Mag-log inLincoln POVI stared at her, not even sure where to start. She looked so small, so unsure and somehow that made everything in me twist.“And what about Eran?” I finally asked, trying to keep my voice level even though my chest felt tight.“Eran came in here,” she said softly.“I know.” I already knew, but hearing her say it made something flare inside me again.“Did he hurt you?” The question rushed out before I could stop it. If he touched her wrong, if he scared her, I would—“No, he didn’t,” she said.Relief rushed through me so fast it almost made me weak. “Thank goodness.” My shoulders relaxed a little. I stepped closer and reached out, brushing her hair gently between my fingers. “Athena, I want you.”But she pulled back.I froze, my hand hanging there uselessly. “Is something wrong?” I asked, searching her eyes for something, anything, some sign she still trusted me.“I—” She swallowed. “Eran said he’ll protect me.”I didn’t move, but my entire face tightened before I even real
Eran POVI locked eyes with Athena, holding her gaze as if I could carve my mark right into her soul. “I’ll come for you soon, Athena,” I said quietly, my voice rough with promise. “And I swear, you’ll be mine.”She stiffened under my stare, her lips parting slightly. “I–I…” she started, but her voice faltered.I lifted my hand and brushed my fingers along her face. Her skin was soft, warm, trembling beneath my touch. She shivered, and the sight of it sent a deep thrill through me.“I like you,” I murmured, my thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. “Ever since I saw you running into the pack grounds that day. Even though you masked your scent so perfectly, I knew. I knew instantly what you were.”Her eyes widened, those beautiful eyes that held too much innocence for this world. I let a small smirk play at my lips.“You have such lovely eyes, female,” I said, my voice low, almost reverent. “And I swear to you, I’ll protect you.”Her breath hitched, soft and shaky, like a secret she did
Eryx POVI marched down the woods, following Lincoln’s scent until I finally saw him standing still, his head turning sharply as I approached. “Eryx,” he said quickly, his voice tight. “I saw a rogue just now. From the size, I’m pretty sure it was a female.”I stopped right in front of him, scanning the trees and the air around us. “Where did it go?” I asked, my tone low but firm.“I don’t know,” he said, frowning. “I tried to approach, but she ran before I could get close. I chased, but she disappeared. The worst part, her scent’s masked. Completely gone.”I let out a deep exhale, my jaw tightening. “They’re good at hiding their scent,” I muttered. “Too good.”Lincoln nodded, watching me carefully as I crouched near a few broken branches. The ground still carried faint paw prints, lighter than most rogues, but fading fast. “She’s smart,” I said, standing back up. “Let’s check a bit more. Maybe she didn’t go far.”We searched the woods for a long while, moving quietly between the tre
Lincoln POVI watched Eryx closely, trying to read the expression on his face, but all I got was that smirk of his, calm and unreadable, like he already knew everything before I even thought it.“It’s up to the female,” Eryx said finally, his tone light but firm.I shrugged, stealing another quick glance at Athena. She was sitting across the room now, her posture careful, wary, but her presence kept pulling my eyes back to her. I wanted to reach out, say something, but the words caught in my throat.“But I need you to focus on work right now,” Eryx added, not even looking at me, flipping through a stack of files on his desk with precise movements.I nodded. I could feel my chest tightening, but I obeyed. Together, we checked through files, sorted documents, and went over reports. I stayed quiet, letting the silence of the office stretch around us, listening to the soft scratching of pens, the faint shuffle of papers, and the occasional quiet hum from Eryx.After a while, he turned to
Eryx’s POV“What the hell is going on here?”My voice thundered through the room.Eran froze, his hand still gripping Athena’s neck. His fangs withdrew. The scent of fear filled the air, Athena’s fear. She was trembling, her face pale as snow. Lincoln’s head snapped toward me in relief. Rachael rushed straight to me, eyes wide, her voice breaking.“It’s him, Eryx! He wanted to mark Athena,” she said, clinging to my arm.I set her aside gently, my eyes burning holes through Eran. My wolf snarled inside me, rage pouring through my veins like molten fire. Before he could utter a word, I lunged forward, gripping his throat in one swift move and slamming him hard against the wall.The sound of cracking plaster echoed through the room.Eran choked, clawing at my hand, but I didn’t loosen my grip. “You dare?” I growled, my voice low and dangerous. “You touch what’s not yours?”His eyes rolled back before he could answer. His body went limp. I let him drop to the floor like the filth he was.
Athena POVIt had been a full week since Athena was brought into this pack and for the most part, things had been… calm. Not comfortable and not safe but calm enough that we could breathe without feeling like someone’s claws were already around our throats. We were always fed on time, enough to keep our bodies steady, even if our minds weren’t. Every day blurred into the next, quiet mornings, silent afternoons, long nights of fears between ourselves. Still, it was something. A fragile kind of peace.Athena and I were lying on the bed that afternoon, facing each other, talking in low voices. Mostly nonsense, really, anything to distract us from thinking too hard. Athena was trying to braid my hair badly, and I was pretending not to feel how her hands trembled. Then—A sharp knock hit the door.We both froze instantly, breath snagging in our throats. Athena’s fingers dropped from my hair. I felt her stiffen beside me. My pulse drummed in my ears.Before either of us could move or say a







