"This is a terrible idea," Lucas muttered, rubbing his temple as he read Rikkard’s email for the third time. His hands clenched into fists."We don’t have much of a choice, do we?" Jake countered, leaning against the doorway.Lucas’s jaw tightened. "I’d rather burn Rikkard’s entire empire to the ground than ask for his help.""And yet, here we are," Jake said with a sigh. "Lila’s safety comes first. You know that."Lucas growled under his breath. His wolf stirred violently at the mere thought of Rikkard being anywhere near Lila. It was a struggle to suppress the possessive, raging part of himself."You think I don’t know that?" Lucas snapped, his golden eyes flashing. "But trusting him? After everything? It makes me sick."Jake crossed his arms, unfazed. "It’s not trust—it’s necessity. Someone’s targeting us, Lucas. And unless you plan on ripping through an entire underground network by yourself, we need Rikkard’s resources."Lucas exhaled sharply, trying to steady himself. His hatred
Lila crossed her arms, tapping her fingers against her elbow as the screen remained dark. "How long is this going to take? We’re sitting ducks here.""Patience, kitten," Jake murmured, leaning back in his chair with an infuriating smirk. "You’re acting like you have somewhere better to be.""I do—literally anywhere but waiting on Rikkard," she shot back. "And don’t call me kitten."Lucas exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the screen. "If this is going to work, we need to be prepared for anything. Rikkard doesn’t trust easily, and neither do I.""That makes two of us," Lila muttered. "Three, actually."The tension in the room thickened as the screen flickered. Static hummed for a brief second before Rikkard’s face appeared. His sharp, calculating eyes swept across them, lingering on Lila longer than she liked."Well, well," Rikkard mused, his voice like velvet laced with steel. "Quite the interesting gathering. Lucas, Jake, and…?""Lila," she answered flatly, unwilling to let him steer
A Breach of Trust“What is she doing here?”Rikkard’s voice, thick with disdain, filled the silent space as his image flickered onto the screen. His dark eyes narrowed, scanning the trio before him. Lucas sat rigid, his jaw tightening. Jake leaned back, arms crossed, a smirk playing at his lips. And Lila? She held her ground, unfazed by the obvious hostility.“She’s here because she needs to be,” Lucas responded curtly. “We agreed to talk. So talk.”Rikkard scoffed, barely concealing his contempt. “I agreed to speak with men of power, not a woman who has no place in this conversation.”Lila arched a brow, unimpressed. “And yet, here I am.”Jake chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying the tension, while Lucas remained coldly silent. Lila refused to look away from Rikkard, her expression unwavering. If he thought a condescending tone would make her cower, he had another thing coming.Rikkard exhaled sharply, as if already exhausted. “Fine. Let’s get to the point.” He leaned forward,
Lucas turned to face her fully. "Arika."Lila’s fingers drummed against the table, her jaw tightening. "I’d bet my life on it."Jake nodded. "It makes sense. If she wanted to throw everyone off her trail, pinning it on Lawrence would be a smart move. But why steal military secrets? What’s her endgame?"Lila shook her head. "That’s what we need to find out."Lucas’s expression darkened. "We also need to consider another possibility—Rikkard might already know Arika is involved. He could be playing us."Silence filled the room. The thought sent a cold ripple down Lila’s spine. "You think he’s using us to clean up his mess?"Lucas nodded. "Wouldn’t be the first time he’s manipulated a situation to his advantage."Jake sighed. "So, what’s our next move? We can’t just sit here and wait for Rikkard to feed us more half-truths."Lila straightened. "The Weddard witches."Jake frowned. "What about them?""They talk," she said simply. "Loose tongues, eager ears. If Rikkard knows something about
“You’re overthinking this.”“I am not.” Lila’s voice was sharp, her eyes flashing with irritation as she paced the room. “Rikkard isn’t telling us everything. There’s something bigger going on, and if we don’t figure it out soon, we’ll be caught in the middle of it.”Jake exhaled heavily, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe. “I get it, Lila. But you’re pushing yourself too hard. You need to slow down.”“I don’t have time to slow down,” she snapped, raking a hand through her hair. “Arika could be orchestrating something even worse, and Rikkard might be hiding more than he’s letting on.”Lucas, who had been silent up until now, stepped forward. “Lila, we hear you. But your stress isn’t helping. It’s making everything worse.”Lila shot him a glare. “So what? You want me to just sit back and do nothing?”“No,” Jake said, pushing off the doorframe. “But I do want you to breathe, maybe sleep for more than three hours a night. You’re running yourself into the ground.”She clenche
“You’re overthinking this.”“I am not.” Lila’s voice was sharp, her eyes flashing with irritation as she paced the room. “Rikkard isn’t telling us everything. There’s something bigger going on, and if we don’t figure it out soon, we’ll be caught in the middle of it.”Jake exhaled heavily, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe. “I get it, Lila. But you’re pushing yourself too hard. You need to slow down.”“I don’t have time to slow down,” she snapped, raking a hand through her hair. “Arika could be orchestrating something even worse, and Rikkard might be hiding more than he’s letting on.”Lucas, who had been silent up until now, stepped forward. “Lila, we hear you. But your stress isn’t helping. It’s making everything worse.”Lila shot him a glare. “So what? You want me to just sit back and do nothing?”“No,” Jake said, pushing off the doorframe. “But I do want you to breathe, maybe sleep for more than three hours a night. You’re running yourself into the ground.”She clenche
Jake leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching Lila with narrowed eyes.“You’re doing it again,” he said.Lila didn’t look up from the holographic display, fingers rapidly tapping through a sequence of security feeds. “Doing what?” she muttered.“Overworking. Stressing. Wearing yourself down to the bone,” Jake listed, pushing off the doorframe. “And you know exactly what I’m talking about.”She sighed but didn’t slow down. “I don’t have time to take a break. We’re running out of leads, and I need to know what Arika is planning next. If we wait too long, she’ll be ten steps ahead of us.”Jake exhaled through his nose, crossing the room in a few long strides. He reached out, gently placing a hand over hers, stilling her movements. “Lila,” he said softly. “We can’t do any of this if you collapse on us. You haven’t slept. You barely ate. You’re pushing yourself too hard.”Lila finally met his gaze, something unreadable flickering in her eyes. For a moment, it looked like she migh
Lila clenched her fists, her chest tightening as a storm of emotions swirled within her."I don’t understand why you’re both so patient with me," she muttered, looking away. "I keep pushing, keep hesitating, and yet… you’re still here."Jake stepped closer, his voice gentle yet firm. "Because we love you, Lila. That doesn’t change just because you’re struggling."Lucas exhaled, crossing his arms as he studied her with knowing eyes. "You think you’re hard to love, don’t you?"Her throat tightened, but she refused to answer. The truth sat heavy in her chest, too raw to admit. She had spent most of her life proving she didn’t need anyone, that she could survive alone. But now, with them, she found herself wanting more—terrified of wanting more.Lucas sighed, stepping forward. "Love isn’t about perfection, Lila. It’s about choosing each other, even when it’s hard. Even when fear tries to convince you to run."Her hands trembled, and she clenched them tighter. "I don’t want to be weak."Jak
Lila’s words lingered in the air like a challenge.“Let’s make a new plan. Because something tells me Rikkard isn’t the only ghost who’ll be showing up.”Jake gave her a cautious look, sensing something unspoken underneath her defiance. “You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?”She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she walked back toward the small table near the window where her satchel lay. She reached inside slowly, fingers brushing past the notebook she’d been scribbling in since they arrived in Venut. But it wasn’t the notebook she was after.It was the small, battered silver device hidden beneath it—no bigger than a deck of cards. It hummed faintly in her palm, the casing warm to the touch.Jake’s brow furrowed the moment he saw it. “What is that?”Lila looked at him, then at Lucas, her eyes steady. “I wasn’t just sitting here waiting for you two to come back. While you were keeping Rikkard busy, I was busy too.”Jake crossed the room in two strides. “Lila—what
Jake didn’t move until the elevator doors slid closed behind Rikkard.Lucas let out a breath that was more of a growl. “He’s gone. For now.”Jake ran a hand down his face. “That was too close.”Lucas turned to him, voice sharp. “We need a plan, Jake. If he gets even a hint of the truth—about her—he won’t stop until he finds her.”“I know,” Jake muttered. “That’s why we’re going to give him something else to chase.”Lucas raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”“A misdirection,” Jake said, already walking toward the lounge bar where a bottle of aged scotch was quietly calling his name. “He’s desperate. He wants answers. We give him just enough to feel like he’s getting somewhere, but not enough to lead him to Lila.”Lucas followed him warily. “You want to lie to him.”Jake poured a finger of scotch and downed it. “Yes. I want to lie so well that he doesn’t think to look any closer.”Ten minutes later, they found Rikkard leaning against a column in the hotel lobby, like a man half-expect
“You’re joking, right? Please tell me this is some twisted prank,” Lucas muttered under his breath, his eyes never leaving the figure lounging by the fireplace.“I wish it were,” Jake replied quietly, jaw clenched. “But that’s him. That’s Rikkard.”Lucas swore under his breath. “Of all the days… why the hell would he show up in Venut?”“I don’t know,” Jake admitted, hands fisted in his jacket pockets. “But we need to play this smart. We can’t let him know about Lila.”Lucas inhaled sharply and nodded. “You sure he hasn’t seen her?”“Positive. He only saw us. Let’s keep it that way.”The plush lounge of the hotel was dimly lit, scented with expensive cologne, polished leather, and cigar smoke. Rikkard was seated casually on a velvet couch, legs crossed, swirling amber liquid in a crystal tumbler. His demeanor was relaxed, almost amused—but Jake could see it. The glint of calculated menace in his eyes.Jake took a breath and approached with Lucas, every step deliberate. They stopped jus
“Tell me you’re joking,” Lucas muttered, his voice low and edged with tension.“I wish I were,” Jake replied, running a hand through his damp hair. “But he’s here. In Venut. I saw his convoy near the North Quarter twenty minutes ago.”Lila blinked. “Wait, Rikkard? As in—the Rikkard?”Jake gave a grim nod. “The Mad Alpha himself.”Lucas straightened from where he sat beside Lila on the hotel bed, his entire body going rigid. “How the hell did he find out we were here?”“Doesn’t matter,” Jake said. “What matters is that he’s here. And if he’s sniffing around, it’s not just to catch up over drinks.”Lila’s face lost all color. “You told me he wasn’t a threat anymore.”“I told you what I needed to so you’d sleep,” Jake said quietly, shame flickering across his expression. “But clearly, I was wrong.”“Perfect,” Lucas growled. “Just what we need—another lunatic Alpha throwing his weight around.”“Not just another lunatic,” Jake said, voice clipped. “He’s the lunatic. The one who ripped out
“…She’s alive,” Lila repeated, quieter now. “I just don’t know where.”Lucas’s hand tightened briefly on her shoulder before he let go, stepping back to give her space even as his eyes lingered with worry. Jake returned to the window, gaze hard and focused.The silence that followed was the kind that spoke louder than words.Then—Knock. Knock. Knock.Not soft. Not tentative.The kind of knock that didn’t ask permission.Jake’s head snapped toward the door. Lucas was already moving—one hand reaching into the drawer beneath the minibar, where he’d hidden a blade and compact gun. Lila rose too, pulse leaping as the door handle turned despite the locks still being in place.Click.“Jake,” Lucas said, tone sharp.Jake strode toward the door and yanked it open an inch just as the locks disengaged, bypassed from the outside.The man who stepped in didn’t belong in any polished hotel suite. His mere presence dimmed the luxurious lighting, as if shadows followed him in.Rikkard.He was as unm
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Lucas murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face.“You didn’t,” Lila whispered back, her voice still drowsy. “I was already half-awake. I just didn’t want to move.”“You were sore,” he said gently, guilt flickering across his features. “I can feel it in your muscles.”“I’m fine,” she said, but he was already moving, sliding from the bed with careful grace.Jake’s voice floated in from the other room. “She’s not fine if she’s wincing in her sleep.”“I wasn’t wincing,” Lila muttered, rolling her eyes even as her cheeks flushed. She tried to sit up, only to wince slightly at the sting between her thighs. Damn it.Lucas was already wetting a towel from the tiny sink across the room. “Don’t lie to me, little wolf,” he said with an affectionate smile that didn’t quite mask his concern. “You’re strong, but you’re not indestructible.”Jake appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, his eyes scanning her with that piercing protectiveness that made her squirm mor
A Morning of Warmth and Wariness:“Lucas… your knot’s still in,” Lila mumbled, voice raspy with sleep.“I know,” he murmured against her shoulder, lips brushing her skin. “Didn’t want to wake you. You were peaceful.”“I’m not now,” she grumbled, stretching slightly and wincing at the soreness spreading through her hips.His arm tightened around her waist. “Sorry. I lost control.”“You didn’t.” She turned in his arms to face him. “I gave it willingly. Don’t take that away from me.”He searched her face, his eyes dark with concern. “You’re sore.”“I’m alive,” she said with a soft smile. “And I’m with you. That’s enough.”Lucas exhaled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Still… I should’ve been gentler.”“You’ll make up for it,” she teased, and for a moment, the heaviness in the room eased.The cabin bedroom was dim, the blinds half-drawn against the gray light of morning. Somewhere beyond the walls of this quiet space, the engines hummed low and steady. But here, wrapped in warm
“You’re safe now,” Lucas whispered, his knot still pulsing deep inside her.But safety was only one part of it.Lila trembled, her body molded against his, the fullness of his knot keeping her grounded and overwhelmed in equal measure. Her breath hitched, shallow and stuttered, as her inner muscles clenched around him again—an aftershock, or maybe the prelude to something more.Lucas didn’t move.Didn’t demand.He simply waited.And that, more than anything, unraveled her.“I can’t move,” she breathed, eyes clenched shut.“Yes, you can,” he murmured, brushing hair from her face. “You’re not broken, Lila. You’re not fragile. Not anymore.”Her fingers dug into the armrest, breath catching.Lucas leaned forward, his lips at her ear. “I want you to move. I want you to ride it. Take what you need from me.”Her heart stuttered.This wasn’t a command.It was a gift.Her legs ached. Her body throbbed. But still, she shifted—slowly, hesitantly—testing the taut pressure where their bodies remai
Lila’s breathing had slowed, her body molded to Lucas’s as though it belonged there—because it did. But the storm inside him hadn’t yet passed.Not even close.The feel of her, bare and vulnerable in his arms, only fueled his craving. His wolf still paced beneath his skin, restless and territorial, demanding more—demanding all of her. Every breath. Every sound. Every submissive gasp she hadn’t dared give anyone else.Lucas’s voice was low against her ear. “Up. On your knees.”She blinked in surprise.Still curled in his lap, wrapped in the thin barrier of his jacket, Lila hesitated.Lucas didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.His fingers skimmed under the fabric, trailing down her spine. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”Her heartbeat kicked harder, not out of fear—but recognition.She moved. Slowly. Carefully. She slid from his lap and turned, positioning herself between his legs, kneeling. The soft carpet beneath her knees contrasted with the burn in her chest. The jacket slipped