(Luca's perspective)
I had Quinn in my arms, her warmth pressed against me like she was the only thing anchoring me to this world. The night we'd just shared—it wasn't just a night. It was the night. The one I'd dreamed about for years, the one I'd thought I'd never deserve but couldn't stop hoping for.
She was finally mine. Body, soul, everything.
For once, everything in me was still. Peaceful, even. Amarok, the restless storm in my chest, had settled. He was calm, content in a way I hadn't felt since the moment he became a part of me. It was like Quinn had reached into the deepest part of my soul and healed something I didn't even know was broken.
Marking each other... it wasn't just some ritual. It was a promise, a bond that tied us together in a way that couldn't be undone. This was the start of something new, something we'd build together. And for the first time in forever, I felt whole. Complete.
And powerful.
I couldn't explain it, but I felt stronger than I ever had. Like nothing in this world could touch me as long as she was by my side. Her presence amplified everything—the connection to Amarok, the energy running through my veins, the sheer force of my being. I was invincible.
But then the air shifted. It was subtle at first, just a prickling at the back of my neck, but it grew into a suffocating weight. My instincts flared to life, screaming danger, danger, danger. The hairs on my arms stood on end, and Amarok stirred, his growl low and menacing in my chest. Then I heard him. Steady, deliberate. Closing in fast.
My eyes snapped open, and I shot up, adrenaline pumping through my veins. "We have to go. Now," I barked, my voice harsh and urgent. Quinn blinked at me, confusion and fear clouding her eyes as she stirred. I didnt know why I heard him before she did but now there was no time to explain.
He was here.
I didn't need to see him to know who it was. Cale. His vile, suffocating presence filled the air even before he entered the house.
"Go," I hissed at Quinn. She hesitated for a fraction of a second, her wide eyes locking onto mine. I cupped her face, my thumb brushing over her cheek. "I love you. Run."
Her lips parted as if she wanted to argue, but she nodded, shifting and darting toward the window. I felt her reluctance, her fear for me, but she moved quickly. Trinity's voice was a faint echo in the bond, pleading with Quinn not to leave me behind, but they both knew better. She slipped out just as the door slammed open.
Cale stood there, his silhouette dark and menacing in the doorway. His eyes raked over the room, lingering on me for a moment before scanning for her. His smirk—that twisted, smug expression—made my stomach churn.
"Well, well, well," he drawled, stepping inside like he owned the place. "This is quite the predicament I find you in, Luca."
He moved with that infuriating calm, his steps unhurried as he crossed the room. I blocked his line of sight to the window, my muscles coiled, ready to spring. "You'll never touch her again, Cale," I spat, my voice low and venomous.
Cale chuckled, a cold, hollow sound. "Touch her? Oh, Luca, I don't need to touch her to break her. But I must admit, watching you two play this game has been... amusing. At first, anyway. Then it became inconvenient."
He turned toward the window, peering out. His nostrils flared, catching her scent, but she was gone. Still, he turned back to me with a knowing grin that made my skin crawl. "I can smell the pheromones in this room," he sneered. "How quaint. You really couldn't help yourself, could you?"
"You bastard," I growled, the words ripping from my throat as I lunged for him. I didn't care about strategy, didn't care about anything but wiping that smug look off his face.
He was ready. Of course he was. Cale caught me mid-air, his hand clamping around my neck like a vice. With a strength that made my blood run cold, he lifted me effortlessly and slammed me to the floor. The impact stole the air from my lungs, pain radiating through my back as I hit the hardwood.
"Ah, ah, ah," he chided, crouching over me with that infuriating grin. "Don't transform. You wouldn't want to make this messier than it has to be."
Amarok howled inside me, clawing to get out, to rip him apart. But I couldn't. Not with Quinn still in danger. Not with Cale holding all the cards. His hand tightened around my neck, cutting off my air. My vision blurred at the edges as his power rolled over me, suffocating and oppressive.
"Here's the deal, Luca," he said, his voice cold and matter-of-fact. "I'm bored of punishing Quinn. She's grown... resistant, let's say. No fun anymore. But you? You're still useful."
I clawed at his hand, desperate for air, but he didn't let up. "Marry Casey," he continued, "and cut all ties with Quinn. No calls, no messages, no clandestine meetings. If you so much as look at her, I'll kill her. And your pack. Except your father. I quite like him. He knows how to lead, unlike you."
"I'll kill you, you son of a bitch," I rasped, my voice barely audible.
Cale tilted his head, his smile widening. "What'll it be, Luca? Quinn's life, and your pack, or your pathetic little rebellion?"
I froze. Every instinct screamed at me to fight, to defy him. But his power was undeniable. He could do it. He would do it. And Quinn... God, I couldn't lose her. Not again.
"Fine," I choked out, my voice barely a whisper.
"Fine what?" he pressed, his teeth bared in a grin as his grip tightened.
"I'll stop... contacting Quinn. I won't... talk to her again," I gasped, my lungs burning.
His hand released me suddenly, and I collapsed, coughing and gasping for air. Cale stood over me, his expression smug as ever. "Good. I'm glad we understand each other."
He straightened, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeves. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Luna waiting for me. See you at the wedding."
And just like that, he was gone, leaving me gasping and broken on the floor. His words echoed in my head, each one cutting deeper than the last. I had no choice. To protect Quinn, to protect my pack, I had to let her go.
The days that followed were hell. Quinn's calls, her messages—each one tore at me, but I didn't answer. I couldn't. She was safer this way. I could feel her anxiety, her confusion, like a weight pressing on my chest. The bond we'd forged was unbreakable, and it made staying away even harder.
When the wedding day arrived, I felt like a dead man walking. Marcus and Ethan tried to help, but their silence spoke volumes. None of us wanted this. None of us had a choice.
Then I saw her.
Quinn stood among the guests, her hair cascading over her shoulders, her dress catching the light. She was radiant, mesmerizing, and heartbreakingly out of reach. Our eyes met, and for a moment, the world fell away. She saw me, and I saw her, and in that instant, everything I'd fought to bury came rushing back.
I couldn't look away. God help me, I couldn't look away.