Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Welcome to the Silver House
The first thing you should know about the Silver household is that it doesn’t feel like home. At least, not the kind of home you’re used to. You’d think that a family of werewolves might have a warm, welcoming vibe—like a cozy cabin or something—but no. This place is cold, sharp, and unsettling. Every corner feels like it’s waiting for something to happen, and every person you meet is just a little bit... off.
wasn’t exactly thrilled to be stuck with them for the school year, but here I am—forced to live under the same roof as my so-called “host family” while I attend classes at the city campus. Lucky me, right?
I can’t say I’ve had any major incidents yet. No one’s outright tried to eat me, at least. But every day feels like I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’ve been here just over a week, but already it feels like too long.
Take Yantar, for example.
I’m not sure if it’s his eyes—those burning, crimson eyes that seem to strip you bare with just one look—or if it’s the way his presence fills up a room, like a storm front rolling in, threatening to burst open. But the moment he steps into the kitchen that morning, everything goes still. Not just the air. Me. My pulse halts in my throat, and I feel his gaze on me like a physical weight.
I’m barely awake, still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes as I struggle to keep my breakfast from burning. But of course, Yantar couldn’t care less about that. He’s far more interested in making sure I remember my place in this house—his house. And today? Well, it seems like today is the day he’s decided to make his feelings clear.
“Bark,” he growls from behind me, his voice smooth like velvet but coated in the kind of danger that makes my stomach flip. “And maybe I’ll let you go.”
I freeze. Maybe it’s the ridiculousness of the request. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s literally two inches away from me, his massive frame casting a shadow over my tiny body. But instead of cowering, I lift my chin and meet his gaze with as much fire as I can muster.
“Meow,” I reply, deadpan.
The silence that follows could cut through steel. His eyes narrow, his grip on the counter behind me tightening. For a moment, I think I’ve gone too far. Then, just as quickly, that dangerous smirk creeps onto his lips. And it’s like something snaps.
Yantar leans in, his breath hot against my neck as he inhales deeply, taking in my scent like he’s trying to decide if I’m prey—or something far more interesting.
“Did you just meow at me, little human?” His voice is low, dangerous, filled with the kind of tension that makes my heart skip a beat.
I swallow, but my voice is steady. “What? You didn’t specify what kind of pet you wanted.”
F
