The
Shifters didn’t wait for Lucas to agree.
The moment
he spoke, they turned, expecting him to follow.
Lucas
sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets, entirely too relaxed for a man being escorted by predators.
Ava stop
beside him.
The lead Shifter
grunted. "She’s not invited."
Lucas
didn’t break stride. "She stays."
The Shifter
stiffened slightly. "Boss said—"
Lucas
cut him off, golden eyes gleaming. "I don’t care what your boss said."
Ava
held back a smirk.
The Shifters
exchanged glances. Their orders had been clear, but Lucas Bai was not a man you dragged anywhere.
Finally,
the lead one exhaled sharply. "Fine. But if she slows us down, she stays behind."
Ava
snorted. "Not happening."
The group
moved swiftly, weaving through Level One’s pristine streets, heading toward a sector Ava hadn’t seen before.
Less polished.
Less decorative. A place where the real business happened.
Lucas
leaned toward her slightly, voice low. "Don’t react, Beauty, but take note."
Ava
didn’t nod, but she was already scanning.
Multiple guards.
Not standard security—privately hired muscle.
A narrow entrance.
Reinforced walls. A location chosen specifically to keep things quiet.
They reached a
set of double doors, guarded by another pair of Shifters.
The lead Shifter stepped aside, motioning for them to enter.
Lucas
grinned, entirely too amused. "After you, Beauty."
Ava
exhaled. "So generous."
Then,
without hesitation, she stepped inside.
The
doors shut behind them with a heavy finality.
Ava
didn’t flinch.
She
kept her posture relaxed, but her senses sharpened instantly.
Because this room
wasn’t any conference space.
It was a
den.
Dimly lit.
Walls reinforced, but not for defense—no, this place was built to contain something.
And sitting at the head of the room,
lounging like a king on his throne—
Was the real problem.
A massive
Shifter, built like a war machine, his presence thick in the air like static before a storm.
Ava’s
Blueprint System pulsed.
[IDENTITY: UNKNOWN]
[PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENTS: EXTREME]
[SHIFT HISTORY: MULTIPLE]
[STABILITY: UNRELIABLE]
Unstable.
Ava
exhaled slowly.
Lucas
unbothered
strode forward, hands still in his pockets, smirk firmly in place.
"
Well, well. Didn’t think I’d get a personal invite.
"
The Shifter
grinned, teeth sharp. "Didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to show up."
Lucas
chuckled, golden eyes gleaming. "And yet, here I am."
Ava
felt the tension shift.
The
massive Shifter leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, eyes locked onto Lucas like a predator sizing up prey.
"
You’ve been busy, Bai,
" the Shifter drawled.
"Causing trouble. Making noise. Stealing attention that doesn’t belong to you."
Ava
folded her arms, already tired of this posturing. "Funny. I was just thinking the same about you."
The Shifter’s
sharp gaze snapped to her. His nostrils flared slightly, like he was scenting the air.
Lucas
laughed. "Careful, Beauty. You might hurt his feelings."
The Shifter
chuckled, low and dangerous. "And who’s this? Another pet project?"
Lucas
tilted his head. "Something like that."
Ava
felt her pulse steady, her Blueprint System already scanning the exits, marking weak points, measuring how many seconds it would take to disable the nearest guard.
Because this room was built
for containment.
And the way the Shifter was watching them?
Like he was waiting for a reason.
The Shifter
exhaled, leaning back again. "You’ve got guts, Bai. But guts don’t mean much when you don’t have the muscle to back them up."
Lucas’s
grin sharpened. "See, that’s where you’re wrong."
Ava
felt the shift.
Lucas
chuckled, golden eyes gleaming. "You think I don’t have the muscle?"
The Shifter
grinned, sharp teeth flashing. "I know you don’t."
Lucas
sighed dramatically. "Guess I’ll have to fix that."
Then—
without warning—he moved.
Fast.
Ava
barely caught it.
One second,
Lucas was lounging like he had all the time in the world.
The next.
He was across the room.
A blur.
A strike of movement too smooth, too precise.
The Shifter’s
eyes widened—just slightly—before Lucas’s hand wrapped around his throat. Not choking.
Just holding.
A statement
Lucas
leaned in slightly, voice dropping. "Still think I don’t have the muscle?"
The Shifter’s
jaw clenched, nostrils flaring. His arms tensed, ready to retaliate—
But he didn’t move.
Because
he felt it.
The weight of Lucas’s grip.
Not Shifter strength.
Not brute force.
Something
calculated. Engineered. Precise.
Ava’s
Blueprint System pulsed hard.
[SCAN COMPLETE]
[PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT: ACTIVE]
[COMBAT EFFICIENCY: 97%]
[POWER OUTPUT: INCREASING]
Increasing.
Ava’s
stomach twisted.
Lucas
wasn’t just stronger.
He was still adapting to his upgrade.
The Shifter’s
teeth clenched, but his pulse was steady. Controlled. He met Lucas’s gaze head-on. "You want to prove something, Bai?"
Lucas
smirked. "I already did."
Then—
just as smoothly—he let go.
Stepped back.
Completely relaxed.
Like the entire thing had been nothing more than a friendly exchange.
The Shifter
exhaled slowly, rubbing his throat.
Lucas
tilted his head, still grinning. "Now. You wanted a word?"
Ava
didn’t miss the way the room had changed.
The Shifters guarding the doors
were standing a little tenser.
The air
was thicker. Heavier.
Because they all knew Lucas Bai
wasn’t supposed to be a threat.
The
Shifter exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders like he was shaking off the tension. But Ava saw it.
The way his
posture shifted. The way the guards subtly adjusted, more alert now.
The Shifter
grinned, but there was less bite to it now. "You really don’t know when to back down, do you?"
Lucas
smirked, slipping his hands back into his pockets. "No fun in that."
The Shifter
leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Alright, Bai. You made your point. Now let’s talk business."
Ava
exhaled slowly.
Finally.
Lucas
tilted his head. "Depends. What are we talking about?"
The Shifter
chuckled. "You’ve been stepping into Level One’s trade routes. Getting a little too bold for someone who’s supposed to be an exile."
Lucas
grinned. "Bold? I call it smart."
The Shifter’s
gaze darkened slightly. "Some people call it reckless."
Lucas
sighed, shaking his head like he was truly disappointed.
"See, this is what I don’t get," he murmured, golden eyes gleaming.
"You call me reckless, but you’re the ones making mistakes."
The
Shifter’s grin didn’t fade, but Ava caught the slight twitch in his jaw.
"Enlighten me,"
he drawled.
Lucas
tilted his head. "You think I’ve been stepping into Level One’s trade routes?"
He
stepped closer. Slow. Calculated.
"
I don’t step into things.
"
The
room tensed.
Lucas’s
smirk sharpened. "I own them."
Ava
felt the air shift.
Because
that wasn’t just a bold claim.
That was a warning.