"You shouldn't have come with me."
Kaelen's voice was low, almost a growl, as he tightened his grip on the plane's armrest. The turbulence outside mirrored the storm in his eyes—dark, restless, and ready to destroy anything in its path. His knuckles turned white, and Ariana could see the tension coiling in his muscles, a caged animal waiting for the right moment to pounce.
Ariana, sitting beside him, glanced up from her camera, her heart racing with the familiar mix of concern and defiance. Here we go again.
"You've said that at least ten times since we left the house," she muttered, adjusting the settings on her lens, trying to capture the fleeting moment of vulnerability she knew was hiding beneath his hardened facade. "Got anything new, or are we stuck on repeat?"
His jaw clenched tightly, the muscles twitching beneath his skin. "I mean it."
"And I meant it when I said I'm not leaving." She turned the camera toward him, snapping a shot before he could protest, capturing the raw emotion etched across his face. "You look miserable. Might be my best work yet."
Kaelen exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples in frustration. "Ariana—"
"Stop trying to push me away, Kaelen." Her voice dropped, fierce yet steady. "I'm in this whether you like it or not. And you clearly need me."
His gaze snapped to hers, something unreadable flickering in those sharp golden eyes. "Need you?" he repeated, voice rough like gravel. "For what? To distract me with your stubbornness? To test my patience every damn second?"
Her fingers tightened around her camera, feeling the weight of their unspoken connection. "You need me because I'm the only one who sees you for who you really are. Not just an Alpha, not just a man with a broken past. You."
Silence fell, heavy and weighted, like a thick fog settling around them. Time seemed to stretch, each second laden with unexpressed fears and desires.
For a second, Ariana thought she'd gotten through to him. But then, his expression hardened again, his mask slipping back into place as he stared resolutely at the seat in front of him.
"We're landing soon," he said flatly, dismissively. "Be ready."
She let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head. "Always."
The cold night air wrapped around them like a shroud as they stepped out of Heathrow Airport. The city was alive—cars honking impatiently, neon signs flashing in a kaleidoscope of colors, people rushing past with their own destinations. But Kaelen barely acknowledged any of it. His focus was singular, a laser beam aimed at the task ahead.
"First things first, we need to find a place to stay," Ariana said, pulling her jacket tighter around herself against the chill that penetrated to her bones. "Did you book a hotel, or are we just winging it?"
Kaelen scanned the street, his posture tense, every muscle coiled like a spring. "There's a safe house in the East End. We'll go there first."
"Safe house? Sounds dramatic," she muttered, following him toward a waiting car, her curiosity piqued even as anxiety gnawed at her.
"It's necessary," he replied curtly, his voice leaving no room for debate.
They rode in silence, the sound of the engine a low hum beneath the tension that crackled between them. Ariana watched him, noting the way his fingers drummed anxiously against his knee, the way his gaze never settled. The city might as well have been a battlefield for all the ease he showed. She could sense the storm brewing within him, the memories of a past he couldn't escape.
"You've been here before," she guessed, trying to peel back the layers of mystery that surrounded him.
His fingers stilled, and he turned to her, a flicker of something dark crossing his features. "A long time ago."
"With Lucian?" she probed gently, knowing the name would evoke a reaction.
The name sent a ripple of something tumultuous through Kaelen's expression, a shadow passing over his golden eyes. He didn't answer immediately, but his silence was enough—a confirmation that spoke volumes.
Ariana exhaled, frustration bubbling beneath her calm facade. "I need to know, Kaelen. If I'm going to face him—if we're going to stop him—I need to understand."
He finally turned to her, locking his gaze onto hers with a weight that felt like a promise and a curse. "Lucian wasn't always a monster," he said slowly, each word carefully chosen. "Once, he was my closest ally."
Her breath caught in her throat. "What changed?"
His lips pressed into a thin line, the pain etched in the furrow of his brow. "Power. Betrayal. You."
Ariana's heart pounded painfully in her chest. "Me?"
But before she could push for more, the car stopped in front of a nondescript brick building, its exterior uninviting and drab.
"Come on," he said, stepping out, his tone brooking no argument. "We don't have time for the past right now."
Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. Damn it, Kaelen. Why couldn't he just open up? Why did he have to keep her at arm's length?
Inside, the air smelled of old books and damp wood, a comforting yet eerie scent that enveloped her like a forgotten memory. A fireplace crackled in the corner, casting flickering shadows along the walls, creating a dance of light that momentarily distracted her from the weight of their situation. Kaelen moved with purpose, checking the doors, the windows, every possible entrance, his movements precise and practiced.
Ariana set down her bag, watching him with a mix of admiration and concern. "Do you ever stop being on guard?"
"Not when Lucian's involved," he muttered, pulling off his jacket, revealing the taut muscles beneath his shirt, tense and ready for action.
"You think he knows we're here?" she asked, stepping closer, her voice barely above a whisper.
"He always knows." The certainty in his tone sent a chill down her spine.
A shiver ran through her as she moved toward him, lowering her voice. "Kaelen… if Lucian used to be close to you, why does he hate you so much now?"
His jaw tightened, a muscle ticking in his cheek. "Because I took everything from him."
Her stomach twisted, the implications of his words heavy and foreboding. "What did you do?"
He met her gaze, shadows dancing in his eyes as if the very memories haunted him. "I chose you."
The room seemed to shrink around them, the silence stretching until it felt suffocating. Ariana felt her breath hitch, felt the weight of his words settle deep inside her, sending ripples of uncertainty through her.
"You're lying," she whispered, desperate to deny the truth that threatened to unravel everything she thought she knew.
"I wish I was." His voice was heavy, laden with regret.
Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Ariana wanted to demand more, to make him explain, but a sudden knock on the door shattered the moment, breaking the fragile connection they had just forged.
Kaelen was in front of her in an instant, a blade appearing in his hand as if from nowhere, glinting ominously in the dim light.
"Who is it?" he demanded, his voice a low growl, a predator on alert.
A slow chuckle came from the other side, smooth and controlled, dripping with amusement. "Kaelen Draven. It's been a long time."
Ariana's stomach dropped, recognition hitting her like a wave. That voice. It was all too familiar, a haunting echo of her nightmares.
Lucian.
Kaelen stiffened beside her, his body a taut line of tension. Ariana grabbed his arm, her pulse hammering in her ears. "This isn't possible," she whispered, fear lacing her words. "How did he find us?"
Lucian's voice was laced with mockery, the kind that sent chills racing down her spine. "Did you really think you could come to my city unnoticed?"
Kaelen's grip tightened on his blade, his expression darkening, the air thickening with a palpable sense of danger.
Ariana swallowed hard, her mind racing with possibilities. There was no way out. No escape. They were trapped.
Then Lucian spoke again, his voice softer this time, a sinister sweetness that made her skin crawl. "Open the door, little sister."
Ariana's blood ran cold, the revelation striking her like a physical blow.
Little sister?
Her breath came fast and shallow, panic rising in her throat. She turned to Kaelen, searching for answers in his unreadable expression, but his face was a mask of stone.
Lucian knocked again, impatience dripping from his tone. "Don't keep me waiting, Ariana."
Her fingers trembled at her sides, the truth she had been searching for right on the other side of that door. The weight of her lineage pressed down on her, a legacy she hadn't chosen but was bound to nonetheless.
But was she ready to hear it? Was she ready to confront the brother she had never known, the monster who had cast a shadow over her life?