C4

"And her life-mate."

The words cut through the tension as Declan Voss stepped forward, sliding a heavy, possessive arm around my waist while offering his hand to Kael. It was an uncharacteristic display. Within our private walls, we’d agreed that the bond didn't need outward markings or heavy rings to be valid. Usually, I was the one seeking his touch, eager to signal to the pack that this high-ranking producer was mine.

Whether it was a flash of territorial jealousy or just a male instinct to shield his mate from a predator as obvious as the Alpha, I leaned into the gesture.

Strangely, though, I felt more protected by the way Kael had just defended the integrity of my hunt than by this public display of ownership.

If Kael was shocked to discover I was mated, his storm-grey eyes didn't betray a flicker of it. "You did some freelance scouting for the Moonfang Network back in the day, didn't you, Declan? My father still mentions your eye for talent."

"I did," Magnus agreed, his gaze warm. "Perhaps it's time you considered returning to the Citadel’s main fold."

I could feel the sudden, frantic vibration in Declan’s muscles. For one horrific second, a cold dread pooled in my stomach would he forget the pack we’d formed together? Would he leave me behind in the regional territories for a seat at the high table?

"I’d be honored," Declan said, his voice steadying. "But Rowan and I are a package deal these days. We hunt together."

"Ah... I see. Of course." Magnus’s interest visibly cooled. It was a familiar sting. The males were always the ones sought for the front lines; the females were often viewed as secondary weight. I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to say something reckless something that would give Declan permission to climb without me holding him back.

Maybe that was the play. Let Declan scent the trail first, then follow in his wake.

Before the silence could settle, Kael’s voice cut through. "Wait, Dad. Do you have a specific vision for the network's future, Declan?"

"I do."

His answer felt like a small betrayal of the endless nights we’d spent at our scarred kitchen table, mapping out our future over lukewarm coffee.

But he corrected course instantly. "We do, actually. Rowan and I. We’ve developed a strategy for the Nightfall Broadcast that would revolutionize the way the Dominion views the sport. We’d love to present it to you properly."

This was it. The precipice. The very reason we’d bonded in the first place the shared ambition that we would reach the summit faster as a pair than as lone wolves.

Our entire union was built on this gamble. Now, we would see if the Alpha was buying.

Kael paused, his silence weighing heavy on the room. His eyes remained fixed on Declan, but I could feel the heat of his attention tracking down my spine, just as it had in the darkness of the lift. It was suffocatingly intense. I tucked myself tighter against Declan’s side, seeking shelter.

"I’m hosting a gathering at the Blackwood Territory next weekend," Kael said finally, his gaze never leaving mine. "An athletic retreat. A place for the Dominion's sharpest minds to collaborate. I’d like you both to be there."

Magnus nodded, the tension leaving his shoulders. "An excellent idea, Kael."

Kael hadn't directed the invitation at me, and though I could hear Nyra’s voice in my head, Rowan! Make him look at you! I stayed silent and let Declan accept the honor.

But then, Kael’s eyes locked onto mine for real. The focus was so sharp I felt exposed, like a deer caught in a high-beam glare. "That gives you enough time to find a temporary replacement for your broadcast duties, I assume?"

"Oh... me? You want me there as well?" I sounded like a confused pup. It was humiliating.

"I took the phrase 'package deal' to mean exactly that." There was a challenge in his voicea hidden layer I couldn't quite peel back. He was asking something else, something deeper, and the desperate part of me wanted to give him the right answer.

"Yes, Alpha. More than enough time," Declan interjected. He wasn't the one being stared down by a pair of predatory grey eyes.

"Good. I’ll have a Dominion transport arrive Friday morning." Kael turned to his father, his body shifting to dismiss us as effortlessly as if we were shadows. "Have you scented the wind from the Camden pack yet? Come, I’ll introduce you."

And just like that, they were gone.

"He’s marked you as interesting," Declan muttered, watching their retreat.

I didn't know which thought was more terrifying: that he was right, or that my inner wolf was howling with triumph.

The moment we stepped into the Ashcroft Loft, I kicked off my heels. Now that I was on my own territory, the exhaustion was being crowded out by a wild, buzzing electricity.

"He knew who you were in that lift, Rowan." Declan was pacing the small living room, his energy as high as mine. "Those specific reports he mentioned? They weren't in the highlight reel they played during the ceremony. He’s been tracking you."

"He didn't act like it at first. Maybe an advisor just briefed him while we were stuck." I tossed my bag onto the counter and grabbed a piece of fruit. I needed the sugar to keep from shaking.

Declan followed me into the kitchen. "No. He was too familiar with your style. He didn't just read a file; he watched you."

I looked up, peeling the fruit with trembling hands. "Maybe." If Kael had known exactly who I was in that elevator, it changed everything. An Alpha wouldn't say those things those dark, primal things to a subordinate, would he?

It was either calculated dominance or a complete lack of control. Neither option felt safe.

"The point is," Declan began, a grin spreading across his face.

I beat him to it. "The point is, we’re in the inner circle."

"We’re in." He let out a triumphant bark, punching the air in a rare display of raw emotion. "Hell yes!"

I laughed, feeling the tension break, and checked the message that had just buzzed on my phone.

Nyra: HE DID NOT SAY THAT TO YOU. I AM SCREAMING.

Naturally, I’d leaked every illicit detail of the Ironclaw Lift to Nyra. There are mates, and then there are the sisters of your soul. If you don't know the difference, you haven't lived in a pack.

Rowan: He did. Word for word.

Nyra: I can't decide if that’s a total HR violation or the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. Tell me it was hot.

I looked at Declan, then down at my phone. I answered from the deepest, most primal part of my instinct.

Rowan: It was 'ruin-my-life' hot.

My breath hitched just thinking about the way he’d loomed over me. The fluttering in my stomach was back, making me feel like a teenager again.

Nyra: I told you that dress was a weapon. You’re welcome.

"Is that Nyra? Is she trying to take the credit for this?" Declan grabbed a cold drink from the fridge. In the Citadel, he was all polished suits and sharp politics, but here, he was just my partner, relaxed and rugged. "This wasn't her. This was all you, Rowan."

"And you," I replied, typing back to Nyra while my heart continued to race.

One thing was certain: Friday morning was coming, and I had no idea if I was headed to a retreat or a trap.