Chapter 30 – My Brother, Damn Him

(Flashback From Luca's perspective)

The forest was a blur as I charged through it, paws pounding against the dirt, breath ragged and sharp. My wolf was in full control, rage boiling through every muscle. My claws sliced through branches that dared block my path, and the wind roared in my ears. I had to run, to burn this fury out of my veins before it consumed me completely.

"Stay calm, buddy. They're gone," Marcus' voice broke through the pack's mind link, his tone steady, trying to ground me.

Normally, Marcus could talk me down. But not tonight. Not after what I'd seen.

Ethan and Quinn. Together.

Her laughter, light and carefree, echoed in my mind, twisting the knife already lodged in my chest. The way she leaned into him, trusting him—it was enough to drive my wolf feral.

I'd never lost control like this before. At eighteen, I'd faced down threats that would make grown men piss themselves. I'd kept the pack in line, made decisions that carried weight most people couldn't comprehend. But this? This girl was unraveling me.

I hated it.

My paws skidded to a stop near the edge of a cliff, the moon hanging low over the trees. My chest heaved, muscles trembling from the run. I shifted back to human form, sweat slicking my skin as I clenched my fists, trying to steady my breathing.

"I need to keep running this off," I growled through the link, my voice raw.

"Sure thing, boss," Marcus replied. I could hear the smirk in his tone, but I wasn't in the mood for his jokes.

I launched myself back into the woods, the shift overtaking me once more. My wolf was a blur of fur and fury, instincts screaming one thing over and over:

Quinn. Mine.

By the time I reached Greasy Spoon Heaven, the diner was lit up like a beacon against the dark. My claws sank into the dirt as I spotted them through the window.

Ethan and Quinn.

They sat in a booth, laughing over greasy burgers and milkshakes like they didn't have a care in the world. Like she wasn't mine.

My stomach twisted with jealousy, my wolf snarling in disgust. Ethan had no right to be there with her, touching her, making her smile. That smile was supposed to be for me.

My vision blurred red.

I turned away, forcing myself back into the shadows before I did something I couldn't take back. The wind howled through the trees, but it couldn't drown out the sound of their laughter.

The next few days were pure torture. I tracked Quinn from a distance, staying hidden like the predator I was. Watching her and Ethan together was a slow death. Every glance they shared, every accidental touch—it ate away at me.

Then came the next lake get-together.

Normally, I'd be front and center, cracking jokes with the pack and tossing back beers by the fire. Not tonight. I made up some excuse to Marcus, who didn't push.

But even from a distance, I couldn't look away.

The party was wild—music blasting, couples sneaking off into the woods. The smell of smoke and lake water filled the air. But my focus was locked on one thing: Quinn.

She sat by the fire with Ethan, their heads close as they talked quietly. My wolf's instincts screamed a warning.

They were getting too close.

Then it happened.

Ethan leaned in.

No. No. No.

My vision went black with rage as his lips met hers. The fire inside me roared, my claws digging into the ground. She was mine. He had no right—no fucking right.

I wanted to tear him apart.

Brother or not, no one stole from me.

But I couldn't do it. Not yet. I couldn't let Ethan know just how deep my connection to Quinn went. Not until I had her for myself.

I sprinted back to the inn, heart pounding. My mind raced just as fast as my legs, tangled with jealousy and rage. I found my clothes and phone where I'd hidden them and pulled myself together, forcing the shift back to human.

But I couldn't let it go.

Ethan kissed her again when they pulled up to the inn. Twice in one night. That was more than enough.

My hands shook as I grabbed my phone. I'd swiped her number from Nick's phone the other night when I'd pretended to lose mine. I shouldn't have done it, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

My fingers hovered over the keys before I finally typed out the message.

Unknown Number: You think he's yours? Sweetheart, Ethan isn't who you think he is. You're in way over your head.

I watched from the shadows as Quinn paused near the pathway to the inn's entrance. Her brow furrowed as she read the message, shaking her head like it was some stupid prank.

But I wasn't done.

Unknown Number: You're playing a dangerous game, Quinn. Ethan doesn't belong to you. He never will.

She froze, glancing over her shoulder. Her eyes scanned the darkness like she could feel me watching.

Good.

A small part of me hoped she'd think it was some psycho ex-girlfriend or a prank call. Whatever it took to get her away from Ethan.

Satisfied, I slipped away into the night, my breath finally steadying. Ethan followed her inside, and for once, I trusted him to behave himself. He wouldn't disrespect our family's inn.

But the image of them together was burned into my mind.

Every time I saw them touch, every time they shared a look, my blood boiled. It was eating me alive, turning me into something dark and dangerous.

I tried to stop.

I convinced myself Ethan could protect her. I trained him myself, after all. If something went wrong, the pack would be there. I didn't need to be the stalker lurking in the shadows.

But the tension between us grew.

Ethan tried to talk to me, tried to tell me about this girl he was falling for. Every time he brought her up, it took everything in me not to explode.

I avoided him. I avoided the conversations.

But it was only a matter of time before I snapped.