Victor"s compound reeked of power. Old money. New tech. Ancient blood.

I straightened my spine as security escorted me through sleek hallways. Glass and steel outside. Gothic within. Just like Victor—modern facade, medieval heart.


The blood connection with Alexander hummed faintly. A lifeline.

"Isabella." Victor appeared. "Welcome home."

Home. As if.


He studied me like a specimen. "Three centuries look good on you."

"Can"t say the same." A lie. He looked exactly as I remembered.


He led me into a massive control room. Screens displayed my code—twisted, weaponized.

"The future of power," Victor gestured proudly. "Not armies. Information. Control."

My fingers itched to find the backdoor in my algorithm. Not yet.

"Why me?" I asked. "You have talented hackers."

"None with your perspective. Three centuries watching systems evolve."

Old memories surfaced. The university library. Equations hidden under poetry because women weren"t allowed to study mathematics.

"You didn"t make me," I said. "You took my choice away."

"I gave you eternity."

"You gave me trauma."

His expression flickered. Almost remorse.

"Now I offer you choice. Real power. Standing beside me as we reshape the world."

I played my part. "And Alexander?"

"The wolf? He"ll survive. His company might not."

"You promised to spare him."

"If you cooperate. Starting with your access codes to Grey Investments."

I gave him altered codes that would trigger Alexander"s alert system.

Victor smiled. "See? Partnership already."

"Partnership implies equality."

His fingers traced my neck. "Tell me about your blood connection with the wolf."

My heart stuttered. How did he know?

"I can smell him on you. Feel the connection. It"s the beginning of the prophecy. But incomplete."

"What do you mean?"

"Blood and moon entwined. The book speaks of equal marking. But wolves don"t mark equally. They dominate."

A technician entered, whispered in Victor"s ear. He left, giving me my chance.

I moved quickly, planting the backdoor code.

When Victor returned, his eyes narrowed. "Your wolf is resilient. He"s countering our attacks."

Screens showed Grey Investments" building surrounded by armed mercenaries.

"This wasn"t our deal," I stood, anger flaring.

"Choose, Isabella. Him or me."

Our eyes locked. "I choose freedom."

I activated the backdoor. Systems flickered. Alarms blared.

Victor"s face contorted with rage. "You betrayed me."

His hand shot out, gripping my throat. "I made you. I can unmake you."

I sent one thought to Alexander: Now.

Explosions rocked the compound. I twisted free.

"You never understood me. I was never meant to be controlled."

"You think your wolf will save you? He"ll mark you. Own you."

"You"re wrong about him. And about the prophecy."

Victor lunged. His hand closed around my wrist.

"If I can"t have you," he hissed, "neither can he."

Pain exploded in my side. A silver blade. Ancient. Dripping with my blood.

Victor twisted the knife. "The prophecy dies with you."

Through our connection, I felt Alexander"s panic. His rage. His fear.

I"m sorry, I thought as darkness crept in. I should have told you…

Told him what? That I"d fallen in love with him?

Too late now.

The last thing I felt was our blood connection, pulsing desperately, as if Alexander was trying to hold me to this world through sheer force of will.

Then nothing.