I didn’t have time to finish before a cold, mocking voice cut through the air.

“Well, well, Alpha,” he sneered. “You finally made it. I was beginning to think you didn’t care about your precious seer. You just walked into my trap.”

I froze, terror clawing its way back into my chest, as I recognized the voice. Marcosias.

Orion whipped around, putting me behind him, his body tensing, as he faced Marcosias. I could feel the raw anger radiating off of him, a fury I had only seen once before.

Orion’s grip on me tightened, his body going rigid. I could feel his muscles coiled, ready to strike at any moment. “You think you can use her against me? You’ll never win.”

Marcosias laughed, the sound chilling and cold. “Oh, I already have. You’re here, aren’t you? All it took was a little bait, and here you are, right where I want you.”

“Stay behind me, Luna,” Orion whispered, his voice urgent but steady. He kept his eyes locked on Marcosias, his posture protective.

I did as he told me, but the fear was making it hard to breathe. My heart pounded in my ears as Marcosias stepped closer, his predatory gaze shifting between us.

“You think you can protect her?” Marcosias sneered, eyes narrowing at Orion. “She’s mine.”

“Shut up!” Orion roared, lunging forward, but Marcosias held up his hand, and two of his men appeared behind him.

“No, no,” Marcosias tutted, shaking his head with a wicked grin. “You wouldn’t want to make a mistake, would you? Not when she’s watching.”

Orion stopped, breathing heavily, his eyes blazing with fury. I could see the conflict in his gaze—his need to protect me battling with the danger Marcosias posed.

“Let her go, and I’ll finish this with you,” Orion said, his voice deadly calm. “One-on-one. No more games.”

Marcosias’ smile widened. “Oh, I like the sound of that. But who said I play fair?”

I tightened my grip on Orion’s arm, fear curling its way into my chest. I knew what Marcosias was doing, how he was pushing Orion toward a breaking point. But even worse, I knew that I was part of this twisted plan—and that made me feel utterly powerless.

“Orion, please,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Don’t do this.”

Orion turned slightly, his eyes softening for just a moment as he looked at me. “I won’t let him take you, Luna. I promise.”

Marcosias's laughter filled the air again, cruel and sharp.

"Oh, this is touching. But in the end, promises mean nothing. She belongs to me now.”

The air was charged with tension as I felt the shift in Orion. His muscles tensed, and a low, guttural growl escaped his throat as his eyes locked onto Marcosias, burning with fury. In an instant, his body began to contort, bones snapping and shifting as dark fur erupted across his skin. His face elongated into a powerful snout, his hands morphing into lethal claws. In mere moments, Orion had transformed into a massive black wolf, towering over Marcosias, his amber eyes glowing with deadly intent. The sheer power radiating from him was terrifying and breathtaking all at once.

“Orion …” I whispered in shock. Orion then howled, and in a matter of seconds chaos erupted as more wolves poured into the warehouse, and Orion lunged at Marcosias. The warehouse filled with the thunderous sounds of growls, snapping jaws, and tearing flesh as wolves clashed around us. My heart raced as I watched Orion, now in his massive black wolf form, charge headfirst into the fight, locking eyes with Marcosias, whose dark wolf was equally terrifying.

"Orion, no!" I screamed, but it was too late. Their wolves collided, snarling and biting, each determined to rip the other apart.

I tried to focus, tried to find that part of me that could help him. I couldn’t just stand there while they tore each other to pieces. The air around me felt thick, the violence suffocating.

"Get her out!" Orion's voice boomed in my mind, through the bond, his command clear, as one of Marcosias' wolves circled toward me.

"I’m not leaving you!" I shot back, my pulse pounding in my ears. I backed away from the fighting, trying to find an opening. But wolves from both packs were everywhere, tearing at each other with savage intensity.

Orion’s wolf growled in my head, “Luna, you can’t protect me if you’re dead. Get out!”

I watched as he dodged a swipe from Marcosias, his massive form barely missing a set of deadly claws.

"No!" I shouted again, my voice barely cutting through the noise. My hands trembled as I felt the energy inside me build. I had to help him. I had to do something.

With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and reached out with my powers, feeling the energy surge through my veins. I focused on Orion, trying to send him some kind of protection, something to shield him from the onslaught.

I opened my eyes just in time to see Marcosias slam into him again. Blood splattered the ground, and a growl ripped from Orion’s throat as he staggered but didn’t fall.