Kael POV I opened the front door, still wiping blood off my forearms. The copper stench clung to me, even after the long walk back. My muscles ached, but all I cared about was seeing her. The moment I stepped in, I froze. The nest was in ruins. Pillows everywhere. Blankets shredded and thrown against the walls. Clothes—ours—scattered like a storm had blown through. And there she was. Lira. Standing in the middle of the chaos, one of my shirts barely covering her. Her face was flushed, eyes wide as she looked at us—then quickly away. “Uh… hey,” she mumbled, cheeks glowing. My cock twitched immediately. Fuck. Before I could respond, she let out a groan, staggering a bit as her body reacted again. Shit. Her heat wasn’t over. I stepped forward. “Lira—” She whimpered, biting her lip as her thighs clenched together. I felt the primal stir in my gut again. Not now. Not after what we just did. But my body didn’t give a damn. Riven POV I walked in behind Kael and came to a dead stop. “Holy shi
Riven pov I glanced at the others. Kael’s jaw was tight. Blood on his knuckles. Breathing heavy like he was barely keeping the animal inside him on a leash. Lucas stood dead still, but his eyes—those cold, sharp eyes—were locked on Christ like he was already planning where to start cutting. Damian hadn’t said a word since we brought the bastard out. But his silence was louder than anything. His eyes were dead, detached. And that was the scariest part. Damian didn’t kill for fun. He killed because it was necessary. And right now? This was necessary. I dragged my tongue over my teeth, then looked down at Christ still twitching in the dirt. Fucker was whimpering now. Good. “You boys ready for this?” I asked, cracking my neck, my voice low and electric with rage. Kael answered by shifting. Bones snapped. Muscles stretched. His claws tore through skin, dripping with anticipation. Not a full shift—just enough to tear someone apart. Lucas pulled out a blade. Not his usual silver. No, this
Lira pov And what, my dear beauty,” Riven drawled with a wicked grin, “would you like us to do to him?” His voice was too damn calm. Too damn amused. Like he wanted me to say something brutal. And maybe I did. I walked right up to where Christ was chained on the ground like the pathetic worm he was. His head lolled to the side, swollen and leaking blood, but his eyes—those disgusting eyes—still tracked me like I was prey. Not anymore. I crouched down, close enough for him to hear me through the ringing in his ears. “You remember me?” I asked, tilting my head. He tried to speak. Gurgled something out, probably my number. Three-Seven. The bile rose in my throat. Kael growled low behind me. The others stayed still, waiting on me. “I want him to feel powerless,” I said, never breaking eye contact. “Every minute of his miserable life, I want him to remember what it felt like to chain us up. Starve us. Hurt us.” I stood slowly, my voice like steel. “Break him.” Riven chuckled, dark and plea
KAEL – POV The sound of tires crunching gravel made my head snap up. They were back. I stepped off the porch, my shirt half-buttoned, hair a mess, and I knew I looked like hell. Because I felt like hell. Between barely sleeping and keeping Lira from burning herself alive with her damn heat, I was hanging by a fucking thread. The SUV door slammed, and the first thing I saw was Christ being dragged out, still in cuffs, still bleeding, still fucking breathing. Disappointment. Riven and Lucas flanked him, each holding an arm like they were dragging out a sack of trash. Damian followed last, slamming the trunk shut with enough force to rattle the whole damn vehicle. Christ was mumbling something, eyes wide and panicked, legs barely working under him. “Shut up,” Riven growled, yanking him forward so hard the bastard nearly face-planted in the dirt. They came to a stop in front of me, and Lucas tilted his head. “How’s she holding up?” I let out a long, tired sigh and rubbed a hand down my fa
RIVEN – POV There he was. Christ, on his knees in front of the high council, wrists chained, face swollen from the beating Lucas gave him. And yet, somehow, that arrogant glint still lingered in his eye—like he didn’t believe this was really happening. Like he still thought he had a fucking way out. I stood just off to the side, arms crossed, trying to ignore the pulsing heat behind my eyes. Every breath I took was through clenched teeth. Every second I watched that bastard breathing was a second too long. One of the council elders rose, voice solemn. “After reviewing the files, testimonies, and physical evidence—including the illegal medical experiments, unauthorized omega trafficking, and violation of every ethical code the shifter world holds sacred…” He paused, eyes sweeping the room, “…this council grants full authority to Alpha Damian and his allies to deal with Alpha Christ and the remaining members of his pack—by any means they deem fit.” My blood sang. I didn’t blink. Didn’t
KAEL – POV I lost count of how many times I’ve knotted her. Days blurred together, and still, her scent poured through the room like wildfire—sweet, thick, addictive. Whatever the hell Christ injected her with wasn’t letting up. And I wasn’t leaving her side. Not for a damn second. She needed me. And I needed her like I needed air. Lira lay curled in what was left of the nest she built sheets tangled, pillows everywhere, the faint scent of musk still clinging to her skin from both of our body Her body trembled, bare and glistening with sweat, begging for me even in her sleep. I crawled in behind her, pressing my chest to her back, my hand sliding low, slow, until she whimpered. “Kael,” she moaned, soft and broken. “It’s happening again…” “I know, baby,” I whispered into her hair. “I’ve got you. Always.” Her thighs parted instinctively, and I slid between them like I’d done a hundred times before. She was soaked—gods, she was always soaked now—and my length throbbed just from brushi