BLOODLINES AND BETRAYALS

The night air was thick with tension. Alina’s lungs felt tight as she stood frozen beside Rhett, watching the newcomer step into the moonlight. The figure radiated power, a dominance that even Rhett seemed to acknowledge.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Rhett growled, his voice low, dangerous. His hands flexed, claws extending just slightly—a warning.

The figure tilted their head, eyes glinting in the pale light. “Neither should she.”

Alina felt her stomach drop. “She? You mean me?”

Rhett’s eyes darkened. “Stay behind me,” he said, tone leaving no room for argument.

The figure laughed—a sound cold and mocking. “Oh, I know all about you, Rhett. The alpha who failed once, the one who thinks he can protect everything he touches. But now… you’ve brought her into this. That’s your first mistake.”

Alina’s pulse raced. Something about this person felt familiar, yet horrifyingly alien. She tried to step back, but Rhett’s hand closed over hers, strong and possessive, anchoring her.

“Who—what are you?” she whispered.

The figure’s eyes flicked to her. “I am what he feared. I am his past. And soon… I will be your nightmare.”

Before Alina could respond, Rhett moved in a blur, a protective blur that put him between her and the newcomer. The shadow predators that had been circling retreated, sensing the tension between the alphas.

“You think you can threaten her?” Rhett snarled. His teeth glinted, claws fully extended. “You’ve forgotten who I am.”

“Oh, I remember perfectly,” the newcomer said, voice silky but lethal. “I remember all of it. The betrayal, the fire, the blood. And now…” Their eyes narrowed. “…it’s time to finish what was started.”

Rhett stiffened, the tension in his body radiating outward. Alina had never seen him like this. This was primal, dangerous, unhinged in the way only an alpha could be when someone threatened what he loved—or claimed.

“Alina,” he said, low and urgent. “Run. Now.”

She hesitated. Her instincts screamed to obey, to flee, but her legs felt rooted. She couldn’t leave him—not now, not ever.

The newcomer lunged, moving faster than humanly possible. Rhett met them midair, and the impact sent shockwaves through the quad. Alina’s ears rang from the sound of claws striking claws, of flesh meeting fur, of raw alpha fury.

She stumbled back, tripping over a loose stone, and hit the ground hard. Pain flared through her shoulder, but she barely noticed. Her eyes were locked on Rhett—on the way his body twisted and turned with lethal precision, every movement fluid, every strike calculated.

And then… it happened.

The newcomer paused, eyes flicking toward her. “You’re mine too, little human,” they hissed.

Alina’s blood ran cold. What did that mean?

Rhett snarled, and in a single motion, he leapt toward her, grabbing her hand and pulling her behind a low stone wall. His body pressed against hers, heat and tension radiating off him.

“You’re not theirs,” he growled. “Not ever. If they touch you, I swear…” His words trailed off, lost in the storm of the night.

Alina swallowed, heart hammering. She felt something she didn’t understand—a mix of fear, exhilaration, and something dangerous simmering between them.

“Rhett… who is that?” she whispered.

He didn’t answer immediately. His eyes, dark and stormy, scanned the shadows. Finally, he said, voice low and rough, “My sister.”

Alina froze. “Sister?”

Rhett’s jaw clenched. “The one I thought was dead. The one I thought I’d never see again. And she’s not… the same. Not anymore. She’s been… changed.”

Alina’s mind spun. Changed how? What does that mean? Why is she after me? Why me?

The newcomer’s laughter cut through the night like a blade. “Ah, Rhett. So predictable. Protecting her, claiming her… she belongs to me too. And soon, you’ll regret ever crossing me.”

Rhett’s eyes blazed. “I said stay away from her!”

The sister smirked. “Oh, we’ll see.”

And then, before Alina could react, the ground beneath them shook violently. A deafening roar echoed across the campus, and the shadows seemed to pulse and writhe like living things.

Rhett pulled her closer. “This isn’t just her,” he said, teeth clenched. “The pack… they’re here. And they’re hungry.”

Alina’s stomach dropped. Not just one threat… multiple.

The shadow predators emerged again, larger, more feral than before. They circled them, snarling, eyes glowing in the moonlight. And the newcomer—Rhett’s sister—stepped back, watching with a cruel smile.

“You’re trapped, little human,” she said, voice low and venomous. “And soon… you’ll see who you truly belong to.”

Alina’s heart raced. She clutched Rhett’s arm, feeling the heat and the raw power of his presence. He was her protector, her danger, and somehow… the only thing keeping her alive.

But as the shadows closed in, and the night seemed to grow darker with every heartbeat, she realized something terrifyingly clear:

They weren’t leaving the quad alive. Not all of them.