LOGINI shifted my weight, staring out at the gray horizon of the West Coast as Grant’s new comms unit hummed in my hand. I was headed straight for the Walker Enterprises Tower when Jonathan’s face flickered onto the dashboard screen. The call was sharp, the link vibrating with a command only a High Alpha could project."Grant, where are you exactly?""I'm ten minutes from the Tower," I replied, my voice gravelly from the lack of sleep and the taste of ash in my mouth."Turn the car around and head to the medical wing. Your mother is in the recovery suite, and things have taken a turn."I hit the brakes hard, the scent of burning rubber filling the cabin. "Haven't you people pushed this far enough? My mother was stable an hour ago. I know your games, Dad. I saw your face when the healers were actually worried. You weren't this panicked then."Jonathan sighed, his image on the screen looking older, the lines around his eyes deepening. "This isn't a ploy to get you away from the office, son.
The two men snapped their heads around in unison, catching sight of me as I sprinted across the parking lot. I didn't hesitate; I threw my weight between them, shoving Grant back with a force that surprised even me."What do you think you’re doing to Kenneth?!"Grant staggered, his hands dropping from Kenneth’s throat. He stared at me as if I were a ghost he had conjured from the Silverwood fog. I stood there like a soldier on the front lines, my scent spiked with a jagged, defensive edge. I didn't care about the hierarchy or his Alpha status anymore. My gaze was a wall of ice, sharp and unforgiving."Kenneth, can you breathe? Are you alright?"Kenneth bent over, clutching his chest and drawing in ragged lungfuls of air. He managed a weak wave of his hand, though his face was still flushed from the lack of oxygen.Once I was sure his windpipe wasn't crushed, I whipped my head back to Grant. The fury in my chest felt like it was going to burn me from the inside out. "Is this the only w
"Suit yourself."The words felt like lead as they left my lips. I was vibrating with a type of bone-deep exhaustion that made even breathing feel like a chore. I couldn't bear the thought of another round of circular logic with him.I was in no mood for a debate. My mother’s burial was set for three days from now. I hadn't reached out to any of the distant Reed relatives or the lowland scout contacts; I wanted to keep it small, private, and far away from the eyes of the High Alpha.The silence in the bedroom grew heavy, thick with the scent of unspoken grief and stagnant air. I steeled my heart and looked directly at Grant. This time, I didn't let my gaze flicker. I kept my eyes empty, devoid of the love that usually softened them."Can you leave now?""Talk about what tomorrow?" I asked, my voice rising. "Wasn't I clear enough? Grant, I used to think that being with you would be a step up, a way to secure my future, but your family is just too much. I can't stand the way they look at
"Huh?" Jonathan snorted, the sound sharp in the quiet recovery wing. "That is only because you are currently blinded by a low-ranking scout. If you weren't, you would see that a male like Kenneth is far too much of a catch for someone like Mars Reed."I felt the hackles on my neck rise instantly. "You’ve been running investigations on Kenneth now?""I am merely protecting the Ridge," Jonathan said, stepping into my personal space. "You have never given me or the Matriarch a reason to worry about your personal life. Even when you were at the academy, while other Alphas were distracted by flings and waste, you never let your guard down. Now, suddenly, you’re acting like a stray over this Mars. How could we not be concerned about the future of the Walker bloodline?""I want what I want," I growled, the vibration deep in my chest.From the beginning, it had always been Mars. Before we crossed paths again, no other scent, no other presence had ever stirred my wolf. The heat in my blood exi
Jonathan caught the unspoken warning in my gaze and quickly shifted his tone. "Grant, as long as you don't push this to the edge of the cliff, there is always room for a compromise between father and son. But if you persistently disregard your lineage and the pack’s reputation for that scout, who is ever going to have a good word to say about him?""I rushed over here the second the emergency alarm went off," I snapped, my voice vibrating with suppressed power. "I didn't even get a chance to tell Mars where I was going. I just need to let him know I’m here in case he needs me for something.""What could he possibly need?" My father’s laugh was cold, devoid of any empathy. "The one lying in that hospital bed is the Matriarch of this pack—your mother. If he doesn't understand your position at this moment, does he really have any right to stand by your side?"I didn't want to waste my breath arguing with him. I just stared at the phone in my hand, waiting for a response that didn't come.
The words had barely left my mouth when heavy footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the examination room.As the door swung open, Grant saw Brooke Caldwell standing by his mother’s bedside, her hand clutching Amanda’s. Amanda’s eyes were squeezed shut, and Brooke was letting silent tears stream down her face in a display of practiced grief.Upon hearing him enter, Brooke looked up, her eyes forced into a red and puffy state."Grant," she whispered, her voice trembling. "The healers said the Matriarch’s heart is failing fast. I think you should skip the patrol and the office today. If she wakes up, she’ll definitely want to see her son first."Grant stood a distance away. He had no intention of comforting her; his scent remained cold and sharp. He just furrowed his brows, looking at the monitors. "You can go now. Your job here is done.""Okay then. Call me if you need anything."As Brooke moved to leave, she caught a glimpse of Grant searching the side table. Amanda, who was prete
"I’m serious about this, Grant," I said, unable to mask the hunger in my voice. "Team 3 took a massive hit after the Westline Holdings disaster this cycle. Our end-of-year tributes and bonuses are basically non-existent. I see the SinoSuccess lands as our only path to redemption, and I want to be t
I immediately shot the idea down. "No way!""Did your friend mention if the Alpha is any good when the moon is up?" Jessa’s eyes danced with mischief; she lived for the pack’s whispered scandals. "If he’s all howl and no bite, tell him to cut his losses.""Not really," I replied instinctively, my f
Substitute.The word hung in the sterile air of the office like a death sentence. I stood frozen in the doorway of the Walker Enterprises Tower executive suite, my heart hammering against my ribs. Through the heavy oak door of the inner chamber, Grant’s voice had been unmistakable—cutting, cold, an
I waited until Grant finished his private frequency call before stepping out of the cool interior of the car. The evening air in the city was crisp, carrying the scent of pine from the surrounding peaks."They serve the traditional cuisine of Havencrest here," he said. His voice was a low, resonant







