Chapter 24

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Destin

H eat seared through me the moment our palms pressed together, Lana's blood mixing with mine. It was more than pain—it was energy, raw and unfiltered, surging through every nerve like wildfire. The connection between us locked tight, and I couldn't pull away even if I wanted to. Her pulse slammed into mine, relentless, merging until I couldn't tell where her heartbeat ended and mine began.

My wolf surged forward, wild and howling, claws raking at the inside of my skin. The bond wasn't gentle—it was furious and consuming, burning through all my defenses. My muscles strained as the force pressed down on us both, and for one brief moment, it felt as if I'd unravel, as if everything I'd built inside myself—walls, anger, solitude—would collapse.

And then, just as violently as it came, the pressure released. My hand ripped away from hers, and I dropped to my knees, gasping. Beside me, Lana knelt too, her breath ragged. Blood smeared across both our palms, bright and vivid. Something in the air shifted. I was a lone wolf. I didn't do connections. I didn't do bonds or packs or any of that bullshit. But this? This was something different. Something I couldn't deny even if I wanted to.

Kael surged forward, and Lana was on her feet in an instant, lunging to block his advance. "Don't take another step closer to my mate."

Mate. i stared at my palm, the wound she'd cut with the dagger already sealing closed, and in its place, the head of a wolf in half shadow, half light. Lana had marked me, but not with teeth or claws. With her blood.

Kael held up his hands and stepped back. Behind him, the three warriors had shifted into their wolf forms. They prowled closer, and then, in a smooth, fluid motion, Lana shifted.

Her wolf exploded forward—larger, more regal than I remembered. Her fur was still gray and white, but now it gleamed with a new power, her shoulders broader, her frame taller. A leather satchel appeared around her neck, the dagger and book suddenly gone from the ground, tucked next to her heart.

She stood at full height, looking more like an alpha than any wolf I'd ever seen. My wolf stirred at the sight of her, wild admiration rippling through me. She was stunning—strong, commanding, untouchable.

Not for me, she wasn't. Mate. Heat coiled low in my gut, spreading like a fever through my limbs. My hands curled into fists, nails biting into my palms. My skin felt too tight. Lana had marked me, but my wolf stirred violently, and every fiber of control I'd gained around Lana snapped like a twig.

"Lana." My voice was rough. Desperate. I wanted that bed in the forest. I wanted to take her there against the rock wall and prove that I was worthy of her. That I had the strength to live up to the glorious creature in front of me.

And then I heard her. Not her voice in the air, but in my mind. My blood is your blood. The words hit me like brick wall, the bond between us roaring alive. Her presence wasn't just near—it was inside me, woven into every cell in my body.

"Lana," I pleaded, my hands already trembling. I needed her, or I was going to crumble. Shatter. Burst at the seams.

Lana's eyes were dark as she turned to the warriors, daring any of them to challenge her. I have claimed a mate , she announced. I thought being strong meant figuring out how to do this alone. But my strength isn't in solitude. My strength is in my pack.

Her eyes locked on to each of theirs in turn, and she held her head higher. I am your alpha, and though I will be in the shadow realm, I need both of my packs to find the remaining relics. I will come for you.

One of the warriors stepped forward, his head lowered. You can't stay here forever.

Lana dipped her head. I understand. She turned back to the others. I am a part of both packs. A protector to both. Of all.

Lana's head swiveled back to Kael. The alphas don't have the book. They've seen this display of power and will most likely lay low for a time.

He'd asked her a question. She was speaking to them through the pack bond. She was speaking to me. Emotion washed over me when I realized it had been over ten years since I'd heard another wolf in my head. Over twenty since I'd welcomed it.

Kael clenched his jaw. "Then we'll find the alphas before they come out of hiding."

No, you won't. Lana's voice was a growl. She turned to Kael, Callista, Evelyn, and Rowan, her eyes softening. Go back , she told them, her voice quieter now but no less commanding. The alphas don't have the book. They'll lay low for a while. I'll come to you when we figure out our next move.

I gritted my teeth. I didn't care about the damn alphas. I knew I should have, that the safety of my wolves depended on it, but all I could see was her.

Lana finally turned to me. Her golden eyes locked onto mine, and the weight of her gaze rooted me in place. Will you come with me?

The question hit me harder than I expected. Her words weren't a command—they were an invitation. Being claimed by her didn't feel like losing myself. It felt like waking up for the first time in years. Without a word, I stepped forward and reached out, running my hand through the thick fur along her neck. Her warmth seeped into me, the bond between us thrumming with quiet power.

I never wanted to be owned, and I sure as hell never wanted to own anyone else. But this . . . this was belonging.

Lana walked forward, and the fabric of the world rippled around us. I didn't hesitate. I shifted into my wolf form and moved with her, the two of us stepping into the shadows as one.