LOGINThe 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 moment ended too quickly. Amara hated that she noticed. ⸻ One second Lucian’s hands were still on her. The next— He was already pulling himself back together. Cold. Controlled. Dangerous alpha composure sliding back into place like armor. ⸻ Except now? ⸻ Amara knew what existed underneath it. ⸻ And that somehow made him even more dangerous. ⸻ Lucian opened the study door sharply. ⸻ Dante stood outside with an expression that immediately shifted the atmosphere. No teasing. No grin. ⸻ Serious. ⸻ “That bad?” Amara asked quietly. ⸻ Dante exhaled slowly. ⸻ “Depends how much everyone enjoys horrifying discoveries.” ⸻ “…That’s never a good sentence.” ⸻ “Nope.” ⸻ Lucian stepped forward immediately. ⸻ “What did Rhea find?” ⸻ Dante’s expression darkened. ⸻ “A tunnel.” ⸻ Silence. ⸻ Amara frowned slightly. ⸻ “…Okay?” ⸻ Dante looked at her carefully. ⸻ “Under the compound.” ⸻ The air instantly turned cold. ⸻ Lucian’s jaw tightened visibly.
Silence filled the room. Not empty silence. The kind that changed everything. ⸻ Amara’s pulse still hadn’t slowed. Probably never would again. ⸻ Lucian’s hands remained on her waist, his grip firm enough to make it clear he still wasn’t fully in control of himself. And honestly? Neither was she. ⸻ The mate bond pulsed warmly beneath her skin. Satisfied. Alive. ⸻ Amara swallowed slowly. Trying to breathe normally. Trying to think normally. Failing completely. ⸻ “That…” she whispered breathlessly. ⸻ Lucian’s gaze remained locked on hers. Dark. Intense. Dangerously focused. ⸻ “…changed things.” A faint flicker crossed his face. ⸻ “Yes.” ⸻ Her chest tightened again. Because somehow his voice sounded rougher now. Deeper. Like the kiss affected him just as badly. ⸻ Good. ⸻ At least she wasn’t suffering alone. ⸻ Lucian’s thumb brushed slowly against her waist absentmindedly. A tiny movement. But the bond reacted instantly. ⸻ Amara sucked in a shar
The silence after Lucian’s words felt unbearable. ⸻ The bond doesn’t create feelings. It reveals what’s already there. ⸻ Amara’s heartbeat became uneven again. Because that sentence? That sentence ruined everything. ⸻ Because now she couldn’t pretend this was just wolf instinct. Couldn’t blame it entirely on magic. Or fate. Or some ancient supernatural connection. ⸻ No. ⸻ That would’ve been easier. ⸻ Instead— Lucian was telling her the terrifying truth. ⸻ That maybe— Some part of this had always been real. ⸻ Amara looked away first. Because holding his gaze suddenly felt dangerous. ⸻ “You say intense things too casually.” ⸻ Lucian didn’t move. ⸻ “They’re still true.” ⸻ Her stomach flipped painfully. ⸻ “This is a nightmare.” ⸻ “A dramatic one.” ⸻ She narrowed her eyes immediately. ⸻ “Did you just joke?” ⸻ “Possibly.” ⸻ “That’s actually terrifying.” ⸻ A faint flicker crossed his face again. God. That rare amusement was becoming unfairly d
The room went completely silent. Not normal silence. The kind that swallowed everything whole. ⸻ Amara stared at Lucian like she’d forgotten how to breathe. ⸻ “The… what?” ⸻ Lucian didn’t answer immediately. Which terrified her. Because Lucian always answered immediately. Always controlled. Always certain. ⸻ But now? ⸻ Now he looked shaken. ⸻ And that scared her more than the words themselves. ⸻ “The mate bond,” he repeated quietly. ⸻ Amara laughed once. A short, disbelieving sound. ⸻ “No.” ⸻ Lucian’s jaw tightened slightly. ⸻ “It’s real.” ⸻ “No,” she repeated, backing away from him. “This is insane.” ⸻ The silver mark beneath her collarbone pulsed faintly again. Warm. Alive. ⸻ Amara looked down at it in horror. ⸻ “What is happening to me?” ⸻ Lucian stepped toward her immediately. ⸻ “It’s reacting to the bond.” ⸻ “That sentence means absolutely nothing to me!” ⸻ Her breathing became uneven again. Too fast. Too sharp. ⸻ Because mate b
Amara couldn’t breathe properly after that conversation. Not because she was panicking. Not entirely. But because every answer only created more questions. Lunaris. Ancient bloodline. Feared wolves. It sounded impossible. And yet— Somehow it explained everything. The strange power. The u
The room emptied slowly after that. Too slowly for Amara’s patience. No one explained anything properly. Again. Blackthorne bloodline. Silver eyes. Legends. Experiments. Every conversation felt like half a truth wrapped inside another secret. And she was getting tired of it. By the time t
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







