The First Crack in His Control

Like many of these males, my father spent most of his life working the border patrol, but some smart trades in dominion stock allowed him to retire to the estate. Now he runs his specialized beast-breeding program out of his private barn.

As we cross the dirt clearing, one of the males turns and lets out a dirty growl at me. I turn to look, but another male suddenly shoves him aside. I only catch a glimpse of the second male from behind, but my heart nearly leaps out of my chest. That wide back... he looked just like Vaelor.

But it can’t be Vaelor. He’s away patrolling the river borders a few territories over and won’t be back for weeks. My stomach twists violently. Great, I haven’t even had a drop of mead and my mind is playing tricks on me.

"Good evening, Brannor," Sylvene says smoothly to the massive guard at the door. Brannor Hollowfang is huge, his head shaved, with a thick beard like a wild warrior. "This is my friend, Celandra."

She gives me the look to hand over my identity token. I scramble through my bag, my fingers trembling as I pull the wooden coin out and pass it to him. His yellow wolf eyes scan it, and I feel my pulse slam against my ribs. God, my heart is going to burst.

"What time do you finish your shift?" Sylvene asks, her voice dropping into a sultry purr. "We should run the woods."

I try not to frown. Brannor Hollowfang is nothing like Sylvene’s usual taste. She likes blonde males who look like they belong to the sunnier packs in Frosthaven Dominion. Brannor almost cracks a smile, tossing our tokens back.

"My watch ends at one."

Sylvene winks, grabbing my wrist and pulling me past the heavy timber doors. "I’ll come find you!"

The moment we step inside, the thumping drums and roaring pack noise hit my ears. It’s a deafening roar of voices, deep growls, and heavy music. I lean in close to her ear and shout, "Brannor Hollowfang? Seriously?"

Cackling, she shakes her head as she drags me toward the long stone bar. "No way! I just said that to distract his wolf so he’d let us through. Males are primitive creatures when you flash a little skin."

Torches flash along the stone walls, and my ears ring as Sylvene pushes me up to the bar counter, where an inked-up female wolf with dark hair and silver rings in her ears is pouring drinks.

"Two strong vodka sodas with lime!" Sylvene yells over the roar.

You’ll be fine, I tell my frantic wolf, taking a deep breath and forcing my hips to move slightly to the heavy beat. All I have to do is relax. An introverted wolf can survive one night out, right?

Our carved wooden cups arrive quickly, and Sylvene immediately raises hers. "To getting the hell out of the pack house!"

We strike our cups together, and I take a long swig. The burning liquor hits the back of my throat, and I break out into a violent coughing fit like I just swallowed pure fire. Sylvene laughs out loud, thumping her hand against my back.

"Oh my God—" I choke out.

"Your first real pack drink!" she laughs, leaning in with a dirty grin. "Now we’ve just got to get you your first cock!"

"First cock, huh?" a gravelly, familiar growl rasps right behind my ear. "So you females are out looking for a stud?"

I nearly jump out of my skin, whirling around in shock only to find myself staring straight into the bloodshot, drunken eyes of a male I prayed I’d never see here tonight.

"Cassian!?"

He just stands there, grinning like a scavenger. Cassian Blackmoor went to the same pack academy as me. He was a senior Enforcer when I was just a young pup, and he was always relentlessly marking his territory around me, trying to corner me even after I told him my wolf wanted nothing to do with him. It’s been years—thankfully—since he last stepped foot on our border.

He reaches out, his calloused fingers sliding my glass away from my hand. The possessive way his claws scrape the wood makes my skin crawl, sending a wave of absolute revulsion down my spine.

"Get rid of this trash," Cassian growls, stepping closer until I can smell the stale meat and heavy liquor on his breath. "Let a real male take care of your heat—"

"Um, excuse me," Sylvene interrupts, her wolf snapping as she yanks my glass right back out of his reach. "Did anybody ask for an alpha’s permission here? No? Good, then why don't you take your ugly mug and get lost?"

"Do you think I give a single shit about an unbonded bitch?" Cassian snarls. Then, without a second of warning, he lunges forward, his heavy arms wrapping around my waist like iron bands, dragging me hard against his chest. His eyes are completely glazed over with wild lust, his body steaming as he starts physically dragging me toward the back of the crowded hall, his groin grinding forcefully against my hip.

"Sylvene!" I scream, pure panic bursting through my chest as my wolf thrashes inside me.

Like a true pack sister, Sylvene leaps forward, driving her claws into his shoulder fabric and slapping his face hard, but Cassian just backhands her with a rough snarl, throwing her onto the stone floor.

Now my heart is hammering violently against my ribs. I frantically search the room for a pack guard, but everyone is lost in the heat of the music, grinding against each other like wild beasts. My eyes land on a heavy wooden side exit, and my stomach drops. That's where he's dragging me. Reaching out in desperation, I try to grab an iron wall sconling as we pass, but my slick fingers just slide off the metal.

I knew it. I should have listened to my wolf telling me to stay in the den tonight. But Sylvene was so persuasive, and I wanted to feel free for once. Just once.

"Let go of me!" I scream, snapping my small teeth at him, but my female strength is no match for a trained pack fighter. He kicks the heavy oak door open, and the freezing night air of the Dominion slams straight into my bare skin.

Out in the dark alley, a rusted iron transport sits idling, its back doors open. This is how females get taken by rogue packs. I open my mouth to let out a full alpha-call scream, and that’s when the air shifts.

The scent of dark pine, lightning, and pure dominance hits the alleyway first. A dark shadow moves faster than a wild wolf.

Cassian’s body jerks back violently as a massive, clawed fist cracks directly into his jawbone. The sound of breaking bone echoes off the stone walls, and Cassian drops to the dirt like a felled tree.

I stumble backward against the wall, my breath hitched in my throat. A heavy combat boot slams brutally into Cassian’s ribs, a cruel crunch following as the male shrieks in the dirt.

"You keep your filthy hands off what belongs to my house, you son of a bitch."

Everything in me goes entirely still. My wolf freezes, going completely breathless.

That voice...

Everything feels like it’s frozen in ice as I slowly turn my head to look at the male who just flattened an enforcer, and when my eyes land on him, my breath catches in my lungs.

"Vaelor..." My voice is nothing more than a broken whisper. "I was right. It was you."

He doesn’t even sound winded. His massive shoulders stretch the dark fabric of his tunic, his arms trembling with restrained rage, his thick knuckles dripping with Cassian's blood. His jaw is locked, his nostrils flaring as his wolf snaps just beneath his skin.

Then his eyes snap to mine.

I see my bare skin and flushed face burning in his glowing green wolf eyes, and the sheer heat coming off him almost makes my knees buckle.

"Are you hurt?" he rasps. It isn’t a gentle question. It’s an Alpha inspection.

I shake my head rapidly, unable to find my voice. His jaw tightens even harder, a low growl rolling deep in his chest.

"Bastard spiked your mead," he snarls, his eyes raking over my tight dress with pure, dark fury, glaring at me like he’s blaming my wolf for existing. "You’re so fucking irresponsible, Celandra."

My mouth opens, but no sound comes out as I try to pull myself together. "I... my friend... Sylvene—"

Before I can step away, his massive hand reaches out and clamps around my wrist—not breaking skin, but holding me with absolute, inescapable possession. He yanks me sharply behind his massive frame, placing his body like a wall of muscle between me and the rest of the dark world.

"Some weak little female can’t save you from a male on the prowl," he growls out.

I recognize his dark beast-hauler transport instantly, parked in the shadows at the edge of the trees.

"Let’s get you out of here," Vaelor orders, his tone leaving zero room for argument.

"But Sylvene—"

"She’s fine. Text her when we reach the truck."

Before I can even process his words, his huge hands wrap around my waist, lifting my weight into the high passenger seat of his transport like I weigh nothing at all. One second he was breaking a male's face into the dirt, and the next, his hands on my hips are dangerously firm, sending a lightning shock of heat straight down between my thighs.

Feeling Vaelor’s rough, scarred hands on my bare skin and staring into his glowing eyes after months of cold silence is like a rush of heavy air to a drowning wolf. Every instinct in my body screams that I was made to sit right here beside him.

And that is so dangerous...