness of her surroundings, the world coming alive in vivid detail.

"Achilles," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. "That... that happened to me. Last night, when I was attacked."

Achilles' head snapped towards her, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, the usually stoic young man looked genuinely surprised.

"Are you certain?" he asked, his voice tight with tension.

Shea nodded, her heart pounding. "Everything you just said - I felt it all. It was overwhelming, but... I could sense everything around me. Even with my eyes closed, I knew where the werewolf was."

Achilles' grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white. He was silent for a long moment, processing this new information.

"This changes things," he finally said, his voice low and serious. "If what you're saying is true, Shea, you might be a shifter yourself. A werewolf."

The weight of his words hit Shea like a physical blow. She'd known her father was a werewolf, but she'd never imagined she might inherit his abilities.

"No wonder I was asked to protect you," Achilles continued, his mind working rapidly. "If you're a shifter, and Vincent Wolfe's daughter... you might play an important role in dealing with the turmoil within the factions."

"Turmoil?" asked Shea.