LOGINKIRAJace is going to get himself killed.He's 19. Future Alpha, yes. Strong, yes. But Kade is 26, fully realized Alpha of the strongest pack in the region, and right now he is running on pure mate-protection instinct with my scent all over him."Jace, don't," I say, trying to sit up. The stitches pull and I hiss.That hiss decides it. Both of them move.Jace shifts halfway - claws, fangs, amber eyes - and lunges.Kade doesn't even shift. He just catches Jace's fist in one hand, mid-air, and twists.Jace is on his knees in a second, arm locked behind his back, Kade's hand on his neck."Jace!" I scream."Enough!" Alpha James roars from the doorway, finally pushing past Marcus. "Kade! He is my son! Release him!"Kade doesn't release him. His gold eyes are locked on Jace."She is under my roof. Under my protection. Bleeding because you couldn't protect her on your own roads. You lost her the second you let a rogue lay a claw on her.""I had it handled!" Jace snarls through fangs."Handle
KADE - Dark Moon Territory - Same TimeThe whiskey glass shatters in my hand.I don't even feel the cut. Blood drips onto my desk. My Beta's report is in front of me. Luna's convoy left territory at 0900. Escort team in place.I told them not to follow her. I ordered them.And my own Beta disobeyed me. For a human girl.My wolf is smug inside my head. Good. She is safe.I am trying to drown him out when it hits me.A sharp, searing pain in my left shoulder. Like claws.Not my pain.Hers.My chair flies back. I'm on my feet before I can think, hand clutching my shoulder. The bond - that weak, incomplete, rejected bond I swore I cut - is burning."KIRA!" I roar.My office door bangs open. Warriors rush in."Alpha!""Get the cars! Now!" I snarl, already shifting, bones cracking. "Silver Ridge road! NOW!"I don't wait for them. I jump through my office window - second floor - land on four paws, huge black wolf, and run.My wolf has been waiting for permission for two days.Now he has it.
KIRAI don't cry in front of him.I wait until I'm in Jace's car, until Silver Ridge's gates close behind us, until Dark Moon mountain is just a white blur in the rearview mirror.Then I cry.Not pretty crying. Ugly, silent crying with my forehead against the cold passenger window.Jace doesn't say anything for the first ten minutes. He just drives. His knuckles are white on the wheel."You okay?" he finally asks."No.""Do you want me to turn around and let me punch him?"That makes me laugh through tears. "You'd lose.""Yeah, but I'd lose honorably."James is in the car behind us with two Silver Ridge warriors. I can see them in the mirror.It should feel safe. We're going home.So why does it feel like I'm leaving home?"My wolf didn't like leaving," Jace says quietly, eyes on the road. "He kept whining. Like we were leaving pack behind.""Maybe he was just cold.""Kira."I wipe my face. "I know."We drive for an hour. The snow is getting heavier again, but the main road is clear.
The whole east wing shakes with his roar.Jace pushes me behind him instantly. James steps in front of both of us. Even from the phone, Beth is shouting, "James, don't let him-"The door explodes open. It doesn't just open - it slams against the wall so hard the stone cracks.Kade is in the doorway and he looks... feral.His eyes are solid gold. His canines are longer. His hands are fists, claws peeking out. His expensive black shirt is ripped at the shoulder like his wolf tried to come out mid-shift.This is not the cold, controlled Alpha from the Summit. This is his wolf in control."Outside," he snarls at James and Jace. "Now.""Not a chance," Jace snarls back. "You're not stable."Kade's gold eyes snap to Jace. "I said OUTSIDE. That is an order from an Alpha in his own territory. Unless you want a war between Silver Ridge and Dark Moon, you will step outside. Now."James puts a hand on Jace's shoulder. He looks at me. "Kira?"I can't breathe. Kade is staring at me like I'm the onl
I stare at the note.You talk in your sleep. You said my name.My face goes up in flames. I did NOT.Did I?I throw the blanket off and chug the coffee - it's exactly how I like it. Cream, two sugars. How does he know that? He background-checked my COFFEE order too?The door bursts open again. But this time it's not Kade.It's Jace. And he looks murderous.His hair is a mess, his eyes are glowing amber - his wolf is right at the surface. Behind him is Alpha James, Luna Beth on video call on James's phone, looking panicked."Kira! Are you okay? What did he do?" Jace storms in, grabs my shoulders, checks my face, my arms. Like he's looking for bruises."Whoa! Nothing! I'm fine! What are you-""We heard screaming last night. Then we heard Kade's wolf howl. Then one of his warriors said Kade didn't sleep in his own wing. He was seen coming down from the east wing at 5 AM!" Jace is basically shouting.James's phone: "Kira honey, are you hurt? Did he touch you?" Beth's voice."No! No one to
I dream of the crash again.The screech. The glass. The smell of gas. My mom screaming my name.I wake up screaming hers."MOM!"I'm drenched in sweat, even though the room is freezing except for the dying fire. My hands are tangled in the blanket. My throat is raw.The door bangs open so hard it hits the stone wall.Kade.He's not in his suit anymore. Sweatpants, bare chest, bare feet. Hair wild like he was sleeping and got ripped out of bed. His eyes are full gold, glowing in the dark room. Not human at all.His chest is heaving."What happened? Who's here?" he snarls, scanning the room like he's looking for an intruder to kill.I can't speak. I'm still stuck half in the dream.He sees me. On the floor where I fell off the rug. Shaking.His expression changes in a second. The Alpha fury drops and something else takes over.He crosses the room in three strides and crouches in front of me. He doesn't touch me. But he's close enough that heat is pouring off him."Breathe," he commands.







