The world stopped.

My father was here. In this club. Looking for me.

Five years of hiding. Five years of building a new life. Gone in one night.

"How many?" Kade's voice was sharp. Controlled. Alpha mode activated.

"Six wolves," Thomas said. "Including the alpha. They're in the main club area. They showed Della's picture to Rico."

My legs felt weak. I grabbed the back of a chair to steady myself.

"Did Rico tell them anything?" Kade asked.

"No. He said he'd never seen her. But Alpha Hart doesn't believe him. He's threatening to search the building."

Kade's eyes flashed gold. "This is my territory. He can't—"

"He's doing it anyway," Thomas interrupted. "He says his daughter is in danger. That he has the right to search any building if he believes she's there."

"Della." Kade turned to me. His face was calm but his eyes were fierce. "Do you want to see him?"

Yes. No. I don't know.

"I—" My voice wouldn't work properly. "I can't. If he finds me, he'll make me go back. He'll—"

The memories hit me hard. My father's cold voice. The arranged marriage he planned. The alpha's son from the Eastern Pack who looked at me like I was property. My mother's funeral where my father didn't even cry.

"Breathe," Kade said. He was in front of me suddenly, his hands on my shoulders. "Breathe, Della. No one is taking you anywhere. Not without your permission."

"You don't understand. He's an alpha. He'll use his command voice. He'll make me—"

"I'm an alpha too." Kade's voice was steel. "And you're under my protection now. Mate bond or not, you're in my territory. That means you're mine to protect."

Thomas shifted nervously. "Alpha, with respect, if you claim her publicly, it could start a war between packs. Northern Ridge won't take that lightly."

"I don't care." Kade didn't take his eyes off me. "Della, look at me."

I looked up. His silver eyes were steady. Certain.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"I don't even know you."

"Yes, you do. Your wolf knows mine. The bond doesn't lie." His hands tightened on my shoulders. "Do you trust me to keep you safe?"

I should say no. I barely met him twenty minutes ago. But something deep inside me, something ancient and instinctive, whispered yes.

"Yes," I breathed.

"Good." He turned to Thomas. "Tell Rico to bring Alpha Hart to the VIP lounge. Make it comfortable. Offer him a drink. I'll be there in five minutes."

"And Della?" Thomas asked.

"She stays here. Lock the door from the outside. No one comes in except me."

Thomas nodded and left quickly.

The moment the door closed, I grabbed Kade's arm. "What are you going to do?"

"Talk to him. Find out what he wants."

"He wants me. That's what he wants."

"Then he's going to be disappointed." Kade's jaw was tight. "But I need to know why he's so desperate to find you. What happened five years ago, Della? Why did you run?"

I looked away. "I told you. It's complicated."

"Your father shows up at my club with six wolves, threatening my staff, demanding to search my building. It just became my business." His voice softened. "Talk to me."

I wrapped my arms around myself. The red costume felt ridiculous now. I felt exposed. Vulnerable.

"He wanted to marry me off," I said quietly. "To Alpha David's son from the Eastern Pack. They had it all arranged. I was supposed to meet him at my twentieth birthday celebration. We'd mate, join the packs, strengthen alliances. Standard alpha politics."

"But you didn't want that."

"I didn't even know the guy! And my father didn't care. He said it was my duty. That I was born for this. That my mother would have wanted—" My voice cracked. "My mother died following his orders. She went on a hunt she didn't want to go on because he commanded it. She got killed by rogues. I was sixteen."

Kade's expression darkened. "And he used her memory to manipulate you."

"He uses everything to get what he wants. That's what alphas do." I looked at him. "No offense."

"None taken. Some alphas are tyrants." His hand came up to my face again. That gentle touch that made my wolf purr. "I'm not your father, Della. I won't force you into anything."

"You're already using the mate bond to make me feel safe."

"That's not manipulation. That's biology. The bond makes us want to protect each other. But the choice to accept it? That's still yours."

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to believe him so badly.

"What if he doesn't leave?" I asked. "What if he demands to see me?"

"Then I'll tell him you're not here."

"He'll smell me. Wolves can track scents."

Kade smiled slightly. "Not when the entire club smells like alcohol, perfume, and a hundred different humans. Your scent is buried. And even if he catches it, he'd have to go through me first."

"He'll fight you."

"Let him try." There was no boast in his voice. Just fact. "I'm younger, stronger, and this is my territory. He won't win."

"But if you fight, other packs will get involved. Thomas was right. It could start a war."

"Then your father better be smart enough not to push me." Kade checked his watch. "I need to go. Stay here. Don't open the door for anyone but me."

He started to leave, then stopped. Turned back.

"One more thing," he said. "The human boyfriend. Marcus. Does he know what you are?"

"No. I never told him."

"Good. Keep it that way." His eyes flashed gold again. "And when this is over, you and I are going to have a conversation about him. Because my wolf still wants to rip his throat out for making you cry."

Before I could respond, he was gone. The door clicked shut. I heard the lock turn from the outside.

I was alone in the dark room.

I sank into the chair, my legs finally giving out. My hands were shaking. My heart was racing.

My father was here. After five years, he'd found me.

And the only thing standing between us was a mate I just met and a bond I wasn't ready to accept.

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe. Tried to think.

But all I could focus on was the faint sound of voices coming from down the hall. Deep. Male. Angry.

One of them was my father's voice. I'd recognize it anywhere.

And the other was Kade's. Calm. Controlled. Deadly.

I pressed my ear to the door, straining to hear.

"—my daughter," my father was saying. "I have every right—"

"You have no rights in my territory," Kade interrupted. "And if the girl wanted to be found, she wouldn't have been hiding for five years."

"You know where she is."

"I know a lot of things, Lucian. That doesn't mean I'm sharing them with you."

There was a long, dangerous silence.

Then my father's voice, cold as ice: "If you're harboring my daughter, it's an act of war against Northern Ridge."

"Then consider this war." Kade's voice was just as cold. "Because I'm not handing over any wolf who doesn't want to go with you. Especially not her."

"Her? You know her name. You've seen her."

Shit. Kade had slipped up.

"I've seen a lot of wolves," Kade said smoothly. "Doesn't mean they belong to you."

"She's my blood. My pack. Mine."

"She's not property, old man. And if she left your pack, that means you failed her as an alpha."

I heard a growl. Low. Threatening. My father's wolf rising.

"Careful," Kade said softly. "You're outnumbered here. My pack. My club. My rules."

"I will find her," my father said. "With or without your help. And when I do—"

"When you do, she'll still be under my protection. So unless you want this to get ugly, I suggest you leave my club. Now."

Another long silence.

Then footsteps. Heavy. Retreating.

But my father's voice echoed back one last time, loud enough for me to hear clearly through the door:

"Tell Della her time is up. The Eastern Pack alliance can't wait any longer. If she doesn't come home willingly, I'll drag her back myself. She has one week."

The main door slammed shut.

I stood frozen, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might explode.

One week.

My father was giving me one week before he came back for me.

And this time, he wouldn't ask nicely.

The lock clicked. The door opened.

Kade stepped inside and closed it behind him. His face was calm but I could see the tension in his shoulders. The gold still flickering in his eyes.

"He's gone," he said.

"I heard." My voice shook. "One week. He gave me one week."

Kade crossed the room in three strides. "He's not taking you anywhere."

"You don't understand. When my father makes a threat, he follows through. He'll come back with more wolves. He'll—"

"Della." Kade's hands framed my face. "Look at me. Breathe."

I tried. But panic was crawling up my throat. Five years of freedom, about to disappear. Five years of building a life, about to crumble.

"I can't go back," I whispered. "I can't marry some stranger. I can't live under his control again. I can't—"

"You won't." Kade's thumb brushed my cheek. "I won't let that happen."

"How? You heard him. The Eastern Pack alliance—"

"Is not my problem. You are." His silver eyes locked onto mine. "You're my mate, Della. That changes everything. No other alpha can claim you now."

My heart stuttered. "But we haven't accepted the bond. It's not official. We haven't—"

"Marked each other?" Kade's voice dropped lower. Rougher. "No. Not yet. But the bond exists whether we've completed it or not. My wolf recognizes yours. That's enough."

"Not for my father. He'll say it doesn't count unless—"

"Unless we complete the mating bond." Kade's jaw tightened. "I know."

The air between us suddenly felt heavy. Charged.

Completing the mate bond meant marking. Claiming. Making it permanent in a way that no alpha could dispute.

It also meant giving up the last piece of freedom I had left.

"I can't," I said. "I'm not ready. We just met. I don't—"

"I know." Kade stepped back, giving me space. "I'm not asking you to. Not like this. Not when you're scared and cornered."

Relief and something else—disappointment?—flooded through me.

"Then what do we do?" I asked. "He's coming back in a week. If I'm not marked by another alpha, he can still claim rights over me as my father."

Kade was quiet for a moment. Thinking.

"You need to stay close to me," he finally said. "At my territory. Where I can protect you."

"You want me to move into the pack house?" My stomach twisted. "That's exactly what I've been running from. Pack life. Pack rules. Being controlled—"

"I'm not asking you to join my pack," he interrupted. "I'm asking you to stay under my protection. There's a difference."

"Is there?"

"Yes." He moved to the window, looking out at the city. "My pack knows I don't force anyone to do anything. I lead through respect, not fear. If you stay with me, you're a guest. Not a member. Not unless you choose to be."

I wanted to believe him. But I'd heard promises before.

"And if I refuse?"

He turned back to face me. "Then you're on your own. And when your father comes back with twenty wolves to drag you home, I won't be able to stop him. Because you're not under my protection. You're not my mate. You're just a rogue wolf who happens to be in my territory."

The words stung. But he was right.

"So basically I have two choices," I said bitterly. "Go back to my father's pack, or hide under your protection like some weak omega."

"Or," Kade said quietly, "you accept that sometimes strength means knowing when to ask for help."

That hit harder than I expected.

"I've been on my own for five years," I whispered. "I don't know how to let someone else—"

"I know. That's why I'm not asking you to trust me completely. Not yet." He crossed his arms. "Just give me one week. Stay close. Let me figure out how to handle your father. If you still want to leave after that, I won't stop you."

"Promise?"

"Promise." His eyes met mine. "But I'm warning you now—my wolf won't like it. And neither will I."

The honesty in his voice made my chest tight.

"Where would I stay?" I asked carefully.

"I have a guest house on my property. Separate from the main pack house. Private. Your own space." He paused. "But close enough that I can keep you safe."

"And my bakery? My apartment? My life?"

"Keep them. I'm not asking you to give anything up. Just add one thing—my protection."

It was more reasonable than I expected. More freedom than my father would ever offer.

But it was still terrifying.

"I need to think," I said.

"You have until morning." Kade checked his watch. "It's almost two AM. Come on. I'll drive you home."

"I have my car—"

"Which your father might be watching. He knows you work here. He'll track your movements." Kade grabbed his jacket from the chair. "Let me take you. We'll pick up your car tomorrow."

He was right. I hated that he was right.

"Fine," I muttered.

We left through the back entrance. Kade's car was a black SUV with tinted windows. Expensive. Sleek. Very alpha.

I gave him my address and we drove in silence. The city lights blurred past. My mind was racing.

One week with Kade. Under his protection. Close to a pack again.

Everything I'd been running from.

But also the only thing standing between me and forced marriage.

"What are you thinking?" Kade asked quietly.

"That my life was a lot simpler six hours ago."

"Before you found your boyfriend in bed with your best friend?"

I flinched. "Yeah. That."

"For what it's worth," Kade said, "he's an idiot. Anyone who would cheat on their mate doesn't deserve them."

"He's not my mate. You are." The words came out before I could stop them.

Kade's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Yes. I am."

We pulled up outside my apartment building. Old brick. Nothing fancy. But it was mine.

"This is it," I said.

Kade studied the building. "Third floor?"

"How did you—"

"I can smell you from here. Your scent is all over that window." He pointed to my apartment. "East facing. Good morning light. Probably has a small kitchen."

"Stop showing off," I muttered.

He smiled. Actually smiled. It transformed his face from dangerous to devastating.

"Go inside," he said. "Lock your doors. Windows too. If you smell any wolf that isn't me, call this number." He handed me a card with his phone number. "I'll be here in five minutes."

"You really think my father would—"

"I think your father is desperate. And desperate alphas do stupid things." His eyes met mine. "Promise me you'll call if anything feels wrong."

"I promise."

I got out of the car. Started to walk away.

"Della."

I turned back.

Kade had rolled down his window. His silver eyes glowed slightly in the darkness.

"Think about my offer," he said. "But know this—mate bond or not, I'm not letting him take you. You're under my protection now. Whether you accept it or not."

Before I could respond, he drove away.

I stood on the sidewalk for a long moment. Processing. Trying to breathe.

Then I went inside. Locked the door. All three locks.

My apartment felt different. Smaller. Like the walls were closing in.

I pulled out my phone. Fifteen missed calls. All from Marcus.

I deleted them without listening.

Then I saw the text from Sophie.

**Sophie:** *Please let me explain. It's not what you think.*

I laughed. Actually laughed. A bitter, broken sound.

What else could it possibly be?

I blocked her number. Blocked Marcus's too.

Then I sat on my couch and stared at Kade's card.

Shadow Moon Pack. Alpha Kade Thorne.

My mate.

My wolf stirred inside me. Restless. Wanting.

*Call him,* she whispered. *Go to him. Accept him.*

But I couldn't. Not yet.

I needed time. Space. One night to process everything.

I took a shower. Changed into pajamas. Tried to sleep.

But every time I closed my eyes, I saw three things:

Marcus and Sophie tangled in his sheets.

My father's cold eyes and colder voice.

And Kade. Silver eyes burning into mine. Promising protection. Promising safety.

Promising everything I was afraid to want.

I finally fell asleep around four AM.

And woke up two hours later to someone pounding on my door.

"Della!" Marcus's voice. Desperate. Angry. "I know you're in there! Open the door! We need to talk!"

I froze in bed. Heart racing.

He'd never come to my apartment before. Never shown up without calling first.

"Della, please!" More pounding. "Just let me explain! Sophie didn't mean anything! It was a mistake!"

My phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.

**Unknown:** *Is everything okay? I can smell your fear from here.*

Kade. Somehow he was nearby. Watching.

I texted back quickly.

**Me:** *My ex is at my door. Won't leave.*

Three dots appeared. Then:

**Kade:** *I'm coming up. Don't open the door.*

Thirty seconds later, the pounding stopped.

I heard Marcus's voice, confused. "Who the hell are you?"

Then Kade's voice. Calm. Cold. Deadly.

"I'm the alpha who's about to break your hand if you knock on that door again."

I pressed my ear against the door, straining to hear what was happening in the hallway.

Marcus's voice came through muffled but panicked. "Look, man, I don't know who you are, but this is between me and my girlfriend—"

"Ex-girlfriend." Kade's voice was cold enough to freeze blood. "And you're going to leave. Now."

"I'm not going anywhere until Della talks to me!"

A low growl rumbled through the hallway. Not human. Definitely not human.

My wolf surged forward, recognizing her mate's aggression. She wanted out. Wanted to stand beside him.

I pushed her down. Not yet. Not here.

"Last warning," Kade said softly. "Walk away. Or I'll make you."

"Are you threatening me?" Marcus laughed. "I'll call the cops—"

The sound of a body hitting the wall cut him off.

"Call whoever you want," Kade said. "But you'll do it from the ground floor. Not outside her door. Are we clear?"

Silence. Then footsteps. Fast. Running down the stairs.

I sagged against the door, my heart pounding. Part of me felt guilty for letting Kade handle my mess. The other part—the wolf part—felt satisfied. Protected.

A soft knock made me jump.

"Della. It's me."

I unlocked the door and opened it slowly.

Kade stood in the hallway, perfectly calm. Like he hadn't just threatened my ex-boyfriend. His silver eyes scanned me from head to toe.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine. You didn't have to—"

"Yes, I did." He stepped inside and I backed up automatically. He closed the door behind him and locked it. All three locks. "He was at your door at six in the morning, pounding and yelling. That's not someone who respects boundaries."

He was right. Marcus had never shown up like this before.

"He probably just wants to explain," I said weakly.

Kade's eyes flashed gold. "I don't care what he wants. He hurt you. That's all I need to know."

The possessiveness in his voice made my wolf purr.

"You've built a good life here," Kade said, looking around my small apartment. "I can see why you don't want to leave it."

I wrapped my arms around myself. "But you still want me to stay at your territory."

"I want you safe." He turned to face me. "Your father knows where you work. It's only a matter of time before he finds where you live."

"He probably already knows."

"Then why hasn't he come here yet?"

I thought about that. "He's waiting. Building leverage. Making me sweat."

"Or he's trying to figure out if you're under another alpha's protection." Kade moved closer. "You could be. You just have to say yes."

I looked up at him. At those silver eyes that saw too much.

"And if I say yes," I asked carefully, "what exactly am I agreeing to?"

"One week at my territory. In the guest house. Your own space, your own rules." He paused. "But you stay close. You let me know where you are."

"That sounds like a prison."

"That sounds like staying alive." His voice was gentle but firm. "Your father gave you one week. I'm not wasting it."

I wanted to argue. But the truth was, I'd been running for five years. And running was exhausting.

"What about my bakery?" I asked.

"Bring your work with you. I have a full kitchen. Or I can arrange security for your bakery. Whatever you need."

"This is crazy," I muttered.

"You were never normal, Della. You're the daughter of an alpha. And now you're my mate." His hand came up to my face. "Normal was never an option for you."

I hated that he was right.

"I need to pack," I said.

Relief flooded his face. "You're saying yes?"

"I'm saying yes to one week. That's all."

He pulled out his phone. "I'll call my beta. He'll arrange security for your bakery."

While he talked, I went to my bedroom and started packing. Clothes. Toiletries. My laptop. The photo of my mother I kept hidden in my nightstand.

I stared at her face. Young. Smiling. Alive.

She'd been so beautiful. And my father's commands had killed her anyway.

*I won't end up like you,* I promised silently.

"Della?" Kade's voice came from the doorway. "Derek's on his way to the bakery now."

I tucked my mother's photo into my bag. "How many wolves do you have?"

"In Shadow Moon Pack? Seventy-three. Not the biggest pack, but we're strong."

"And they'll all know about me."

"They'll know you're under my protection. The mate bond—that's between us for now."

I thought about that. If other packs knew Kade had found his mate, it would change everything. Make me a target.

"Let's keep it quiet," I said.

"Agreed."

We were almost to the door when my phone rang. The screen showed "Sunrise Bakery."

"I have to take this," I said, answering. "Hello?"

"Della?" Marina, my assistant manager, sounded stressed. "We have a problem. There are men here. Big guys. Asking questions about you. They don't look like customers."

My father's wolves. Already making moves.

Kade held out his hand for the phone. I gave it to him.

"Marina? This is Kade Thorne, a friend of Della's. Those men are not customers. Do not give them any information. Tell them she's not available and ask them to leave."

"O-okay. Should I close the bakery?"

"No. Stay open. But there will be new security personnel arriving within ten minutes. They're there to protect you."

He hung up and handed my phone back.

"Your father's not wasting time," he said grimly.

"I need to go there—"

"No." Kade's hand caught my arm. "That's exactly what he wants. Derek's already there. Three hostile wolves removed. Bakery secure."

I sagged with relief. Then anger hit me.

"I can't live like this!"

"You're not running." Kade's voice was steel. "You're making a strategic retreat. There's a difference."

His hands came up to frame my face. "I know you're scared. But right now, we need to get you somewhere safe. Then we figure out how to handle your father. Together."

The word *together* did something to my chest.

"Okay," I whispered. "Let's go."

The drive out of the city took twenty minutes. We headed north, into the hills where the houses got bigger and the trees got thicker.

"How much land do you have?" I asked.

"Two hundred acres. The pack house is in the center. The guest house where you'll stay is on the eastern edge. Private but not isolated."

We turned onto a private drive. Trees pressed in on both sides. The scent of pine filled the air.

My wolf stirred. She liked it here.

The trees opened up to reveal a massive log and stone house. Warm lights glowed in the windows. Smoke drifted from the chimney.

Other houses dotted the landscape. I saw wolves moving between them—some in human form, some as actual wolves.

A real pack. Everything I'd run from.

Kade drove past the main house to a smaller cabin. Two stories. Large windows. A wraparound porch.

"This is yours," he said.

I got out slowly. The cabin. The forest. The scent of pack territory.

It smelled like home. And that terrified me.

Kade unlocked the door and gestured for me to go in first.

The inside was beautiful. Open floor plan. Kitchen. Living room with a fireplace. Stairs leading up.

"It's too much," I said.

"It's enough." Kade set my bag down. "Kitchen's stocked. WiFi password is on the counter. Call if you need anything."

"Where will you be?"

"Main house. Five-minute walk." He pointed through the window. "Close enough if you need me. Far enough to give you space."

"What if I want to leave?"

His jaw tightened. "Then you leave. I'm not keeping you prisoner."

"But you'd try to stop me."

"I'd try to convince you to stay. There's a difference."

He moved toward the door, then stopped.

"I know this isn't what you wanted. But I'm not your father. I won't control you."

"Then what do you want from me?"

He smiled. Sad and full of longing.

"I want you to stop running long enough to see that not all alphas are monsters." He opened the door. "And I want you to realize that accepting help isn't the same as giving up freedom."

Then he was gone.

I stood alone in the guest house, surrounded by safety and everything I'd told myself I didn't want.

My phone buzzed.

**Kade:** *Pack meeting at 7 PM if you want to meet everyone. No pressure.*

I looked at the time. 2 PM. Five hours to decide.

I walked upstairs. Large bed. Soft blankets. Windows overlooking the forest.

I unpacked slowly. Put my clothes in the dresser. Set up my laptop.

And placed my mother's photo on the nightstand.

*What would you do?* I asked her silently.

I already knew the answer. She would have followed my father's commands. Would have died for his orders.

She would have done everything I refused to do.

I texted Kade back.

**Me:** *I'll be at the meeting. But I'm not promising anything.*

**Kade:** *That's all I'm asking for.*

I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

One week. Seven days to figure out if I could trust Kade Thorne.

Seven days before my father came back.

My wolf stirred. She was done running. Done hiding.

She wanted her mate. Wanted her pack.

*Soon,* I promised her. *But not yet.*

She settled down, patient for now.

But I could feel her waiting. Ready to take over the moment I let my guard down.