Talia's POV

Fuck.

Why did this have to happen now?

The knock on the door felt like a gunshot in the middle of my chest. Everything froze. The air, the moment, my breath.

Ramon's body went stiff above me, his jaw tightening as if he were barely holding back a growl.

"Who the hell is that?" he shouted.

Anger and frustration flashed openly across his face, and something twisted painfully in my chest.

That meant he wanted this too.

As badly as I did.

"Alpha," a voice called from outside. One of the guards. "There's something you should see."

Ramon didn't even look away from me. His hands were still warm and steady, still on my breast, while his weight grounding me to the bed like the world outside didn't exist.

"Let it wait," he snapped. "I'm busy."

My heart jumped.

Without thinking, I reached up and placed my hands over his, silently begging whoever was at the door to leave. Just go away. Just five more minutes. Five more seconds.

"I'm sorry, Alpha," the guard said again, his voice strained. "But this is urgent."

Ramon swore under his breath.

"Fuck."

The word came out low and angry, like it was torn from him. He pulled back slowly, his expression hardening as the moment shattered between us.

"Go," I said quietly. "I'll be here. Waiting."

He huffed a short laugh, arrogance slipping back over him like armor as he stood and reached for his clothes.

"Like you have a choice," he said. "You're not leaving this room. I already told you that."

There it was. That shift.

Just seconds ago, he'd looked at me like I mattered. Like I was something fragile and wanted. Now he sounded like the arrogant Alpha again. Cold. Commanding.

I hated how fast he could switch.

I watched him dress in silence, my chest tight with emotions I didn't want to name.

Desire. Anger. Confusion. All tangled together.

He didn't say anything else.

He just turned and walked out, leaving me alone on the bed, staring at the ceiling, my heart still racing for reasons that had nothing to do with fear.

And everything to do with him.

Ramon's POV

Mache had better have a damn good reason for interrupting me.

I stalked down the hallway, irritation simmering under my skin, my thoughts still tangled in the warmth of Talia's body and the way her eyes had looked at me just moments ago.

Fuck.

That woman was dangerous in ways she didn't even understand.

Talia could be very sweet when she wasn't vomiting venom from her mouth.

Turns out her mouth could be very distracting when it wasn't trying to tear me apart.

Sweet one second. Sharp-tongued the next. And somehow... still capable of getting under my skin.

I shook my head, forcing my focus back where it belonged.

"Yes," I demanded the moment I stepped outside my room. "What is going on?"

Mache stood there with two other guards. My head of security looked tense, his shoulders stiff, his eyes darting like he was bracing for impact.

"Alpha," he said carefully, "there's something you need to see."

The tone in his voice made my irritation spike into unease.

"What is it?" I asked sharply.

He hesitated.

"It's... Talia."

My blood went cold.

"What about her?" I snapped.

Mache stepped aside. "Please, Alpha. Follow us."

Every instinct in my body screamed as we moved down the corridor toward her room.

The closer we got, the stronger the metallic scent in the air became.

The door was open.

The room was chaotic.

Furniture overturned. Glass shattered across the floor. Curtains torn. The window wide open, night air pouring in like a wound that refused to close.

My chest tightened painfully.

"Who the fuck did this?" I muttered.

One of the guards swallowed hard.

"Alpha... someone broke in through the window."

Rage surged through me, hot and violent.

"Alpha," Mache said again, pointing toward the bathroom. "Someone left this."

I moved toward it slowly, dread crawling up my spine.

The smell hit me first.

Blood. Fresh. Thick.

On the bathroom floor lay a dead deer, its throat slit open, blood pooling beneath it and streaking the tiles like some twisted message.

And beside it...

A note.

Written in blood.

My hands curled into fists as I read the words.

NEXT IS YOUR FUCKING LUNA.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Those rogue bastards.

Zara's people.

My jaw clenched so hard it ached. Every kill. Every warning. Every attempt to end this; only made them bolder.

"What the fuck did I get myself into?" I whispered.

It was never ending. Cut one head off and two more appeared.

I dragged a hand down my face, forcing myself to breathe, to think.

Then Mache spoke again.

"Alpha..." His voice shook. "I'm sorry. Please forgive us, but...."

My heart slammed violently against my ribs.

"But what?" I demanded.

"We... we can't find Talia."

My blood went cold.

"We... we couldn't find Talia," Mache said, his voice shaking. "She was not in here when we came."

That was when the weight of this hit me.

They actually came for her.

So if I hadn't carried her to my room, those bastards would have taken her.

"She's not missing," I said slowly.

Mache frowned. "Alpha?"

"She's with me," I growled. "She's in my room."

Relief flooded their faces instantly.

But mine stayed hard.

I turned back toward the bathroom, staring at the bloodied deer, the shattered glass, the message written in blood.

NEXT IS YOUR FUCKING LUNA.

They were close.

Close enough to enter my home.

Close enough to leave a message.

Close enough to test my defenses.

"They didn't come for her tonight," I said quietly.

Mache stiffened. "Then why...."

"This was a warning," I snapped. "A reminder."

I clenched my fists.

They're watching us," I said quietly.

"And this time... the mistake would be letting them get close to her."

Talia's POV

I couldn't breathe.

The walls of Ramon's room felt closer than before, like they were inching in slowly, quietly, determined to crush me under the weight of everything I'd just learned, everything I hadn't learned yet.

Rogues.

A warning.

A message written in blood.

And me.

They referred to me as....

Your fucking Luna.

The words echoed in my head like a curse.

I sat on the edge of Ramon's bed, my arms wrapped tightly around myself, trying to stop the shaking that refused to leave.

The sheets still smelled like him...warm, masculine, faintly dangerous....and it only made my heart pound harder.

If I hadn't been here...

If I had gone back to my room...

I swallowed hard.

The image my mind painted was too vivid. Too terrifying.

A shattered window. There would have been hands grabbing me in the dark. And the blood on the floor...would have been my blood.

I stood up abruptly, pacing the room.

This was real now. Not just words. Not just threats whispered in the hallway or warnings spoken in hushed voices.

Someone had been close enough to enter this place. Close enough to leave a message.

Close enough to hurt me.

Or worse.

The door opened, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

Ramon walked in, his presence filling the room instantly. His jaw was tight, his eyes dark with something fierce and barely restrained. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment, like he needed the support.

We stared at each other in silence.

Something had shifted.

The desire from earlier still lingered, heavy and unspoken, but now it was tangled with fear and anger and something deeper...something dangerous.

"They broke into my room," I said finally, my voice quiet but steady.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"I followed you," I replied.

"Yes," he replied.

"And left a message."

"Yes."

I exhaled sharply. "I want to know exactly what's going on."

He pushed off the door and crossed the room slowly. "You don't need to know everything."

"That's not your decision to make," I snapped.

His eyes flickered. Surprise. Then irritation.

"You're safer not knowing."

"I'm not safe either way!" I shot back. "They wrote that message because of me, Ramon. I deserve to know why."

He stopped a few feet away from me, running a hand through his hair.

"Sit down," he said.

"No."

His jaw clenched. "Talia..."

"No," I repeated. "I'm done being ordered around like I don't matter."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to challenge my words," he growled.

Silence stretched between us.

"Do not challenge my word," he said sharply. "Now, sit". He said.

I couldn't even argue, not with the look on his face.

Then, quietly, "They're rogues."

I already knew that, but hearing it out loud made my chest tighten.

"They're Zara's people," he continued. "A broken faction of my pack, who didn't like hearing the word no."

"What did you do to her?" I asked.

His eyes hardened. "What I had to."

That answer sent a chill through me.

"And now they're after you," he said, voice low. "Not because of who you are.....but because of what you mean to me."

I laughed bitterly. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"No," he admitted. "It's supposed to make you stay alive."

I turned away, walking toward the window.

"They called me your Luna," I said quietly.

He didn't respond.

"Why?" I pressed. "Why me?"

Because you're my mate.

I didn't say it. Neither did he. But it hung between us, heavy and unavoidable.

"I don't want to be a weapon," I whispered. "Or leverage. Or bait."

"You're not," he said immediately. "You're protected."

By him?

And that terrified me more than the rogues ever could.

A knock sounded at the door again, softer this time.

"Alpha," Mache's voice came through. "We have updates."

Ramon hesitated, then looked at me. "Stay here."

I didn't argue.

This time.

He opened the door, but not fully. Their voices dropped instantly, low and urgent. I tried not to listen.

I failed.

"...inner perimeter," Mache was saying.

"No signs of forced entry beyond the window. Someone knew the patrol routes."

My heart skipped.

"Meaning?" Ramon asked.

"Meaning it might be someone on the inside."

My blood turned to ice.

"There's more," Mache added. "We found a scent trail. It doesn't belong to any rogue we know."

Ramon cursed softly.

"What does that mean?" I whispered to myself.

"...and Alpha," Mache continued, "it's recent. Very recent."

Ramon went still.

"How recent?"

"Tonight."

I took a step back, my legs suddenly weak.

Someone inside this pack had helped them.

Someone who saw me every day. Smiled at me. Watched me.

The door shut.

Ramon turned slowly, his eyes finding mine instantly. He knew. He could probably smell my fear.

"You weren't supposed to hear that," he said.

"That was too late."

He sighed. "Talia...."

"There's a traitor," I said. "In your pack."

"Yes."

"What does that mean now?"

"It means that you'll always be in my room because of that."

The room felt unbearably small.

"I don't like this," I said. "I don't like being watched. Or hidden. Or treated like glass."

"I know."

"And I don't trust everyone here," I added.

His gaze sharpened. "You shouldn't."

My chest ached at that.

I turned toward the bed, exhaustion crashing into me all at once. Fear had a way of draining everything from you.

"I'm tired," I murmured.

"I'll be right here," he said.

I hesitated, then lay down, facing the wall. The mattress dipped slightly as he sat on the edge of the bed, but he didn't touch me.

That restraint felt louder than any embrace.

As my eyes slowly closed, one thought burned bright in my mind.

Someone close wanted me dead.

And until we found out who...

No one was safe.

Talia's POV

Ahhh....

The sound dragged me out of sleep.

It was faint at first, like it belonged to a dream. I almost turned over, almost sank back into darkness.

Then I heard it again.

A groan.

No... a cry.

My heart skipped as I opened my eyes.

The room was dark, lit only by moonlight slipping through the curtains. For a moment, everything was still.

Then I saw him.

Ramon.

He was lying beside me, his body tense, his brows drawn together like he was in pain. His lips parted as another sound left his throat...low, broken.

"No, no." He cried out

"Please."

Tears streaked down his face.

My chest tightened.

His eyes were closed, but his expression looked tortured, like he was trapped somewhere far away and couldn't escape.

"What...?" I whispered.

I didn't know what to do.

Should I wake him?

Would that make it worse?

Another groan tore from him, louder this time, his chest rising sharply like he couldn't breathe properly.

That decided it.

I couldn't just lie there.

I turned toward him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him gently against me. My hands moved to his face, wiping away the tears, my thumbs brushing his cheeks.

"Hey," I whispered softly. "It's okay. You're okay."

He didn't wake.

But his hands moved instantly, gripping me like I was the only solid thing in the world.

His fingers dug into my back, desperate, trembling.

"It's okay," I whispered again, over and over. "Let it go. You're safe."

I shushed him gently, rocking him without thinking, my heart pounding.

What could make Alpha Ramon like this?

What could torment Alpha Ramon like this?

This man who ruled with fear and control... what could possibly torment him in his sleep?

Slowly, so slowly, his breathing began to steady.

Then his eyes opened.

They locked onto mine.

For a second, he looked disoriented. Lost.

Then recognition settled in.

"Talia..." he murmured.

His voice was rough, like it had been dragged through fire.

"You're awake," I said softly.

He nodded once. His chest was still rising fast, but his eyes were clear now. Awake and present.

Whatever was haunting him, seems to let go of him now.

"You were dreaming," I said. "You looked... scared."

His jaw tightened.

"I wasn't scared," he said automatically.

I didn't argue.

I just looked at him.

His hands were still holding me, like he hadn't realized he hadn't let go.

He looked vulnerable, not the arrogant man I know.

"You were crying," I said quietly.

That made him freeze.

Slowly, he released me and sat up, turning his face away like he didn't want me to see him anymore.

"How long?" he asked.

"Long enough," I replied.

Silence filled the space between us.

I gathered my courage and drew closer to him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

The answer was instant.

I nodded. "Okay."

That surprised him.

He glanced at me. "You're not going to push?"

"That's unlike you. Taking no for an answer."

I shook my head. "Not if you don't want me to."

Another pause.

Then he exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand down his face.

"I'm here whenever you want to talk", I said very softly.

"The memories still burns like it was yesterday," he said very slowly with pain in his voice.

My heart clenched. "What memories?"

He hesitated.

"The dead," he finally said.

I swallowed.

"The people I couldn't save. The ones I watched as they got killed. The ones who trusted me."

His voice was steady, but there was something broken underneath it.

"They come back every night," he continued. "In different faces. Different screams."

I reached for his hand without thinking.

He didn't pull away.

"You're not a monster," I said.

He laughed softly, bitterly. "You don't know that."

"I know what I saw tonight," I said. "A man who's hurting."

He looked at me then. Really looked at me.

"You shouldn't have seen this side of me," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because alphas don't get the luxury of falling apart."

I squeezed his hand. "Then maybe that's why it happens when you're asleep."

Something shifted in his expression.

He leaned forward until his forehead rested against mine.

"You calm the noise," he said quietly. "When you touch me... it stops."

My breath caught.

"I'm glad I could help," I whispered.

"I know," he said. "That's why it's dangerous."

Dangerous.

The word echoed between us.

"I won't tell anyone," I promised.

"I know," he replied.

We stayed like that for a long moment, breathing the same air.

Then he lay back down, turning slightly toward me.

"Stay," he said softly.

I didn't hesitate.

I curled beside him, and this time, he slept.

Peacefully.

But as I stared into the darkness, one thought refused to leave me.

Whatever haunted Ramon wasn't just his past.

It was something he carried alone.

And somehow...

I was already part of it.