Hearing the price, Quinn made her decision. She agreed to help Deucalion, but not without setting her own terms. Her demands were simple but firm, reflecting a resolve that impressed even the Demon Wolf himself. Deucalion listened, his blind eyes seemingly piercing through her, and nodded in agreement. Her terms didn't interfere with his plans, so he had no objections.

When she accepted the bite, Deucalion gave her a final warning: her body might reject it. If that happened, she would die.

Quinn's resolve didn't falter, though she couldn't stop the flicker of fear that passed through her. Deucalion, on the other hand, remained confident. He saw something in her—strength, resilience, something unyielding. He knew she would survive. His pack, however, wasn't as certain.

The announcement that Kali would be the one to bite Quinn sent a ripple of shock through the group. Kali herself hesitated, her sharp eyes narrowing in suspicion. She knew the implications of creating a beta. The bond between alpha and beta was instinctual and unavoidable. Once she bit the girl, a part of her would care for Quinn, whether she liked it or not.

And Deucalion was counting on it.

He understood Kali's motivations better than anyone. She stayed in his pack out of loyalty to Ennis, not to him. But this move would bind her more tightly to Deucalion's vision. With Quinn as her beta, Kali's protective instincts would become a tool for his plans.

Quinn didn't flinch as Kali approached, though her heart was pounding. She let Kali choose where to bite, and braced herself. Kali's expression was unreadable, but her grip was steady as she bit into Quinn's shoulder. Pain exploded through Quinn's body, sharp and searing, and she let out a scream that echoed through the base.

Kali caught her as her legs gave out, lowering her to the ground with a gentleness she didn't know she possessed. Quinn writhed in agony, her screams cutting through the silence like a blade. The rest of the pack watched their expressions a mixture of unease and indifference. Only Deucalion seemed unfazed, standing calmly in the background as though he already knew the outcome.

The night was long and brutal. Kali stayed by Quinn's side, holding her tightly as the girl's body fought to adapt to the bite. She masked her worry with a façade of stoicism, but every scream pierced through her defences. For a moment, she hated herself for agreeing to this. For a moment, she hated Deucalion.

But she didn't let go.

As the hours dragged on, the base was filled with Quinn's cries. Her body trembled violently, and for a time, it seemed she might not survive. Kali's grip tightened, her heart pounding as fear took root. She had seen others reject the bite before, and it was a horrific thing to witness.

But Deucalion remained calm. He knew she would survive.

By dawn, the screaming had stopped. Kali looked down at the unconscious girl in her arms, her chest heaving with relief. Quinn was alive. Her body had accepted the bite. Kali brushed a strand of hair from Quinn's sweat-soaked face, a small, involuntary smile tugging at her lips. For the first time in a long while, she felt something warm and unfamiliar—a flicker of pride, perhaps, or a maternal protectiveness she hadn't expected.

Deucalion's gamble had paid off.

...

When Quinn woke, she was greeted by the sight of Ethan and Aiden standing in front of her, their identical smirks immediately grating on her nerves. She recognized them now—the cocky twins who had recently transferred to Beacon Hills High. It made sense now, knowing they were alphas.

"I still don't see why Deucalion wanted you," Aiden sneered, folding his arms as he looked her up and down.

Quinn narrowed her eyes, matching his glare. "I wonder the same thing," she shot back. "But honestly? I don't care to question it. Maybe you shouldn't either."

Ethan snorted, his smirk growing wider. "Ooh, she's got some sass now," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Ethan," Kali warned, her voice sharp as she stepped into the room. She stood protectively beside Quinn, her presence a silent declaration of authority. Ethan rolled his eyes, but Aiden chuckled, clearly unimpressed.

"So what?" Aiden asked, smirking. "We're on babysitting duty now?"

Quinn's eye twitched, and a low growl escaped her lips. "Babysitting?" she repeated, stepping closer. "Watch it, Steiner."

Aiden's smirk didn't waver as he took a step forward, towering over her. "You're hardly a threat, Marino," he said, his voice mocking. "Alpha, remember?"

Quinn's eyes burned with defiance. "And it'll still hurt if I kick you where the sun doesn't shine, won't it?" she said, her tone daring.

Ethan let out a low whistle, clearly entertained by the exchange. Aiden, however, faltered. It was a small hesitation, a flicker of doubt, but it was enough. Quinn's confidence burned brighter, and Aiden realized there was something about her—something fiery and unyielding—that made her more than she appeared.

For the first time, Aiden began to understand why Deucalion had chosen her. There was something about Quinn that intrigued him—something that made her more than just another pawn in the Demon Wolf's game. The fire in her eyes, the way she stood her ground despite being surrounded by wolves far stronger than she was, captivated him. She wasn't like anyone he had encountered before. It was a defiance born not out of arrogance but out of something deeper, something that couldn't be easily broken. She wasn't just a survivor; she was becoming something more.

Aiden had seen Deucalion's calculated moves before, the way he manipulated situations to his advantage, but this was different. Choosing Quinn as a beta wasn't about strategy or necessity; it was about shaping someone with untapped potential. Deucalion saw something in her, something that could be honed and used. The longer Aiden stood there, the more he realized how dangerous that could be—not just for their enemies, but for anyone who dared to underestimate her.

He found himself watching her, taking in every small gesture, every subtle shift in her posture. Quinn wasn't just angry or scared. She had something else—an underlying strength that was only beginning to emerge. The way she held her ground with him and Ethan was more than just bravado; it was a sign that she wasn't going to be easily swayed by anyone's expectations or limitations.

For a moment, Aiden felt a flicker of something like respect for her, an emotion he wasn't sure he had much of in his life. Respect wasn't something he gave easily. But Quinn? She was earning it, whether she knew it or not.

"Looks like Deucalion might have a point," Aiden muttered to himself, his gaze lingering on Quinn. He wasn't sure how much he liked the idea of her being in the pack. But one thing was certain—she wasn't just another weakness, and that made her something worth watching.

Quinn, oblivious to the shift in Aiden's perception, simply folded her arms across her chest, meeting his gaze with an expression of quiet defiance. Despite everything she had been through, despite the betrayal she had just uncovered, she wasn't backing down. She was going to figure out her place in all of this, on her terms.

And that, Aiden realized, was what made her dangerous.