~Lucas POV~
The estate's basement was dim and chilly, Russo chained to the wall, his face bruised from the takedown. Annalyn's revelation that he was her cousin—a long-lost relative—had us all reeling, her pregnancy making her pace slower but her eyes sharp with questions.
My wolf was snarling, ready to tear answers out of him, while Calix twirled his knife, Matteo held his tablet, and Ezra's runes flickered as he warded the room. Mara watched from the corner, their Visaya runes dim but curious, and Annalyn gripped the focus stone, her heat scent mixing with tension.
"You're my cousin?" Annalyn said, stepping forward, her voice steady. "Explain that, Russo."
Russo smirked, chains rattling. "Cousin? That's rich. Your mom was my aunt—Moon Alpha blood, hidden from the council. She dumped you with outsiders to keep you safe. I got stuck with the family curse."
I growled, grabbing his collar. "Curse? Spill it, or I'll make you."
