Luca

I kept stealing glances at him as we walked towards my front porch, my heartbeat wasn't in any way trying to calm down, It hadn't since we left the forest, and Rafe, he looked unnerved then, and even now, he looked like anything but relaxed.

His eyes moved to me as I reached for the door.

"Are you sure you're okay?" His voice was as low as a murmur, and I nodded, even though I knew wasn't. I wasn't entirely sure of what the hell had just happened back there, but one second he was being his usual moody self, and the next, he was pressed against me.

I pushed open the front door and stepped inside, "Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, "Come in."

He hesitated for half a second before following me in, I didn't bother turning on the lights, the moon through the windows was enough, and besides, there was an odd comfort in the dimness.

I tossed my keys on the counter and kicked off my shoes, "Hey you want anything to drink?"

"No."

His voice was rough, and tense, he hadn't even sat down, he was just standing in the middle of the living room, like he didn't know what to do with himself or maybe like he was trying hard not to do something.

I turned to face him, "Ok look, if you're gonna freak out over what happened, just say it, I can handle it."

His jaw flexed, "I'm not freaking out."

"Well you're pacing, so yes, you are freaking out"

He stopped instantly, and started glaring at me, but this time the glare didn't have its usual bite. Instead, it looked desperate, "This isn't as easy as I thought," he said quietly. "I can feel it, around you, it's like... I lose sense of everything else."

I should have been scared, backed up and put some space between us. But instead, I stepped closer, "Maybe it's not wrong....Maybe it's just new". I honestly did not know what came over me, but whatever was going on in his mind was exactly what I wanted.

He looked at me like I'd spoken in tongues and then, without warning, he reached out and gripped the back of my neck, like he was grounding himself, "You smell like roses Luca and it's driving me insane."

I blinked, "Well that's... oddly flattering."

His mouth twitched in slight annoyance, "It's not funny."

"I wasn't trying to be."

There was a bit of silence and it felt thick and full of weight. Then he moved, slowly, like he was testing a boundary. His hand lifted, barely brushing against my arm, but I didn't move, I couldn't.

His touch felt like electric and I felt it in my spine, my heart was beating loudly in my chest like a war drum, his fingers wrapped loosely around my wrist.

"I shouldn't," he murmured.

"Then don't."

He stilled for a moment, but he didn't let go.

Instead, he took another step and then another, until I could feel the heat from his body pouring into mine and god it felt drowning.

"Luca..."

"Yeah?"

His breath hitched and then his mouth was on mine.

I didn't even hesitate, I kissed him back like my life depended on it, like the fire in my blood had finally found its match, his lips were soft, and demanding. His hands slid up my arms, cupping my jaw gently, the way he caressed me like an egg, didn't match the storm building between us.

We stumbled backward, and I hit the edge of the couch, he caught me with one arm around my waist, and the other hand gripping the back of my neck as if he couldn't stand the idea of space between us.

I gasped when he bit down on my bottom lip.

"You sure about this?" he asked.

"Ask me again and I'll break your nose."

He chuckled, letting out a deep rumble that did made my mind dance with sinful thoughts, and then he kissed me again, deeper this time. My hands found their way under his shirt, tracing the lines of muscle that flexed beneath my fingers.

He hissed through his teeth, "Luca..."

"Bedroom," I managed to whisper against his mouth.

He didn't need to be told twice.

We didn't bother with lights, I just let him lead me by the hand, but it felt like I was the one pulling him. My heartbeat could be heard in my ears and my skin tingled with anticipation.

When we reached the room, he paused.

"We can stop."

"Do you want to stop",

He looked at me, his eyes burning into mine, "No."

"You drive me crazy, Luca."

"You're not exactly easy to ignore either."

He laughed, and it was the softest thing I'd ever heard from him, it felt like he was surprised by his own happiness and he carried me into the room and laid me on the bed.

His fingers slipped under the waistband of my jeans, dragging them down, agonizingly slow. I lifted my hips giving him silent permission, and held my breath as the cool air kissed my heated skin. His gaze dropped, and for a moment, he just stared at me, his lips were parted, and the look in his eyes made me feel like I was a sacred item he was scared to ruin.

"You're driving me insane," he muttered, "You don't even realize what you do to me."

"Then show me," I whispered.

Rafe leaned down again, kissing my stomach, and my hips, going lower, teasing and worshiping my body all at once. My hands tangled in the sheets, and my legs trembling as he pressed open-mouthed kisses along my thighs.

When he finally, finally, cupped my dick through my briefs, I choked on a gasp. His palm was warm, slow, and possessive, like he wanted to memorize every line and inch. He rubbed me gently, watching my face like it was his favorite movie.

"Sensitive," he murmured with a smirk, "You're so responsive."

"Rafe..." I groaned, barely able to form words as his hand moved again.

"Shhh," he hushed, licking his lips before pressing a soft kiss to the spot just above the waistband. "Let me take care of you."

I nodded, and came completely undone.

Then, with delicate care, he pulled down the last barrier between us, tossing it aside like it offended him. He didn't hesitate, he wrapped his hand around my dick, warm and sure, stroking slowly while his mouth claimed mine again. I moaned into the kiss, gripping his shoulders like I'd fall apart without him.

His pace picked up, and the heat coiling in my stomach snapped tight. He knew exactly what he was doing, he knew how to draw every sound from me, how to build it up until I was shaking. I buried my face in his neck, breathless and on the edge.

"I....Rafe, I'm gonna...."

"I know," he whispered, "Let go, Luca. I've got you."

And I did.

I came with a muffled cry, clinging to him like he was the only real thing in the world. My body trembled as waves of release crashed over me, and through it all, he held me steady.

He finally settled against me, his hand covered with cum and his body molded to mine, inside me it felt like everything clicked into place.

We lay tangled in the sheets afterward, our breathing slowing, then he brushed his fingers across my chest and I honestly couldn't believe this was real.

"You good?" I asked softly.

He nodded, "I'm better than good. But... this doesn't make things easier."

"No, but it makes them real."

He didn't answer, but the way he pulled me closer spoke volumes and in the silence, for the first time in a long while, I felt safe.

Until a knock shattered it.

Three high raps, urgent and....familiar.

Rafe tensed immediately, every muscle in his body locking like he'd just heard a threat.

I sat up, my heart was racing again, wait, that knock....it couldn't be....

"Don't move," Rafe growled, already out of bed.

He was halfway to the door when I heard it.

A voice....one I hadn't heard in over a year.

"Luca, open up! We need to talk. It's your brother."

My blood ran cold, because my brother was dead, or at least, he was supposed to be.

LUCA

Rafe froze mid-step, his shoulders squared and he folded his fists like he was ready to fight the door itself. The knock came again. It echoed like war drums in the silence of the room.

"Stay here," he said, his voice went low, and lethal, that wasn't a suggestion.

I sat up slowly, the bed sheets slipping from my chest, and my heart pounding as I strained to hear more. I didn't imagine it, that voice, it was rough, older, and familiar in the worst way possible, and now it had clawed its way out of my memories and slammed itself into the present.

My brother was dead.

I saw the coffin....I saw the blood.

I remember screaming myself hoarse while they lowered it into the ground.

Rafe reached the front door and paused, sniffing the air like it might offer answers. His knuckles hovered over the handle.

"Rafe....wait," I whispered, fully sliding out of bed. My legs were weak, and still trembling from earlier, but I couldn't sit still. "What if it's not real? What if someone's messing with me?"

He didn't respond. His whole body was like a statue, but the energy rolling off him was Alpha level.

Then he opened the door.

A man stood there, tall, broad, and draped in a black hoodie soaked from the night drizzle, his eyes locked onto mine over Rafe's shoulder.

And my breath left my lungs.

"Zayne," I croaked in shock, as the memories hit me like a sick realization.

There were bruises under his eyes and a fresh scar across his cheek.

"Hey, little brother," he muttered.

Rafe stepped forward, deliberately blocking the doorframe, "Explain, now."

Zayne gave him a long, slow once over, then looked past him again. "It's not your business, big dog, I need to speak to Luca."

Rafe growled, literally growled. His body shifted slightly, enough that the light caught the faint shimmer of fur crawling up the side of his neck. He was close to snapping.

"Rafe," I said quickly, coming up behind him and grabbing his arm. His skin was burning, and tense. He didn't look at me, but I felt the restraint in him, I felt it unraveling.

"It's okay," I murmured, squeezing his arm, "Let him in."

He didn't move at first. Then, with a noise that sounded like a curse, he stepped aside.

Zayne walked in like he owned the place, dripping water all over the hardwood, and his eyes never leaving me, "You look older, taller and you smell....different."

Rafe let out a warning sound and I threw him a quick glare and turned back to Zayne.

"You died," I said in anger or confusion, I couldn't quite place how I felt.

"They wanted you to think that and I let them, it was the only way to keep you safe."

"From what?"

Zayne ran a hand through his hair, then looked at Rafe again. "Can you give us a minute?"

"Not a chance," Rafe bit out.

I stepped between them, the tension was making it hard to breathe. "Zayne, just talk, why now? Why come back now?"

His eyes softened, just a little.

"Because the protection I gave you is wearing off and you...you're triggering something, Luca....oh and it's big, whispers and rumors are spreading fast. Packs are on their edge, the moment you turned, they felt it and it wasn't just your first shift that rang the alarm. It was something else."

My mouth went dry, "What do you mean by that?"

Zayne's gaze turned to Rafe again, "He didn't tell you yet?"

Rafe looked away and refused to say anything making his silence thunderous.

Zayne's expression darkened, "You didn't tell him what he is?"

Rafe's voice dropped to a whisper. "It's not your place."

I looked between them, and felt my stomach twist, "Tell me what?"

No one answered.

Zayne folded his arms. "When did it happen? I mean the shift."

"Last night," I said. "In the woods, I blacked out and Rafe brought me back."

Zayne swore under his breath. "Then we don't have much time. The others....our kind, they'll start coming. They'll sniff you out and know you're different."

"Different how?"

Neither of them spoke, for the second damn time, Rafe finally turned away, pacing, and running a hand through his hair, he only does that when he is freaking out.

Zayne narrowed his eyes back to me, "You didn't answer my earlier question."

"What question?"

He stepped closer, "You smell different. What did you do? Who did you bond with?"

I flushed, and suddenly my throat felt tighter, "What are you talking about?"

Zayne sniffed the air again, then let out a bitter laugh. "You didn't just shift last night, you mated."

My heart skipped.

I looked at Rafe, and he wasn't denying it, he was just standing there, staring out the window like if he didn't look at us, the truth would eventually vanish.

Zayne cursed again, "Do you know what you've done?"

"Don't talk to him like that," Rafe snapped, now stepping forward.

"Then you talk to him," Zayne shot back. "He's not just any omega, He's..."

"Don't," Rafe barked, but his voice was shaky.

Zayne shook his head slowly. "You should've told him, he has the right to know."

I grabbed Rafe's arm, "Know what? Rafe, please."

He looked at me, he really looked at me and I saw it then, the storm in his eyes, it was fear, pure fear.

"You're an omega, Luca. But not just that, I've heard of it in the old tales, thought by the packs to be extinct."

I swallowed. "What are you saying?"

Before he could answer, Zayne's head snapped toward the window. "We've got company boys."

Rafe was already moving, "Get him to the basement, now."

"What....why?" I asked, my heart going up again like a loud gong in my chest.

"Because if they see you," Rafe said darkly, "it won't matter who your brother is, you'll be hunted."

Zayne grabbed my hand, "Move."

I looked over my shoulder as Rafe turned to face the door, his eyes were already shifting.

And in that moment, I realized that whatever I was... it wasn't safe anymore.

RAFE

The forest had never felt so loud.

Each crunch beneath my boots was a threat, and every rustle of leaves screamed a warning. I kept glancing over my shoulder, my instincts screaming at me that we were being followed even though we hadn't seen anyone since we left my house.

Luca walked a step ahead, his hood was pulled low, and his shoulders seemed tense. The moonlight made his hair glow silver, he didn't speak, but I could hear his heartbeat, fast, uneven and matching mine.

I wanted to reach for his hand, to ground us both. But that wasn't an option anymore, not with the way our scents had changed.

We reeked of bond.

It clung to us....faint, but wrong and different. Anyone with a nose would notice it soon, and once they did, we were dead.

Zayne's sudden return hadn't helped. He trudged behind us now, silent as a shadow. His presence gnawed at me, it felt alive, changed and haunting.

He hadn't said much when we left, just that we needed to move, and fast.

Now, I couldn't stop thinking about what he'd muttered when Luca wasn't listening:

"Caleb is hunting you both, not just Luca, you too, Rafe, he's been told of what you are."

I didn't ask who because, I already knew.

"Stop," Zayne said, his voice was low but urgent.

Luca and I froze, my body tensed, wolf rising. I tilted my head, listening. There was a second heartbeat, maybe two and it was far but closing in.

"They've picked up your trail," Zayne whispered, "And I'm not sure they're alone."

"How many?" I asked.

"Three I can sense. But Caleb... he's smart, he wouldn't come without a plan."

I cursed under my breath. "We have to move."

"No," Zayne countered, "We need to hide."

Luca turned to him. "Why should we trust you?"

Zayne flinched, then looked at me instead. "Because I didn't die like everyone thought. I was captured and the only reason I escaped was because someone else needed you alive."

His gaze flicked to Luca.

I stepped in front of him, my wolf bristling, "What does that mean?"

Zayne shook his head. "Later, because right now, we either run or fight."

A howl tore through the air, close enough to make my blood chill.

They'd found us.

"Run," I snapped, grabbing Luca's arm. "Now."

We broke into a sprint, branches whipped past, roots grabbed at our feet, and the forest became a blur of shadows. Behind us, footsteps thundered....closer, heavier.

Luca stumbled. I caught him before he hit the ground. His eyes were wide, panicked, and glowing faintly.

That stopped me cold.

His eyes, they were glowing.

Omegas didn't glow, not unless...It can't be true.

"What's happening to me?" he whispered, voice shaky. "I feel... off."

"Not now," I said, pulling him upright. "Later, keep running."

We cut through a clearing, moonlight drenching us, bad move.

A growl echoed across the trees, and suddenly, he was there.

Caleb.

His wolf leapt from the shadows, black as pitch, his eyes locked on Luca, his growl vibrated through my bones.

I shifted mid-air, fur erupting, bones snapping, landing between him and Luca with a snarl.

He lunged.

We collided with brutal force, claws raking, and teeths snapping. Pain bloomed down my side, but I held firm, I wouldn't let him touch Luca, not now, not ever.

Zayne appeared from nowhere, slamming into one of Caleb's flanking wolves causing a blur of motion and blood.

"Get Luca out of here!" he yelled.

I turned to Luca, his face pale, and shaking. "Run, don't stop, head for the river, I'll find you."

"No," he said, voice breaking. "I won't leave you..."

Another wolf crashed out of the underbrush, charging straight for him.

That's when it happened.

Luca screamed, not in fear, but in fury and the air around him trembled.

The attacking wolf froze mid-strike, his eyes widening. Then he yelped, his spine arching unnaturally, and was thrown backward by something I couldn't see.

A force, a blast.

Luca stared at his hands, in horror.

"What did I....?"

"Go!" I roared, my own fear mixing with awe.

He ran, and the forest seemed to move with him, shadows bending, trees shivering. Whatever he'd unleashed, it wasn't normal and it definitely wasn't Omega.

I turned back to Caleb, barely avoiding his claws. He was laughing now, blood dripping from his mouth.

"You're protecting a monster," he spat, shifting back mid-fight. "He's not just an Omega, you feel it, don't you? He's wrong, he's a curse"

"You're the curse here," I growled, fur bristling. "You and your twisted rules."

"You think you can outrun the Purge?" he sneered, "You think you can protect him when the entire pack system turns on you?"

I hesitated only for a second.

He slashed my shoulder open.

Pain blinded me, but I forced my wolf to push through. One last shove sent him crashing into a tree.

I didn't wait to see if he got up, I ran.

The forest blurred and my wounds burned, but I didn't stop. I followed Luca's scent, wild and bright and terrified. I needed to get to him, now.

Then I saw him.

Luca was standing by the river, staring into the trees like he was waiting for something or someone.

And then I felt it too.

A ripple in the air, power, cold, ancient, and foreign.

This wasn't Caleb, it was something worse. Figures emerged from the trees, hooded, unfamiliar, and scentless.

Rogues.

But not ordinary ones. These were marked, ritual-burned, feral and controlled.

They hadn't come for both of us.

They'd come for Luca.

I stepped forward, but one of them spoke first, his voice sounded deep, and inhuman.

"There he is," he said. "The Lunar Omega."

Luca backed up, eyes darting to me. "Rafe...?"

I started toward him.

Then a dart flew from the shadows, silver-tipped, soaked in wolfsbane and hit Luca square in the side.

He gasped and tumbled.

I screamed his name.

He collapsed into the river's edge, convulsing.

The last thing I saw was one of the rogues lifting his limp body over his shoulder, and stepping into the shadows.

And then they were gone.