Chapter 3 A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
The morning sun crept into the Alpha’s suite, casting long, golden streaks across the stone floor. Aria hadn't slept at all. She had spent the night by the window, watching the moon fade and the Obsidian guards pace their rounds. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the ghost of Cassian’s kiss. It was a frustrating reminder that while her mind was on a mission, her body was starting to betray her.
She stood up, her muscles stiff from the morning chill. As she pulled her shirt over her head, his scent cedar and rain clung to the fabric. It was everywhere. Her wolf stirred deep inside, let out a low purr that she quickly fought to suppress.
She strapped her silver dagger to her thigh. The cold bite of the metal against her skin helped her focus. She checked the transmitter hidden in her boot, but it was silent. The Syndicate was waiting for her move, and time was running out.
A soft knock at the door made her jump.
"Come in," she said, forcing her voice to stay steady.
A young woman stepped inside with a bright smile. “Good morning, Luna. The Alpha asked me to help you with your bath and show you the gardens after you eat.”
Aria winced at the title. “I’m not the Luna. My name is Aria.”
The girl tilted her head. “The Alpha has never brought a woman to this floor, let alone his own rooms. In this pack, that makes you the Luna. I’m Maya.”
Maya moved with a bubbly energy that felt strange in such a heavy, serious place. As she readied the water, she chatted about the upcoming Blood Moon festival and how much the pack loved Cassian.
“He seems… intense,” Aria said, trying to dig for information without looking suspicious.
“He has to be,” Maya replied, her face turning serious. “He took over when the pack was falling apart after the Great Rogue War. He’s spent every day since then making us safe. People think he’s cold, but he’s just carrying the weight of thousands of lives on his shoulders.”
Aria felt a pang of guilt. The Syndicate had told her Cassian was a monster who loved killing. But everything she saw pointed to a man exhausted by duty. She shook the thought away. It doesn’t matter if he’s a good man, she told herself. Leo’s life is the only one that matters.
After bathing and dressing, Aria followed Maya through the winding stone halls. She memorized every turn, every staircase, and every guard station they passed. Finally, they stepped out into the gardens.
It was beautiful. Despite the freezing northern air, the garden was lush. Huge glass domes protected bright, exotic flowers, and a natural hot spring bubbled in the center, sending steam curling into the sky.
"The Alpha comes here a lot," Maya whispered. "It's the only place he can hear himself think."
Maya eventually left, promising to return in an hour. Left alone, Aria went to work. She paced the edges of the glass domes, looking for any gap in the security fence. She was so focused on finding a way out that she didn't hear him coming.
"The eastern wall is twenty feet high and electrified," a deep, gravelly voice said.
Aria spun around, her hand flying toward the dagger on her hip. She stopped when she saw Cassian. He was leaning against a stone pillar, a dark coat draped over his shoulders. He looked relaxed, but his eyes were sharp, tracking her every move.
"I wasn't trying to run," Aria lied, dropping her hand and trying to look innocent. "I was just looking at the flowers."
Cassian walked toward her, his boots crunching in the light snow. He stopped just inches away, radiating a warmth that defied the cold.
"You don't walk like a lost refugee, Aria," he murmured. He reached out and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. His touch was light, but it sent a spark through her. "You walk like someone who’s been trained to fight."
Aria’s heart hammered against her ribs. He was too smart. "I had to learn to survive. The rogues were cruel."
Cassian leaned in closer and took a deep breath. "The fear is gone. Now you smell like resolve. And something else." He placed a hand on the small of her back, pulling her slightly closer. "You smell like my mate. Do you know what that does to a wolf? To have the person who completes him so close, yet feel like she's a world away?"
Then, he mentioned the Syndicate. Aria's blood turned to ice. Does he know?
"I know they've been causing trouble at the borders," Cassian continued, his eyes darkening. "I know they kidnap shifters for their sick games. If they are why you're scared, tell me. I’ll burn them to the ground for touching you."
He was offering her a way out. He was offering to be her protector against the very people holding her brother. For a second, the truth was on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to tell him about Leo, about the threats, and about the knife hidden under her skirt.
But then, she remembered the last photo she’d seen of Leo bruised, thin, and locked in a cage.
"It's not that simple," she whispered, her eyes stinging.
Cassian’s expression softened. He didn’t push her. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "It can be. You're under my protection now. No one touches what belongs to me."
He took her hand, his large palm wrapping around hers, and led her toward the steaming water. "Come. The warmth will help your nerves."
They sat by the edge of the spring, the water swirling around them. As Aria looked at the man who was starting to trust her, she felt the cold weight of the dagger against her leg. She was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and the time to choose was coming. It was either the brother she had raised, or the mate she was just beginning to know.
As Cassian pulled her into a deep, soul-shattering kiss, Aria realized that no matter what she chose, she was going to lose everything.