Page 27 of Wanted By the Cartel

Did I think he was going to understand me and that everything would be okay between us? No, I didn’t expect it to be that easy, but it was worth a try.

As the council dispersed, I felt Lyrian's approval through our bond. He understood, better than anyone, what this meant.

Chapter 13

Lyrian

I stood at the window of our bedroom, watching the guards patrol the grounds below. They looked tense, as if expecting something significant to happen at any moment. I hoped they were wrong.

Four months ago, such surveillance would have made me flee in the opposite direction. Now... now I found myself counting them, making sure they were all in position. The realization made me uncomfortable. I never thought I would find myself in this situation.

When had I become this person? When had I started thinking like someone who belonged in a cartel? And then, the answer came to me.When I met Zoren for the first time.

One of the twins kicked, a gentle reminder of why everything had changed. I placed my hand over the spot, feeling their magic pulse beneath my skin. They were growing stronger every day, their combined power already surpassing what I could safely handle alone.

"You're brooding again," Mae said from behind me. She'd just finished my weekly check-up, but I knew she wasn't just myhealer anymore. She had always been someone I could trust, but now even more so. She knew so much about me.

"I'm not brooding," I protested, but I knew it wasn't convincing. "I'm... just contemplating is all."

She snorted, gathering her equipment. As I said, she knew me well. She would never believe a lie like that one.

"You're wondering if you've lost yourself by accepting protection. I see it in your face every time I come for these check-ups."

Was I that transparent? Probably. After all, I'd spent my entire life running, hiding, trusting no one. Now I was letting others fight my battles, and it felt... wrong. Right. Terrifying. Safe. All at once.

What a mess.

"It's not just the protection," I admitted. "It's everything. The way Zoren reorganized the entire cartel for me, how everyone here treats me like I'm made of glass. Sometimes I feel like I'm disappearing into this role they've created for me."

"The role of Zoren's mate?" Mae raised an eyebrow. "Or the role of someone worth protecting?"

It was a difficult question, one I didn't want to answer right now. But at the same time, I knew I had to, for her.

I turned from the window, absently tracing the moonstone pendant Zoren had replaced after the garage incident. This one was stronger, infused with his own power as well as mine.

His action spoke volumes about how much he cared about me.

"Both. Neither. I don't know anymore." I sighed, settling into a chair. "Yesterday, I caught myself giving orders to the security team. Me, giving orders in a cartel. What would my grandmother think?"

"She'd think you were keeping her great-grandchildren safe," Mae spoke, and her tone made it clear she wasn't justsaying it to make me feel better—she truly believed her words. "There's no shame in accepting help when you need it."

"But that’s the thing—I’ve never needed this much help before. People helped me, yes, but I was mostly on my own when I was on the run."

"And now?"

Now. Now everything was different. The babies' magic flared again, reminding me why I couldn't just run anymore. Why I didn't want to.

"Now I have the Crimson Fangs' omega sister arriving tomorrow, looking to me for guidance because somehow I've become an example of how to survive. Me, the person who spent his whole life running from it. I don't know if I can help her."

Mae sat across from me, her expression serious. "You're not just surviving anymore, Lyrian. You're living. There's a difference. You've found someone who cares about you."

I knew she was right. In the past months, I'd experienced more than just safety. I'd found love, purpose, and even a strange sort of family among these dangerous people. But still... It wasn't how I thought my life was going to be like. Not by a long shot.

"I feel like I'm losing my edge," I confessed. "Before, I could sense danger a mile away. Now I rely on Zoren's guards. Before, I made all my own decisions. Now I consider how everything will affect the cartel. I was used to being on my own."

"And is that really such a bad thing?" Mae challenged. "Your empathic abilities are stronger than ever. You're not losing your edge—you're gaining new ones."

She had a point. Since revealing my empathic powers to Zoren, I'd stopped suppressing them so much. The results had been surprising. I could sense intentions more clearly, understand motivations more deeply. It was useful, especially in this world of shifting alliances.

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