The rogues' howls grew louder as I backed against a tree, my heart hammering against my ribs. Three of them circled me, their eyes gleaming with hunger and malice in the moonlight. I could smell Delilah's scent on them—she'd paid them well.
"The little Luna wants to play hero," one of them sneered, his scarred face twisting into a grin. "But she can't even shift properly."
I clenched my fists, feeling the weakness in my limbs from years of silver exposure. My wolf stirred within me, desperate to break free, but the damage was too deep. I couldn't shift—not completely.
"Please," I whispered, hating the tremor in my voice. "I'm not part of this pack anymore."
"Not part of the pack?" Another rogue laughed. "Then you're just a tasty snack for us."
They closed in, teeth bared. I kicked out at the first one, connecting with his knee. He howled in rage, lunging forward. I dodged sideways, but my legs betrayed me, buckling beneath my weight.
The third rogue seized my arm, his claws digging into my flesh. Blood trickled down my wrist as I cried out in pain.
"Stop!" I gasped, struggling against his grip.
"Stop?" He laughed, raising a clawed hand for a killing blow. "Nothing stops until you're dead."
Suddenly, a massive black wolf burst through the trees, eyes blazing with fury. Beckham. He tore into the rogue holding me, ripping through fur and flesh with savage precision.
The other rogues scattered, but not before Beckham caught another by the throat, crushing it with a single bite.
"Rebecca!" He shifted back to human form, cradling me against his chest. Blood—mine and the rogues'—covered his hands.
Behind him, Delilah appeared, her face a mask of concern. "Oh, thank the Moon Goddess! I tried to warn you, Rebecca. I told you not to wander off!"
I stared at her in disbelief. "You set me up."
"No, no," she said, tears welling in her eyes. "I was trying to help. The rogues must have followed your scent."
Beckham's arms tightened around me. "Shh, it's okay now. You're safe."
"The patrols," I gasped. "How did they get past the patrols?"
Delilah's expression flickered—just for a moment—before she buried her face in Beckham's shoulder. "We need to strengthen the borders," she murmured. "These rogues are getting bolder."
Beckham nodded, his eyes never leaving my face. "You're right, as always."
---
Three days later, I lay in the infirmary, my wounds bandaged but still throbbing. The pack healer had done what she could, but silver damage wasn't easily repaired.
"Rest," she'd said, her eyes avoiding mine. "You need time."
Time. As if I hadn't spent enough of it in that silver-lined cell.
The infirmary door burst open, and Gamma Elias strode in. "Everyone out," he ordered the nurse attending me. "Royal visitors. Now."
The nurse scurried away as Elias approached my bed. "You should be honored," he said, his voice flat. "The Lycan Royal Family is here to inspect our borders."
"Why?" I asked, struggling to sit up.
"Rogue activity." He adjusted my blankets with surprising gentleness. "They're concerned about security breaches."
Before I could respond, a commotion erupted in the hallway. Voices raised in alarm, then hushed in deference.
"They're coming this way," Elias muttered.
The infirmary door swung open again. A tall man with broad shoulders and piercing blue eyes entered, followed by a leaner wolf with alert amber eyes.
"Prince Dane," Elias bowed deeply. "This is our... guest."
The prince's gaze swept the room before locking on me. Something shifted in his expression—surprise, perhaps, or recognition.
"Leave us," he commanded, his voice quiet but carrying undeniable authority.
Elias hesitated, glancing at me with unexpected concern before backing out of the room.
The prince approached my bed slowly, his movements fluid and predatory. I tried to sit straighter, to show strength despite my condition.
"You're not what I expected," he said finally.
"What did you expect?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.
He leaned closer, inhaling deeply. His eyes widened slightly. "Not this," he murmured. "Not a weak wolf."
The other wolf—his Beta—stepped forward. "Prince Dane, the Alpha is waiting."
"In a moment." Dane waved him back without taking his eyes off me. "Your aura," he said softly. "It's... contained."
"My wolf is defective," I said bitterly. "Or so I've been told."
Dane shook his head slowly. "No." He reached out, his fingers stopping just short of touching my face. "It's not defective. It's caged."
For the first time in years, I felt something other than pain or anger—a strange, soothing warmth that spread from his gaze to the rest of my body.
"How do you know?" I whispered.
Instead of answering, he bowed his head slightly—not in submission, but in acknowledgment.
"Rest well," he said, straightening. "We'll talk again."
As he turned to leave, his Beta—Kaelen—shot me a curious glance before following his prince.
At the door, Dane paused, looking back at me over his shoulder. "Your wolf isn't weak," he said quietly. "It's waiting."
Waiting for what? I wanted to ask, but he was already gone, leaving me with a strange sense of possibility I hadn't felt in years.
