Chapter 51 — Masks and Blood

Lena ran.Her boots slammed against roots and damp earth, breath ragged, knife still gripped tight in her sweaty palm. The howls kept coming behind her, low, answering each other, closer with every heartbeat.The bond with Vance pulled hard at her chest, frantic now, like he was only steps away but still not close enough.She didn’t look back.She couldn’t.The hunger rode every stride with her, teeth aching, mouth watering at the faint scent of blood still riding the wind. She hated how her body leaned into it.A root caught her foot.She stumbled hard, shoulder slamming into a thick tree trunk. Pain flared sharp across her arm. She caught herself, gasping, and pushed off again.Lights appeared through the trees.Not firelight.Warmer. Golden. Flickering like candles behind glass.Lena slowed without meaning to.Music drifted on the air, low strings, laughter, the clink of glasses. Civilized. Wrong.She broke through the last line of trees and froze.A grand stone building stood in a

Chapter 52 — Silver and Hunger

Lena’s knife came up.The figure in the mask didn’t flinch.He simply tilted his head, silver hair catching the moonlight for a brief second before the shadows swallowed it again.“Careful,” he said quietly.Not a warning.A promise.His gaze dropped to the knife, then back to her.“You’re shaking, little Echo.”Lena’s grip tightened until the handle bit into her palm. Her pulse hammered so loud she could hear it in her ears. The hunger twisted hard in her gut, drawn to the faint metallic scent rolling off him, old blood, controlled, but there.She didn’t lower the blade.The man took one slow step closer, hands open at his sides, palms up. No threat. No rush. Just deliberate calm that made her skin crawl.“I’m not here to hurt you,” he said.His eyes, silver, unnaturally bright behind the simple black mask, locked on hers.Lena’s breath caught.Something in that gaze pulled at the bond inside her chest. Not the same raw heat as Vance. Not the sharp fury of Kai. This was older. Quiete

Chapter 53 — Blood in the Blood

The figure didn’t let go.His hand stayed firm at Lena’s waist, steady as the music slowed around them. Jax turned her slowly, keeping her close enough that their bodies brushed with every step. His silver eyes held hers through the mask, calm but intense, like he was reading every small reaction she tried to hide. Lena’s breath caught for half a second. She hated how steady his hand felt on her waist, like it already belonged there.He didn’t speak at first. Just danced with her, smooth and controlled, guiding her deeper into the shadowed edge of the garden. Every turn pressed them closer. Lena felt the warmth of his palm through her dress and the way his thumb brushed once, slow and deliberate, along her lower back. A shiver ran down her spine before she could stop it.She looked up.His gaze didn’t waver.The howls outside cut off sharply, like the trackers had hit an invisible wall.They didn’t cross.They stopped at the edge of the garden, dark shapes hovering just beyond the

Chapter 54 — The Balcony

Jax’s hand tightened at her waist.He didn’t stop dancing. He simply turned her once more, guiding her away from the open garden and toward a narrow stone staircase half-hidden by climbing vines.“Come,” he said, voice low.Not a command.An invitation.Lena’s feet moved before her mind caught up.They climbed the stairs in silence, his hand steady on the small of her back. Every step pressed her closer to him. Close enough to feel the difference in him.No rush. No hesitation.Like he already knew she would follow.She could feel the warmth of his palm through her dress, the way his fingers adjusted slightly to keep her balanced on the uneven stone. Her pulse kicked hard.She hated how safe it felt.At the top, a small private balcony opened out, overlooking the garden below. Moonlight spilled across the railing. No one else was up here.Jax stopped at the edge, turning her to face him.The music from below drifted up faint and distant.For a long second they just stood there.His s

Chapter 55 — The Chamber

Jax’s mouth stayed on hers, slow and sure, like he had nowhere else to be. Lena’s back pressed against the closed door. Her fingers curled tighter into his shirt, pulling him closer even as her mind tried to catch up. The kiss wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t rough. It was deliberate, like he was learning the exact way she tasted, the exact way she breathed when he tilted her head just so. She shivered. Not from cold. From the way his hand slid up her side, thumb brushing the underside of her breast through her dress. The touch was light, but it sent heat straight down her spine. Jax pulled back just enough to look at her. His silver eyes were dark now, pupils blown wide. “You’re still fighting it,” he said quietly. His voice was rough, but controlled. Lena swallowed hard. Her lips felt swollen. “I don’t know how to stop.” Jax’s thumb brushed her lower lip again, slow and deliberate. “Then don’t stop.” He kissed her again, deeper this time, tongue sliding against he

Chapter 56: Echo Blood

Lena waited, heart still beating hard against her ribs.Jax’s thumb stopped moving on her wrist. He stared at her for a long second, silver eyes darker than before. The easy calm he always carried cracked just enough for her to see what was underneath.“I’ve hunted Echo bearers before,” he said.The words landed like ice water down her back.The room didn’t change.He did.Something colder slipped through the cracks.Lena pulled away from his chest and sat up. The thin sheet slipped down, but she didn’t care. She searched his face, hoping he would laugh or say he was joking. He didn’t.“You hunted them,” she repeated slowly.Not asking.Confirming something she didn’t want to be real.Jax sat up too, movements smooth and controlled even now. He didn’t reach for his clothes. He just looked at her, steady as ever.Like he’d already decided to tell her everything… and wasn’t afraid of what it would cost him.Jax didn't look away. “My family carried a curse for centuries,” “It twisted us