Chapter 5: Chains Of The Past

The knife’s edge kissed Nicole’s skin, cold and sharp enough to still her every breath.

“Don’t move,” the stranger rasped against her ear. His grip was iron, pinning her against the ravine wall as the firefight above rumbled on like a storm refusing to pass.

Brian’s gun was already raised, his voice a growl pulled from deep in his chest. “Let her go. Now.”

Silas crouched half in shadow, his body taut like a predator ready to strike. His eyes weren’t on the stranger—they were on Nicole, like he was calculating whether she’d trust him enough to move when he did.

The man holding her chuckled, a dry, mirthless sound. “Funny. Both of you want her, but neither of you’s strong enough to keep her.” He pressed the blade harder, drawing the faintest line of blood. Nicole didn’t flinch. She couldn’t afford to.

“Who sent you?” she forced out, steady despite the sting.

The man’s smile curved against her temple. “Who do you think? Ghosts don’t stay buried, sweetheart.”

Brian’s jaw clenched. Nicole didn’t miss the flicker in his expression—a recognition he tried and failed to hide.

Silas’s snarl broke through the tension. “You know him.”

“I don’t,” Brian snapped, too quickly.

But Nicole knew Brian well enough—knew the micro-hesitations, the slight shift in his stance. He was lying.

The stranger shoved her forward, forcing her steps toward the flickering glow at the end of the ravine. Nicole’s boots scraped against the stone, every muscle in her body screaming to break free, but the knife was too close, the angles too tight.

Brian advanced, ignoring the danger. “You won’t make it three steps out of here alive if you take her.”

The man’s laugh echoed down the ravine. “Then I’ll die with her throat in my hand. Orders are orders.”

Orders.

The word curdled in Nicole’s stomach. Whoever this was, he wasn’t a rogue. He was part of something organized. Something bigger.

And Brian’s reaction made her certain—he already knew exactly who.

“Brian,” she said sharply, her voice cutting through the rising chaos. “Tell me. Who is he?”

Brian’s silence was louder than the gunfire.

The stranger yanked her forward again, dragging her toward the light. And when they rounded the corner, Nicole’s blood ran cold.

A camp. Hidden in the hollow of the ravine. Crates stacked high, weapons gleaming under the dim glow of lanterns. Half a dozen figures moved in the shadows, rifles slung casually like they were waiting for her arrival.

Not hunters. Not mercenaries. Soldiers.

The man at her back grinned, pressing the blade harder. “Welcome home, Luna.”

Nicole’s breath caught. The camp sprawled like a cancer across the ravine floor, its geometry too deliberate to be temporary. Canvas tents, steel crates stamped with markings she didn’t recognize, the faint stench of oil and blood heavy in the air. Whoever had built this hadn’t done it in a night—it was infrastructure, established, funded.

The soldiers noticed her almost instantly. Heads turned. Rifles tilted upward. Whispers rippled like a low wind.

Her captor shoved her down onto her knees, the stone biting through her jeans. He made a show of dragging the knife along her collarbone before sliding it away and pressing a heavy boot against her shoulder to keep her still.

“Here she is,” the man announced. “Our wandering Luna.”

A tall figure emerged from one of the larger tents. His uniform wasn’t standard—closer to tactical gear, black with gray trim, but the way the others straightened when he appeared told Nicole he was someone with authority. His face remained shrouded by the hood of his coat until he stopped in front of her and slowly drew it back.

Cold eyes. Sharpened jaw. Hair clipped short.

She didn’t recognize him.

But Brian did.

Nicole saw it—the stiffening in his shoulders, the shadow that passed over his face like a storm cloud. He didn’t call out, didn’t rush forward, but something in him cracked for a split second before he buried it again.

“Nicole,” the man said smoothly, voice cultured, almost pleasant. “You’re… earlier than expected.”

Her captor chuckled and stepped back, finally sheathing his knife. “She was wandering right into us. Almost like she wanted to be found.”

Nicole forced herself to stand despite the ache in her knees. She locked eyes with the hooded man, raising her chin. “You have me confused with someone who takes orders.”

He smiled thinly. “No. I have you exactly right.”

Above, Silas’s shadow moved along the ravine edge, but he didn’t leap. He couldn’t—not with rifles aimed squarely at Nicole. Brian remained just behind the perimeter, every muscle straining against the instinct to charge in, to pull her free. But he didn’t move either. Not yet.

And Nicole—though fear rattled through her bones—realized something.

They were both waiting for her.

The man crouched, studying her like a specimen. “Your bloodline has been a thorn in our side for far too long. You think you can vanish for a decade, and the war forgets you? No. You were always going to come back. It was only a matter of when.”

Nicole’s pulse hammered in her ears. “And Brian?” she asked coolly. “Did you drag him into this too, or did he walk in on his own?”

The flicker in the man’s smile was brief—but real. He straightened. “He knows his place. That’s all you need to know.”

Her eyes darted toward Brian, still lurking at the edge of the camp, caught between shadow and firelight. He didn’t deny it. Didn’t shout. Didn’t even shake his head.

It broke something in her chest she didn’t realize was still fragile.

A soldier grabbed her wrists, yanking them behind her back and snapping iron cuffs around them. She twisted, the metal digging cruelly into her skin, but they held. The bite of cold iron made her vision flare white-hot—wolves and iron never mixed well. Her body sagged for a second under the weight of it.

“You’ll stay here until we’re ready,” the leader said simply. “Don’t waste your strength.”

They shoved her toward one of the tents, her boots dragging furrows in the dust. Nicole forced herself to keep her head high, even as her body screamed to collapse.

Because she wasn’t broken.

Not yet.

Outside, Brian’s fists clenched so hard his knuckles cracked. Silas shifted closer to him, eyes burning.

“You know him,” Silas growled under his breath.

Brian didn’t look at him. “This isn’t the time.”

“It was the time ten years ago. Maybe you wouldn’t have betrayed her if you’d said something then.”

Brian’s head snapped toward him, voice low and dangerous. “I didn’t betray her.”

Silas smirked. “Tell her that.”

Brian didn’t respond. His eyes stayed fixed on the tent where Nicole disappeared, his chest rising and falling like a man standing on the edge of fire.

Inside the tent, the air was stifling, heavy with sweat and dust. They chained her to a post driven deep into the ground, as though expecting her to break free otherwise.

Nicole sat in the shadows, wrists burning against the cuffs, but her mind raced faster than the pain could contain.

She thought of the pack she’d left behind in the ruined hall. Of the few allies who had stepped into the light. Of Silas above the ravine, watching with fury that was equal parts protection and resentment.

And of Brian. Always Brian.

She closed her eyes, biting down hard on her lip until she tasted blood. She couldn’t afford to fracture. Not now. Not when the enemy had finally shown its face.

Not when the man she once trusted with her life was standing on the wrong side of the firelight.

The tent smelled of rust, sweat, and something faintly metallic—blood, dried into the dirt floor. Nicole shifted against the chains, testing the strength. Iron bit into her wrists like a predator’s teeth, sending sparks of pain through her veins. Wolves weren’t meant to be bound by this metal; it dampened every ounce of her strength, hollowing her chest with each breath.

But she refused to fold.

Her gaze roamed the canvas walls. No weapons. No openings besides the guarded flap. The only light came from a single lantern set high on a wooden crate, casting long, flickering shadows across the interior.

Nicole sat straighter, jaw clenched. Think. Don’t panic. You’ve survived worse.

The flap rustled.

He walked in. The hooded man from earlier, carrying a calm authority that unsettled her more than shouting ever could. He removed his gloves with deliberate slowness, his cold eyes drinking her in.

“You’ve grown,” he remarked. His voice was smooth, practiced. “Stronger, sharper. I’ll admit, I wondered if the years in hiding would dull you. But here you are, Luna Nicole—standing taller than your mother ever did.”

Nicole’s stomach twisted. He knew too much.

She schooled her expression. “Funny. I don’t remember sending you an invitation.”

That earned her the faintest curve of a smile. “Still fire in your tongue. Just like her.”

Her chest constricted. “Don’t. Don’t talk about her.”

“Oh?” He crouched, resting his forearms on his knees. “Why not? Your mother was brave… until the end. But bravery without submission?” He shook his head slowly. “It killed her.”

Nicole jerked against the chains, fury igniting behind her ribs. “You know nothing about her.”

“I know enough,” he said simply. His eyes narrowed. “And I know you carry the same weakness. You’ve surrounded yourself with wolves who’d sooner die than kneel. That loyalty is beautiful. It’s also your undoing.”

Nicole’s lips curled. “You talk like you’ve already won.”

He leaned closer, voice dropping. “We have.”

Outside, the camp stirred with unease. Soldiers tightened their grips on weapons, whispering among themselves. Silas remained on the high ledge, his form half-shadow, watching every move below with predatory patience. His instincts screamed to descend, to tear them apart, but Brian’s stillness beside him was infuriating.

“You’re not moving,” Silas hissed.

Brian’s jaw flexed. “If I move now, she dies before I reach her.”

“And if you don’t?” Silas’s eyes glowed like embers. “She rots in their hands. Is that your grand plan? Watch the woman you love break again?”

The words cut sharper than any blade. Brian’s chest tightened, memory clawing at him—Nicole ten years younger, bound, screaming his name as fire consumed the night. He swallowed hard, burying the tremor in his voice.

“I won’t lose her again.”

Silas sneered. “Then prove it.”

Brian didn’t answer. His gaze stayed pinned on the tent where Nicole disappeared, every muscle coiled like a drawn bow.

Inside, Nicole met her captor’s gaze head-on. “If you think chains will stop me, you’re dumber than you look.”

For the first time, his smile reached his eyes. Cold. Cruel. “No. Chains don’t stop people like you. Secrets do.”

The words slid under her skin like ice.

“What do you mean?” she asked, forcing her voice steady.

He stood, circling her like a vulture. “Do you know why Brian never speaks of his past? Why he disappears into silence every time your family name is whispered?”

Her throat tightened, but she didn’t break her stare. “Because it’s his story to tell.”

The man chuckled darkly. “Naïve. He doesn’t tell you because he can’t. Because the truth would turn your precious love into ashes.”

Nicole’s pulse thundered. She wanted to scream at him, to shut his mouth before the poison dripped deeper—but a part of her needed to know.

“What truth?”

The man stopped behind her, leaning in so his breath brushed her ear.

“He’s ours.”

The chains rattled as Nicole surged against them, fury exploding in her chest. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” His tone was maddeningly calm. “Why else would he stand out there, watching, but not saving you? Why else would he carry our mark on his blood? Brian Adams was forged in our ranks long before you loved him.”

Her stomach dropped, ice flooding her veins. She wanted to deny it, to spit the words back in his face—but doubt clawed through her.

Because Brian hadn’t moved.

Because Brian hadn’t denied it.

Because somewhere in her heart, she knew there were pieces of him she’d never been allowed to see.

The flap burst open.

Brian stood there, eyes blazing, breath ragged like he’d run through fire to reach her. Soldiers raised rifles, but he didn’t falter.

“Enough.” His voice was steel.

The hooded man smiled faintly, unshaken. “Ah. The prodigal son.”

Nicole froze. Prodigal son.

Her heart cracked open.

Brian didn’t look at her—not yet. His eyes locked on the hooded man, fists clenched. “Let her go. This ends now.”

The man tilted his head. “And betray the family that raised you? Again?”

Nicole’s world tilted. Again.

Brian’s silence was louder than any confession.

Nicole’s pulse roared in her ears. Again. That single word from the hooded man tore through her chest like claws.

She searched Brian’s face, desperate for denial. For him to snarl back that it wasn’t true, that this was another one of their cruel games.

But he didn’t.

Brian’s jaw was set, eyes locked on the man across from him. The silence screamed louder than bullets.

“Brian.” Her voice cracked despite the steel in it. “Tell me he’s lying.”

At last, his gaze flicked to her. There was fire there—fire she knew, fire that had saved her more times than she could count. But under it lay something darker, older. A weight he’d carried for years.

“Nicole…” His throat worked. His fists clenched so tight his knuckles whitened. “This isn’t the time.”

That alone was an answer.

Her chest collapsed.

The hooded man smiled like a predator. “See? Even your beloved Alpha can’t outrun blood. He is ours, Luna. He was shaped by us, long before you ever touched him. And now—” He gestured lazily to the chains biting Nicole’s wrists. “Now he returns to where he belongs.”

Something inside Brian snapped.

He lunged, faster than any of the soldiers could react. His fist connected with the hooded man’s jaw, sending him sprawling into the dirt. The camp erupted in chaos.

“Fire!” someone screamed.

Gunshots split the night.

Nicole ducked instinctively, chains clattering, as bullets tore through the tent walls. Brian was already moving, a storm in human form. He slammed one soldier into the ground, twisted another’s arm until the bone cracked, grabbed a rifle and smashed it across a third’s face.

But there were too many.

Silas dropped from the ledge outside, shadows exploding with him. His form shifted mid-air, landing as a towering wolf made of smoke and fury. He tore through the nearest ranks, snarls rattling the earth.

Nicole’s chest surged with hope—until the hooded man rose again. His lip bled, but his smile never faltered.

“You fight your family, boy?” he taunted, brushing dirt from his cloak. “Kill your own blood for a girl?”

Brian’s movements faltered, just for a heartbeat.

That hesitation cost him. Two soldiers slammed into him from behind, dragging him to his knees.

“Brian!” Nicole screamed, rattling her chains until her wrists burned raw.

The hooded man turned toward her, his smile widening. “See? Chains don’t break her. But you… you will.”

He raised his hand—no weapon, just a gesture of command.

And Brian stilled.

Nicole’s blood went cold. It wasn’t the soldiers holding him down—it was something deeper, something woven into his very veins.

The hooded man’s voice coiled through the air like a curse. “Kneel, son of the Order. Remember who you are.”

Brian’s body trembled, every muscle fighting invisible shackles. His teeth bared, his eyes burning with both rage and shame.

“I’m not yours,” he growled.

“Then prove it.” The man pointed at Nicole. “Kill her.”

The camp fell silent. Even the soldiers hesitated, watching with wide eyes.

Nicole’s breath caught. Her chains clinked softly, her voice breaking into the night. “Brian…”

For a heartbeat, he didn’t move. Torn in two, fire and shadow at war inside him.

Then—

He roared, ripping free of the soldiers with a strength that rattled the ground. His fist drove into the dirt, sending shockwaves through the tent poles.

“I said—” His voice was thunder. “I’m not yours!”

Shadows surged as Silas slammed into the hooded man from the side, dragging him into the earth itself. The tent collapsed in chaos.

Nicole hit the ground hard, chains biting, vision swimming. She blinked through the dust, struggling to see.

Brian’s hands found her wrists, yanking at the iron until his palms bled. “I’ve got you,” he rasped. “I swear, I’ve got you.”

The chains gave with a metallic scream.

She fell into his arms, chest heaving, every nerve alight with fear and fury. She wanted to shove him away, demand answers, curse his name. She also wanted to hold him until the world stopped shaking.

But before she could speak, Silas’s roar split the night.

The hooded man wasn’t finished.

His shadow rose from the dirt, eyes glowing like twin flames.

“This is only the beginning,” he hissed. “Your bloodline will always belong to us.”

And then—he vanished, swallowed into the dark.

Nicole clung to Brian, torn between relief and betrayal. His secrets weren’t whispers anymore. They were chains, heavier than the ones she’d just escaped.

And they were only beginning to tighten.