Chapter 3 The Unknown Bond

The sun had set, casting long shadows across the village as the Alphas gathered in the inn they had rented for their stay. The room was spacious, yet the air was tense, charged with the unanswered questions and the raw energy that had followed them since the marketplace.

Farkas stood by the window, his broad shoulders backlit by the moon's glow. His ice-blue eyes were locked onto the forest beyond the village, but his mind replayed the moment he had caught her scent. It wasn't just the allure of a mate-it was something deeper, something ancient. He finally broke the silence. "She's not just human."

Adolphus leaned against the table, fingers tracing the grain of the wood. His green eyes glittered with curiosity. "That's obvious, brother. But what is she? No human has ever stirred our wolves like that."

Fridolf's amber eyes flared with frustration. He paced the length of the room, the tension in his body coiled like a spring. "It doesn't matter what she is. If she's ours, we take her. We can figure out the rest later."

Lucian, always the balance between them, sat on the edge of the bed, tapping his fingers on his thigh. His gray eyes softened as he spoke, a small smile curving his lips. "We can't just storm in and claim her. Look at her-she doesn't even know us, and she's human, or at least she thinks she is. We need a plan."

Farkas nodded slowly. "Lucian's right. If we frighten her, we risk losing her. But we can't ignore what happened today."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. The brothers tensed, exchanging wary glances before Adolphus moved to answer it. He opened the door to reveal a young boy, no older than twelve, clutching a scrap of parchment. His wide eyes flicked between the imposing men before he swallowed nervously.

"A message for you," the boy said, his voice quivering.

Adolphus took the parchment, flicking the boy a coin before closing the door. He unfolded the paper, reading the hastily scrawled words. His jaw tightened as he handed it to Farkas.

Farkas read aloud, his voice darkening with each word. "'Leave her be, or face the wrath of the hunter who guards her.'"

Lucian's brows furrowed in confusion. "A hunter? Is someone protecting her?"

Fridolf's fists slammed onto the table, making it shake. "I don't care who thinks they're protecting her. She's ours."

Farkas held up a hand, silencing him. "We need to know more about her guardian. If he's a hunter, he could be dangerous, and if he's aware of who she really is, we need to be careful."

Adolphus smirked, the challenge igniting a gleam in his eyes. "Then we start digging. Let's see what this hunter is hiding."

---

The next day, Rosetta woke to the early morning light filtering through her window. The unsettling feeling from the market still clung to her, a mix of warmth and an inexplicable sense of longing. She sat up, brushing her hair from her face, and caught sight of Thomas sharpening his arrows at the workbench.

"Morning, Thomas," she said softly, her voice tinged with hesitation.

He looked up, his expression softening at the sight of her. But beneath the warmth was a flicker of something else, something guarded. "Morning, Rosie. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, though the truth was she had tossed and turned all night, dreams filled with flashes of intense eyes and shadows she couldn't place. "Yes. Just... strange dreams."

Thomas's jaw tensed, the rhythmic scraping of the arrowhead halting. "Dreams, huh? Anything I should know about?"

Rosetta hesitated, feeling a strange protectiveness over the men in her dream, as though speaking of them would shatter something fragile. "No, just dreams."

Thomas's eyes narrowed, studying her with the intensity that always made her feel as though he could see right through her. "Be careful today. Don't stray too far from the village."

A chill ran down her spine at the warning. Thomas was never overly cautious without reason. "I won't," she promised, even as an urge to defy the command welled up in her chest.

---

At the edge of the village, the Alphas split up, each taking a different route to gather information. Farkas moved silently through the marketplace, ears tuned to the whispers of traders and villagers. He listened for anything, any scrap of information about the girl who had turned their world upside down.

Adolphus, ever the charmer, engaged in conversation with a group of young women who giggled at his sly smiles and flirtatious banter. But his questions were pointed, subtle prods about the hunter and his ward.

Fridolf's approach was less refined. He stalked the blacksmith's forge, eyes scanning the faces of those who passed, searching for answers in the wary glances thrown his way.

Lucian, with his easy smile and unassuming demeanor, wandered through the village square, speaking to merchants and children alike. His questions were laced with kindness, disarming anyone who might have held their tongue.

By midday, they reconvened at the edge of the forest, sharing what little they had learned. Farkas frowned, the crease in his brow deepening. "She's known as Thomas's daughter, but no one knows where she came from. They think she was brought here as a baby."

Adolphus smirked, folding his arms. "The hunter is more than he seems. Some say he's faced wolves before, and not just any wolves. Alphas."

Fridolf's amber eyes gleamed. "So, we're dealing with a man who knows how to fight. Good. It'll make this more interesting."

Lucian shook his head, his gray eyes serious. "We can't just see this as a fight. If she's really our mate, we need to protect her, not tear her life apart."

Farkas's gaze hardened as he spoke. "We move carefully. We learn more, we watch, and when the time is right, we reveal who she truly is."

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