LOGINThe roar echoed again. Deeper this time. Closer. ⸻ The entire underground chamber trembled violently. Dust rained from the ceiling. Stone cracked along the walls. ⸻ And suddenly— Every hybrid stopped moving. ⸻ Complete silence fell across the room. ⸻ The creatures backed away slowly. Fearfully. ⸻ Amara’s stomach twisted immediately. Because those things feared nothing. Until now. ⸻ Kael stared toward the darkness below the chamber entrance. ⸻ “…That’s not good.” ⸻ “No,” Dante said quietly. “For once, I deeply agree.” ⸻ Lucian’s body remained tense beside Amara. Protective instinct fully active. One arm still positioned slightly in front of her automatically. ⸻ The hybrids began retreating toward the edges of the chamber. Whining. Panicked. ⸻ Selene looked absolutely horrified now. ⸻ “You have to leave.” ⸻ Lucian’s gaze snapped toward her sharply. ⸻ “What is down there?” ⸻ Selene shook her head weakly. ⸻ “There isn’t time.” ⸻ Another roar
Everything happened at once. ⸻ The hybrids charged. Dozens of twisted bodies lunging toward Amara with glowing red eyes and bloodthirsty snarls. ⸻ And Lucian snapped. ⸻ The sound that tore from his throat wasn’t human. Wasn’t even fully wolf. ⸻ It was Alpha. Pure dominance. Pure fury. ⸻ The entire chamber shook beneath the force of it. ⸻ Every hybrid froze for half a second. Instinct reacting to the command. Fear reacting to the predator. ⸻ But it wasn’t enough. ⸻ Because they still wanted her. ⸻ Lucian moved first. Fast enough that Amara barely saw him. ⸻ One second he stood beside her. The next— A hybrid crashed through a stone pillar as Lucian tore it apart with brutal force. ⸻ Blood splattered across the chamber walls. ⸻ Kael stared briefly. ⸻ “…He’s really angry.” ⸻ “That’s your observation?” Dante shouted while fighting off another hybrid. ⸻ Lucian attacked again before anyone could speak further. No restraint now. None. ⸻ The Alpha had
The growls grew louder. Closer. Hungrier. ⸻ Amara’s pulse thundered violently in her ears as glowing red eyes filled the darkness beyond the iron gates. Dozens. Maybe more. ⸻ The hybrids moved unnaturally in the shadows. Twisted bodies. Distorted limbs. Some looked almost wolf-like. Others looked barely human anymore. ⸻ Every instinct inside Amara screamed danger. ⸻ Dante slowly stepped backward. ⸻ “…I hate everything about this.” ⸻ Kael’s claws extended instantly. ⸻ “How many are there?” ⸻ The chained woman’s voice shook. ⸻ “Too many.” ⸻ Lucian moved directly in front of Amara again without hesitation. Protective instinct taking over completely now. ⸻ “Stay behind me.” ⸻ Amara frowned immediately despite the terror. ⸻ “You say that every five minutes.” ⸻ “Because every five minutes you almost die.” ⸻ Fair. Annoyingly fair. ⸻ The hybrids slammed violently against the gates. Metal rattled hard enough to shake the chamber walls. ⸻ The woman c
The tunnel felt wrong. From the moment Amara stepped inside, she felt it. ⸻ The air was too cold. Too still. ⸻ Every sound echoed strangely against the damp stone walls as the group descended deeper beneath the compound. Water dripped somewhere in the darkness. Slow. Steady. Like a countdown. ⸻ Lucian walked directly in front of Amara, every movement alert and controlled. Protective instinct fully activated. ⸻ Not that he was trying to hide it anymore. ⸻ Kael and Dante followed behind them while two guards remained near the upper entrance. Just in case. ⸻ Though honestly? Amara wasn’t sure anything about this situation had a “just in case.” ⸻ The deeper they moved underground, the stronger the strange pull in her chest became. The bond beneath her skin pulsing steadily now. Not toward Lucian this time. ⸻ Toward something ahead. ⸻ Lucian noticed her slowing slightly. ⸻ “What is it?” ⸻ Amara swallowed carefully. ⸻ “She’s close.” ⸻ Nobody asked how sh
The scream echoed again. Faint. Broken. Terrified. ⸻ Every wolf in the room went completely still. ⸻ Amara’s heart slammed violently against her ribs. Because she knew that voice. ⸻ Not from memory. Not truly. ⸻ But from the vision. ⸻ And somehow— That felt even worse. ⸻ Kael reached for the weapon strapped to his side immediately. ⸻ “That came from below.” ⸻ “No kidding,” Dante muttered. Though even he looked unsettled now. ⸻ Lucian’s expression darkened into something lethal. ⸻ “Seal the upper entrances.” ⸻ The guards moved instantly. ⸻ Amara stared into the darkness beneath the tunnel opening again, unease crawling beneath her skin. The bond pulsed sharply. Urgently. ⸻ And for the first time— Her wolf didn’t feel afraid. ⸻ It felt drawn. ⸻ Like something deep inside her already knew what waited below. ⸻ Lucian noticed the shift immediately. Of course he did. ⸻ “You’re thinking about going down there.” ⸻ Amara looked up at him. ⸻ “I’m
“No?” Amara repeated the word slowly, still breathing unevenly from the vision. ⸻ Rhea looked like she regretted saying it out loud. ⸻ Which immediately made everyone more suspicious. ⸻ Lucian’s gaze sharpened dangerously. ⸻ “What do you know?” ⸻ Rhea stayed silent. Too silent. ⸻ Kael stepped forward instantly. ⸻ “Rhea.” ⸻ The warning in his voice echoed through the room. ⸻ But Rhea’s focus remained fixed on Amara now. Not fearful. Not exactly. ⸻ Something worse. Recognition. ⸻ Amara’s stomach tightened painfully. ⸻ “You know who’s down there,” she whispered. ⸻ Silence. ⸻ Then finally— Rhea exhaled slowly. ⸻ “There was a story,” she said quietly. ⸻ Dante groaned immediately. ⸻ “Oh good. Another horrifying ancient story.” ⸻ Nobody acknowledged him. ⸻ Because suddenly— The atmosphere had become far too serious. ⸻ Rhea stepped closer to the tunnel entrance slowly. ⸻ “Years ago, during the fall of the Lunaris bloodline…” She hesitated brie
The meeting ended in silence. Not calm silence. Heavy silence. The kind that stayed trapped beneath everyone’s skin long after the room emptied. Amara felt it the entire walk back. The tension. The fear. The uncertainty. And worst of all? No one had answered her question. What are you? T
The war room was already full when they arrived. ⸻ Tension saturated the air so heavily that Amara felt it the second she stepped inside. No one was talking loudly. No one was relaxed. ⸻ That alone told her how serious this was. ⸻ The large room was dimly lit, maps spread across the center
The compound no longer felt like home. Not even close. By morning, the atmosphere had completely changed. No laughter. No relaxed conversations. No sense of safety. Only tension. Suspicion. Fear hiding behind controlled expressions. Because somewhere inside the pack— There was a traitor.
The hallway was still shaking slightly from the attack. Dust lingered in the air. Broken stone covered the floor. And the scent of blood— Lucian’s blood— Hung heavily between them. Amara stared at the dark stain spreading across his shoulder, her chest tightening painfully. “You’re hurt.” L







