Bang!

The door was shattered, its sturdy frame collapsing with a deafening crash. The force of it sent a shockwave through the room, and everyone froze in place. Even the air seemed to hold its breath as the dust settled, revealing a figure emerging from the chaos.

He stepped through the debris, his presence alone enough to make the room feel smaller, heavier. His silhouette was sharp, commanding, and the aura radiating from him was overwhelming—an Alpha’s aura, raw and unrelenting. My heart raced as I recognized him immediately. It was him. The one who had saved me that night.

Ryan Hawkins, Alpha of the Blue Pack.

His features were harsh, his jawline chiseled, and his eyes—those piercing, predatory eyes—were locked onto the room with a cold intensity that made my blood run cold. His wolf was close to the surface; I could feel it in the way his energy crackled in the air, threatening to suffocate anyone who dared to challenge him. He didn’t need to shift; his human form alone was enough to assert dominance.

My legs trembled, and I instinctively moved behind my younger packmate, Gemma, trying to make myself as small as possible. I didn’t dare breathe too loudly, didn’t dare let my scent drift too far. My wolf, Willow, stirred uneasily in the back of my mind, a low whimper echoing in my thoughts. She recognized him too, and the bond—the one I’d been trying so hard to ignore—thrummed faintly, a dangerous reminder of what he was to me.

But he hadn’t seen my face that night. He didn’t know it was me. That had to be my saving grace.

Head Healer Nelson Jenkins, the elder of our pack, stepped forward, bowing his head in deference. His voice was calm, respectful, but I could hear the underlying tension. "Alpha Ryan," he began, his tone even. "To what do we owe the honor of your presence?"

Ryan’s eyes flicked to Nelson, his lips curling into a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. "Are all your pack members present?" he asked, his voice low and commanding, the Alpha tone laced with authority. It wasn’t a question; it was a demand.

Nelson nodded. "Yes, Alpha. Everyone is here."

Ryan’s gaze swept the room, lingering for a moment on each face before he spoke again. "All males, leave. Females, stay." His voice was cold, dismissive, and the weight of his command pressed down on us like a physical force.

The men hesitated, glancing at Nelson for confirmation. When the Head Healer gave a curt nod, they began to file out, their movements quick and obedient. No one dared to question an Alpha’s orders.

I stayed rooted in place, my heart pounding in my chest. Gemma shifted slightly, her protective instincts kicking in, but even she couldn’t shield me from the Alpha’s piercing stare. Ryan’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the remaining women, and for a brief, terrifying moment, I thought his gaze lingered on me.

But then he turned away, his expression darkening. "This won’t take long," he said, his tone cutting through the silence like a blade. "Cooperate, and this will be over quickly."

My wolf whimpered again, a soft, desperate sound in the back of my mind. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. I couldn’t let him see me. I couldn’t let him know.

Not yet. Not ever.

I grabbed Rocky’s sleeve, my fingers trembling.

“I wasn’t even there that day. Can we just go? I’m feeling a bit sick.”

He glanced at me, subtly brushing my hand away.

His voice was sharp, rising in volume.

“Lennox, how old are you? You look perfectly fine. Stop pretending.

“I’ve got to prepare the pack’s medicine. Don’t think just because you saved me once, you can cling to me all the time. It’s annoying!”

Rocky walked off without a backward glance.

Ryan noticed the commotion, his aura prickling with tension as his gaze swept over us.

“In a hurry to leave? Then you’ll be first.”

My heart pounded, my feet rooted to the ground.

Nelson, the Head Healer, interrupted, his scent carrying the faint herbal tang of his work.

“Alpha, perhaps we should start with the first row. These two still need to accompany me to gather herbs!”

Ryan, surprisingly deferential to the elder, nodded in silent agreement.

He began describing the suspect’s features.

“The person had a broad waist… about the width of my hand. Anyone who fits that description, stay.”

Ryan raised his hand, his palm wide, fingers long and defined.

I shuddered at the sight.

After the poisoning incident, the marks from his claws on my waist had taken days to fade.

A testament to his ruthlessness.

He scanned the crowd of over a hundred pack members, quickly narrowing it down to a few dozen.

Then, he moved swiftly, checking each one.

I was in the last row, and it wasn’t long before he reached me.

This is it. I’m dead!

But then my eyes caught sight of the gap in the fence behind me, wide and inviting.

I could probably squeeze through.

I bent down, ready to risk it, only to feel someone yank me back by the collar.

Rocky’s voice was smug, almost taunting.

“Healer Nelson, I’m back to get Lennox. She’s needed for my tasks.

“She was with me the entire time. There’s no way she could’ve been in the Poisoned Forest.”

Nelson clapped his hands, nodding enthusiastically.

“Alpha, it’s true. These two are always together, thick as thieves. And Rocky here is our next Beta, a promising young wolf.

“Lennox? Well, she’s quite taken with him. Trust me, she wouldn’t dare cross you.”

Ryan was silent, his expression unreadable, his Alpha aura pressing down on us like a physical weight.

I linked my arm with Rocky’s, nodding hastily, and we hurried away.

My back was slick with cold sweat.

Thank the Moon Goddess, or Ryan’s claws would have claimed me as another victim.

Once we were outside, Rocky shook off my hand.

He wiped his arm with a look of disgust.

“I wasn’t looking for you,” he muttered.

I nodded quickly. “Thank you.”

Turns out, Rocky had come to ask me to teach him how to sew a pouch.

Stitch by stitch, he worked, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

The “swans” he attempted to embroider looked more like ducks.

I took it from him to show him how, and he leaned in close, his scent of herbs and pine filling the air.

My head felt light, giddy with happiness. “Who’s it for?”

It was a double-swan pouch, and tonight was the pack’s annual Moon Run.

My heart raced, but Rocky just snorted.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Just teach me.”

His hands, holding the needle, were unusually sweaty.

Rocky was always sharp-tongued, but his heart was pure.

In the pack, he only ever stayed close to me, barely speaking to other females.

This pouch had to be for me.

That night, I dressed up and rushed to the pack’s Moon Run gathering.

I’d heard Ryan was staying overnight, his room next to Rocky’s.

At the table, Rocky sat beside me, his expression dark as he downed his drink.

“Annoying,” he grumbled.

I nodded in agreement, biting into a pastry, only to crack my tooth on a hidden pebble. Tears welled up.

“Ow.”

Rocky called me dramatic, holding a glass of water just out of my reach, forcing me to stretch for it.

He always liked to tease me.

As I whispered back at him, Ryan, in the center of the crowd, suddenly looked up, his gaze locking onto me.

His eyes burned red, and the drink in his hand trembled.

I immediately fell silent.

I didn’t dare eat or make a sound.

The room felt stifling, and Ryan was already on his feet, making his way toward me.

I excused myself to get some air and bolted from the table.

“That pouch on your waist is lovely. Which suitor gave it to you?”

Pouch?

I turned toward the voices, spotting a group of younger pack members chatting.

Among them was Gemma, this year’s rising star. Rocky had often praised her, saying she was a thousand times better than me.

I crept closer, eavesdropping.

Gemma was beaming, shyly showing off an awkwardly stitched pouch.

It featured two clumsy ducks, oddly endearing.

It was the one I’d taught Rocky to make, now in her hands.

My chest tightened.

Gemma spotted me and smiled brightly, hanging the pouch prominently on her waist.

“Sister Lennox, isn’t this pouch cute? He’s not great at sewing, but it’s so charming!

“It’s the Moon Run. Don’t you have one?”

My breath caught, and I forced a smile, holding back tears.

“Of course, I just need to find it.”

I fled, their laughter, though not malicious, stinging my back.