11

JAX

“I don't know much yet. A message came in saying the outer perimeter was broken. Someone blasted their way through the guards stationed at the edge of town.”

“Wolves?” Aurora asked.

My head moved in a slow shake. “No one mentioned wolves. That would be very unusual.”

“Agreed.”

Aurora pushed off the bed and started getting dressed fast. Her movements were quick and tense. A few seconds later, loud pounding hit the door.

“At least your hearing still works,” I said while turning toward it.

Something suddenly flew past my head.

A clock.

The rush of air brushed my cheek as it missed.

“Good thing your aim is off,” I said calmly.

“My aim is not off,” she snapped.

A low chuckle rolled out of my chest. Seeing her fired up always stirred something inside me. It was hard not to enjoy it.

The pounding on the door came again.

“I hear you,” I called.

“Then open the damn door. What the hell are you doing in—”

The lock clicked open and I pulled the door wide.

Theron stood there, already fully dressed. A gun hung at his side.

Before he could continue speaking, my hand grabbed the back of his neck. He was pulled inside quickly. My head leaned out the doorway for a second, eyes scanning the area outside.

Everything looked quiet.

The door shut.

“Where’s your protector?” I asked.

“Sent him to help find the alpha.” He hesitated. “I mean Aurora’s father.”

Aurora stepped forward quickly.

“What do you mean find him?”

Concern showed clearly in her eyes even though her face still held that flushed look.

Theron’s eyebrows lifted slightly. His gaze slid toward me for a moment.

Aurora didn’t look very different. But wolves didn’t need sight alone. Anyone with a wolf’s senses could smell exactly what had happened since we got here.

A shrug was all I gave. No need for a long explanation. It was obvious enough.

Theron continued.

“We found Brody about a hundred yards away from the ritual clearing. He was unconscious. The last thing he remembers is walking behind your father after they left the clearing. Then he woke up with us shouting at him.”

Aurora went still.

“He’s got a big knot on his head,” Theron added. “Looks like someone grabbed your father.”

His tone turned grim.

“Whoever did it probably thought they were taking the alpha. No one outside the pack knew the leadership change was happening tonight.”

Aurora moved quickly toward the wall cabinet. The doors were pulled open hard.

Her hands flipped several switches.

“Moon weary or not,” she said firmly, “we’re going after him.”

My whole body tightened.

“Hold on,” I said sharply. “You’re not leaving here. You know that.”

Protocol would be followed if necessary.

Even if I had to drug her.

Aurora turned toward me with a snarl. Her teeth showed.

“That’s not your call,” she said coldly. “New management. New rules. Get used to it.”

She turned back toward the radio.

Her hand adjusted the dial until it reached the emergency channel we prepared earlier.

Truth was, I still didn’t know if I was ready to follow her orders when they put her safety at risk.

But she looked damn good standing there like that.

Focused.

Confident.

In command.

She pressed the microphone.

“Status report. Now.”

Static crackled.

“Who is this? Why are you on this channel?”

Uh-oh.

Aurora’s voice dropped lower.

“This is your new fucking alpha. Report.”

A warning growl slipped into her voice.

The man on the other end rushed to answer.

“Right. Sorry. We don’t know much yet. We’ve found three unconscious protectors. Three pack members are missing. Last update on the intruder is still the first report.”

Aurora’s jaw tightened.

“So you have nothing.”

It wasn’t a question.

“I’ve got every available man searching,” he replied quickly. “We’ll find them.”

Aurora slammed the microphone down.

She reached for her boots.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Theron asked.

She kept moving.

Boots on.

Jacket pulled on.

Then she headed for the door.

I stepped directly in front of her.

Her eyes flashed with anger.

“Move, Jax,” she said through her teeth. “We can go together or you stay here. I’m leaving either way.”

She tried to push past me.

My hand caught her arm and twisted her back.

“I don’t think so.”

Concern for her father sat heavy on my mind. The missing pack members mattered too.

But none of that mattered more than her safety.

“I’m not letting you walk into the dark when we don’t even know what we’re dealing with.”

Her jaw clenched harder.

“Dammit, Jax. Now is not the time for you to act like some overprotective caveman.”

Her eyes burned with determination.

“I’m responsible for this pack now. I won’t sit here and do nothing.”

“Your father would,” I said.

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not my father,” she snapped.

“That’s unfortunate,” I replied calmly. “Because you’re not going out tonight.”

My gaze stayed locked on hers.

“You might beat me tomorrow. But tonight you don’t have the authority to override me.”

Her lips curled again in anger.

Theron stepped in before things escalated.

“He’s right, Aurora.”

She turned toward him.

“Especially now that you’re alpha,” he said calmly. “Your role is different. Some things have to be handled by others.”

For a moment it looked like she might still try to force her way out.

The tension between us filled the room.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

Then slowly, her shoulders dropped.

“I hate this,” she whispered.

My grip loosened and I pulled her into my arms instead.

She leaned into me.

Didn’t like this either.

Not the part about keeping her safe.

That part was easy.

What worried me was everything that came with her being alpha.

Things between us were going to get complicated.

Secrets never stayed hidden long in a pack.

A few members were already suspicious.

Theron spoke again.

“You need a moment,” he said gently. “Think about everything your father has taught you. Especially what he’s shared these last few weeks.”

Aurora stayed quiet.

“It’s time to trust the pack,” he continued. “And the guardians you helped train. Jax runs things tightly here. You know that.”

Aurora nodded slowly against my chest.

Theron had a way of calming her when emotions ran high.

That skill mattered.

Especially for someone standing beside an alpha.

The walkie-talkie on my belt suddenly squawked.

“Jax, you there?”

My hand grabbed it quickly.

“Yeah. I’m here,” I said into it. “Tell me you’ve got something.”

“Yeah. We do. The intruder is in custody.”

My body straightened.

“Only one?” I asked. “That confirmed? What about our missing members?”

Aurora looked up at me. Hope flickered in her eyes.

“No sign of our people yet,” the voice replied. “Just the one guy.”

A pause followed.

“So I’m guessing there’s more of them somewhere. But this one isn’t saying anything.”

“Human?” I asked.

“Uh… yeah. I think so.”

“You think so?” My brows pulled together.

Concern started growing.

A moment passed.

“Never mind,” I said. “Put him in a holding cell in town. Once Aurora is secure, I’ll come down and question him.”

My voice hardened.

“Until then, no one talks to him. Not unless he volunteers something about his group or what he wants. Understood?”

“Yeah, Boss.”

Another pause.

“But you might want to get down here soon.”

A cold feeling formed in my stomach.

“Why?”

“Probably not something to talk about over this channel,” the man replied quietly. “But he’s asking to speak with the alpha.”

My fingers brushed the knife at my belt.

“Yeah,” I muttered. “I’m sure he is.”

Anger stirred inside me.

Someone had chosen the worst possible night to cause trouble.

Aurora’s big day had already been thrown into chaos.

Even though I hadn’t been part of the mating ritual, protecting her still mattered more than anything.

“Tell him something for me,” I said.

“What’s that?”

“When he returns our missing members, we’ll think about his request.”

“Got it, Boss.”

The radio went quiet.

I clipped it back to my belt and walked toward the front window.

Last year we installed bulletproof glass. No stray bullet would break through.

But outside those walls were too many unknowns.

Too many things no one could control.

“Jax, you need to talk to him,” Theron said behind me.

My eyes stayed on the dark yard outside.

“I’m not leaving Aurora’s side until everything is secure.”

A short pause followed.

“You know that.”

The dark moon still hung over us.

Power stayed weak until it passed.

“When the moon shifts and your strength returns,” I continued, “we’ll go.”

Silence filled the room.

“Until then,” I said quietly, “none of us are leaving this place.”