The morning air is crisp as I step out of my estate, the scent of damp earth still lingering from last night's storm. My heels click against the stone pavement as I make my way toward the waiting car, but my mind is elsewhere.
The photograph still burns in my thoughts, an unwelcome reminder of what was stolen from me. Of what Damon Volkova took.
And soon, what I will take from him.
Celeste is already inside the limo, scrolling through her tablet, her expression unreadable. As I slide into the seat across from her, she barely glances up.
"You're late," she mutters.
I smirk, adjusting my cuffs. "A queen is never late, Celeste. Others are simply early."
She snorts but doesn't argue. Instead, she swipes across the screen, bringing up a document. "We need to finalize the acquisition of the Blackthorn shipping routes today. Kade has been buying influence among their suppliers, and if we don't act now, we could—"
"We'll handle it," I cut in smoothly. "But that's not our priority."
Celeste's eyes flick to me, sharp and assessing. "You're thinking about Elias."
I lean back, tapping my nails against the leather armrest. "Igo didn't give me a timeline, but he wouldn't have dangled Elias in front of me if he wasn't confident he could deliver."
Celeste exhales, setting the tablet down. "And if this brother of Kade's is as dangerous as Igo claims?"
A slow smile curves my lips. "Then we have a new weapon."
Celeste watches me for a long moment before shaking her head. "You're playing with fire, Lilith."
I hum, tilting my head. "Fire is just another tool in the right hands."
The limo pulls to a stop outside Dusk Industries, my empire forged from nothing but ruthless ambition and sleepless nights. The towering skyscraper looms above the city, its mirrored windows reflecting the early sunlight.
As I step out, a hush falls over the employees lingering outside. Some straighten their posture, others avoid my gaze. Good. Fear is an excellent motivator.
Celeste follows a step behind as we stride into the lobby, heels clicking against polished marble. The receptionist stammers out a greeting, and I offer a brief nod before heading straight for the private elevator.
The moment the doors slide shut, Celeste speaks again. "Have you decided what to do about Lily's school?"
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I'll visit a few options this week. She needs something secure but social."
Celeste hesitates, and I don't miss the way her fingers twitch at her side. "And… are you sure about moving her closer to your room?"
I lift a brow. "Do you have an objection?"
She exhales, shaking her head. "No. Just… it's unlike you."
I smirk. "Maybe I'm evolving."
The elevator dings, and as the doors slide open, my amusement fades.
Waiting outside my office is a man I haven't seen in ages.
Tall. Polished. With the kind of charisma that makes lesser men uneasy.
Roman Drakovich.
A business rival. A predator in his own right. And a man I once considered useful.
I step forward, gaze cool. "Roman."
He grins, but it never quite reaches his eyes. "Lilith. You look as formidable as ever."
I offer a slow, false smile. "Flattery doesn't suit you. What do you want?"
His grin sharpens. "An opportunity."
I fold my arms, studying him. Roman never moves without reason, and he certainly doesn't waste his time on empty pleasantries.
"Go on," I say.
His blue eyes gleam with something unreadable. "I hear you're looking for ways to bring down Damon Volkova."
My fingers twitch, but I don't react. "And?"
Roman steps closer, lowering his voice. "I have something you might find… useful."
Celeste stiffens beside me, but I keep my expression smooth. "And what exactly is that?"
His smirk widens. "Not what, Lilith. Who."
A flicker of intrigue stirs in my chest, but I don't let it show. "I assume you didn't come all this way just to tease me with riddles."
He chuckles, shaking his head. "No, I came to make a deal."
I exhale slowly, glancing at Celeste. She gives the barest of nods—proceed, but with caution.
Turning back to Roman, I tilt my head. "Then let's talk."
His grin turns wolfish. "Oh, Lilith. I think you're going to love this."
—
That night, I stand by my window, staring at the city lights stretching beyond my estate.
Roman's words replay in my mind. His offer. His warning.
And the name he whispered before he left.
A name I never expected.
Elias Volkova.
Not just Kade's hidden brother.
But Damon's, too. Igo never made mention of this point.
A slow, dark smile spreads across my lips.
A storm is brewing.
And I will be the one to unleash it.
"And when the shadows rise and blood stains the moon, the wolf with two faces shall decide the fate of kings." The prophecy hums in my mind, the weight of its meaning pressing against my ribs like a vice.
A wolf with two faces…
Elias Volkova.
Damon Volkova.
Kade Blackthorn
Brothers.
A hidden piece on the board I hadn't accounted for.
I turn away from the window, my thoughts sharp and coiled like a viper ready to strike. Roman's offer had been vague, laced with deliberate omissions. He enjoys the game as much as I do, but there was something in his eyes—something dangerous.
He knows more than he's letting on.
The soft knock at my door barely pulls me from my thoughts. "Come in."
Celeste enters, her expression unreadable. She closes the door behind her, stepping forward with measured caution.
"You're thinking too much," she says.
I smirk. "Thinking is how I stay alive."
She folds her arms, leaning against the edge of my desk. "Roman gave you something to chew on, didn't he?"
I exhale, turning back to the cityscape. "Elias isn't just Kade's secret. He's Damon's, too."
Celeste stills. The silence between us thickens, charged with understanding.
"Does Damon know?" she asks finally.
I tilt my head. "That's the question, isn't it?"
Celeste curses under her breath, pushing off the desk. "If he does, then he's been keeping an even bigger secret than we thought. If he doesn't…"
"…Then I have a weapon neither of them saw coming."
A slow, cruel smile curves my lips.
For years, I've built my empire on control, on knowing every possible angle before my enemies do. Damon ripped me apart once. But this? This is a fracture in his foundation I can exploit.
Celeste watches me carefully. "And if Elias isn't what you think he is?"
I meet her gaze, voice smooth as silk. "Then I'll decide whether to break him or use him."
She doesn't flinch. She knows me too well.
But there's something else in her eyes tonight. Something unreadable.
"Lilith…" She hesitates. "Are you sure this is the right path?"
I blink. The question is so simple, so absurd, I almost laugh.
The right path?
My parents' bodies were burned to ash. My pack was slaughtered. My blood was spilled on sacred ground, and I was left for dead by a man who once called me his.
There is no right path. There is only vengeance.
I step closer, voice cold and sharp. "Damon made his choice the day he rejected me."
Celeste holds my gaze but doesn't argue.
Because we both know the truth.
I might ruin Damon Volkova.
I will destroy Kade Blackthorn.
And if Elias Volkova is the key to doing both, then so be it.
I turn back to the window, my reflection dark and shadowed against the city lights.
The storm I've been waiting for is finally here.
And I intend to drown them all in it.
The night was thick with silence, broken only by the rhythmic tapping of Sienna's nails against the sleek surface of her phone. The private lounge she occupied was dimly lit, the golden glow of a chandelier casting shadows along the walls. The air smelled of expensive cigars and aged whiskey, but she had no interest in indulging. Not tonight.
She pressed the call button, bringing the phone to her ear. The line rang once. Twice.
Then, a voice—smooth, expectant.
"Sienna."
Her lips curled into a smirk. "Tell me something good."
A low chuckle. "You doubt me already?"
She rolled her eyes, swirling the glass of wine in her hand. "I doubt everyone. You should know that by now."
A pause. Then, "I'm in."
Sienna leaned forward, interest piqued. "Lilith trusts you?"
"She doesn't trust anyone." There was amusement in his voice, edged with something sharper. "But Celeste does. And that's enough."
Sienna hummed, pleased. "She believes you love her?"
A scoff. "She wants to believe it. That's all that matters."
That answer was good enough for Sienna. Celeste's misplaced trust would be their way in—her downfall before she even realized what had happened.
"She doesn't suspect a thing?"
"No," he said with confidence. "Neither does Lilith. She's too focused on bigger threats to notice the one sleeping next to her most trusted ally."
Sienna exhaled slowly, satisfaction curling in her chest. "Good."
His tone shifted, growing more serious. "What's the next step?"
"You stick to the plan," she instructed smoothly. "Get close. Get information. And when the time is right…" She let the words linger, allowing him to understand exactly what she meant.
There was a brief pause before he responded. "When the time is right." His voice was barely a whisper.
The call disconnected.
Sienna leaned back in her seat, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Lilith Luna Dusk wouldn't see it coming.
And when the moment arrived, she would fall.