Page 6

Lina

Magnus released my arm as he swept the heavy oak door open to his study, gesturing for me to enter. The contrast was immediate. In the banquet hall, the open doors had let the breeze in, and the air had borne a chill. Here, within the confines of Magnus’s study, the air was hushed, warm from the fire licking at the hearth. “Please,” Magnus said, his voice a low rumble vibrating with authority. “Take a seat.”

The study itself was an assertion of power, a curated space of masculine dominance. Two Chesterfield sofas, worn and softened with age, stood before the crackling fire, offering a deceptive promise of comfort. At the opposite end, a massive mahogany desk, its surface gleaming under the soft light of a brass lamp, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled with leather-bound tomes dominated the room. The air hummed with unspoken authority. It was the type of room where decisions were made, deals forged, and secrets kept.

It reminded me of my father’s study, and a familiar wave of vulnerability threatened to overtake me. It recalled all the times my father had, with the same air of quiet command, decreed what was to be: my place and my destiny like his decree that I would enter into a mate bond with Magnus Blackthorn.

My once-intended mate.

Now, that very man sat across from me, his dark gaze assessing me. Short gray hair, streaked with a few strands of still-ebony black, framed his face, hinting at the power of youth Stephen still possessed. His jaw, as square and unyielding as his son’s, was set in a line that spoke of iron discipline. Thick, bushy eyebrows, still mostly black, gave his forehead a heaviness like a gathering storm cloud. He watched and waited, ready to dissect my words and intentions. As I sat on the sofa, its cold, unyielding design made me sit up straighter, reminding me that everything in here was a facade, including myself.

This was a test of wills, and I knew it. I steeled myself, reminding myself to use the truth that I could share to my advantage.

Just then, the door opened again, the soft click a sharp intrusion.

Stephen entered, his movements as precise and economical as always. He closed the door, shutting out the distant hum of the party, trapping us in the study’s confines. Magnus didn’t look at him. Stephen took up a position by the door, like a bodyguard, his stance rigid. My heart, which had steadied at my entrance, began a rapid beat against my ribs. My skin prickled. With Stephen’s hands clasped behind his back, the white of his shirt strained against the taut muscles of his chest beneath his tuxedo jacket. His square jaw and straight nose mirrored his father’s—a shared lineage of strength and control. He looked like the statue of some classical hero, standing there, guarding the door.

Magnus clearly trusted him, or he wouldn’t have asked him to be present. But I had leverage over Stephen. I had secrets that could destroy him. Secrets that could destroy my plan, too. But if there was one thing I knew about Stephen, it was that he didn’t want his father finding out about our past intimacy. I’d wager that was why he’d been so eager to get me out of here earlier. He’d been worried about me revealing the secret I had over him to Magnus. But he could relax. As long as he kept quiet about us, so would I.

I turned my attention back to Magnus, suddenly aware of his scrutiny. I knew it was wise to give him as much truth as I dared. His dark brown eyes, like polished mahogany reflecting the firelight, searched me, already trying to detect the lies I was about to tell.

“I still can’t believe you’re here, Lina,” Magnus began, his voice far less emotive than it had been in the hall, where his charm had been on full display. “After all these years. The day of the attack, my packmates searched for you, but there was no trace.”

His words hung heavy in the air. He had believed me dead. I forced myself to meet his gaze, maintaining an unyielding front.

This was my moment. To convince him I was back to reclaim what was mine—without being a threat.

I nodded, striving for a tone that was respectful but resolute. “That day, my mother threw me out the hall, screaming at me to run. She locked the doors to stop me from going back to help her.” I swallowed, blinking back the sudden sting of tears, allowing the memory of that horrifying moment to pool in my mind, a raw vulnerability I let him see. “I wanted to go back. She was bleeding, but Mira, one of my packmates, found me in the corridor and told me to run. I remember coming outside with her, and then, he took me.”

“Who?” Magnus asked, his voice low, his eyes narrowing.

“A male shifter,” I said, forcing a tremble into my voice. “A rogue wolf.”

“One of the Totem-marked wolves?” Magnus pressed, the question sharp.

I shook my head. “They were plain gray.” I knew I couldn’t pin this on the rogue wolves who had attacked the mate ceremony as they were likely Magnus’s men.

“Where did they take you?” Magnus asked.

“I don’t know. I was blindfolded and tied up. He and some other shifters bundled me into a van.”

“How long was the drive?” Stephen’s clipped voice, laced with a quiet intensity, sliced through the silence, making my nerves tingle. He had moved closer. His tall figure now loomed over me from the end of the sofa. His expression was controlled, masking whatever thoughts and emotions churned beneath. I sensed his anger, and I had to tread carefully to ensure that I didn’t betray any feeling toward him, anything that might alert Magnus to the secret about our shared past.

“A few hours, I suppose,” I said, my voice wobbling slightly. “I don’t know the exact time it took—I was bound and blindfolded,” I repeated.

“What did they want with you?” Magnus asked.

“To ransom me to my parents,” I said. “But when they heard they had been killed, their plan changed.” I took a steadying breath, knowing this was the moment to lean on the truth to give my fabrication some credit. “They tried to use me to access funds from my mom and dad’s accounts.”

Magnus’s attention sharpened. “How—did they take you to a bank?”

I shook my head. “No, they had a tech guy who used my knowledge of my father’s accounts to try to hack into them,” I said.

“How many years ago was this?” I definitely had Magnus’s attention now. Because Emily had tried to hack into my parents’ bank accounts a few months after their deaths. We’d abandoned the operation as we’d been detected by Blackthorn’s security team both times. Pulling funds out into our own accounts had proved too risky.

“Early on, a few months after my parents passed,” I answered.

“Did they try again?” Magnus asked, his attention razor-sharp.

I frowned, pausing. “Yes, about a year of being with them, the hacker came back, asking to check the bank account details again.”

Magnus looked reflective, his gaze snapping to Stephen for a moment before he centered it back on me.

I thought I caught a flicker of disbelief in his expression. “When did you escape?” Magnus asked.

“Four months ago,” I said.

“How did you get out?” Stephen asked.

“I faked an illness, and they brought a doctor in. I managed to shift. I surprised the guard and ran like hell.” I paused, allowing a flicker of defiance to ignite in my eyes. “It wasn’t easy, but—”

“Did you get a look at the building?” Magnus interrupted. “Do you know where it’s located?”

“It was an old power station on the river in Philadelphia.”

“An old power station?” Stephen echoed, his gaze narrowing, his jaw ticking slightly. “The conditions you were held in must have been basic.” He was definitely calling me out on my bullshit.

I wasn’t going to let him. It was time to let my own defiance come out. I couldn’t allow him to crack my facade. I let the defiance pool in my eyes, and I stared him down. “It wasn’t the Ritz, by any means. But I had a mattress and a bucket and a hot meal on a good day.”

I let it show in my voice—the rage and indignation. Yesterday, Matthew had planted a few signs of occupation in the old power station that my shadow company owned, corroborating my story—right down to the mattress and bucket I claimed to have used. And, although my shadow company’s network consisted primarily of human employees, I knew a handful of shifters who had been willing to help me leave their scent around the few Philly buildings Matthew had planted evidence in. It made me feel secure, and I let the anger I felt toward Stephen, daring to try to pick holes in my story, show. It was the kind of anger I’d have toward captors who had held me for years.

A muscle ticked in Stephen’s jaw. He turned his gaze to Magnus. I thought he was about to seek his father’s approval to continue his line of questioning, but he surprised me as he blurted out, “I’ll go to Philly tomorrow and see what I can find,” he said, the words clipped—a promise of action. I sensed the anger rolling off him in waves.

“You will await my orders.” Magnus ground out, his voice a low warning. His thick brows scowled as he shot a look at his son. Stephen seemed to get the message, snapping his jaw shut and returning to his position by the door, as still and silent as a statue.

A surge of satisfaction shot through me that Stephen hadn’t succeeded in rattling me.

After a weighty moment of dangerous quiet, where it took all of my willpower not to squirm, Magnus finally shot another question at me. “When did you escape?”

“Four months ago,” I said, realizing he’d already asked me this. He was testing the consistency of my story and whether it remained the same under pressure. Anxiety coiled in my gut.

“Is that so?” Magnus’s tone lifted slightly, something sinister lurking beneath.

I willed myself to hold his forceful stare, steadying my breath.

He continued, “What I don’t understand, Lina, is why your kidnappers didn’t reach out to me to ask for a ransom for your return?” He paused for a moment and added, “Or why it’s taken you months to come see me?”

I knew without looking somehow that Stephen was as rigid as when he’d first entered the room. An infuriating urge to look at him shot through me, but I forced my attention to remain where it belonged. “I wanted to at first. After all, the day the rogues kidnapped me, both you and your son defended me.” I allowed myself a glance at Stephen, my skin prickling with a mix of acknowledgment and trepidation.

Stephen’s bright green eyes flared, suddenly as hard and cold as ice.

I feigned a nod of gratitude at him. “I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you both. When I got out, I was so glad to hear you were all right…” I added, my gaze slipping back to Magnus, allowing myself to flush slightly as I broke eye contact.

“But then, both my kidnappers’ gossip and the rumors about the attack after I escaped gave me pause.” I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “I don’t doubt your integrity, Alpha–”

“Don’t you?” Magnus shot back, his voice suddenly sharp. His eyes bored into mine. “It sounds like you have your suspicions.”

My heart beat with alarm. I hadn’t expected him to go easy on me, but having the full force of Magnus’s displeasure was potent. This was the test. The question I had built my entire return around.

I didn’t back down, holding his dark brown stare. “Forgive my bluntness,” I apologized, “but I came here tonight because I had to ensure that Silvermoons saw me to protect myself.” I let a bit of my strength show in the way I lifted my chin up. “My parents died protecting me and our pack. My father raised me to ask tough questions and to assess threats. So, I came here tonight to ask you to tell me that you had no involvement in the attack.”

Magnus studied me, his expression unreadable. The firelight flickered across his face, casting shadows that deepened the lines of his disapproval. My own vulnerability was as genuine as it was a calculated tool. I didn’t have proof, but I had very real suspicions that he had planned that attack. But my survival depended on convincing him I didn’t know just how crooked he was. Now, he was trying to assess how much of his shadowy dealings were known to me. I had revealed my determination and my grief, and, most importantly, enough of the truth that my story had a firm foundation.

“Your father raised you to ask tough questions,” Magnus repeated. “Not your mother?” A flicker of something—suspicion?—danced in his eyes. For a horrible moment, I thought I’d said something that betrayed I knew she was alive. But I hadn’t. I tried to slow my breathing and ensure my heart rate was even. No doubt, he was trying to trip me up.

A thoughtful look fell over my face. I had to be careful. I needed to sound both grief-stricken and strong. “My mom wasn’t a strategic thinker like my father was. Don’t get me wrong, she was a wonderful luna, but since the attack, since I was taken,” I let the vulnerability thicken my voice. “I know that only strong leadership can ensure a pack’s safety. And it was my father who taught me to think analytically.”

Magnus weighed my words and then said, “Your father, Hector, was one of my closest friends. I swear that I had nothing to do with the attack that took your parents’ lives.” I didn’t break eye contact even though my skin crawled as everything in me told me he was lying to my face. After all, he’d said, “parents lives,” and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was holding my mother captive.

I did the last thing I wanted to do and feigned acceptance. “Thank you, Alpha,” I said.

He nodded, a small, almost imperceptible movement.

I held his stare, keeping my own emotions firmly in check. The final part of my plan had to be enacted so I could reposition myself from within our packs. “There’s one other matter I’d like to raise with you, Alpha. It was my parents’ wish for me to be luna and unite our two packs. Now that all is right between us, I would like to honor their wishes and renew our mate bond.”

I was the grieving daughter, asking Magnus to honor his friend’s wishes. He couldn’t possibly say no, could he?

“My dear, we need not discuss such matters so soon. After all, with you but recently escaped from the rogues, it is perhaps best to wait before you commit to such a big decision.”

I shook my head. “I don’t need to think about it,” I assured him. “My parents’ death and being kidnapped have proved to me that our packs need strong leadership now more than ever. I want to stand by your side and ensure our packs’ legacy.”

Magnus’s dark stare took on a greedy quality as he watched me. “The fact that you’re already prioritizing our pack’s needs over your own shows what a strong luna you’ll be. Nothing would give me greater happiness than renewing our mate bond,” he agreed.

I didn’t miss that he spoke about our packs as if they were one. Surely, with me back, it would be more diplomatic if he spoke of them as separate entities. But Magnus had conjoined the Silvermoon and Blackthorn Packs for five years, and I knew he didn’t want to relinquish what was already in his control.

I smiled, trying to convince him that I felt warmth at his decision rather than the ice-cold chill in my blood as he leaned forward to take my hand, bringing it to his lips as he had in the hall to plant a kiss across my knuckles. But the kiss against my skin reminded me of the cold horror I’d once felt before as I stood beside this man at the altar. It took everything in me not to shudder or to wipe the back of my hand against my dress.

From the covetous gleam in his eyes, I knew he was pleased by my request. After all, securing our mate bond would legitimize his claim over the Silvermoon Pack. Earlier in the banquet hall, I’d heard the whispers and gasps and caught the looks from the Silvermoons. I could tell from the way some of the packmates had looked that they were one rallying cry from fighting against Magnus’s rule.

“You say you want to be a strategic thinker like your father, my dear. That is a praiseworthy goal. You interned at your father’s company years ago, didn’t you?”

“I did,” I agreed, keeping my answers short and demure. I’d also studied Business at Harvard University, but I wasn’t going to oversell my skills to Magnus.

“Our pack’s strategic interests are best understood and developed from within Blackthorn Corporation. I’d like you to shadow Stephen at work starting tomorrow. He’ll catch you up on what partnerships and deals our pack is moving with currently, which should make you feel more at home and help you get the lay of the land.”

I could read between the lines: Magnus intended to test my abilities and loyalty by having Stephen lurking as I worked at Blackthorn. I was his student, but the important thing was that I was getting into Blackthorn exactly as I’d wanted. Whichever building Magnus placed me in, I was one step closer to finding out where he was holding my mother.

The fact that he was putting Stephen on my tail was a minor complication. The way he’d grilled me throughout this little interview showed that he was as cold and callous as his father. But at least I had enough leverage over Stephen. With the secret about our past intimacy, I reckoned that should push come to shove, I could easily force him to keep his mouth shut.

But the dark and calculating look simmering in Magnus’s eye reminded me that there was nothing this man wouldn’t do to get what he wanted. As I returned to the party with him, I knew I was walking a precarious line between truth and deception and that any misstep could cost me everything.