LUCAR’S POV

I didn’t stop walking until the whispers of the pack faded behind us, swallowed by the deeper halls of the main den.

Aria’s breathing was unsteady against my chest, soft and warm.

Too warm.

Her heartbeat pulsed through me like a second rhythm, my wolf reacted to it every time.

I pushed open the heavy door to my quarters.

The room belonged me, wide space, stone walls, fur-lined bed, carved weapons on the walls. But for the first time… it felt too small.

I lowered her gently onto the bed, trying not to show how my hands trembled at the thought of letting her go.

Aria looked around nervously.

“This is… your room?”

“Yes,” I said, stepping back before I lost the last of my control. “It’s the safest place in the pack.”

She swallowed. “I don’t think I should be here…”

“You should,” I answered immediately, too fast, too hard.

Her eyes widened slightly.

I forced myself to soften my voice.

“Aria… you’re not a prisoner. You’re not trapped. I brought you here because the others are afraid, confused, and some…”

Zari’s name flashed through my mind like a bitter taste.

“…some would rather you hadn’t survived.”

Her gaze dropped to her hands.

She didn’t say anything.

She didn’t need to.

She already felt like she didn’t belong anywhere.

I dragged a hand through my hair, trying to steady myself.

“Listen to me,” I said quietly. “You’ll stay here in the pack only until you heal.”

She blinked up at me. “Only until I heal?”

“Yes.”

It hurt to say it.

More than it should have.

“When you’re strong again, you can go back to your village. Back to your life. I won’t stop you.”

My wolf snarled at the words.

Liar.

She’s ours.

Don’t let her leave.

I clenched my jaw, ignoring him.

“It’s the right thing,” I told myself more than her. “You didn’t choose this world. You didn’t ask for this.”

Aria looked at me then really looked.

Her voice was small. “Will… will I be okay?”

“Yes,” I said softly.

“As long as you’re here, you’ll be safe. I promise.”

She held that promise like it was the first warm thing she’d ever been given.

Then she whispered something so gentle it nearly broke me

“Thank you… for saving my life.”

I had to look away.

Because I didn’t save her life.

I almost ended it.

“I’m the one who bit you,” I said under my breath.

“And you regret it,” she replied simply.

Her honesty hit me harder than any rogue ever had.

I sat beside her not touching, but close enough to protect if anything happened.

“Rest,” I said. “Your body is still changing. Mira will check on you again soon.”

She nodded slowly, laying back against the pillows.

Her eyes drifted shut.

Her breathing softened.

And I watched her… the human girl who should’ve died but didn’t.

The girl who survived me.

As she fell asleep, something inside me shifted dangerous, ancient, irreversible.

I whispered to myself, barely audible

“Just until she heals…”

I closed the door softly behind me, letting Aria rest.

The moment it shut, my wolf paced inside my chest, restless, possessive, uneasy.

I needed air.

I stepped into the corridor, but I hadn’t even taken three strides when voices drifted from the main hall. Low at first… then rising sharply.

An argument about her.

I froze.

Jayce’s voice boomed first.

“Everyone calm down, Alpha will address the matter when he’s ready.”

A female voice cut him off immediately, sharp and venom-sweet.

Zari.

Of course

“Calm down?” she snapped.

“You expect us to stay calm when a human, an actual human is lying inside the Alpha’s chamber?!”

There was a murmur of agreement.

My wolf growled.

I stepped closer, leaning against the shadowed pillar, listening.

“She shouldn’t be here,” another wolf argued.

“Humans don’t belong in a pack. It’s dangerous.”

Zari scoffed. “Dangerous? She’s useless, Weak. She fainted just from being chased. What if she dies? What if she’s cursed? Why would Alpha bring something like that into our home?”

My claws extended before I could stop them.

Jayce hissed back, “Watch your mouth. Alpha saved her, she was attacked by rogues. And she survived his bite.”

Silence fell for a second.

Then wolves gasped.

Zari’s tone turned colder.

“She shouldn’t have. Maybe it’s some trick.”

My wolf snapped inside me.

You insult her again, I’ll silence you myself.

Another warrior spoke up. “What’s Alpha planning to do with her? Keep her?”

And Zari, who always paraded herself like she was born to wear my mark laughed bitterly.

“Keep her? Don’t be stupid. Why would our Alpha protect some nobody human girl? He’s only keeping her alive because he feels guilty for biting her.”

Her voice sharpened like a blade.

“Once she’s healed, he’ll send her away. And things will go back to normal. Everyone knows he’ll choose a proper mate, someone like me.”

My jaw tightened so hard the bone cracked audibly.

Jayce snapped, “Zari, enough.”

“No,” she hissed.

“I am right. I’ve known Alpha since we were children.

I’ve trained beside him, fought beside him.

I’ve loved him longer than that human has been breathing.

And you think some fragile village girl can just appear and….”

I stepped out of the shadows.

Every wolf froze.

The hall went dead silent.

My silver eyes locked on Zari.

Her mouth snapped shut.

Shoulders straightened.

Heartbeats spiked.

Jayce murmured, “…Alpha.”

I didn’t speak at first.

I let the silence burn.

Zari lowered her head, but her scent reeked of jealousy and fear.

“The girl stays,” I said finally, my voice low enough to shake the walls.

“She is under my protection.”

Shock rippled through the room.

“But Alpha….”

I took one step forward, and the wolves instantly bowed.

“I said she stays.”

My tone brooked no argument.

No wolf dared breathe too loudly.

Zari’s fists clenched at her sides.

Her voice was small now, trembling.

“Why, Alpha? Why protect her?”

I stared straight at her.

Because she survived me.

Because she is tied to me in a way none of them could understand.

But I didn’t say any of that.

Instead, I answered coldly:

“Because I decided so.”

Zari swallowed hard, stung humiliated but she bowed anyway.

“Yes, Alpha.”

I looked around the hall, gaze sweeping every wolf.

“If anyone touches her…anyone..”

My wolf surged, coating my voice with a deadly growl.

“….they answer to me.”

Then I turned away from all of them.

Returned to the corridor.

Returned to the girl sleeping in my bed… the girl who had no idea a storm was building around her.

And even less idea that she was the eye of it.