26. NEPHELINE

26

NEPHELINE

The diner at the edge of the packlands isn’t anything fancy but it’s where I first reconnected with Mateo. It was the start of my new beginning, moments with Maverick and his team. I’ve asked Maverick if he misses his old job, if he’d ever want to return and he says that as much as he loved it, he knows he is exactly where he’s supposed to be.

The bell chimes softly as we walk in, the smell of burgers, fried food, and cheap coffee wrapping around me like a warm blanket. There’s already a buzz of chatter inside—wolves from the pack, couples on dates, a few loners at the bar—and for a moment, I let myself believe it’s just another normal night.

River slides into the corner booth first, pulling me down into his lap like it’s the most natural thing in the world. I huff softly, but there’s no protest—not when his arms wrap protectively around my waist, his chin resting against my shoulder as I settle into him. Darius drops down to my left, Mateo taking the seat on my right, and soon, the rest of my mates are crowding into the other side of the booth. Maverick, Remi, and Asani fill the space easily, Asani lounging back like he’s claimed the place as his throne.

The waitress comes and goes quickly, barely hiding her curiosity as she eyes the seven of us. I know how we look—dominating, too big for the little booth, the tension between us vibrating like a live wire. My mates are impossible to ignore. Mateo’s gaze flicks over the room, River’s protective energy presses close, Darius’ easy calm spreads out like a balm. And Maverick? He’s on edge tonight, eyes sharp, his presence coiled like a spring.

Asani and Remi are the least intimidating at the moment but that’s only because their gaze keeps dipping to my stomach as if I’ve magically expanded in the last several hours. I’m sure Asani definitely thought I would have with the way he fucked me all afternoon. His piercings made everything even more sensitive and now he’s forbidden from my nest tonight.

I thought he’d be pouting. Instead, his arms are thrown around the back of the booth, one behind Remi, the other behind Maverick, a faint smirk playing on his lips. My body heats, my scent sweetening so I try to focus on anything else. I wanted a night out and if they all jump on the same train, they’ll haul me back to the house so fucking fast.

So, I direct the conversation elsewhere. “Has anyone found anything?” I ask. I’ve been missing a few council meetings and my mates have stopped discussing everything around me. I don’t mind but I’m starting to feel a little lost.

River’s voice cuts through the hum of background noise. “I’ve found nothing. I combed through the town, checked the outskirts, even talked to a few locals. No one’s seen a wolf—or anything close to a super wolf.” His grip tightens subtly around my waist, his body tense beneath me. “What’s worse? The damage I did find doesn’t track. It feels like a ploy.”

“A ploy?” Darius echoes, his dark brows furrowing as he leans in slightly.

River nods. “A distraction. The superwolf isn’t some mindless beast. Whoever’s behind this is smart. Calculated.”

My stomach twists. I feel Mateo shift beside me, his elbow brushing mine as he leans forward, his power filling the small booth like it’s too big for the room. “It’s deliberate,” he mutters. “That makes it worse.”

Maverick clears his throat, speaking up for the first time tonight. “The defective ones weren’t like this. They were all chaos. Mindless destruction. They weren’t following orders—they were acting out . If this Alpha has control of wolves that have retained their consciousness? Then they’re not just powerful. They’re smart.”

“They’re playing a long game,” Mateo pushes out. “The Alpha out there leading them must have been waiting. Lying in the dark.” His gaze flicks to me as if reading my thoughts. “Silas had to have known he existed.”

My throat tightens, my gaze dropping to the table. I stare at the small glass of water in front of me, my reflection distorted in the ripples across the surface. The knot that’s been sitting in my chest for months pulls tighter.

Of course, Silas knew.

The reign of the pack of the Forbidden wasn’t really over.

It was just resting.

A shiver rolls down my spine and I don’t even realize I’ve sighed aloud until River’s arms tighten around me. “Sweetie?”

I shake my head quickly, forcing a breath out through my nose. “It makes sense,” I say softly, my voice steady despite the tremor in my chest. “I never felt settled after Silas’ death. I thought it was grief. Or relief. I thought it was just…” I pause, biting the inside of my cheek. “I thought it was me.”

Silence stretches across the table.

“But it wasn’t,” I continue, staring at the wood grain as my magic pulses faintly in my fingertips, always close. “It was because this isn’t done. This—whatever’s coming— it’s not new. It’s always been there, waiting for the right moment to crawl back into the light.”

Maverick leans forward, adding his own piece to the conversation. “Then we can’t keep waiting,” he says quietly. “If they’re smart, then we need to be smarter. If they’re patient, we need to move faster.”

Mateo nods, his jaw tight as he leans back in the booth, his gaze sweeping over the table. “We’ll keep pressing. We’ll strengthen the borders, tighten the patrols. No more distractions, no more slip-ups. If this Alpha wants to come for us, then we’ll be ready.”

I close my eyes for half a second, taking comfort in the warmth of them—my mates, the ones who ground me when the world feels like it’s slipping too far out of my control. When I open them again, Maverick’s dark gaze is on me too as if he’s already read the doubt in my mind.

They’re here. They’re with me.

For tonight, that’s enough.

The waitress comes back with our food and the mood shifts—just slightly—as plates are dropped on the table. Burgers, fries, and milkshakes. Comfort food. Warmth.

Remi grins as he slides a plate in front of me, nudging me playfully with his knee under the table. “Eat, sunshine,” he says lightly. “We need you strong if you’re planning to take on an evil Alpha with us.”

The table fills with quiet laughter, tension lifting just enough to let the moment settle.

I don’t know when I start tuning them out, but it’s somewhere between River grumbling about patrols and Maverick getting too worked up about strategy. My attention shifts the moment a waitress appears at the edge of our table, balancing a bowl of ice cream and a side of something suspicious on her tray.

Caramel ice cream. And relish.

I perk up immediately, sitting straighter in River’s lap as she sets it down in front of me. “Finally,” I sigh, grabbing the spoon as my mates collectively freeze.

The bowl of ice cream is perfect—smooth, golden caramel swirling through the pale cream—but the real prize is the small dish of bright green relish sitting beside it. My mouth waters just looking at it. There’s a beat of silence as I scoop a large spoonful of relish and plop it right into the middle of the ice cream.

“What…” Darius starts, staring at me like I’ve grown a second head. “What are you doing?”

I don’t answer, swirling the two together with an eagerness that should probably embarrass me but doesn’t. The tangy green relish mixes beautifully with the caramel and I dig my spoon in, lifting a perfectly blended bite to my lips.

Mateo, seated beside me, grimaces. “Princess, that’s—”

“Don’t ruin this for me,” I cut in quickly before shoving the spoon into my mouth.

Oh. Oh, that’s good.

I hum in satisfaction, my eyes fluttering shut as the strange combination melts on my tongue, sweet and tangy in all the right ways. It shouldn’t work. But it does . When I open my eyes, they’re all staring at me.

Remi’s expression is a mix of horror and amusement, his brows lifted as if he doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Is that… actually good?”

I grin wickedly around another spoonful. “Incredible.”

River groans, burying his face against my shoulder like he can’t bear to look at it. “You’re insane.”

“No, you’re insane,” I shoot back, pointing my spoon at him for emphasis. “This is your fault, all of you. You wanted me pregnant? Well, here we are. Relish and ice cream. Deal with it. ”

There’s a pause before Maverick bursts out laughing, his voice breaking through the collective disbelief. “You tell them, kitten.”

Darius shakes his head, still looking vaguely nauseous as he leans back against the booth. “I don’t know if I should apologize or feel proud.”

“You should definitely feel proud,” I say cheerfully, shoveling another bite into my mouth. “This is the easy part.”

“ Easy ?” Mateo mutters under his breath, his gaze sweeping over me like he’s still trying to understand how I’m real.

I just shrug, too content to argue as I continue eating, the strange combination hitting all the right spots. My mates fall back into conversation, their voices soft but serious as they shift gears—pack changes, patrols, updates about the wolves we just brought in. I listen with half an ear, too happy with my dessert to care.

Everything feels… calm. For once, the weight of everything else feels far away—like the dark edges of my life have been shoved just beyond my reach. I bask in the warmth of my mates, the hum of their voices blending into a soothing buzz as I scrape another bite from the bowl.

And then it hits me.

A faint, cold whisper at the edges of my mind, curling through the bond I’ve worked so hard to ignore.

Come to me.

I freeze, my spoon hovering midair as my chest tightens. The ice cream in my mouth suddenly tastes like nothing, like ash, as the words slither through me, soft and insidious.

Come to me, little wolf.

I drop the spoon with a soft clatter, my fingers trembling faintly as the whisper grows louder, wrapping itself around my thoughts like a vice. My magic stirs against my skin, crackling faintly at my fingertips as if responding to something it shouldn’t.

“Sweetie?”

River’s voice is soft in my ear, but I can’t focus on him. I can’t focus on anything as the voice sinks deeper, deeper—pulling, tugging, demanding .

Obey.

“Stop,” I whisper, my hands curling into fists against the table as my body tenses. “Stop it.”

The buzz of conversation halts instantly, the air around us shifting. I can feel my mates react—their bodies going still, their gazes snapping to me—but it’s all muted, distant, compared to the cold voice echoing in my mind.

My magic surges before I can stop it, rushing outward like a wave, flickering against my skin in tendrils of pale light. I gasp, my vision blurring as power spills from me—unstable, unrestrained, hungry.

“Neph!” Mateo’s voice cuts through the haze.

But it’s too late.

The world shifts before I realize what’s happening. One moment, I’m at the diner, surrounded by the warmth of my mates, their voices wrapping around me like a shield. The next, I’m plunging into darkness . Cold and heavy, suffocating, pulling me under.

I blink, but there’s nothing. Just black. Black so thick it presses against my chest, crawling along my skin like something alive . I try to move, to breathe, but the air is thick, every sound muted like I’m underwater.

And then I see him.

He emerges from the dark, his figure massive and terrifying, like something pulled straight from a nightmare. He doesn’t step forward—he looms , as though the shadows themselves are his limbs. A wolf, monstrous and towering, shifts in and out of his form, melding flesh and fur, his eyes burning like molten gold through the black.

The air grows colder, sharp and biting, as his voice rolls over me like thunder.

You’ve finally come, little wolf.

The sound is guttural, wrong . A rumble so deep it shakes through my bones, vibrating in my chest like it’s trying to tear me apart from the inside out. I stumble back a step, the shadows beneath me moving like liquid, but there’s nowhere to go.

I lift my chin, forcing my voice to stay steady. “Who are you?”

He doesn’t answer right away. He only grins , his teeth jagged and gleaming in the void. Then he steps closer, the weight of his presence crushing the air out of my lungs.

I am the First Alpha. He growls, his voice echoing in a way that makes the dark ripple. The true Alpha. The beginning.

I shake my head, bile rising in my throat as I glare at him. “No,” I snap. “You’re not the beginning. You’re not true . You’re a bastardization of Mother Nature—science mixed with magic. You’ve ruined what was pure.”

For a moment, silence. And then the creature laughs. It’s a deep, hollow sound like the world itself is splitting apart.

Mother Nature made me. He says, his voice dripping with venom. And you, little wolf? You are a piece of me. A fragment of something greater.

“No,” I whisper, but he doesn’t stop.

You feel me, don’t you? The darkness inside you. The whispers. I have touched you and you obey.

“I don’t obey anyone.” My magic flares instinctively, ready to respond even if I have no idea how to control it.

The First Alpha doesn’t flinch. He only watches, his glowing eyes narrowing, calculating. Not yet.

His words are like claws dragging down my spine, something ancient and wrong digging deeper into me. I take another step back, desperate to keep space between us, but the shadows ripple again, pulling at my feet.

The First Alpha tilts his head, his form shifting, wolf bleeding into man and back again as he lifts a hand—a hand that stretches and elongates like claws—and beckons me closer.

Come.

The word slams into my mind like a physical force. I gasp, my knees buckling as the air squeezes out of my chest, my magic sputtering under the weight of his power. I can feel him pulling me, calling me, the darkness wrapping tighter around me like chains.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I grit out through my teeth.

But you are. His grin widens, the molten gold of his eyes burning brighter, blinding. You always were.

The darkness swells, crashing over me like a wave, drowning out every sense—sight, sound, feeling—until there’s nothing left but him. I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting against it, forcing my magic outward in frantic bursts.

And then it changes .

The darkness peels away and now I’m standing in the motel parking lot. The tiny, rundown motel Maverick and I stayed at all those months ago when everything first fell apart.

My breath comes in sharp, unsteady gasps as I look around. The night air stings my skin, the faint whistle of the wind through the broken motel sign hitting my ears. It’s empty. Too empty. Slowly, I turn—and there, emerging from the shadows, is him .

The First Alpha, the same monstrous energy, but this time his wolf is flesh . Black fur darker than the night itself, massive paws pressing silently against the cracked pavement, molten gold eyes locked on me like I’m prey. My body trembles as he stops a few feet away, his size dwarfing me. He doesn’t move, doesn’t growl. He just watches .

But it’s the second figure that steals my breath.

A large black wolf steps out from behind him, sleek and powerful, eyes glowing gold—but softer. Familiar. My heart stutters in my chest as the wolf steps forward, the shadows peeling away to reveal him fully.

“ Locke, ” I whisper, my voice breaking.

My brother.

He’s here. Right in front of me.

Tears prick my eyes as I take a hesitant step forward, my body trembling, my heart screaming at me to reach for him. “Locke?” My voice wobbles, but he doesn’t answer. He just stares at me, unmoving, unblinking.

The First Alpha’s voice rumbles from the shadows like a storm. Come closer.

I do. My feet move before I can think, pulled forward by something I can’t fight. I reach out a shaking hand, my fingers trembling as I stretch toward Locke.

And then I see them.

Wolves. Emerging from the dark, one by one. Their fur is matted and torn, their eyes gleaming an unnatural red, their forms twisted and monstrous like Silas’ had been. They step into the light, surrounding Locke, their teeth bared, their presence suffocating.

A sharp growl cuts through the air, so loud it shatters the trance holding me. I gasp as I’m yanked backward, my body crashing against something solid and warm.

“Neph!” Darius’ voice snarls in my ear, his arms wrapped tight around me, dragging me away. I struggle for a second, the need to reach Locke still screaming in my veins, but Darius holds firm, his voice sharp. “Snap out of it!”

The shadows snap like a rubber band, the First Alpha’s voice fading into nothing as the world comes rushing back—cold air, whistling wind, Darius’ breath hot against my ear.

I gasp, clutching at him as I stare at where Locke had been, where the wolves had been. It’s empty now. Just shadows and silence.

Darius holds me close, his grip like iron as his voice drops into a whisper. “We’re going home. Now.”

I don’t argue.

But as he pulls me away, I can still feel the First Alpha’s presence in my bones—his voice echoing in my mind like a promise.

You always were.