Drugs?

"What kind of drug could affect us that way?" I asked my mother.

Tonight was supposed to be a celebration. It was my birthday, Lyall's birthday, and our entire friend group had plans to spend the night partying before our lives changed forever.

Instead, my parents were warning me about a dangerous new drug spreading through werewolf packs across the region.

That alone was enough to make my stomach tighten.

Werewolves were naturally immune to almost everything. Alcohol barely gave us a buzz unless it had been specially enchanted by a witch, and most drugs didn't affect us at all. Not that many wolves were foolish enough to try. Pack life was built on strength and discipline. One mistake could destroy your reputation overnight. Even an Alpha could be reduced to an Omega if they showed weakness.

That was why the recent incidents were so unsettling.

Young wolves between eighteen and twenty-five had been going out for a normal night of fun, accepting drinks from strangers, and waking up the next morning with no memory of what happened.

No one knew where the drug came from.

No one knew what it was doing.

And no one knew why wolves were being targeted.

"We haven't managed to get our hands on a sample yet," my father said grimly. "The healers suspect a witch helped create it, but that's only a theory. We don't know its purpose or who is distributing it. We just want you to be careful tonight."

His expression hardened.

"The victims all reported the same thing. They accepted a drink from someone, and then they woke up the next morning with entire hours missing from their memories."

A chill ran down my spine.

Memory loss was terrifying for anyone.

For a werewolf, it could be catastrophic.

We were stronger, faster, and far more dangerous than humans. If a wolf lost control while under the influence of some unknown substance, the consequences could be devastating. Humans had developed weapons capable of killing our kind, and the last thing we needed was to draw attention to ourselves.

History had already taught us that lesson.

Centuries ago, we had revealed ourselves to humanity.

It had been a disaster.

Fear, panic, and violence had spread like wildfire. Some humans wanted to hunt us. Others wanted to study us. Neither option had ended well.

Since then, we had stayed hidden.

And we intended to keep it that way.

"Just promise you'll be careful," my mother said. "If you're not home before dawn, we'll come looking for you."

Dad offered a weak smile. "To be fair, the victims have all been male so far. She may not be in any danger."

Mom shot him a look sharp enough to make him immediately regret speaking.

I almost laughed.

Almost.

"Did Alpha tell Lyall?" I asked.

"He's speaking with him now," Dad replied. "We're trying not to spread panic through the pack."

My jaw tightened.

"You're serious? People are being drugged and nobody is warning them?"

My parents exchanged a glance.

"Everyone going out tonight deserves to know," I continued. "If they're aware of the risk, maybe they'll think twice before accepting drinks from strangers."

The silence that followed told me exactly how little influence my opinion carried.

"We debated whether to tell you at all," my mother admitted quietly. "Since women haven't been targeted."

Then she hesitated.

My stomach sank.

Of course.

"We thought you should know because you'll be with Lyall."

The familiar bitterness settled in my chest.

There it was.

Not concern for me.

Concern for the Alpha's son.

Just like always.