Chapter 116 Chapter 116

Chapter 116 Chapter 116
The afternoon sun blazed over the Blackwood estate, turning the massive glass dome of the mansion’s indoor conservatory and pool wing into a shimmering greenhouse. The scent of chlorine mixed with the sweet fragrance of tropical hibiscus plants lining the limestone deck. After the intense stress of the past few days, Kai and Koda had taken executive action. If their father was going to spend his time in the basement acting like a mad scientist, they were going to do what any normal werewolf teenagers would do when left with an empty mansion and a massive budget: throw a massive pool party.

Kai stood by the edge of the deep end, wearing nothing but his swim trunks, balancing a massive sound system on his shoulder as he plugged the auxiliary cords into the wall. "I'm telling you, Koda, this is the only way to kill the rumors. If the college and high school crowds see him acting like a normal guy at a party, the freaked-out whispers will stop."

Koda was sitting on a lounge chair, tossing a tennis ball into the air and catching it. "He's not a normal guy, Kai. He's an ancient entity who eats mashed potatoes with his bare hands."

"Details, details," Kai waved his hand dismissively. "We introduce him as our long-lost brother from the city sector. We give them a story, we give them some music, and boom—he’s just another hot Blackwood guy instead of a supernatural threat."

The temperature near the glass doors violently plummeted, the humid air turning into a crisp, icy breeze that made the pool water steam.

The One walked into the pool enclosure, completely ignoring the summer weather. He was still wearing his dark trousers and a crisp white shirt, the collar open as usual, his stark white hair casting a shadow over his pale face. He looked at the floaties, the flashing party lights, and the massive table of snacks with absolute, unadulterated disgust.

"What is the meaning of this circus?" The One demanded, his melodic voice carrying that low, resonant echo that made the water in the pool ripple. "Why are you gathering the local children in my space?"

Koda stood up from his lounge chair, stepping in front of the entity with that casual, unbothered attitude he had developed since the gym incident. "You should be glad, actually. We're having a welcome party for you. We’re introducing you to the school club as our brother, so at least people will stop asking who you are in school and staring at you like you're an alien."

The One slowly tilted his head, his bottomless black eyes narrowing. "I am not interested in the validation of insects. Let them stare. If they annoy me, I will simply slide their souls into the ether."

"Yeah, well, the principal frowns on soul-sliding," Kai chimed in, stepping over with a grin. "And besides... I talked to Samantha. She’s setting up a custom blended station right by the pool bar. There's going to be a massive machine. Endless strawberries. Three types of whipped cream. There will be milkshakes."

The effect was instantaneous.

The dark, volatile energy around the entity stalled. The One’s eyes literally lit up, a brilliant, intense spark of pure, almost childlike curiosity flaring within his black pupils. He looked toward the empty pool bar, his jaw tightening slightly as he processed the information.

"Endless?" The One murmured, the word rolling off his tongue like a sacred vow.

"As long as the electricity holds out," Kai promised, suppressing a laugh. "But you have to wear regular clothes. No blazers. You have to act like a brother."

The One let out a heavy, dramatic sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. "You are an incredibly manipulative wolf, Kai. Fine. I will tolerate the insects. But if the sugar runs out... the treaty is void."

Upstairs in her bedroom, Harper was pacing the floorboards, her phone pressed tightly to her ear. The bass from Kai's sound system downstairs was already starting to vibrate through the floor, making her temples throb.

"Are you guys seriously telling me you're already in the driveway?" Harper asked into the receiver.

"Duh! We've been waiting for this invite all summer!" Catherine’s voice exploded through the speaker, accompanied by the sound of a car horn honking. "Harper, I literally cannot believe my bestie is the stepsister of those three hotties. Like, I knew about Kai and Koda, but this new white-haired brother? He is a literal god. The cheer group chat has been blowing up since third period yesterday. It is officially time for me to shoot my shot."

Harper winced, looking out her window to see Sarah's compact car pulling up to the grand gates. "Cath, please listen to me. Do not shoot any shots at him. He is... he doesn't do shots. He is dangerous. He's unstable."

"Oh, please, every guy you find intimidating is just emotionally unavailable," Catherine laughed dramatically. "Just make sure there's enough room by the deep end for my new bikini. We're coming up!"

Harper hung up the phone, letting out a long, ragged breath. She looked at herself in the mirror, wearing a simple oversized t-shirt over her swimsuit. She felt a profound wave of anxiety. Her friends were walking into a lion's den, completely oblivious to the fact that the "hot new brother" was an ancient monster currently being bribed with dairy products.

She walked downstairs, the music growing louder and more oppressive with every step. When she entered the pool enclosure, the party was already in full swing. Half the junior class from Lycaon College and the high school varsity team had arrived. People were splashing in the water, drinking sodas, and eating chips.

And right in the center of the pool bar, sitting on a high chrome stool, was The One.

Kai had somehow convinced him to wear a loose, short-sleeved black button-up shirt, but he still looked completely otherworldly. He had a giant, frosted glass of bright pink strawberry milkshake in his pale hand, a thick striped straw between his lips. He was drinking it with a terrifying intensity, his dark eyes tracking the moving humans with a look of pure, predatory calculation while he consumed the sugar.

"Oh my god," Catherine whispered, suddenly appearing at Harper’s elbow, her eyes locked onto the pool bar. She adjusted the straps of her bright red bikini, her face flushing with excitement. "He is even more beautiful up close. Watch and learn, boys. I'm going in."

"Catherine, wait—" Harper reached out, but her friend was already moving, gliding across the limestone tile with absolute confidence.

Catherine stepped up to the pool bar, leaning casually against the marble counter just two feet away from the white-haired entity. She gave him her most practiced, dazzling smile, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Hey there," Catherine purred, looking at his frosted glass. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Catherine, Harper’s best friend. You must be the mysterious new brother everyone's talking about."

The One didn't stop drinking. He kept the straw in his mouth, his bottomless black eyes slowly cutting sideways to look at her. The sheer, freezing temperature radiating off his skin made the smile on Catherine’s face falter for a fraction of a second. He looked at her small human frame, then looked at the red fabric of her swimsuit, his expression entirely devoid of any human interest.

He pulled away from the straw with a soft click. "You smell like artificial fruit and desperation, human," he said smoothly, his melodic voice carrying that low, ancient vibration that made the ice cubes in her soda cup rattle.

Catherine blinked, her jaw dropping slightly. "Excuse me?"

"If you are attempting to display your plumage for mating purposes, you are wasting your breath," The One continued coldly, taking another massive sip of his milkshake. "Your genetic line is remarkably fragile. My queen would be deeply displeased if I turned her friend into a block of ice before the sun goes down. Move along."

Koda, who was standing nearby flipping burgers on a portable grill, let out a massive, booming laugh, nearly dropping his spatula into the coals. "Oh my god, Scott! Did you hear that? He just completely shut her down!"

Scott, who was sitting by the edge of the pool with his feet in the water, glared up at the entity, his fists clenching. He was still bitter about the gym incident, but the sheer, primal fear keeping him anchored to his seat prevented him from saying anything out loud.

Catherine’s face turned bright red. She looked back at Harper, her eyes wide with a mix of absolute mortification and deep, intense fascination. "Okay... so he's a little rude. But the voice? Harper, why didn't you tell me he sounds like a dark romance audiobook?!"

Harper ran a hand over her face, walking over to grab Catherine’s arm and pulling her away from the bar before the entity decided to demonstrate his "soul-sliding" technique. "I told you to stay away from him! He doesn't have filters, Cath. Just go swim with Sarah."

As the afternoon turned to twilight, the party lights reflected beautifully against the rippling blue water of the pool. The bass was thumping, and the teenagers were relaxed, the initial fear of the new transfer student slowly melting away into the background of a regular summer night. Kai and Koda had succeeded—the rumor mill was currently spinning a story about a wealthy, eccentric European cousin who was just a little intense.

Harper stood by the glass doors, watching the reflection of the neon lights on the water. She felt a sudden, sharp drop in the temperature behind her, the air turning into an absolute freeze.

"You are ignoring me, darling," a low, possessive rasp whispered right against her earlobe.

Harper flinched slightly, but she didn't step away as The One materialized right behind her, his tall, lean frame completely blocking her from the rest of the room. He had finished his fourth milkshake, the empty glass resting on the counter behind him. He reached out, his freezing fingers gently wrapping around her waist, pulling her back against his chest with an unyielding, dominant grip.

"I'm trying to make sure you don't freeze my friends," Harper murmured, her breath turning to mist as she looked at his reflection in the glass.

"Your friends are tedious," The One muttered, his dark eyes locking onto hers through the glass mirror. He leaned down, his sharp jawline brushing against her shoulder, his white hair glowing under the neon lights. "They look at you as if you belong to their little human circle. They do not understand that the seal is broken. They do not see the threads of my dark wrapped around your throat."

Down by the pool, Alpha Marcus suddenly appeared at the balcony walkway, his golden eyes flashing with a dangerous, volatile glare as he watched the entity touching his daughter. He looked down at his watch, the countdown to the full moon ticking away in his mind.

The One raised his head, looking across the crowded pool enclosure straight at the old Alpha. The wicked, superior smirk returned to his face, his grip on Harper's waist tightening like a band of iron as he delivered his silent message to the pack leader: Enjoy your little castle while it stands, old man. Because she is already mine.