The howls pierced the quiet night, growing louder and more threatening with each passing moment. Amara's chest tightened as the weight of their predicament sank in. They were surrounded. Again.
Lucian stood at the cabin door, his body a fortress of muscle and tension. His glowing eyes scanned the darkness outside, his sharp ears twitching as he pinpointed the intruders' movements. Every fiber of him exuded authority, dominance, and an unrelenting readiness for war.
Amara stayed frozen on the bed, her breath shallow as her mind raced. How had her life spiraled into this nightmare? Just days ago, she had been a nobody—an ordinary woman living an ordinary life. And now, she was the mate of a powerful Alpha, hunted by creatures who shouldn't even exist.
"Stay inside," Lucian commanded, his voice firm and leaving no room for argument.
"I—what? No!" she blurted out, standing on shaky legs. "You can't just go out there alone!"
His head snapped toward her, and his expression darkened. "I can handle this."
"You could have handled it before too," she said, her voice shaking, "but they almost got me. What happens if they overpower you? Who's going to protect me then?"
For a moment, his expression faltered, and she caught a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. But it disappeared just as quickly, replaced by the steely resolve she had come to expect from him.
"This isn't up for discussion," Lucian growled. "Stay inside. Lock the door. Do not come out until I tell you it's safe."
"And what if you don't come back?" Amara's voice cracked, the fear in her chest bubbling over.
Lucian stepped closer to her, towering over her in the small cabin. His presence was overwhelming, his scent intoxicating—a mix of pine, musk, and something uniquely his. "I will always come back," he said softly, his voice a low rumble. "Because you're mine, and I won't let anyone take you from me."
Her heart skipped a beat, but before she could respond, he turned and strode out of the cabin, shutting the door firmly behind him.
The silence inside was deafening. Amara's fingers trembled as she bolted the door, her mind screaming at her to do something—anything—but she knew better than to go outside. Lucian's warning had been clear. Still, the thought of him fighting alone made her stomach churn.
She moved to the small window, peering out cautiously. The forest was alive with shadows, their movements almost imperceptible against the moonlit backdrop. And then she saw him—Lucian—standing in the clearing like a lone warrior, his back straight and his muscles taut. He didn't move, didn't flinch, as the first of the attackers emerged from the trees.
They were rogues. Half-shifted wolves with snarling faces and wild, unkempt fur. Their eyes gleamed with bloodlust, and their movements were erratic, like predators drunk on power. But what caught Amara's attention was the figure leading them.
It was a woman, tall and lithe, with piercing silver eyes and hair as dark as the night itself. She moved with a predatory grace, her presence commanding. She wasn't a rogue; she was something else—something more dangerous.
"Well, well," the woman purred, her voice carrying across the clearing. "Lucian Blackridge, the mighty Alpha, reduced to hiding in the woods. How the great have fallen."
Lucian didn't respond, his body as still as stone. His silence only seemed to amuse the woman.
"Did you think you could escape me forever?" she continued, circling him like a vulture. "You took something from me, Alpha. Something I intend to take back."
Amara's breath caught. What was she talking about? What had Lucian done to provoke this woman and her army of rogues?
"Leave now, Selene," Lucian growled, his voice like thunder. "This doesn't have to end in blood."
"Oh, but it does," Selene said with a chilling smile. "You know that as well as I do."
Without warning, the rogues lunged. Lucian moved like lightning, his body shifting mid-air into his wolf form—a massive, black-furred beast with eyes like molten gold. His claws tore through the first rogue with terrifying precision, his growl shaking the very ground beneath him.
Amara watched in horror and awe as the battle unfolded. Lucian was a force of nature, his movements swift and deadly. But the rogues kept coming, their sheer numbers overwhelming. For every one Lucian took down, two more seemed to take its place.
Selene stood back, watching with a smirk as her rogues fought. She seemed confident that her forces would overpower him, but Amara noticed something else—she wasn't just here for Lucian. Her silver eyes kept darting toward the cabin. Toward her.
Amara's blood ran cold. She was the target.
Her mind raced. She couldn't just sit there and wait to be taken. But what could she do? She was human, weak and powerless compared to the supernatural beings outside. Her gaze fell on the hearth, where a metal poker leaned against the stone. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
Grabbing the poker, she steeled herself, her knuckles white as she clutched the cold metal. If Selene came for her, she wouldn't go down without a fight.
Outside, the battle raged on. Lucian was holding his ground, but he was tiring. His movements, once fluid and precise, were growing slower. The rogues sensed it, their attacks becoming more coordinated.
And then it happened. One of the rogues broke through his defenses, its claws raking across his side. Lucian let out a pained growl, staggering back. Amara's heart lurched as she saw the blood staining his fur.
"Lucian!" she screamed before she could stop herself.
Her voice drew the attention of everyone in the clearing. Lucian's head snapped toward her, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and fear. Selene's smirk widened.
"There she is," Selene said, her voice dripping with malice. "The little human you're so desperate to protect."
Lucian roared, charging toward Selene, but the rogues intercepted him, their combined weight pinning him to the ground. He struggled, his growls vibrating through the air, but he couldn't break free.
Selene turned her attention to the cabin, her silver eyes locking onto Amara through the window. "Come out, little girl," she called, her tone almost mocking. "Or do you want your Alpha to die for you?"
Amara's hands shook as she gripped the poker tighter. Every instinct told her to run, to hide, but she couldn't leave Lucian. Not after everything he had done for her.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped toward the door, her heart pounding in her chest. "I'm not afraid of you," she said, her voice trembling but determined.
Selene's laughter echoed through the clearing. "Oh, you should be," she said, her eyes glinting with cruel amusement. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."
Amara opened the door, stepping into the night. The cold air bit at her skin, but she didn't waver. Her gaze met Selene's, and for the first time, she saw the depth of the woman's hatred. It wasn't just about Lucian. This was personal.
Lucian growled, his voice breaking through the chaos. "Amara, get back inside!"
But it was too late. Selene's smile turned predatory as she raised her hand, and a wave of dark energy shot toward Amara. She barely had time to react before it hit her, knocking her to the ground.
Pain exploded through her body, and the world blurred around her. She heard Lucian's roar, felt the ground shake as he fought to reach her. But before she lost consciousness, one thought burned in her mind.
This was only the beginning.