Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Lycan’s Fated Mate: Kabanata 281 - Kabanata 290

Carla found Alexei in the private sitting room shortly after lunch. He was sitting on the black leather sofa, one hand resting on the arm of the furniture while the other held a glass of vodka.Soft music filled the room, almost muffled by the crackling of the bioethanol fireplace, and the morning light filtered through the heavy curtains, creating a dim atmosphere that matched his state of mind.She stopped at the entrance for a few seconds, observing him. There was something in his posture that made her hesitate — he was not exactly tense, but he was not relaxed either. It was that intermediate state Alexei assumed when he was trying to seem calm without really being so.“I need to talk to you.”Alexei raised his eyes, the glass still in his hand.“That sentence never brings anything good. It’s like ‘we need to talk’ or ‘it’s nothing, but…’”“Depends. It’s nothing bad.”“For me, it usually is. I’m a pessimist by nature.”Carla entered the room and closed the door behind her, the sof

Boris noticed Mikhail’s absence even before anyone needed to inform him. It was a small detail — a man who was not where he should be, a familiar presence missing from his usual post. But Mikhail was not just any man.He had worked at Boris’s side for decades. He knew his schedules, his habits, his meetings, and above all, he knew the way Boris liked the property’s security to function. If he needed to be absent, he would give notice. He always did.Boris raised his eyes from the document he was reading, his brow furrowed.“Where is Mikhail? I haven’t seen him today.”The security man in front of him hesitated.“We still haven’t been able to locate him, sir.”“Since when?” Boris’s voice came out sharper than he intended.“Since this morning. He didn’t show up for the shift change.”The old man remained still for a few seconds, processing the information. Mikhail never ran late, never failed to appear without reason. He was the most punctual man on the entire property.“And no one foun

Boris knew something was wrong even before he reached the address. The place was far too isolated — an old building, set away from the main roads, surrounded by snow-covered trees and by a silence that felt artificial, as if the environment itself were holding its breath.There was no movement in the vicinity, no cars passing, no lights in the neighboring houses. But there was scent: Lycans, many of them, scattered across the grounds.Boris got out of the car slowly, closing the door behind him with a dry click. He did not need to ask who was there — his instinct had already answered. He walked a few meters, keeping his eyes alert to the surroundings, every sense on high alert.He had brought no one with him; the message had been clear enough for him to understand that any attempt to appear accompanied could put Mikhail in danger. Or at least that was what he believed, until he felt a different presence — stronger, older, more accustomed to command.Boris stopped. Footsteps rose behin

Andrei drove with firm hands on the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the snow-covered road. Feliks sat in the front seat in silence, his face turned toward the window. Yulian remained in the back seat, beside Boris’s body, covered by Andrei’s coat.None of the three had said much during the drive — there was nothing to say. The silence was heavy, interrupted only by the sound of the tires on the snow and by each one’s controlled breathing.Boris looked as if he were sleeping, and it was almost cruel how much he resembled it. For a few seconds, Yulian even thought that if he closed his eyes, he could pretend nothing had happened. That they were simply taking the old man back home after one more of his mysterious outings. But the smell of blood was still there, soaked into the cold air, and there was no way to pretend it did not exist.Andrei parked the car in front of the main entrance of the Demidov mansion. None of them moved immediately. Feliks slowly released his breath, his eyes

The Moon had already risen above the treetops when everyone gathered around the stone circle. The snow reflected its pale light, while the torches scattered around the clearing kept the fire alive.Boris lay at the center, and Alexei remained a few steps away, with Carla at his side. Dmitry and Susan stood nearby, and Anatolie a little farther back. Everyone in silence, their eyes fixed on the body of the former enemy who had, in some way, become part of the family.The four Counselors stood before the circle, and Andrei, Yulian, and Feliks remained by the body. None of them seemed willing to step away, as if physical proximity were the last way to keep Boris present.The oldest of the Counselors raised his face to the Moon, and his voice crossed the clearing with an ancient solemnity:“The Crossing begins when those who remain recognize the one who has departed. Today we gather to deliver Boris Demidov to the ancestors.”The silence that followed seemed even deeper. Alexei looked at