C10

"DRAVEN?" Genesis gasped in disbelief, her voice cracking as her breath hitched. She truly hadn’t believed he would bother coming for her himself.

She could finally see him clearly, tall, broad-shouldered, arms folded across his chest as he glowered at her through the settling dust.

"I didn’t think you’d come yourself," she said, completely unnerved by his presence. She’d resigned herself to not seeing him again until the High Council summoned them, and now here he was, larger than life, looking pissed off and infuriatingly attractive at the same time.

"I wasn’t about to send Vaughn to deal with pack business by himself."

His words belatedly alerted her to the fact that he wasn’t alone. Vaughn Ashcroft, Draven’s Beta and sworn pack-brother, was stepping out of the heavy transport’s passenger side.

The male rounded the front of the vehicle and stood shoulder to shoulder with Draven. The two wolves, equally tall, both possessing lethal Beta and Alpha presence, were a striking pair, presenting an unmistakably united front.

Draven had brought reinforcements. Genesis wasn’t sure if she was appalled or amused by that realization.

"Genesis." Vaughn wore tinted eye-shields and didn’t bother to remove them. There was no hint of warmth in the warrior's greeting, just a rigid, military nod.

"Vaughn." Genesis forced her chin up to greet him. "Thank you for coming."

He dipped his head, still unsmiling. "The Alpha ordered it."

"Of course." They all stood in tense silence for a few seconds before Genesis took a slight step to the side and gestured toward her broken transport. "I’m sorry for the trouble. If you could just help me free this transport, I’ll be on my way back to the Silvermoon Dominion."

Draven let out a low, rumbling growl deep in his chest before closing the distance between them and grabbing hold of her arm.

"Why are you limping?" The question was sharp, laced with heavy Alpha command that made her skin prickle.

Startled by both the raw authority in his voice and his firm grip on her bare skin, Genesis stared silently into his eyes for a tense moment before gathering her scattered thoughts.

"Oh... my foot. It’s nothing." The lie was automatic, defaulting to her old habit of hiding her weakness from him.

Genesis shut her eyes for a brief moment and shook her head, angry with herself. This entire trip into Hollowmere territory was supposed to be about taking control, and the least she could do was stop lying to herself.

"That’s not true." She saw a flicker of shock in his cold, storm-grey eyes at her admission. "I think I fractured my toe when the axle gave out."

At her words, the harshness in his gaze morphed into something dangerously close to concern.

"What?" he snapped. "How in hell did you manage that, Gen? Did you trip while wandering through rogue territory looking for a link signal?"

"What are you doing?" she gasped as her feet were swept out from under her, her world spinning as he scooped her straight into his arms. He ignored her question, and despite the harshness in his tone, he handled her with frustrating care as he set her down sideways on the seat of his transport, crowding her space.

"You can’t put weight on that foot until Healer Genesis Blackthorn looks at it."

"I have basic healer training, and I know it just needs rest, a cold pack, and elevation."

She wasn’t so sure about that, though. With the adrenaline fading, her foot was throbbing with a brutal intensity that made her wolf whine.

"You’re not treating yourself, Gen."

"I need to get back to my pack territory."

"You’re not going anywhere tonight. It’ll be pitch black in twenty minutes and you look exhausted. You’re covered in midge bites, limping, and coated in red mud."

"My cooling runes failed. I had to leave the glass open while driving through the dust trail," she muttered, feeling small under his intense gaze.

"That would explain the hair," he said, his jaw tightening as he stepped back to inspect her.

"Is it that bad?" Genesis asked, running a hand through her tangled hair and wincing when her fingers hit a knot.

His lips twitched slightly, and he reached out, his warm fingers brushing against her neck to pull a small twig from her hair before tossing it into the dirt.

"Let's just say you look like you survived a brawl with a shadow-beast. Regardless, you're not driving. You’ll stay at the border lodge tonight, get a hot wash and a meal, and then you can head back to your pack tomorrow once the healer checks your foot."

"I can stay at a neutral outpost in Moonhollow Crossing. I don’t need Hollowmere hospitality."

"The outpost is closed until the full moon," Draven cut in coldly before turning as Vaughn called out from her stranded vehicle. "What’s the situation, Vaughn?"

"Axle's pinned in loose sand," Vaughn reported after doing a quick circuit around her transport. "It’s a miracle she made it through the Whisperpine Wilds without an enforcer escort."

"We’ll need to winch it out and bleed the tire pressure," Draven commanded. "I’ll be right there." He turned back to Genesis, his eyes lingering on the exposed skin of her legs where her short leather riding gear had pulled up. "Mirelle left some soothing salve at the house. You’ll need it for those bites."

At the mention of his sister Mirelle, Genesis felt a sharp twist in her gut. "I don't need anything from your family."

"You're bleeding and covered in bites, Gen. Stop being stubborn." He gestured toward the back seat. "There’s fresh water in the trunk. Drink it."

He turned and strode toward her car, stopping halfway to throw a sharp look over his shoulder. "And don't even think about stepping out of that seat."

"I'm not an idiot, Draven," she called after him, her chest aching from the sudden distance between them.

"Then stop acting like one by driving into my territory alone," he threw back before joining Vaughn by her rear wheel.

Genesis pulled her legs inside and pulled the heavy transport door shut, leaning back as the cool air hit her overheated skin. She watched the two males through the glass. They were both powerful, high-ranking wolves who moved with effortless lethality. Vaughn was broad and imposing, the picture of an Alpha's loyal Beta.

And Draven... Genesis couldn't take her eyes off her estranged mate. His dark hair was longer than when he’d walked out on their pack bond months ago, curling slightly at his nape. His jaw was covered in dark stubble, making him look far more feral than the polished Alpha who managed pack politics at the Citadel.

Seeing him again brought back the crush of memories—the intense heat of their mate bond, the possessive way he used to hold her, and the devastating silence after he demanded a separation.

Her stomach churned, a sudden wave of nausea hitting her so hard she had to press a hand over her mouth. She swallowed hard, breathing through her nose until the feeling passed, her mind flashing to the unread medical parchment hidden in her bag.

"Gen?"

She jumped, her head snapping toward the open door where Draven was now standing, eyeing her closely.

"Did you pass out?" he asked, his brow furrowed in irritation and concern.

"No. Just... tired."

"Vaughn’s driving your transport behind us," Draven said, stepping into the driver's seat and slamming his door shut. "We're going to Hollowmere Heights."

"I told you I'm not staying at your pack house," she said, her voice dropping into a desperate strain.

"You don't have a choice tonight," Draven growled, pulling the transport onto the dirt trail. "You're injured, stranded in my territory, and you look like you're about to collapse. You'll rest, the healer will check your toe, and then we will discuss the dissolution papers."

Genesis stared out at the passing trees, her heart hammering against her ribs as she felt the faint, faint pulse of a second heartbeat flickering deep within her core.

"Fine," she whispered softly, clutching her bag tighter to her chest. "Let's get it over with."