CHAPTER NINE: THE SISTER

I stared at the woman in front of me.

She looked exactly like me. Same dark hair. Same bone structure. But her eyes were different. Harder. Colder. And older, like she'd seen terrible things.

"Who are you?" I whispered.

"Your sister." She lowered the knife. "Celeste Sinclair. Though I haven't used that name in six years."

Sister. I had a sister?

That's impossible. I don't have...

"You do. I'm five years older than you." She moved to the window. Checked outside like she was being hunted. "Mom and Dad tried to hide me when The Purity Order came. But they found me anyway."

My head spun. "You're supposed to be dead."

"Everyone thinks I am. That's how I've stayed alive." She turned back to me. "I don't have much time. They'll notice I'm gone soon."

Who will?

"The Purity Order. The people who murdered our parents. The people I've been working for."

My blood ran cold. You work for them? The ones who want me dead?

"Not by choice." Pain flashed across her face. "They have leverage. Things that keep me loyal. But tonight when I heard you escaped with the Lycan King..." She stepped closer. "Aurora, you're in more danger than you know."

What do you mean?

"The Purity Order doesn't just want you dead. They want to use you. Your bloodline. Your power." Her eyes were desperate. Urgent. "There's something inside you. Something ancient. They've been searching for it for decades."

I don't understand.

"You will when you shift. When your wolf fully awakens." She grabbed my shoulders. "Listen to me. Don't trust anyone. Not completely. The Order has spies everywhere. Even here."

Even in Kai's kingdom?

"Especially here." She glanced at the door. "The Lycan King thinks his fortress is secure. But they've already infiltrated. They're waiting for the right moment to strike."

Fear crawled up my spine. Why are you telling me this? I asked.

"Because you're my sister. And because Mom made me promise to protect you if anything happened to her." Tears filled her eyes. "I failed once. I won't fail again."

Before I could respond, footsteps pounded down the hallway. Heavy. Fast. Multiple people.

Celeste's face went white. "They know I'm here. I have to go."

"Wait! I grabbed her arm. "How do I find you again?"

"You don't. I'll find you." She pulled free. Ran to the window. "Remember. Trust no one completely. Not even him."

"Who?"

But she was already climbing out the window. Disappearing into the night like a ghost.

The door burst open.

Kai stood there with four guards. All armed. His eyes blazed gold. Furious. Terrified.

"Aurora." He was across the room in two strides. Grabbed me. Pulled me against his chest. "Are you hurt? Did someone..."

"I'm fine," I said quickly. My heart hammered against his chest. "Someone was here but they didn't hurt me. They just..."

"Who?" His hands ran over me. Checking for injuries. "Who was in your room?"

I hesitated. Should I tell him about Celeste? She said not to trust anyone.

But looking into Kai's golden eyes, feeling his hands shake slightly as he held me, I couldn't believe he was dangerous.

"My sister," I whispered. "She said her name was Celeste."

Kai went completely still. "That's impossible. Celeste Sinclair died six years ago."

"That's what she wanted everyone to think." I told him everything. The warning. The Purity Order. The spies.

By the time I finished, Kai's expression was carved from stone.

"Search the grounds," he ordered his guards. "Find her. Bring her to me alive."

They left immediately.

Kai turned back to me. Cupped my face in his hands. "Did she hurt you? Touch you? Threaten you?"

"No. She said she was trying to protect me."

"By breaking into your room with a knife?" His jaw clenched. "That's not protection."

"She seemed scared. Desperate." I covered his hands with mine. "Kai, what if she's telling the truth? What if there are spies here?"

"Then I'll find them. And I'll deal with them." His thumbs stroked my cheekbones. "But right now, I need to know you're safe."

The way he looked at me. Like I was the only thing that mattered. Like losing me would destroy him.

"I'm safe," I said softly. "You're here."

Something hot flashed in his eyes. "You trust me."

It wasn't a question but I answered anyway. "Yes."

A low growl rumbled in his chest. "You shouldn't. Not yet. You barely know me."

"I know you saved my life. Twice. I know you look at me like I'm worth something." I stepped closer until our bodies almost touched. "I know when you touch me, I feel safe for the first time in my life."

His breathing roughened. "Aurora..."

"And I know when you're near me, the pain from the other bond fades." My hands slid up his chest. Hard muscle under soft fabric. "You make it better."

His control was cracking. I could see it. Feel it. The air between us turned electric.

"You don't know what you're doing," he said roughly.

"Then show me." The words came out breathless. Daring.

His eyes flashed pure gold. Wolf rising to the surface. "You're playing with fire, little wolf."

"Maybe I want to burn."

He snapped.

His mouth crashed down on mine. Not gentle. Not patient. Hungry and desperate and absolutely consuming.

I gasped against his lips and he took advantage. His tongue swept into my mouth. Tasting. Claiming. Making my knees go weak.

His hands grabbed my waist. Lifted me. My legs wrapped around him automatically. He walked us backward until my back hit the wall.

Oh god. Oh god.

His mouth moved from my lips to my jaw. My neck. Teeth scraping sensitive skin. Each touch sent lightning through my body.

"Tell me to stop," he growled against my throat. "Tell me and I will."

"Don't stop," I breathed. "Please don't stop."

His hips pressed into mine. I felt him. Hard. Wanting. The thin silk of my nightgown did nothing to hide what he did to me.

"You're killing me," he groaned. His hand slid up my thigh. Burning. Possessive. "I want to taste every inch of you. Mark you. Make you mine in every way."

"Yes," I whimpered. I'd never felt like this. Never wanted anything so badly.

His hand moved higher. So close to where I ached for him. So close to...

A howl split the night.

We both froze.

That wasn't one of Kai's guards. That was something else. Something wrong.

Kai set me down gently. His expression turned deadly. "Stay here."

"What is it?"

"Rogues. On the border." He moved to the window. Looked out. "A lot of them."

"Rogues don't attack Lycan territory. It's suicide."

"Exactly." He turned back to me. His eyes burned. "Unless someone sent them. As a distraction."

Celeste's words echoed in my head. *They're waiting for the right moment to strike.*

"It's a trap," I whispered.

"Yes." Kai grabbed weapons from somewhere. Knives. A sword. "Which means they're after something. Or someone."

He looked at me.

My blood turned to ice. "Me. They're after me."

"Not if I can help it." He crossed the room. Kissed me hard and fast. "Lock this door. Don't open it for anyone except me. Understand?"

"Kai..."

"Promise me, Aurora."

"I promise."

He touched my face one more time. Then he was gone. Running toward the sounds of fighting.

I locked the door. Pressed my back against it. Tried to breathe.

More howls. Closer now. The sounds of battle. Screaming.

My wolf stirred inside me. Angry. Wanting to fight. To protect.

*Let me out,* she growled. *Let me help him.*

"I don't know how," I whispered.

*You will. Soon.*

Something crashed against my window. I spun around.

A huge grey wolf stood on the balcony. Blood on its muzzle. Eyes fixed on me.

Not one of Kai's wolves. I could tell. This one radiated wrong. Evil.

It started clawing at the glass. Hard enough to crack it.

I backed away. Looked for a weapon. Anything.

The glass shattered.

The wolf jumped through. Shifted mid-air.

And standing in my room, covered in blood and smiling like death, was Marcus.

"Hello, Aurora," my uncle said softly. "Time to come home."

**END OF CHAPTER NINE**