52

52

(Kathryn’s POV)

This night was more than I could handle. I have entered into Tyler’s world without knowing what it really was like. This world is full of monsters and I am in love with the most powerful one. I sit in this truck and am afraid to talk to him. He isn’t done, a war had just begun and he had prisoners, who knows what he was going to do with them.

I glanced at him. Staring at his fresh scars and the dried blood on him. Why is he here with me and not with his men? Shouldn’t he be there? Was I really that important to him? Would he give up his world for me? Could I even ask him to? My mind was filled with so many questions. But I wondered why I couldn’t ask him.

The truck started to slow down as we reached my home. The fire department was still there, spotlights all over the place. Smoke still poured out of the kitchen window, I expected the house to be burnt to the ground with nothing left but a pile of ash.

A tall muscular man walked over to us, “Evening Alpha, Luna.I was hoping I could meet you under better circumstances.”

“This is Matt, he is the Fire Chief,” Tyler introduced him to me. ”What happened?” Tyler ordered.

“We are still investigating the cause of the fire. Let me show you.” He headed to the back of the house.

I gasped when I saw the kitchen and the master bedroom were gone and all that was left was the charred skeleton of a frame. Tyler wrapped his arms around my waist.I started to shake. What am I going to do now? I have no place to go except with Tyler and his terrifying world.

“It looks worse than it is. Our construction crew in town could have this house back to its beautiful glory in no time,” Matt said with a smile.

“You didn’t happen to find a cat, did you?” I was afraid to ask.

“Pete!” Matt yelled to one of the firefighters. “Luna, is looking for a cat.”

The man walked over with a large box in his hand, “Does she mean this one?”

“Cali!” I smiled the first time since all this had begun.

Tyler cleared his throat, “We are going to have to find a place for her to stay until the house is rebuilt. Maybe…”

“The packhouse,” I said.

“The packhouse is no place for a cat, she won’t be happy.” Tyler didn’t like the idea.

“Well, I'll go where the cat goes,” I declared loud enough for everyone to hear me challenge the Alpha’s decision. Everyone stopped moving and waited for his response.

“You shouldn’t challenge me,” he slightly growled.

“If you want me to be your Luna, shouldn’t I have a little power of my own to make decisions in our relationship” I asked,

“Of course, but a cat…” he tried to explain. I just stared at him and refused to back down. He just shook his head and started to chuckle. “You are responsible for the cat and it doesn’t leave the house.”

I grinned at him and hugged Cali. “Thank you, Alpha.”

He wrapped his arms around me again and whispered in my ear, “Don’t challenge me in public again.” he then added, “wait until we are alone. That way I can bargain with you.” He then smirked and walked away.

I walked over to the truck and placed the cat inside. We were going back to the packhouse and everything that goes with it. Now that I have heard the horrors and seen the aftermath. What kind of person does that make me? I need time to think. Will he give it to me?

Tyler walked over to me. “I need to get back. I have a few things to do.” I said nothing, He said nothing else, just opened the door to the truck. I slowly climbed in. He shut the door and I watched the house disappear in the distance as we drove away.

(Tyler’s POV)

I stopped the truck and Kate climbed out beforeI even got out. She knew I had to talk with Camerin. To debrief the warriors and to have ‘discussions’ with our prisoners. There were six of them, at least one will talk. I need to know what Jaxson had planned next. This was the part of our life she didn’t want anything to do with, what I need to do, but I have to do it.

I watched her disappear inside the packhouse cat clutched tight against her chest like it was her armor against my world. Part of me wanted to follow her, tell her I’d be back soon, and beg her to wait for me. But I couldn’t. Not yet. Duty first. Always.

Camerin was already waiting by the old storage barn behind the packhouse. We’d repurposed it long ago reinforced walls, iron bars, soundproofed. A place for conversations that couldn’t happen anywhere else. He gave me a nod as I approached, the warriors flanking the barn straightening when they saw me.

“How is she?” Camerin asked.

“She’s… here.” I scrubbed a hand over my jaw. “That’s about all I can say right now.”

He didn’t push. He just gestured for me to follow. Inside, it smelled like sweat and blood, the sharp edge of fear that always clung to these walls. Six rogues, Jaxson’s men sat chained with silver to heavy iron rings bolted into the floor. Two were unconscious, one was already babbling nonsense under his breath. The rest glared at me with the same hate I’d seen in Jaxson’s eyes when I tore him out of this pack years ago.

I didn’t bother with intimidation, my presence was enough. Camerin handed me the prisoner list. I glanced at the names. It didn't matter. Names were just noise. I wanted answers.

One of them was the biggest, with a broken nose still dripping blood spat at my feet. “Alpha Tyler. Thought you’d be taller.”

I crouched in front of him, calm. “Thought you’d be smarter.” I glanced my eyes to Camerin. “Wake the others up. We’re not wasting time.”

Camerin hauled the closest unconscious man upright, splashing cold water over his face. He came to with a grunt, blinking blearily at me before he registered the chains. His fear gave me my opening.

“You have exactly one chance,” I said, voice low, deadly quiet. “Tell me what Jaxson planned all of it and maybe you walk out of here alive. Maybe.”

The broken-nose wolf laughed, a wet, humorless sound. “You’re weak, Tyler. Everyone knows it. You’re blinded by that human bitch. Jaxson’s going to bury you with your pretty mate…”

I moved faster than he could flinch, grabbed him by the throat and slammed him back against the barn wall so hard the chains rattled. He choked on the rest of his threat, claws scrabbling at my forearm. I haven't squeezed yet. I wanted him to feel how close he was to losing every breath he had left.

“Finish that sentence,” I growled. His eyes bulged. He didn’t.

“Alpha,” Camerin’s voice cut through the haze of red in my mind. “Save your strength. We only need one of them.”

He was right. I released my grip and the rogue dropped, coughing, gasping. I turned to the youngest wolf, the one whose eyes kept darting to the unconscious men, panic bleeding through his attempt at bravery. He’d break. They always did.

I crouched in front of him, gentle this time. “What’s your name?”

He swallowed hard. “T-Thomas.”

“Thomas.” I nodded, voice calm, the kind of calm that made men sweat. “Tell me where Jaxson is now. Tell me what he’s planning next. Or I start with him,” I jerked my chin toward broken-nose, who was wheezing on the floor, “and then I come back to you. But I promise you that his death will be a mercy compared to what happens if you lie to me.”

Thomas cracked first. They always did. He spilled everything planned raids on our supply runs, a hidden safe house three towns over, another attack set for the next full moon. He begged me to believe he didn’t know about the fire and said Jaxson hadn’t trusted him with that. It didn't matter. He’d given me enough.

I stood. Camerin stepped in, dragging Thomas away to isolate him for the others. We’d cross-check every word, but it was a start.

I turned toward the barn doors, but paused when I caught my reflection in the grimy window. I barely recognized the man staring back. blood on my chest, hate in my eyes, every muscle coiled tight like an animal ready to rip apart whatever got too close.

And somewhere in the packhouse, there was a woman curled up with a rescued cat wondering if she could ever love this monster again.

I needed to see her. I needed her to look at me like I was still worth saving.

I turned to Camerin. “Clean this up. Get ready to hit that safe house before dawn. Keep me updated.”

“Where are you going?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“Home,” I said. “To my mate.”