The mountain roads twisted like a serpent through the fog, and by the time Adrian's SUV rolled to a stop, Elara's head was spinning.
The safehouse loomed ahead, an imposing stone structure built into the cliffside, its windows blacked out, its steel door guarded by two silent men. The air was colder here, the scent of pine mixing with something darker—something wolf.
Adrian killed the engine and stepped out, circling the SUV to open her door. "Inside. Now."
She hesitated, staring at the fortress. "You're not going to lock me up, are you?"
His mouth curved into something that might have been a smirk if not for the tension in his jaw. "Depends on whether you keep running your mouth instead of walking."
The guards didn't speak as she passed, but their eyes followed her like predators tracking prey. Inside, the air was warmer, scented faintly of leather, gun oil, and the spice of Adrian's cologne. The stone walls were hung with weapons—blades, rifles, silver chains.
"This is your… house?" she asked, voice small in the cavernous space.
"Sanctuary," he corrected, shrugging off his coat. "The kind of place you hide when the world wants you dead." His gaze flicked to her. "And trust me, right now, they all want you dead."
She crossed her arms. "Then maybe you should explain why glowing like a damn moon lantern makes me a target."
His eyes darkened. He stepped closer, close enough that she could see the faint shimmer of gold in his irises. "Because what you did out there wasn't human, Elara. That light? That was Lunar power—power only the true Queen of my kind can wield."
She laughed once, sharp and disbelieving. "Queen? Of werewolves? You've officially lost your mind."
He moved even closer, his presence swallowing hers until her back brushed the cold stone wall. "No, sweetheart," he murmured, voice low enough to make her pulse trip. "I just know exactly what you are. The problem is… so do they."
She swallowed hard, her breath catching when his hand came up—not to touch her, but to press against the wall beside her head. His scent wrapped around her, dizzying. "The Lunar Queen is the mate of the Alpha King," he said, his voice dropping lower still. "And in case you haven't noticed… you're mine."
Her lips parted, a thousand retorts fighting to be spoken, but none came. Not when his eyes pinned her like a predator's, not when the memory of his protective rage earlier still burned in her mind.
A distant howl shattered the moment.
Adrian's expression hardened instantly. "They found us."
He turned, barking orders to the guards. "Seal the gates. Arm the perimeter." His gaze cut back to her, fierce and unyielding. "Stay in my sight, Elara. If I lose you now, there won't be a kingdom left to save."
And just like that, the safehouse didn't feel so safe anymore.