Chapter 3

The convoy left at dawn.

Three armored vehicles heading to the Eastern territory for "alliance negotiations."

Ronan and Seraphina in the lead vehicle.

Me in the last one, with the other soldiers.

Where I belonged now.

"You look like shit," Kai muttered from the driver's seat.

"Thanks."

"When's the last time you ate?"

"Does it matter?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it.

Smart wolf.

The radio crackled.

"Alpha, we're approaching the underground passage," the lead driver reported. "ETA fifteen minutes."

"Copy," Ronan's voice came through. "Maintain formation."

I closed my eyes, letting the engine's rumble drown out everything else.

Suddenly, Kai slammed the brakes.

"What the—"

The lead vehicle exploded.

Fire and metal erupted through the tunnel, shockwave slamming into us.

"AMBUSH!" Kai roared. "All units, defensive positions!"

I was already moving, shifting partially—claws extended, senses sharpened.

Gunfire erupted from the tunnel walls.

Hidden shooters.

"They knew our route," I snarled.

"Later!" Kai threw open the door. "Protect the Alpha!"

I ran toward the burning vehicle, my wolf screaming to find Ronan.

He emerged from the smoke, already in half-shift, Seraphina clutched to his chest.

She was crying, clinging to him.

Unharmed.

"Ronan!" I shouted. "North wall, three shooters—"

A whistling sound cut me off.

I knew that sound.

Silver grenade.

It arced through the air, falling directly between us.

Time slowed.

The grenade hit the ground, three feet from Ronan.

Two feet from me.

One foot from Seraphina.

"RONAN!" My body moved on instinct, lunging forward.

His eyes met mine.

For one heartbeat, I thought—

His leg snapped out.

Not toward the grenade.

Toward me.

His boot connected with my ribs, full Alpha strength, launching me backward.

Away from him.

Away from her.

Directly into the blast radius.

"Ronan—"

The grenade detonated.

Silver shrapnel exploded outward, and I was still mid-shift, my wolf form half-emerged—the most vulnerable state.

Fire consumed me.

Metal tore through fur and flesh.

I felt my ribs crack, my spine twist, my wolf scream as silver poisoned her blood.

The last thing I saw before darkness took me was Ronan's body curled around Seraphina, shielding her completely.

He never looked back.

---

Pain woke me.

Everything hurt—breathing, existing, being.

"Easy." A medic's voice. "Don't try to shift. The silver's still in your system."

My eyes cracked open.

White ceiling.

Medical wing.

"How long?" My voice was destroyed, vocal cords shredded.

"Eighteen hours." The medic—young, nervous—wouldn't meet my eyes. "You're lucky to be alive."

"Lucky."

"The Alpha specifically requested—"

"Where is he?"

Silence.

"Where is he?"

"With his fiancée. She was traumatized by the attack."

Of course.

"I need to see the security footage."

"That's classified—"

"Now."

Something in my tone made her comply.

She pulled up the tablet, hands shaking.

"This was recorded two hours ago."

The screen flickered to life.

Ronan's private quarters.

He was kneeling beside a bed—his bed—where Seraphina lay propped on pillows.

She looked perfect.

Untouched.

"Open," he murmured, lifting a spoon of glowing liquid to her lips.

Spirit soup.

The rarest, most precious healing elixir our pack possessed.

"It's bitter," Seraphina pouted.

"I know, baby." His voice was gentle. "Just one more."

She obeyed, and he stroked her hair.

"You were so brave today."

"I was terrified." Tears welled in her eyes. "If you hadn't—"

"I'll always protect you." He pressed his forehead to hers. "Always."

Then he moved.

Slid from the chair to one knee.

My heart stopped.

"Seraphina Dragunov." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a ring—white gold, massive diamond, nothing like the simple band he'd given me. "I know we planned to wait, but after today, after almost losing you—"

"Ronan—"

"Marry me. Not for politics. Not for alliances." His hand cupped her face. "Because my wolf can't survive without you."

She was crying, nodding.

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes—"

He slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her.

Not the rough, desperate kisses he'd given me.

Tender.

Reverent.

Real.

The tablet slipped from my numb fingers.

"Ma'am?" The medic's voice was distant. "Are you—"

"Out."

"But—"

"Get out!"

She fled.

I lay in the medical bed, silver still burning through my veins, ribs cracked from where he'd kicked me, and felt the last thread of our bond disintegrate.

Ten years.

He'd thrown me into an explosion to save her.

Fed her spirit soup while I bled out alone.

Proposed while I lay dying.

My wolf finally went silent.

Not the hunting silence.

The dead silence.

Something dark and cold unfurled in my chest where love used to live.

The door opened.

"Lyra—"

Ronan stopped in the doorway, still wearing the same clothes from the footage, Seraphina's scent all over him.

"Get out."

"I need to explain—"

"You kicked me into an explosion."

"I pushed you out of the blast zone—"

"You kicked me, Ronan." I forced myself to sit up, ignoring the agony. "Your wolf chose her in that split second. Your instinct chose her."

"That's not—"

"Did you propose?"

His silence was answer enough.

"Does she know about me?"

"There's nothing to know." He stepped closer. "You're my blade—"

"Your blade." I laughed, and blood sprayed from my lips. "Your blade that you threw away to save your real mate."

"Don't do this."

"Do what? Face reality?" I met his eyes. "I loved you. My wolf chose you. And you just proved that I never mattered at all."

"You matter—"

"As a weapon. As a tool. As something you use and discard." I smiled without warmth. "Message received, Alpha."

"Lyra—"

"When's the wedding?"

He flinched.

"Two weeks."

"Then you have two weeks to find a new Shadow Blade." I lay back down, turning away from him. "Because I quit."

"You can't quit. The blood oath—"

"Watch me."

Silence.

Then his footsteps retreating.

The door closing.

I stared at the white ceiling, feeling absolutely nothing, and knew:

Lyra Hale just died in that explosion.

Whatever crawled out of the fire would be something else entirely.