Chapter 4

The words hung in the air, heavy and terrifying. *Mortal danger.* My heart, which had just begun to feel the first stirrings of freedom, was now seized by a cold, paralyzing fear. The glowing crest on my chest pulsed with a soft, silver light, a beacon I didn't understand, marking me as a target.

"What does that mean?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "Lunar Empress? Who are 'they'?"

Julian's arms tightened around me, his body a solid wall of muscle and heat. He didn't answer immediately. His sharp, silver eyes were scanning the panoramic windows, his head tilted as if listening for a threat only he could perceive. The powerful, calm Alpha who had rescued me was gone, replaced by a predator on high alert. The air in the penthouse crackled with his tension.

"It's an old legend," he said finally, his gaze returning to me, intense and serious. "A bloodline thought to be extinct for centuries. The Lunar Empresses were said to be she-wolves of immense power, born with a direct connection to the moon's energy. They could heal, they could see glimpses of the future, and they were the only ones who could unite warring packs under a single banner of peace."

He gently touched the edge of the glowing crest on my skin, his fingers tracing the light with a strange reverence. The touch sent a shiver through me that had nothing to do with fear. "This symbol is their crest. Your grandmother's note... 'Your blood is not a weakness, but a key.' She knew. She must have known you carried this legacy."

My mind reeled. Me? Powerful? I was Clara, the fragile mate, the woman who wasn't even strong enough to hold her own Alpha's attention. It was impossible. And yet, the undeniable proof was glowing on my skin. The warmth from the pendant, the sudden resolve, the strange energy humming beneath my flesh-it was all connected.

"But the danger?" I pressed, the fear coiling in my stomach again. "Who would want to hurt me?"

"Everyone who craves power," Julian said grimly. "An awakened Lunar Empress is a political earthquake. Some will want to control you, to use your power for their own gain. Others will want to eliminate you to maintain the current balance of power. The message was from my pack's seer, an old wolf named Elias. If he knows, others will know soon. The awakening sends a ripple through the supernatural world."

His words painted a terrifying picture. I had escaped one cage only to be thrust onto a stage with a spotlight on my back, surrounded by circling sharks.

A frantic, buzzing sound interrupted the tense silence. It was my own phone, which I'd left in the pocket of Julian's jacket. My hands shook as I retrieved it. The screen lit up with a name that brought a fresh wave of tears to my eyes: Sophie.

My best friend. The one person, aside from my grandmother, who had never treated me like I was made of glass.

I answered, my voice thick with emotion. "Sophie?"

"Clara! Oh, thank God!" Her voice was a torrent of panicked relief. "Mark came by my apartment this morning. He was... unhinged. He said you were gone, that you'd left. He was asking all sorts of questions, if I knew where you were. He looked like a caged animal. What in the world is going on?"

Hearing her voice, so full of genuine concern, was like a balm on my raw nerves. I glanced at Julian, who gave me a slight nod, his expression conveying that it was safe to talk.

"I'm okay, Soph. I'm safe," I said, my voice cracking. "I left him. For good."

There was a beat of stunned silence on the other end, followed by a loud, whooping cheer. "It's about damn time! I'm so proud of you! But where are you? Are you sure you're okay? He seemed furious."

"I'm... with someone. Julian Thorne."

Another silence, this one more profound. "*The* Julian Thorne? As in, the Alpha of Thorne Industries who could buy and sell Mark's entire pack with his pocket change? Clara, how did you...?"

"It's a long story," I said, a watery laugh escaping me. "A very, very long story. But Sophie... I need you to be careful. Mark is not the man we thought he was. He's dangerous."

"You don't have to tell me twice," she said, her voice turning serious. "The look in his eyes... it wasn't just anger. It was... possessive. Like you're a prize he lost and he's determined to get back. You stay safe, you hear me? You call me if you need anything. Anything at all."

"I will," I promised. "Thank you, Sophie."

We hung up, and I felt a small measure of strength return. I wasn't entirely alone. I had Sophie. And I had the formidable man standing in front of me, whose entire focus was now dedicated to my protection.

Julian's expression had hardened during the call. "Mark won't give up easily," he said, his voice a low growl. "Especially not now. If he finds out what you are, he'll see you as his key to ultimate power. He will believe your bloodline belongs to him."

The thought made my stomach churn. The idea of Mark, with his cold hands and dismissive eyes, trying to claim this new, terrifying part of me was repulsive.

"What do we do?" I asked, looking up at him, my fear and confusion laid bare.

He stepped closer, his large frame shielding me from the view of the windows, from the world outside. He reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his touch surprisingly tender.

"First," he said, his silver eyes boring into mine, "you are going to stay here, where I can protect you. No one gets into this building without my express permission. Second, I am going to find out who else knows about you and what their intentions are. And third..." He paused, his gaze dropping to my lips for a fleeting second before meeting my eyes again. "We are going to find out just what a Lunar Empress can do."

In his voice, there was no doubt. Only a fierce, unwavering certainty. For the first time, the glowing crest on my chest didn't feel like a target. It felt like a promise. A promise of a strength I was only just beginning to understand, with a powerful Alpha by my side, ready to face the danger with me.