Third Person's POV "Freya," Lana began, startled. "What are you doing up?" Freya tilted her head slightly. "That was Victor Ashford, wasn't it?" Lana's heart skipped. "You… you knew?" "I saw you walk him out of your room." Freya's tone was calm, though her wolf stirred beneath the surface. "I didn't interrupt. But I wanted to make sure you were all right." Lana rubbed the back of her neck. "He just… dropped by." Freya raised a brow. "You and him…" "Nothing like that," Lana said quickly. "We just have a temporary deal-one year of pretending to be a couple. After that, we go our separate ways." Freya studied her for a moment. "And if he doesn't want to end it after a year?" Lana snorted. "Please. He's Victor Ashford. You think he'll suddenly fall in love with me?" Freya didn't answer. The future had a way of defying logic-she knew that better than anyone. The next morning, the two women arrived together at SkyVex Armaments, the sleek, glass-spired company nestled on the edge of the Capital's industrial district. Freya was already busy-she'd just returned, and piles of project files awaited her. "You still haven't healed completely," Lana warned. "Don't overwork yourself." "I'll be fine," Freya replied, scanning through reports. "We've got new contracts coming in, and I need to follow up on my brother's situation in the Williams territory. Kade said he'd help investigate, but I won't just wait around." As she worked, a line on one of the digital ledgers caught her eye. "Wait… SkyVex is bidding for a drone parts project with the Whitmor Group?" Lana looked up. "Yeah. Three-way bid tomorrow. I'll be going with the junior rep-you don't need to come." "But drone development's under my division," Freya said. "If we win, I'll be overseeing production. I should be there." Lana hesitated. "But… Silas Whitmor will be there."Freya's gaze didn't waver. "It's business. He won't make it personal. And besides-this is the Capital. I can't avoid him forever." The following day, they arrived at the Whitmor Group's central tower. The scent of steel and dominance hung thick in the air-Ironclad wolves were always intimidating. But what Freya hadn't expected was to run into Parker Williams and his sister Jenny in the same hall. Jenny's expression twisted instantly. "Freya Thorne," she snapped, voice dripping disdain. "You've got some nerve showing your face here. Still clinging to my brother, are you? Didn't he make himself clear last time?" Freya met her gaze coldly. "You know exactly who he is-and who he isn't." The insult hit its mark. The Williams siblings stiffened. Lana, standing beside Freya, went pale. She'd met Eric Thorne before-the resemblance between him and Parker was impossible to ignore. But seeing it up close, the truth struck harder than words. "Eric…?" she whispered. Parker's expression didn't change. "My name is Parker Williams." "But Freya ran the DNA test-" "I never took any such test," Parker cut her off, his tone clipped. Lana looked helplessly at Freya. She knew how many years her friend had spent searching for her brother-how many times she'd crossed borders, combed records, chased whispers. Freya stepped forward, voice steady. "You once said I saved your life-that you'd repay me however I asked." Parker hesitated. "I did." "Then come with me," Freya said softly. "To honor our parents. You don't have to call me sister. You don't have to remember anything. But they deserve that much from you." For a long moment, no one spoke. Only the faint hum of the tower's lights and the rustle of wolves shifting their weight filled the silence. And then-Parker's gaze flickered, just for an instant, with something dangerously close to memory.