Chapter 1

Zairith's POV I stared at the cracked ceiling, my heart pounding in my chest. Time was running out, and I had no escape. The plan had been simple: pretend to be the sacrifice for the ritual, learn what happened to my niece, Nevaeh, who disappeared years ago, and find out where she was. I needed answers. I was a mercenary, and my mission was clear: kill the Alpha of the Silverbane Pack, Jordan Norman. The witches who hired me wanted him dead, and I would get paid for the job. But something about this mission felt different. I didn’t just want to kill Jordan—I was almost relieved at the thought. The wolves were the reason my niece was gone and killing Jordan felt like a way to get revenge, to make sure no one else would suffer like she did. If I got paid for it, well, that was just a bonus. But everything went wrong the moment Jordan refused the sacrifice—he looked right at me, saw through the mask I wore, and knew I wasn’t there just to die. He knew I was there for him. The fight that followed was chaos as Jordan and I clashed while the wolves turned on the witches, blood spilling fast and without mercy. I lost. They dragged me to their camp and locked me in this room like a prize. I was supposed to be a killer, but now, I was a prisoner. What scared me the most wasn’t the cell; it was him. Jordan Norman. His presence was something else—the way he moved, the way he looked at me—it felt like gravity, pulling me in even when I didn’t want to be. I hated it. I hated him. He was the enemy, the man I came here to kill, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about him. The door creaked open. I sat up, my heart racing, but I didn’t need to look to know who it was. He stepped inside, calm, confident, and dangerous. “What do you want?” I asked, keeping my voice steady. He smiled. “Do I need a reason to visit my guest?” “I’m not your guest,” I snapped. “Don’t twist things.” He raised a brow, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Zairi, is this how you welcome your hosts?” My chest tightened. “Don’t call me that.” “Why not?” I turned away, trying to block him out. “Someone I loved used to call me that.” “A lover?” he asked, stepping closer. “No. My niece.” “Well, and now I do too. Get used to it.” He stepped closer, and I stood up, trying to maintain some distance. “I’m not getting used to anything. Whatever you think this is—it’s temporary.” Jordan leaned against the wall, his eyes never leaving mine. “Then you’ll have to get used to surprises. You’re not leaving unless I say so.” I glared at him. “You want me afraid. Is that it?” His smile darkened, becoming almost predatory. “Your life is in my hands. Fear would be smart.” “If I had eaten, I’d throw up right now.” I swallowed hard, fighting the unease gnawing at my stomach. Instead of lashing out, he just studied me, his gaze intense. “You need to eat.” I narrowed my eyes, refusing to show weakness. “Don’t act like you care.” “Who says I’m acting?” His eyes didn’t leave mine, unblinking. I stepped closer, voice cold. “I know what your wolves do to women. I know what kind of man you are.” His jaw flexed. “You’ve never met me before today.” I shoved against his chest, frustration boiling over. If I had a blade, I would’ve buried it in him. “Your wolves kidnapped women. Good women. Like Nevaeh. Only God knows what you’ve done to her.” For a split second, confusion flashed across his face, but he masked it quickly. “Nevaeh? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “My niece didn’t deserve this. I kept her safe.” My voice wavered, but I bit back the softer emotions. Weakness wasn’t an option. “You want to make accusations? You’d better have proof.” Jordan’s expression darkened. “Oh, I’ll find proof,” I said firmly. “I’m good at finding things.” A faint twitch of his lips—was that a smile? It vanished as he straightened. “Fine. If that’s how you want to play. I’ll make sure you’re fed,” he said, his voice cold. “And I’ll make sure it’s not poisoned.” I smirked at his mock civility. He thought he had control. He was wrong. He turned to leave, and a fleeting sense of relief washed over me. But then, he hesitated at the door. “And another thing…” I sighed. “What?” “You’re a guest here,” he growled. “You owe me some gratitude.” I let out a sharp laugh. “Gratitude? For kidnapping me? Like you did the others?” His jaw tightened, fury flashing in his eyes. “If I were anyone else, you wouldn’t be standing here. I could’ve slit your throat the moment I found out what you were planning.” “Then why don’t you do it now?” I taunted. “Be the big man and finish it.” “You think I won’t?” His voice dropped, low and lethal. I spread my arms wide, daring him. “There’s nothing stopping you. Go ahead. You’ve got a better chance of walking on water than me thanking you for this… hospitality.” Jordan’s gaze darkened. “Why do you want to kill me?” “You deserve it,” I said coldly. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Why are you relying on sarcasm instead of talking to me?” I scoffed. “Why talk to a man I came to kill?” His expression shifted—softer, more curious. “So nothing I say changes your mind?” “No.” He nodded slowly. “Then I won’t try.” Then, without warning, he moved forward, faster than I expected. His hands gripped my arms, pulling me close. His warmth, his scent, his presence—it hit me all at once. “What are you doing?” I whispered. “Reminding you where you stand,” he said, his breath brushing my lips. And then he kissed me. I didn’t expect it. I didn’t want it. But I didn’t stop it. His kiss was fire—hot, rough, desperate. Like he needed it. Like I did too. I hated that I leaned into him. I hated that my body responded, even when my mind screamed no. His hands pulled me in closer. My breath caught, my heart pounded. Then panic slammed into me. I was quick to shove him back. “How dare you touch me!” I raised my hand, then remembered- I enjoyed it too. He didn’t flinch. I swung at him, and he caught my wrist, his eyes locked on mine. “You’re interesting,” he murmured. I hated the way that made my chest tighten. He let go and turned to leave and I thought it was over, until he paused at the door for a second. Then he came back and stood too close to where I was. “We’re going to talk about this,” he said quietly. “I don’t think you hate me me as much as you pretend to.” My chest tightened. I didn’t know what to say. He leaned in, his voice a whisper. “You are going nowhere.” Then he left. I froze, my mind blank, my body humming. He was gone before I could recover.