~Nyra

I stirred awake, and my surroundings felt unfamiliar.

The room was larger than our entire house back home, and the walls were painted a soft lavender purple. The bed I was lying on was massive—a luxury my mother and I could never have afforded.

Sunlight flooded in from the balcony to my left. Judging by its angle, the sun was already setting. I wondered how long I’d been asleep.

“Where am I?” I whispered as I slowly sat up.

That’s when flashes of what happened before I blacked out rushed back. My eyes widened in horror.

“Oh fuck! No!” I cried as the weight of my predicament dawned on me. “This can’t be happening. My luck can’t be this bad!”

I began trembling, pacing the room in panic. I couldn’t stay here. This was the monsters’ lair—the very ones who saved me from vampires only to haunt me themselves. They could barge in at any moment.

My nails dug into my skin as I bit them nervously. I nearly started chewing through flesh when it suddenly hit me—

“I need to see my mother.”

Swallowing hard, I closed my eyes, trying to brace myself for whatever awaited on the other side of the door. When I felt ready, I threw it open—nearly yanking it off its hinges.

Big mistake.

I collided into a solid, warm wall of muscle.

Gasping, I looked up—and met those forest green eyes. An involuntary shiver ran through me as I backed away.

“I—I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to—”

“I’m beginning to think you enjoy running into me,” he said quietly, his voice deep and velvety enough to weaken my knees.

He wore all black: a long coat, a dark shirt underneath, and loose-fitting pants. His dark hair was parted down the middle, some strands falling over his forehead.

He radiated dominance, and I suddenly couldn’t find my voice. I couldn’t even defend myself.

“Sylver… cut the girl some slack. She’s our little sister now,” a more playful voice chimed in from my left.

I turned to see golden eyes, warm like desert sand. His hair was longer than Sylver’s and tied in a low ponytail. A few loose strands framed his face, and I found myself oddly drawn to them—wanting to touch them.

He wore a white shirt and loose dark pants. He grinned, revealing perfect teeth.

Sylver chuckled. “I haven’t done anything to her, Cassian—not yet.”

I looked back at Sylver in time to catch the smirk playing on his lips.

“When you two are done with your little show, bring Nyra downstairs,” a voice said from the staircase, cool and unbothered.

I turned to see ocean blue eyes—eyes I recognized from last night. He looked calm, aloof, as if nothing about this situation fazed him.

His dark hair was tousled, and he wore a loose white shirt beneath an unbuttoned brown vest with matching brown pants. He had an arrogant glint in his eyes, like the world bored him. Yet, there was something else in those eyes—something mysterious.

Something I suddenly wanted to understand.

Before anyone could say more, he turned and disappeared down the stairs.

Cassian chuckled. “Classic Rylan, always popping in and vanishing like smoke.”

“You heard him,” Sylver said to me. “Let’s go downstairs.”

I swallowed hard, still unsure what to say. I didn’t know how I was supposed to act around them. Accepting them as brothers was out of the question. Especially when their intentions weren’t clear.

Sylver pointed ahead, and Cassian led the way, pausing only to give me a charming smile before heading down the stairs.

I followed, fully aware that Sylver trailed behind me like a shadow. I felt like a caged animal. That was how I’d always feel if I remained here—trapped. These boys would torment me forever.

At the bottom of the stairs, we entered a large hall. King Reid stood beside my mother. Rylan leaned against the far wall, looking disinterested, as if even his father bored him.

“There you are,” Mother said. “I told Reid you only fainted from exhaustion, but he insisted we take you to the hospital.”

She turned to the king again. “There’s no cause for alarm. She’s fine. She’s been overworking herself to take care of us, and she barely slept last night.”

The king nodded, then gestured for me to approach. I hesitated, then slowly obeyed.

It still felt unreal to be standing before a Lycan King. I couldn’t wrap my head around how my mother had pulled this off.

Reid took my hand and stared at me with something startlingly close to kindness. His obsidian eyes felt like they could see into my soul. I was too overwhelmed to respond.

“Lyora has told me how hard you’ve worked,” he said. “You are now under my protection. Whatever you wish—ask. Anything you want, I’ll give it. You are now my daughter… and a sister to my sons.”

My chest tightened as a strange warmth bloomed inside me—until Rylan scoffed in the corner.

Reid shot him a warning glare before turning to his sons. “Promise me you’ll all protect her.”

Sylver locked eyes with me. “Consider yourself under our protection now, little sister…”

Something in the way he said it didn’t sound comforting at all. My skin crawled, and another shiver ran down my spine.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Mom, we need to leave. Now!” I blurted, turning sharply to her.

Her expression twisted with alarm. She stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

“Nyra!”