Chapter Two

The door to Diego's office creaked open, and Lucia Torres walked in, her heels clicking on the polished floor. She looked determined. She looked just like the woman who had once stolen Diego's heart, but now there was something sharper in her eyes, something planned. Diego Rivas, the Alpha, had never liked the past, but the tension in the room was clear as she stood in front of him. There was an invisible thread between them that held the weight of old memories and feelings.

"Lucia," Diego spoke in a low, careful voice, but he couldn't quite hide the hint of surprise in it. His hands, which had been flipping through a pack report, stopped moving when he looked up at her. "I didn't see this coming."

Lucia's lips curled into a small, confident smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I didn't think you would mess things up so badly either," she said in a soft but sharp voice.

Diego put the report down and crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you want, Lucia?" It's been years.

She tilted her head to the side and moved a little closer. "I want what I've always wanted, Diego," she said softly, but there was a dangerous look in her eyes now. "I want us back." I know I was wrong, and I know you have moved on. But this... this thing you have with Mariana? It's not right. You know that. We are meant to be together.

Diego felt like he had been punched in the stomach by the words. He had tried to hide his feelings for Lucia, but hearing her talk so openly made them come back to the surface without him wanting them to. He thought of all the times they had spent together and all the love they had shared. Each memory made it harder for him to let her go.

But he had to be tough. He was needed by the pack. He couldn't let himself go back to the past, no matter how much Lucia's presence pulled at him.

Diego said firmly, "Lucia," and his voice showed no emotion. "I made my decision." I'm with Mariana now.

Lucia's face got hard. "And look at where that's gotten you. Diego, she's gone. You're all by yourself. I can help you get back on track, but if you keep going down this path with her, you'll lose everything. "I've already lost you."

There was a moment of silence. Diego's mind was racing. He had lost Lucia once and wouldn't let it happen again. But Mariana, the memory of the betrayal still hurt, and he wasn't sure if he could really fix what he had broken. Even though he tried to push it away, he couldn't stop himself from wanting Lucia.

Diego stood up from his chair and said, "I don't need this right now." He suddenly felt trapped by how unsure he was. "You need to go."

Lucia didn't move; her eyes narrowed with purpose. "Diego, I'll give you time. But don't say I didn't tell you so. She turned and walked to the door, her heels clicking again. Diego was left alone with his thoughts in the deafening silence.

Diego sat alone in his study later that night. The sun was setting, and the shadows were getting longer across the room. His mind was a storm of feelings, and the storm inside him was getting worse. He had spent most of his life denying the past, but Lucia had come back, bringing with her the ghosts of things he couldn't escape.

A soft knock on the door broke up his thoughts. "Come in," he said, sounding tired.

Enzo Castillo, the eager Alpha-in-training, walked in. His face was guarded, and his stance was sure, but Diego could tell he was worried.

"Diego," Enzo said, his voice a little shaky, "I don't want to bother you, but I have to ask..." What's going on with Lucia? The pack is on edge. They can tell that something is wrong. And to be honest, I don't trust her.

Diego didn't look him in the eye; instead, he looked down at the desk and tapped his fingers mindlessly. "She only came here to talk to me." That's all it is.

Enzo wasn't sure. “I’m not sure about that, Diego. The way she's been acting lately... it's not just for the sake of old times. She has a plan. You can see it, can't you?

Diego sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He was sure that Enzo was right. He could see it in Lucia's eyes: her determination and her need to get back what they had once shared. But he couldn't say it yet.

Diego said, "I'll take care of it," but his tone wasn't as strong as it usually was. "I know what I'm doing."

Enzo raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Just be careful." It could cost us everything if she gets her claws on you.

Later that night, Mariana Pérez sat in her small, dark room, her mind racing. She didn't think she'd have to go back to this world of power and manipulation, but here she was, betrayed by the man she had once loved and carrying his children in secret. It was hard for her to keep this secret because every day felt like a fight.

A knock on the door broke her train of thought. She opened it to see Álvaro García, the former pack warrior who had been living apart from her. His face was serious, and his eyes were dark with worry.

"Álvaro," she said softly as she stepped aside to let him in.

"I need to talk to you," Álvaro said quietly, looking nervously at the door behind him. "It's about Diego."

Mariana felt a flash of fear, but she told him to keep going.

"What about that guy?" She asked, her voice steady, even though her heart was racing.

"His family... there's a dark secret that could ruin everything he's worked for. The Rivas family tree... it's not what you think, Mariana. "It's been hidden for years."

Mariana's breath caught in her throat. "What do you mean?"

Álvaro stopped for a moment, and his face got darker. "The truth about Diego's past could change everything, especially when it comes to your kids." It's hard to hear, but you need to know this. "You've been kept in the dark for too long."

Mariana's head spun. She had always known that Diego had things in his past that he didn't want to talk about, but this? This was more than that. She shook her head, trying to understand what Álvaro was saying.

She said softly, "I don't want to know." "Not now." Not after all the things he's done.

Álvaro's eyes softened, but there was still a hint of something darker in them. "You have to." For your kids. For the group."

As Álvaro left, Mariana felt a chill run through her body. His strange words hung in the air.

The next day, Diego ran into Valentina Ruiz, a rival Alpha from a nearby pack. She was a strong, calculating woman, and just being there made Diego nervous.

"Diego," Valentina said as she walked up to him, her voice full of calm confidence. "You seem upset."

Diego said, "I'm fine," in a short tone, not wanting to play along with her games.

But Valentina wasn't easily stopped. She moved closer, and her lips curled into a smile. "I can feel it, you know. The stress. The secrets. They always find a way to get out, don't they? Especially when you don't expect it.

Diego frowned because he didn't want to admit how much her words affected him. "What do you want, Valentina?"

She leaned in and spoke softly. "Be careful of Mariana, Diego." You might not know what the future holds for your pack and your bloodline. Something is on the way. Something that could ruin everything you've worked for. The prophecy... it's closer than you think.

Diego felt a chill run down his spine when she said those words. He didn't know if she was lying to him or trying to trick him, but he did know that everything he thought he knew was about to fall apart.