Chapter 6: The Den of Wolves

Daisy’s Pov

Killian did not snap at me. He just stood there, his hand still pinned against the glass right next to my head. For a long second, the room was so quiet I could hear the faint hum of the city traffic down below. Then, his chest began to shake. A low, dark laugh came from deep inside his throat, breaking the thick tension in the air.

He pulled his hand away from the glass and stepped back, shaking his head. The suspicion in his eyes turned into something else, a bright spark of pure amusement that made my inner wolf stir.

"An executioner," he repeated, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "You really are different from what I expected, Daisy Vanecrest. Most girls from your circle would be crying for their fathers right now after a night like last night. But you want blood."

"I want what belongs to me," I said, keeping my chin high as I adjusted his oversized shirt around my shoulders. "And I want to see the people who wronged me lose everything. Is that a problem for you?"

"Not at all," Killian said, walking back over to the counter to pick up his glass. He turned around and looked at me, his gaze scanning my face.

"But my world is not like your father's neat boardrooms. My people do not care about your family name or how many shares you own. They only respect strength. If you want to stay in my house, you stay as one of us, not as a guest. Let's see if you can actually last three days without running away."

"I am not going anywhere," I told him flatly.

He took a slow sip, his eyes never leaving mine. "We will see about that."

I didn't want to stand around bickering with him all morning, especially since his moods shifted like the wind. I walked past him into the bathroom, washed the sleep from my face, and found a pair of clean, simple clothes left for me in the closet. It was just a plain black shirt and a pair of dark pants that fit well enough. I refused to look like a fragile princess anymore.

When I walked back out, Killian was gone, likely busy with whatever corporate or pack business kept him at the top of the city.

The penthouse felt too tight, so I decided to take the elevator down and explore the rest of the estate. If I was going to live here and use his power to crush Cassian, I needed to know the layout of my new home.

The moment the elevator doors opened onto the main courtyard, the air changed. It felt thick and rough, filled with the raw scent of strange wolves. The estate was vast, surrounded by high metal fences and grey stone walls that felt more like a military fort than a rich man's home.

Dozens of pack members were moving around the grounds. Some were carrying crates, others were checking the security lines, and a few were training in an open ring near the back.

The second my feet hit the path, the chatter died down.

Every single head turned toward me. The looks I got were not welcoming. In my past life, I was used to people bowing their heads and smiling to my face because of my father's wealth. Here, the stares were cold and sharp, filled with absolute disgust.

"Is that her?" a female wolf whispered loudly to her friend, not even trying to hide her voice as I walked past. "The Vanecrest girl? She looks like she would break if she stepped in a puddle."

"She is an outsider," a large male wolf grunted, spitting onto the grass. "A spoiled brat using our Alpha to hide from her ex-fiancé. She doesn't belong in a place like this. She’s going to get us all killed with her family drama."

My hands balled into fists, but I kept my face completely blank. I didn't look at them, and I didn't quicken my pace. I knew exactly what they thought of me.

They thought I was a weak little girl who ran away from a bad wedding. They didn't know about the forest, or the silver knife, or the blood. They didn't know I had already died once.

I kept walking, holding my head high despite the angry whispers following me down the path. My inner wolf scratched at my mind, telling me to flash my teeth and demand respect, but I forced her down. Respect had to be earned here, and I wasn't going to get it by shouting about my family tree.

As I turned a corner near the main training area, a tall figure stepped right out of the shadows, completely blocking my path.

I stopped short, looking up.

The woman standing in front of me was tall and built like a warrior. Her bright red hair was pulled back tightly, and her sharp eyes looked down at me with total mockery. She wore a simple dark uniform that showed the solid muscle in her arms. This was Lana, the General of the guards and the strongest warrior in the Lycan pack.

"So, the little princess decided to leave her golden cage," Lana said, her voice dripping with scorn. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning her weight on one foot as she stared into my emerald eyes. "I was wondering when you would come down here to look at the common people."

"I was just taking a walk," I said, keeping my voice steady and calm. "I didn't realize the courtyard was off-limits."

Lana let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Everything in this estate belongs to the Lycan pack, sweetie. And right now, you are a security risk. I don't care that Killian brought you here last night, and I don't care about your fated mate bond. To me, you are just a liability from a soft family of rich city wolves."

"You don't know anything about me, Lana," I replied, stepping an inch closer to her.

"I know exactly what you are, Daisy," she sneered, her face twisting into a harsh look.

"You are trouble. You caused a giant scene at the gala, you insulted the Blackwood heir, and now you think you can sit up in the penthouse while my guards bleed to keep you safe from the fallout. I hate weak outsiders who bring their business wars to our doorstep. I promise you, I will make your life a living hell every single day you stay here until you cry and run straight back to your father's mansion."

I opened my mouth to snap back, to tell her that I wasn't afraid of her or her threats, but the words never left my throat.

Suddenly, a loud, piercing sound tore through the air.

It was the estate’s emergency siren, a sharp wail that echoed off the high walls and made every single wolf on the grounds freeze. A second later, a deep rumble shook the ground beneath our feet.

Lana's eyes went wide, her warrior instincts kicking in instantly. She turned her head toward the front of the estate just as a massive crash echoed through the courtyard. The heavy iron gates at the main border bent inward, screeching loudly as a dark truck smashed right through them, followed by a dozen large, vicious-looking wolves.

"Rogues!" Lana shouted, her voice echoing over the sirens as she drew a long weapon from her side. "Guard lines, form up now! Protect the perimeter!"

The entire courtyard turned into pure chaos. Pack members ran for their weapons, and the guards rushed toward the broken gate. The attacking wolves were wild, their eyes bloodshot and dangerous. I knew instantly who sent them. Cassian. He was so furious about his public humiliation that he hired these mercenaries to tear this place apart.

Lana rushed forward to meet the first wave, completely forgetting about me in the sudden madness.

I stepped back against the wall, my heart hammering as I looked around for something to use as a weapon. I was completely unarmed, my wolf still weak from the sudden shock of the timeline shift.

Suddenly, the air behind me ripped open.

One massive grey rogue wolf broke right past Lana's guard line. He didn't care about the other fighters. His bloodshot eyes locked directly onto me, recognizing my silver-blonde hair from whatever target description Cassian had given him.

He let out a terrifying snarl, his front paws digging into the ground as he launched his body through the air, jumping straight toward me with his massive jaws wide open.