Chapter 4

"Owooo…owooo…"

"Owooo..."

"They sure are loud tonight."

Kate gazes out the window at the forest behind the house, lost in thought. It has only been a few days since she moved in, and she is still adjusting to her new life as a 'single mom' with a young child. Gone are the days of working full-time, seven days a week - now, her focus is on creating a safe and nurturing environment for Lucca.

Thankfully, Lucca is a good kid - despite his young age, he understands the situation very well. He does his best to help with the chores and take care of himself, eager to show that he is responsible enough to handle the changes in their lives. Kate can't help but feel proud of him, even as she struggles to adapt to her new role.

But as much as she appreciates Lucca's help, Kate knows that it isn't fair to expect him to shoulder the burden of responsibility. Children are meant to be playful, to make messes and explore the world around them. She is determined to create a balanced and healthy environment, one that will allow him to be himself and grow into the person he is meant to be.

With Lucca safely tucked into bed, Kate pours herself a glass of cheap wine she got from the gas station and sinks into the sofa in front of the crackling fireplace. She pulls out her laptop and begins to sort through the day's expenses, trying to keep track of every penny in her quest to make her savings stretch as far as possible.

She has a sum of savings plus the deposit for the house that has been returned to her; however, it is not easy since she doesn't know how long this will last and when she will be able to work again. After all, she is living on a fixed income now, with no steady job to rely on. Her savings are her lifeline, the only thing keeping her and Lucca afloat in this new and uncertain chapter of their lives. She can't afford to be careless with her spending, not when every dollar counts.

But it is not just about money - it is about her dreams, too. The money she saved up was meant to be used for her future, for a life that she had carefully planned and crafted in her mind. Now, that plan has been put on hold, as she struggles to make ends meet in this situation.

Despite it all, Kate remains determined. She knows that she will find a way to make it work, to create a life for herself and Lucca that is fulfilling and happy. She also needs to find a new place soon, even though she is grateful that Frederick offered her a temporary rental place but is also mindful of the fact that she doesn't want to overstay her welcome.

As she sips her wine and types away at her laptop, she feels a sense of peace settle over her. It is not the life she had planned, but it is still a good one. She has Lucca, the gift from her sister, and a roof over her head. And maybe, just maybe, she can still make her dreams come true - even if it takes a little longer than she had originally planned.

When she finishes her routine, she checks her emails one last time before bed and sees that Liam has sent a photo of a puppy with a message, 'He is available for adoption from your nearby shelter. And don't forget 11:30 tomorrow.'

Kate had expected Liam to disapprove of her living in a Cadman property, but to her surprise, he had initially taken it as a joke.

However, he soon understands the gravity of her situation and comes around to support her decision to stay here. She takes another look at the puppy photo, thinking how happy Lucca would be if he found out. Maybe she could stop by the shelter tomorrow on her way to meet with Liam. He had mentioned wanting to introduce her to his lawyer friend, who could help with the custody battle against Oliver. It would be a good way to lift her spirits and take her mind off the stress of the upcoming legal battle.

As midnight approaches, Kate finishes her glass of wine and shuts down her laptop, ready to call it a day. Just as she is about to head to the bedroom, she hears a noise outside, so she turns to the window one last time, squinting in the darkness. That is when she sees two bright golden specks staring back at her.

Her heart racing, she realizes that it is a wolf. She's seen plenty of them in her time living near the forest when she was young, but there is something different about this one. It is a wolf with shiny silver hair that glimmers in the moonlight. Despite her fear, she finds herself drawn to the animal, unable to take her eyes off it.

As the wolf moves out of the forest and into the backyard, she can see it more clearly. She doesn't know why, but she knows it is a male with a powerful presence that is both terrifying and alluring. She whispers to herself, "I know those eyes," without even realizing it.

The wolf's silver hair catches the moonlight, making it shine like diamonds. Kate and the wolf stand there, staring at each other as if in a trance. The world around them fades away, and all that is left is the raw emotion between them.

For a moment, she forgets all her troubles. Her heart races with excitement and fear, and she feels like she has stumbled upon something rare and precious. It is a feeling she'll never forget.

Beep beep beep.

As the alarm blares, Kate snaps out of her daze and rushes to the kitchen counter. The proximity alarm is blaring, indicating that someone or something has entered the property without permission. Her hands are sweating, she looks at the monitor and sees the intruder right outside the window.

She knows exactly what has entered the property; she is staring right at it! And it is even more magnificent up close. Looking from afar, she didn't realize how big it was, standing over two meters, taller than the window and towering over her; it is much larger than any wolf she has ever seen before. Despite feeling fear, she feels an inexplicable draw to the creature and slowly approaches it.

The wolf's nose is pressed against the glass, and she can see every detail of its beautiful face. It is almost as if he is communicating through those eyes. Before she knows it, her hand is on the window, touching the wolf's nose through the glass.

Most people would have run away in this situation, including her, but she feels an unusual sense of comfort. She wants it to come closer, to feel its soft fur, look deep into its amber eyes, and be close to this majestic creature.

Knock…knock… Suddenly, there is a knock on the door, interrupting their moment. Kate knows she has to be careful and not let anyone see the wolf - but why? She takes one last look at the animal and reluctantly backs away. It is a moment she'll never forget before walking to her front door.

The sound of knocking on the door continues. She hesitates before opening it, peering through the peephole to see two security guards from the property standing outside.

"Are you still awake, miss?" one of them asks.

Kate glances nervously towards the window where she had just seen the wolf, its presence still fresh in her mind. She quickly composes herself and replies, "Yes, I'm still awake. Is everything okay?"

"We apologize for interrupting you so late, but there is a wild animal in the area. We wanted to come to check on you to ensure you are okay," the other guard explains.

Kate feels a jolt of fear course through her body. "Thank you, I'm good. May I ask if it happens often?"

"Not that often, miss," the first guard replies. "Usually if the sensor detects movement, we would check the camera first. If it is a harmless animal, we scare it off with the alarm, but this time, we don't know what it was. The camera couldn't detect it, so we came. Please lock your door and be careful."

"Okay, I will be careful. Thank you so much for your concern," Kate says with a nod.

As the guards turn to leave, a voice in her head urges her to tell them the truth. 'Tell them it was a wolf!'

Kate hesitates for a moment before deciding against it. She doesn't want to see the wolf captured or harmed. Instead, she pours herself another glass of wine and tries to calm her nerves. As she checks that all the doors and windows are locked, she can't help but think, 'I need to get some more wine tomorrow!'

***

Frederick stumbles towards the main house, his body drenched in sweat and his breathing labored. His senses are almost gone, overwhelmed by a feeling he has never experienced before. He has shifted back to human form, but his teeth still ache from clenching them too hard.

His brothers, Hugo and Andre, are waiting for him outside the house. They rush to his side as soon as they sense his presence, their expressions turning serious when they see blood on his lips.

"What happened, Fred?" Hugo asked, concern etched on his face. 

Andre sniffs the air, trying to detect any other scents that might indicate an attacker. They had initially thought that Frederick had gone off with the she-wolf, but it was strange when she turned up later with a disappointed look on her face. Their worry intensified when Frederick didn't return to look for another partner, prompting them to follow his scent. However, with so many lycans and wolves around during the full moon, the scents had mixed, making it difficult to track Frederick down. After an hour of searching, they returned to the main house to wait and plan their next move if Frederick didn't return.

"Did someone attack you? Who were they?" Hugo couldn't let it go, seeing that his brother has been hurt. Frederick is the strongest of the three, so either the enemy had planned it well or they were incredibly strong to be able to hurt him like this.

"Nothing, no one did anything to me." 

"Then what happened?" 

"I hurt myself," Frederick says while walking to the house, hoping the roof would soften the power of the moonlight; now he can barely keep himself together. He sits down on the sofa in the living room. 

"What the hell?" Hugo, who is walking beside him, curses, while Andre follows them and listens quietly. 

"I couldn't do it…I couldn't have sex with any of those she-wolves. This urge is eating me alive!" Frederick screamed. 

"How? You seemed fine earlier. Anyway, do you want me to call them in now?" Hugo refers to the professional service when it comes to man's urges. 

"…" Andre remains quiet, but his head starts connecting the dots. 

"Don't bother, that won't work. In the forest, my body took off on its own; all I could hear in my head was 'Go there...' I couldn't control myself until I was there." 

"Where?" Finally, Andre says the first word after his brother returns. His grim smile doesn't really fit the situation, but no one notices that. 

"…" Now it is Hugo's turn to be quiet, or more like speechless. 

"The playhouse…" Frederick finally said it. 

"Okay, now I can officially call her my sister-in-law," Andre said. 

Frederick remains silent. 

"What have I missed?!" Hugo screams.

***

Next morning

Kate is on her way to the shelter while thinking about earlier. She had been searching for someone reliable to take care of Lucca when she is out. It is difficult finding a babysitter she can trust, especially since she is new to the area.

She had no choice but walked to the main house early in the morning and was greeted with warmth by the staff. 

"Good morning, I'm sorry to bother you so early, but I was wondering if you knew of anyone who could take care of my nephew for a few hours? I have some errands to run, and I don't want to leave him alone," Kate asked. 

Sarah, one of the maids, greeted her with a friendly smile. "I would be happy to take care of Lucca for you, Kate. I've babysat children around his age before, I enjoy spending time with them. You don't have to pay me anything; it's already included in your rent." Kate was taken aback by the offer and felt grateful for Sarah's kindness. She didn't want to impose on her new friend, but Sarah insisted that she genuinely wanted to help out.

Throughout the drive, Kate ponders what Frederick has told them about her. Finally, with the help of her best friend, Google Maps, she makes her way to the shelter. She parks the car in the lot and walks into the shelter, where a friendly face greets her at the door.

"Hi there, can I help you with something?" the woman behind the counter asked. 

"Yes, I would like to adopt the puppy in this photo," Kate replied. 

"I'm sorry, but this puppy isn't quite ready for adoption yet. He's still undergoing some medical treatment, but I can put your name on the list for when he is ready," the woman explained. 

"Oh, I see. Thank you for letting me know. Do you have any other puppies available for adoption?" 

The woman leads Kate to a room filled with playful puppies, and Kate spends some time with them before she decides that she will wait for the one she came for. After filling out the necessary paperwork, Kate heads back to her car to go to her next destination.

It only takes 15 minutes to get to the meeting place when there is no traffic.

When Kate arrives at the restaurant, Liam greets her with a warm hug and a smile that lights up the room. "I'm so glad you could make it," he said. Kate can't help but tear up as she embraces her best friend. It has been so long since they've seen each other, and seeing Liam reminds her of simpler times.

Liam nods understandingly as they separate and leads Kate to a private room where his lawyer friend is waiting for them. She takes a seat at the table, knowing that this is the first step in gaining full custody of her nephew and moving on from her once-beloved brother-in-law.

Feeling nervous and uncertain, Kate greets Liam's friend with a polite smile and tries to project a professional demeanor. This is a formal meeting after all, and she knows that every detail matters. 

The lawyer, Johnson, introduces himself and launches into an explanation of the legal process for custody battles. Despite feeling overwhelmed and discouraged by the unpredictable chance of winning against the child's father, Kate does her best to listen attentively and take in all the information Johnson provides.

"I have to be honest with you, Kate," Mr. Johnson said, "the odds are not in your favor. You skipped town and are currently unemployed, your brother-in-law might not be the best person from what I've heard but he is the father of the child, and the court usually favors the biological parent. However, we can try to build a case that shows why you are the better choice for Lucca's guardian."

Kate's heart sinks at the news, but she is not surprised. She knows that her brother-in-law has more resources and connections, and she is unemployed with no income. However, she is determined to fight for her nephew, and she is willing to do whatever it takes. "What can I do?" she asks Johnson. 

"Well, first of all, we need to gather evidence that shows your brother-in-law is an unfit parent. Do you have any concerns about his behavior or living situation?" 

Kate nods, her expression serious. "I've witnessed Oliver's neglect firsthand. He doesn't seem to care about Lucca as much as he used to." She takes a deep breath and finally admits, "I also have reason to believe he had something to do with my sister's disappearance." The weight of her words hangs heavily in the air, and Johnson takes notes as Kate speaks. 

"Let's hope the evidence is rock solid, and I'm sorry for your sister, but before he is proven guilty, he still has the upper hand." 

Johnson explains the legal process for custody battles and the evidence they need to collect, including witnesses and documentation. He warns Kate that the process will be long and emotionally taxing, but he assures her that they will do everything in their power to help her.

After the meeting, Kate feels overwhelmed and somewhat defeated. She had hoped for a better outcome, but the lawyer's assessment has been bleak. 

Liam puts his arm around her, offering comfort as they walk out of the building. "I'm so sorry, Kate. I know this is not what you wanted to hear. But remember, we're not giving up yet. We'll keep fighting for Lucca until we can't anymore." Liam's words of encouragement are a balm to Kate's wounded soul. 

Kate nods, still trying to process everything that has been said. "I know, I just... I didn't realize how hard this was going to be. It feels like we're fighting an uphill battle, and the odds are not in our favor." 

Liam stops and turns to face her. "I understand how you feel. But we can't let the odds discourage us. We have to keep trying, no matter what. And I'll be here for you every step of the way. You're not alone in this." 

Kate gives him a small smile, feeling grateful for his support. "Thank you, Liam. I don't know what I would do without you." 

Liam smiles back at her. "You don't have to do anything alone. We're a team, remember?" Kate nods, feeling a glimmer of hope in her heart. 

"How is your new place?" Liam changes the topic. "I still can't believe you are staying in the Cadman estate. How did you manage that?" 

"Long story," Kate replies with a small smile. "But I'm grateful for their hospitality." 

Liam nods, still looking impressed. "Frederick Cadman is a well-known and successful businessman. You're in good hands." Kate nods in agreement, but a part of her can't help but feel a bit uneasy, knowing that there are still things she doesn't understand about the estate or why Frederick is so generous to let her stay there.