The moment Kieran disappeared into the woods, the tension between Alina and Lukas thickened like a storm cloud ready to burst. Alina could feel the energy radiating off Lukas—anger, frustration, and something else she couldn't quite place. His stance was rigid, muscles taut beneath his shirt, and his eyes, usually calm, were now dark and intense.
Lukas turned to face her fully, his jaw clenched tight. "What were you doing with him?"
Alina blinked, taken aback by the accusatory tone in his voice. She hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected him to care. After all, Lukas had made it clear he had chosen Celine. He'd made his decision. So why did he seem so angry now?
"I wasn't doing anything with him," Alina said, trying to keep her voice calm, though the tension between them was palpable. "He just… appeared."
"You should've called the pack," Lukas growled, stepping closer. His presence was overwhelming, dominating the small space between them. "A rogue shows up, and your first instinct is to chat with him?"
Alina bristled at his tone, her own frustration bubbling to the surface. "I didn't chat with him. I didn't even know who he was until he told me. He didn't attack, he didn't do anything, so why would I—"
"Rogues are dangerous, Alina," Lukas cut her off, his voice low and sharp. "You know that. You can't just stand there and talk to one like it's nothing."
"Maybe if you hadn't been so busy with Celine," Alina shot back, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "You'd have been there to deal with him."
The moment the words left her mouth, Alina regretted them. She hadn't meant to bring up Celine, but the sting of Lukas choosing someone else was still fresh, still raw, and it slipped into her voice without her control.
Lukas's eyes flickered, a flash of something—guilt?—crossing his face. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by his usual mask of alpha authority.
"Celine has nothing to do with this," he said, his voice tight. "This is about you not following protocol."
"Protocol?" Alina's frustration spiked, her insecurities flaring up. "I'm not even part of the pack anymore, remember? So why should I care about your protocols?"
Her words hung in the air, heavy with truth. It was a painful reminder of her status, or lack thereof, in the pack. Ever since her father had died, Alina had been pushed further and further to the margins. No one had come to her defense, not even Lukas. So why was he acting so concerned now?
Lukas's expression softened, but only slightly. "Alina, you're still—"
"Still what, Lukas?" Alina interrupted, her voice shaking with emotion. "Still part of the pack? You made it clear I'm not. So stop pretending to care now."
The silence between them stretched, heavy with unspoken words. Alina's heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of anger and sadness swirling inside her. She wanted to scream at him, to tell him how much his rejection had hurt, how much it still hurt. But she couldn't. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction.
Lukas opened his mouth to say something, but before he could speak, a howl echoed in the distance—one of the pack's warning calls. Both of them tensed, the urgency of the situation cutting through the tension between them.
"Kieran," Lukas muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he glanced in the direction of the howl.
Alina's stomach twisted at the mention of the rogue's name. Kieran had said something strange before he left, something about her having power. What had he meant by that? And why had Lukas been so quick to show up the moment Kieran appeared?
"I need to go," Lukas said, turning to leave, but he paused, looking back at her. His expression was conflicted, as if there were a thousand things he wanted to say but couldn't find the words for any of them.
For a brief moment, Alina thought he might apologize, or at least explain his strange behavior. But instead, he just shook his head. "Stay away from him, Alina. Kieran's dangerous."
And with that, he was gone, running toward the direction of the pack's howl.
Alina stood there, rooted to the spot, her mind racing with questions she didn't have answers to. What was Kieran really after? And why had Lukas, after all this time, seemed so… protective of her?
She didn't have time to dwell on it. The warning howl from the pack still echoed in her ears, and a sense of foreboding settled over her like a heavy fog. Kieran was dangerous, Lukas had said. But there had been something in Kieran's eyes, something that told her he wasn't just a rogue looking for trouble. He knew something about her, something she didn't even know about herself.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rustling leaves behind her. Alina whirled around, her heart pounding in her chest. For a split second, she thought Kieran had come back. But it was Rina, emerging from the trees, her expression a mix of worry and relief.
"There you are!" Rina said, rushing over. "I heard the warning call. What happened?"
Alina let out a shaky breath, the tension slowly leaving her body. "A rogue showed up. Lukas came to deal with it."
"A rogue?" Rina's eyes widened. "Are you okay?"
Alina nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure if she was. Physically, she was fine, but mentally? Emotionally? That was a whole other story.
"I'm fine," Alina said, forcing a small smile. "But Lukas… he seemed really angry."
Rina frowned, glancing in the direction Lukas had gone. "Of course he's angry. A rogue showing up in pack territory is a big deal. He's just trying to keep everyone safe."
"Yeah," Alina muttered, though she wasn't convinced. Lukas's anger had seemed more personal, more directed at her than the rogue. But she wasn't about to unpack that right now. Not with so much else going on.
"Come on," Rina said, linking her arm through Alina's. "Let's head back to the village. There's no point in worrying about it now."
Alina nodded, grateful for Rina's presence. She allowed her friend to guide her back toward the village, but her mind was still on Kieran—and Lukas. Something told her that this was only the beginning. Whatever Kieran wanted, whatever he had seen in her, it wasn't going to go away easily.
As they walked back through the trees, Alina couldn't shake the feeling that her world was about to change in ways she couldn't even imagine. And for the first time in a long time, she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.