"Even in the darkest places, fate has a way of guiding two souls toward each other."
Raven – POV
Down in the cellar, after what felt like hours of pain and silence, the rogues finally left her alone. Bruised, chained, and sore, Raven fought the urge to cry. Instead, she gritted her teeth and breathed through the ache.
From the neighboring cell, the red-haired guy stirred.
"You must have really pissed them off," he said, voice low but laced with concern. "How are you holding up?"
She nodded faintly, signaling she was okay—though it was a lie.
Her fingers worked skillfully, quietly undoing the chain from her wrist. The silver had burned her skin, but she'd endured worse. She scanned the room, trying to guess the time. "How long was I out for?" she finally asked, voice hoarse.
"Just a few hours," he answered. "Not enough to miss me yet."
She ignored the weak joke and turned her attention to the iron bars. "No way to break out?"
"You're wasting your energy," he replied. "These cells are built to hold wolves... especially dangerous ones."
There was something in the way he said it—like he was observing her, trying to figure out if she really was dangerous.
She didn't respond. Her eyes drifted to the scar on his cheek, the copper fire of his hair glinting in the dim light. Something about him unsettled her. Not fear—something else.
Something... familiar?
Brian – POV
The silence of the underground tunnels was deceptive. The kind of quiet that slithered in right before a storm. Brian sat back in the dim corner of his cell, watching the silver-haired girl rest her head against the cold wall her scent had hit him the moment she stirred. Clean, wild, sweet like the wind before a thunderstorm. His wolf had growled softly—restless. The bruises along her collarbone were faint, but the damage beneath—he could feel it ran deeper.
He watched her from the shadows of his cell. .
Not possible.
He'd come here with a mission. Infiltrate. Gather intel. Escape unnoticed.
But the girl in the next cell wasn't just any captive. She was probably from one of those aristocrats. Royalty. Untouchable.
He clenched his jaw.
And yet...
He spoke again.
"You took a beating, princess."
When she turned to speak, the silver of her hair shimmered like moonlight. Her blue eyes met his just once—and the world stilled.
Midnight – The Escape
She ignored the title. Typical of royals who didn't want to be treated like one.
He was about to ask her name when a faint sound vibrated through the tunnel wall. A deep, low tremor... too rhythmic to be natural.
Brian's muscles tensed. "That's not good."
Before Raven could ask, the walls suddenly quaked as a faint boom echoed from above. The rogue guards scrambled. One shouted, "Intruders! We're under attack!"
Brian leapt to his feet. "That's my team," he muttered with a half-grin, gripping the loose edge of his cell bars. "Took them long enough."
She looked at him, shocked. "You're not one of them?"
"I'm a spy, not a savage." He grinned. "Now back up."
He used his shoulder and some old leverage he'd set up over the last week. The bars cracked free with a screech, just as explosions rattled the ceiling again.
"Move!" he ordered, prying her door open too. But the moment they stepped into the corridor—
A second group of rogues stormed in, weapons raised.
"Thirty of them," Raven whispered. "This wasn't in your plan?"
Brian chuckled. "Plans are overrated."
One rogue lunged. Raven ducked and kicked him back into two others. Brian was already mid-air, twisting and cracking a jaw open with a clean strike. But there were too many.
Steel clashed. Screams echoed. Blood splattered.
One rogue slipped behind Raven, his blade cutting toward her. Brian shoved her aside and took the blow instead—shoulder slashed, blood pouring.
"copper haired!" she screamed, eyes wild with fury.
He stumbled but remained upright. "Still standing," he gasped. "But if you've got any bright ideas—now's the time."
Her wolf flickered beneath her skin. Not fully out. Not fully in. But enough. With a growl, she lashed out, claws sharp and eyes glowing. The tide turned.
She fought like wildfire, a storm wrapped in white hair and defiance.
Together, they pushed through the chaos—Brian clutching her shoulder, Raven dragging him past the last rogue's body. They emerged into the forest, breathless.
The cold air hit them like a blessing. Brian collapsed against a tree trunk, laughing weakly. "Remind me to never underestimate you again."
She smirked, kneeling beside him. "Guess you owe me."
He looked at her—really looked. Even bruised, even bloodied, she was something else. A strange warmth coiled in his chest. His heartbeat skipped. That same pull... the scent, the bond... it couldn't be.
"What's your—" he began.
But just then, another scent hit the air. Strong. Familiar. Angry.
A shadow crashed through the woods. Brian was yanked back with blinding speed.
"Get your hands off my sister!"
John Lockwood.
Raven gasped. "John—"
Brian growled, instincts rising. But John didn't listen. "You're safe now," he said, pulling her into his arms. The moment was surreal. Her twin's arms wrapped around her, yanking her into safety. But before she could process it, she looked back.
Brian, still bleeding, staggered upright, heart pounding. His eyes locked with Raven's for a moment longer.
Brian – POV
Their eyes met through smoke and flame.
Just a second. One second was all it took.
A spark. A pull.
Her scent, her voice, her presence—everything screamed mine.
But she was gone before he could speak. Swept away by her brother. No name. No explanation.
Only that lingering ache in his chest.
Who are you?
And why can't I let you go?
Brian was still staring at the spot she had vanished from, her scent lingering faintly in the air. The bond was tugging at him, relentless and frustrating. He barely noticed the forest shadows shifting behind him.
A voice cut through the silence.
"Lord Brian."
He turned slightly, wincing as pain shot through his wounded shoulder. Bryce—his right hand and most trusted ally—stepped into view. Cloaked in black, eyes glinting with quiet power, the vampire looked both annoyed and concerned.
"You look like hell," Bryce muttered, scanning the gash. "What happened?"
Brian didn't answer.
Bryce exhaled. "Never mind. We need to move. More of those mutts are coming, and I don't feel like becoming rogue food tonight."
He reached out and helped Brian to his feet, half-dragging him away from the clearing.
As they disappeared into the night, Brian glanced back one last time, heart still pounding with questions, regret, and something else entirely.
Who are you really?
Next Time on Chapter 4: Between Shadows and Secrets
"The bond had awakened... but the truth would unravel slower than they feared."