The Alpha’s Power Play

"Where are you? Do not tell me you are going to sabotage the most important hunt of your career before it even begins."I didn't dare move a muscle as I read the glowing text on my lap. Nyra was currently hovering over me, her brush flicking across my eyelid with the precision of a surgeon."Is that Declan again?" Nyra asked, her voice tight with that familiar edge of disdain. She’d never made a secret of her distrust for Declan Voss. She claimed her bluntness was a trait passed down through generations of her desert-dwelling kin, but I knew it was just her being protective."He’s just being a professional, Nyra. This move to the Thornridge Dominion is huge for us.""If a Lead Scout ever growled at me with that tone, I’d challenge his position right there in the dirt. Now, eyes up, Rowan."Looking up meant I was officially cut off from my device. I was cutting it dangerously close to the gathering, but I’d rather face Declan’s wrath than walk into the Citadel with uneven war-paint. Lu

"Magnus Thornridge," I said, a small, polite laugh bubbling up as I moved to introduce my mentor. "I’d like you to meet""Declan Voss," Magnus interrupted, his voice booming with a rugged warmth. "It’s been far too long. You’re spearheading the Nightfall Broadcast out in the Redridge Territory now? I should have known. That aggressive, fast-break style of play has your signature all over it."I felt a twinge of envy as the two of them slipped into a rhythmic, easy banter. I was sidelined, but I had to remind myself that Declan had been navigating the politics of the Dominion since before I could lace up a pair of skates. He was closer to Magnus’s age, though he carried it differently. While Magnus looked like a seasoned elder of the pack, Declan’s silvering hair only made him look more like a lethal predator in his prime. He was fit, sharp, and possessed the kind of gravity that drew eyes from across the room.If he hadn't been standing right next to me, I have no doubt the she-wolves

"I suspect it was the way you wore that dress," I murmured, watching Kael disappear into the crowd.Declan exhaled at the exact same time, his voice a low rumble in my ear. "It was definitely the dress."I glanced at him, noting the familiar, heavy warmth in his eyes. It didn't ignite the same chaotic, wildfire sensation that a lethal Alpha's predatory come-on had sparked in a dark lift, but we’d shared a territory for a long time. The way he looked at me was safe. It was comfortable.And tonight, it was enough.The adrenaline of the evening was still singing through my veins, pooling in my lower belly. I pressed my knees together, savoring the lingering tingle. "You look dangerous tonight, Declan. I’ve always had a weakness for you in formal pack-furs. You look like a leader."His eyes darkened, a lazy, satisfied grin tugging at his lips. Then, his expression sharpened into something more serious. "The silk and leather might get you noticed, Rowan, but it won't keep you at the high t

"You speak off the cuff to half a million viewers every day on the Nightfall Broadcast, Rowan, yet you’re acting like you need to rehearse how to say 'hello' to a fellow hunter.""Because it can’t just be a hello, Declan," I countered, my pulse thrumming with nerves. "It has to be sharp. It has to show I have the bite to match the reputation. I can’t afford to look like a stray in front of a legend."Declan leaned over from his lounger, his lips brushing my shoulder with a familiar warmth. "Whatever you say, sweet girl. You’ve got the teeth for this." His gaze drifted across the thermal lagoon, lingering for a second on a lithe, red-haired she-wolf before settling on a cluster of scouts we’d met at the Citadel. "I should follow my own advice. I’m going to track down Callum and Ziven. I think that’s Ronan Thornridge they’re cornering.""The Alpha's younger brother?" I asked, trying to recall the Thornridge lineage. "Magnus’s youngest?""The very one. He’s heading up new territory devel

"You aren't even on the grid anymore, Rowan," I muttered to myself, staring at the signal bars on my phone.With a frustrated huff, I finally did the one thing I’d been avoiding for the last hour—I sent a flare to Declan.Rowan: I think I’ve wandered off the trail. I’m lost.I watched the screen, waiting for the ‘read’ receipt. The signal was surprisingly strong out here in the wilds of the Blackwood Territory, but the message sat there, unacknowledged."Of course he isn't looking," I snapped at a nearby shrub. Declan had gone to the ice arena for a high-stakes scrimmage with Callum, and when Declan is on the ice, the rest of the world ceases to exist. He never keeps his phone on him during a game; he says the distraction ruins his predatory edge.To make matters worse, the sky was bruising over. Those heavy, charcoal clouds weren't just passing through; they were the kind that brought a mountain deluge.Great. Perfect.This was my punishment for choosing a solo trek over joining Vire