The house was bigger than she expected. Warm lighting. Large windows. A fire crackling in the living room. It felt… lived in. Jake carried her bag upstairs, stopping in front of a door. "This is yours." Lila stepped inside without a word. The room was simple. A bed. A dresser. A window overlooking the forest. It was nice. Too nice. She hated it. She turned to face Jake. "How long do I have to stay?" Jake hesitated. "As long as it takes." "For what?" "For you to heal." Her chest tightened. "And after that?" Jake’s expression darkened, but before he could answer, Lucas spoke from the doorway. "You’ll leave," he said, voice unreadable. Lila turned to him, startled by his presence. He was leaning against the frame, arms crossed, watching her with that same guarded expression. Something sharp twisted in her stomach. Lucas held her gaze. "If that’s what you want." She should have felt relieved. She should have felt something like victory, like freedom w
Lila set the dagger back on the table, narrowing her eyes at the mess of blueprints and scattered wires. "This place looks like a bomb went off," she muttered. Jake smirked. "It’s organized chaos." She shot him a skeptical look. "That’s just something people say when they don’t want to admit they live in a disaster zone." He chuckled. "Maybe. But it works for me." Lila wasn’t sure what she had expected from Jake’s personal space, but this… it was something entirely different. It wasn’t just a collection of weapons or tech—it was a reflection of him. A mix of precision and unpredictability. Her gaze flickered back to the empty space where a bed should be. "You seriously don’t sleep?" she asked again, this time more curious than before. Jake leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "Not much." "Why?" He hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "Too much to do." Lila frowned. That wasn’t the whole truth. "You mean too much to think about," she guessed. Jake’s s
"This place is... homey." The second the word left her mouth, Lila wanted to take it back. Her lips parted as if she could snatch it from the air, but Jake was already staring at her, one eyebrow raised, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Homey?" he echoed, a slow smirk forming. "Did you just say you like it?" Lila scowled. "No." "You did." She shook her head, looking away. "I meant—it’s livable. Barely. Don’t get ahead of yourself." Jake didn’t say anything, but she could feel his eyes on her, studying her in that way that made her want to squirm. Not that she would. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She stepped further into the room, trailing her fingers along the edge of the wooden dresser. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was sturdy, well-crafted. The bed looked—comfortable. Too comfortable. She sat down cautiously, testing the mattress. A sigh slipped out before she could stop it. Jake chuckled. "Oh, so now the bed is nice too?" "Shut up," she muttered, try
"You're staring again," Lila muttered, her voice low, hesitant. Jake's lips curved into a lazy smirk. "Can you blame me?" Lila exhaled sharply, gripping the sheets beneath her as if they could anchor her. His presence was overwhelming, like a slow-burning fire licking at her skin—tempting, dangerous. She should push him away—say something sharp, something cruel—but she didn’t. "I can feel your heartbeat," he murmured, stepping closer. "It speeds up every time I do this." His fingers brushed against her cheek, the warmth sending a tremor through her body. She swallowed hard. "Don't flatter yourself." His smirk deepened. "Oh, I don’t need to. Your body already tells me everything." A bitter laugh escaped her. "You think you know me?" "I do." Lila’s breath hitched as Jake leaned in, his scent intoxicating, his warmth a trap. She was drowning, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be saved. "You don’t know a damn thing," she whispered, forcing herself to look away. Jake
"I—" She tried to speak, but his lips were on hers again, swallowing the protest before it could form.She wasn’t sure if she wanted to fight him or pull him closer, and the indecision made her dizzy. His touch was everywhere—his hands at her waist, his fingers pressing just enough to keep her there, as if daring her to leave."You should stop," she whispered, though even she could hear the lack of conviction in her voice.Jake smirked against her lips. "Then tell me to."She inhaled sharply, but no words came.Instead, she kissed him back.It was reckless. It was inevitable. It was everything she had been trying to avoid, yet now that she was here, drowning in him, she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.He deepened the kiss, his fingers sliding from her waist to her back, pulling her flush against him. She felt the heat of him through the thin fabric of her shirt, felt the way his breath hitched when she let herself melt into him."Lila," he murmured, his voice rough, raw. "You’re
Jake She tasted wonderful. I was never going to forget how her lips felt against mine and how she moaned as I played with her tongue. It was the best thing in the world, and I wanted more of it. But despite all that, the strong scent of her desire in the air was impossible to miss. She smelt as exquisite as she tasted, elating my desire. My wolf pranced around, urging me to cede control to him so he could be closer to her and show her how much she meant to us. He wanted to show her how much we had missed her, desired her. "My pussy kitty. It's time for play," I told her, unable to keep myself back. She was feeble yet ready for me. She seemed to come alive under my touch, making me feel like the most powerful man on the earth. Her eyes were dark with hunger and need for me, and a whimper from her lips. Her chest rose and fell fast as he stared at me, waiting. I didn't want to make her wait for long. I inserted myself between her legs, eyeing her carefully while I gently pulled a
Lucas I was delighted today since Lila was finally coming home. I had done my best to arrange her room so she'd like it. Even if she didn't like it, I was willing to make alterations according to her preferences. I was eager to do anything for her, but being away from her was slowly depleting me. I needed to see and speak to her, but I decided to hide in my ofice instead. She didn't want to see me yet, and I didn't want to overwhelm or distress her by continuously being in her face. If she wanted for my absence, that was all I would offer her, even if it physically wounded mne to do so. My knot had been throbbing all day and night since she woke up, and I could feel the link again. No matter how much I massaged myself, it wouldn't help me at all. It appeared to make my urges worse. It seemed as if my body was indirectly pressuring me to go to her, but I wasn't selfish. Lila needed rest, and I doubted she'd be able to relax if she saw me So far, Jake had been doing excellent at eas
"Is she awake yet?" Lucas asked, his eyes locked on the screen before him. "Just stirring now," Jake replied, leaning against the desk. "You really think she’s gonna like it?" Lucas didn’t answer immediately. He watched as Lila sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. His heartbeat picked up when she noticed the small box resting on the bedside table. For a moment, she didn’t move, just staring at it as if it were something foreign. "She’s hesitating," Jake noted, folding his arms. "She’s curious," Lucas corrected. "Just give her a moment." On the screen, Lila reached for the box. She lifted it slowly, fingers brushing over the velvet surface. Her expression remained unreadable as she unlatched it, revealing the delicate silver pendant inside. Lucas held his breath. Lila’s thumb ran over the tiny engraving on the pendant. Something flickered across her face—something Lucas couldn’t quite place. Hope flared in his chest. Then, without a word, she snapped the box shut. Luc
“You’re insane, Arika. You know that, right?”“Insane?” Arika’s voice oozed with mockery. “Please. That’s such a civilian diagnosis.”Lila’s fists clenched as she took another step forward, her eyes locked on the massive screen overhead—00:09:56. The red numbers blinked with a deadly calmness, each second ticking away a piece of her resolve. Beneath the screen, her servers stood like monuments to everything she’d fought for. Wired with explosives.“You’re going to kill us both,” Lila spat, her voice shaking with fury. “All of this—just to prove a point?”“Oh no, darling.” Arika twirled the sleek detonator in her hand, its silver surface catching the dim light. “Not to prove a point. To make one.”“You planted explosives on the servers!” Lila’s voice rose, ragged. “Are you listening to yourself?”Arika chuckled softly, stepping aside to reveal a clearer view of the blinking red lights wired into each server unit. “I told you this was always bigger than us. You just didn’t want to belie
Lila followed Arika up the ramp, her boots clinking softly against the grated metal, heart thudding louder with each step. Something in Arika’s voice lingered like smoke—too calm, too measured. She didn’t trust it. Not for a second.“You keep the data onboard?” Lila asked, eyes flicking to the wall-mounted surveillance cams. The ship’s interior was sleek but sterile, with black paneling and chrome fixtures. Cold. Like its owner.“No,” Arika said, stopping at a narrow corridor. “I keep my insurance onboard.”She keyed a code into the control pad, and a mechanical hiss broke the silence. A door slid open, revealing a freight elevator platform.“After you,” Arika said with a mock bow.Lila stepped in cautiously, hand still near her weapon. The platform hummed, descending smoothly into the ship’s belly. A few seconds passed in silence. Arika didn’t move. Didn’t smile.Then the metal chamber opened—and Lila’s breath caught.Rows of blinking machines lined the container-sized space. The ser
The Vault’s Truth:Arika’s voice cut through the still air like a blade. “You ever stop and ask yourself what the point of it all is?”Lila didn’t answer immediately. The faint hum of the servers was the only sound between them. Outside, the snow still howled, muffled through thick bunker walls. Her fingers hovered over the tablet screen, pulling fragments of data—locations, funds, faces of corrupt officials—but her mind was already one step ahead.“I used to,” she said finally, gaze still fixed on the display. “I used to think the world was rotten to the core. That maybe if I set a match to everything, it’d feel better.”Arika snorted. “It doesn’t.”“No,” Lila agreed, voice softer now. “It just burns you with it.”That silenced Arika for a beat. Lila glanced over, catching the flicker of doubt that cracked through her sister’s sarcasm.“You sound like one of those therapy podcasts the Alphas play for their anxious mates.”“I sound like someone who’s been burned before.” Lila turned o
Frostbite and Fireworks:"“You sure you’re not walking me into a trap?”Lila’s voice cut through the storm, low and razor-sharp, carried on the wind like a blade tossed by fate."Would I waste this much time just to kill you?” Arika replied without glancing back, her silhouette a blur through the thick curtain of snow. “Don’t flatter yourself.”"You’ve done worse for less."Lila adjusted the grip on her sidearm beneath her coat, every muscle coiled. “And you still haven’t answered how you got the servers out of here without leaving a trail.”"You'll see.”It wasn’t a tease. It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise laced with something darker—familiar, dangerous, and maddeningly vague.The snowstorm howled around them like a feral thing, wind battering exposed skin and biting through layers as they trudged deeper into the derelict port grounds. Long-dead cranes loomed like rusted sentinels, skeletal and forgotten. The place reeked of salt, decay, and memory.Lila kept scanning—trees, rooft
The locket in Arika’s hand glinted one last time in the fading light before she tucked it into the folds of her coat, her fingers twitching as though the cold no longer bothered her—just the past that still clung to her skin.But Lila wasn’t finished.Not yet.She turned slowly, like a predator toying with a rival too confident for her own good. “You know,” she said conversationally, her voice laced with honeyed venom, “for someone who prides herself on good taste, I’m surprised you didn’t notice the warning signs.”Arika’s head tilted. “What signs?”Lila’s smile was all razor-edge charm. “Oh, just that Salicus was riddled with diseases. Biochemical ones. I should know—I left him with a few.”The blow landed with precision. A flicker of something passed through Arika’s expression—a stutter in her breath, a twitch at the corner of her mouth. She masked it quickly, but not quickly enough.“You’re bluffing,” Arika said, voice clipped.“Am I?” Lila stepped closer, letting her words drip.
Lila’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. That sentence—so personal, so venomous—stuck in her like a blade wedged between ribs.Arika didn’t wait for her to recover. She turned and walked slowly toward the edge of the clearing, her fingers brushing the frost-covered rail of a long-abandoned cargo lift. The silence between them thickened.“I had a guest once,” Arika called over her shoulder, too casual. “You might know him. Salicus Grante.”Lila’s body snapped to attention.The name landed like a hammer.“You’re lying.”Arika looked back, one eyebrow raised. “Am I?”“Salicus is dead.”Arika gave a mocking little shrug. “Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night? Or just what you hope is true?”Lila took a shaky step forward. Her pulse thundered in her ears. “Where. Did. You. See. Him.”“Here. There. Doesn’t matter,” Arika said. “He’s a wanderer. A very persistent one. Had a few... interesting stories about you, too. I see where you get your taste in men.”Lila’s hands
Chapter Title: Blood Tides and Buried Truths"You look older than I imagined. The cold's not kind to you, huh?"Lila’s voice cut through the air, sharp as shattered ice.Arika smirked, slow and poisonous. “And you still greet people like you’re handing out ultimatums.”“I only greet the ones who fake their deaths and sell lies for a living.”Arika’s eyes flicked down her nose, unfazed. “Still bitter, I see. At least that hasn’t aged.”The wind between them twisted, biting through cloth and bone alike. They stood ten paces apart in the heart of the abandoned clearing, surrounded by cracked concrete and frost-covered crates. The silence of the ruin only emphasized how violently the past clawed its way into the present.“You died,” Lila said, voice low now. Controlled. “That’s what they told me. What you let them tell me.”“They weren’t wrong,” Arika replied smoothly. “Not entirely.”Lila scoffed. “You faked your death and vanished. What else was I supposed to believe?”“That I had a rea
The cold gnawed at Lila’s exposed cheeks as she emerged from the warehouse’s side exit and stepped into the clearing.A vast, open yard stretched before her.Flat, white, endless.The area must have once been the central cargo bay—a wide slab of cracked concrete now buried beneath ice and powdery snow. Massive tracks were etched faintly beneath the layers, ghost-lines of long-dead machinery. Here, where shipments had once been loaded, goods transferred, and orders barked, now only wind howled and silence ruled.She stepped forward slowly.Her boots sank with every crunching step, leaving deep impressions behind her. The expanse was so open, it felt vulnerable. Naked. No cover. No shadows to slip into. Just the broad chest of the clearing exposed to the grey sky overhead.Lila exhaled through her nose, eyes scanning left to right, then back again.No movement.No signs.And yet her pulse wouldn’t slow.Something didn’t add up.If this was Arika’s meeting point, where the hell was the e
The snow swallowed their steps as they began to move again.None of them spoke.The world had gone eerily still, as if holding its breath. Lila led the way, eyes narrowed against the wind, with Jake close behind her left shoulder and Lucas covering their right flank. Their boots crunched against the crusted snow, the only sound in an otherwise dead landscape.With every step forward, the forest behind them shrank, consumed by the encroaching white.“This is madness,” Jake muttered under his breath, his voice muffled beneath his scarf. “Visibility’s garbage. We’re tracking straight into open ground. Arika wants us blind.”“She wants a meeting,” Lila shot back, not looking over her shoulder. “And I’m not turning back.”Lucas scanned the tree line one last time before sighing. “Yeah, well, if we die out here in the snow, at least it’ll be poetic.”The wind howled in answer.Their pace slowed as the ground sloped downward, snow now knee-deep. Every few steps, one of them stumbled. Lila’s