Adriana stood at the edge of the forest, her fingers trembling slightly as the wind whispered through the trees. Behind her, the mansion loomed like a silent guardian, filled with secrets that were no longer just Adrian's. They belonged to her now too, etched into her skin, pulsing through her veins, impossible to ignore.
Adrian stepped closer, his scent thick with cedarwood and something darker, something ancient. "You're quiet," he said, voice low, almost gentle.
"I'm thinking," she answered, eyes still locked on the path ahead.
"About?"
"Everything. Us. The bond. The war. What it means to be tied to you." Her gaze flicked to his. "I can't pretend this is normal."
He reached for her hand, but she stepped back. "Adriana..."
"No. I need time. Space to understand what I've become."
The bond between them tugged like a chain caught in fire. Ever since she'd accepted Adrian's truth, and her own, they'd grown closer. Intimate. But it came with weight. Expectation. Secrets he still hadn't shared.
"You're not alone in this," he said. "We're in this together."
"But it doesn't feel like it," she replied, voice barely above a whisper. "You still hide things."
Adrian's jaw clenched. "Not everything is safe to reveal yet. There are forces you don't understand."
"I'm not fragile," she snapped, finally facing him fully. "I faced a silver-wielding hunter last night, Adrian. I watched a man shift into a monster. I've seen blood and death and shadows that don't belong in this world. Don't you dare treat me like glass."
Silence stretched between them like a blade.
He looked away first.
"I just want to protect you," he said.
"That's not the same as trusting me."
Their tension was cut by the sudden howl of a wolf in the distance, sharp, urgent.
Adrian stiffened. "That's not one of mine."
Adriana's blood turned cold. "Then who is it?"
Adrian turned toward the mansion. "Inside. Now."
They sprinted together, Adriana's heartbeat racing to match Adrian's pace. In the foyer, Alpha Tobias and Liana were already there, weapons drawn, silver blades glinting under the chandelier.
"They breached the perimeter," Tobias said grimly. "A rogue pack. Five strong. Scattered. Fast."
"Not just rogues," Liana added. "They moved like they knew this place. Like they've been watching."
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "Send out the perimeter defense. I'll handle this personally."
Adriana stepped forward. "I'm coming."
"No," Adrian growled. "It's too dangerous."
"They're coming for me too, aren't they?" she said, eyes blazing. "Then I won't hide. Not anymore."
For a moment, he looked torn—caught between love and fear, but finally nodded. "Stay close."
They moved swiftly into the forest, their senses heightened. The moon above was full, spilling silver light through the canopy. The shadows twisted, alive with motion. Adriana could feel the surge of her own power awakening, more and more since the bond had been sealed.
Suddenly, from the left, a figure lunged, a massive wolf with red eyes and a snarl that promised death.
Adriana threw up her hand instinctively, and the air between them shimmered. The wolf hit an invisible wall, yelping in pain as it was flung backward.
"What was that?" she gasped, staring at her hand.
Adrian's eyes widened. "A shield. Magic-born."
Adriana looked at him. "Magic?"
He nodded, awe and dread mingling in his voice. "Your bloodline… you're not just a hybrid. You have witch ancestry too."
The forest erupted with snarls. The rogue pack had surrounded them. But this time, Adriana was ready.
She stood with Adrian at her side, energy crackling around her like lightning. One by one, the rogues charged. And one by one, they were repelled, by claws, by blade, and by the strange, glowing energy that flowed from Adriana's hands.
When the final rogue fell to his knees, whimpering, Adrian walked forward. "Who sent you?"
The rogue spat blood. "She's coming. The Witch Queen. You've stolen what's hers."
Adriana stepped forward. "Who is she?"
"She once ruled the hybrids," the rogue sneered. "And she wants her heir back."
Adriana staggered. "Her heir?"
The rogue smiled. "She's your mother."
The forest fell silent.
Adrian looked at her, stunned. "That's not possible…"
The rogue's body went limp before he could say another word, poison lacing his tongue.
Adriana stared down at him, heart pounding. "What the hell does that mean, Adrian?"
He looked pale, shaken. "It means… your bloodline is even more dangerous than I thought."
They returned to the mansion in silence. But the air was heavier now. Charged with questions that had no easy answers.
That night, Adriana couldn't sleep. She sat at her window, staring at the stars. Her fingers tingled with latent power. Her mind buzzed with questions.
She thought of the rogue's words. The Witch Queen… heir… hers…
Was it possible?
She didn't even know who her real parents were. Her adoptive mother had always said she was found in a storm, wrapped in strange cloth and crying under a blood moon. Could it have been true?
"Adriana," a voice said softly behind her.
Adrian.
She turned, her expression unreadable.
He walked to her slowly, kneeling at her feet. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not telling you everything. For thinking I could protect you from who you really are."
Her walls cracked just slightly. "I'm scared, Adrian."
He took her hands in his. "So am I. But I love you."
She blinked, startled. It was the first time he'd said it aloud.
He leaned in slowly, letting the silence speak for him. And when their lips met, it was not fire or chaos, it was something deeper. Grounded. Steady. The world didn't spin. It simply settled.
She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. "I love you too."
Outside, the wind howled again. Not from danger, but as if the forest itself sighed in relief.
They didn't know what would come next, what the Witch Queen's arrival would mean, or how Adriana's blood would shift the balance of power.
But in that moment, love was enough.
And tomorrow, they would rise.
Together.