THE ALPHA'S FORBIDDEN FLAME.

Talia's POV

Fuck.

Why did this have to happen now?

The knock on the door felt like a gunshot in the middle of my chest. Everything froze. The air, the moment, my breath.

Ramon's body went stiff above me, his jaw tightening as if he were barely holding back a growl.

"Who the hell is that?" he shouted.

Anger and frustration flashed openly across his face, and something twisted painfully in my chest.

That meant he wanted this too.

As badly as I did.

"Alpha," a voice called from outside. One of the guards. "There's something you should see."

Ramon didn't even look away from me. His hands were still warm and steady, still on my breast, while his weight grounding me to the bed like the world outside didn't exist.

"Let it wait," he snapped. "I'm busy."

My heart jumped.

Without thinking, I reached up and placed my hands over his, silently begging whoever was at the door to leave. Just go away. Just five more minutes. Five more seconds.

"I'm sorry, Alpha," the guard said again, his voice strained. "But this is urgent."

Ramon swore under his breath.

"Fuck."

The word came out low and angry, like it was torn from him. He pulled back slowly, his expression hardening as the moment shattered between us.

"Go," I said quietly. "I'll be here. Waiting."

He huffed a short laugh, arrogance slipping back over him like armor as he stood and reached for his clothes.

"Like you have a choice," he said. "You're not leaving this room. I already told you that."

There it was. That shift.

Just seconds ago, he'd looked at me like I mattered. Like I was something fragile and wanted. Now he sounded like the arrogant Alpha again. Cold. Commanding.

I hated how fast he could switch.

I watched him dress in silence, my chest tight with emotions I didn't want to name.

Desire. Anger. Confusion. All tangled together.

He didn't say anything else.

He just turned and walked out, leaving me alone on the bed, staring at the ceiling, my heart still racing for reasons that had nothing to do with fear.

And everything to do with him.

Ramon's POV

Mache had better have a damn good reason for interrupting me.

I stalked down the hallway, irritation simmering under my skin, my thoughts still tangled in the warmth of Talia's body and the way her eyes had looked at me just moments ago.

Fuck.

That woman was dangerous in ways she didn't even understand.

Talia could be very sweet when she wasn't vomiting venom from her mouth.

Turns out her mouth could be very distracting when it wasn't trying to tear me apart.

Sweet one second. Sharp-tongued the next. And somehow... still capable of getting under my skin.

I shook my head, forcing my focus back where it belonged.

"Yes," I demanded the moment I stepped outside my room. "What is going on?"

Mache stood there with two other guards. My head of security looked tense, his shoulders stiff, his eyes darting like he was bracing for impact.

"Alpha," he said carefully, "there's something you need to see."

The tone in his voice made my irritation spike into unease.

"What is it?" I asked sharply.

He hesitated.

"It's... Talia."

My blood went cold.

"What about her?" I snapped.

Mache stepped aside. "Please, Alpha. Follow us."

Every instinct in my body screamed as we moved down the corridor toward her room.

The closer we got, the stronger the metallic scent in the air became.

The door was open.

The room was chaotic.

Furniture overturned. Glass shattered across the floor. Curtains torn. The window wide open, night air pouring in like a wound that refused to close.

My chest tightened painfully.

"Who the fuck did this?" I muttered.

One of the guards swallowed hard.

"Alpha... someone broke in through the window."

Rage surged through me, hot and violent.

"Alpha," Mache said again, pointing toward the bathroom. "Someone left this."

I moved toward it slowly, dread crawling up my spine.

The smell hit me first.

Blood. Fresh. Thick.

On the bathroom floor lay a dead deer, its throat slit open, blood pooling beneath it and streaking the tiles like some twisted message.

And beside it...

A note.

Written in blood.

My hands curled into fists as I read the words.

NEXT IS YOUR FUCKING LUNA.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Those rogue bastards.

Zara's people.

My jaw clenched so hard it ached. Every kill. Every warning. Every attempt to end this; only made them bolder.

"What the fuck did I get myself into?" I whispered.

It was never ending. Cut one head off and two more appeared.

I dragged a hand down my face, forcing myself to breathe, to think.

Then Mache spoke again.

"Alpha..." His voice shook. "I'm sorry. Please forgive us, but...."

My heart slammed violently against my ribs.

"But what?" I demanded.

"We... we can't find Talia."

My blood went cold.

"We... we couldn't find Talia," Mache said, his voice shaking. "She was not in here when we came."

That was when the weight of this hit me.

They actually came for her.

So if I hadn't carried her to my room, those bastards would have taken her.

"She's not missing," I said slowly.

Mache frowned. "Alpha?"

"She's with me," I growled. "She's in my room."

Relief flooded their faces instantly.

But mine stayed hard.

I turned back toward the bathroom, staring at the bloodied deer, the shattered glass, the message written in blood.

NEXT IS YOUR FUCKING LUNA.

They were close.

Close enough to enter my home.

Close enough to leave a message.

Close enough to test my defenses.

"They didn't come for her tonight," I said quietly.

Mache stiffened. "Then why...."

"This was a warning," I snapped. "A reminder."

I clenched my fists.

They're watching us," I said quietly.

"And this time... the mistake would be letting them get close to her."