Page 19

NINETEEN

SOL

A fter what seemed like hours, Sol’s convertible finally roared up the castle’s long driveway. He barely remembered to put the car in park before leaping out and striding toward the front entrance, his shoulders squared with determination that belied the chaos churning inside him.

Joshua waited in the royal study, but one look at his face and Sol knew the news wasn’t good. The normally confident beta looked uncharacteristically defeated, papers scattered across the antique oak desk.

“Tell me you found something,” Sol growled.

Joshua shook his head. “Nothing solid. It’s like the bastard vanished. I’ve called every contact we have, checked all known properties?—“

Sol slammed his fist on the desk, sending a decorative letter opener clattering to the floor. “He’s a fucking millionaire! People with money leave trails!”

“Not this one. At least not obvious ones.” Joshua rubbed his temples. “The homes we know about are empty. His business headquarters showed no unusual activity. His known associates claim they haven’t seen him in weeks.”

Sol paced the length of the study, the wolf inside him demanding to get out. “He can’t just disappear with my Luna.”

Something shifted inside him then—a warm pulse through the mate bond that made him stop mid-stride. Fear, yes, but underneath it... something else. A sense of determination and... what was that? A warmth directed toward him? His heart skipped a beat.

“She’s alive,” Sol said, his eyes widening. “And she’s fighting.”

“You can feel her differently now?” Joshua straightened.

Sol touched his chest where the sensation centered. “It’s stronger than before. It’s like...” He searched for the right words. “Like she’s acknowledging the bond.”

Pride swelled in his chest. His Luna was proving every bit as fierce and intelligent as he’d known she would be. The connection felt sharper—a beacon he could follow with her pointing the way.

“I can track her faster because she’s helping me now,” Sol declared, striding toward the door. “We’re hunting tonight.”

Joshua nodded, falling in step behind him. They had barely reached the castle’s rear entrance, ready to strip and shift, when the sound of running footsteps made them turn. A young pack member—Eli, barely sixteen—sprinted toward them, his eyes wide with urgency.

“My Prince!” the boy called out, skidding to a halt before them. His chest heaved with exertion, sweat beading on his forehead.

“What is it?” Sol demanded, the alpha authority rumbling in his voice.

The boy straightened immediately, responding to the command. “My Prince, I... I think I know something...”

“What do you know?” Sol demanded, stepping closer to the young pack member. “Tell me everything.”

Eli straightened his shoulders, still breathing hard. “I was patrolling the eastern boundary like you ordered last week. I climbed the ridge to get a better view and?—“

“Skip to the important part,” Sol growled.

The boy swallowed. “A pack of wolves, at least thirteen, maybe more. They’re moving through the forest toward our territory from the east. And one of them—a big gray—had something on his back. Two females. One with red hair.”

Sol’s heart thundered in his chest. Helena. His Luna.

“How far?”

“Three miles, maybe four. They’re moving fast, but carefully. Trying to stay hidden.”

Joshua stepped forward. “Victor’s making his move. Bringing the fight to us.”

“Good. Let him come to me,” Sol said, a savage grin spreading across his face.

A thrill of anticipation rushed through Sol’s blood. His wolf clawed and growled beneath his skin desperate to get out for the chance to tear into Victor’s throat. But the alpha leader in him knew better. This wasn’t just about his revenge—his entire pack was at stake. And Helena.

“Joshua, issue the silent alarm. I want every able-bodied shifter ready for battle in five minutes. Position half our forces in the forest—hidden—and half defending the castle grounds.”

Joshua nodded sharply and sprinted away.

Sol turned to Eli. “You did well. Now get Mitesh and the elders into the safe room with the children.”

The boy’s face fell. “But I can fight?—“

“You’ve already proven your worth today. Now do as I command.”

As the boy ran off, Sol closed his eyes, focusing on the mate bond. The connection felt like a taut string between them, vibrating with Helena’s emotions—fear mingled with determination. He sent his own feelings through the bond—strength, courage, and a promise.

I’ll protect you always, Luna.

The castle and the adjacent territory erupted with activity after Joshua issued the silent alarm. Pack members poured from doorways and across the castle grounds, some already stripping down to shift. Sol strode toward the main courtyard where his fighters were assembling.

“Victor thinks he can take what’s mine,” Sol announced, his voice carrying across the yard. Every head turned toward him, eyes bright with loyalty and fierce determination. “He’s coming to our home with an army at his back and my Luna as his prize.”

A low, collective growl rose from the gathering.

“But he’s forgotten something important,” Sol continued, rolling his shoulders as power radiated from him in waves. “This is Sunflare territory. We are the flames that consume all who threaten what’s ours.”

The courtyard filled with shouts of agreement and wolf howls piercing the evening air.

Mitesh hurried unexpectedly to Sol’s side, clutching an ancient leather-bound book. “My Prince, if Victor has the Luna, we must?—“

“He won’t have her for long,” Sol cut him off. “Position our best archers in the eastern towers. I want a clear shot if Victor tries to use Helena as a shield.”

The old advisor nodded. “And what of you?”

Sol’s eyes flashed golden as his wolf pushed forward. “I’ll lead the ground force personally. Victor’s mine.”

“Be careful,” Mitesh warned. “If he’s managed to tap into any of the Luna’s power?—“

“He hasn’t,” Sol insisted, feeling the bond pulse inside him. “She’s fighting him. I can feel it.”

As his pack organized around him, Sol stepped away for a moment, staring toward the eastern forest where Helena would soon appear. The mate bond thrummed strong, a connection that couldn’t be severed by distance or circumstance.

“Hold on just a little longer, beautiful,” he whispered into the evening air.

Sol’s muscles tightened as Victor finally approached with his makeshift army. He counted twelve shifters—all now in human form and dressed in hastily donned clothes—fanned out in a semi-circle behind their leader. In the distance, he saw a familiar-looking female was being guarded. If he was correct, she was a coworker of his Luna. Victor’s way of controlling Helena.

In their center stood Helena, her magnificent red hair blazing like a beacon in the moonlight. Her hands weren’t bound, which struck Sol as overconfident on Victor’s part.

The sight of her ignited something primal in Sol’s chest. His wolf snarled beneath his skin, begging for release to tear into the man who dared touch what was his. His muscles coiled with the effort of restraining his shift as Victor sauntered forward, a smug grin twisting his face.

“Evening, Your Highness,” Victor called out, his voice dripping with false cordiality. “Beautiful castle you’ve maintained. I’m looking forward to redecorating.”

“You have exactly ten seconds to let my Luna go before I tear your throat out,” Sol growled.

Victor laughed, placing a possessive hand on Helena’s shoulder that made Sol’s vision flash red. “Always the diplomat. I have a proposition that might interest you more than suicide.”

Sol’s eyes locked with Helena’s. Despite her situation, she didn’t look frightened—instead, her hazel eyes blazed with a determination that made his heart swell with pride. Their mate bond hummed between them, stronger than ever.

“I’m offering a simple trade,” Victor continued. “The Luna and her friend for your abdication. Step down as alpha, acknowledge me as the rightful leader of Sunflare, and they walk free.” A smile twisted his lips. “Refuse, and we burn every pack member in sight.”

Sol felt his pack bristle around him, barely containing their rage. His wolf demanded blood.

Then he felt it—a warm pulsing sensation through the mate bond. Helena gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head, her eyes communicating volumes. Through their connection, he sensed an unexpected emotion: confidence. Not fear, not desperation, but absolute certainty.

Trust me. I have a plan.

The message wasn’t words exactly, but intentions and emotions flowing through their strengthened bond. She knew something he didn’t.

Sol straightened to his full height, power radiating from him in waves that made even Victor’s wolves shift unconsciously backward.

“You bring twelve pups to my doorstep and expect me to hand over centuries of leadership?” Sol laughed, playing for time while scanning Helena’s posture for clues. Her hands were relaxed at her sides and her stance solid. “You always were delusional, Victor.”

Victor’s face darkened. “I brought more than wolves. I brought your precious Luna, who’s going to fuel my ascension.”

“Really?” Sol raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth lifting in a dangerous smile. “Because from where I’m standing, you brought me a gift.”

The confidence in Helena’s eyes confirmed what Sol suddenly understood with crystal clarity. Victor hadn’t tamed her fire—he had delivered a weapon right into the heart of his operation. A weapon bonded to Sol’s soul, who now silently promised him she knew exactly what she was doing.

“Last chance,” Victor snarled. “Abdicate or watch your pack die.”

Sol crossed his arms, his eyes never leaving Helena’s. “I think we both know that’s not going to happen.”

Victor leaned into Helena and put his hand on her lower back, whispering something into her ear. Sol’s enhanced hearing caught fragments—“burn him”...”show your power or your friend dies”—but not the entire command. His muscles tensed, every instinct demanding he tear Victor apart for daring to touch Helena. Yet Helena’s gaze never wavered, her eyes locked with his in a silent plea: Trust me. Follow my lead.

Through their strengthening bond, Sol felt her resolve—steady and unwavering. His wolf paced inside him, bristling at being asked to stand still when its mate was in harm’s way. But Sol forced himself to wait. In the two centuries of his life, waiting had never been his strength. But for Helena, he would.

“I have to get nearer to him,” she said loudly to Victor. “Have him within my grasp to make sure he burns completely. Then you’ll let Tyanna go.”

Victor chuckled, glaring at Sol. “Absolutely, Luna.”

Helena stepped forward, each movement deliberate as she crossed the invisible line separating Victor’s makeshift army from Sol’s pack. Behind him, Sol sensed Joshua and the others tensing, ready to attack at his signal. He raised a hand slightly— hold .

Every step she took toward him made Sol’s heart pound harder. Her red hair caught the moonlight, creating a halo of fire around her face. In that moment, despite the danger surrounding them, he found himself struck by how perfectly she embodied everything a Luna should be—fierce, determined, and courageous.

When Helena reached him, she leaned in close, her lips nearly brushing his ear. The scent of her—vanilla and cinnamon with a hint of smoke—wrapped around him like a warm blanket.

“Victor wants me to burn you to ash in exchange for Tyanna living,” she whispered hurriedly, her breath warm against his skin. “He doesn’t know your connection to my fire—that my flames can’t hurt you. When I hug you, act like you’re fighting it, at first, then take control and throw a ring of fire around Tyanna to protect her.”

Sol gave an almost imperceptible nod, pride surging through him at her cleverness. “My brilliant Luna,” he murmured back.

She stepped back just enough to meet his eyes again, a hint of mischief dancing behind the determination in them. “Ready to play with fire, Alpha?”

The corner of Sol’s mouth twitched ever so slightly. “With you? Always.”

Helena wrapped her arms around him then, pressing her body against his. The feel of her curves against him made his blood heat instantly despite the danger surrounding them. Sol enfolded her in his embrace, savoring the contact while watching Victor over her shoulder. The exiled wolf’s face twisted with triumph, thinking his plan was working.

Fool , Sol thought. You never understood our pack’s true connection to fire.

He felt the change in Helena’s body as she summoned her power—a subtle warming of her skin and her heartbeat accelerating against his chest. Then came the flames, erupting from her fingertips and racing across his back, engulfing them both in a spectacular inferno that cast dancing shadows across the clearing.

Sol let her fire wash over him, feeling its caress like the touch of a lover rather than the deadly force Victor expected. Through their embrace, he could feel Helena’s momentary fear—this was new territory for her—but he sent reassurance through their bond as he began to exert his control.

The flames responded to his will, dancing and swirling around them both without burning either of them. Sol directed the fire to spiral dramatically around their bodies while maintaining the illusion that he was struggling.

With a subtle shift of his muscles, Sol guided the fire upward, creating a massive column of flame that illuminated the night sky. He threw a ring of fire around Tyanna, making the wolf guard yelp and jump away. The power flowing between him and Helena was intoxicating, their bond strengthening with every heartbeat as they shared control of the elemental force.

Victor’s shocked gasp was audible even through the roar of the flames. “Impossible!” he shouted.

Suddenly, a strangled howl tore through the night as Victor shifted, his human form giving way to his gray wolf. Sol watched as raw fury burned in the exiled wolf’s eyes, driving him forward in a headlong charge directly at them.

Perfect , Sol thought, reveling in the predictability of Victor’s reaction. The wolf had always been ruled by his emotions—a weakness that Sol had anticipated from the start.

Sol relinquished his hold on the flames with a confident smile, feeling the swirling inferno respond to Helena’s command as if it had always belonged to her. Pride surged through him as he watched his mate control the elemental force with newfound precision. She was magnificent—her red hair whipping around her face, and her eyes ablaze with purpose as the fire danced at her fingertips.

“You’re mine now, Victor,” Sol growled, his voice deepening as the shift began.

His body contorted, his bones cracking and reshaping as he surrendered to his wolf’s demand for release. The transformation took mere seconds—his human form giving way to the massive black wolf that was his true nature. Sol’s wolf stood taller than any normal wolf, muscles rippling beneath midnight fur, his green eyes now glowing with golden fury.

Victor’s charge faltered momentarily at the sight of Sol’s imposing wolf form, but rage drove him forward again. Sol met his attacker head-on, their bodies colliding in a tangle of snapping jaws and raking claws. The sound of snarling wolves filled the night air as Victor’s pack rushed to join the fray, only to be met by Sol’s warriors surging forward to protect their alpha and Luna.

Through the chaos of battle, Sol remained focused on Victor, his powerful jaws snapping dangerously close to the gray wolf’s throat. Victor was quick, but Sol was stronger, his movements enhanced by the power flowing through his bond with Helena. He could feel her—fear, determination, and something else... a fierce protectiveness that matched his own.

A ball of fire streaked through the air, striking one of Victor’s wolves as it lunged for Sol’s flank. The wolf yelped and retreated, fur singed. Sol’s wolf lips pulled back in what could only be described as a savage grin.

Helena stood her ground at the center of the battlefield, directing plumes of flame with surgical precision—never harming Sol’s pack members but creating barriers of fire to separate and disorient Victor’s forces. Each time she unleashed her power, Sol felt a corresponding surge of strength, the mate bond channeling her energy into his muscles, his reflexes, his very being.

My Luna is a warrior , he thought with fierce admiration, dodging Victor’s attempt to tear into his shoulder.

Victor fought desperately, but Sol could sense his growing panic. The exiled wolf had gambled everything on Helena’s fire destroying Sol—not empowering him. Around them, Victor’s makeshift army was being systematically dismantled by the combined might of Sol’s pack and Helena’s flames.

With a powerful lunge, Sol finally gained the upper hand, his massive weight slamming Victor to the ground. The gray wolf thrashed beneath him, but Sol’s paws pressed down with unrelenting force, pinning his enemy to the earth. Their eyes locked—Sol’s burning with centuries of righteous fury, and Victor’s wide with the sudden realization of his failure.

You threatened what’s mine , Sol’s wolf snarled internally, his jaws opening wide.

In one swift, decisive movement, Sol closed his teeth around Victor’s throat. A quick, powerful clench of his jaws ended the exile’s life and with it, the threat to his pack and mate. Sol released his enemy and raised his blood-flecked muzzle to the night sky, letting loose a triumphant howl that echoed through the forest.

As Victor’s leaderless wolves scattered, Sol turned to find Helena standing amid the chaos, her fire now extinguished. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she watched him pad toward her, his black fur gleaming in the moonlight. The bond between them pulsed stronger than ever, carrying his pride, his relief, and his boundless love for her.