Heart Bound

Djinn As My Mother

Kyrie's POV

Just as Cal and I stood there in that quiet, intense moment, a soft knock on the door made me freeze. My mom’s voice drifted through, calm but laced with that strange tension she’d been carrying all week.

“Kyrie? Everything okay in there?”

My heart jumped, and Cal instantly took a small step back, his body shifting instinctively as if preparing to face whatever waited on the other side of the door. The knock came again, firmer this time, and then, without waiting for a response, she opened the door.

The second I saw her, something shifted inside me, like a veil lifting. Memories flooded my mind in quick flashes—a day, years ago, when she’d gone missing without a trace, the weeks of heartbreak that had followed, the desperate hope that we might find her. The memories crashed into each other, an impossible reality that shouldn’t make sense… but somehow, in that moment, it did. My mind scrambled to hold onto both versions of her: the mom I thought I knew, who’d been here all my life, and the truth—my real mom, the one who’d vanished, who’d been replaced.

A low, feral growl escaped me, a sound I didn’t even recognize as my own. But it wasn’t me who growled. My wolf—awakened, raw, and furious—had taken over, pushing to the surface, forcing me to confront the figure standing before us. Everything about her seemed wrong now, from the carefully perfected smile to the too-still gaze that I’d once thought was love but now recognized as something else.

“Who are you?” I snarled, my voice rough, barely human. “You’re not my mother.”

Cal moved closer, his face filled with concern and protective fury as he picked up on the change, his own instincts heightening. Gina and Channing, both roused from their sleep, sat up, blinking in confusion as they took in the tension in the room.

“Kyrie?” Gina asked, her voice shaky as she watched me confront the woman who’d claimed to be my mother for years.

The woman—no, the *thing*—in front of me faltered, her carefully composed face slipping as something cold and sinister flashed in her eyes. She tilted her head, her expression twisting into something almost amused, a mocking smile curving on her lips.

“Well,” she said, her voice soft and mocking, a far cry from the warmth I’d grown up hearing. “You weren’t supposed to figure it out quite so soon. But I suppose the Silver Moon has its own way of speeding things along.”

“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice a low growl as my wolf clawed to the surface, eager to tear through the lie standing in front of us.

The imposter sighed, shaking her head slowly. “I’m exactly who you need me to be, Kyrie. Or rather… who I was told to be.” Her eyes flickered with something dark, her expression settling into a cold calm. “I’m a Djinn. And I’ve been very comfortably inhabiting this form for years. You… and your family, have served me well.”

The truth struck me like a blow, and I staggered back, the anger and betrayal clawing at my insides. Gina and Channing exchanged shocked glances, both of them wide-eyed as they took in what was happening. They were still groggy from sleep, but their expressions shifted to horror as they processed the reality of the woman standing in front of us.

“You’ve been living in my house… pretending to be my mother?” I asked, my voice trembling with the rage simmering beneath the surface. “Where is she? My real mom?”

The Djinn shrugged, an indifferent expression settling over her face. “Who knows? I took over her life years ago. Where she went? Not my concern. She wasn’t needed anymore, not once I stepped in.” She gave a cold smile, one that sent a shiver down my spine. “But you, Kyrie… you were always different. It took a lot of work to keep you from realizing the truth.”

I could feel Cal’s tension radiating beside me, his own fury barely restrained. His hand brushed against my arm, grounding me, but my wolf was raging, barely controlled, her instinct to protect and defend pulsing in every fiber of my being. I wanted to confront this monster, to make her pay for every lie, every stolen moment, every memory she’d twisted to keep me from the truth.

Cal stepped forward, his eyes narrowed, his tone sharp. “So you’ve just been… watching her, keeping her close. For what purpose?”

The Djinn’s eyes glittered with malice as she looked at Cal, unfazed by his anger. “You wouldn’t understand, wolf. But Kyrie’s existence serves a purpose, one that’s above either of you. And as long as she’s useful, I’ll remain in this role.”

Cal’s grip on my arm tightened. “Kyrie’s no one’s puppet,” he growled, his voice filled with warning.

Gina, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and confusion. “Why keep her in the dark? Why go through all this trouble, hiding who she really is?”

The Djinn shrugged, her gaze shifting back to me with a twisted smile. “Because Kyrie’s true nature had to be buried… until tonight. The bond was inevitable. The Silver Moon has ensured that. But that doesn’t mean her purpose has changed.”

I took a shaky breath, struggling to keep my emotions in check. “Purpose? What purpose?”

The Djinn just laughed, a cold, hollow sound that echoed in the small room. “You’ll find out soon enough,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain. “But I’d watch your back, little wolf. You may have finally found your place, but it won’t protect you from what’s coming.”

With that, the Djinn turned on her heel and walked out of the room, her presence disappearing down the hall. The air seemed to lighten as she left, but I was left standing there, my entire world upturned.

Cal wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close, his embrace grounding me in the moment. I took a shaky breath, feeling the anger and fear begin to ebb as I leaned into him.

Gina and Channing watched, both of them shaken but still there, still present. I looked at them, my friends, who were just as blindsided by this revelation as I was.

“I don’t know who I am,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I don’t know what any of this means.”

Cal’s hand moved to my shoulder, steadying me. “We’ll figure it out,” he said softly, his voice filled with a quiet determination that felt like a promise. “You’re not alone, Kyrie. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

I looked up at him, his familiar face grounding me in a reality that felt like it was slipping through my fingers. For the first time, the uncertainty that had haunted me all week felt manageable, like I could face it as long as I wasn’t facing it alone.

And though I didn’t know what came next, I knew one thing for sure: everything was different now, and the path ahead was filled with questions I was both afraid to ask and desperate to answer. But with Cal, Gina, and Channing by my side, I felt ready to face whatever waited in the shadows.