Chapter 39
Apr 17, 2025
Felicia paced in her room, her mind racing with the old woman’s cryptic warning.
“You will have the same fate as her.”
Who was her?
It wasn’t the first time the woman had said it. Since her arrival at Silverstone Pack, the old lady had repeated the phrase, always looking at her with those clouded eyes, as if she was seeing someone else standing in her place.
Felicia shivered.
She needed answers.
Her instincts whispered that Lucien knew something, something he hadn’t told her.
And there was only one way to find out.
The packhouse was quiet, most of the warriors outside doing their rounds, Lucien still occupied with the night patrols. It was now or never.
Felicia moved through the dimly lit halls with careful steps, her breath shallow as she approached Lucien’s office.
She hesitated at the door, listening for any movement. When she heard nothing, she pushed it open and slipped inside.
The office smelled of aged leather, ink, and something undeniably Lucien—a mix of pinewood and a faint, lingering spice. The large oak desk was covered in maps, reports, and scattered notes, but Felicia’s eyes were drawn to the tall wooden cabinet in the corner.
If Lucien was hiding something, it would be there.
She opened the cabinet quietly, her fingers trembling slightly. Inside, a row of notebooks and old documents sat neatly stacked.
Felicia ran her fingers along the worn edges of a black leather notebook, one that looked older than the rest.
Her gut told her this was it.
She pulled it out and flipped it open, her breath catching when a few photographs slipped out and fluttered to the floor.
Felicia’s heart pounded as she bent down to pick them up.
The first was of a woman.
A beautiful woman with long dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and a soft but haunting expression.
The second was a picture of Lucien standing beside her, his arm loosely draped around her shoulders. They looked close. Too close.
Felicia’s stomach tightened. Who was she?
She scanned the writing inside the notebook, her eyes darting over scribbled notes and dates.
1999 – The Beginning
2002 – The Ceremony
2003 – The Bond Strengthens
2005 – The Betrayal
2006 – The Disappearance
Felicia’s pulse spiked. Disappearance?
Before she could turn the page, footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Her stomach dropped.
She froze, listening, her mind scrambling for a way out.
Lucien.
She recognized the sound of his steps instantly.
Panic surged through her. She didn’t have time to put the book back—she had to hide it.
Without thinking, she tucked the notebook and photos into the folds of her dress, pressing them against her waist. The fabric was thick enough that it wouldn’t be obvious, but her heartbeat was so loud she was afraid he could hear it.
The door swung open.
Lucien stepped inside, his tall frame blocking the exit, his dark eyes narrowing immediately.
“What are you doing in this hallway?” he asked, his voice low and suspicious.
Felicia forced herself to breathe evenly, trying not to look guilty.
“I—I was just…” she trailed off, her mind racing.
Lucien’s gaze lowered slightly, lingering on the strange little bulk in her dress.
Felicia’s blood turned cold.
He knew.
His sharp wolf instincts were too good—he had noticed it immediately.
For a second, he said nothing, just taking a slow, measured step forward, his eyes locked onto her like a predator who knew his prey was hiding something.
She had to do something. Fast.
Felicia’s heart slammed against her ribs as she acted on pure impulse.
She grabbed Lucien by the collar—
—and kissed him.
Lucien stiffened instantly, his entire body going rigid.
Felicia poured everything into the kiss, desperate to distract him, to make him forget whatever he had noticed.
Lucien didn’t pull away.
In fact, after a brief second of shock, he did the opposite.
His hand shot to the small of her back, pulling her closer, his lips suddenly demanding and consuming.
