Chapter 4

The pounding on my door pulled me out of the half-sleep I had finally managed to fall into. My eyes stung, my body heavy, but the voice on the other side had me dragging myself up.

“Rhianna? Open up. It’s me.”

Tia.

I pulled the door open and she stepped inside in a rush. Her eyes swept over me, and she stopped dead.

“Goddess, Rhi…” she whispered. “You look like you’ve been crying all night.”

I tried to smile, but it cracked before it reached my lips. “Because I have.”

She didn’t ask. She just wrapped her arms around me, and I clung to her like a lifeline. For a long moment, I let myself sink into the comfort, but then the ache in my chest reminded me it wasn’t going away.

“She was here,” I finally said into her shoulder.

Tia pulled back, frowning. “Who?”

“Brittany.” My voice wobbled. “She stood right at that door and told me Sebastian doesn’t belong to me. That he was always meant to be hers.”

Her eyes widened. “She said that? To your face?”

I nodded, fresh tears stinging my eyes.

“That witch,” Tia hissed. “If I had been here—”

I shook my head. “It wouldn’t have mattered. Sebastian came down while she was here. He… he didn’t even deny it. Just said the council needed him and left.”

Tia’s mouth tightened. “Rhianna…” She hesitated, then sighed, smoothing my hair back. “You deserve better than this. So much better.”

“I know.” My throat tightened. “But knowing doesn’t stop it from hurting.”

She pulled me toward the bed and made me sit. “Listen. I came here for another reason too. You need to get up and dressed.”

I blinked at her. “Dressed? Why?”

Her expression shifted—serious now, urgent. “You haven’t heard? Hardin Wolfe is back. He arrived this morning. The whole pack is gathering at the hall to welcome him.”

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The name crashed into me like a wave I wasn’t ready for.

“Hardin?” My voice was barely a whisper.

“Yes.” Tia searched my face carefully. “I know what he meant to you. I know you’ve tried to bury it. But you can’t hide tonight. If you don’t show your face, people will talk. You’re Sebastian’s mate. You’re expected to be there.”

My stomach twisted. “I can’t, Tia. I can’t look at him. Not after all these years.”

“You have to,” she pressed gently, squeezing my hand. “And… you know he’ll be looking for you.”

My pulse skittered. He would. He always did.

Half an hour later, I stood in front of the mirror, letting Tia braid my hair back. She hummed softly, trying to keep the mood light, but I could see the worry in her eyes reflected behind me.

“You’ll be fine,” she whispered, tightening the braid. “You’re stronger than you think.”

I didn’t feel strong. My hands trembled as I smoothed my dress down.

An hour later, I found myself walking into the grand hall, my hand tucked into Tia’s arm like it might hold me steady. The place buzzed—wolves everywhere, laughter, voices layered with gossip.

Then the double doors opened.

The room shifted.

He walked in.

Hardin Wolfe.

Tall, broad, dark hair that curled just enough to fall across his brow, his jaw sharp, his eyes an amber-gold that caught the light like fire. He moved with a predator’s grace, each step quiet but commanding. The kind of presence that made people step back without realizing why.

The whispers started immediately.

“Hardin Wolfe…”

“Back after all these years…”

“Stronger than ever…”

But he wasn’t listening. His gaze was cutting through the crowd, unrelenting, searching—until it found me.

And when it did, the air left my lungs.

“Rhi,” Tia whispered, wide-eyed. “He hasn’t looked away since he walked in.”

I couldn’t move. My whole body froze as his eyes locked me in place.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t speak. But the way he looked at me—like he already had me pressed against that wall—made my skin flush hot.

I slipped away before I could suffocate under it, pushing into the empty hallway. My hands trembled as I leaned against the wall, trying to calm my racing heart.

But I wasn’t alone for long.

“Little Wolf.”

The nickname rolled over me like a forbidden caress. I snapped my eyes open—and there he was. Hardin leaned against the opposite wall, his arms folded, watching me with a slow, dangerous smile.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I breathed.

He pushed off the wall, crossing the space between us in measured steps until he stood too close. His hand came up, bracing the wall beside my head, caging me in.

“And yet here I am,” he murmured, his golden gaze burning into mine. “And there you are… still pretending you don’t feel it.”

“Feel what?” My voice shook.

“The bond,” he growled softly, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. “The pull that doesn’t care you belong to him.”

I gasped, pressing back against the wall. “I’m mated, Hardin. To your brother.”

“I don’t give a damn.” His other hand rose, brushing a strand of hair from my face, fingers lingering against my skin. “I should have claimed you long before he ever touched you.”

“Stop…” My plea was weak, breathless.

“You don’t want me to stop,” he said darkly. “Tell me you don’t feel it, Rhianna. Tell me you don’t ache when I’m this close.”

My chest heaved, my heart betraying me with every wild beat. I opened my mouth—

But another voice cut through, sharp and cold.

“Take your hands off her.”

The grip at my side faltered, but Hardin didn’t step back. Slowly, deliberately, he turned his head.

Sebastian stood at the end of the hallway, damp hair curling against his forehead, his shirt half-buttoned like he’d rushed. His eyes blazed between me and his brother.

“Well,” Hardin drawled, finally stepping back a fraction but not enough. “Look who finally showed up.”

“Long time, brother,” Sebastian said tightly, his hand clamping around Hardin’s arm to pull him back. “But you should know better than to touch what’s mine.”

The air went razor-sharp between them. My breath caught.

And that was where the world held its breath—caught between two brothers, one with fire in his eyes and the other with ice.