My fingers tug at his shirt, the fabric tearing under my grip, and I feel Eric’s hands on my shoulders, his lips moving lower, trailing fire across my skin. It’s raw, consuming, the kind of heat that could burn this whole pack house down. 

I want more—more of Rick, more of Eric, more of this bond that makes us whole, even without her.

“What the hell are you guys doing?” a voice snaps, sharp and raw, cutting through the haze.

I freeze, my lips still on Rick’s, my hands gripping his hair. I turn my head, slow and deliberate, and there she is—Lia, standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock, her face a storm of fury and something else, something that makes my wolf howl. 

My smirk widens, slow and deliberate, as I meet her gaze, letting her see every bit of the monster she hates.

Chapter 48: Power in My Hands 🐺🔥🌙Lia


I walk through the pack, a smile tugging at my lips, feeling lighter than I ever have in my whole life. For once, I'm not hiding. I'm not looking over my shoulder, waiting for someone to drag me back or chain me down. I chose to stay this time. Not because I'm trapped. Not because I'm forced. But because I want to.


The mate bond hums steady in my chest, warm and alive, tying me to Dorian, Eric, Rick, and Dean. It no longer feels like a cage—it feels like a rope of fire and light holding me safe.


 Dean promised to take me to Ironfang by the weekend, and this time, I believe him. If this was the old me, I would've been yelling, demanding to go now, pushing until I got my way. But something's different. Something's changed. I trust them. Maybe not fully, not yet, but I'm trying, and that's new. That's big.


The air shifts as I head toward the training ground. The sharp smell of sweat, steel, and dust greets me before I even step inside. 


Chapter 49 - chapter 48