4

The night presses in around the city, thick and suffocating, as if the darkness itself is aware of what is about to happen. The streets glisten with rain, reflecting neon signs and headlights, the smell of wet asphalt mixing with faint traces of blood and fear. The city is alive with predators, some human, some not, and I move through it carefully, my heels clicking against the pavement, every sense alert.

Kael drives, silent except for the low hum of the engine, his eyes scanning the streets with the precision of a wolf who knows every alley and every danger. I sit beside him, hands folded in my lap, pretending to be calm, pretending that Riven’s presence in the hotel lobby has not left a trace in my mind or my chest. But I feel it—the memory, the pull, the way my wolf stirred at the first glimpse of him. I force it down, lock it behind steel and determination. Kael is here. Kael is mine. That has to be enough.

“I want a full report on the shipment delays,” Kael says, his voice low, controlled. Not a request, a statement. I nod, already pulling my tablet from my bag, tapping through messages and notes I have compiled. The rhythm of my fingers on the screen is soothing, grounding me, keeping my mind from wandering to what I cannot yet control.

But I cannot ignore the memory of Riven. His silver eyes, sharp and molten, the way he exuded danger and freedom and everything I thought I wanted to forget. He was here, in the same space, and I ignored the pull because I had no choice. But my wolf remembers, and I feel her stir now, restless, coiled, and impatient. She smells him in the air, a faint trace lingering in the city, a mark that tells her he is near, that he is hunting in his way, silent and unseen.

I tap through the reports, forcing my mind to Kael. “The shipments are delayed in three districts,” I say, my voice steady, professional. “The intermediaries claim interference, but I suspect rogue activity. Riven’s crew has been spotted near the docks.”

Kael’s eyes flick to mine, sharp and calculating. “I expected as much. They’ve been pushing boundaries for weeks. Tonight, I want full coverage. Nothing moves without our knowledge.” His hand brushes mine briefly, and I feel the warmth, the grounding certainty of him. My wolf leans toward the touch, settling slightly, and I allow myself a shallow breath.

We arrive at the DeLuca compound hours later. The building is alive with quiet energy—soldiers moving through halls, enforcers stationed at every entrance, cameras and alarms ready for action. I follow Kael through the corridors, keeping pace, adjusting documents in my hands, and yet I cannot ignore the itch in the back of my mind, the low, steady hum of a presence I cannot see.

It is Riven.

I know it before anyone else does. My wolf reacts, ears low, teeth bared in a way I cannot show in public. The scent reaches me faintly, a signature, a mark of him that penetrates every layer of protection I’ve built. I close my eyes briefly, willing myself to focus, willing myself to remember Kael, to remember loyalty, duty, and the bond we share. But it is a struggle, and every instinct screams that he is closer than I think, that the storm is coming.

Kael stops in the office, motioning for me to follow. “Sit,” he says, voice firm. “I want to review these details before tomorrow.” I comply, placing the folder in front of him, trying to ignore the low hum in my chest that is not his presence, that is a warning, a prelude, a ghost that refuses to leave.

Hours pass in the office. Kael is methodical, precise, reviewing every detail, making notes, and issuing orders. I move in tandem with him, suggesting adjustments, clarifying data, and yet my mind drifts at moments I cannot control. The pull is there, subtle but insistent, tugging at my senses. Riven is out there, somewhere in the city, watching, waiting. My wolf is aware, coiled and tense, and I find myself wishing I could ignore her instincts as easily as I ignore my thoughts.

The first sign is subtle. A vibration in the air, a shift in scent that is almost imperceptible to anyone else. My wolf stiffens, and I know before I see it that he is near the compound. Not inside, not yet, but moving, silent, deliberate. My pulse quickens, and I feel a mix of fear and anticipation that makes my chest ache.

Kael notices my tension, frowning slightly. “Lyra,” he says, voice low, not questioning but observing. “You feel it too.” I nod, keeping my voice controlled. “I’m fine.” My hands tighten around the folder, hiding the tremor, the awareness that a storm is gathering outside the walls.

Minutes later, a message arrives on Kael’s secure line. He reads it, lips pressing into a thin line. “Rogue activity confirmed. Near the south dock. They’re watching, but not yet moving in.” His eyes meet mine, sharp, assessing. “Stay here.” He rises, and I stand as well, instinctively, despite the order.

“I’m coming,” I say quietly. My wolf snarls at my decision, furious at my defiance, but I cannot leave it behind. Not entirely. I cannot ignore the pull that has begun to grow stronger with every hour, every heartbeat. Kael glances at me, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes—approval, annoyance, concern. Perhaps all three.

We move through the compound, silently, smoothly, a predator and his mate in tandem. Kael’s presence is steady, grounding, and yet I feel it—the pull, sharp now, almost insistent, tugging at the corners of my mind. My wolf growls low, a warning, an echo of the storm that waits outside, and I force myself to remain composed, to remember the bond I have chosen, the bond that defines me in ways I cannot yet articulate.

The city outside is dark, wet, alive with danger. Every alleyway, every shadow, every neon reflection could hide Riven, waiting, calculating. My pulse quickens as we approach the edge of DeLuca territory. I cannot see him, cannot smell him directly, yet the bond hums, a vibration I cannot ignore.

Kael steps closer to me, his hand brushing mine briefly. The contact is grounding, reassuring, a tether to reality. “Stay close,” he murmurs. “Trust me.” My wolf leans into him instinctively, muscles relaxing slightly, though the tension remains coiled. I nod, forcing myself to breathe evenly, to keep my mind on him and not the ghost that is waiting for me beyond the compound.

A sudden movement catches my eye, subtle and precise. I freeze, senses flaring. Kael notices instantly, his body tensing beside me. My wolf rises to the warning, ears flat, teeth bared in anticipation. I glance briefly toward the shadows, heart hammering, and I know. He is here. Riven Blackmoor, the rogue Alpha, my mate, the one I tried to forget, the one I ignored, is watching.

I feel the pull with a clarity that makes my breath catch. My wolf strains against my control, wanting to reach him, wanting to answer, and I feel a stab of guilt and fear. Kael notices the subtle shift, his gaze sharp, and for a fraction of a second, I see understanding, concern, and perhaps even frustration.

“Not now,” I whisper, more to myself than to him. My hands tighten into fists at my sides. I will not falter. I will not answer. Not yet.

Kael’s presence beside me is steady, grounding, and for the moment, it is enough. My wolf relaxes slightly, though the tension remains. The city waits, the storm waits, and somewhere out there, Riven waits. And I know, deep in my chest, that this is only the beginning.

The bond is alive, insistent, and I realize with a mix of fear and anticipation that I cannot ignore it forever. Riven is out there, patient, calculating, waiting for the moment when I cannot resist any longer. And when that moment comes, nothing will be the same.

For now, I follow Kael, leaning into the bond I have chosen, the safety I have claimed, the loyalty I have sworn. But I cannot forget. My wolf will not let me. The pull of Riven, the fire that he ignites in me, waits, and I know that the night is far from over.

And I am trapped in the tension between two mates, two bonds, and a world where loyalty, love, and survival are intertwined in ways I am only beginning to understand.