The fragile truce held for three days. Anya refined the neuro-stabilizer, Kaelan managed the Pack, and the Mate Bond settled into an almost comfortable background hum.
The quiet was shattered by a frantic buzz on the main office comms. Zara's voice, sharp with panic, sliced through the air. "Alpha! We have a human breach. A female, claiming to be family of the Mate. She bypassed three perimeter checkpoints and is demanding entry."
Kaelan's face hardened instantly. "Impossible. My perimeter is sealed."
Anya's blood ran cold. She knew exactly who it was. "My sister," she whispered, her hands shaking. "She's an operative. She came for me."
Kaelan seized Anya's shoulder, his grip tightening with immediate paranoia. "Alpha Command: Tell me her objective! Is she working with Silas Vex?"
The command hit her like a sledgehammer, magnified by Kaelan's sudden fear for his Pack. Anya fought the agonizing compulsion, the pain in her chest spiking. "No! She only cares about me. She doesn't know about the Lycans!"
Kaelan released her, his eyes blazing with fury at her defiance. "She is a threat. I cannot allow her access."
"You can't kill her!" Anya pleaded, standing between Kaelan and the office door. "She is my last human link! If you touch her, I will dismantle the stabilizer and compromise all your security."
It was a direct, lethal threat. Kaelan stared at her, seeing the genuine, desperate loyalty in her eyes. The Mate Bond flared with conflict—his instinct to protect the Pack battled his growing need for his Mate's stability.
"Fine," Kaelan grated out, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "I will bring her here. But she enters under Alpha conditions. One wrong move, Anya, and your sister will be the least of your concerns."