Lucian’s POV 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Boca, stay back," I warned, my voice low. I knew how dangerous he became around strangers. "Alina, give me your hand."

I reached for her quickly, but Boca’s aggressive tone cut through the air.

"Why is she here?"

"She’s here for me," I said firmly, stepping between them. "Stay back, Boca. Don’t let things get ugly."

His growl grew louder, deep and threatening. His fangs lengthened, sharp and glistening. His body began to shift, muscles swelling as the beast inside him took over.

"Ragnar, what are you doing? Hold him down!" I yelled.

Ragnar shook his head. "You know no one can stop him once he gets like this. That’s why I told you to take that girl away from here."

Boca threw his head back and howled, the sound shaking the walls. His eyes burned with wild fury.

"No outsiders allowed!" His voice boomed, raw and powerful.

"Alina, please don’t move," I said softly, trying to keep my voice calm for her even as my heart raced. I stood up and faced Boca, my own alpha power rising.

"I am ordering you to stop," I growled.

But it was useless. Boca never listened when he entered this state. I had tried so many times to tame the beast in him, and I always failed. He was fiercely loyal to me, yet he saw every stranger as an enemy.

He stepped closer, massive and terrifying. My eyes glowed bright as I let my fangs and claws extend fully, ready to fight my own man if I had to.

"Stay out of this," Boca snarled and lashed out at me with brutal force.

I barely managed to grab his arms and hold him back. We crashed into each other like two storms colliding. His strength was overwhelming — raw, uncontrollable power.

"What are you doing? I said she is mine!" I shouted, pushing against him with everything I had.

He roared and threw me hard. My body smashed through a dozen empty boxes, wood splintering around me. Pain shot through my back, but I jumped to my feet instantly as he lunged toward Alina.

"Boca, no!" I growled with pure rage and launched myself at him again. I slammed into his side with full force, both of us crashing to the ground in a violent tangle of claws and fangs.

"Stay away from her!" I roared, trying desperately to pin him down.

I broke free for a second and rushed to Alina, pulling her behind me.

"Lucian... I’m scared," she whispered, her voice trembling with terror. I could feel her whole body shaking against me.

"I won’t let anything happen to you," I promised, my voice tight with emotion. "I will protect you."

"She isn’t going anywhere," Boca growled as he rose back to his feet, towering over us. "She needs to die."

"Are you guys being fucking serious?" I shouted at the others, anger and desperation burning in my chest. "Stop him!"

A few of them rushed forward to grab Boca, but he threw them off like they were nothing. The rest didn’t dare move closer.

"You are really asking for it, Boca," I said, my voice dark with warning.

"I am trying to protect you," he replied sternly. "She is the enemy."

His words hit me hard. For a moment, the weight of everything — the fear in Alina’s eyes, the betrayal from my own people, the beast I couldn’t control — made something painful twist inside my chest.

I gently laid Alina down in a safer spot, my hands lingering on her for a second longer, silently begging her to stay safe.

"I didn’t want this to come to this," I said, my voice heavy.

Boca launched at me with terrifying speed. Before I could fully react, he shoved me hard to the side and charged straight for Alina. My eyes widened in panic as he closed the distance.

"Boca, no!" I growled. The sound tore from my chest so deep that the ground trembled beneath us like a mild earthquake.

I rushed forward, but suddenly halted.

Boca had stopped. He stood frozen just inches from Alina, staring down at her with wide, shocked eyes. He didn’t touch her. He didn’t move.

I quickly reached Alina and helped her up. She was limping badly and held onto me tightly, her body still shaking.

Boca remained completely still, his gaze locked on her face.

"What is the matter?" I asked, confused and on edge.

"Alina..." Boca said softly, his deep voice cracking. "You are really Alina."

"Yes, I am," she answered quietly.

"You are my sister," he whispered.

My eyes widened in shock.

"What?" Alina breathed, her voice full of disbelief.

"You really are my sister," Boca repeated. He stepped forward, reaching for her, but I quickly pulled Alina behind my back, shielding her.

"You have the mark on your neck," Boca said urgently. "I have it too."

He turned around and showed the back of his neck. I had seen that exact same mark on Alina many times before.

"I have something similar," she said, her voice small.

"Mom gave it to us when we were raided," Boca explained, his tone turning thick with emotion. "That’s the only way we can connect with each other."

Tears welled up in his eyes. I had never seen him like this before. Boca was huge, a powerful alpha, yet watching big tears roll down his rough cheeks felt completely foreign.

Alina slowly stepped out from behind me and walked toward him. I reached out to stop her, but Boca shook his head.

"No, Lucian. I won’t hurt her," he said.

I let her go.

She moved closer to Boca and gently touched the mark on her own neck, then reached up and touched his. Her fingers trembled.

"How is this possible?" she whispered. "I am an orphan. I don’t have a family of my own."

"We were taken to the orphanage, Alina," Boca said, his voice breaking. "I was later taken away by a family that promised to change my life. I always told myself I would come back for you. But when I finally did... the orphanage had been destroyed. So many children died. I thought you were gone too. I didn’t see you anywhere."

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he continued, his huge frame shaking.

"I have lived with that guilt for the rest of my life, Alina. Now seeing you..." His voice cracked completely. "You are my sister... and you are alive."

He reached for her and pulled her into a tight hug.

Alina was reluctant at first, her body stiff. But slowly, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over as quiet sobs shook her.

This was something I never saw coming.