Chapter 5 Darkness and Sparks

"Charlotte, try not to get yourself killed.”

If only you knew how many times I’ve danced with death already.

We moved swiftly through the castle corridors, Arthur’s long strides forcing me to jog in order to keep up. Warriors were already assembling in the main hall, men having hard-eyes and women checking weapons, all restlessly with barely contained wolf energy. Alice stood at the front, silver-streaked hair tied back, a rifle slung over her shoulder. Her gaze locked on me the moment we entered.

“Alpha,” she said, voice clipped. “Scouts report three syndicate vehicles approaching the eastern perimeter. They are heavily armed. They’re testing us again.”

Arthur’s jaw tightened. “Leo, take the first team. Secure the tree line. I’ll join you after I ensure Charlotte is absolutely safe.”

Alice’s lips curled. “Safe? With an untested outsider in our midst? She’ll only slow us down. Let her stay here in the hall instead.”

The jealousy in her tone was unmistakable. It coiled in my gut like poison, reminding me exactly why I couldn’t afford softness here. She wants him and she wants my position in his life. And she sees me as the threat standing in her way.

“I’m not slowing anyone down,” I said coolly, meeting her stare. “I can handle myself.”

Arthur shot me a warning look but didn’t argue. Instead, he took my hand in a firm and possessive way and led me toward a side exit. “You stay behind the main line. That’s not negotiable.”

Like hell.

Outside, moonlight filtering through the thick forest round about in silver shards and the air hummed with tension: distant engine rumbles mixed with the low growls of wolves. None of the wolves armed with guns shifted except for a few I saw leap over the fenced walls into the forest, maybe to ambush their enemies. I kept to the main line as instructed, heart pounding with a familiar thrill. This was the kind of chaos the coven had trained me for, to survive when power plays in the dark.

It started with gunfire cracking in the distance. Shouts rose. Arthur shifted partially, his claws lengthening, eyes glowing brighter as he barked orders. The pack moved like a living weapon, they were so coordinated.

A group of syndicate mercenaries broke through the tree line ahead, weapons blazing. One wolf went down with a pained yelp. Blood sprayed across the ferns. Despite being huge in wolf-form and very fast when they shifted, the syndicate mercenaries were fearless and persistent.

Something dark and protective surged in my chest the moment I saw Arthur racing towards the frontline. Not on my watch and not when Arthur was out there risking everything.

I whispered the incantation under my breath, keeping my hands hidden in the hoodie pockets. A swarm of insects—moths and biting flies—rose from the undergrowth, drawn by my will. They descended on the attackers in a choking cloud, blinding them, forcing them to drop their aim and swat themselves frantically.

It wasn’t enough. The mercenaries adapted quickly, firing wildly in a way that got me upset. I wove another layer of subtle illusions, pushing my magic harder. The trees seemed to shift and walk, branches twisting into unnatural shapes that advanced on the intruders. Confusion rippled through their ranks. One man screamed and fired into empty air.

Alice noticed. She spun toward the disturbance, eyes narrowing as she cut down an enemy with ruthless efficiency. “What the—?”

I pulled back quickly, letting the illusions fade before anyone could trace them to me. But the damage was done: the syndicate forces became unstable, giving the pack the opening they needed. Arthur roared, leading a charge that sent the remaining attackers retreating into the night.

The fight ended as quickly as it had begun. Cheers and howls rose from the pack as they secured the perimeter. Arthur strode back toward me, his chest heaving, blood streaking his arm from a graze. His eyes found mine instantly as he approached fast.

“You did something,” he said quietly, voice low enough that only I could hear. He stepped close, crowding me against a tree trunk. The tree bark pressed on my back; his heat pressed into my front. “I felt magic. Are you truly a witch.”

My stomach dropped. Shit. The pull between us made it harder to hide and I felt his wolf sensing what my spells stirred.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I was only keeping my head down the entire time and using this pistol.” I lied, tilting my chin up defiantly even as my pulse raced. His scent wrapped around me, mixing adrenaline and raw masculinity in a way that made my head spin.

Arthur’s hand came up, bracing beside my head on the tree. He leaned in, lips brushing the shell of my ear. “Don’t lie to me, Charlotte. Not when I can smell the power on you. Every instinct tells me you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.”

A shiver ran through me. The almost-kiss from my room returned tenfold and with the tension coiling tighter, his free hand settled on my waist, thumb stroking possessively over the curve of my hip. My magic responded eagerly, reaching for him like a butterfly to flowers.

Dangerous. So dangerous. Lucy’s warning echoed: Fail us, and we’ll destroy you and everything.

I placed my palms on his chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart beneath my fingers. “You’re imagining things, Alpha. Adrenaline does that. Please don't get too attached to me, I don't feel anything for you and besides it's going to be just a contract marriage. A lie and nothing genuine.”

His growl vibrated against my hands. “Keep telling yourself that, little witch. But I see you. And I protect what’s mine.”

The possessiveness in his voice sent heat pooling low in my belly. For one wild moment, I wanted to pull him down and finally taste the fire building between us. Alice’s voice cut through the clearing like a whip. “Alpha! We need you at the perimeter for debrief.”

Arthur didn’t move immediately. He held his gaze on mine, dark with promise. “This conversation isn’t over.”

He stepped back reluctantly, but not before his fingers trailed down my arm in a caress that lingered, leaving my skin burning for him.

As he walked away to join his pack, Alice shot me a venomous glare that promised trouble. I leaned against the tree, breathing hard, the taste of danger and desire became thick on my tongue.

One mistake, I thought while watching Arthur’s powerful form move through the moonlight. One slip, and the coven comes upon this pack. One moment of weakness, and I lose everything.

Yet as the pull in my blood became stronger and more insistent for Arthur, I wondered if the real threat wasn’t the syndicates or my sisters.

It was the alpha who was slowly, relentlessly, stealing pieces of me I could never afford to give.

And worse… I wasn’t sure I wanted him. Maybe this is me feeling sorry for him because he has more enemies now than he even realizes.

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