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That night, I woke up, my head heavy and my wrists bound tightly. The cold bite of the restraints made me wince as my senses slowly returned. When I opened my eyes, the sight before me made my blood run cold.
Lucian stood there, his face shadowed and twisted with rage.
“What did you do?” I asked, my voice shaky but defiant.
“You‘ re a fool if you think I’d just let you go, you bitch!” he spat, his voice laced with venom.
I gasped, my mind reeling. “Why…?” I murmured, struggling against the bonds that held me.
“Why?” he echoed, laughing bitterly. “Because you humiliated me, Freya! I cut off my own family for you. I gave up everything, and what did you do?” He took
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a step closer, his breath ragged. “You betrayed me.
I glared at him, my anger flaring despite the fear creeping into my chest. “You did that to yourself, Lucian! You destroyed. everything with your own hands!”
His expression twisted further, his lips curling in a bitter smile.
“But the real question is,” I said, narrowing my eyes, “where‘ s Darian, huh?”
At the mention of Darian’s name, Lucian’s expression shifted instantly. Jealousy and anger flickered in his eyes, his jaw tightening as he clenched his fists at
his sides.
“I just need you to come back to me,” he said finally, his voice low, almost pleading.
I met his gaze, my voice unwavering. “You can’t make me come back, Lucian.
We’re done. We’ve been done.”
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His face darkened, his teeth gritting as he bit the inside of his cheek. Then, his demeanor changed–his anger replaced by a twisted smirk.
“Really?” he said, his tone chilling. “But I’m so thankful your old Healer made a very interesting deal with me. She told me everything about your weaknesses.”
My heart sank. “What?”
“And those roses from Alpha Theron?” he added, his smirk widening. “Those were part of the plan too.”
My head spun, the pieces of the puzzle suddenly falling into place. The dots connected in my mind, a sickening realization dawning on me.
“You… you made a deal with my Healer and Alpha Theron?” I asked, my voice trembling with shock and fury.
Lucian chuckled darkly. “Of course. After it was announced that you were the Stormhoods‘ daughter, everything
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changed. Theron only agreed to an alliance with the Stormhoods because he wanted you–and your power. At first, there was no deal between us. But when you were declared as the rare Blood heir, the woman who might surpass his strength…” He trailed off, his grin turning sinister.
I felt a wave of disgust wash over me, my stomach churning at the revelation. All of this–for power?
“Where are they?” I demanded, my voice sharp and cutting through the tension.
Lucian smirked, tilting his head slightly.
“Your Healer‘ s dead,” he said casually, as though it meant nothing. “And Alpha Theron? He’s busy managing… other matters.”
The room spun for a moment, but I steadied myself, my anger overtaking my shock. “Don’t you dare hurt Darian!” I snarled, my voice laced with fury.
Lucian’s smirk twisted into something
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darker. “But honey,” he said mockingly, kneeling down in front of me. His hand shot out, gripping my chin tightly, forcing me to meet his eyes. “You just met him.”
The ropes dug into my wrists, my wolf snarling inside me as I glared at Lucian. He knelt before me, his smirk infuriatingly calm, his eyes blazing with the wild energy of a wolf barely in control.
“You cheated on me with Vlanche,” I spat, my voice venomous, “and now you‘ re acting like it’s my fault you lost me?”
His face twisted, pale and stricken, before he quickly masked it with rage. “I told you I was forced!” he hissed, his voice. cracking. “You‘ re the one I love. You always have been. I gave up everything for you, and you threw me away for him.”
“For Darian?” I sneered, leaning forward despite the ropes. “He’s twice the man you’ll ever be.”
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Lucian‘ s jaw clenched, his hand slamming down on the armrest of my chair. “Don’t say his name in front of me!” he roared, his wolf flashing in his golden eyes. “He can’t protect you from what’s coming.”
My wolf snarled inside me, pushing against the herbs or whatever suppressant he‘ d used to weaken me. “What’s coming, Lucian? Your pathetic attempts to control me again? You can’t break me.”
He chuckled, leaning closer, his breath brushing my ear. “This isn’t about me anymore, Freya. This is about power. About blood. You don’t even realize what you are–what you could become.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What I am is someone who’s about to rip your throat out the moment I’m free.”
“Temper, temper,” he taunted, his grin maddening. “You can’t kill me. Not when I hold your secret.”
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“What secret?” I growled.
He straightened, his smirk widening.
“Your father didn’t tell you, did he? Why the hunters have been circling our territory. Why the Alphas whisper your name like a prophecy. You‘ re not just the Stormhood‘ s daughter. You‘ re the Wolfbane.”
The word hit me like a punch to the chest. Wolfbane. A legend whispered among werewolves—said to be a wolf born with the power to unite packs or destroy them with a single command.
“You‘ re lying,” I said, though the tremor in my voice betrayed me.
Lucian leaned back, arms wide. “Am I? Think, Freya. Why did Alpha Theron make a deal with me to stalk you? Why did your precious Healer die before they could tell you the truth? Why do you think Darian is always a step ahead of me?”
“Because he’s better than you,” I
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snapped, clinging to my anger. “And he doesn’t need to manipulate people to get what he wants.”
Lucian opened his mouth to retort, but a low growl rumbled through the room. We both froze, turning to the door just as it exploded inward, wood splintering like kindling.
Darian stood in the doorway, his eyes glowing gold, his wolf fully unleashed. His voice was like thunder. “Step away from her, Lucian.”
Lucian’s smirk faded, his expression. hardening. “Ah, the gallant hero arrives. You‘ re too late, Darian. She knows now. She knows what she is.”
“I know enough to realize you‘ re a liar,” I hissed, glaring at Lucian. “And if you think I’m going to let you walk away from
this-”
“Freya.” Darian‘ s voice was calm but firm, his eyes flicking to mine. “I’ll
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handle this. Just stay back.”
But Lucian laughed, his wolf rippling beneath his skin. “Oh, you think this is about me and her? You‘ re both so naïve. The hunters are already on their way. They smelled her shift the moment she lost control. They’ll tear through the territory looking for her, and they won’t stop until they‘ ve burned us all, and she can’t use her Stormhood‘ s power because of the dark magic I’ve used.” He laughed.
“Don’t regret it, Freya. You‘ ve chosen your path.‘
“You sent them,” Darian growled, stepping closer.
Lucian shrugged. “Maybe I did. Or maybe they’ve always known what she is. Either way, you’re out of time.”
Before I could process what he’d said, the distant sound of howls echoed in the night, growing louder with each passing second. A cold chill ran through me as Darian‘ s
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gaze locked onto mine, his expression
grim.
“They’re here,” he said quietly.
Lucian grinned, his eyes gleaming with triumph. “Good luck, lovebirds.”
And then, before Darian could stop him,
Lucian shifted into his wolf form and
bolted through the shattered door, disappearing into the night.
The hunters would regret coming here tonight.
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