chapter 3

Talis’s POV

My bare feet slap against the hardwood floor of the farmhouse kitchen, the sting of Dayne’s dismissal burning hotter than the mate bond pulsing in my veins. I saw Savannah’s hand on his arm, the way her touch lingered, and my wolf snarls, clawing at my control. I’m supposed to be his mate, but the way he looked at hertoo familiar, too guardedmakes me feel like an outsider in this pack I’m meant to call home.

The kitchen hums with pack members, their laughter and clinking mugs a stark contrast to the storm inside me. Luka’s at the counter, tossing a grin at Regan, who’s flipping pancakes like it’s a normal night. It’s not. Not after that wolf in the woods, not after Dayne’s bite woke something in me I’ve spent years hiding. My neck throbs, the mark a constant reminder of him, of us, and I hate how much I crave his presence even now.

“Talis, are you hungry?” Regan calls, her voice warm, cutting through my haze.

I shake my head, forcing a smile. “Not really.”

She frowns but doesn’t push, sliding a plate toward Luka instead. I want to fit in, to be part of this pack, but Savannah’s shadow and Dayne’s secrets keep me on edge. I slip out of the kitchen, needing air, needing space from the weight of their eyes. The hallway is dim, the farmhouse’s old wood creaking under my steps as I head for the back door.

Outside, the night is crisp, the Rockies looming like silent sentinels. I lean against the porch railing, my breath visible in the cold. My wolf stirs, her silverblue eyes flashing in my mind, urging me to run, to fight, to claim what’s mine. But what is mine? Dayne? This pack? Or the alpha I’ve buried deep, the one Glynn swore didn’t exist?

Footsteps crunch behind me, and I tense, expecting Dayne. Instead, it’s Luka, his lean frame relaxed but his brown eyes sharp. “You okay?” he asks, leaning beside me.

I shrug, avoiding his gaze. “Just needed air.”

He nods, glancing at the forest. “That wolf tonightit’s got Dayne rattled. You saw it too, didn’t you?”

My stomach twists, the memory of that glinting gaze in the trees too vivid. “Yeah. You think it’s Glynn’s?”

Luka’s jaw tightens. “Maybe. Dayne’s doubling patrols, but he’s not saying much.”

I scoff, bitterness creeping in. “He never does. Especially not to me.”

Luka’s grin is soft, almost pitiful. “Give him time, Talis. He’s not as cold as he seems.”

I want to believe him, but Savannah’s touch, Dayne’s silenceit all stings too much. Before I can reply, a shadow moves in the yard, too fast, too deliberate. My wolf growls, senses sharpening, and Luka’s hand goes to the knife at his belt.

“Stay here,” he says, stepping forward, but I’m already moving, my instincts overriding fear.

The shadow darts toward the barn, and I follow, Luka cursing behind me. The barn door is ajar, the scent of hay and something sharperbloodhitting me hard. Inside, it’s dark, the only light from a cracked window. My heart pounds as I scan the shadows, my wolf ready to break free.

“Talis, get back,” Luka hisses, but it’s too late.

A figure lunges from the hayloft, knocking me to the ground. It’s Savannah, her blonde hair wild, her eyes wide with panic, not malice. “It’s not what you think!” she gasps, scrambling off me.

I shove to my feet, my wolf snarling. “Then what is it? Why were you with Dayne?”

She hesitates, clutching a bloodied cloth. “I found something. In the cabin. It’s about you.”

My blood runs cold. “What about me?”

Before she can answer, Dayne’s voice booms from the doorway. “Talis, step away from her.”

I whirl, his iceblue eyes blazing, his body filling the frame. He’s shirtless, his tattooed chest heaving, and the mate bond pulls tight, making my knees weak. But Savannah’s words echo, and I hold my ground, glaring between them.

“Tell me,” I demand, my voice steady despite the chaos inside. “What about me?”

Dayne’s eyes flick to Savannah, a warning, but she speaks, her voice shaking. “You’re not a submissive, Talis. You’re an alpha, from a bloodline stronger than anyone here. Glynn lied to keep you weak.”

The words hit like a punch, my wolf roaring in confirmation. I stumble back, the barn spinning, as memories of Glynn’s fists and lies flood in. Dayne steps closer, his hand reaching for me, but I jerk away, my eyes burning with tears I won’t let fall.

“You knew,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “You knew and didn’t tell me.”

His face hardens, but there’s pain in his eyes. “I wanted you to find it yourself. To be strong enough to face it.”

“Face what?” I snap, my wolf clawing at my control, her silverblue eyes blazing.

Savannah steps forward, holding out the bloodied cloth. “This was in the cabin. It’s got your scentand Glynn’s orders to kill you.”

My heart stops, the world narrowing to that cloth, to the truth it holds. Glynn’s coming for me, not to reclaim me, but to end me. And Dayne, my mate, my stepbrother, knew more than he let on. The mate bond burns, a mix of desire and betrayal, as I realize the danger isn’t just outside it's between us.

I’m running, my bare feet tearing through the grass, the forest swallowing me as I flee the barn. Dayne’s shout echoes behind me, but I don’t stop, my wolf driving me forward. The truthmy alpha blood, Glynn’s betrayal, Dayne’s silencecrashes over me, and I need to move, to breathe, to escape the pull of him.

The trees close in, their branches clawing at my skin, but I keep going, my wolf’s strength surging. I’m not the weak girl Glynn made me believe I was. I’m something more, something dangerous, and the thought both thrills and terrifies me.

I skid to a stop at a clearing, my chest heaving, the mate bond tugging me back to Dayne. He’s closeI feel him, his scent, his power. My wolf wants him, wants to fight him, to claim him, and I hate how much I want that too.

“Talis!” His voice cuts through the night, and I turn, seeing him emerge from the trees, his eyes wild with something I can’t namefear, maybe, or need.

“Stay away,” I growl, my voice low, my wolf’s silverblue eyes flashing in my vision.

He doesn’t. He closes the distance, grabbing my shoulders, his touch igniting fire through the bond. “You can’t run from this,” he says, his voice rough. “Not from me, not from who you are.”

I shove against his chest, but it’s like pushing a mountain. “You lied to me, Dayne. You knew I was an alpha and let me think I was nothing.”

His grip tightens, his eyes searching mine. “I wanted you to fight for it. To prove you’re more than Glynn’s lies.”

My fist swings, catching his jaw, and he doesn’t flinch, just takes it, his eyes burning with something that makes my wolf howl. “You don’t get to decide that,” I snarl, but my body betrays me, leaning into him, the bond pulling us together.

He catches my wrist, his thumb brushing my pulse, and I freeze, the air crackling between us. “You’re mine, Talis,” he says, his voice a growl that sends shivers down my spine. “Alpha or not, you’re mine.”

Before I can argue, a howl splits the night, chilling my blood. It’s the wolf from before, closer now, its scent sharp with intent. Dayne’s head snaps up, his body shielding mine, and I realize the truthGlynn’s not just coming for me. He’s here.