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.
Lucas POV “You should have stopped her,” Jake’s voice cut through the quiet, sharp and unyielding. “I couldn’t,” I replied, my tone heavy with frustration. My fingers clenched the edge of the desk, the wood groaning under the strain. “She didn’t want to stay.” “She’s your mate, Lucas.” Jake’s voice softened, but the edge of judgment remained. “You’re just going to let her walk away?” I turned, fixing my brother with a glare. “Do you think I don’t know that? My wolf is tearing me apart for not chasing her, but what was I supposed to do? Drag her back here against her will?” Jake sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m not saying that, but you can’t just sit here and brood. Do something.” ---“Do what, exactly?” I shot back, my voice rising. “She hates me, Jake. She looked at me like I was the last person she ever wanted to see, let alone be bound to.” Jake held my gaze, his usual confidence faltering. “Maybe give her space, but don’t give up on her. She’s your mate, Luc
Lila set the dagger back on the table, narrowing her eyes at the mess of blueprints and scattered wires. "This place looks like a bomb went off," she muttered. Jake smirked. "It’s organized chaos." She shot him a skeptical look. "That’s just something people say when they don’t want to admit they live in a disaster zone." He chuckled. "Maybe. But it works for me." Lila wasn’t sure what she had expected from Jake’s personal space, but this… it was something entirely different. It wasn’t just a collection of weapons or tech—it was a reflection of him. A mix of precision and unpredictability. Her gaze flickered back to the empty space where a bed should be. "You seriously don’t sleep?" she asked again, this time more curious than before. Jake leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "Not much." "Why?" He hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "Too much to do." Lila frowned. That wasn’t the whole truth. "You mean too much to think about," she guessed. Jake’s s
The house was bigger than she expected. Warm lighting. Large windows. A fire crackling in the living room. It felt… lived in. Jake carried her bag upstairs, stopping in front of a door. "This is yours." Lila stepped inside without a word. The room was simple. A bed. A dresser. A window overlooking the forest. It was nice. Too nice. She hated it. She turned to face Jake. "How long do I have to stay?" Jake hesitated. "As long as it takes." "For what?" "For you to heal." Her chest tightened. "And after that?" Jake’s expression darkened, but before he could answer, Lucas spoke from the doorway. "You’ll leave," he said, voice unreadable. Lila turned to him, startled by his presence. He was leaning against the frame, arms crossed, watching her with that same guarded expression. Something sharp twisted in her stomach. Lucas held her gaze. "If that’s what you want." She should have felt relieved. She should have felt something like victory, like freedom w
"I want to leave." Lila’s voice was quiet but firm, cutting through the sterile silence of the hospital room. Jake, who had been adjusting the blanket around her, stilled. His eyes met hers, searching. "You’re not ready." "I don’t care." Her hands trembled as she gripped the sheet, but she refused to let the weakness show. "I can’t stay here." Jake sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Lila—" "I feel like I’m suffocating," she interrupted. "The beeping machines, the doctors poking at me, the way they look at me—like I’m broken. I can’t take it anymore." Jake hesitated, and for a moment, she thought he would argue. Then, after a long pause, he spoke. "You’re being discharged tomorrow." Relief crashed into her so hard she nearly choked on it. "Tomorrow?" He nodded. "Lucas and I arranged it." Her stomach twisted at the mention of his name. "Lucas," she repeated, voice flat. Jake watched her carefully. "You’ll be coming with us." The relief died instantly. Lila’
“You’re not even listening.”Lucas blinked, forcing his mind back to the present. Across the desk, Caleb—the pack’s beta—was watching him with barely concealed irritation.“I heard you,” Lucas said, though he wasn’t sure that was true.Caleb exhaled sharply. “Alright. What did I just say?”Lucas stared at the documents scattered before him. Reports on pack affairs, financial records, and the latest updates on the false money laundering accusations. Important things. Things he should be focusing on.But all he could think about was her.“Lucas.” Caleb’s voice cut through his thoughts again.Lucas sighed and ran a hand down his face. “The accounts are still frozen. We’re being investigated. Lawrence left a mess.” He gestured vaguely at the papers. “Did I miss anything?”Caleb crossed his arms. “Only the part where we need a plan.”A plan. Right.Lucas tried to concentrate, but his mind kept drifting. A month. It had been over a month since the explosion. Over a month since Lila had been
“You’re beautiful.” Lila’s breath caught. She turned sharply to look at Jake, expecting to see amusement or sarcasm in his expression. Instead, he was watching her with a look so raw it sent a shiver down her spine. A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “I look like hell.” Jake’s eyes didn’t waver. “You don’t.” She scoffed, lifting her metal arm. The artificial fingers curled and uncurled, the movement eerily smooth. “You see this?” She tapped the metal plating, the sound hollow. “This isn’t beautiful. This is ruin.” His jaw tightened. “You’re not ruined, Lila.” She turned away, unable to look at him. How could he say that? Her skin was pale, her lips cracked, her face swollen from the weeks of unconsciousness. And now—this thing attached to her body, a constant reminder of everything she had lost. Jake reached out, but she shifted away before he could touch her. “I don’t need your pity.” “It’s not pity,” he said softly. “It’s the truth.” She clenched her jaw. H
“Lila? Can you hear me?”The voice was deep, steady—one she should recognize.She tried to open her eyes, but her body felt impossibly heavy, like she was sinking into an ocean with no way to reach the surface. Everything around her blurred between reality and dreams.A hand brushed her hair back gently. The touch sent warmth through her, a sensation she didn’t expect.“It’s okay,” the voice murmured. “Just rest.”She wanted to fight it. To demand answers. But exhaustion pulled her back into the dark.The next time she woke, the light was dim, but the air in the room was thick with something—something familiar.She shifted slightly, wincing at the dull ache in her body. Her senses sharpened just enough to notice the presence beside her.Jake.His head was lowered, his breathing even, but she knew he wasn’t asleep. He was waiting. Watching.Her throat was dry when she spoke. “You’re always here.”His head lifted immediately, his blue eyes locking onto hers.“You finally noticed?” he sa
"Lila, breathe." The voice was steady, but she barely heard it over the pounding in her ears. Her heart raced, the erratic beeping of the monitor beside her growing louder with every second. She stared at them—both of them. Lucas. Jake. My mates. Her mind struggled to piece it together, to make sense of why the two men she had vowed to hate stood on either side of her bed, watching her like she was something fragile. This couldn’t be real. "Lila," Jake said her name softly, stepping closer. Something inside her reacted—a rush of warmth, a pull so deep it made her breath hitch. Her wolf. Her traitorous wolf, who had spent years snarling in anger at the mention of them, was now purring at their presence. No. No, no, no. Her breathing quickened. The beeping of the monitor spiked again. Jake's expression darkened with concern, and then—before she could stop him—his hand was on her face. The second his skin touched hers, everything inside her exploded. ---
Waking into Pain:"She moved."The voice was distant, yet urgent.Lila felt as if she were trapped under something heavy, her entire body aching in ways she couldn’t understand. A dull, throbbing pain pulsed in her head, and her limbs felt too weak to move. It was like waking up from a terrible dream, but the nightmare hadn’t ended—it had followed her into reality.A sharp sting burned her throat when she tried to swallow. Her lips felt dry, cracked, and raw. She attempted to lift her arm, but it wouldn’t respond. Her fingers twitched, but even that small movement sent a wave of agony through her."Lila?"The voice was closer now, deep and rough with emotion.She tried to turn her head toward the sound, but her body refused. Every part of her felt disconnected, like she was floating between pain and exhaustion.Something warm wrapped around her hand. A touch. Familiar. Safe."Can you hear me?"Lila wanted to answer, to let whoever was speaking know that she was here, but all that came
"I won't let him get away with this," Jake said, his voice thick with anger. His eyes were fixed on Lila, who lay motionless in the bed, her once lively presence now replaced by a quiet stillness that seemed unnatural. Lucas stood by her side, gripping her good hand with a tenderness that betrayed the depth of his feelings. His gaze never left her face, even though the sight was almost too much to bear."I know," Lucas replied, his voice strained but resolute. "But we need to focus on her right now. We can’t do anything if she’s not okay." Jake’s jaw tightened. “I’ve never felt this helpless. Watching her like this, it feels like a nightmare I can’t wake up from.”He took a step closer, his anger simmering beneath the surface, threatening to explode. His fists were clenched at his sides, but he did nothing with them. Instead, he let the rage build. "Lawrence is going to pay. For this. For everything. He won't get away with hurting her like this."Lucas turned his head slowly, meetin