Shards of glass rained through the room like frozen tears, glittering under the moonlight. Sera instinctively ducked, but Lucien moved faster—his arm sweeping around her, pulling her into the shield of his body.
A thunderous snarl erupted from his chest, deep enough to shake the walls.
Ava leaped toward the far corner, already shifting—bones cracking, fur bursting along her skin as she landed on all fours, a silvery wolf with blazing blue eyes.
The intruders didn't wait.
Three figures vaulted through the shattered windows, landing in crouches that cracked the marble floor. Their eyes glowed red. Not the usual amber or gold of wolves—these were blood-wolves. Wolves who had consumed too much raw power.
Wolves who served Kieran.
Lucien's growl vibrated the air. "Get back," he ordered Sera.
But Sera didn't move. She knew if she stepped away from him now, she'd be dead within seconds.
One of the intruders sniffed the air, lips peeling back. "The hybrid," he hissed. "She's here."
Lucien lunged.
He moved so fast Sera barely saw him, a blur of black and gold as he slammed into the first attacker. They crashed against the wall, claws ripping, teeth snapping. The second attacker went after Ava, who met him with a snap of her jaws that filled the air with the metallic scent of blood.
But the third—bigger, slower, smarter—turned toward Sera.
And she felt it.
The strange heat.
The pulsing under her skin.
The electric wave rising from her spine.
Her wolf.
Her hands trembled. Her breath hitched. Something inside her roared awake.
The attacker stalked toward her, grin sharp. "You don't even know what you are, do you? Kieran will enjoy awakening you himself."
Sera's heart slammed painfully. "I won't let him."
He laughed. "You don't get to choose."
But before he could reach her, Lucien ripped the wolf off his feet and threw him across the room with a snarl. The intruder skidded, smashing into a wooden dresser.
Lucien stood between Sera and the threat, chest heaving, eyes glowing pure gold. He was seconds away from shifting fully—Sera saw it in the way his muscles bulged, in the crack beneath his voice.
"Sera," Lucien growled, not looking back. "I need you to run."
"No."
"Sera," he tried again, harsher. "Go with Ava. Now."
"I'm not leaving you!"
Lucien spun, gripping her shoulders. His hands were warm, bloodied, trembling. "If you stay, I can't focus. If I'm distracted for even one second, they'll take you. Please—" his voice broke, raw "—don't make me watch you be taken from me."
Her breath caught.
His desperation cut straight into her.
Ava's wolf form barked sharply, as if agreeing.
But before Sera could speak, a blast of energy crashed into the side of the house, shaking the floorboards. Debris fell from the ceiling.
Ava shifted back, panting. "Lucien, they've surrounded the compound. There must be fifty warriors outside."
Sera gasped. "Fifty?!"
"They're not here to fight the pack," Ava said darkly. "They're here for a single target."
Sera.
Lucien cursed under his breath. "Get her down to the safe room."
Ava grabbed Sera's wrist. "Come on!"
Lucien's eyes locked with Sera's, fierce and full of unspoken fear. "I'll find you."
She nodded. "I believe you."
A moment later, Ava and Sera sprinted into the hallway, boots slipping on shattered glass. The entire house trembled again as another blast hit the Alpha's residence. Wolves howled outside—Crescent Peak warriors responding to the invasion.
Sera's chest tightened. This is happening because of me.
Ava dragged her down the staircase. Shadows moved past the windows—massive wolves leaping and attacking. Sera caught flashes of fur, teeth, claws. Screams. Growls. The metallic scent of blood.
As they reached the bottom floor, a sharp pain carved through Sera's spine. She stumbled, knees buckling.
Ava whirled. "Sera?"
Sera gasped, gripping the railing. "Something—something's wrong."
Her vision blurred. Her heart hammered too fast. Heat scorched her limbs like wildfire.
"My wolf," Sera whispered. "She's… waking up."
Ava cursed. "Not now—dammit, not now."
Sera doubled over as another wave hit her. Her nails lengthened. Her senses sharpened. She could smell every warrior outside. Every drop of blood. Every fear. Every breath.
And she could feel Kieran.
Close.
So close.
Ava pulled her up. "Just a little farther—You can control this, Sera. Breathe through it!"
But the more Sera breathed, the worse the pull became—like her wolf was clawing at her ribs, begging to break free.
Footsteps pounded down the opposite hallway.
Ava froze. "Get behind me."
Four wolves rounded the corner—massive, snarling, eyes glowing red. Kieran's elite.
Ava shifted in front of Sera, fur rising.
Sera staggered back—but slammed into a wall of muscle.
She gasped and twisted around.
Kieran.
He stood behind her, tall, calm, terrifyingly composed. Midnight-black hair. Crimson-tinted eyes. A smirk on his lips.
"Hello, Sera."
A cold scream got trapped in her throat. "No—lucien—LUCIEN!"
Kieran tutted softly. "He's a little busy killing my warriors. Don't worry, he'll find you missing soon."
Ava lunged at him in wolf form.
Kieran barely blinked. He flicked his hand, and Ava was thrown across the hall like she weighed nothing. She hit the wall with a sickening crack and collapsed.
"Ava!" Sera shouted.
Kieran's fingers brushed Sera's cheek. She flinched hard, but he only chuckled. "You feel it, don't you? The awakening. Your wolf knows me. She knows my bloodline."
Sera spat, "My wolf hates you."
"Not after I awaken her properly," he murmured, gripping her wrist.
A jolt of energy shot through her arm.
Sera screamed.
Her knees buckled as her wolf surged violently inside her, meeting Kieran's energy like two electrical storms colliding.
Kieran's voice lowered to a whisper. "You were never meant to be Lucien's mate, Sera. Fate gave you to me."
"No," she gasped. "I am not yours—"
But her wolf roared, confused, pulling in too many directions—toward Lucien, toward Kieran, toward something ancient and wild.
Kieran smiled as she struggled. "Let me awaken you. Let me show you what you truly are."
He leaned in—
A furious snarl split the air.
Kieran's head snapped up.
Lucien stood at the far end of the corridor, half-shifted, blood-soaked, eyes burning with pure golden flame.
"Sera," he growled, voice shaking the walls. "Get away from him."
Kieran smirked. "Ah. You're late, Lucien."
Lucien's aura exploded—a wave of dominance so strong Sera's bones vibrated.
"Kieran," Lucien snarled, "touch her again… and I swear on the moon goddess, I will rip out your throat."
Kieran released Sera's wrist but kept a titling smirk. "Then come take her."
Lucien lunged.
The two Alphas collided with earth-shattering force.
Sera scrambled back, heart in her throat, as claws and teeth slashed the air. Kieran and Lucien tore into each other with supernatural ferocity—two storms colliding, two empires clashing.
Ava groaned nearby, slowly coming back to consciousness.
"Help… her…" she whispered weakly.
Sera crawled to her, but another explosion rocked the house, sending both of them to the ground. The ceiling began collapsing, beams cracking.
Lucien slammed Kieran into the floor, snarling, "You don't touch my mate!"
Kieran laughed, blood running down his chin. "Your mate? You think the moon goddess decides anything? Her wolf chooses—and she hasn't chosen yet."
Lucien's rage ignited. "She chose me."
Kieran kicked him off with a burst of force that shattered the tiles.
"Sera," Kieran called through the smoke and chaos, "this is your last chance. Come willingly, and I'll spare your Alpha."
"Don't listen to him!" Lucien roared.
Sera's heart pounded as her wolf surged again—pulling her toward Lucien, pulling her toward destiny, pulling her toward—
Choice.
Her blood.
Her mate bond.
Her legacy.
Kieran's red eyes glowed. "Choose, hybrid."
Lucien staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his jaw. His gold eyes locked onto hers—desperate, pained, pleading.
"Sera," he whispered. "Choose me."
Her wolf howled inside her.
The world held its breath.
And Sera opened her mouth—