“That bastard,” Lily muttered darkly, her anger rumbling beneath her voice like a low growl. She rubbed my back gently the way she used to when we were young and the world felt survivable.
“You’re not alone anymore,” she said firmly. “We’ll fight for our little prince together.”
I wiped my face.
“The pack advocate says we have almost no chance,” I admitted quietly. “Caleb has allies everywhere. No one wants to challenge a Lutherford Alpha.”
I lowered my voice.
“I have no work left. Marcus’s treatments cost more than I can earn. Caleb wants me to crawl back to him.”
Lily grabbed my shoulders and forced me to meet her gaze.
“And you won’t,” she said with iron certainty. “Not for money. Not for mercy.”
She leaned closer.
“I want to help you. But you’re right—alone, I can’t stand against the Lutherfords.”
My brows furrowed.
“So what do we do?”
A slow smile curved her lips.
“I know someone.”
My chest tightened.
“Someone powerful,” she continued. “A wolf whose name carries weight among Alphas. One even Caleb might hesitate to provoke.”
I blinked.
“We don’t know anyone like that.”
“You know Luca,” she said.
I nodded.
“He serves this Alpha.”
My stomach twisted.
“Lily… I’ve never met this man.”