Chapter 83

After their passionate encounter under the stars, Achilles and Shea lay together on the soft grass, their bodies intertwined. The moonlight cast a silvery glow over their skin as they caught their breath.

"We should probably head back," Achilles murmured, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her arm.

Shea nodded reluctantly, not wanting to break the peaceful moment. "Yeah, but this was worth sneaking out for."

They dressed unhurriedly, stealing glances and trading soft touches. The night air had cooled, but their skin still felt warm from their shared passion.

"Race you back?" Shea challenged with a playful grin, already stepping away from him.

Achilles caught her hand, pulling her back for one more kiss. "You're on."

They transformed smoothly, their bodies shifting into their wolf forms with practiced ease. Shea's sleek form darted between the trees, with Achilles's larger chocolate-brown wolf close behind.

They wove through the forest, their paws barely touching the ground as they ran. The wind rushed through their fur, carrying the scents of the night forest around them. Every so often, one would nudge the other playfully, turning their race into more of a game.

When they reached the mansion grounds, they shifted back, their laughter breaking the quiet night. Achilles pulled Shea close, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"We should get some sleep," he said, though his arms remained wrapped around her. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

As they entered through the mansion's side entrance, Shea and Achilles tried to move as quietly as possible. The marble floors echoed even their softest footsteps.

"You think anyone noticed we were gone?" Shea whispered.

A light flicked on in the study. Lucius sat in his leather armchair, an ancient tome open on his lap.

"Other than me?" He raised an eyebrow. "I'd say Alaric probably did too."

The butler appeared silently beside them, holding out fresh towels. "Indeed, sir. The grass stains would be quite telling."

Achilles ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Father, we were just—"

"Taking a midnight run?" Lucius closed his book with a soft thump. "As long as you stayed within the grounds' protective barriers, I suppose there's no harm done."

Shea shifted her weight, leaves crackling under her feet. "Actually, we may have gone a bit further..."

"I suspected as much." Lucius sighed, but a small smile played at his lips. "You two are more like your mother and father than you realize, Shea. They were just as rebellious."

"You knew my mother too?"

"Stories for another time." Lucius stood, stretching. "For now, get some rest. We have matters to discuss in the morning."

As they climbed the grand staircase, Achilles squeezed Shea's hand. "Sorry if we worried them."

"Worth it though?" She bumped his shoulder playfully.

"Definitely worth it."

They paused at the landing where their paths would split to their separate rooms. The moonlight streaming through the tall windows cast long shadows across the floor.

"Goodnight," Shea said softly.

"Sweet dreams." Achilles pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before they reluctantly parted ways.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the mansion's tall windows as Shea made her way down to breakfast. The rich aroma of coffee and freshly baked bread filled the air.

Alaric stood by the dining table, meticulously arranging place settings. "Good morning, Miss Wolfe. Master Lucius requested everyone gather for breakfast promptly."

"Thank you, Alaric." Shea settled into her usual seat, admiring how the morning light caught the crystal glasses.

Achilles entered a few minutes later, his hair still damp from a shower. He gave Shea a warm smile before taking his place beside her. "Sleep well?"

"Like a rock after our run." She buttered a piece of toast. "Though I'm curious what your father wants to discuss."

Marcus strode in next, nodding curtly to them both before settling across the table. His expression was serious as always, but there was a hint of tension around his eyes.

Lucius finally joined them, a stack of papers tucked under his arm. He took his seat at the head of the table and accepted a cup of coffee from Alaric.

"I've been reviewing some old records," he began, spreading the papers before him. "There are mentions of similar faction conflicts from decades ago. The patterns are... concerning."

"What kind of patterns?" Achilles leaned forward.

"The timing, the escalation of hostilities." Lucius tapped a yellowed document. "And particularly the involvement of rare bloodlines like Shea's."

Shea set down her toast. "You think this has happened before?"

"Perhaps not exactly the same way, but there are enough similarities to warrant investigation." Lucius looked around the table. "We need to understand the historical context before we can move forward."

Lucius pulled out a worn leather journal from his stack of papers, its pages yellow with age. "Penelope gave me this last night. It belonged to Vincent."

Shea's breath caught as she recognized her father's handwriting on the pages Lucius carefully turned.

"Vincent documented extensive research about the faction dynamics," Lucius continued, his finger tracing the neat lines of text. "He was particularly focused on bloodline inheritance patterns among werewolves."

Achilles shifted closer to Shea, his shoulder brushing hers as they both leaned in to see the journal.

"According to his notes, there have been other rare bloodlines throughout history that caused similar power struggles between factions." Lucius turned another page. "He believed these weren't random occurrences, but part of a larger cycle."

"What kind of cycle?" Marcus asked, his coffee forgotten.

"Every few generations, a bloodline emerges with unique abilities - abilities that could potentially shift the balance of power between factions." Lucius looked directly at Shea. "Vincent suspected your mother's lineage carried such potential, which is why he was so protective of both of you."

Shea stared at the familiar curves and loops of her father's writing. "Did he know what would happen?"

"Not entirely, but he had theories." Lucius tapped a particular passage. "He wrote about ancient werewolf traditions that spoke of 'blood awakening' - when certain bloodlines would manifest extraordinary powers under specific circumstances."

"Like Shea's transformation the other night," Achilles said quietly.

"Exactly." Lucius nodded. "Vincent believed understanding these cycles was crucial to preventing faction wars. Unfortunately, his research was cut short before he could piece it all together."