Chapter Eighteen

The air in Declan and Aiden's office felt thick with tension, the growl of their wolves echoing through the space. Declan paced the polished hardwood floors, his sandy hair falling into eyes narrowed with fury. Aiden, ever the more restrained of the twins, stood rigidly by the window, his powerful frame casting an imposing shadow.

"Ryder will have taken her somewhere remote," Ethan's measured voice cut through the charged silence. "Somewhere no one else could catch her scent." The experienced tracker's brow furrowed, the weight of his words settling over the room.

Aria shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her delicate features pinched with worry. Beside her, Lily's fingers drummed a nervous rhythm on the armrest, her amber eyes flickering between the brothers.

Declan's jaw tightened, the muscle there flexing as he struggled to contain the wolf within. "No man's land," he growled, the sound rumbling low in his chest. Aiden's answering snarl reverberated through the space, his icy blue gaze hardening with protective rage.

The thought of Ryder marking Lucia again, of forcing his claim upon her, ignited a primal fury in the Hawthorne alphas. Their wolves paced restlessly, hackles raised, ready to tear the rogue apart. Lucia, their chosen mate, their Luna - the mere idea of her suffering at Ryder's hands was enough to shred their control.

Declan paused, chest heaving, as he locked eyes with his twin. An unspoken understanding passed between them, a silent vow to bring Lucia home, no matter the cost. The air crackled with their combined power, a tangible force that spoke of the depths of their bond and the ferocity of their purpose.

"Then that's where we'll find her," Aiden declared, his tone brooking no argument. Declan nodded sharply, his expression hardening into one of grim determination. They would tear through heaven and earth to get her back.

Declan growled. “This would be easier if we’d already marked her.” A tangible tension hung in the air, thick as the shadows that crept along the walls of Declan and Aiden's office. Declan's gaze was fixed on the floor, his brow furrowed.

"We can't mark her until her heat passes," Aiden growled, his eyes narrowing. "She needs to make this choice without any influence."

Declan clenched his jaw, the words a bitter pill to swallow. If only they had already claimed Lucia as their own, she would be safe from Ryder's twisted desires. But Aiden was right - they couldn't take that decision from her, not when her wolf was so vulnerable.

Aria's eyes widened, her voice laced with shock. "Does this mean... Lucia is taking you both as her mates?"

Declan felt the weight of Aria's gaze, the unspoken question hanging between them. He exchanged a glance with Aiden, their bond unbreakable even in this delicate moment.

"Yes," Aiden responded, his tone resolute. "We are hers, and she is ours."

The admission stirred a flurry of emotions within Declan - pride, longing, and above all, a fierce need to protect. Lucia, his Luna, was in grave danger, and he would move heaven and earth to bring her home safely. To claim her as his own, to feel her heartbeat in sync with his own - the thought was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Declan's wolf howled, scratching at the confines of his control. He would not let Ryder touch her again, not while there was still breath in his body. With a deep, steadying breath, he met Aria's gaze, the unspoken understanding passing between them.

"We have to find her," Declan murmured, his voice laced with a primal intensity.

The air in the room crackled with the weight of their words, the tension palpable. Aria's gaze lingered on Declan and Aiden, her expression softening as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "If she's taking anyone as a chosen mate, then I'm glad it's you two."

A flicker of relief passed over Aiden's features, the rigid set of his shoulders easing ever so slightly. Declan, however, remained tense, his brow furrowed as his gaze drifted to the floor. Aria could sense the turmoil brewing beneath the surface, the conflicting desires that tormented him.

Reaching out, Aria placed a gentle hand on Declan's arm, her touch feather-light yet grounding. "I know this isn't easy, Declan. But Aiden is right - Lucia needs to make the choice without any undue influence." Her voice was laced with empathy, a soothing balm to soothe the storm raging within him.

Declan's jaw clenched, the muscle ticking as he struggled to contain his fury. "I can't help it, Ari. The thought of her being with him..." He trailed off, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.

Aria squeezed his arm, her gaze unwavering. "I understand. But we will get her away from him again. And know that we're all here to support her, no matter what." Aria growled under her breath. “This time I’m going to rip his throat out for daring to touch my sister.”

Aiden's hand came to rest on Declan's shoulder, the silent gesture of solidarity a testament to the bond between the two alphas. "We'll bring her home, I promise."

The weight of their pledge hung in the air, a beacon of hope in the face of the looming danger. Aria's heart swelled, knowing that these two men would fight tooth and nail to protect her sister, the woman they cherished.

The dim light of the office cast a sultry haze over the tense gathering. Declan's jaw tightened as Ethan outlined the plan, his mind already racing with the implications. Three teams to scour the remote wilderness, each led by one of them. But when Aria's voice rang out, soft yet resolute, his attention snapped to her.

"I'm coming with one of you." Her eyes shone with determination, a quiet plea beneath the surface.

Declan felt the weight of her request. He nodded slowly, his lips curving into a reassuring smile. "Of course, Ari." He knew trying to make her stay behind when someone was hurting her sister was futile.

As the others dispersed to prepare, Declan found himself alone with Lucia’s sister.

"You know I'll bring her back," he murmured, his voice laced with a quiet intensity. "I won't stop until Lucia is safe."

Aria's gaze held his, a flicker of worry and hope mingling in their depths. "I know, Declan. I just can’t sit around here waiting for everyone else to look for her.”

Declan felt the familiar pull of his wolf, the instinct to protect and provide surging through him. He would stop at nothing to find Lucia. The hunt had begun.

The inky blackness pressed in, an oppressive shroud that muffled the muted crunch of boots on brittle undergrowth. Declan's senses strained, hunting for any trace of Lucia's scent, even as the cloying aroma of damp earth and decaying leaves clogged his nostrils. Beside him, Aria's lithe form moved with feline grace, her sharp eyes scanning the shadowed terrain.

Declan's wolf prowled restlessly, the need to do anything to find his mate warring with the rational need to maintain control. Lucia's scent had vanished without a trace, swallowed by the unforgiving expanse of no-man's land.

A low growl rumbled in his chest, the sound reverberating through the oppressive silence. "Damn it. There's nothing." His fingers clenched into fists, nails biting into calloused palms. "Where the hell could she be?"

Aiden laid a soothing hand on his shoulder, his touch radiating a quiet strength. "We'll find her, Declan. Ryder can't hide from us forever."

His words did little to ease the gnawing ache in Declan’s chest, the fear that time was slipping through their fingers. Lucia's heat would be at its peak soon, leaving her vulnerable to Alpha's claim. The very thought of Ryder forcing his mark upon her, defiling her, sent a savage growl tearing from Declan's throat.

"I should have marked her when I had the chance." The regret was a bitter tang on his tongue. "If she were ours, Ryder could never touch her."

Aria's brow furrowed, her gaze filled with a mix of understanding and chastisement. "You know why you and Aiden couldn’t yet. Lucia deserves the choice, without the influence of her wolf being in heat."

Declan's jaw clenched, the muscle jumping as he fought to tame the wolf's primal urges. "I know. But it doesn't make it any easier."

The oppressive silence stretched, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves. Declan's wolf paced restlessly, desperate to catch even the faintest whiff of Lucia's scent. Time was running out, and the thought of Ryder claiming what was theirs filled him with a molten rage.