Blood and Betrayal

The wind howled through the darkened corridors of the estate, carrying the whispers of the past. Leah felt it deep in her bones—the weight of something inevitable pressing down on her.

She was running out of time.

They all were.

Kai, Selene, Claire, and Vivienne had spent hours strategizing for the journey to The Hollow Archives. But no plan felt solid enough. Azrael was always ahead, always watching. And Damon…

He was still gone.

The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Had he truly abandoned her?

Or was he protecting her from something far worse?

She didn't have time to dwell on it.

Because the moment she turned the corner into the great hall, the doors were blown open with a force that rattled the entire estate.

And standing in the entrance was someone she never expected to see again.

Gasps filled the room as a figure stepped through the broken doors, his silver eyes glowing like the moon itself.

Lucian.

The former Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack. The warrior who had been declared dead in battle two years ago.

Kai was on his feet in an instant, golden eyes burning with fury. "This isn't possible."

Lucian smirked, his movements eerily smooth as he stepped forward. "I told you, brother. You should've burned my body when you had the chance."

Brother.

The room tensed as Leah's gaze flickered between them.

Lucian and Kai were brothers?

She turned to Vivienne, whose face had drained of color. "What the hell is going on?"

Vivienne whispered, "Lucian… was killed by Azrael."

Leah's stomach turned.

So how was he standing right in front of them?

Lucian's smirk widened as he studied Leah, his gaze sending chills down her spine. "So this is the girl causing all the trouble."

Kai growled. "Stay away from her."

Lucian ignored him. "You have no idea, do you?" He tilted his head at Leah, like he was examining a puzzle. "You're stronger than I expected. No wonder Azrael wants you."

Leah's pulse pounded. "What does he want from me?"

Lucian chuckled darkly. "Everything."

Selene had her dagger drawn in a heartbeat. "If you're working for Azrael, I'll carve out your heart myself."

Lucian barely glanced at her. "You always were impatient, Selene." He flicked his wrist, and before anyone could react, a blast of dark energy sent Selene crashing into the far wall.

Leah's breath hitched.

That wasn't wolf magic.

It was something else.

Lucian wasn't just back from the dead.

He was changed.

Kai's fury ignited as he lunged, claws ripping through his skin mid-shift. But before he could reach his brother, Lucian vanished in a blur—reappearing behind Leah in an instant.

"Careful, brother," Lucian murmured, fingers brushing Leah's shoulder. "She's more like me than you realize."

A sharp pain tore through Leah's chest.

Something dark and electric pulsed through her veins, and for a terrifying moment, she felt her power respond to him.

To whatever Lucian had become.

She staggered back, gasping for breath. "What… did you do?"

Lucian grinned. "I woke something up."

Then he disappeared, leaving nothing but a cold gust of wind in his place.

Kai reached Leah just as she collapsed against him, her pulse erratic. "Breathe, Leah."

Vivienne was already flipping through ancient texts. "This doesn't make sense. If Lucian is alive, that means—" She stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening.

Kai's patience snapped. "That means what, Vivienne?"

She hesitated. Then:

"Lucian isn't just alive. He's the first of the Forsaken."

The room fell into silence.

Leah forced herself to stand. "What are the Forsaken?"

Vivienne's expression darkened. "They were wolves once. But when they died, something else brought them back." She shut the book with a sharp snap. "They're stronger. Faster. And bound to a new master."

Leah's stomach twisted. "Azrael."

Kai cursed under his breath.

Selene groaned from the other side of the room, rubbing her head as she sat up. "Great. So we're dealing with zombie wolves now?"

Vivienne's voice was grim. "Not just wolves."

Kai exhaled sharply. "This changes everything."

Leah stared at her trembling hands.

No.

It changed her.

Because when Lucian touched her, she had felt something awaken.

Something that terrified her to the core.

And deep down, she knew—

This was only the beginning.

Lucian is back.

The Forsaken have risen.

And Leah's true nature is finally beginning to unravel.

The next battle won't just be about survival.

It will be about who she chooses to become.

Because if she's not careful…

She might not be Leah for much longer.

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