I woke with a heaviness in my chest, like the night had laid stones on my ribs. My body ached as if I’d fought a war in my sleep. Neck stiff, muscles sore, a dull throb behind my eyes.

Dragging myself from the tangled sheets, I padded down the stairs. The penthouse was silent, save for the distant hum of the city and my own uneven breathing. Something felt off, a strange twist in my gut like I’d woken on the wrong side of the bed.

I put coffee on, searching through cabinets for paracetamol. Then I heard footsteps. Light, quick, heading toward the kitchen.

“Asher?”

She appeared in the doorway, steam rising from her damp hair, wrapped in nothing but a towel. The moment my gaze met hers, the towel slipped.

She froze, eyes wide. My breath caught.

I shouldn’t have stared, but gods, she was beautiful , flawless lines and soft curves, a kind of beauty that hurt. I felt this guilt and desire in me.

Without a word, I closed the distance and scooped her into my arms. Her startled gasp brushed against my throat as I carried her upstairs. For a moment, the pain faded.

In my room, I set her gently on the bed. She smirked faintly, though her eyes searched mine like she saw something I didn’t want to admit and then we had sex.

“Tonight’s the full moon,” she said softly.

Before I could answer, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. The name on the screen made my stomach twist ,Tobias Wolfe.

My brother.

His name always tasted bitter, even in thought. The hatred he had for me was bone deep, carved in blood. He had every reason. I’d slaughtered his pack, and worse killed the woman he loved, Isabell.

I told myself it wasn’t my fault. The curse had hollowed me out, left me nothing but rage. I’d shut off my humanity to survive. But Tobias didn’t care about the reasons. He only cared about revenge.

I stepped out onto the balcony, the cold wind biting my skin as I answered. “Brother,” I said flatly.

“Well, well. Lucian. It’s been years.” His voice slithered through the speaker, sharp and mocking.

“Yes, it’s been a while,” I replied, letting surprise tint my tone.

“You sound shocked. I thought the Reaper Wolf doesn't get surprised. What happened to you? Did the big bad wolf grow soft?”

I chuckled darkly. “Maybe. Or maybe I just stopped being the big bad wolf. What do you want, Tobias?”

“We meet in Lycanthra,” he said simply.

The words hit like a blade. Lycanthra, the world I’d abandoned.

“Why? There’s nothing for me there,” I said, voice low.

“There is. Father’s dying. The High Council needs an alpha to take his place. One of us will claim it. No votes. No tradition. Just blood. A duel to the death, the winner takes Father's throne.”

And just like that, he hung up.

I stood frozen, the city lights blurring below me. My wolf stirred, growling deep inside, a sound I hadn’t felt in years. Tobias wanted blood, he wanted me dead. And on the full moon, no less. The theatrics suited him.

But beneath his arrogance, I felt it,the depth of his hatred. This wasn’t just about power. He wanted me to suffer.

Behind me, Asher’s voice broke through my thoughts. “What happened?”

I turned. Her damp hair clung to her collarbone, eyes sharp with concern. She always noticed too much.

“Tobias wants a fight,” I said. “Tonight. For Father’s seat on the council.”

Her brows furrowed. “And where’s this fight supposed to happen?”

“In Lycanthra.”

The name alone made her shiver. “Why Lycanthra? Why tonight?”

We spoke the same words at once, and despite the tension, we both laughed a short, brittle laugh.

But the truth hung heavy. Something was wrong.

There’s only one way back to our world, a portal. Finding one wasn’t the problem. Finding one in time was. The portal would close with the full moon.

And then there was the other problem. I’d killed so many witches. Witches controlled the portals, and they hated me. The Reaper Wolf had earned his name by slaughtering their kind. None would help me willingly.

“I’ll take care of it,” Asher said firmly.

Relief loosened my chest. “Thank the gods I have you. Hurry, we're running out of time.”

Three hours before our flight, I showered and headed to the office. Reviewed a few documents, left Becky the rest.

“Sir, if you don’t mind me asking—where are you headed?” she asked nervously.

“Don’t worry about it. Just take care of the company. Dan will help you.” I didn’t wait for her reply. There was no time for explanations.

I booked the flight and waited for Asher’s call. Time bled away like water through my fingers. The portal stayed open twenty hours. It was 8 a.m. only twelve hours left.

The airline announced, flight to London departs in one hour thirty minutes.

As I grabbed a taxi home, my phone rang unknown number. I ignored it. It rang again.

“Asher?”

Her ragged breathing hit my ear like a knife. “Lucian. I need your help.”

My stomach dropped. “What happened? You sound like you’re dying.”

“I… tried to get the portal coordinates. The witch trapped me. Blood witch, I think.”

I cursed under my breath. “I’m coming. Hold on.”

Two options burned through my mind. Leave her like the old me would have or save her.

The old Lucian was dead or maybe he wasn’t. Either way, I couldn’t abandon her.

The driver raced to the address she sent. When I arrived, I stayed outside, scanning the building. Could be a trap. Maybe they’d learned the Reaper Wolf was still alive. If so, I’d be walking into a slaughter.

Or maybe it wasn’t about me at all. Blood witches worked in councils. If they had her, there’d be many of them. Time wasn’t on my side.

I checked my watch. One hour left before takeoff. No more hesitation.

I kicked the door in. Chaos erupted. Dozens of witches turned, chanting. Magic seared the air, thick and choking. The old me would have ripped them apart. But I wasn’t the Reaper anymore.

Still, I fought swiftly, brutally and controlled. Not killing them slowed me, but guilt was the weight I carried now.

I reached Asher, cut her bindings, and pulled her out. We didn’t speak until we were in my lounge, throwing essentials into bags. No weapons. Just instincts.

We reached the airport with seconds to spare. Boarded the plane as the sky darkened.

We took off under blue skies. But over the Atlantic, the storm found us.

Lightning clawed the clouds. Thunder shook the cabin. Passengers screamed as turbulence rocked the plane like a leaf in a hurricane. Overhead bins burst open, belongings spilling like rain.

The howl of the wind outside was almost like a thousand wolves crying out. My wolf stirred uneasily.

The captain’s voice crackled through the intercom, strained but steady. “Stay calm. We’ll be through this soon.”

Asher gripped the seat ahead, my hands clenched the armrests hard enough to splinter.

“Still think this was a good idea?” she snarled through gritted teeth.

“I never said it was good,” I muttered. “I said it was necessary.”

Hours later, we landed in London by some miracle. But the storm cost us precious time. Six p.m. Three hours before the portal closed.

We took a taxi to my hotel. The driver raised a brow. “Sir, are you sure? This place is expensive. I could take you somewhere cheaper.”

I almost laughed. He doesn’t know I own the place.

“I’ll manage,” I said, slipping him extra cash.

In our suite, exhaustion hit like a hammer. We ate, bathed, and rested. I closed my eyes for forty minutes. When I woke, Asher was still asleep. She needed it.

I followed the coordinates alone. The trail led me through an abandoned street. Magic tingled on my skin. I found the source ,a faint shimmer in an alley, moonlight rippling against crumbling brick.

The portal.

But stepping into it alone wasn’t an option. Once you entered, it pulled you through, no return. I went back for Asher. Time bled away.

“Lucian, you left me,” she teased when I met her in the hall.

“You needed rest. Let’s move.”

We didn’t wait for the driver. Time was nearly gone. We flagged a taxi, sprinted through the reeking alley.

The stench of waste made my eyes water, but the magic pulsed stronger here, a heartbeat of silver.

We searched the wall with our hands, frantic.

“I found it!” Asher gasped.

Ten minutes left.

The shimmer grew, a silvery ripple that glowed under the rising moon. The pull of Lycanthra called to my bones.

Asher’s gaze met mine. “We go together.”

I nodded once. “Always.”

Hand in hand, we stepped through.