Hybrid?

My eyes drift down to the second letter, the faint scent of cedar wood curling up from the page. The familiar smell stirs something deep within me—a warmth, a distant memory perhaps, but it’s hazy. With trembling hands, I begin to unfold the letter, my breath catching in my throat.

My Darling Lenora,

You have probably read your mother’s letter by now. Happy 18th birthday.

The words feel heavier than they should, each one pressing into my heart. My father. Just seeing the words on paper makes the ache of their absence sharper. I can almost hear his voice in my head as I continue to read.

I am so sorry we can’t be there with you. I would give anything to be by your side, to guide you through this day and the many that will follow. Sadly, both your mother and I cannot.

By now, you’ve learned of your fairy heritage through your mother’s letter. But there is something else you must understand. Something I must explain.

I, too, come from a royal bloodline. But mine is not like your mother’s. I am an Alpha King.

I stop reading, my pulse quickening. An Alpha King? My mind struggles to process the words as I stare down at them. What does that mean?

In other words, I am a werewolf—a larger, stronger wolf than any other of our kind.

That means you, too, carry the blood of an alpha werewolf.

But you are more than just any alpha. You are the first female alpha to ever be born.

I blink, my vision blurring slightly as the words sink in. A werewolf? Me? It sounds impossible, like something straight out of the wildest myths and legends. And the first female alpha? How could I have never known? My whole body feels alien, as if the skin I’m in belongs to someone else—someone new, unfamiliar.

Traditionally, alpha bloodlines only produce male offspring. You are the exception, my sweet girl.

I don’t fully know what this means for your future, or even if you will experience the shift. That is something only time can reveal.

You will know during the first full moon after your 18th birthday whether you will shift. If you do, I must warn you—it will be unlike anything you have ever experienced.

The pain will be excruciating. Every bone in your body will break, reform, and reshape itself into the body of a beast.

But, my dear Lenora, do not fear. The pain will lessen with each shift, and eventually, you will be able to shift at will.

I shiver, goosebumps rising along my arms as I imagine it. The thought of every bone breaking and reforming is horrifying. A beast. Am I really going to turn into a wolf?

You are more than just an alpha, my child. You are unique in every way. You are the first hybrid of our kind. A descendant of two powerful royal bloodlines—werewolves and fairies.

The words hit me like a blow. A hybrid. My breath comes faster now, my thoughts racing. I’m not just a fairy, not just a werewolf—I’m both.

You will have enemies, Lenora. Those who covet your power and those who fear it.

Never bow down to anyone. You are very powerful. Never ever forget that.

When the time is right, you will find your soulmate. He will be the one destined for you, and you will know him when you meet him. Find him, mark him. It is a bond unlike any other, and it will guide you through the trials that lie ahead.

This letter, like your mother’s, will transform. It will become a ring—my ring. It has been passed down through the generations, from my great-great-great grandfather. Wear it always. Through it, I can help protect you, even if I am not there in the flesh.

I love you, Lenora. More than any words can ever describe.

Your father, Leonis.

I lower the letter slowly, staring blankly at the page as the tears slip silently down my cheeks. My father. My chest tightens, overwhelmed by the emotions that flood through me. He knew this day would come. He and my mother—they both knew I would stand here, reading these letters, my whole world shattered and rebuilt in an instant.

Before I can even catch my breath, just like with my mother’s letter, my father’s words begin to blur. The paper in my hands dissolves, the ink vanishing as if it had never existed. My heart clenches, but I know what’s coming.

In its place, a heavy gold ring materializes in my palm. It’s beautifully ornate, with a large black diamond set at the center. The moment it touches my skin, the faint scent of cedar wood fills the air, and I can’t help but smile through the tears.

This must be the ring he spoke of.

With shaking hands, I slip it onto the middle finger of my right hand. For a brief second, it glows—a deep, rich black that seems to pulse with ancient power—before settling into its natural state. The weight of it feels comforting, as though a part of my father is with me now.

But as I stare at the ring, the weight of everything begins to crush down on me. My head spins with the enormity of what I’ve learned in just one morning.

Yesterday, I was just a normal girl. A college student, working part-time at Annie’s Diner, stressing about exams and shift schedules. Now… now I’m something else entirely. A royal fairy-werewolf hybrid with a soulmate and a destiny I don’t understand.

How am I supposed to process all of this? My fingers trace over the black diamond on my ring, grounding me in the moment.

I can’t even begin to wrap my head around it all.

The logical part of my brain screams at me to slow down, to take things one step at a time. Maybe the best course of action is to settle my affairs here before I’m swept away by a destiny that seems completely out of my control.

This is my world too, after all. I glance around the quiet room, the place that has been my home, my sanctuary, for as long as I can remember. But for how much longer?