Alexander’s POV


    Hearing Summer say those words, my wolf roared inside me.


    <b>“</b>Nobody threatens my family in my territory,” I growled, feeling my eyes sh Alpha red as my wolf surged closer to the surface.


    Summer ced a steadying hand on my arm, her touch the only thing anchoring me to my human side<b>. </b>


    Through our mate bond, I could feel her own fear, but also her determination and rity of thought.


    “We need to be smart about this,” she said softly, her voice cutting through the red haze of my rage. “If Lyra is being coerced, confronting her directly might put her or Thea in more danger.”


    I wanted to howl, to shift and tear apart whoever had dared touch what was mine, but the rational part of me–the Alpha responsible for an entire pack–knew she was right. My fingers curled into fists as I fought to regain control.


    “Luna Summer’s right,” Ethan agreed, my Beta’s calm presence a counterpoint to my fury. “We should increase security around her room without making it obvious, and quietly investigate who might have had ess to her quarters.”


    I nodded, forcing the tension from my shoulders. Summer’s fingers gently squeezed my arm, our mate bond pulsing with reassurance. The pressure of her touch helped clear my head, reminding me that brute force wasn’t always the answer.


    “I want the hospital wing locked down,” I ordered, my voice still rough with the effort <b>of </b>restraining my <b>wolf</b>. “Family and essential medical staff only. And I want the security footage from Lyra’s floor at the pack house for thest week.<b>” </b>


    As Ethan moved away to ry my orders, I pulled Summer closer, needing her presence to keep my wolf


    in check.


    I rested my forehead against hers, breathing in her scent–wildflowers and honey–and feeling some of <b>my </b>rage subside.


    <b>“</b><b>My </b>wolf is going crazy,” I admitted quietly, making sure only she could hear my moment of vulnerability. “The idea that someone got close enough to hurt her, to potentially harm the pup…”


    Summer’s eyes softened as she looked up at me. “We’ll figure this out,” she promised, het conviction flowing through our bond. “No one is going to hurt our family.”


    Our family. Something warm and fierce moved through me at her words. It wasn’t just about iming her as mine anymore; she had imed us–my pack, my bloodline–as hers.


    The mating ceremony might still be ahead of us, but in all the ways that mattered, she was already my


    Luna.


    I nced back toward Lyra’s closed door, my wolf still pacing anxiously beneath my skin. Whatever secret my sister was keeping might be the key to unraveling this threat.


    Thest thing I expected was for Lyra to be involved in any plot against the pack, but her behavior was


    raising all kinds of red gs.


    And through my bond with Summer, I could sense her unease–a premonition that had both our wolves


    on edge


    Something wasing. Something big.


    Author’s POV


    “He’s backing out,“Alpha Foster snarled, pacing the length of his hotel suite like a caged animal.“I told you we couldn’t trust him. Damn Europeans.”


    The phone call from Lucien had ended abruptly, leaving both him and Natalia staring at the silent device


    in disbelief.


    Natalia’s perfect features twisted into a scowl as she tossed her phone onto the plush sofa.“Don’t look at me like it’s my fault. I didn’t see iting either.”


    Alpha Foster stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Though he was no longer an Alpha in anything but title, the predatory gleam in his gaze was a reminder of the power he’d once wielded.


    “What did he mean by ‘a more direct route‘?” he demanded. “What could possibly be more valuable than the security ns for ckwood territory<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    Natalia shrugged, the movement causing the silk of her blouse to ripple across her curves.


    “Who knows? Maybe he found something we can use against Alexander personally. The man’s always been obsessed with finding leverage.”


    “Or maybe he’s ying us,” Alpha Foster countered, his fist mming down on the marble–topped coffee table hard enough to crack it. “Making his own deal with the ckwoods while using us as a distraction.”


    Natalia’s eyes shed with calction. “We don’t need him,” she said after a moment, moving to pour herself a ss of bourbon from the minibar.


    “The n was always about creating chaos at the mating ceremony. Lucien’s intelligence would have made it cleaner, but we can still aplish what we need to.”


    Alpha Foster studied her for a long moment before a slow, cruel smile spread across his face.


    “You’re right. Then we proceed as nned. With or without Lucien.”


    “What about Melissa?” Natalia asked, referring to their mole inside the ckwood Pack. “She hasn’t exactly been usefultely. No real intel, just vague updates and excuses. We need to make sure she still follows orders.”


    Alpha Foster’s expression darkened.


    “She’ll follow my instructions,“he said, voice cold and absolute. “She knows what happens to those who disappoint me.”


    Natalia’s smile mirrored his–sharp, calcted,ced with venom.


    “Then let’s send her new orders. The mating ceremony is in a month and a half. That’s plenty of time to make sure it bes a day the ckwoods–and all of North American werewolf society–will never forget.”


    Alpha Foster nodded, already reaching for his own phone. “And while they’re dealing with that chaos, I’ll retrieve what’s mine.”


    “And I’ll destroy what was never meant to be mine.”


    Natalia added softly, her fingers caressing the small vial hidden in her pocket–a concoction of herbs and chemicals that, when administered correctly, could break even the strongest mate bond.


    Neither of them mentioned Lucien again. Whatever game the European Alpha was ying, they had their own cards to deal.


    And they intended to y everyst one of them.


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