"You're nothing to me, Ariana. You never were," Lucian spat, his voice cold and sharp as a blade. He leaned against the cracked wooden wall of the abandoned barn, arms crossed, his dark eyes glinting with something vicious. The dim light from a flickering lantern cast shadows across his face, making him look more like a predator than a man.
Ariana stood frozen, her breath hitching in her chest. "What did you just say?" Her voice trembled, but she forced the words out, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.
"You heard me." Lucian straightened up, stepping closer. His boots crunched against the dirt floor, deliberate and slow. "You're a tool. A means to an end. Did you really think I cared about some pathetic little sister I never asked for?"
Kaelen growled low in his throat, his broad frame shifting beside Ariana. He'd been silent until now, but the tension in his shoulders screamed he was ready to snap. "Watch your mouth, Thorn," he warned, his voice a dangerous rumble. "You're digging your own grave."
Lucian smirked, unfazed. "Oh, come off it, Draven. You're not in a position to threaten me. Not anymore." He tilted his head, eyes flicking between Kaelen and Ariana. "What, you think you're her knight in shining armor now? You're a broken Alpha, and she's a liability. You're both pathetic."
Ariana's knees felt weak, but she locked them in place. Her mind raced, replaying every moment she'd spent with Lucian—every calculated smile, every vague promise of family. "You knew," she whispered, her voice cracking. "You knew we were related this whole time, didn't you?"
Lucian's smirk widened. "Of course I did. You think I'd let some random stray stumble into my plans? I've known since the day I tracked you down. Half-sister or not, you're nothing but leverage. A way to twist the knife into him." He jerked his chin toward Kaelen.
Kaelen took a step forward, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. "You manipulative bastard," he snarled. "She's not a pawn in your game."
"Isn't she?" Lucian shot back, his tone mocking. "Look at her, Kaelen. She's shaking. Weak. You really think she's worth all this trouble?"
"Shut up!" Ariana snapped, her voice breaking through the haze of her shock. She glared at Lucian, her chest heaving. "You don't get to talk about me like I'm not here. I trusted you. I thought—" She stopped, swallowing hard. "I thought you actually gave a damn."
Lucian laughed, a harsh, grating sound that echoed off the barn's rotting beams. "Trust? Oh, Ariana, you're so naive it's almost cute. I don't give a damn about you. I never did. You were just… convenient."
The words hit her like a punch to the gut. She stumbled back a step, her vision blurring with unshed tears. Kaelen's hand shot out, steadying her by the arm. His grip was firm but gentle, grounding her when she felt like she might collapse.
"Don't listen to him," Kaelen said, his voice low and fierce. He didn't look at her—his eyes were locked on Lucian—but she could feel the heat radiating off him, the barely contained rage. "He's trying to break you. Don't let him."
Lucian rolled his eyes. "Spare me the heroics, Draven. You're not fooling anyone. You're just mad because I've outplayed you. Again."
"Outplayed me?" Kaelen's lips curled into a sneer. "You're a coward hiding behind lies. You think this makes you strong? Using her like this?"
"It makes me smart," Lucian countered, stepping closer until he was only a few feet away. "You're the one who's weak, Kaelen. You let her get under your skin. You let feelings cloud your judgment. That's why you're standing here, powerless, while I hold all the cards."
Ariana shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're wrong. You don't hold anything. You're just… empty."
Lucian's expression flickered, a crack in his smug mask, but it was gone in an instant. "Empty?" he echoed, his tone darkening. "You don't know the first thing about me, Ariana. You don't know what I've done to get here. What I've sacrificed."
"Then tell me!" she shouted, her voice raw. "Tell me why you're doing this! Why you'd throw me away like I'm nothing!"
For a moment, Lucian didn't answer. His jaw tightened, and something unreadable flashed in his eyes. Then he shrugged, casual and cruel. "Because you are nothing. A stepping stone. A way to bury him." He pointed at Kaelen. "And once he's gone, I'll take everything he's got left. The clan, the power—all of it."
Kaelen lunged forward, but Ariana grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "Don't," she said, her voice shaking but firm. "He's not worth it."
Lucian chuckled. "Listen to her, Kaelen. She's smarter than she looks. Too bad it won't save either of you."
Kaelen's chest heaved, his eyes burning with fury. "You think you've won? You think this is over? I'll rip you apart before you touch her again."
"Big words," Lucian said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But you're all talk now, aren't you? No claws, no fangs. Just a man playing at being a wolf."
Ariana felt the sting of those words hit Kaelen, saw the way his shoulders tensed even more. She squeezed his arm tighter, her voice soft but urgent. "He's wrong, Kaelen. You're more than that. You always have been."
Kaelen's head turned slightly, just enough to meet her eyes. The anger was still there, but something else flickered beneath it—something softer, something that made her heart ache.
Lucian clapped his hands, slow and mocking. "Oh, this is touching. Really. But let's cut the drama, shall we? I've got plans to finish, and you two are in my way."
"What plans?" Ariana demanded, stepping forward despite the tremor in her legs. "What are you even after, Lucian? Power? Revenge? What?"
Lucian's smile was thin and sharp. "Everything. I want everything he's lost. And you're going to help me get it, whether you like it or not."
"No," she said, her voice steadying. "I'm done being your puppet. Whatever you're planning, I'm not part of it."
"You don't get a choice," Lucian replied, his tone icy. "You never did."
Kaelen moved then, faster than Ariana could react. He closed the distance between him and Lucian in two strides, grabbing the front of Lucian's jacket and slamming him against the wall. The wood creaked under the impact, dust raining down around them.
"Say that again," Kaelen growled, his face inches from Lucian's. "Tell her she doesn't have a choice. I dare you."
Lucian didn't flinch. He stared back at Kaelen, his smirk unwavering. "She doesn't. Neither do you. You're both caught in this, and there's no way out."
Kaelen's grip tightened, his knuckles whitening against the fabric. "I'll make a way out. Even if I have to go through you."
"Kaelen, stop!" Ariana rushed forward, pulling at his arm. "He's baiting you. Don't give him what he wants."
Kaelen hesitated, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. Finally, he shoved Lucian back and stepped away, his hands still clenched into fists. "You're not worth the blood on my hands," he muttered.
Lucian straightened his jacket, brushing off the dust with exaggerated care. "Smart move. But it doesn't change anything. You're still losing."
Ariana glared at him, her voice low and fierce. "We're not losing. You're just too blind to see what you've already lost."
Lucian's eyes narrowed, but he didn't respond. For a moment, the barn was silent, the tension thick enough to choke on. Then he turned, heading for the door.
"This isn't over," he called over his shoulder. "Not by a long shot."
The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Ariana and Kaelen alone in the dim light. She sank to her knees, her hands trembling as the weight of Lucian's words crashed over her. Kaelen dropped beside her, his arm sliding around her shoulders.
"Hey," he said softly, pulling her close. "You're okay. We're okay."
She shook her head against his chest, tears spilling over. "He's my brother, Kaelen. My own brother… and he hates me."
"He doesn't deserve you," Kaelen said, his voice rough but steady. "He never did. You're not defined by him, Ariana. You're stronger than he'll ever be."
She looked up at him, her vision blurry. "How do you know that? How do you know I won't just… break?"
"Because I've seen you," he said, his hand cupping her face. "I've seen you fight. I've seen you stand up when anyone else would've given up. You're not breaking. Not now, not ever."
She leaned into his touch, her chest aching with a mix of pain and gratitude. "I don't know what to do," she admitted. "He's not going to stop, is he?"
Kaelen's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. "No. But neither are we."
They sat there for a moment, the silence wrapping around them like a shield. Ariana's mind spun with questions, with doubts, but Kaelen's presence kept her anchored. She drew in a shaky breath, wiping her eyes.
"What's he going to do next?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What's his move?"
Kaelen's gaze drifted to the door Lucian had disappeared through, his expression hard. "I don't know. But whatever it is… how far are you willing to go to stop him?"