Deep in the Forbidden Wilds
Ariana stumbled after Lucian through tangled roots and a forest so dense, the moon barely touched the ground. They'd been walking for hours, her legs aching, Lucian's annoying commentary the only thing keeping her awake.
"…And you are sure you can't fly?" he asked, pushing aside a thorn bush for her.
She glared at him. "I'm a wolf, not a bat."
He shrugged. "Would've made this faster. You do have batty energy."
She snapped a twig at his head. He dodged it easily, that rogue grin flashing in the shadows.
The Entrance
They stopped before what looked like a crumbling, moss-covered boulder. Lucian ran his clawed fingers over the stones, whispering something she didn't catch. The rock shimmered — then dissolved into mist, revealing a dark passageway that smelled of pine smoke and fresh earth.
Ariana raised a brow. "A magical cave? Really?"
Lucian leaned close, his breath warm on her ear. "Technically, it's an abandoned silver mine. But I made improvements."
She snorted. "Did you hang fairy lights too?"
His lips brushed her temple. "Only if you ask nicely."
Inside the Den
She followed him into the dim corridor. The rogue den was… unexpected. Carved-out tunnels glowed with bioluminescent moss and tiny oil lamps. Warm air drifted past, carrying the scents of cooked meat and fresh herbs. Crates of scavenged supplies were stacked against the walls, and rough furs covered stone benches.
But the best part? Wolves. Rogues, all shapes and sizes, some half-shifted, some wearing battered clothes. They froze as Ariana stepped in behind Lucian, eyes narrowing, nostrils flaring.
One, a scruffy young she-wolf with a scar down her cheek, stepped forward. "Who's the princess?"
Ariana lifted her chin. "Name's Ariana Thorn. Bite me."
The she-wolf's lip twitched. "Careful. Some of us might."
New Bonds
Lucian clapped a hand on Ariana's shoulder. "She's with me. Anyone who touches her loses a limb."
A low rumble of grudging laughter rolled through the den. Ariana felt her wolf puff up proudly. She wasn't just a rejected mate anymore — she was someone worth protecting.
They settled near a large fire pit. Lucian dropped onto a battered armchair that looked stolen from an old human cabin. Ariana perched beside him on a fur-lined bench, ignoring the rogue stares burning into her skin.
"So," she said, trying to sound casual, "how long have you all been living like this? Wolves, caves, stolen furniture—"
Lucian smirked. "Years. The pack banishes us, we survive. That's how it goes."
She swallowed. "And you want me to survive with you."
"Not with," he corrected, voice low. "Beside. There's a difference."
Soft and Spicy
An older rogue tossed her a threadbare blanket. "You're bleeding on the floor," he grunted.
Ariana glanced down. Her hip wound from the carrion hound was leaking again. She winced when Lucian leaned in, hooking a finger under her chin.
"You're terrible at staying in one piece," he murmured.
"Maybe I just like your hands on me," she shot back.
His eyes darkened. The den felt suddenly too warm. For one heartbeat, she wondered if he'd close the space between them — kiss her, claim her right there in front of his rogues.
Instead, Lucian chuckled, low and wicked, and pulled back. "Don't tempt me, little Thorn. Not when you're half-dead and half-dressed."
Caught Off Guard
Ariana dozed for an hour near the fire. When she woke, the den was quieter, most rogues asleep or on patrol. She stretched, joints aching from the shift and the fight.
Lucian was gone. She frowned, ears straining — then caught the sound of trickling water deeper in the tunnels.
Curiosity — and maybe something warmer — pulled her down a narrow passage. The air grew steamy, mist curling around her bare legs. She turned a corner —
And nearly swallowed her tongue.
Lucian stood waist-deep in an underground hot spring, steam drifting off his bare shoulders. Moonlight from a crack overhead turned his skin to liquid gold. He dunked his head, black hair slicked back, a thin scar running across his ribs.
She should have turned away. She didn't.
His eyes cracked open, instantly locking onto hers. For a split second, the cocky rogue Alpha looked almost… shy.
"Enjoying the view?" he drawled, a grin slowly spreading across his lips.
Ariana felt her cheeks flame. "I — I was just — I didn't mean to —"
Lucian stepped out of the water in one smooth, infuriating motion. Droplets clung to his skin like diamonds. He grabbed a towel and slung it around his hips, still smirking.
"You're cute when you babble," he teased.
She threw her hands up. "You're impossible!"
He stalked closer, cornering her against the slick cave wall. The heat of him, fresh from the spring, rolled off in waves.
"Get used to it, Thorn," he murmured, brushing a wet strand of hair from her face. "We're just getting started."
Cliffhanger
Footsteps pounded down the tunnel behind them — the scarred she-wolf from before, breathless.
"Alpha Lucian," she barked. "Scouts found tracks — multiple carrion hounds. And something… bigger."
Lucian's smirk vanished. He grabbed Ariana's hand, ignoring the towel slipping dangerously low on his hips.
"Get dressed," he growled. "Lesson four's about to begin."
Ariana's pulse thundered as he squeezed her fingers. The water, the cave, the soft warmth — all of it gone in an instant.
And this time, she didn't want to run. She wanted to fight.