The rain came down hard that night, cold enough to sting and heavy enough to turn the streets into mirrors of light and shadow.
Cade moved through it at full speed.
One second he was there, the next he was halfway down the street, moving too fast for any normal wolf to follow. He barely had time to check if he's been followed, the pain unbearable.
The water soaked into him, draining his strength faster with every second he stayed exposed.
His jaw tightened as he pushed harder.
Another burst of speed carried him across the street, his boots splashing through shallow water, but his body faltered halfway through the movement. The power behind it thinned out too quickly.
"Damn it."
The umbrella in his hand was useless now. The damage had already been done.
His breathing turned uneven.
Every step felt heavier than the last, and the control he was known for started slipping.
He stopped in the middle of the empty street and tried to steady himself, but It did not work.
Without hesitation, he let the shift take over.
Pain ripped through his spine first, followed by the sharp crack of bone and muscle reshaping beneath his skin. White fur spread rapidly across his body as his form changed.
A massive white wolf stood in his place, larger than any normal wolf and far more dangerous.
Cade exhaled sharply through his nose, expecting the new form to help.
It always had before, but the moment the rain hit his fur, the weakness returned just as fast.
His legs trembled.
The strength he expected never came. Instead, the drain got worse.
A low growl rolled from his chest as frustration hit him. He forced himself forward, paws slamming against the wet ground as he broke into a run, but even that felt wrong. His speed was uneven, his balance slightly off, and his body refused to cooperate.
The rain was stripping away everything that made him strong.
Just before his legs finally gave out beneath him, someone appeared at his side.
A hand caught him before he hit the ground.
"I've got you, son."
When Cade opened his eyes again, the first thing he noticed was the warmth spreading through his chest.
It came in steady waves, pushing life back into muscles that had come dangerously close to shutting down.
His vision slowly cleared.
Grace Welles stood over him with one hand pressed against his chest, his expression calm but edged with disapproval.
"You're awake."
Cade dragged in a slow breath as strength returned to his limbs. "Thanks to mother's healing, I got to cheat death freely."
Levi lifted a brow. "You were lying in the rain like you had a death wish."
Cade sat up slowly, rolling tension out of his shoulders. "I miscalculated."
"You underestimated it, you are strong and we all know, weakness to rain doesn't make you any less." Levi corrected.
Before Cade could answer, his mother chimed in. You stayed out too long," she said. "You always think you can manage it until it proves you wrong."
Cade ran a hand through his damp hair. "I was handling it."
Grace raised a brow. "You collapsed."
Cade had no response to that.
A low laugh came from the doorway.
"Well, as usual," Finn said as he walked in. "I always wondered how rain would be the thing to take you out of all the elements in the globe."
Cade shot him a look. "Even at that, you're nothing compared to me, useless."
Finn grinned. "Hah! Pot calling kettle black, what a shame."
"Enough," Levi said.
Finn lifted his hands in surrender, though the amusement never left his face.
"Fine. I'll behave."
A second later, he looked right back at Cade.
"So how was the date?"
Cade paused for half a second. It was brief, but Grace noticed.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"That interesting?"
Cade looked away. "It went fine."
Finn snorted. "You do not nearly die in the rain after a fine night."
Cade ignored him.
"She wasn't what I expected," he said instead.
Grace tilted her head slightly. "The Alpha's daughter surprised you?"
Cade's expression hardened a little.
"She's different."
Finn grinned wider. "Different good or different annoying?"
Cade did not answer right away.
For a brief moment, Mia crossed his mind again. Soaked in rain. Mud on her clothes.
Looking at him like she already disliked him.
He pushed the thought aside.
"It doesn't matter," he said. "The mission stays the same."
Levi stepped forward.
"Good," he said. "Because that is the only thing that matters."
The room went quiet.
"This Alpha is not just another leader," Levi continued. "What he is creating out there are not wolves. They are unstable, violent, and almost impossible to control."
Finn's grin faded.
"We have seen the reports," he said. "Rogue wolves tearing through entire areas."
"They do not think," Grace added. "They do not follow orders. They just destroy."
Cade's jaw tightened again.
"And if he succeeds," Levi said, "we will not be dealing with one threat. We will be dealing with an army."
Silence settled over the room.
"He won't succeed," Cade said.
Levi held his gaze.
"Then make sure of it. Because right now, your access to that family is our only advantage."
Cade nodded once. "I'll see her again tomorrow."
Finn let out a low whistle. "Second date already? That was fast."
Cade ignored him, but Levi did not.
"Do not let this turn into something else," he said firmly. "You are there for a reason. Stay focused."
"I know."
"Make sure you do."
Finn shook his head. "Relax, Father. He is not going to fall for her. That would be embarrassing."
Cade shot him a cold look. "Stay out of it."
Finn only smirked.
Grace stepped closer then, her voice quieter than before.
"Be careful," she said. "Not everything dangerous looks dangerous at first."
When the room finally emptied and the house went quiet again, his mind drifted back to the street, the rain, and the girl standing in the middle of it.
He leaned back slowly and closed his eyes.
"What's with this girl, anyways?."