Chapter 9: The Stranger in the Hot Springs

Wren

"Do you think Commander Rourke is married?"

I looked up from the military handbook I'd been reading.

Liora was stretched across the bed opposite mine, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling.

"What?"

"Commander Rourke. Do you think he's married?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because the man is ridiculously handsome for someone who looks like he spends his free time yelling at people."

I laughed. "Liora, he's probably old enough to be your father."

"So? I wasn't proposing marriage. I was asking a perfectly reasonable question."

I shook my head and returned to the handbook.

We'd been assigned the same dormitory room after registration, which meant I'd spent most of the evening listening to Liora discuss everything from the medical division's training exercises to the terrible food served in the dining hall.

Apparently, she'd nearly fainted during her first anatomy demonstration.

"I didn't actually faint," she corrected when I reminded her. "I merely needed to sit down before my body made that decision for me."

"Of course."

"And for your information, I scored third in my medical assessment."

I smiled. "That's amazing, Liora."

She practically glowed. "Thank you! Although it doesn't compare to someone getting FIRST PLACE in the entire combat division!"

"Liora."

"What? I'm proud of you!"

Her enthusiasm warmed something inside me.

I'd spent so long having my accomplishments dismissed that I still wasn't entirely sure what to do when someone celebrated them.

"Thanks," I said quietly.

She smiled before reaching for the lamp beside her bed.

"Anyway, tomorrow's going to be exhausting. Apparently, we're getting our official squad assignments and attending the enlistment ceremony."

"With the Alpha Prince?"

Liora immediately sat upright.  "YES! Oh my Goddess, I almost forgot to tell you!"

I regretted asking.

"Prince Dorian Valcrest is supposed to arrive from the palace tonight! Apparently, he cut his visit short just to oversee the new recruits."

"That seems like a lot of trouble for a bunch of beginners."

Liora stared at me. "Wren. He's the commander of the Royal Army."

"I know."

"And one of the most powerful Alphas in the kingdom."

"I'm aware."

"And apparently, he's absolutely gorgeous."

I closed my handbook. "Goodnight, Liora."

She laughed. "You're impossible."

A moment later, she switched off her lamp.

Within fifteen minutes, her breathing had settled into the slow, steady rhythm of sleep.

I stared at the ceiling for almost an hour.

Every muscle in my body ached from the day's evaluations, and the bruises along my arms were beginning to darken.

Yet I couldn't stop thinking about Commander Rourke.

Tomorrow, I want to discuss your grandfather.

Why?

Had he served alongside Grandpa? Did he recognize his fighting techniques? Or did he know something about the Nightwardens?

I reached beneath my pillow and retrieved the small metal insignia.

The crescent moon and seven stars caught the faint light coming through our window.

Grandpa had hidden this inside a knife he'd given me years ago. Why would he do that? More importantly, why had he never told me?

I turned the metal between my fingers, remembering the last time I'd seen him.

He'd helped me pack for my move to Hawthorne Pack.

I'd been so excited about meeting my biological family that I hadn't noticed how unusually quiet he'd become.

Before I left, he'd hugged me tightly.

Remember what I taught you, Wren. No matter where you go, you have everything you need to survive.

At the time, I'd thought he was simply worried about me. Now, I wondered whether he'd been trying to warn me.

I carefully tucked the insignia away and climbed out of bed.

There was no point lying awake all night. I pulled on a pair of dark training pants, a loose shirt, and my boots before quietly slipping out of the room.

Ironhold Garrison was almost unrecognizable at night.

The enormous training fields stood empty beneath the moonlight, and the distant mountains appeared as dark silhouettes against the sky.

Most of the soldiers had returned to their barracks, although armed patrols continued moving along the perimeter.

I followed a gravel path that wound past the training grounds.

The cool air felt wonderful against my aching skin. For the first time since leaving Hawthorne Pack, I allowed myself to consider how much my life had changed.

I'd gone from sleeping in a storage room to sharing a military dormitory with someone who actually seemed happy to have me around.

I'd earned first place in my combat evaluations.

And tomorrow, I might finally learn something about Grandpa.

I smiled faintly. He would've been proud.

A strange sound interrupted my thoughts.

I stopped walking.

Somewhere beyond the trees, I heard what sounded like a low, pained growl.

I waited.

Another growl followed, louder this time. It sounded almost human.

I glanced toward the barracks.

The nearest guard patrol was several hundred yards away.

Maybe someone was injured.

I stepped off the main path and followed the sound through a narrow opening between the trees.

Warm mist drifted through the branches.

As I moved closer, the air became noticeably hotter, carrying the faint mineral scent of sulfur.

Then I saw the water.

A secluded hot spring lay nestled between enormous black rocks. Steam curled above its surface, illuminated by the pale moonlight.

It would've been beautiful under different circumstances... But someone was struggling in the water.

A man stood waist-deep near the far edge, both hands gripping a large stone. His head was lowered, and his shoulders trembled violently.

Dark, unnatural shadows seemed to ripple across his bare back.

I froze.

What the hell was that?

The man released a strangled growl. The water around him surged, sending waves crashing against the rocks.

"Are you okay?" I called.

His head snapped toward me.

Even from a distance, I could see his eyes glowing an unnatural gold.

"Leave."

The command was sharp enough to make me hesitate. But the man looked like he was in serious trouble.

"You're hurt."

"I said leave!"

A violent pulse of pressure swept through the clearing. The nearby trees shuddered, and the water erupted around him.

I staggered backward, catching myself against a tree trunk.

Holy hell.

That wasn't normal Alpha dominance.

I'd experienced plenty of powerful wolves exerting their authority, but whatever was happening here felt different.

Almost as though something inside him was trying to tear its way out.

I should've listened. I should've turned around and found a guard.

Instead, I moved closer.

"Look, I don't know what's happening to you, but I'm not leaving someone to drown in a hot spring."

He lifted his head.

For a moment, his expression was almost comical. "Do I look like I'm drowning?"

"Well, you're making a pretty convincing argument for it."

His eyes narrowed.  "You're either incredibly brave or remarkably stupid."

"Grandpa used to say the same thing."

Another violent tremor ran through his body. He gripped the rock harder. I noticed blood running from his palm where his nails had cut into the stone.

"You're bleeding."

"I'm aware."

"Then maybe stop squeezing the rock like it owes you money."

His head turned toward me again. Despite the situation, something resembling disbelief crossed his face.

I suddenly became very aware that I was arguing with a ridiculously attractive, half-naked stranger.

He had broad shoulders, a muscular chest, and dark hair that fell messily across his forehead. Old scars marked his skin, including one that stretched diagonally across his ribs.

Under ordinary circumstances, I probably would've spent a little longer appreciating the view.

Unfortunately, the glowing eyes and supernatural temper tantrum were rather distracting.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Wren."

"Wren what?"

"Does my surname matter while you're apparently trying to explode?"

His jaw tightened. "You're trespassing."

"Actually, I followed the sound of someone having a medical emergency. There's a difference."

"This area is private."

"Then perhaps you should put up a sign."

He stared at me.

I stared back.

Then something moved behind him. At first, I thought it was another shadow cast by the moonlight. But the darkness separated from his body.

A massive shape emerged from the mist, its outline flickering with silver and black light.

My breath caught.

A wolf.

An enormous, translucent wolf stood on the rocks beside him.

Its body was almost twice the size of any wolf I'd ever seen, with thick fur that shifted like smoke beneath the moonlight.

Its eyes glowed a brilliant amber.

I stumbled backward. "What the..."

The creature turned its enormous head toward me. For several seconds, we simply stared at each other.

Then its ears perked up. Its tail moved once.

And a deep, masculine voice echoed inside my mind.

"Well, it's about damn time someone noticed me."

I froze.

The wolf tilted its head. "Oh, don't look so terrified. I've been trying to get someone's attention for years."

My mouth fell open. "You can talk?"

The wolf's expression seemed almost offended.

"Obviously. And unlike the idiot standing in the water, I actually know how to hold a conversation."

I stared at him. Then at the man. Then back at the wolf.

The stranger slowly straightened. His golden eyes fixed on my face.

For the first time since I'd arrived, his expression held something other than irritation.

Suspicion.

He followed my gaze toward the rocks. There was nothing there that he could see.

His attention snapped back to me. "Who are you talking to?"