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Chapter 11

Interrupted

The lanterns grew fewer as Jade followed Ryker away from the festival grounds.

For the first time in three days, the noise of the celebration faded behind them.

Music became distant.

Laughter softened.

The forest reclaimed its silence.

A small clearing overlooked a stream a short walk from the main grounds. Someone had hung several lanterns from low tree branches years ago, leaving the spot warm and inviting despite the darkness.

Ryker pulled out a chair that had clearly been stolen from somewhere.

Jade stared.

"Did you steal furniture?"

"It sounds much worse when you say it like that."

"How else should I say it?"

He considered.

"Heroically borrowed."

Jade laughed.

"You're impossible."

"I've heard that."

"You should listen more closely."

His grin widened.

The dinner itself was simple.

Bread.

Roasted venison.

Fresh fruit.

Nothing extravagant.

Yet it felt nicer than anything Jade could remember.

Maybe because neither of them was trying to impress the other.

For once she wasn't being judged.

She wasn't being compared to her father.

She wasn't being treated like Silverwood's cautionary tale.

She was just Jade.

And Ryker was just Ryker.

The realization felt strangely freeing.

For a while they talked about everything and nothing.

Blackthorn.

Silverwood.

Favorite places in the forest.

Childhood memories.

Embarrassing stories.

Particularly Liam's embarrassing stories.

Jade eagerly contributed to those.

"You're a terrible friend."

"I prefer thorough."

Ryker laughed.

The sound echoed softly across the stream.

It was unfair how easy he made everything feel.

Most wolves carried expectations.

Masks.

Titles.

Ryker seemed determined to ignore all of that.

At one point he leaned back and studied her.

"What?"

"You laugh more than I expected."

Jade nearly snorted.

"That's because you didn't meet me properly."

"Apparently not."

His expression softened.

"When I first saw you, I thought you looked lonely."

The honesty caught her off guard.

"That's a terrible thing to say on a date."

"So this is a date?"

His grin returned instantly.

Jade regretted everything.

"There it is."

"What?"

"The confidence."

"It was gone for almost thirty seconds."

He looked suspiciously pleased with himself.

Jade shook her head.

"You were saying?"

Ryker's smile faded slightly.

"I was saying you seemed lonely."

She looked toward the stream.

A truthful answer sat on the tip of her tongue.

"Sometimes I am."

The admission felt dangerous.

Yet she found herself continuing.

"People see my father's mistakes before they see me."

Ryker was quiet.

Listening.

Actually listening.

"It's easier not to get close to people."

His gaze never left hers.

"Then I'm glad you took a chance anyway."

Something warm settled in her chest.

A feeling she wasn't ready to examine too closely.

Before she could respond, Ryker suddenly became very still.

Every trace of humor disappeared.

His eyes unfocused.

Jade frowned.

"Ryker?"

No response.

Only silence.

Then his jaw tightened.

The change was immediate.

Alarming.

"What's wrong?"

His attention snapped back to her.

For the first time since she'd met him, he looked genuinely concerned.

"My father."

The words came quietly.

"He just mind-linked me."

A chill ran through her.

Mind-links from Alphas during festivals rarely meant good news.

"What happened?"

Ryker stood.

The movement was so abrupt it nearly startled her.

"I don't know everything."

His expression hardened.

"But there's been an incident at the border."

The border.

Jade's stomach dropped.

The eastern border wasn't far from several of her training trails.

She knew those woods better than most wolves.

Ryker's eyes met hers.

Thinking.

Calculating.

Then he surprised her.

"Come with me."

"What?"

"I need to get to the Alpha House."

Confusion flashed across her face.

"Then go."

"You train near the border."

The statement caught her off guard.

"How do you know that?"

"You told me."

Fair.

Apparently she'd forgotten.

Ryker raked a hand through his hair.

"My father will want information."

Jade blinked.

"From me?"

"Why not?"

Because nobody important ever wanted information from her.

The answer was so automatic that it almost escaped.

Instead she swallowed it.

Ryker stepped closer.

His voice lowered.

"And because if something's happening out there, I'd rather know you're safe."

The concern in his eyes was impossible to miss.

Heat rose into her cheeks.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Before she could formulate a response, Ryker offered his hand.

Again.

Only this time there was no teasing smile.

No flirting.

Just urgency.

Trust.

Jade looked at his hand.

Then at him.

And for reasons she couldn't entirely explain, she took it.

Together they headed back toward Silverwood.

Neither spoke as they moved through the trees.

The festival music had vanished completely now.

Something was wrong.

She could feel it.

By the time the Alpha House appeared through the forest, wolves were already gathering outside.

Warriors.

Patrol leaders.

Pack officials.

The mood was tense.

Anxious.

Not one wolf was celebrating anymore.

As Jade and Ryker approached, a familiar voice stopped them.

"About time."

Alpha Gideon stood at the top of the stairs.

His expression was grim.

Beside him were Rowan, Eleanor, Garrett, Knox, and several other ranked wolves.

The moment Gideon's gaze landed on Jade, he nodded once.

As if he'd expected her.

"Jade Sullivan."

Every eye turned toward her.

She suddenly wished they hadn't.

Gideon stepped forward.

"You train near the eastern boundary?"

She nodded carefully.

"Most mornings."

The Alpha exchanged a look with Rowan.

Something unreadable passed between them.

Then Rowan asked a question that made the hairs on the back of Jade's neck stand on end.

"Have you seen anything unusual in the forest recently?"

The gathering fell silent.

Waiting.

Watching.

Jade opened her mouth to answer.

Then froze.

Because suddenly she remembered something.

A scent.

A scent she'd caught three mornings ago during training.

One that hadn't belonged to Silverwood.

Or Blackthorn.

A scent she'd dismissed at the time.

Her eyes widened.

And in that moment, she realized she might know something about the wolf they found dead.