Gianna’s POV

We crossed the boundary into Black Claw territory just before midnight.

I could tell the instant we did.

The air shifted.

It was like the land itself exhaled something colder, older. The trees grew thicker. The night darker. Even the moon, half-veiled behind clouds, seemed hesitant to watch what was unfolding.

The main Pack house rose like a dark fortress at the center of it all—massive and sprawling, with towering peaks and gleaming steel-trimmed rooftops. It was the kind of place built to intimidate, not to welcome.

I pressed my fingers to the window as we slowed down the long driveway.

“It’s bigger than I expected,” I muttered.

Karl glanced at me. “Impressed?”

I gave a dry laugh. “Disgusted.”

But that wasn’t entirely true.

It wasn’t the size that got to me. It was the precision. The opulence. The cold beauty of it all.

I had expected bloodstains and chaos. Instead, I found perfection carved into stone.

The monster had taste.

The car stopped, and I climbed out, squinting under the bright lights mounted above the entrance. A group of warriors was already waiting, their expressions unreadable.

One of them, a scarred man with tattoos climbing up his neck stepped forward.

Karl walked ahead of me, speaking to him in low tones. I couldn’t hear the full exchange, but judging by the way Tattoo Guy’s eyes landed on me, I didn’t like it.

I felt their gazes like sharp pricks along my skin. Not lustful. Just… assessing. Measuring.

Like they were trying to figure out if I was dangerous or disposable.

Then the order came: “Take them to the waiting room.”

“Waiting room?” I stepped forward, irritated. “What about Alpha—”

Karl was on me in a second, gripping my arm and yanking me back.

“Sorry about that,” he said quickly. “You know little girls. They act rash.”

I stiffened. “Let go of me.”

Tattoo Guy smirked, his eyes never leaving mine. “Better keep them quiet before they lose their tongue.”

He walked off, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

Karl didn’t release me right away. When he did, it was with a warning. “That was stupid.”

“So is threatening me.”

His face twisted into a sneer. “I don’t care what you think is fair or brave. You screw this up, I swear to the Goddess, I’ll rip your head off and send it to your sister in a gift box. Understood?”

My jaw clenched.

He had no idea how close he was to losing a finger.

But I bit my tongue. For Louisa. For my father. For this stupid, twisted mission I’d agreed to.

I gave a nod.

It was enough for him, for now.

We were escorted inside. The waiting room was more lavish than anything I had expected. Polished marble floors. Crystal light fixtures. A quiet fireplace flickering in the corner. You’d think we were waiting for a royal banquet, not an audience with a killer.

Still, the tension in the air was unmistakable. No one spoke. Even the guards posted at the door stood too still, like statues with claws.

Then, finally, a voice rang out.

“Hey there,” someone called. “Yeah. You. Red hair with the green eyes. Follow me.”

My head snapped up.

Me?

I stood, unsure. Before I could take a step, Karl’s hand clamped down on my shoulder.

“Where are you taking her?” he demanded, rising.

Tattoo Guy returned, flanked by two other warriors.

“She’s the gift, right? The assistant from Callum?” His lips curled into a mocking grin. “I’m taking her to Alpha Rapha’s chambers. He’ll want her close when he returns. He’s… under a lot of stress lately.”

He paused for effect.

“And stress, well… it needs release.”

My stomach turned, but I didn’t flinch. I wouldn’t give them that satisfaction.

Karl, surprisingly, didn’t argue further. He let the warrior lead me away without a fight.

Good.

I didn’t want witnesses for what came next.

⸻

The warrior didn’t speak as he guided me through winding corridors. Each hallway was pristine and eerily quiet. Occasionally, a door would open somewhere far off, or a hushed conversation would echo down the walls, but nothing lingered long enough to feel real.

It was like walking through a palace built for ghosts.

Finally, we stopped in front of a tall, polished oak door.

The man gave me a once-over, sneered, and said, “Wait here. And don’t touch anything.”

Then he was gone.

Just like that.

I stared at the door a moment longer before turning around and stepping into the Alpha’s room.

If the hallway had been cold and perfect, the Alpha’s chambers were something else entirely.

Luxurious. Elegant. Designed with unnerving precision.

Thick velvet drapes covered the windows. A towering bookshelf lined one wall, filled with titles in multiple languages. A fireplace glowed low with orange light. The bed was massive, untouched, the sheets smooth and tucked like military corners.

I exhaled.

It was a beautiful lie.

Like the man who lived here.

But I wasn’t here to admire the interior design.

I scanned the room quickly. I didn’t have long. I had no idea when he’d return, but I knew it wouldn’t be announced with fanfare.

My eyes landed on something small and sharp, an ornate gold letter opener resting on the desk near the hearth.

I picked it up.

It was light, delicate, but the edge was honed to a fine point. Not enough to slice through bone, but enough to pierce.

It would do.

I tested the balance in my hand. Not great. But I wasn’t trying to fight him. Just finish him.

I paced the room quietly, adrenaline pooling in my limbs like acid.

Was this how my father felt when he was betrayed?

Did he have time to fight back?

Did he know the end was coming?

The idea that Alpha Rapha, who had so much power, so much influence, had ended it all with one cowardly dart made my vision blur with rage.

I needed answers.

But I needed revenge more.

I pressed my ear to the door.

Silence.

Then—

A sound.

A click. The soft shift of weight. The unmistakable sound of the door unlocking.

Shit.

I hadn’t heard anyone approach. How?

My pulse jumped to my throat.

I darted into the shadows just beside the door, pressing my back to the wall, heart thundering.

This was it.

No more second-guessing. No more waiting.

If he really did it, then he deserved what was coming.

I tightened my grip on the letter opener.

The door creaked open slowly, and someone stepped through.

He was tall. Broad shoulders. A dark cloak draped over one arm.

Alpha Rapha.

I didn’t wait for confirmation.

With a cry, I lunged.

The blade shot toward his chest, fast and precise. My form was solid, my aim deadly.

But—

Clang.

The impact jarred through my entire body. The letter opener bent in my hand.

“What the—?”

He didn’t move an inch. The steel had hit something hard beneath his shirt.

He wore armor. Thick, black, layered armor beneath his clothes—like dragon scales woven with leather and iron. Tactical. Smart. And absolutely infuriating.

Before I could react, his hand shot out and gripped my wrist.

Tight.

I gasped, trying to twist away, but he was too strong.

And then I looked up.

For the first time, I saw his face.

Strong jaw. Sharp cheekbones. A deep scar cutting through one brow. His dark brown hair was damp, tousled from the night. Sweat? Rain? I didn’t know.

But his eyes—his eyes were the thing that stopped me cold.

Blue.

Not just any blue.

Storm blue.

Alive. Intelligent. Calculating. Calm.

Too calm.

His gaze didn’t flash with anger. He didn’t shout or lash out.

He just studied me like I was a problem to solve. A puzzle he hadn’t been expecting.

A strange, cold calm settled over him.

“Now,” he finally said, his voice low, deep, and oddly controlled.

“That’s a warm welcome I didn’t see coming.”