LOGINCADEN'S POV I've never run so fast in my life but still, it felt like I was crawling.Fangs paws ate up the forest and snowy path so quickly we could barely feel the cold and the second we got to the first protective ring of my Pack, he sped up faster.Even he couldn't believe it was possible.The border patrol was trying to talk to me but my mind was scrambled.No.It had just one name on repeat.“WHERE IS SHE?!” I screamed in the Pack link immediately I was within the second ringEveryone could hear me now.Whispers began coming but no one had an idea of what I was yelling about.I pushed on, running to the house.The second I got to the junction that went to the market and out this way, we skidded to an abrupt halt.My heart skipped and I gasped.“No. No no no!”The intense scent of rogues was all over the place even coming from the house.Everywhere I turned, there was evidence of the bastards.He wasn't lying.He'd actually sent them to come get her and I didn't come to rescue h
Maya's POVNobody moved for me.That was the thing I registered first — the horn still echoing through the territory and every wolf in sight streaming left toward the administration building, heads down, moving fast, their eyes finding everything except the girl standing at the junction in front of the Alpha's house.Nobody stopped.My heart leapt to my throat.Not all the wolves were in wolf form, five were in human form and they were looking at me like a piece of meat dangled in front of a dog who hadn't eaten in ages.My eyes went to Iron Claw Pack members again as they ran every way but to my way. I watched them go. My evacuation protocol was working exactly as designed — orderly, efficient, moving the Pack to safety through the left road without panic.Just not for me.And nobody cared about me enough to try to help.I turned right.The rogues had come through the market road and spread across the front of the house as they owned it, like they knew exactly who they were looking
He was already far away when I realised what the options before me were.If I retreat now, I might be able to get to her.Might.But he's here, within reach, an opportunity I don't know when next it'll present itself.“Caden.”He was underprepared for a battle, he counted on me going back to my Pack to save her.He is running now because he's scared he might have miscalculated.But then…That fur got to his hands because when she cried for help, I ignored her All of this happened because I chose my Pack over my mate.I looked back at the wolves waiting for my signal, even the ones he was running towards right now.I could take half an army and go save her but what if?Aldric isn't an idiot, he's fought all his life and I don't know anyone here strong enough to take him, malnourished or not.And I do not doubt his claims, not just because I can still smell the wrongness of the male he presented but I remembered I kept forgetting to initiate Brynn into the Pack.Yet she still stands.B
Twelve Packs answered my call.Some out of loyalty, most out of fear, all of them smart enough to know that the alternative wasn't something they wanted to test. I felt them through the collective as we converged at the ridge.I didn't waste time.I shifted immediately and pulled on shorts and a fur coat. The cold didn't care if I was a beast or not."We'll split into four groups," I said, pulling out the terrain map Soren had drawn from memory after his scouting mission. "North face, east flank, southern approach, western entry. I want every route sealed before we close in. One of my men will lead each of you so we can communicate. Nobody moves until I give the signal through the link. Nobody." I looked around at the assembled Alphas. "If you break formation because you think you see an opportunity, I will personally finish whatever my brother started with you. Am I understood?"Grunts of assent.I assigned the groups quickly — strongest fighters east, fastest wolves north, the allie
CADEN'S POV I should have woken her up.But she looked so peaceful and happy in her dreams and I knew making her see me would ruin that.I think that's what cuts me deeper.The fact that she's irritated by me.Before now, that intrigued me. Everyone else acts like I hung the moon but she doesn't care about any of my achievements or my build or my power.She looks beyond all of that and forces me to face my bias. She's not scared to tell me to fuck off and even though I tell her curse words are not allowed from those pretty lips of hers, every time she disobeys, I get as hard as a rock.She enjoys defying me, I know that but I hate that she has seen me deeply and doesn't like what is behind the facade.So knowing she'll look at me with disappointment, rightfully so as I'm nothing without all these laurels, I don't wake her up.I prepare quietly and head out, taking one painful glance at the reason I'll fight till my enemies are vanquished before stepping out.That image of her sleepin
The door looked at me like it was my fault as he pulled it to the side and dropped it.“Seriously?” "I'm about to go to war and I refuse to leave you thinking I want another woman!"A dry laugh escaped me."Yea right, like I didn't see her shoving her lying tongue down your throat!"He sighed and walked closer until he was looking down at me."I understand that you saw that and assumed the worst, I would have too but she was drunk and misguided, thinking I needed her help. Immediately you left, I pushed her away and told her to cut it out."I scoffed harshly and turned away from him.“Maya.”“You just keep shoving so much crap down my throat and I'm tired Alpha Caden. I'm tired.”“You can stop calling me Alpha Caden, it seems like a mouthful. Except when I'm doing things to you.”“Don't worry, you won't be doing anything to me anymore. Genevieve is a good replacement.”He scoffed.“Replacement? You are like a virus living in my head that has defied all treatment. When you saw us, I w
CADEN'S POVI watched in pain as Genevieve pummelled her to the ground again, a mercy knowing how lethal the girl was. I don't know what I was thinking pairing them together but Genevieve is one of my best warriors and patient with new warriors so I thought it was a good idea then.Now, I'm not so
I'd seen rogues before.Desperate, feral, half-starved things that fought on instinct and died on instinct and posed about as much strategic threat as a cornered animal. You put them down quickly and moved on.These were not those.They came from three directions simultaneously — tree line left, tr
CADEN'S POV I jerk awake and immediately take stock of my surroundings and then my nose inhales deeply, making me look down at my hands, precisely the small bundle framed to my side.Her hair as usual was splayed all over my arm like a halo on her head and she was sleeping soundly.In my shirt.Gu
The cheering reduces, the momentum slows and attention is shifted to another part of the night, leaving me standing next to my moaning father who was properly introduced to my pain.I bent down to his form and I shifted his hair from his face.“I felt this same pain for the first time when I turned







