Chapter 30

Sofia's heart ached at the pain evident in his words. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Mateo, you know I could never judge you for something you have no control over. If anything, I feel like we have an even deeper connection now that I know the truth."

A glimmer of hope flickered in Mateo's eyes. "You mean that? Even after seeing the full extent of what we're capable of as werewolves?"

"Yes, of course." Sofia leaned forward conspiratorially. "And think about it - we can actually use these abilities to help people, to do good in the world. We're not monsters, we're...werewolf vigilantes or something!"

She grinned at the absurdity of her own words, but Mateo matched her smile with a look of genuine consideration. "You know, you might just be onto something there. Maybe having a partner to watch my back wouldn't be such a bad thing after all."

The spark of excitement was imp