Chapter 5
I stood by the window of my suite in the Lycan Palace, watching the sunrise paint the mountains gold. Two weeks had passed since our escape from Lucas's clutches. Two weeks of healing, of feeling my wolf stir within me again. Two weeks of safety.
But safety wasn't enough anymore.
"Revenge," I whispered, the word tasting sweet on my tongue.
The door opened behind me, and Parker's scent—pine and winter frost—wrapped around me like a protective cloak.
"I heard you plotting from the hallway," he said, his voice low with amusement. "What are you thinking?"
I turned to face him, no longer flinching at his intense gaze. "I don't want to hide anymore, Parker. I want Lucas to pay for what he did to Riley. For what he did to me."
Parker's eyes flashed gold, his Lycan nature responding to my newfound resolve. He crossed the room in three long strides, stopping just short of touching me.
"I've been waiting for you to say that," he admitted, pulling a leather folder from inside his jacket. "I have something to show you."
He spread several documents across the desk—photographs, birth records, and what appeared to be medical tests.
"What is all this?" I asked, scanning the papers.
"Proof," Parker said simply. "Lucas isn't who he claims to be. He's a Late Bloomer."
I gasped, my hand instinctively covering my mouth. Late Bloomers were rare—werewolves whose inner wolves didn't manifest until well into adulthood, sometimes as late as thirty. They were often weaker than normal wolves, their delayed emergence a sign of genetic instability.
"He stole his position," Parker continued, his voice hardening. "The previous Alpha—his uncle—died under mysterious circumstances. Lucas took over before anyone could question his legitimacy."
I picked up a photograph showing Lucas at what appeared to be a rogue camp, his face younger but unmistakable. "How did you get these?"
Parker's expression turned grim. "I've been building a network for years, Elena. Watching. Waiting. I knew someday you might need protection from him."
The revelation hit me like a physical blow. While I'd been sacrificing everything for our pack, Lucas had been living a lie.
"The Alpha Summit is in three days," Parker said, his fingers tracing the edge of a formal invitation. "Every major pack will be there. Lucas plans to introduce Xyla as his heir."
I straightened my spine, a plan forming in my mind. "Then that's where we'll expose him."
---
Three days later, I stood before the mirror in my chambers, barely recognizing the woman who stared back at me.
Gone was the modest, submissive Luna who had served Lucas for eighteen years. In her place stood a warrior queen in a midnight blue gown that hugged every curve before cascading to the floor. A high slit revealed my leg when I moved, and an armored corset of silver leather protected my torso—including my surgery scar.
"Your mother would be proud," Parker said from the doorway, his eyes dark with admiration.
I turned to face him, feeling the weight of the Lycan crest necklace he'd given me earlier. The silver pendant rested against my collarbone—a mark of protection under the Lycan crown.
"Are you ready?" he asked, offering his arm.
I took a deep breath, feeling my wolf stir beneath my skin. For the first time since the surgery, she felt whole again, strengthened by Parker's presence and our growing bond.
"Riley?" I asked, thinking of my daughter.
"Safe with Samuel," Parker assured me. "She's making progress."
I nodded, squaring my shoulders. "Then let's go ruin Lucas's day."
The Elite Guard fell into formation around us as we descended the palace steps to the waiting convoy. Unlike Lucas's security detail—designed to intimidate—Parker's guards moved with quiet efficiency, their presence a statement of power rather than a show of force.
As our vehicle pulled away from the palace, I caught sight of Samuel standing at the entrance with Riley beside him. She looked small but determined, her eyes following our departure with an intensity that made my heart ache.
"Once this is over," I said quietly, "we'll never be separated again."
Parker's hand found mine, his thumb tracing circles against my palm. "I promise."
The journey to the Summit passed in tense silence. I rehearsed our plan in my mind, imagining Lucas's face when his carefully constructed world came crashing down around him.
By the time we reached the grand hotel hosting the Alpha Summit, my nerves had settled into a cold, clear purpose. I was no longer running from my past—I was confronting it.
"Remember," Parker said as our vehicle stopped at the entrance, "you don't need to do anything. Just be there."
I smiled, feeling my wolf's approval rumble through me. "Oh, I'm counting on that."
As we stepped from the car, I felt eyes on us from every direction. The assembled Alphas and their entourages couldn't help but notice the Lycan King's arrival—or the woman at his side wearing his crest.
And somewhere inside, I knew Lucas had just received the news of our arrival.
The game had begun.
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