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The door slammed open.
Silas stood in the doorway. His eyes went gold. Not the slow shift when a wolf's pissed. The instant flare when they catch a threat.
Kade's forehead was still pressed to Lyra's. His hand wrapped around her wrist. The room reeked of blood and something else. Something that made Silas's hackles rise.
"Step back," Silas said.
His voice came out flat. The kind of calm that meant he was two seconds from dragging someone out by the throat.
Kade didn't move.
Lyra did. She tried to pull away. Kade's grip tightened.
"Kade." Silas took one step in. "What the hell is going on?"
"She fed me." Kade's voice was rough. Like he'd been screaming. Or holding back a shift. "The curse stopped."
Silas looked at the cup on the floor. The dark stain spreading across the wood. He looked at Lyra's pale face. The way her pulse hammered in her throat.
Then he looked at Kade's hand. Still locked around her wrist.
"Let her go," Silas said.
"No."
The word came out low. Almost a growl.
Silas went still.
He'd known Kade since they were kids. They'd fought rogues together. Buried pack members together. Silas knew every tell. Every shift in Kade's voice.
This wasn't his alpha talking.
This was his wolf.
"Kade." Silas kept his voice level. "You need to let the healer go. Now."
"She's not just a healer."
Lyra flinched.
Silas caught it. He caught the way her free hand curled into a fist. The way her breathing went shallow.
"What is she then?" Silas asked.
Kade finally pulled back. His hand slid off Lyra's wrist. Slowly. Like it hurt to break contact.
His eyes were still gold.
"I don't know," Kade said.
Lyra took two steps back. Her shoulder hit the wall. She didn't look at either of them.
Silas moved closer. Not to Kade. To the cup.
He crouched. The smell hit him harder down here. Copper. Iron. But under it. Something cold. Something that didn't belong in a wolf's den.
"What did you give him?" Silas asked.
Lyra's jaw tightened. "My blood."
"Healers don't feed patients their own blood."
"I'm not a typical healer."
"No shit."
Silas stood. He looked at her. Really looked.
She was small. Pale. Dark hair falling out of its tie. She'd been living on the border for two years. Kept to herself. Did her job. Never caused trouble.
Never got close to anyone.
Now she was standing in Kade's room at dawn. Blood on her sleeve. And Kade's wolf was acting like she was the only thing keeping him alive.
"Silas." Kade's voice cut through. "Back off."
"You're not thinking straight."
"I'm thinking fine."
"You can barely stand. You were dying an hour ago. Now you're—" Silas stopped. He looked between them. "You bonded."
Lyra went white.
Kade said nothing.
Silas laughed. It came out harsh. "You've got to be kidding me."
"It wasn't planned," Kade said.
"Mate bonds don't just happen. You have to—" Silas cut himself off. He looked at Lyra. "What are you?"
"I told you. A healer."
"Healers don't trigger mate bonds with one drop of blood. Healers don't smell like—" He stopped.
Lyra's eyes went sharp. "Like what?"
Silas didn't answer. He turned to Kade. "We need to talk. Alone."
"No."
"Kade—"
"She stays."
Silas's jaw clenched. He'd never gone against a direct order from his alpha. Not once. But right now Kade wasn't giving orders.
He was being controlled.
"Fine." Silas crossed his arms. "Then she can explain why her blood smells like a vampire's."
The room went silent.
Lyra didn't move. Didn't breathe.
Kade turned to look at her. Slow. His eyes still gold.
"Is that true?" Kade asked.
His voice was too quiet.
Lyra's hands shook. She shoved them behind her back. "I'm half."
"Half," Silas repeated. "You're half vampire. Living in a wolf pack. For two years. And you didn't think that was worth mentioning?"
"I'm a healer. That's all that matters."
"That's not all that matters. We're at a truce. Barely. One wrong move and—"
"I'm not with them."
The words came out too fast. Too sharp.
Silas went still. "What do you mean you're not with them?"
Lyra looked at the floor. "I left. Five years ago."
"Why?"
"That's not your business."
"It is when you're bonded to my alpha."
Kade moved between them. Not fast. Just one step. Enough to block Silas's line of sight.
"Enough," Kade said.
Silas stared at him. "You're defending her."
"I'm keeping you from doing something you'll regret."
"I'm trying to protect you."
"I don't need protection. Not from her."
Silas shook his head. "Your wolf's talking. Not you."
"My wolf knows what he's doing."
"Does he? Because from where I'm standing it looks like he just tied you to someone we know nothing about. Someone who's been lying since the day she got here."
Lyra's breath hitched.
Kade's shoulders tensed. "She saved my life."
"Or she caused the problem in the first place. Did you think of that? The curse started six months ago. She showed up two years ago. You don't think that's—"
"Stop."
Kade's voice dropped. The alpha command rolled through the room.
Silas's mouth snapped shut. He felt his wolf submit. Flatten.
It hurt.
Kade closed his eyes. When he opened them they were still gold but the command eased. "I know you're trying to help. But you need to trust me."
"I do trust you. I don't trust her."
Kade looked at Lyra. She was still pressed against the wall. Her arms wrapped around herself.
"I don't know you," Kade said. His voice was low. Just for her. "My wolf does."
Lyra looked up. Her eyes were dark. Haunted. "That's not enough."
"It's enough for now."
Silas wanted to argue. Wanted to drag Lyra out and lock her in a cell until they got answers.
But the bond was already there. He could feel it. The pull between them. Faint but growing.
If he pushed too hard Kade would break. And if Kade broke the pack would fall apart.
Silas forced himself to breathe. "Fine. But she doesn't leave your sight. And if anything happens—"
"It won't."
"If it does I'm putting her down myself."
Lyra didn't flinch this time. She just nodded.
Kade's jaw tightened but he didn't argue.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs. Fast.
Silas turned.
The door banged open again. A scout stumbled in. Young. Out of breath.
"Alpha," the scout gasped. "Border patrol just flagged an arrival."
Kade straightened. "Who?"
"Vampire council. Envoy and two guards. They crossed the line an hour ago."
Silas swore under his breath.
Kade's eyes narrowed. "What do they want?"
The scout looked at Lyra. His face went pale.
"They're asking for someone," the scout said. "By name."
"Who?" Kade asked.
The scout swallowed. "Lyra Ashveil."