NO ONE POV
The underground chamber echoed with the sound of metal striking flesh.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Two massive men stood behind him, their hands gripping iron belts lined with sharp metal edges. Again and again, they lashed them across his bare back.
Blood trickled down his skin.
Fresh wounds split open with every strike.
The smell of iron filled the air.
Yet the man standing in the center of the room didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't even breathe differently.
His muscular frame remained perfectly still, one hand resting lazily against the stone wall before him.
His face was hidden in the shadows.
Only his broad shoulders and blood-covered back were visible beneath the dim light.
The men continued.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
The iron tore through flesh.
Blood splattered across the floor.
Still...
Nothing.
No scream.
No groan.
No reaction.
As though pain itself feared him.
Minutes passed.
The two men were breathing heavily now, sweat pouring down their faces. Their arms trembled from exhaustion.
Finally, one of them lowered the blood-stained belt.
"Alpha..." he said cautiously.
No answer.
The other swallowed nervously.
"Alpha... what happened?"
Silence.
Then—
A low chuckle escaped the man's lips.
The sound sent chills through the room.
The chuckle grew louder.
And louder.
Until it became a dark, terrifying laugh that echoed through the chamber like the cry of a demon.
The two mens immediately lowered their heads.
Neither dared look up.
Slowly...
The man straightened.
The muscles in his back flexed.
The wounds that should have crippled any normal creature seemed insignificant to him.
His gaze lifted.
And landed on a photograph hanging on the stone wall.
A single picture.
Adrain.
For a moment, the laughter disappeared.
His eyes darkened.
Dangerously.
"My friend has returned."
His voice was soft.
Too soft.
The kind of softness that came before destruction.
A wicked smile spread across his face.
"So I had to celebrate."
The two mens exchanged nervous glances.
Celebrate?
This was celebration?
Then suddenly—
CRACK!
The stone wall beside him shattered beneath his fist.
The room fell silent.
He stared at Adrain's picture.
His jaw tightened.
And then he remembered it.
The way Adrain had looked at her.
The way his eyes followed her.
The way his attention lingered on her.
Eira.
The name alone ignited something ugly inside him.
His fist clenched.
Veins bulged beneath his skin.
A dangerous growl rumbled from deep within his chest.
"Why were you looking at her?"
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"Why?"
His eyes became completely black.
Predatory.
Monstrous.
"Why are you interested in a human?"
The photograph suddenly burst into flames from the candle he threw against it.
Fire consumed Adrain's image.
Yet he continued staring.
As though he could see the man himself.
"You think you can challenge me?"
His smile widened.
He took a slow step forward.
"But you forgot something."
The room trembled.
The men's immediately dropped to one knee.
Fear filled their faces.
Pure fear.
Because they knew that tone.
That voice.
It was the voice their Alpha used before slaughter.
His head tilted slightly.
"You were born to die by my hand, Adrain."
A dark laugh escaped him.
"I am not someone who loses."
His eyes gleamed with madness.
"I am Jake William."
The name alone carried enough power to make the warriors lower their heads further.
Alpha of the Werewolves.
King of the Northern Pack.
The monster other monsters feared.
"You think I can be defeated?"
He laughed again.
Long.
Loud.
Terrifying.
"No."
The smile vanished instantly.
And what remained was far worse.
Pure hatred.
"But first..."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
A dangerous whisper.
"I need to find what I came here for."
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"For centuries, I've searched."
"And now I can feel it."
"Somewhere close."
"Very close."
The chamber fell silent.
Jake slowly looked back at Adrain's burning photograph.
A murderous smile spread across his face.
"And you're the biggest obstacle standing in my way."
His eyes glowed like burning embers.
"You keep appearing wherever I go."
"You keep interfering."
"You keep protecting things that should belong to me."
His voice became colder.
Deadlier.
"So before I claim what's mine..."
"I need to finish you."
The flames climbed higher across Adrain's picture.
"I'll destroy your entire family."
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"I'll burn everything you love."
Then—
His expression changed.
A strange softness appeared.
Obsession.
Possession.
Something far more dangerous than hatred.
"Eira..."
He whispered her name as though it belonged to him.
As though he had every right to say it.
His fingers brushed the edge of another photograph hidden beside him.
A picture of a smiling girl.
His smile returned.
Dark.
Unhinged.
Terrifying.
"And she..."
His eyes glowed in the darkness.
"She is mine."
The room went silent.
Even the flames seemed to shrink.
Because every men present knew one thing.
Jake William was not the type of man who made threats.
He made promises.
And when Jake William promised something...
People died.
ADRAIN POV
The rain had started sometime during the drive.
Thin droplets slid across the windshield, blurring the city lights into streaks of gold and silver.
Adrain gripped the steering wheel tighter.
His jaw was clenched.
His eyes were fixed on the road.
But his mind wasn't.
It was on Eira.
And him.
That infuriating man.
The way Jake had stood beside her earlier.
The way she had laughed.
The way his hand had rested on the back of her chair as if he belonged there.
As if he had every right.
Something dark twisted inside Adrain's chest.
Jealousy.
A feeling he hated.
A feeling he refused to acknowledge.
Yet it burned anyway.
His foot pressed harder against the accelerator.
The engine growled.
Then—
A figure suddenly appeared in the middle of the road.
Adrain's eyes widened.
"Shit!"
SCREEECH!
The tires screamed against the wet pavement.
The car skidded violently.
The world spun.
Then—
Silence.
Slowly, he pushed the door open and stepped into the rain.
A young girl lay on the road.
Motionless.
Pale.
Terrified.
"Hey."
He rushed toward her.
"Can you hear me?"
The girl flinched at his voice.
Her frightened eyes met his.
For a brief second, Adrain saw pure terror in them.
Not the fear of an accident.
The fear of someone who had spent a long time running.
Running from something.
Or someone.
"T-Thank you..."
Her voice trembled.
"My name is... Lila..."
Then her eyes rolled back.
And she collapsed.
"Damn it."
Without hesitation, Adrain lifted her into his arms and carried her to the car.
Hours later.
Hospital.
The room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the monitor.
Adrain sat beside the window.
Watching.
Waiting.
Finally—
Lila stirred.
A weak gasp escaped her lips.
Her eyes slowly opened.
For a moment she looked confused.
Then she saw him.
"You..."
Her eyes show fears as if she know him.
Tears instantly filled her eyes as if she was scared of him now.
"I..."
Her voice broke.
Before she could finish, she suddenly buried her face in her hands and began crying.
Adrain frowned.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
As she lifted her arm to wipe her tears, the sleeve of her hospital gown slipped slightly.
And Adrain saw it.
A symbol.
Burned into her wrist.
Ancient.
Unfamiliar.
Yet strangely unsettling.
His eyes narrowed.
What was—
The hospital room door exploded open.
BANG!
The sound echoed through the room.
Adrain turned sharply.
A tall figure stood in the doorway.
Dark eyes locked onto Adrain.
Then dropped to Lila.
For a moment—
Lila froze.
Then her eyes widened.
"Jake..."
The tears already in her eyes spilled over.
But not from fear.
Relief.
Pure relief.
The kind that came from finally seeing the one person who could make everything feel safe again.
A shaky breath escaped her lips.
And for the first time since waking up, the tension left her body.
As though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
The man crossed the room in a few long strides.
His gaze swept over her injuries.
Checking.
Searching.
Making sure she was truly unharmed.
Lila immediately reached for him.
And without hesitation, he took her hand.
His expression softened for the briefest moment.
A side of him most people would probably never see.
"I'm okay," she whispered quickly.
The man's jaw loosened slightly.
Only slightly.
Then—
His eyes shifted.
And landed on Adrain.
The softness disappeared instantly.
The temperature in the room seemed to fall.
Without warning—
A hand shot forward.
Without warning—
A hand shot forward.
GRAB!
Adrain's collar tightened around his throat.
The stranger tried to yank him upward with terrifying strength.
For a split second, Adrain didn't move.
His eyes narrowed.
Interesting.
A normal human should not have been able to move him at all.
Yet the grip around his collar was powerful.
Far more powerful than it had any right to be.
The fabric strained.
Their faces were inches apart.
The man's eyes held no warmth.
No gratitude.
Only warning.
"Don't come near my sister."
The words were soft.
Deadly.
Behind him, Lila's eyes widened.
"Jake—"
But he ignored her completely.
Adrain noticed.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Not because of the threat.
Because of the strength.
The realization flashed through his mind for only a second.
Gone as quickly as it appeared.
But it was enough.
Most brothers would be worried.
Relieved.
Thankful.
This man looked angry.
As though Adrain had done something unforgivable by saving her.
Adrain slowly wrapped his fingers around the man's wrist.
His expression hardened.
The muscles beneath his grip felt unnaturally dense.
Like steel hidden beneath flesh.
Another detail.
Another warning.
"Interesting."
A dangerous smile appeared on his lips.
"You should be thanking me."
The grip tightened.
The man's eyes darkened.
Adrain continued anyway.
"If you're such a great brother..."
His voice became colder.
"Then maybe you should have protected her before she ended up unconscious in the middle of a road."
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
For one brief moment, neither man looked away.
Predator.
Meeting predator.