"What do you see, Sienna?"

Silas Malphas asked the question with a voice smoother than velvet and colder than a winter grave. He leaned over the dark mahogany desk. His golden eyes locked onto mine. He knew I was using my magic. He could feel the shift in the room.

My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. I stared into the terrifying void of his existence. There were no bright lines of loyalty and no dark ropes of deceit. He was a black hole. If I told him the truth, he would know I possessed a level of sight far beyond a standard legal contractor. He would view me as a threat.

I forced my breathing to steady. I dropped my magical sight, letting the vibrant colors of the office rush back into my vision.

"I see a man who does not like to waste his time on standard interviews," I answered. My voice did not shake.

Leo chuckled from his chair, tossing his silver dagger onto the desk. The sharp clatter echoed in the heavy silence.

Silas did not smile. He simply studied me for another long, suffocating second. He was searching for the lie. The scent of ozone and cold iron rolled off his bespoke suit, filling my lungs and making my skin prickle with raw danger.

"You are correct," Silas murmured. He straightened up, adjusting his pristine left cuff link. "Resumes are useless pieces of paper. Anyone can lie on paper. I prefer a practical demonstration."

"A demonstration?" I asked.

"Bring your pen, Sienna," Silas commanded. He turned and walked toward the heavy oak doors. "We have a negotiation."

He did not wait to see if I would follow. He expected obedience. I grabbed my waterproof satchel and hurried after him, my heels clicking softly against the polished hardwood. Leo fell into step right behind me. The chaotic energy radiating from the younger brother felt like a ticking bomb at my back.

We walked down the long glass corridor. The supernatural elite of the corporate world parted like the red sea for Silas. No one met his gaze. The level of sheer dominance he exerted over the floor was intoxicating and terrifying.

We reached a private elevator at the end of the hall. The doors were solid, brushed steel without any buttons. Silas pressed his bare hand against the metal. A faint red glow scanned his palm, and the doors slid open silently.

I stepped inside the confined space with the two monster syndicate heirs.

The doors closed, sealing us in. The elevator began to plummet. It was not going down to the lobby. It was going deep underground.

The physical proximity to Silas was overwhelming. The elevator was spacious, but his presence consumed all the oxygen. I could feel the low frequency vibration of his dark magic humming in the floorboards. It felt like standing far too close to a dormant volcano.

"The Iron Fang faction," Silas stated, keeping his gaze fixed on the descending floor numbers. "They are a mid tier vampire syndicate controlling the southern shipping docks. They missed their tribute payment last month. They claim the hunters have disrupted their supply lines."

"Are they lying?" I asked.

"Yes," Leo sneered from the corner of the elevator. "They are hoarding the blood shipments and trying to build a private army. They think we are distracted by the upcoming council summit."

"Your task is simple," Silas said, his golden eyes flicking to mine in the reflection of the steel doors. "We are going to have a brief meeting with their leader. You will draft a new tribute agreement on the spot. You will bind them to the new terms."

"And if they refuse to sign?" I asked.

"Then Leo gets to have some fun," Silas replied softly.

The elevator came to a jarring halt. The numbers above the door read negative fifteen. We were deep in the subterranean levels of the city.

The steel doors opened to reveal a massive, dimly lit concrete bunker. The air down here was freezing and stale. It smelled of damp earth and old decay. In the center of the vast room sat a long metal table. Five figures stood waiting around it.

The Iron Fang vampires.

Their leader was a tall, gaunt man with a jagged scar running down the side of his pale throat. He wore a heavy leather trench coat and a sneer that showed the sharp tips of his fangs. He radiated hostile arrogance.

Silas stepped out of the elevator. The temperature in the bunker dropped instantly. The vampires stiffened, their predatory instincts reacting to the apex predator entering their domain.

I walked out next, staying close to Silas's left side. Leo flanked his right. We approached the metal table. Silas did not offer his hand. He did not sit in the empty chair at the head of the table. He stood towering over the metal surface.

"Viktor," Silas said. The name sounded like a death sentence on his tongue.

"Silas," the vampire leader replied, his voice a raspy hiss. "We were surprised by the summons. We expected an auditor, not the heir himself."

"I am auditing you right now," Silas said. "This is Sienna Vance. She is our new legal contractor. She is going to write down your new tribute terms."

Viktor glared at me. His dark eyes flashed with hungry malice. He saw a fragile human standing in a room full of monsters. He saw prey.

"A human scribe," Viktor mocked. "How quaint. But as I told your collectors last week, the southern docks are dry. The hunters are making it impossible to move product. We have no tribute to give."

"Draft the contract, Sienna," Silas ordered. He did not look at Viktor. He looked at the wall behind the vampire, projecting total boredom.

I set my satchel on the cold metal table. I pulled out a fresh sheet of heavy parchment and my silver binding pen. My hands were remarkably steady. The adrenaline was sharpening my senses.

I needed to know the layout of the room. I needed to see their hidden motives. I blinked, pushing my magic into my eyes to activate my Thread Binding sight.

The dark bunker washed out into gray tones. The glowing threads of the supernatural world flared to life.

Viktor was covered in thick, pulsing black ropes of deceit. Every word he spoke was a calculated lie. But that was not the most dangerous thing I saw.

Jagged, violent crimson threads pulsed rapidly between Viktor and his four guards. The threads of aggression and coordinated attack. I followed the red lines down. They connected to the heavy lumps concealed beneath their leather coats.

Weapons. They were gripping silver plated firearms and blessed blades. They had not come here to negotiate a tribute. They had come here to assassinate the heir of the Malphas syndicate.

Panic flared in my chest. If I shouted a warning, they would draw their weapons and fire. Silas and Leo were fast, but silver bullets at point blank range were lethal even to monsters. I had to stop the attack before it started. I had to use the contract.

"The terms," I said clearly, keeping my eyes fixed on the blank parchment. "You will pay double the missed tribute within twenty four hours, plus a ten percent penalty for the delay."

Viktor laughed harshly. "I just told you, human. We have nothing."

The crimson threads thickened. The guards were tensing their muscles. They were going to draw their weapons in seconds.

I did not have time for a physical signature. I had to force a localized magical binding. It was a highly illegal, incredibly dangerous move. If I failed, the magic would backfire and stop my own heart.

"Syndicate law stipulates that verbal refusal during an official audit is considered an act of treason," I stated, my voice echoing in the concrete room.

I pressed the silver tip of my pen to the parchment. I did not write words. I channeled my raw magic down my arm and into the ink. I visualized the golden threads of binding magic spinning out of the pen and weaving directly into the metal of the table.

"Treason?" Viktor snarled, stepping closer to the table. His hand slipped inside his leather coat. "You arrogant little..."

I acted.

I slammed my left palm flat against the parchment, pushing the full force of my Thread Binding magic outward. A shockwave of pure golden light erupted from the table.

The magic swept across the room in a blinding flash. It wrapped around Viktor and his four guards like invisible steel chains. The vampires gasped, their bodies freezing mid motion. Their hands were stuck inside their coats, unable to pull their hidden weapons.

The binding contract was not on the paper. I had bound the physical space around the table. Anyone standing within the circle of magic was now physically paralyzed by the terms of the treaty until they agreed to pay.

Viktor strained against the invisible bonds. His pale face twisted in agony as the magic burned against his skin. His fangs fully extended, his eyes wide with shock and fury.

"What is this?" Viktor choked out, unable to move his legs. "Witchcraft!"

I stood up straight, my breathing ragged. Forcing an area binding took a massive toll on my energy. My vision swam for a second, but I locked my knees and refused to show weakness.

"It is a compliance clause," I said coldly, looking the paralyzed vampire in the eyes. "You brought weapons to a peaceful audit. That violates the primary laws of the Supreme Council. You are legally bound to this spot until the House of Malphas decides your fate."

I turned to look at Silas.

He had not moved. He had not flinched when the golden magic erupted. He was staring at me, his predatory golden eyes wide with dark, unreadable intensity.

He knew they were going to attack.

The realization hit me like a physical punch to the gut. Silas knew they were armed. He brought me down here specifically to see what I would do when faced with an assassination attempt. He used himself as bait to test my skills.

A slow, terrifying smile spread across Silas's face. It was the smile of a beast who had just found a new favorite toy.

"Leo," Silas said softly, his eyes never leaving mine.

"With pleasure," Leo laughed.

The younger brother moved in a blur of terrifying speed. He bypassed the invisible magical barrier with a specific shifter technique. A silver blade flashed in the dim light.

Viktor's head separated from his shoulders in one clean, brutal strike.

The vampire leader crumbled to ash before his body even hit the concrete floor. The four paralyzed guards screamed, trapped in my magical web, watching their boss turn to dust.

"Execute the rest of them," Silas ordered his brother, his tone as casual as if he were ordering a coffee. "Take their territory tonight."

Silas finally broke his gaze away from me and looked down at the blank parchment on the table. He reached out and picked it up, folding it neatly and placing it into his jacket pocket.

"You passed the test, Sienna," Silas whispered, stepping so close to me that the scent of his cologne and the fresh ash filled my senses. "Your magic is rare. It is highly effective. And it now belongs to me."

"I am an independent contractor," I reminded him, trying to keep my voice steady despite the adrenaline crashing through my veins.

Silas reached up. His large, gloved hand gently brushed a stray lock of hair away from my face. The touch was terrifyingly soft compared to the brutal violence he just commanded.

"Not anymore," Silas corrected, his voice a dark, possessive rumble. "You are not going back to your dingy office. You are not going back to your empty apartment. Pack your things tonight. You belong to the House of Malphas now."

He dropped his hand and walked toward the elevator, leaving me standing in a room full of ash and monsters. I had successfully infiltrated the syndicate. I was inside.

But as the heavy steel doors closed behind the Beast, I realized I had just locked myself inside a cage I might never escape.

Author's Note

Sienna did not just survive the interview; she dominated it! Using her magic to bind the room was a massive risk, but it definitely caught Silas's attention. What did you think of Silas testing her like that? Do you think she can handle living in the Malphas estate under his constant watch? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and please like and share if you are hooked on the tension!

The wrought iron gates of the Malphas estate slammed shut with a final, metallic clang. The sound echoed in my chest like a judge striking a gavel.

Rain battered the tinted windows of the black SUV. I sat in the leather backseat with my single, battered canvas duffel bag resting on my knees. It held my clothes, my few earthly possessions, and the silver dagger I kept hidden in the lining. Next to the sprawling gothic mansion looming at the end of the driveway, my belongings felt pathetically small.

This was not a home. It was a fortress.

The architecture was a staggering mix of sharp, black stone and massive stained glass windows. Gargoyles carved from dark marble crouched on the rooflines, their stone eyes seeming to track our approach. The magical wards surrounding the property were so thick they made the air shimmer. My skin prickled under the heavy pressure.

The SUV rolled to a stop beneath a sprawling portico. A shifter guard opened my door. The freezing night air bit into my cheeks.

Silas Malphas stood at the top of the stone steps.

He had beaten me here. He was no longer wearing the suit jacket from the underground bunker. He stood in a crisp black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. The dark fabric stretched across his broad shoulders. Without the jacket, the raw, lethal power he commanded was even more obvious.

"Bring her bag to the east wing," Silas instructed the guard. His voice was a low rumble that cut right through the sound of the rain.

He did not wait for me. He turned and walked into the cavernous foyer. I gripped the strap of my satchel and followed the Beast into his lair.

The interior of the estate was a masterclass in opulent intimidation. Dark mahogany panels lined the walls. Crystal chandeliers hung from vaulted ceilings, casting fractured light across the polished marble floors. It smelled of old wealth, woodsmoke, and the faint metallic tang of hidden weapons.

Silas led me up a sweeping grand staircase. We walked in heavy silence. I kept my eyes focused on the broad expanse of his back, refusing to let him see how fast my heart was beating. Every step took me deeper into enemy territory. Every step was a calculated risk.

He stopped in front of a heavy oak door at the end of a long, shadowed corridor.

"This is your suite," Silas said. He turned to face me. The golden hue of his eyes seemed to glow in the dim lighting of the hallway. "You will sleep here. You will take your meals here or in my office. You do not wander the grounds without an escort. Do we understand each other, Sienna?"

"I am a legal contractor," I reminded him. I kept my chin high. "I am not a prisoner."

A dark, dangerous smirk touched his lips. "You are whatever I need you to be to ensure the survival of this syndicate. You proved your worth tonight. But worth makes you a target. The other monster factions will know what you did to the Iron Fang vampires by morning. If you step off this property, you will be hunted."

He was right. I had bound a rival faction leader and watched Leo turn him to ash. I was a marked woman.

"I understand," I replied softly.

Silas reached out. I went rigid, expecting pain or violence. Instead, his large hand brushed the wet fabric of my coat collar. He adjusted the lapel with a terrifyingly gentle precision. The heat radiating from his knuckles seeped through the damp wool and burned into my collarbone.

"Good," Silas murmured. "Rest for a few hours. We have work to do at dawn."

He turned and walked away, his footsteps utterly silent on the thick carpet. I pushed open the door to my room and stepped inside.

The suite was breathtaking. Deep emerald velvet curtains framed massive windows. A king sized bed sat in the center, covered in dark silk sheets. A fire cracked merrily in a stone hearth. It was the most luxurious room I had ever seen.

It was also a cage. I walked over to the window and looked out at the sprawling grounds. Shifter guards patrolled the perimeter. Security cameras tracked every angle. I was trapped. But as I set my satchel on the desk, a cold surge of determination flooded my veins. Being trapped inside the Malphas estate was exactly what my shadow client wanted. I was exactly where I needed to be to find the Primal Ledger.

Five hours later, the sun dragged itself over the city skyline. I stood in Silas's private office.

The forced proximity was already wearing down my nerves. The office was located in the heavily guarded west wing. It was a sprawling room filled with ancient tomes, modern computer terminals, and the suffocating presence of the Beast himself.

Silas sat behind a massive desk carved from black walnut. I sat at a smaller table positioned just a few feet away. I was close enough to see the steady rise and fall of his chest. I was close enough to smell the intoxicating scent of bergamot cologne mixed with winter air and cold iron.

"These are the secondary ledgers for our casino operations," Silas said. He tossed a thick leather bound book onto my table. It landed with a heavy thud. "The numbers from the goblin factions are not adding up. Find the discrepancy. Draft a penalty notice for the faction leaders."

I opened the book and began to scan the columns of numbers. My mind was sharp, but my senses were overwhelmed.

Silas was a terrifying distraction. He did not behave like a typical mob boss shouting orders. He operated with a lethal stillness. For two straight hours, the only sounds in the room were the scratching of my pen and the soft turning of pages.

Then, his phone vibrated against the wood.

Silas picked it up. He did not say a word of greeting. He listened for ten agonizing seconds. His golden eyes never left my face as he processed the information from the other end of the line.

"Burn the warehouse down," Silas commanded in a soft, even tone. "Leave the doors locked. Make sure the rival crew is inside when you strike the match."

He hung up the phone. He did not blink. He just condemned a dozen men to a fiery death while watching me review a casino spreadsheet.

My stomach twisted, but I forced my hand to keep writing smoothly. I could not show fear. Fear was blood in the water.

Silas stood up from his desk. He walked over to a crystal decanter resting on a side table. He poured a glass of water, the ice clinking softly against the glass. He walked over to my table and set the glass down right next to my hand.

I looked up, startled by the domestic gesture. The brutal monster who just ordered a warehouse burned down had noticed I had not taken a drink all morning.

"Drink," Silas instructed. He leaned his hip against the edge of my table, crossing his arms over his chest. He was so close his shadow fell over my paperwork. "You cannot spot a skimming operation if you are dehydrated."

"Thank you," I murmured. I picked up the glass. My fingers brushed against the condensation. I took a slow sip, hyper aware of his gaze tracking the movement of my throat.

"You have a very steady hand, Sienna," Silas noted. His voice dropped an octave, vibrating with that dark, possessive energy. "Most people tremble when they hear me conduct business."

"I am paid to manage your contracts," I replied, setting the glass down. "I am not paid to judge your methods."

Silas chuckled. It was a dark, rich sound that made my pulse jump. "A very pragmatic lie."

Before he could press the issue, the heavy oak doors of the office swung open. Leo strode in. He looked rumpled and wired, his dark hair sticking up in every direction.

"We have a problem at the eastern borders," Leo announced. He ignored me, focusing his chaotic energy on his older brother. "The werewolf packs are contesting the new boundary line. They are demanding a sit down right now."

Silas sighed, a brief flash of annoyance crossing his sharp features. He pushed himself off my desk.

"Keep reviewing the casino ledgers," Silas ordered me. "I will be in the war room down the hall. Do not leave this office."

Silas and Leo exited the room. The heavy doors clicked shut behind them.

The sudden silence was deafening. I sat frozen for ten seconds, listening for footsteps. Nothing. They were gone.

I stood up instantly. My heart slammed against my ribs.

This was my chance. It was the first time I had been left alone in his private sanctuary. If the Primal Ledger was hidden anywhere in the estate, it had to be in this room.

I pushed my magic into my eyes. The colors of the office drained away, replaced by the glowing reality of the Thread Binding sight.

I scanned the room quickly. The walls were lined with mundane, gray threads of basic security magic. But as my gaze swept over the massive bookshelf behind Silas's desk, I gasped.

Hidden behind a row of ancient encyclopedias was a dense, pulsing web of thick golden magic. It was a ward. A very old, very powerful ward designed to hide something of immense value.

I hurried around the large walnut desk. My boots made soft thudding sounds on the Persian rug. I reached the bookshelf. The magical pressure radiating from the hidden safe was so strong it made my teeth ache. This was it. The Ledger had to be behind those books.

I raised my trembling hand. If I could just unravel the edge of the golden thread, I could pop the ward and look inside.

I was an inch away from the books. My fingertips tingled with the proximity to the raw power.

"Sienna."

The voice was a frozen blade sliding down my spine.

I gasped and spun around, dropping my magical sight in a panic. The world snapped back into vibrant color.

Silas stood in the doorway. He made no sound when he opened the door. His golden eyes were locked onto my raised hand. The predatory stillness was gone. He looked like a beast ready to strike.

I was caught standing behind his desk. I was caught reaching for his deepest secrets.

The air in the room vanished, replaced by a suffocating wave of lethal, monstrous anger.

Author's Note

Oh no! Sienna took a huge risk and the Beast caught her right in the act! How is she going to talk her way out of this one? Silas does not seem like the forgiving type, especially when it comes to his private sanctuary. Let me know your best theories on how she survives this cliffhanger in the comments! Please like and share if you are loving the suspense. See you in the next chapter!

Silas's golden eyes burned with lethal promise. The temperature in the office plummeted to freezing. He stepped into the room and closed the heavy oak door with a soft, final click.

"Step away from the books, Sienna." His voice was a low, vibrating threat.

I lowered my hand. I did not step back. Fear is blood in the water. I forced my breathing to steady and turned to face the Beast.

"Your wards are leaking," I said smoothly. It was the only lie my brain could construct fast enough.

Silas paused. His brow furrowed slightly. "Explain."

"When Leo rushed in here earlier, he dragged a chaotic magical residue with him," I continued, making my voice sound analytical and bored. "It snagged on the ancient ward behind this specific shelf. I was checking to see if a rival Thread Binder attached a tracking string to your brother's jacket."

Silas crossed the room in three long strides. He stopped mere inches from me. The scent of bergamot, winter air, and fresh ash overwhelmed my senses. He was so tall I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze.

He reached out. His large, gloved hand gripped my chin. He tilted my face up further. The leather was cold against my skin, but the sheer power radiating from his touch was scorching.

"A tracking string," Silas repeated. His thumb brushed my jawline. It was a terrifying, possessive gesture. "You are a brilliant liar, Sienna. But you are a liar."

My pulse pounded against his thumb. He could feel my racing heart.

"I am protecting my client," I whispered.

Silas studied my eyes. The lethal fury in his expression slowly morphed into dark amusement. He dropped his hand, taking the suffocating heat with him.

"You are too curious for your own good," Silas murmured. "I cannot leave you alone in my estate. You are attending the Equinox Gala with me tonight. You will stay by my side. If you wander off, I will let the Council guards tear you apart."

He turned and walked back to his desk. The conversation was over. I had survived the moment, but my cage just grew significantly smaller.

Three hours later, a shifter guard knocked on my suite door. He left a sleek black box tied with a gold ribbon on my bed.

I opened it with trembling fingers. Inside lay a gown made of deep emerald velvet. The fabric was heavy and luxurious. It felt like liquid silk slipping through my hands. Beneath the dress sat a pair of black stiletto heels and a simple, delicate gold chain necklace.

Silas was branding me. The emerald green matched the dark aesthetic of the House of Malphas. Wearing this meant I belonged to the syndicate. It meant I belonged to him.

I dressed quickly. The velvet hugged my curves with terrifying precision. The gown featured a high neckline but left my back bare to the waist. It was armor and vulnerability combined. I clasped the gold chain around my throat. It felt heavy, like a beautiful collar.

I walked out of my suite and descended the grand staircase.

Silas waited in the foyer. He wore a bespoke tuxedo tailored flawlessly to his broad shoulders. A black silk tie rested against his crisp white shirt. He looked like royalty carved from shadow.

When he heard my heels on the marble stairs, he looked up. His golden eyes locked onto me. The air in the foyer stilled. He did not speak. He just watched me descend, his gaze a physical weight traveling down the emerald velvet.

"You clean up well," Leo scoffed from the doorway, breaking the spell. The younger brother wore a dark suit and his usual chaotic smirk.

Silas did not look at his brother. He stepped forward and offered his arm.

"Stay close," Silas ordered softly.

The Equinox Gala was held in the glass atrium of the highest skyscraper in the territory. It was a gathering of apex predators.

We stepped out of the private elevator and into a nightmare of high society. The room was a sprawling expanse of crystal chandeliers, dark marble, and monstrous wealth. A string quartet played a haunting melody in the corner.

I pushed my magic into my eyes for a fraction of a second. The room exploded into a chaotic, blinding web of glowing threads. Thick red strings of rivalry crossed over golden bonds of forced alliances. It was a massive headache of dark magic. I dropped the sight immediately.

Waiters drifted through the crowd carrying silver trays. I took a crystal flute of champagne to steady my nerves. I took a sip and nearly choked. It tasted like cold copper and rusted iron. It was laced with trace amounts of raw magic to intoxicate monsters.

"Do not drink that," Silas murmured. He plucked the glass from my fingers and set it on a passing tray. "It will burn a human throat."

He guided me through the crowd. Every head turned as the Beast walked past. Monsters in expensive suits and heavily jeweled gowns parted like the Red Sea. No one dared to meet his golden eyes. They bowed their heads in submission.

Silas was a wall of cold indifference to everyone. He ignored the greetings of powerful fae lords and nodded curtly to ancient vampires.

But with me, he was hyper aware. His large hand rested on the bare skin of my lower back. The heat of his palm burned through the chill of the room. It was a steady, possessive pressure guiding every step I took.

"The Supreme Council is watching," Silas whispered. He leaned down so his lips brushed my ear. "Smile, Sienna. Pretend you are safe."

I forced a smile, though my nerves were screaming. We stopped near a towering ice sculpture. Silas was approached by an elderly man with pale, translucent skin. A Council elder.

"Silas Malphas," the elder hissed, his voice like dry leaves. "Your recent execution of the Iron Fang leader was quite sudden."

"It was necessary," Silas replied coldly. He dropped his hand from my back to face the elder fully.

I took a small step to the side to give them space. It was a massive mistake.

Within seconds of Silas dropping his guard, a towering man slid into my personal space.

He had broad shoulders, a thick silver beard, and eyes that glowed with a feral amber light. An Alpha werewolf from a rival pack. He smelled of wet earth and aggressive dominance.

"The human Thread Binder," the Alpha purred. He stepped so close his expensive cologne invaded my lungs. "I heard rumors Malphas bought himself a new pet. You caused quite a stir at the docks."

I lifted my chin, meeting his feral stare. "I am a legal contractor. I merely enforce the laws."

"You enforce his laws," the Alpha sneered, leaning closer. His massive hand reached out to grip my bare shoulder. "Maybe my pack needs a contractor. I could show you how a real predator treats his property."

He never finished the sentence.

A suffocating wave of dark magic crashed into the Alpha. The werewolf gagged, his amber eyes widening in sudden, raw terror.

Silas materialized beside me. He did not yell. He did not draw a weapon. He simply reached out and gripped the werewolf by the throat.

The sheer speed of the movement was terrifying. Silas lifted the massive Alpha off his feet with one hand. The werewolf clawed desperately at Silas's iron grip. The seams of his expensive suit tore under the strain.

"You are breathing her air, Thorne," Silas whispered. His voice was a deadly, vibrating hum that made the crystal glasses on nearby tables shatter.

The entire gala went dead silent. The music stopped. Every monster in the room watched the Beast of Malphas prepare to execute a pack leader over a simple conversation.

I felt a jolt of pure panic. If Silas killed him here, it would start a massive territory war. My shadow client would use the chaos to destroy the estate before I could find the Ledger.

"Silas," I said, placing my hand on his forearm.

His muscles were like carved granite beneath his suit sleeve. He was rigid with lethal intent.

"Let him go," I murmured softly. "He is not worth a Council sanction. The contract is all that matters."

Silas slowly turned his head. His golden eyes locked onto mine. The predatory rage swimming in his gaze was blinding. He looked down at my hand resting on his arm. The physical contact sent a shockwave of heat straight to my chest.

Silas opened his hand.

Thorne crashed to the marble floor, gasping for air and coughing violently. He scrambled backward like a beaten dog. He did not dare to look at Silas again.

Silas ignored the gasping Alpha. He turned to me and wrapped his arm firmly around my waist. He pulled me flush against his chest. The soft velvet of my dress rubbed against the fine wool of his suit.

"If anyone else looks at you tonight," Silas declared to the silent room. His voice carried undeniable authority. "I will blind them."

He did not wait for a response from the stunned crowd. He marched me away from the party, pushing through a heavy glass door leading out to an isolated balcony.

The cold night air hit my bare back, but Silas's body heat kept me from shivering. We were hundreds of feet above the glowing city streets. The rain had stopped, leaving a heavy fog curling around the sharp corners of the skyscrapers.

Silas pinned me against the stone railing. His hands gripped my waist. His thumbs pressed deep into the soft velvet. He was breathing heavily, the remnants of his monstrous rage still rolling off him in dark, invisible waves.

"You told him to stop," I gasped, my heart racing. "You almost started a war over a simple threat."

"I do not share what is mine," Silas growled, leaning down. His face was inches from mine. "You wear my colors. You work in my house. You belong to the Malphas Syndicate."

"I belong to myself," I argued. My voice shook with a dangerous mix of fear and an undeniable, forbidden attraction.

Silas reached up and traced the delicate gold chain resting against my collarbone. His touch sent liquid fire through my veins.

"Then why," Silas whispered, his golden eyes dropping to my lips. "Is your heart beating so fast for a monster?"

I opened my mouth to lie. I wanted to tell him it was just fear.

Before I could speak, a sharp, metallic click echoed from the shadows of the balcony.

"Step away from the girl, Silas."

A man stepped out of the heavy fog, aiming a modified crossbow directly at Silas's chest. The metallic bolt was glowing with toxic green magic.

I recognized the man instantly. It was the shadow client who hired me to steal the Ledger.

Author's Note

Did Sienna's quick thinking save her, or just trap her deeper in the Beast's cage? Silas definitely showed his possessive side tonight! But who is this shadow client crashing the party, and how did he get past the Council guards? Let me know your best theories in the comments! Please like and share if you want to see Silas protect his Thread Binder in the next chapter!