The day had been a whirlwind of paint, presentations, andte–night shelving at the library. It was a way out to forget the dayb, /bbimy /i/bbirthday, so I keep myself busy.

I was running on fumes, my limbs aching, and my brain foggy from staring at art history notes for far too long. If I had known what the right would bbring /bmaybe I would’ve stayed in the library till sunrise.

I didn’t even notice the tension in the air. The faint electric buzz that usually signalled something was off–too tired, too distracted. When I finally pulled my phone out, I saw the message from Patricia waiting.

‘Rogues spotted near Florence border. Be careful. Inform the warriors if you see anything. And DON’T walk alone, El!‘

I bit my lip, cursing under my breath.

Of course I was walking alone. At ten at night. In the middle of rogue warnings. ssic me.

My pace quickened. The streets were nearly empty, the lights dim, casting long shadows that twisted with the wind. I tucked my coat tighter around me and whispered to myself, “Just three blocks. You’ve got this.”

I hadn’t even made it past the first block when I heard it.

A howl….

Low and guttural. Close. Too close.

Shit!

I froze. My breath caught in my throat. And that’s when I remembered–my wolf. Mika.

She still hadn’te back.

It had been months since Ist felt her presence. Ever since the bond with Ruben was shattered, Mika had gone silent, deep inside me, lost in grief or anger. I didn’t know. All I knew was that I was human in a world of predators.

Panic surged through me. I clutched my bag tighter and ran.

My dorm wasn’t far. Just a couple minutes if I sprinted. I ran like hell, dodging parked scooters and crossing empty intersections with reckless abandon.

The howl sounded again, closer this time. The pounding of paws echoed behind me–no, around meb. /b

I was being hunted.

And I was utterly defenseless.

“Just a few more steps,” I whispered to myself. “Almost there, almost-”

BAM!

Something massive mmed into my side, sending me flying.

Ugh..!!! Perfect… I groan in pain.

I hit the ground hard, my body skidding against the pavement. Pain exploded through my ribs and knees as I struggled bto /bbbreathe/bb. /bbI /bblooked /bbup /bbjust /bin time to see the rogue–hugeb, /bmatted fur, blood–red eyes–snarling as he bgot /bup from where he’d also stumbled.

He turned and saw me. And smiled.

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b16:49 /bbSat/b, b12 /bbJul /b↑ GO

It was terrifying.

“Shit!” I whimpered, crawling backward. The rogue’s gaze locked on mineb, /ba deep growl rumbling from his chest. He stalked bforward /bbslowly/b, fear pouring off me.

“Hey!”

A familiar voice rang out behind him.

Béta Alfonso. Thank the Moon.

He stood a few feet away, already half–shifted, his shirt torn, ws out, face dark with fury.

“You’re done running, rogue,” he growled. “Turn and fight.”

The rogue hesitated for a second… then turned toward me again.

No. No, no, no!

“Good job, Eine,” Alfonso called out. “Now you shifted and blocked him perfectly. Hold your ground.”

What?

Shit, he didn’t know..

“I–I didn’t-” My voice trembled.

Alfonso frowned. “You can shift, right?”

I shook my head frantically, panic rising. “No! Beta–I can’t! I can’t shift!”

His face froze.

His expression shifted into something unreadable–worry, maybeb, /bor fear–bbut /bit was toote.

The rogue charged.

I screamed…

Then a blur of gray shot past me like lightning.

A monstrous shape collided with the rogue mid–lunge, the impact loud enough to shake the earth beneath us.

The rogue yelped, then crashed into a tree with a sickening crunch,

I stared, stunned.

The creature that now stood between me and the rogue was huge–towering, broad, with silver–gray fur that shimmered under the moonlight. bE /bwasn’t a werewolf.

That’s… It was a Lycan.

The stories didn’t do it justice.

un band /bbscarred/bb. /b

It was terrifying.

“Shit!” I whimpered, crawling backward. The rogue’s gaze locked on mine, a deep growl rumbling from his chest. He stalked forward slowly, bsavoring /bbthe /bfear pouring off me.

“Hey!”

A familiar voice rang out behind him.

Béta Alfonso. Thank the Moon.

He stood a few feet away, already half–shifted, his shirt torn, ws out, face dark with fury.

“You’re done running, rogue,” he growled. “Turn and fight.”

The rogue hesitated for a second… then turned toward me again.

No. No, no, no!

“Good job, Eine,” Alfonso called out. “Now you shifted and blocked him perfectly. Hold your ground.”

What?

Shit, he didn’t know..

“I–I didn’t-” My voice trembled.

Alfonso frowned. “You can shift, right?”

I shook my head frantically, panic rising. “No! Beta–I can’t! I can’t shift!”

His face froze.

His expression shifted into something unreadable–worry, maybe, or fear–but it was toote.

The rogue charged.

I screamed…

Then a blur of gray shot past me like lightning.

A imonstrous /ishape collided with the rogue mid–lunge, the impact loud enough to shake the earth beneath us.

The rogue yelped, then crashed into a tree with a sickening crunch,

I stared, stunned.

The creature that inow /istood between me and the rogue was hugeb–/btowering, broad, with silver–gray fur that shimmered under the moonlightb. /bBut bit /bwasn’t ba /bwerewolf.

That’s… It was a Lycan.

The stories didn’t do it justice.

The aura that radiated from him was overwhelming, thick with power and ancient grief. His body was built like ba /bwarrior’sb, /bmassive and bscarred/b, band /bbhis /bglowing amber eyes burned with a rage that didn’t belong in this world.

Alpha Francesco!!

b16:50 /bbSat/b, 12 bJul /bT GO

The silent Alpha. The beast of Florence.

He didn’t even nce at me. His entire focus was on the rogue who groaned and tried to stand.

Without hesitation, Alpha Francesco lunged again. His movements were brutal and graceful- like a dance of death. ws shed, jaws bsnapped/b. bThe /brogue didn’t stand a chance.

And when it was over, when the roguey unconscious and bleeding in a heap, the Lycan turned.

His eyes locked onto mine.

My breath caught. I couldn’t look away.

His gaze wasn’t gentle, but it wasn’t cruel either. It was heavy. Like he could see everything inside me–my fear, my shame, my broken pieces. And for a second, I wondered if he recognized them because he had the same ones.

I swallowed hard, unable to speak.

“Alpha…” Alfonso stepped forward carefully, his tone cautious. “We’ll take care of the rogue.b” /b

The Lycan gave a small nod and then… shifted.

Right there in front of us, his body began to shift. But it wasn’t like a normal werewolf transition. It was faster, smoother. His bones didn’t snap; they reformed with a quiet grace, as if the world obeyed his will.

And then he stood there–tall, bare–chested, covered in dirt and blood and old scars. A man. A legend.

The Francesco Lycaon.

His eyes stayed on me. Even in his human form, they glowed faintly in the dark.

“Are you harmed?” he asked, voice deep, rough–like thunder after a storm.

I blinked. “No… Um I… I don’t think so.i” /i

He nodded once, then turned to Alfonso. “Get her back. And make sure the borders are reinforced.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Alpha Francesco didn’t look at me again.

He simply walked away, disappearing into the trees bas /bquietly as he had arrived.

Alfonso came to my side, helping me up gently, “You okay?”

I nodded shakily. “I… I didn’t know he…”

“Could care?” Alfonso smiled faintly. “Yeah. Neither did we. He never shows up before unless it’s important.”

I looked back at where the Alpha had disappeared, heart pounding for a different reason now.

He saved me. A Lycan…

The one wolf I thought was too broken bto /bcare about anyoneb… /bhad saved bme/b.

And he didn’t even know who I was.

He didn’t know bmy /bpast. My bscars/b. bMy /bshame.

b3/4 /b

b16:50 /bSat, 12 Jul GU

Yet he came anyway.

Maybe not all bonds needed to be spoken.

Maybe some were just… felt.