Chapter 88 Luca
The moment I stepped into Ms. Thorne’s study, I felt a kind of tension that makes your skin itch. My wolf was already on alert, claws itching under my skin, and his senses screaming at me that this wasn’t going to be a calm talk.
“Luca,” Ms. Thorne said softly, but there was steel under her tone. “Sit.”
I dropped onto the old leather chair, trying to ignore the way my heartbeat drummed in my ears. Behind her, the room smelled faintly of old paper and herbs.
“Something’s wrong,” I said, letting my words spill before I could think twice. “I can feel it in my bones.”
She nodded once. “You’re right. And you’re about to know more than you probably want.”
My gut twisted. “Sienna?”
Her lips pressed into a line. “She was trained from childhood. Not just as a fighter but she was trained as a hunter.”
The words hit me like ice. My stomach clenched, and my hands curled into fists. “Hunter? What do you mean?”
Ms. Thorne leaned forward, eyes glinting in the lamp light. “Her family lineage was never ordinary. There’s historical documentation, Luca handed down through generations and the Williams line was marked for one purpose: tracking, hunting and killing.”
I swallowed hard. My pulse raced with instincts buzzing like static under my skin. Every memory of Sienna and our life before, the sweet smiles, the quiet laughs, even the way she could read a room flashed through me. And now I knew there was another layer beneath all of it.
“She was taught to fight, track and to blend in.” Ms. Thorne’s voice dropped lower to almost a whisper. “To hide in plain sight and no one expected her to be anything else until now.”
I felt my teeth grind. “So all this time all those disappearances, it was training?” My voice was harsh but the room felt too small for all the fury and betrayal swirling inside me.
“Partially. Some of it was protection and some deception. That’s why she’s able to walk among humans and wolves alike. She knows the rules and the loopholes.”
I leaned back, rubbing my face. “And she’s back in Silverpine territory alone with access to everything? Why wasn’t I warned?”
Ms. Thorne’s eyes softened but the edge in them remained. “We underestimated her, Luca. She’s always been clever even now, she’s careful not to trigger suspicion.”
I clenched my fists in my lap. “So, what do I do? I can’t just ignore it.”
“You won’t ignore it,” Ms. Thorne said, leaning back. “But you also won’t act recklessly. You’re not just facing a girl or your ex anymore. You’re facing a hunter who has been trained to predict your every move.”
I felt my chest tighten. Then I remembered what she had said about historical parallels. “You mentioned history, right?” I asked. “There’s a reason you brought it up?”
Ms. Thorne nodded. “Elder Greta has records. Every few generations, a line like Sienna’s emerges. They infiltrate communities, sometimes even packs without anyone noticing until it’s too late. The danger escalates because the target never suspects the person closest to them.”
The words sank in like a knife. I wondered if Sienna became Aria’s best friend because she had somehow learnt of the bond.
“Luca,” Ms. Thorne continued gently, “I know this is a lot. But you need to remember knowing doesn’t mean acting alone. Consult the pack, stay vigilant, and don’t underestimate her. She’s dangerous.”
My head was buzzing. “Dangerous isn’t enough. She’s trained to hurt people I care about.”
“And that’s why you must prepare. Let your instincts guide you but never forget she’s human. Even hunters have limits and knowing those limits gives you power.”
I swallowed, nodding slowly. My mind was spinning, How had I not seen this? How had everyone myself included been so blind?
I left the study more tense than I arrived, the weight of knowledge pressing down on my shoulders. Outside, the trees swayed under a pale moon and my senses screamed. Something was off, quiet, and I knew Quinn wasn’t far behind. The thought made my gut churn.
As I moved through the shadows, Lila’s warning from earlier flickered in my mind: He’s too focused and won’t see what’s coming. She didn’t know about Sienna yet, but I knew her instincts never liked that girl. I slowed, crouched behind a tree, and took a deep breath. A shadow moved near the treeline and my eyes narrowed.
Quinn.
He was always lurking. I could feel the energy radiating from him almost like a warning but not a threat yet close enough to make my pulse spike.
I pressed myself lower into the foliage. My hands gripped the bark of the tree, and my wolf screamed for confrontation and action but I forced myself to breathe.
And Sienna? She could be anywhere hidden, watching, and waiting. I felt a bead of sweat run down my temple, stinging as my heart thudded against my ribs. Knowing she was trained, knowing her past wasn’t just fear, it was responsibility and I couldn’t let her slip past me not when Quinn’s eyes were on me.
I exhaled slowly. Tonight was a turning point. I could feel it in the way the wind whispered through the leaves carrying secrets I wasn’t meant to hear yet. Sienna was part of a story I had to understand before acting. And Quinn reminded me that every move I made had consequences.
I straightened, gripping the knife at my belt ready to strike if necessary. The woods seemed to be hiding truths that would take all my focus to uncover. One misstep and Sienna’s training could turn lethal. One misstep and I could lose more than just a fight.
And I couldn’t let that happen. Not to her, not to the pack, and most importantly, not to myself.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
The reveal of Sienna’s hunter past is huge, and yes, it changes everything. The stakes just got higher, the woods are darker, and the lurking shadows are whispering secrets you can feel in your own chest. Hang on tight, because what comes next will test Luca, his instincts, and the pack in ways none of us saw coming. And trust me, this is just the beginning😊.