Chapter 67 – One Month to Burn it all

The sun was setting low behind the towering Blackthorn estate, casting streaks of amber and crimson across the sky. The place looked more like a fortress than a home, with its wrought-iron gates and endless rows of perfectly trimmed hedges. My heart was already in my throat, but when I saw her walking toward us, I felt my chest tighten like a vice.

Casey.

Her smile was polite but sharp, the kind that felt like it was carved from marble—cold, unyielding, and fake as hell. She strolled up with the grace of someone who knew she was untouchable, her sleek navy-blue dress hugging her figure just enough to be classy but not so much as to be vulgar. Her eyes flicked to me, lingering for a moment longer than necessary, and I knew she was assessing me. Calculating.

“They’re waiting for you inside,” Casey said, her eyes darting to Cale like she wasn’t sure if she should curtsy or bow. Her gaze barely touched me. To her, I wasn’t a threat. Not yet, anyway.

Cale’s grip on my arm tightened as if he sensed my thoughts. His smile was wide and charming as ever, but the weight of his fingers on my skin was a warning. Play the role. Be the perfect Luna.

I laced my arm with his and smiled like I didn’t feel like vomiting.

“Let’s not keep them waiting, then,” Cale said, his voice smooth as silk.

As we walked toward the entrance, I adjusted my posture, straightening my spine, letting my shoulders fall back just like Trinity had taught me. My sleek beige outfit hugged my frame, making every movement feel deliberate, like I was untouchable too. Every step was a statement — I wasn’t just arm candy. I was Luna. Their Luna.

The heavy oak doors opened before we reached them, and there he was.

Alpha Deacon.

He had that older wolf aura—calm, commanding, like the kind of man who didn't have to raise his voice to be heard. His salt-and-pepper beard was neatly trimmed, and his eyes, a sharp steel gray, swept over me with thinly veiled curiosity.

"Alpha Cale," Deacon said, extending his hand with a firm smile. "Good to see you again."

"Deacon," Cale replied, releasing my arm to accept the handshake. “Always a pleasure.”

I pasted on my most diplomatic smile, tilting my head just enough to seem demure but not weak. “Alpha Deacon,” I greeted softly, offering my hand.

He raised an eyebrow, impressed, and took it, his grip firm but respectful. Good. Respect is currency in this world, and I needed to be rich.

But then... I felt it.

My head lifted like it was on a string.

At the top of the grand staircase, I saw him.

Luca.

Time didn’t slow. It stopped.

His eyes, amber fire in the glow of the chandelier, pinned me where I stood. His gaze wasn’t like before. It wasn’t the wild storm of anger and longing I remembered. No, this was something colder. Sharper. Like the edge of a blade dipped in ice.

I forgot to breathe.

Every nerve in my body lit up like a live wire.

Trinity lost it.

Her howls ripped through my mind, raw and wild like she’d been caged for too long. “MINE. MATE. MATE. MATE!” Her voice echoed so loud I clutched my head, trying to quiet her down.

“Shut up, Trinity! Not now!” I hissed internally, but she wouldn’t stop. She was howling like she’d been waiting her whole life to be heard, and it took everything in me to shove her down. My breathing was shallow, and I prayed no one noticed.

Cale's fingers pressed lightly on my back, a silent reminder. Stay present. Stay perfect.

But I couldn't look away.

Not from Luca.

He hadn't moved an inch, standing like a statue carved from rage and restraint. His jaw was tight, and the muscle at the side of his cheek jumped with tension. His hands rested at his sides, but I knew him too well. Those fingers were ready to curl into fists. His eyes scanned me like he was looking for a flaw, something he could use as a weapon. But there was something else too, something he was trying desperately to bury.

Regret? Longing?

No. That wasn't it.

Hatred.

His gaze darkened, like just the sight of me ruined his entire day. It was so sudden, so intense, that I stumbled back a step before I caught myself. He saw it. I know he saw it. His lip twitched—not a smirk, not a smile. Contempt. Pure, unfiltered contempt.

“He hates me.” The thought cut through me like glass.

Trinity stopped howling.

She went deathly silent, so quiet it was unsettling. I felt her withdraw, retreating like she'd been sucker-punched. For the first time, I think she finally saw what I saw.

He wasn't the same Luca. He was something colder. Harder. And for the first time, I wasn't sure I wanted to get closer.

He broke eye contact first. His gaze dropped like I wasn’t worth another second of his time, and he strode down the stairs. Every step echoed like a warning.

Cale stepped forward to greet him, that same charming grin on his face. "Luca."

Luca didn’t stop. He brushed past Cale with barely a glance, his eyes fixed on something far off, like we were all beneath him.

Cale chuckled under his breath, tilting his head toward me. “He will always be a smug bastard,” he murmured. “Thinks the world owes him something.”

I didn’t respond. I didn’t trust my voice not to betray me.

Alpha Deacon cleared his throat, gesturing for us to follow him. “Shall we get to business?”

Cale motioned for me to walk ahead of him. I did, keeping my head high, my steps measured and slow. I felt Luca’s presence behind me as we walked toward the conference room. I didn’t turn around. I refused to give him the satisfaction.

The room smelled like leather, cedar, and power. Thick mahogany furniture lined the space, and sunlight poured in through tall windows, casting golden streaks across the table.

Deacon sat at the head. Cale took the chair next to him, his hand resting possessively on my lower back as he pulled out a chair for me. I sat, legs crossed, hands folded neatly on the table.

Deacon leaned forward, his eyes darting between us. “Let’s discuss the arrangement between Casey and Luca.”

My heart stopped.

The words didn’t register at first. I blinked slowly, my mind struggling to catch up.

Casey. And. Luca.

Marriage.

They were talking about marriage.

I kept my face neutral, fingers gripping my knee beneath the table so tight my nails dug into my skin. Cale’s eyes slid to me, watching for a reaction, waiting for a slip. But I didn’t give him one. I bit down on my cheek, eyes locked on Deacon, never once glancing at Luca.

The men started talking details—dowries, unity, and alliances. White noise. It all sounded like static to me. I only heard one thing.

One month.

The wedding would be in one month.

Luca’s gaze flicked to me once. Just once. I felt it like a blade pressed to the back of my neck. His eyes lingered, but when I didn’t look back, he turned away.

The rest of the conversation blurred together.

I barely registered Cale’s hand on my back as we left the conference room. My heart was thudding too loudly in my chest. My mind was spinning, a thousand thoughts colliding all at once.

One month. One month until they fuse the packs. One month until Cale launches his plan to wipe them out.

I glanced at Cale as we walked, his expression smug. He thought he’d won. He thought I was too broken, too tamed to fight back.

Trinity stirred.

“We have one month.”

Her voice was sharp now. Clear. Steady. ”Then lets him down.”