chapter 8

The warmth hit her first.

Soft, heavy blankets wrapped around her like a cocoon, and the crisp scent of pinewood and something darker—like midnight smoke—clung to her skin. Her lashes fluttered. Slowly, cautiously, she opened her eyes.

Dim morning light filtered through tall windows. The room around her was unfamiliar—elegant but masculine, all clean lines and muted tones. A low-burning fireplace crackled in the corner. The sheets beneath her were smooth. Silk?

She blinked.

Where… am I?

Her heart stuttered. She sat up too quickly, a dull ache blooming behind her eyes. Her limbs trembled, and a deep soreness pulsed through her chest like a bruise beneath the skin. Not physical pain—no. This was different. Emptier.

Blake. Thalia. The dance… the kiss.

The memories returned like sharp glass. Her stomach turned.

But… that wasn’t what confused her.

What confused her was how calm she felt. Not peace exactly, but something steadier than the chaos she remembered. The burning in her blood had quieted. Her thoughts weren’t crashing anymore.

Her gaze drifted across the room—landing on a leather jacket draped over a nearby chair.

It was Knox’s.

His scent clung to it.

She reached for it without thinking, fingers brushing the soft collar. A low hum settled in her chest. Comfort. Stability. Heat.

Why do I feel... safe here? she wondered.

That thought scared her more than anything else.

She glanced down. Her shoes were off. Someone had tucked her in with care. A blanket covered her legs, and her hair had been brushed to one side.

Her breath hitched. She barely knew him, yet every time he touched her, the storm inside her stilled. It wasn’t passion or fire—it was something more dangerous: understanding.

And it made no sense.

He wasn’t her mate.

She swung her legs off the bed and winced as her bare feet met the cool floor. Her balance wobbled. Instinctively, she steadied herself on the edge of the dresser. She took a deep breath and rubbed her temples.

Circe, her wolf, had been silent since the collapse. Not even a whisper stirred in the back of her mind. That silence felt like a missing heartbeat.

Lydia looked around, searching for any clue as to how she’d ended up here. There was no note. No message. Just the lingering scent of Knox on everything.

A flash of memory came to her: strong arms catching her, heat flooding her body, a voice whispering, “Stay with me. I’m here.”

Her chest clenched.

Before she could decide what to feel, the door clicked behind her.

She froze.

Brian—Knox’s beta—wandered in, his blond hair covering part of his eyes. He blinked twice at the sight of Lydia, eyes still hazy with sleep.

“Are you awake, Alpha?” he asked, voice sounding innocent.

Lydia stared at the still-half-asleep beta. He seemed unaware of what he’d done. What if she’d been naked? The thought made her stomach twist—and before she knew it, she was angry.

“Is that how your Alpha taught you?” she asked, her voice cool but edged. Brian stood straighter, catching the tone.

“Excuse me?” he asked, still confused.

“I mean, does your Alpha teach you to barge into a woman’s room not caring if she’s naked—even his Luna’s?”

Brian’s head jerked up. He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Oh no, I’m sorry, Luna. I thought it was Alpha Knox. He was supposed to be in this morning. I didn’t know—I’m sorry,” he said quickly, bowing.

Lydia relaxed a little. He seemed genuinely innocent. She nodded.

“It’s okay,” she said, rising from the bed. Her shoes were at the side, so she slid them on slowly and faced Brian, who still looked guilty.

“And where is Knox? You said he was supposed to be here this morning?”

Brian nodded. “Yeah, he was. But I haven’t seen him since last night when he brought you in. I didn’t see him leave either.”

“Have you tried linking him?” Lydia asked, trying to sound casual. She didn’t know why she cared, but she had to act composed in front of Brian. Clearly, Knox hadn’t told him the truth.

“Yes, but it was all foggy—like he was in his wolf form and didn’t want to answer.”

Lydia shook her head. She needed to stop acting like she cared. This wasn’t a real bond.

“He’s not lost. Probably out in the woods somewhere,” she said, heading for the door when Brian stopped her.

“Can you try linking him?”

Lydia gave him a look. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re marked, right? So I guess you could link him?”

Lydia froze. So that was what he thought—that she and Knox had mated. He must have misunderstood something. A part of her wanted to clear it up, but another part told her to keep quiet.

“No. We decided to wait until after the mating ceremony,” she said with a smile.

Brian nodded. “Thought you would’ve,” he said. “Excuse me—I have to go prepare for breakfast and look for Alpha Knox.” He walked off.

Thought you would’ve too? Lydia repeated silently. What did that mean?

Either way, she needed to leave now.

Lydia crept through the trees as the first rays of morning light filtered over the pack lands. Omegas were already out, sweeping porches and hanging laundry. A few warriors jogged along the perimeter or sparred near the training grounds—but none saw her.

Thank the Moon Goddess.

She moved quickly, sticking to the shadows, and slipped in through the back entrance of the pack house. Once inside, she padded silently down the hall and up the stairs to the third floor—the Alpha family’s suites.

Her room was quiet. She shut the door behind her with a soft click and breathed out.

Safe.

She peeled off her clothes, stepped into the bathroom, and turned on the shower. The hot water helped wash away the night’s confusion. After drying off, she pulled on a fresh outfit and brushed her hair into a neat ponytail.

Without wasting another moment, she headed down to the first floor for breakfast.

---

The dining hall buzzed with conversation and laughter. On one side sat the omegas. At the head of the other table sat her father, with her mother by his side and the other high-blood wolves she recognized. Her uncle and Harold sat beside Thalia, who was beaming. Beta Kelvin was smiling. Knox sat nearby, dressed in a black suit, his hair tied back in a sleek ponytail. The sunlight highlighted the sharp angles of his face.

Where had he been this morning?

She looked around again. Eddie was seated at the table—and beside him, holding hands with Blake, was something new. They were talking and laughing.

Brian sat beside Knox in the left side while his right is empty. Gamma Stephen was next to him.

Everyone seemed in high spirits.

Lydia walked over. Knox stood and pulled out the chair beside him.

She smiled and thanked him before taking her seat. Alpha Damon smiled, stood, and raised his cup. All the wolves in the room turned to him. The room hushed.

“I am honored to have at my table the nobles of Lycan blood. The Ball was a success, and my daughters have found their noble mates in the Lycans. I also congratulate Thalia and the other she-wolves who found their mates that night. It was an honor indeed. I would now like to seal the bond of two great bloodlines into one—for unity and the future of our wolf society.”

“To unity and society,” they chorused, clinking glasses.

“Now eat to your full!” Alpha Damon beamed.

The feast began immediately. Lydia ate slowly, glancing around the table. Everyone looked happy—fulfilled. Her mother beamed at her father, proud of the daughters who had secured Lycan mates.

But they didn’t know the truth.

Blake sat with Eddie, laughing. Had she really moved on so quickly?

Then she remembered what a mate bond could do.

A laugh caught her attention. Thalia and Harold, wrapped in each other’s arms, kissing.

Lydia’s stomach turned.

Everyone seemed okay with it—except her. Every time their lips touched, pain lanced through her chest.

As she watched, Knox stood. The room quieted again.

“We are truly grateful for your hospitality, Alpha Damon,” he said, then smiled at Lydia. “And for the gem of a mate we have found here. We wish we could stay longer, but unfortunately, we must return to our packs today due to an urgent situation.”

There was a murmur.

Lydia’s eyes snapped to him. What?

He wasn’t supposed to leave for three more days. Was he just… ditching her? Their deal?

“I understand, Alpha Knox,” Alpha Damon said warmly. “You may return with your mate. We will say our goodbyes before nightfall.”

“No, I’m sorry—it won’t be that long. We’re leaving after breakfast,” Knox said, glancing at Lydia.

She stared blankly at him.

How dare he break their deal?

“Lydia, I hope you’ve said your goodbyes. Please be ready within an hour.”

“Yes,” Lydia said, smiling sweetly. “I’ll meet you at the garage in an hour.”

Knox nodded. “Excuse me, Alpha Damon.”

Her father nodded, smiling like he’d just welcomed a new son.

Lydia barely finished her meal before going to Knox’s room. She found him talking to Brian.

Brian bowed and excused himself.

“How dare you?” Lydia snapped. “How dare you try to take me away while I’m not your mate? You were supposed to stay so we could figure out our scent! I thought you were decent—but clearly, you don’t keep your word!”

Knox chuckled. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m doing this for you, Lydia.”

“For me? Don’t lie.”

“Yes. Do you know why you fainted last night? It wasn’t from exhaustion. It was because your mate was having sex with Thalia. You broke down from the impact. And the only reason you stopped feeling it was because I was holding you.”

Lydia stared at him.

“I should’ve felt the pain too,” Knox continued. “But I didn’t. Because you were with me. And when I took you in my arms, the pain disappeared. For both of us.”

She didn’t want to believe it—but even without Circe, she knew he was telling the truth.

“So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying, for some reason, we cancel out the mate bond pain when we’re together. That’s why we have to leave. If we stay, someone will notice—and now that they’ve marked each other, it’s going to get worse.”

The truth hit her like a slap.

Thalia and Harold had marked each other. Already.

“I promise, Lydia, once we return to my pack, I’ll help uncover everything. Just give me time.”

Lydia stared at him, unsure if she could trust him again.

“Lydia? Are you there?” a voice called from outside.

Knox nodded at her. “I’ll be waiting,” he said, picked up his bag, and opened the door.

Thalia stood there.

Knox smiled at her. Lydia swore she saw pain—longing—on his face before he quickly hid it and walked away.

Thalia stepped in. “Hi,” she said, hugging Lydia. Her scent was heavily marked by Harold. Lydia’s gaze dropped to her neck—two pale crescent lines. A mate mark.

“I’m happy for you,” Lydia said.

Thalia smiled. “I’m happy too. And Knox… he’s a good guy. I’ve seen how you two look at each other.”

Lydia smiled faintly. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Thalia pulled out a necklace. The pendant was a woman’s head with snakes for hair—Medusa. It looked golden, but it felt alive.

“This is my parting gift,” Thalia said, placing it around Lydia’s neck. “I can’t say goodbye at the garage—it’ll break me. So remember me until we meet again.”

“We’re both mated to Lycan brothers,” Lydia said, smiling. “We’ll see each other again.”

Thalia nodded. “Bye, my friend.”

They hugged one last time. Thalia left, and Lydia headed to pack her things.

She saw Knox near the car, talking to Alpha Damon. Then he looked at her and smiled.

She smiled back.

This time, it wasn’t forced.

Circe stirred in her mind.

Trust him, the voice whispered.

Lydia missed her wolf. But Circe was right.

Getting her mate, her scent, and her wolf back—that was her only goal.

For now.