Logan’s POV
Liam exhaled heavily as we watched her walk away, the girl who’d captured both our hearts. I knew exactly how he felt-because I felt it too. After everything that happened last night, the pull to be near her had only intensified. Still, pride swelled in our chests as we watched her throw herself into helping our pack. Her dedication was admirable, a testament to her strength and heart.
Dragging a hand through my tousled brown hair, I tried to steady the turmoil brewing inside me. A part of me wanted to storm back in, sling her over my shoulder like some Neanderthal, and take her straight to bed. But that urge was all wolf. The man in me-the rational one-was beginning to understand something crucial: our girl had a fire in her, a fiercely independent will we needed to respect if we had any hope of winning her trust. And, maybe, her love.
“Come on, brother,” I said, letting out my own sigh. “You know I want to go after her just as badly, but we both know how that would end.”
“Yeah,” Liam muttered, lips pursed in a pout. “We’d be back to sleeping alone for sure. And honestly? I never want to see her that mad again.”
We chuckled, both recalling just how terrifying she could be when angry. Liam had once told me that Ian-Lia’s father-warned him never to push her too far. He hadn’t been exaggerating. I shivered at the memory of her almost rejecting us.
“We should find an Elder,” Liam added, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Talk to them about… everything.”
I nodded in agreement. He was right-we needed answers. Strange things had been happening to us lately, and the more I thought about it, the more certain I was that Lia had something to do with it. We could sense her emotions with unnatural clarity, and she seemed to know ours too-despite not having marked each other. It was as if some unseen thread connected us. But if that was true… why? And how?
The Elder Council seemed like the best place to start unraveling this mystery.
We made our way through the forest toward the council house, a smaller log building tucked into a secluded clearing not far from the main pack house. Its structure mirrored the pack house, though far more modest in scale. Only a few elders lived there full-time-most preferred their own private homes-but usually at least one was present at any given moment.
As soon as the house came into view through the trees, I extended my wolf senses, tuning in for movement or sound. I hoped someone was there-and simultaneously hoped we wouldn’t attract a crowd. We hadn’t yet told the Council about Lia. The Elders believed a Luna was essential to a pack, and some had already pushed us to choose a mate. But neither Liam nor I would ever accept a chosen one. Lia was our fated mate. If the Council learned about her now, they might try to push her into marking us before she was ready-something that could undo all the progress we’d made with her. For now, discretion was key.
I caught only one heartbeat inside. Good.
Liam knocked.
“Coming, Alphas!” came a voice from within.
Even if I hadn’t recognized the voice, I’d have known it was her-Elder Keziah. Her gift of foresight had clearly revealed our presence before we even reached the door.
Keziah was something of a legend. Just how old she truly was remained a mystery, but she was the most ancient member of the Council. Being werewolves, we aged slowly-especially after thirty. Even the eldest among us barely looked older than forty, and Keziah was no exception. She was striking: tall, lean, with long sheets of platinum hair cascading down her back and silver-gray eyes that could pierce right through your soul.
As a boy, I had been both awed and intimidated by her gaze. There was something about her eyes-they saw everything, the parts of yourself you tried to hide. But she never judged, never betrayed what she saw. Maybe that’s what earned my trust and turned it into a bond.
She opened the door with her usual grace.
“Still as stunning as ever, Keziah,” I said warmly, leaning in to kiss her cheek as I stepped inside.
“Hello, Elder Keziah,” Liam greeted more formally. He’d never say it aloud, but Keziah made him nervous.
“What brings my favorite twin Alphas by today?” she asked, her silver eyes glinting as if she already knew.
“We were hoping to speak with you about something… delicate,” I replied.
“Could we speak privately?” I added. “It’s not something we want overheard.”
“Of course. Let’s head to my office,” she said knowingly.
I was almost certain she already had an idea of what we wanted to discuss.
She led us down the hall into a cozy room that stood in stark contrast to the formality of the rest of the house. An old mahogany desk dominated the far end, flanked by two stiff-looking leather chairs. But instead of sitting there, Keziah gestured to a more welcoming area-an arrangement of a worn sofa, two plush armchairs, and a coffee table cluttered with books and a half-empty mug.
Keziah settled into one of the chairs, propping her feet on a little stool. Liam and I took our seats across from her on the couch.
“So,” she said without preamble, “you’ve finally met your mate.”
Liam’s jaw practically hit the floor.
“I’d ask how you know that, but I already know you won’t tell me,” I said, feigning irritation.
“Smart boy!” Keziah replied with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “You might be Alphas now, but respecting your elders still applies. We’re allowed our share of mystery, you know.” Her voice danced with amusement. “Now, why don’t you tell me what’s got you so troubled about that gorgeous little mate of yours with those striking blue eyes?”
Liam stammered, clearly thrown off. “Um, we… uh… we’re not exactly sure it’s about our mate.”
She arched an eyebrow, her expression unimpressed. “Now, now, young man. You don’t honestly believe that, do you?” she said, though it was more of a statement than a question. “You came here seeking help-so do us both a favor and give me the truth. I’ll know it either way.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Liam muttered, looking suitably chastised. Keziah chuckled softly at his discomfort.
“We’ve been experiencing… things,” I began, deciding there was no point in dancing around the truth when it came to her. “Strange events. They’ve happened to both of us at the exact same time.”
“At first,” I continued, “we chalked it up to some sort of twin thing. We’d just met our mate, and it was a rough introduction. She didn’t exactly jump into our arms. Emotions were intense. We assumed that might have triggered it. But then it happened again, a few days later.”
Keziah rolled her eyes at me, then fixed me with that sharp, knowing stare.
“Don’t sugarcoat it, son,” she snapped. “That girl nearly rejected you. I told you karma would come for you eventually. I imagine you’re regretting not listening when I warned you about your man-whoring ways.”
Liam and I both winced at the memory. The sting of truth didn’t fade any easier when delivered by someone you respected.
“How the hell does she know all this?” Liam muttered under his breath.
I ignored her jab and pressed on. “Anyway, as you probably already know, we haven’t mated or marked her yet-but somehow, we can feel her emotions like they’re our own. And she seems to sense ours just as easily.”
“And she’s got insane control,” Liam added. “She’ll react strongly to something one moment, and then it’s like she flips a switch. No trace of emotion. And don’t even get me started on how she resists the mate bond.” His voice faltered, grief edging his features.
Keziah tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her gaze. “Tell me more about these… strange occurrences,” she said with a sly smirk, as if she already knew the answer but wanted to see how we’d squirm trying to explain.
Liam looked ready to die on the spot.
“The experience was sexual in nature,” I said flatly, refusing to be flustered. If she wanted the truth, she’d get it straight. “We both felt… hands. Not visible, not physical, but very much there. They touched us-intimately-until we climaxed. Separately, alone, yet at the exact same time. And the sensations were identical.”
Keziah said nothing at first. Just “I see,” while Liam looked about ready to dive under the nearest cushion.
I met her gaze without blinking, silently daring her to laugh. But she didn’t. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
“As you know, I possess the gift of foresight,” she began. We both nodded, leaning forward slightly, drawn in. “But it’s important you understand something-what I see is fragmented. Some visions are clear, others vague. I cannot always predict when or what I’ll see. So you mustn’t make assumptions based solely on what I tell you. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” we answered in unison.
“Good. Then here’s what I can say. I’ve known your mate was coming for quite some time.” Her voice softened slightly. “It’s one of the reasons I fought against the council’s push to have you accept a chosen mate.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” I asked, my jaw tightening with restrained frustration. If I had known… maybe I would have-no. That thought was foolish. I forced my jaw to relax as the truth sank in. My choices were mine, and no one else was to blame.
Keziah smiled knowingly. “You’ve figured that out on your own, haven’t you?”
I nodded faintly.
“What else have you seen?” Liam asked, a little too eager.
“Not the specifics,” she admitted, “but I’ve sensed deep heartbreak and immense loss in her. Whatever happened left scars-scars that still bleed beneath the surface. She struggles to move forward, even when she wants to. That internal conflict is profound.”
We both knew it. We’d seen glimpses of the pain she tried so hard to hide.
“But she also has an unusual ability,” Keziah continued. “She can masterfully control her outward reactions, even when her emotions are raging inside. ‘Inordinate control,’ I believe you called it.”
“Okay, but how does that tie into what we experienced?” I asked, still trying to connect the dots.
“Patience, son,” she chided. “I was just getting there.”
She leaned forward, her expression serious now. “I haven’t seen enough to confirm it, but everything you’ve told me-and what I’ve seen-points to one very strong possibility. Your mate may be an empath. A powerful one.”