Page 17 of Wanted By the Cartel

"Hidden. Safe." I had made sure of that before I fled. "But it contains secrets that could destroy us all if found. Spells of binding, of power transfer... dark magic that should never be used."

If I didn't think that, one day, I might need that knowledge, I would have already destroyed it.

Zoren was quiet for a moment, processing. I could feel his mind working through strategies, plans, and defenses. It was one of the things I loved about him—how he could take my fears and turn them into actionable problems to solve. He was dependable in so many ways.

"Your grandmother," he said after considering his words for a few seconds, "she died protecting not just you, but these secrets too, didn't she?"

I nodded, tears falling freely now. "She always said our power was meant to heal, to protect. But in the wrong hands... The Harvesters would use it to dominate, to control. They've been trying for centuries to breed moon-blessed omegas in captivity, to create their own source of power. It's a sickening thing."

"And now you're carrying twins of unprecedented magical potential," he concluded, understanding dawning in his eyes.

He already understood the weight of what he was doing, but the new knowledge opened up new implications he needed to consider.

"If they find out..." I couldn't finish the sentence. The thought was too horrifying.

"They won't," he assured me again, kissing my forehead. "But Lyrian, you need to tell me everything you know about them. Every detail from your grandmother's teachings, every rumor, every hint. We can't protect against what we don't understand."

He was right, of course. I had carried these secrets alone for too long, thinking I was protecting others by keeping silent. But now, with two lives growing inside me, silence was no longer an option.

???

It happened on a quiet Tuesday afternoon, just three days after I'd told Zoren about my past. It was as though fate had been waiting until that moment before striking.

I was returning from my prenatal check-up with Mae, supposedly under the protection of two Nightshade Wolves guards. Supposedly being the keyword. What were they doing?

The first sign something was wrong was the way my magic suddenly recoiled, like a cat sensing a predator. The moonstone at my throat grew cold—a warning. I stopped walking, my hand going to my stomach. Something was more than just off.

"I feel like something is about to happen," I told the guards, but they were already slumped against the wall of the parking garage, unconscious or worse. How had I not noticed? Had Ibecome so comfortable with Zoren's protection that I'd grown careless?

No, that couldn't be it. I was always careful, no matter who was protecting me.

The air shifted, heavy with spelled suppressants. My magic flickered weakly, trying to maintain the protective barrier around my unborn children. The babies' energy pulsed erratically in response to my fear. They could feel what was about to happen, even though they didn't understand it.

"The young Larimar heir," a voice echoed through the garage. "After all these years, here you are. You've stayed hidden from us for so long, but not anymore."

Three figures emerged from the shadows, wearing the distinctive silver pins of the Lunar Harvesters. They moved with the skill of people who had been practicing for this moment for a long time, surrounding me. I recognized their tactics from my grandmother's warnings.

"Stay back," I warned, drawing what little magic I could still access. The moonstone hummed, ready to release its stored power, but I knew it would be a one-time defense. I had to make it count.

The leader, a woman with cold grey eyes, smiled. "We've been watching you for weeks. Waiting. But now?" Her gaze dropped to my midsection. "Now we can't wait any longer. The potential you carry is too valuable to risk. We must have it."

They knew. They knew about the babies. I shouldn't be surprised. There were so many things they shouldn't know that they did.

"How—"

How indeed. None of what was happening here made sense. Zoren told me he was meticulous about keeping me safe, and I believed him.

"Your mate's cartel isn't as secure as he thinks," she said, taking a step closer. "Money loosens many tongues. It's as simple as that."

Anger flared through me, temporarily overwhelming my fear. Someone in the Nightshade Wolves had betrayed us. Zoren was going to be furious. More than that. Somebody was going to get hurt.

I backed away, but my movements were sluggish. The suppressants were getting stronger, making it hard to focus. The babies' magic tried to fight it, creating a strange war inside my body that made me nauseous.

I didn't have any experience with that. I didn't know how to act and what I shouldn't do.

"You're making this harder than it needs to be," the woman said. "We don't want to hurt you. Your children will be treasured, studied. Their power will advance our understanding by decades."

"Never," I snarled, channeling everything I had into one desperate burst of lunar energy. The moonstone shattered, releasing my grandmother's stored power in a blinding flash.

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