Dante's POV
The chandelier shattered just inches from where Ava had been sitting.
If i hadn't pushed her out of the way, she might've been dead—or at least severely injured. One moment I was watching her laugh with a designer, the next I noticed someone up cutting the chandelier chain that was above her. I couldn't imagine what would have been her fate if i wasn't there.
"Are you hurt?" I asked.
My wolf was furious.
Someone had tried harming our mate
We were going to hunt the person down but now we had to ensure our mate was ok.
She shook her head, dazed. "You—how did you even know I was here?"
"I told you I'd protect you" I replied, helping her to her feet with steady hands.
Security rushed in. Staff whispered that it was just a loose fixture. I knew better and I was sure Ava knew also.
That wasn't an accident. It was a message.
She didn't speak until I took her to my car, driving in silence through the heart of the city. She was still processing everything when I reached into my coat pocket and held something out. I had been meaning to give it to her for a long time, but after today's incident I couldn't wait any longer.
"What's that?" she asked warily.
I flipped it open to reveal a pendant—dark, teardrop-shaped, streaked with veins of silvery-blue that shimmered under the car's lights.
My family heirloom
It was blessed by the moon goddess and has been passed down to all the Luna's in my pack
"Wear it," he said simply.
She didn't move. "That's not just an ordinary gift, is it?"
"It's protection."
Ava raised an eyebrow. "Protection… from what? Falling chandeliers and invisible enemies?"
"From things you haven't seen yet. Things I can't always stop in time." I replied not knowing how to answer her questions.
Ava took the pendant carefully. The moment her fingers touched it, a strange warmth pulsed through her palm. The hairs on her arms stood on end.
"What is this made of?"
"It's a special stone." I didn't know how to explain it to her.
I was sure if I told her that was my family's heirloom she would freak out.
"That's vague."
"You'll know more when you're ready." I said. "It's tied to me. If you wear it, I'll always be able to find you. And it will warn you when danger's near."
She stared down at the pendant, feeling its weight. "It's magic, isn't it?"
A flicker of a smile. "Would it scare you if I said yes?"
Ava leaned back in her seat, fastening the chain around her neck despite herself. The pendant settled over her skin like it belonged there.
"It wouldn't scare me," she murmured. "It would just make you even more of a mystery than you already are."
"You deserve to know the truth, Ava. But you're already caught in something far bigger than your revenge."
She looked at me, eyes narrowed. "Then start explaining."
"Soon," i said softly. "But first—we need to make this deal official. I can't protect you from the shadows anymore."
She didn't realize it then, but that pendant wasn't just a gift.
It was a claim.
And the moment she accepted it, our bond had been awakened.