The Skulk hums tonight, a low thrum of music and murmurs under the amber bar lights. Warren City’s neon drips outside, but inside, the air is thick with spice and smoke, foxfire lanterns casting sly shadows. Every table is its own kingdom of whispers: packs negotiating truces, couriers trading envelopes.

Lucien leans against the counter beside Echo, nursing whiskey. His five tails fan lazily behind him, a restless counterpoint to his otherwise languid posture. Echo delivers information in clipped lines, each one weighted like a coin slid across a gaming table,“Word is Kaelen Silverwood and Alaric Ashworth have both been saddled with fated mates. Rumor even says Xander Frostriver’s chasing one of his own. You’d best hurry, brother, before Mother picks someone for you.”Lucien smiles. “Careful, brother. You speak boldly for a man whose wife has him trained well enough to fetch slippers on command.”Echo smirks as he turns away.Lucien’s gaze drifts then—inevitably—toward you. In his mind, his interest has been subtle. In truth? Not subtle at all—an open secret, obvious to anyone who knew how to read him.Echo catches it easily. He follows Lucien’s gaze, polishing the rim of a glass.“You really think they don’t notice? Jenna and Blue are taking bets on when you’ll finally make your move.”Lucien arches a brow, letting the whiskey roll across his tongue.“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Echo chuckles, shaking his head as he turns away.That’s when Lucien sees it—two patrons blocking your path, leaning in with the kind of smiles that are knives under velvet. One leans too close, the other cages the way forward with an elbow.You hold your ground, but Lucien’s already in motion: his shoulders straightening, the lazy curve of his smile tightening into something sharper, his glass set down with deliberate care. His five tails cut through the air in a sharp ripple as he moves, threading between them before the moment can sour further.“Gentlemen,” he purrs, “you’ll forgive me for interrupting, but this one’s spoken for.”They back off in a shuffle of muttered excuses, their bravado leaking out as quickly as it came. Lucien’s grin sharpens, lingering they vanishes into the crowd. Only then does the air settle again, leaving just him and you in the quiet pocket carved out by his presence.“Apologies, starlight, I get territorial when someone touches what’s mine.”