A Line in the Sand

The lodge buzzed with tension as Kain stormed out, his broad shoulders rigid and his pace unyielding. His pack scrambled to follow, murmurs spreading like wildfire. Dante's presence at the border was no small matter—it was a challenge, one that could mean war if handled poorly.

Lucia stood frozen in the center of the lodge, her chest heaving as conflicting emotions swirled within her. The weight of Kain's parting command echoed in her ears: Stay here. But how could she stay when everything about her world was spiraling out of control?

Clara's voice sliced through her thoughts, sharp and mocking. "Quite the scene you two put on back there. You're settling in well, I see."

Lucia turned to face her, bracing herself for whatever venom Clara was about to spit. The woman leaned casually against a nearby table, her smirk as cutting as her words.

"If you think you just get in here and get Kain to turn into some lovesick fool, you're in for a rude awakening," Clara said, her tone laced with amusement.

Lucia's jaw tightened. "I'm not trying to control Kain. But maybe you should focus on your own business instead of mine."

Clara's smirk faded, her green eyes narrowing. She took a step closer, her presence radiating an air of dominance. "Kain may have put you under his protection, but don't think for a second that makes you one of us."

Lucia refused to flinch, even as Clara's words sent a chill down her spine. "I don't need your approval," she said, her voice steady despite the rapid beating of her heart.

For a moment, the two women stared each other down, the tension crackling like a live wire. Then Clara laughed, the sound low and dangerous.

"We'll see how long you last," she said before turning and striding out of the lodge, her head held high.

Lucia didn't wait to see what the others thought of the exchange. Her feet carried her toward the lodge's open door, her mind racing. She couldn't sit here and do nothing while Kain faced Dante.

The forest outside was alive with sounds—branches creaking in the wind, birds calling out warnings, the distant rustle of leaves as the pack moved toward the border. Lucia followed the path they'd taken, her heart pounding with every step.

The further she went, the louder the voices became.

"Stay behind the line," Kain's deep voice commanded, his tone sharp and authoritative.

Lucia ducked behind a tree, peering around it to see the scene unfolding. Kain stood at the head of the pack, his towering presence exuding power. Across from him, Dante Voss lounged against a tree, his casual stance a stark contrast to the tension in the air.

Dante was as striking as he was dangerous. His sharp features were framed by unruly dark hair, and his smirk revealed a man who thrived on chaos. His eyes flicked over the assembled pack before landing on Kain with an air of amused disdain.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't show," Dante drawled, his voice smooth as silk.

Kain didn't flinch. "What do you want, Dante?"

Dante's smirk widened. "Straight to the point. I like that. But you already know what I want."

His gaze shifted, scanning the crowd until it landed on Lucia, half-hidden behind the tree.

"Ah, there she is," Dante said, his tone brightening as if he'd just spotted an old friend. "The woman of the hour."

Lucia's breath caught, and the pack collectively turned to look at her. She felt exposed, her pulse racing as Dante's eyes bore into her.

Kain's growl cut through the tension, low and menacing. He stepped forward, blocking Dante's view of her. "You don't get to look at her, much less speak to her."

Dante chuckled, pushing off the tree and taking a slow step forward. The pack bristled, several of them baring their teeth, but Dante seemed unfazed.

"Relax," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I'm not here to fight. Yet."

Kain's glare could have frozen the air. "Then state your business and leave."

Dante's smirk returned, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I've come to negotiate."

"Negotiate what?" Kain's voice was clipped, his body tense like a coiled spring.

Dante's gaze flicked toward Lucia again, and a chill ran down her spine. "Her."

A low murmur spread through the pack, and Kain's growl deepened, vibrating through the clearing. "She's not a bargaining chip."

"She's more than that," Dante countered, his tone turning serious. "You know as well as I do that her power is unmatched. And if she stays with you, Kain, she'll be a target. For everyone."

Lucia's mind reeled. Power? What power?

She stepped out from behind the tree before she could stop herself. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice shaking but strong enough to carry across the clearing.

Dante's eyes lit up with something close to admiration. "You mean you don't know?" He laughed softly, shaking his head. "Kain really has been keeping you in the dark, hasn't he?"

Lucia turned to Kain, her heart pounding. "What is he talking about?"

Kain didn't answer. His jaw tightened, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Dante tilted his head, his smirk returning. "Poor girl. Caught between two alphas and doesn't even know why."

Kain's growl silenced him. "You've said enough."

Lucia stepped closer to Kain, her anger bubbling to the surface. "No, he hasn't," she snapped. "You owe me an explanation, Kain. What is he talking about? What power?"

Kain turned to her, his expression hard but his eyes conflicted. "Lucia, not now."

"Yes, now," she insisted, her voice rising. "I'm tired of being kept in the dark! If you won't tell me the truth, maybe he will."

She turned toward Dante, but Kain grabbed her arm, his grip firm but not painful. "You don't want to hear it from him."

Lucia yanked her arm free, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Then tell me yourself!"

The pack watched in stunned silence as the two of them faced off, the air between them crackling with tension.

Finally, Kain spoke, his voice low and laced with frustration. "It's not that simple."

"It never is with you, is it?" she shot back, her chest heaving. "Maybe Dante's right. Maybe you're just as much of a manipulator as he is."

Kain's eyes darkened, a dangerous edge to his expression. "Be very careful, Lucia," he warned, his tone a growl.

Lucia didn't back down. "Or what? You'll lie to me some more? Keep hiding things until it's too late for me to do anything about it?"

Before Kain could respond, Dante's laughter cut through the tension. "Ah, young love," he said, shaking his head. "So messy."

Kain turned on him, his fury barely contained. "Get out. Now

know?" He tilted his head, feigning concern. "Oh, Kain, this is cruel—even for you. You're keeping her in the dark about her? About who she really is?"

"Enough," Kain growled, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down Lucia's spine.

Kain reached for her arm, his grip firm but desperate. "Lucia, don't listen to him. He's trying to manipulate you."

She shook him off, her eyes locked on Dante. "If you won't tell me, then he will."

Dante's grin widened, but there was a glint of something deeper in his eyes—a mix of triumph and something almost like pity. "Oh, this is delicious," he said, folding his arms casually. "She really doesn't know. Fine, Kain, if you won't spill it, I will."

"Dante," Kain's voice was a warning, sharp and dangerous.

But Dante wasn't fazed. His attention was solely on Lucia now. "You, my dear, are the last heir of the House of Lykathra."

The name sent a ripple through the pack, murmurs breaking out behind her. Lucia glanced around, confusion etched on her face. "What's the House of Lykathra?"

Dante's expression softened, but only slightly. "A cursed bloodline," he said, his tone theatrical. "Feared, hunted, and despised for centuries. They say your ancestors betrayed the Moon Goddess herself, stealing power that wasn't theirs to take. In her fury, she cursed them—your family—binding them to madness and destruction. But with that curse came unimaginable strength, strength that no other werewolf bloodline has ever matched."

Lucia's stomach churned. "You're lying."

"Oh, I wish I were," Dante said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But you've felt it, haven't you? The strength you can't explain. The nightmares that don't feel like yours. The sense that you're not like everyone else."

Her breath hitched. She thought of the strange dreams that had plagued her since childhood, the flashes of faces she'd never seen, battles she'd never fought. It couldn't be true. Could it?

"Kain," she said, turning to him, her voice trembling. "Is this true?"

His silence was answer enough.

Her knees felt weak, and she stumbled back a step, shaking her head. "No. This… this can't be real."

Dante took a step closer, his tone gentler now, as if he could see her cracking. "It's why you're here, Lucia. Why Kain brought you into his pack. He's not just protecting you. He's hiding you. Because if others knew who you were, they'd either bow to you… or destroy you."