Two days had passed since the Architect's ultimatum. The lagoon villa had become a war room.
Logan stood at the head of the long table, claws half-extended as he addressed the remaining loyal pack members. Only five enhanced fighters remained fully committed. The others had gone silent — some openly questioning whether Elara was making Logan soft.
"The Architect is offering them a cure for the rage," Logan said, voice low and dangerous. "A way to keep the power without losing control. Some of them are tempted."
One of the loyalists, a tall woman named Kemi, crossed her arms. "And what about you, boss? Every time you look at her, your eyes glow. The beast is getting louder, not quieter."
Elara sat quietly beside Logan, refusing to shrink under their stares. She had spent the last forty-eight hours training with the pack — learning to shoot, to move silently, to think under pressure. Her arms ached, but her resolve had only grown stronger.
Logan's hand found hers under the table, a silent show of unity. The romantic tension between them had only intensified with the deadline looming. Every night they came together with desperate passion — Logan's touch rough and possessive, Elara's presence the only thing that kept the beast from completely taking over.
"I'm not losing control," he said firmly. "Because she grounds me. If any of you can't accept that, leave now. No hard feelings."
Two of the five shifted uncomfortably but stayed.
After the meeting, Logan pulled Elara into their bedroom and locked the door. The moment the lock clicked, he backed her against the wall, kissing her like a man drowning.
"I hate that they're right about one thing," he rasped between kisses. "The beast wants you more every day. It wants to claim you completely."
Elara threaded her fingers through his hair, tugging gently. "Then claim me. But remember — I'm choosing you too. The man and the monster."
Their lovemaking was intense and emotional, a brief escape from the countdown. Afterward, as they lay tangled in the sheets, Logan traced the faint marks he'd left on her shoulder.
"I'm scared, Elara," he admitted quietly — the first time he'd said it out loud. "If I fully shift at that lab… I might not come back to you."
She turned to face him, cupping his scarred cheek. "Then I'll come find you. Every single time."
A knock at the door interrupted them. Kemi's voice came through. "We just got word. Aria has taken two more pack members to the Architect. They're preparing something big for the full moon."
Logan's eyes hardened. The romantic softness vanished, replaced by cold determination.
"Four days just became two," he said.
Elara stood, already reaching for her clothes. "Then we stop waiting. We hit them before they're ready."
Logan watched her with a mixture of pride and fierce protectiveness. The woman who had once been terrified in his penthouse was now ready to walk into hell beside him.
But as they gathered the loyal pack to plan their next move, both of them felt the weight of the coming full moon pressing down like a blade