Lucas’s piercing gaze burned into her, the weight of his presence suffocating. Lila’s breath hitched, her heart hammering against her ribcage as her wolf howled in elation. “It’s him! Our mate!” her wolf cried, its voice filled with uncontainable joy. Lila froze, the words echoing in her mind. Her mate? Lucas King? Her stomach churned as if the ground had been pulled out from under her. “No,” she whispered to herself, a sharp denial that her wolf ignored. “The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes,” her wolf said softly. Lila clenched her fists, desperate to quell the storm rising within her. She wasn’t overjoyed—far from it. The man standing before her wasn’t the kind, nurturing mate she’d always dreamed of. He was Lucas King: ruthless, domineering, and the reason for so much pain in her life. ---Lucas took a step closer, his towering frame seeming to consume the space between them. The intensity in his eyes only deepened, and Lila could feel his wolf’s dominance pressing a
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond. The flicker of anger in his eyes was all the confirmation she needed. “Fidel’s my boyfriend,” she said casually, leaning back against the wall and crossing her arms. The reaction was instant. Lucas’s entire body tensed, his fists clenching at his sides. His wolf growled audibly, the sound echoing in the small room. ---“Your boyfriend,” Lucas repeated, his voice low and dangerous. “Funny, considering he works for me.” Lila raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Does he? He must not think much of you if he’s willing to cross that line.” Lucas took another step toward her, his movements slow and deliberate. “Don’t test me, Lila,” he warned, his voice a growl. She held her ground, refusing to let him see her nerves. “What are you going to do, Lucas? Fire him? Threaten him?” His eyes bore into hers, the fury simmering just beneath the surface. “If he lays another hand on you, I’ll do more than that.” ---Lila’s wolf purred at the p
Lila POVThe door clicked shut behind Lucas, leaving an eerie silence in the room. My chest rose and fell as I tried to steady my breathing, my mind racing with conflicting emotions. My wolf was unusually quiet, simmering with a sense of satisfaction that only irritated me further. “He won’t back down,” she finally murmured, her words tinged with amusement. “He’s arrogant,” I snapped aloud, pacing the room. “He thinks he can just walk in, claim me, and expect me to fall at his feet.” “Because he’s your mate.” I stopped in my tracks, glaring at the empty air as though my wolf stood before me. “He’s not my mate. He’s a monster, a tyrant. And you’re supposed to be on my side.” “I am,” she replied calmly. “And so is he, even if you won’t admit it.” ---My fingers curled into fists as I wrestled with the undeniable truth I was trying so desperately to ignore. The bond was there, humming like a taut string between me and Lucas, pulling me toward him no matter how hard I resisted
Jake POV The night air was thick with tension, a strange hum of unease I couldn’t shake. I prowled the edges of the city, my wolf restless beneath my skin. Something was off, though I couldn’t pinpoint what. The usual sounds of the bustling nightlife seemed muted, as if the city itself was holding its breath. “Dammit,” I muttered under my breath, my frustration mounting as my search yielded nothing useful. I’d spent hours trying to dig up anything on Riley—the elusive rogue who had been a thorn in our side for weeks—but the trail was colder than I’d anticipated. My sources had little more than whispers, rumors that amounted to nothing concrete. “Another dead end,” my wolf growled in my head, his irritation matching my own. Leaning against the hood of my car, I stared out over the city skyline. “We’re missing something,” I said aloud, the words breaking the silence. My voice was low, barely more than a rumble. “Riley’s too smart to leave a trail, but there’s always a crack. We
Jake POVThe faint click of the study door closing behind me did little to dispel the weight of the conversation I’d just had with Lucas. My brother, the unflinching Alpha who rarely let anything slip past his control, was now thrown into turmoil over a woman—his mate. The bond was relentless, and its power was clear in every strained line of his face. Yet, as much as I wanted to help him, the unease gnawing at my gut wouldn’t relent. Something about all of this felt… wrong. --- By the time I reached my own suite, my mind was racing. Lucas had shown me just enough of his hand to spark questions he probably didn’t want me asking. This woman—Lila—was clearly no ordinary mate. She had Lucas, of all people, tied in knots. And from what little I’d gleaned, she wasn’t exactly forthcoming with her own story. Slumping into the chair by the window, I pulled my laptop onto my lap. If Lucas wasn’t going to dig deeper into who Lila was, then I would. He could focus on wooing her or whatev
Lila’s POV The rhythmic crash of waves against the shore was the only sound accompanying me as I stood on the secluded stretch of beach. The salt-tinged breeze tugged at my hair, but it did little to soothe the storm churning inside me. I wasn’t ready to go back to the cramped apartment I called home—not yet. I needed time. Time to think, time to process, time to breathe. Lucas King. The name echoed in my mind like a cruel taunt. It wasn’t enough that he and his brother had taken everything from me. No, fate had to twist the knife deeper, binding me to the man I despised most in the world. The moon hung high above the dark expanse of water, its silvery light casting eerie shadows across the sand. I stayed close to the dunes, ensuring I wasn’t visible from the road. I wasn’t naïve enough to think Lucas would give up so easily; the man was nothing if not relentless. My pulse quickened at the thought of his intense gaze, the way his voice had lingered in the air, commanding,
Lila POV The air in my apartment was heavy with tension as I paced the floor, my mind racing with possibilities. Lucas King was nothing if not persistent. I knew he wouldn’t sit idly by after our encounter. By now, he was likely mobilizing his resources, setting traps, and deploying his network to track me down. But I wouldn’t make it easy for him. I grabbed my laptop from the table and set it down on the couch, the cool metal a comforting weight in my hands. Years of preparation had led me here, and I wasn’t about to falter. If Lucas wanted a game of cat and mouse, I’d ensure he found himself chasing shadows. --- I pulled up a map of the city on my screen, marking potential safehouses I could retreat to if things escalated. Each location was carefully chosen—places I’d vetted over the years for situations just like this. My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I considered my next move. Lucas was smart, but his confidence was his Achilles’ heel. He believed his dominance w
Lila POV “You’re making a mistake,” my wolf growled, her voice curling through my mind like smoke.“Not now,” I snapped aloud, the sharpness in my tone bouncing off the bare walls of the safehouse. “I don’t have time for this.”She huffed, her unease gnawing at me. “He’s not what you think.”“I don’t need your voice in my head right now,” I muttered, clenching my fists. The bond with Lucas was a chain, one I refused to acknowledge. There was no place for weakness—not now.I collapsed onto the couch, burying my face in my hands. Lucas King. My mate. The thought turned my stomach. He and his brother had torn my life apart. There was no forgiveness for that.My wolf stirred, her instincts clawing at my resolve. She wanted to see something in him that I couldn’t, and I hated it. I wouldn’t be swayed. Not by him, not by anyone.The files I’d downloaded earlier were scattered across the coffee table, evidence of years of quiet preparation. Lucas and Jake King thought they were untouchable.
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