Kaiden didn't show his face yet—but I could feel him.
Every Alpha nearby sensed it—the pulse of recognition, the hunger, the claim.
"I can feel him," I whispered to Lucien.
"He's thinking," Lucien said. "Calculating. Waiting."
Fear, frustration, and an old longing stirred inside me. My heart betrayed me, remembering the rejection, the ceremony, the exile.
Lucien's hand touched my shoulder. "Focus. Kaiden is not your enemy… yet. He is part of the storm. But storms can be controlled—if you're prepared."
I nodded. Prepared or not, I was ready to face him.