Chapter 2 Phantom Heat

~ Lena ~

I can't quite remember how long I've been stuck in that cabin.

Long enough for the numbness to settle in.

Long enough to start counting the knots in the rafters above, hoping that if I focused hard enough, one might loosen and drop into my lap, offering a miraculous escape from this nightmare.

But no such luck.

My wrists throbbed from fighting against the restraints Kieran had left me in. My legs had cramped up ages ago. And now, I was starting to see things. I thought I heard voices-soft, low, arguing just outside the door.

Then I heard the knob turn.

I tensed, every muscle bracing for him.

But it wasn't Kieran.

A woman walked in like she owned the place. She was tall and had a dangerous vibe, with short silver hair and violet eyes that didn't blink. Dressed in black leather, she moved like she could slice your throat before you even had a chance to scream.

I pressed my back against the chair. "Who the hell are you?"

She closed the door behind her. "The one who just gave you five minutes of freedom."

"Not exactly an answer."

She tilted her head slightly. "Selene Vex. I used to be an enforcer for this pack. Now I'm just a rogue pain in Kieran's side. You're Lena Carter, right? The human with the phantom issue."

"Again-how do you know who I am?"

"Everyone in this forest knows you," she said. "You're the human who survived a werewolf attack and lived to tell the tale. That's pretty rare unless there's something unnatural inside you."

I stayed quiet, mostly because I didn't know how to respond. The phantom. The visions. The burning sensation on my neck that hadn't faded since Kieran bit me-it all felt like a dream on the edge of a scream.

"You came alone?" I asked, still cautious around her.

"Clearly not." She knelt down and pulled out a curved obsidian blade from her boot. "Kieran's letting me help you-under supervision. I've got five minutes. After that, he'll come back in and take control again."

I squinted at her. "Why would he let you near me if you're a rogue?"

Her blade hovered just above my wrist. "Because I'm the only one who truly understands what's happening with you. And deep down, Kieran is scared of what you might become if someone doesn't step in to train you. So, be quiet and let me set you free."

I hesitated-but not for long. She sliced through the bindings as if they were made of paper.

My arms dropped to my sides, trembling. I rubbed the raw skin and took a shaky breath.

"You didn't have to help me," I murmured.

"No, but I wanted to. You can ponder that later. Right now, you smell like fear and blood, and if a rogue catches your scent before dawn, they'll break through that wall like it's nothing."

Selene tossed me a duffel bag. Inside were black jeans, boots, and a tank top that boldly proclaimed BITE ME in bright red letters.

I shot her a look.

"What?" she replied. "I thought you had a sense of humor."

I changed behind the screen, sneaking glances as Selene moved like a soldier-checking the windows, sniffing the air. Her movements were too smooth to be entirely human.

"How long have you been a wolf?" I asked.

She offered a faint smile. "Long enough to forget what it was like not to be."

Once I was dressed, she gestured toward the door. "We're heading to the ring."

"The what?"

"You have phantom fire inside you. If you don't learn to control it, it'll consume you-or worse, it'll consume us."

"And Kieran is okay with this?"

She shrugged. "He'll be watching. Whether you see him or not."

That didn't exactly ease my mind.

But I followed her anyway.

The forest at night felt alive. Trees stood like sentinels. The wind carried soft whispers. A low fog clung to the ground, as if the earth was hiding something. We passed wooden cabins, some empty, others filled with warmth and movement. I noticed yellow eyes watching me. One wolf growled from a porch but backed down the moment Selene met its gaze.

"What are they?" I asked.

"Pack."

"They don't like me."

"They don't know what you are yet."

"And you do?"

She glanced back at me, her eyes sharp. "You're like a bomb ready to go off. I'm here to show you how to aim it."

We stepped into a stone clearing-circular, ancient, marked with claw scratches and ash. A training ground.

"Rule number one," Selene declared, stepping into the center. "You bleed."

"Wait, what?"

She handed me a knife. "Slice your palm. Offer it to the phantom."

"No way."

"You want control?" she challenged. "Then give it blood. It's already hungry."

I hesitated, but the burning sensation at my neck flared up, and somewhere deep in my mind, I heard that howl again.

A deep, echoing call that felt like it belonged to another realm.

I cut my palm.

The blood was bright and fierce against my skin.

And then the phantom sprang to life.

I doubled over with a scream as my vision turned white.

Wolves.

Fire.

Blood splattering against the trees.

Kieran-on his knees, surrounded. Screaming.

A blonde man loomed behind him, brandishing a curved knife.

Rafe.

I gasped as the vision shattered. Suddenly, I was on the ground, Selene beside me, kneeling.

"You saw something," she said.

I nodded, feeling lightheaded. "Kieran's about to be ambushed. Rafe is the traitor. I saw him kill-someone. I think it's one of the elders."

Selene cursed under her breath. "I knew that bastard was too slick."

"Do you believe me?"

"Don't get too cocky, princess. I trust the phantom. Not you."

Before I could respond, the ground trembled.

Selene sprang to her feet. "Move."

"What-"

She yanked me up just as something crashed through the trees.

Rogues.

Three of them.

Snarling, eyes wild, foam dripping from their mouths. One lunged at us, teeth bared.

Selene intercepted it mid-air with her blade, and blood sprayed everywhere. Just then, another one lunged at me from behind. I turned just in time to catch a glimpse of its claws-and then everything seemed to slow down.

My vision faded to black.

And then-

The heart. I could see it, glowing like a lantern nestled in the wolf's chest.

I plunged the knife into it.

The wolf collapsed at my feet, twitching.

I stood there, trembling. "The phantom showed me-"

Selene grinned, blood staining her teeth. "I told you. Aim the bomb."

A howl echoed through the trees-deep and thunderous.

Not a rogue.

Kieran.

He stormed into the clearing like a tempest, a blur of muscle and fur, claws and fury.

One rogue tried to make a run for it.

But didn't stand a chance.

Kieran shifted mid-attack, blood splattering across his chest as he transformed back into his human form, panting heavily.

He locked eyes with me. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine."

"You used the phantom."

I nodded. "I saw Rafe. He's going to betray you."

Kieran's jaw clenched. "Tell me everything."

So I did. Selene stood by me, surprisingly supportive, without a hint of sarcasm.

When I finished, Kieran turned away. "I trusted him. With everything."

"Then stop trusting," Selene shot back.

He ignored her, his gaze fixed on me, filled with something intense and dangerous. "You saved my life tonight."

"I didn't mean to," I admitted, feeling the weight of the moment.

"But you did."

He stepped closer.

Too close.

His hand brushed my cheek-softly. I should've pulled away, but I didn't.

"You're changing, Lena."

"I don't want to."

"I don't think you have a choice."

And then our lips met.

Fire.

Pure, wild fire.

I kissed him back, pretending to hate him. As if I couldn't live without him. His hands gripped my hips, his mouth devouring mine. When we finally pulled apart, we were both shaking.

"The bond's getting stronger," he said, his voice gravelly.

"Then fight it."

"I'm trying."

The way he looked at me made it clear he was losing the battle.

Selene cleared her throat. "It's nice to see the mating hormones kicking in, but we have a traitor planning a massacre. Let's keep our heads in the game."

Kieran straightened up, fully embracing his Alpha side. "We prepare. Quietly. No one tells Rafe what we know."

I exchanged glances with them.

"So, what's our next move?"

Kieran held my gaze.

"Now we train you to survive."