The day of the meeting arrived, the tension palpable even before we set foot inside the hall. Marcus walked beside me, his stride confident and relaxed, but I couldn't shake the weight of the moment.

"Stay close to me," he advised, his voice steady but low. "And whatever you do, don't say anything that might bruise an alpha's ego. These guys are touchy, and the last thing you want is to set one of them off."

I raised an eyebrow, curious. "Has that actually happened?"

Marcus chuckled, glancing sideways at me. "Oh, yeah. There was this one time—an alpha, big guy, real piece of work—lost it because someone questioned his claim to a stretch of land. The guy went on a rampage in the middle of the meeting. Took weeks to clean up that mess."

The image of a hulking alpha wolf in a rage wasn't exactly comforting, but I kept my expression neutral as we continued walking. I adjusted the long black dress I wore, its fabric flowing elegantly around me, exposing the bare skin of my back. It was more formal than what I was used to, but Marcus had insisted that blending in required a certain level of decorum. Besides, there was something about the dress that made me feel... powerful.

As we approached the hall, I tried to distract myself by asking more questions. "What exactly gets discussed at these meetings?"

Marcus shrugged as if it were no big deal, but his eyes flicked toward the entrance with a glint of awareness.

"Usually it's about territory, pack size, new alphas coming into the fold. Basic political stuff, but this time..." He paused, his tone shifting. "This time, it's all about the rogues."

The mention of rogues sent a chill through me. I remembered my conversation with Francis, how he'd been so vague about the connection between the attacks and the wolves.

"But why rogues? If the pact between vampires and wolves is still holding, shouldn't that prevent rogue activity?"

Marcus gave me a look that suggested I was overthinking things. "I don't know. My pack's small, we don't get hit like some of the others do. Maybe that's why it's not my biggest concern." He shrugged again, but I could tell he wasn't being entirely upfront.

Marcus always played things close to the vest.

As we reached the hall's entrance, I scanned the crowd and immediately spotted a familiar face. Francis. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as I hurried toward him.

"Francis," I greeted, genuine warmth in my voice. "Thank you again for your help."

Francis smiled back at me, the lines around his eyes softening in a way that seemed almost disarming.

"Glad to see you made it," he said, his tone as smooth and measured as always, like he was playing a game where he already knew all the moves.

There was a certain ease to the way he spoke, like he could predict every word out of my mouth before I said it. It was comforting and unnerving at the same time.

We exchanged a few pleasantries, the kind of small talk that felt light on the surface but, with Francis, always seemed to carry a hidden weight. His words were polite, his tone even, but beneath it all, I could sense the layers of calculation, the way he seemed to take stock of everything around him. His gaze lingered a little too long on me, as if he were assessing something, and I wondered for a moment if Marcus was right to be wary of him.

Just as I was beginning to relax, I felt a hand on my waist—firm, possessive. The sudden contact made me stiffen, and I glanced up sharply to see Marcus standing beside me, his expression casual but his grip telling a different story. The warmth of our earlier conversation disappeared, replaced by a tension I hadn't expected. He pulled me closer, his fingers pressing slightly into my side, as if marking a silent boundary.

Francis noticed the shift instantly. His smile faltered for the briefest moment before it returned, but there was something different in his eyes now—something sharp, unreadable. The easy, measured air he had carried moments before was gone, replaced by a flicker of something colder, more calculating. His gaze flickered between Marcus and me, and though he smiled, I could see that he was filing this interaction away, turning it over in his mind like a puzzle piece.

"I'll see you both inside," Francis said smoothly, giving a small nod before he turned and walked away, his back impossibly straight.

As he made his way to his seat, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us, some unspoken understanding had been reached. And I wasn't sure I liked it.

I rounded on Marcus, my irritation flaring.

"What the hell was that?" I demanded, my voice low but heated. "I can talk to people, you know."

Marcus shrugged, completely unfazed by my anger.

"I'm just protecting you," he said casually, his voice far too relaxed for my liking. His eyes met mine, but there was something guarded in them, a subtle wall he had put up. "Francis is the kind of guy who always has something going on beneath the surface. He plays nice, sure, but trust me—you never know what his real motives are."

I narrowed my eyes, skepticism creeping into my voice. "Are you seriously saying I should be careful around him? He's the one who got me this far in the first place."

Marcus sighed, his gaze flicking back to where Francis had just been.

"I'm saying that this room is full of people with their own agendas, and Francis is no exception. You don't know him like I do." His grip on my waist loosened slightly, but the protectiveness lingered. "There are a lot of wolves here who wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of a vulnerable situation. You can't be too trusting, Naomi."

I let out a frustrated breath, knowing deep down that Marcus was right. This wasn't my world, not really. I had stepped into it for my own reasons, but that didn't mean I understood the intricacies of wolf politics. Still, I hated the idea of needing to rely on someone else to navigate it all—especially Marcus, whose own motives weren't entirely clear to me either.

"Fine," I muttered, though the stubborn part of me still bristled at the idea. "But I can take care of myself, you know."

Marcus gave a small, knowing smile, as if he didn't quite believe me. "I'm sure you can. But for now, just stick close."

I didn't respond, but the uneasy silence between us spoke volumes. As we entered the hall and took our seats, I couldn't shake the feeling that the real dangers weren't the obvious ones. It wasn't the alphas with their bruised egos or even the looming threat of the rogue attacks. It was something far more subtle, something lurking beneath the surface of every interaction.

As my eyes scanned the room, I saw the way others watched each other, their expressions calm but their eyes sharp, calculating. Conversations hummed in the background, but beneath the polite words and forced smiles, there was a simmering tension. Alliances were shifting, deals being struck in hushed tones. Every look, every gesture seemed to carry hidden meaning, and the unspoken threats in the room felt far more dangerous than any outburst of violence.

Marcus instructed me to head to our assigned seat first, and before I could respond, he had already vanished into the crowd. I stood there for a moment, scanning the room, searching for any sign of him. The hall was beginning to fill with alphas and their betas, wolves of all ranks. Just as my eyes swept across the crowd, I spotted him—standing with another man.

My breath hitched. The man Marcus was speaking to was familiar, too familiar. Green eyes that glinted with sharp intensity, a muscular build that exuded power, a sharp jawline, and hair that was neatly kempt. My heart raced as I took in his presence. Could it be?

I studied the two of them, trying to make sense of the interaction. They seemed to be deep in conversation, though their body language didn't reveal much. But the man, the one with the striking green eyes, turned his gaze toward me. It was brief, a flicker of recognition, but in that moment, his eyes held a predatory gleam, sharp and unnerving, as if he was sizing me up. His stare sent a shiver down my spine, but I quickly looked away, forcing myself to ignore the discomfort crawling up my skin.

I made my way to my seat, forcing my thoughts to steady. My heart still pounded in my chest, though. Was that him? Was that Acyn? The mysterious lycan I had been chasing, the one who had left me with more questions than answers?

Minutes passed before Marcus returned and took his seat beside me. I leaned toward him, keeping my voice low. "Was that Acyn?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

He nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, that's him."

My suspicions were confirmed, but it didn't bring me the relief I thought it would. Instead, I felt more on edge. Acyn—Helios—was here, and I had no idea what that meant for me or this meeting.

The hall gradually filled up with more alphas, each one larger and more intimidating than the last. Yet, there was one empty seat beside me, conspicuous in its absence. I couldn't help but wonder if the seat was left vacant on purpose. Wolves weren't exactly known for their hospitality toward vampires, and I imagined not many of them would be eager to sit next to me, a bloodsucker in their midst.

I fiddled with my fingers as I waited for the meeting to begin, a nervous habit I couldn't quite shake. My mind raced, torn between curiosity and caution. Acyn's presence loomed large in the back of my thoughts, even as I tried to focus on the task at hand.

Then, without warning, someone sat down beside me. The scent hit me before I even looked up—cinnamon, warm and earthy, enveloping me in a way that made my senses reel. Slowly, I turned my head, and there he was. Acyn, or Helios, as I had come to know him. He didn't glance at me, his attention fixed on the front of the room, but his presence was palpable, an unspoken tension hanging between us. I forced myself to calm down, though it wasn't easy with him so close.

The meeting began, and as the alphas launched into their discussions—talks of land disputes, new packs, and rogue activity—I tried to focus, but my mind drifted. I barely heard half of what was said, tuning out the monotonous back-and-forth as I stole glances at Acyn, wondering what he was thinking, why he was here, and whether he knew just how much he unsettled me.

It wasn't until one of the alphas raised his voice that my attention snapped back to the conversation. His tone was sharp, aggressive.

"What's a vampire doing here, anyway?" he sneered, his eyes narrowing in my direction. "Don't you have your own business to deal with?"

Before I could respond, Marcus spoke up, his voice calm but firm. "She's here on behalf of the vampires. The rogue situation is affecting both of our species, and it's in everyone's best interest to discuss it."

But I wasn't content to let Marcus do the talking for me. I straightened in my seat, my voice steady as I addressed the alpha directly. "The rogues aren't just your problem," I said, meeting his gaze head-on. "They've been causing trouble in vampire territories as well. If we don't handle this now, it could threaten the pact between us."

The alpha scoffed, his lips curling into a sneer as he crossed his thick arms over his chest, muscles tensing beneath his shirt. His eyes gleamed with disdain as he turned his gaze toward me.

"Maybe if your kind didn't wander into our territories, we wouldn't have this issue," he spat, his voice thick with derision. "You bring trouble with you, vampire."

The insult hit me like a slap. My fingers curled into fists beneath the table, and a surge of heat rushed to my face as anger bubbled up inside me. Who did he think he was, dismissing me like I didn't belong here? I opened my mouth, ready to lash out, to remind him exactly why I was here and that this was bigger than his fragile ego.

But before I could speak, a deep voice cut through the room, smooth and controlled, yet brimming with an undeniable authority.

"It's a collective effort." Acyn's words were calm, measured, but they carried an edge of power that immediately silenced the murmurs in the room. The air seemed to shift, as if everyone had suddenly become acutely aware of his presence. "The rogues have been a problem for years, and none of us have been able to settle it. Maybe it's time for a fresh perspective, vampire or not."

I froze, blinking in surprise. Acyn hadn't even looked at me when he spoke, his gaze fixed on the alpha across the room, but his words wrapped around me like a protective shield. His tone was steady, almost disinterested, yet there was a quiet intensity behind it that made it impossible to ignore.

The alpha who had mocked me fell silent, his sneer fading as his eyes darted nervously between Acyn and me. The shift in power was palpable, like a sudden gust of wind had swept through the room, leaving everyone off-balance. No one was willing to challenge Acyn, not now.

I exhaled slowly, feeling a small wave of relief wash over me. For the first time since I'd walked into this room, the suffocating tension loosened its grip. Acyn's defense—unexpected and unprovoked—had not only silenced my accuser but also shifted the balance of the meeting in my favor. At least for now.

But as much as I wanted to feel reassured, a nagging thought gnawed at the back of my mind. Why had Acyn spoken up for me? Was it purely strategic, a move to position himself in the discussion, or was there something else? He hadn't so much as glanced in my direction, yet his words had carried the weight of someone deeply invested.