Liana didn't sleep.
Not after Kael held her the way he did.
Not after those words slipped from his lips like a vow he never meant to say out loud.
You are mine.
His breath had still been warm on her neck when he finally pulled away, controlling the urge to mark her even though she felt the heat burning in him.
He didn't kiss her.
He didn't touch her again.
But the hunger in his golden eyes stayed all night.
And it haunted her.
---
By morning, Kael was already dressed in dark armor, his hair pulled back, eyes sharper than usual.
"There's a territorial meeting with the eastern clans," he said, fastening his gloves. "I'll be gone a few hours."
Liana nodded. "I'll be fine."
His jaw tightened. He stepped closer, fingers brushing her cheek like he couldn't help himself.
"You stay inside my territory," he warned softly. "No wandering. And if anyone bothers you—"
His eyes flashed gold.
"—I'll know."
She swallowed. "Okay."
He stared a second longer than necessary… then left.
The moment the main doors closed, the air shifted.
From the shadows of the hallway, three girls walked out.
Beautiful. Elegant. Smiling too sweetly.
Liana recognized one of them — the girl she saw staring at Kael earlier. The one whose scent carried jealousy like poison.
Astra.
The Beta's sister.
Powerful. Respected.
And desperately in love with Kael.
"Hi, Liana!" Astra chirped with a fake sweetness that made Liana's stomach twist. "Kael told us to keep you company."
"He did?" Liana frowned.
"Of course," another one added. "You're important to him. Very important."
They exchanged quick glances — whispers behind their eyes.
Liana felt something was wrong… but she didn't want to seem paranoid.
So she followed them.
---
They led her deep into the mansion, past areas she had never seen.
The hallways grew colder.
Darker.
Quieter.
"Where are we going?" Liana finally asked.
Astra smiled over her shoulder. "Kael prepared something special for you."
"But… he didn't say anything—"
"Surprise gift," Astra said quickly. "You know how he is. Mysterious."
Something in Liana's chest tightened.
The moment they reached a tall black iron door, her heart dropped.
This wasn't part of the mansion.
It felt older.
Forbidden.
Wrong.
Astra pushed it open.
"Go in," she said sweetly. "You'll love it."
Liana hesitated — and that was all they needed.
A sharp shove from behind sent her stumbling inside.
The door slammed before she even turned around.
CLICK. LOCKED.
"HEY! Open the door!" Liana banged on it.
Astra's voice drifted through the iron.
"You don't belong here, Liana. Not with Kael. Not in our clan."
"You're dangerous to him," another voice added. "You're cursed."
"And he's too blind to see it," Astra hissed. "So we'll fix it for him."
Liana's heart raced. "What did you do?!"
Astra laughed softly.
"We're giving you back to the witches."
Liana froze.
No. No, no, no—
"You'll stay here until they come for you," Astra continued. "Then Kael will forget you ever existed."
Liana's breath trembled.
"Astra, please—"
"Oh, don't worry," Astra cut in sharply. "This place is spelled. No one can hear you. Not even Kael."
Liana's body went cold.
"Enjoy your stay," Astra said, voice dripping venom.
"The witches won't take long."
Their footsteps faded.
Silence slammed into her.
And in that silence… the air began to hum.
A low pulse.
A faint vibration in the walls.
A whispering she couldn't understand.
Then—
A jolt in her chest.
Like something old.
Something sleeping.
Something waking.
Liana gasped, gripping her head as a burning sensation crawled under her skin.
"What… what is happening—?"
Her pulse throbbed violently.
Heat spread through her veins.
Magic — but not the soft kind.
This one felt ancient, heavy, and furious.
The room wasn't a prison.
It was a trigger.
A place designed for one purpose:
To awaken whatever the witches buried inside her.
And it was working.
Her breathing grew ragged. She stumbled back, her palms against the wall as the pressure built—
And somewhere far outside the room, in a distant part of the kingdom…
Kael froze.
His eyes snapped open.
His wolf roared inside his chest.
LIANA.
Something was wrong.
Horribly, violently wrong.
Without another thought, Kael vanished in a burst of golden flames—
Straight toward her.
---