Xavier's POV
The night was still when Philip left.
The moon poured silver light through my window, spilling across the papers on my desk.
I should have felt relief for finally deciding to tell Bella the truth, but all I felt was the familiar burn in my chest — fear.
Not of her.
Of him.
Lorenzo.
His name alone was a wound that never healed.
I leaned back, closing my eyes. The memories came uninvited, sharp and vivid.
---
Flashback – Sixteen Years Ago
I was barely thirteen when everything I knew burned.
That night smelled of smoke and betrayal.
The Silver Morn pack had gathered to celebrate my father's tenth year as Alpha — his brother, Lorenzo, stood beside him, smiling like a loyal second.
I remember my mother — our Luna — laughing softly, her hand resting over my father's. She had eyes like morning after rain. She was warmth. She was peace.
And then there was fire.
Screams tore through the pack grounds. The moon turned red. I saw Lorenzo's smile fade into something monstrous. His eyes, once gray, now glowed a dark crimson.
"This was meant to be mine," he said, voice low and steady. "You stole my crown, brother. So I'll steal what you love most."
He struck before anyone could move.
The silver dagger found my mother's heart first.
My father's roar split the night.
I ran forward — too small, too slow — and Lorenzo's hand closed around my throat, lifting me off the ground. His breath smelled of blood and smoke.
"Remember this, pup," he hissed. "No Luna will ever live to rule this pack again. You'll grow to fear the very word. And when your time comes… I'll be there."
He dropped me and vanished into the flames.
---
Back to the Present
The memory still burns like a brand.
Sixteen years later, and I still hear her scream every time I close my eyes.
Lorenzo didn't just kill my mother — he cursed me. He watched me grow from the shadows, waiting for the day I'd find a mate so he could finish what he started.
And now that I've found her… Bella.
His message wasn't just a threat. It was a promise.
> Did you enjoy the gift, nephew?
That was what he called me in his last message.
The word nephew felt like poison.
He knows she exists.
He knows she's my Luna.
My fingers tightened around the edge of the desk until it cracked. I could almost hear my father's voice — Protect her, Xavier, no matter the cost.
But the cost was too high.
Every time I looked at Bella, I saw the same danger my mother faced.
That's why I built walls, why I made her hate me.
Because if Lorenzo ever gets near her…
I stood abruptly, jaw clenched. "Over my dead body," I whispered to the night.
But even then, the fear in my chest didn't fade.
Because Lorenzo had always kept his promises.