Dayne's POV
Talis's scent, wild and electric, floods my senses as I hold her in the forest clearing, her pulse racing under my grip. That howlGlynn's wolf, no doubtcuts through the night, a blade of warning that sets my wolf snarling, ready to tear apart anything that threatens her. Her silverblue eyes flash with defiance and fear, and I want to crush her against me, to make her see she's mine, alpha or not, but the danger closing in demands focus.
"Stay close," I growl, releasing her shoulders but keeping her within arm's reach. The mate bond burns, urging me to protect her, even as her fist's sting lingers on my jaw. She's no submissive, never was, and the fire in her makes my wolf howl with need.
"I can fight," Talis snaps, her voice low, her body tense like a coiled spring. "I'm not helpless."
I want to believe her, but the thought of Glynn's claws near her makes my blood run cold. "You're not fighting alone," I say, scanning the trees. The scent of that rogue wolf is stronger now, mingled with othersGlynn's pack is here, and they're not just scouting anymore.
She steps closer, her breath hitching. "You don't trust me, do you? After everythingSavannah, the letter, Glynnyou still think I'm weak."
Her words cut deeper than her punch. I grab her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes. "I trust you to be what you are, Talis. But you're not ready for him. Not yet."
Her lips part, a retort ready, but another howl splits the air, closer, and I shove her behind me. Shadows move in the trees, three wolves, their eyes glinting with malice. My wolf surges, claws itching to rip free, but I hold back, needing to get Talis to safety.
"Run to the farmhouse," I ordered, my voice sharp. "Now."
She glares, defiance flaring. "I'm not leaving you."
Before I can argue, a wolf lunges from the shadows, its jaws snapping. I shift in a heartbeat, my black fur ripping through skin, and meet it midair, our bodies crashing to the ground. Talis screams, but I hear her feet hit the dirt, runningnot away, but toward the fight. Damn her stubbornness.
I tear into the wolf, my teeth sinking into its flank, blood hot on my tongue. Another leaps at me, but a flash of silverblue catches my eyeTalis, halfshifted, her claws slashing at the second wolf's side. Her eyes burn with her alpha power, and pride surges through me, even as fear claws at my gut.
"Get back!" I roar, my voice halfhuman, halfbeast, but she doesn't listen, fighting with a ferocity that matches mine. The third wolf circles, aiming for her, and I tackle it, my jaws closing around its throat. It yelps, collapsing, but the first is back, lunging for Talis.
She dodges, her movements fluid, but a claw grazes her arm, blood welling. My wolf goes feral, ripping through the attacker, ending it in a spray of crimson. The clearing is quiet, the surviving wolf retreating, but Talis's ragged breathing pulls me back to her.
"You're hurt," I say, shifting back, my hands checking her arm. The cut's shallow, but my wolf hates seeing her blood.
She jerks away, her eyes blazing. "I told you I could fight. Why won't you trust me?"
I want to shake her, to kiss her, to make her understand. "It's not about trust. It's about keeping you alive."
Her laugh is bitter, her hand clutching her arm. "You kept secrets, Dayne. About my bloodline, about Glynn. How's that keeping me alive?"
The mate bond tightens, her pain echoing in my chest. I step closer, my voice low. "I wanted you to find your strength, not break under it. Glynn's coming for you because of what you are. I won't let him have you."
Her eyes soften, just for a moment, then harden again. "And Savannah? What's she to you?"
Jealousy laces her voice, and my wolf growls, liking it too much. "She's pack," I say, keeping it simple. "Nothing more."
Talis doesn't look convinced, but before she can argue, Luka's voice cuts through the trees. "Dayne! Talis! You okay?"
He bursts into the clearing, his knife drawn, eyes wide at the dead wolves. "Glynn's pack," he says, kicking one. "They're testing us."
I nod, my arm sliding around Talis instinctively. She stiffens but doesn't pull away. "Get the pack ready," I tell Luka. "We're not waiting for Glynn to make the next move."
The living room is packed, the pack's energy tense as they crowd around the old leather couches. Talis sits on the arm of one, her arm bandaged, her eyes locked on me as I stand by the fireplace. Luka's briefing the others, his voice steady, but I feel Talis's anger, her hurt, through the mate bond. She's not just my mateshe's an alpha, and the pack's starting to see it, their eyes flickering to her with new respect.
"We double patrols," I say, my voice carrying. "Glynn's not just after Talis. He wants our territory, our strength. We end this before he gets closer."
Regan nods, her hands twisting nervously. "What about the rogue wolf? Is it leading them?"
"Likely," Luka says, glancing at me. "It's been scouting for weeks."
Talis stands, her voice cutting through the murmurs. "It's not just a scout. Glynn wants me dead. Why didn't anyone tell me?"
The room goes silent, all eyes on her. My wolf bristles at her challenge, but I can't deny her right to know. "We didn't know the full plan until tonight," I say, meeting her gaze. "Savannah found evidence. Glynn's orders were clearkill you to stop your bloodline."
Her face pales, but she doesn't back down. "And you kept that from me? What else are you hiding?"
The pack shifts, uneasy, and I feel their doubt, their questions about my leadership, about her place. Savannah steps forward, her blonde hair pulled back, her face serious. "Talis, I didn't mean to cause trouble. I found the letter in my cabin, hidden in a floorboard. It wasn't just about youit mentioned Dayne's family, how Glynn used hunters to weaken them."
My blood freezes, the old wound of my family's slaughter ripping open. Talis's eyes widen, her anger faltering as she looks at me, seeing the truth I've buried. Glynn didn't just suppress herhe orchestrated my loss, my pain, to break me too.
"You didn't know," she whispers, her voice soft, the mate bond pulsing with her sudden understanding.
I shake my head, my throat tight. "Not until now."
The room feels too small, the pack's eyes too heavy. Talis steps closer, her hand brushing mine, a tentative touch that sends fire through me. "We stop him together," she says, her voice firm, alphastrong.
I nod, my wolf calming at her resolve. But as the pack disperses, Savannah lingers, her eyes on Talis, and I catch a flicker of somethingguilt, maybe, or fear. She knows more than she's saying, and my gut twists with suspicion. Glynn's closer than we thought, and Savannah's hiding something that could tear us apart.