Lukas leaned against the grand wooden pillars of the pack house, arms crossed over his chest as he watched Leonard lead Eila away.
"Interesting," he mused, his voice barely above a whisper.
Zois, standing beside him, didn't respond immediately. His silver-grey eyes remained fixed on the retreating figures, sharp and calculating. He had always been the quieter of the two, the observer.
Finally, he exhaled. "I don't think I've ever seen Blackwell act like that."
Lukas huffed a quiet laugh. "Possessive, isn't he?"
Zois tilted his head. "Protective."
Lukas glanced at him. "There's a difference?"
A muscle ticked in Zois's jaw. "He's guarding something."
That made Lukas pause. His twin wasn't one to speak without reason. If Zois had noticed something deeper, it was worth paying attention to.
The realization sat heavy between them.
Eila.
The girl who smelled of honey and lavender.
The girl who had unknowingly drawn them in that night at the Mate-Finding Ceremony.
They hadn't meant to be there.
Their parents thought they had been too focused on their studies to care about finding a mate, but the truth was far from it. A year had passed since they came of age, and their fated mate had not yet appeared. It was frustrating, especially since they had everything else—a strong lineage, power, unmatched skills. But a mate? That was something they couldn't control.
So, they had come home that night in secret, hoping—just hoping—that maybe she would be there.
They had caught her scent in the crowd, something so intoxicating it had sent their wolves into a frenzy. They had searched for her, but the moment they tried to follow the scent, the ceremony ended, and they were forced to retreat before anyone noticed their presence.
They had thought about her for days after, but eventually, they dismissed it as a mistake. Maybe they had imagined it. Maybe it was a trick of the mind, a fleeting attraction.
But now?
Now, they weren't so sure.
Lukas pushed off the pillar, stretching his arms behind his head. "Well, this is going to be fun."
Zois gave him a sharp look. "You're enjoying this?"
Lukas smirked. "I enjoy a good mystery."
Zois didn't reply, but Lukas could see the tension in his stance. His twin was unsettled.
Lukas understood why.
For years, they had been raised knowing their future—trained to lead, expected to rule.
Nothing in their lives had ever been uncertain. They had been taught that their strength and intelligence were enough to lead the pack into the future.
But their parents—and Leonard—kept them out of pack matters.
They had expected that to change now that they were older, but from the moment they returned home, they could sense something was off. The pack was on edge, patrols were increased, and their father and Leonard had been discussing something in hushed voices.
Now, after today's meeting, they were sure of one thing.
Something was coming.
And this time, they weren't going to sit back and let their parents or Leonard keep them in the dark.
Lukas's smirk deepened as he turned away from the pack house. "Come on. Let's see what Blackwell is really hiding."
Zois hesitated for only a second before following.
Whatever was happening, one thing was clear—this was only the beginning.