Lucian's POV.
When Roman announced that she was our mate, I could feel my heart being overwhelmed. Despite I was not the one to mark her yet, through our sworn mate-brother bond with Roman, the effect of it hit me.
I could feel the same shift in my brothers. Their silence said it all.
The fact remained—though we despised her, she was now our mate. Ours to protect. Ours to keep. An inseparable part of our lives.
The initial plan of having a pureblood she-wolf only to breed her and to save Sofia had now turned to something else.
Kael turned his gaze on Surmont. "My mate-brother has marked her, and now she is our mate. Any more questions?"
Surmont's face darkened, his displeasure poorly masked. "Well then, we will wait for the rest of you to mark her as well—and to see her bear pups," he replied, his tone sharpening as though to remind us of what he thought mattered most. "Marking does not mean the bond is complete. I trust you understand that."
