Page 26 of Rebel for Claws
Because I'm not letting you go.
Her violet eyes flashed with something that looked like anticipation mixed with trepidation. "I know."
ELEVEN
VIVIAN
That afternoon, Vivian stood beside Alaric in his grand living room, the opulent space feeling charged with anticipation. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light over leather furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased the December sunlight. Her cream cashmere sweater felt luxurious against her skin, a reminder of how drastically her circumstances had changed in just four days.
This is it. The moment we reveal everything and change the course of this fight against Thorne.
Alaric commanded the room effortlessly in his khaki pants and black henley, every inch the Alpha despite the casual attire. The mate bond hummed stronger after their electric kiss in his office earlier, making her hyperaware of his proximity and the way his eyes kept finding hers across the gathering crowd.
The prophecy players filed in with military precision—Lena's violet eyes bright with scholarly excitement, Maya and Kieran moving as the united front they'd become, Logan and Zoe radiating the deadly competence of seasoned warriors, Elena and Damon projecting tactical readiness, and Malcolm bringing up the rear with his diplomatic charm masking sharp intelligence.
These people are risking everything for a chance at freedom. For the hope that we can tear down three centuries of oppression.
"Thank you all for coming on short notice," Alaric began, his Alpha authority filling the space as he moved to stand before the massive stone fireplace. "Vivian and I have discovered something that changes our understanding of both the Lunar Prophecy and Thorne's motivations."
Vivian felt the weight of every gaze in the room, these warriors and rebels who had already proven their dedication to the cause. Her stomach fluttered with nervous energy, but she drew strength from Alaric's steady presence beside her.
"We already know about the mate bond," Logan said bluntly, his green eyes assessing them both with that unnerving perception of his. "It was obvious during your challenge yesterday."
Heat crept up Vivian's neck, but she lifted her chin defiantly.No shame in finding my fated mate, even if the timing is complicated.
"The mate bond is part of a larger picture," Alaric replied smoothly, seemingly unfazed by Logan's directness. "Vivian is not just the fourth part of the Lunar Prophecy—she's my fated mate, and our union triggers a secondary prophecy that Thorne has spent centuries trying to prevent."
Kieran leaned forward, his eyes sharp with interest. "What kind of secondary prophecy?"
Vivian stepped closer to Alaric, drawing courage from his warmth. "According to the ancient texts we found in Alaric's family archives, 'the mating of a Silvercrest Alpha with the human magical lineage will create an Alpha of unprecedented power. Abilities unknown to modern shifters will awaken in the Alpha due to his dormant genes, and the one who bears thispower will possess the strength to reshape the very foundations of our shifter society.'"
The room erupted in stunned silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire behind them.
"Holy shit," Zoe breathed, her hazel eyes wide with amazement. "So when you complete the mate bond..."
"Alaric becomes something Thorne can no longer control or manipulate," Elena finished, her strategic mind clearly working through the implications quickly. "An Alpha powerful enough to bridge the human and shifter worlds permanently."
Lena practically vibrated with excitement, her petite frame bouncing slightly as she processed the revelation. "This is incredible! Do you understand what this means? We finally cracked the code—not just of the Lunar Prophecy, but of why the Severance happened in the first place!"
The healer's enthusiasm was infectious, but I can see the fear in some of their eyes too. Fear of what this means for Alaric and me. Fear of the responsibility we're carrying for our shifter world.
"There's more," Lena continued, pulling out a leather satchel filled with documents. "Zoe and I have been studying the ancient texts Vivian recovered from Moon Hollow." Her violet eyes met Vivian's with profound respect. "We've uncovered proof that the High Council's collaboration with human operatives to exterminate hybrids and ancient bloodlines isn't recent—it's been happening for centuries."
Alaric's entire demeanor shifted, Alpha fury radiating from him in waves that made Vivian's wolf respond with protective instincts. His grey eyes flashed with gold, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
"How long exactly?" Alaric's voice was deadly quiet, the kind of tone that made even seasoned warriors step back.
God, he's magnificent when he's furious. Dangerous and protective and absolutely lethal.
"Since the Severance was enacted," Lena replied, her voice calm despite the palpable menace emanating from Alaric. "Thorne has been systematically eliminating anyone who posed a threat to his power structure. The experiments, the human operatives, the arranged matings—it's all been part of a centuries-long campaign to maintain control of his precious High Council."
Vivian watched Alaric's hands clench into fists, his jaw tightening with barely contained rage. The mate bond pulsed with his emotions, and she felt his fury as if it were her own.
"That manipulative bastard," Alaric snarled, his Alpha presence filling the room like a storm front. "Thirty years. Thirty years he controlled me and made me believe I was protecting my pack while he orchestrated murders and experiments."
He's blaming himself. I can feel his guilt and self-recrimination through the bond. He needs to know this isn't his fault.
"You couldn't have known," Vivian said softly, placing her hand on his arm. The contact sent sparks racing between them, and some of the tension left his shoulders. "He's been playing this game for centuries. You were fighting against an ancient wolf shifter with four hundred years of practice in manipulation."
