📃 Shadows are closing in, and danger may already be closer than they think. 👉 Don’t miss the next chapter, where secrets unravel.
The Crescent rogue claws dug lightly into the soft skin of Lily's neck, sharp enough to break flesh with the slightest twitch.“Stay where you are,” the rogue hissed, his voice low and venomous. “One wrong step, and she bleeds out before your eyes.”Lucas’s entire body trembled. He wanted to lunge, to rip the bastard apart, but the sight of those claws at Lily’s throat rooted him to the spot. Beside him, Liam’s face was carved from stone, though his eyes blazed with a fury that threatened to consume him whole.“Let her go,” Liam demanded, his voice deep and commanding, carrying the weight of an Alpha even though he kept his stance measured. “She’s not your fight.”The rogue chuckled, the sound bitter. “Everything connected to you twins is my fight.”Lucas’s hands clenched into fists. “If it’s us you want, then take us. But release her.”“Do you think I’m stupid?” The rogue sneered, pressing his claws harder into Lily’s neck until a thin line of blood fell against her skin. Lily fli
Lucas stood at the center, his fists clenched tight enough that his knuckles ached. He had been listening—watching—waiting. But now, he was no longer hidden. His temper had betrayed him.Across from him, three men lounged with a carelessness that felt more dangerous than open hostility. They were Crescent rogues—wolves who had long turned their backs on order, respect, and pack loyalty.The tallest one, with shaggy black hair and eyes that glinted, grinned at Lucas as though he has been waiting for this confrontation.“Well, well,” the rogue drawled, tapping a chipped glass against the table. “Look who decided to crawl out of hiding. One of the Alpha twins.”The second rogue, shorter but broader in the shoulders, leaned forward and spat on the ground.“You should’ve stayed in the shadows, pup. This room doesn’t welcome your kind.”The third rogue chuckled low. “Maybe he thinks he’s a hero. Maybe he thinks he’s got claws sharp enough to stand against us.” His laughter cracked into so
The air was thick with salt and the faint hum of cicadas as Lucas, Liam, Maya, Lily, Graham, Aiden, Lena, and the ever-watchful bodyguard slipped along the narrow pathway at the side of the beach resort. The main building, with its easy energy and streams of laughter, seemed a world away compared to the silence they were walking into now. Here, the walls were darker, the pathway less maintained, as though deliberately hidden from the eyes of the wealthy guests. Lucas’s steps were silent but purposeful, the Alpha aura he carried making even the shadows feel like they bent out of his way. Still, caution was not just an option—it was their lifeline. Ahead stood the side building. It looked like nothing more than a storage shack, tucked between the service alley and the edge of the beach cliffs. A faded wooden door leaned slightly on its hinges, and light spilled out from a gap near the frame. Through that crack came the faint rumble of voices and the occasional clatter of dishes.
The side building looked nothing like the glittering suites and polished glass of the main resort. It was the kind of place people didn’t look twice at. Which made it perfect for hiding something, or someone. Aiden stood at the edge of the alley beside Lena, his jaw tight, his eyes locked on that door as if staring long enough might force the truth out. His hand twitched at his side, itching for action. “I saw him,” he said again, more to himself than anyone else. “I’m not mistaken. The tattoo was clear. Crescent rogues. He tried to keep his sleeve down, but I saw it.” Footsteps echoed on the pavement. Maya and Lily appeared, moving quickly down the narrow lane, Lily’s bodyguard trailing behind with practiced vigilance. “Maya, Lily,” Lena called softly, gesturing them over. The girls hurried to their side, their eyes darting around the quiet service alley as if the shadows themselves might lunge at them. “We're here. How're things?” Lily demanded, her voice low but urgent. “Th
The soft crash of waves outside their balcony mocked Lucas. Each rhythmic roll of the tide was a reminder that the rest of the world was alive, moving, breathing—while he and Liam sat trapped inside their suite like prisoners. Lucas sat slouched on the plush cream couch, controller in hand, his character on the screen already defeated for the fifth time that hour. He wasn’t paying attention. His mind wandered back to Clara’s article, each sharp word slicing deeper into his pride. “She really called me weak.” His voice was low, almost a growl. “As if being poisoned was my fault.” Liam leaned back in the armchair opposite him. “Clara’s an idiot.” Lucas tossed his controller onto the couch with a frustrated sigh. “Do you think they’re close to finding him?” he asked. “The poisoner?” Liam’s fingers froze mid-game. He turned serious, setting the controller down. “They have to be. Graham won’t stop until he does. But it should’ve been us out there, not them.” Silence stretched be
The sea was calmer now. Its waves rolled with a lazy rhythm against the sand, the sound muffled by the distance as Aiden and Lena moved along the stone-paved pathway leading away from the records office. Together, they had dug through the resort’s records—guest registries, kitchen staff schedules, delivery logs—anything that might shed light on who could have orchestrated the poisoning of Lucas during that fateful private lunch. It wasn’t much, but it was something. “I still think it had to be a server,” Aiden said finally, breaking the silence. Lena didn’t answer. He looked sideways at her, expecting her usual quick-witted response, but she walked with her arms folded lightly, her eyes distant, her lips pressed together in a thin, unreadable line. Her silence wasn’t like her. “Or,” Aiden continued, slower now, “a staff member working under orders. A guest might have paid them off. Someone who hates the twins enough to risk it all. It wouldn’t be the first time.” Still nothing