chapter 5

Talis’s POV

The farmhouse living room feels like a cage, the pack’s eyes on me like I’m a bomb about to go off. Dayne’s hand brushes mine, a spark through the mate bond that makes my wolf want to lean into him, but I pull back, my heart pounding with the weight of Savannah’s words. Glynn didn’t just break mehe broke Dayne, too, and the truth of our shared scars makes me want to scream, to fight, to hold him all at once.

I can still feel the sting of my arm, bandaged from the wolf’s claw, and the memory of my halfshift in the forestmy wolf’s silverblue eyes blazingmakes my skin prickle. I’m not the submissive Glynn made me believe I was, but standing here, surrounded by the Blackshaw pack, I’m not sure who I am. Dayne’s gaze, intense and unyielding, pulls at me, but Savannah’s lingering presence, her guilty eyes darting away, keeps my wolf on edge.

“We need a plan,” Luka says, breaking the silence, his lean frame tense as he paces. “Glynn’s not waiting for us to figure this out.”

Dayne nods, his voice steady. “We hit him first. Take the fight to his territory.”

I step forward, my voice sharper than I intend. “And what about me? Glynn wants me dead. Am I just bait?”

Dayne’s eyes flash, his jaw tight. “You’re not bait, Talis. You’re my mate.”

The room stills, the pack watching our exchange like it’s a fight they’re betting on. My cheeks burn, the mate bonds humming with his words, but anger surges too. “Then stop treating me like I can’t handle this. I fought those wolves tonight. I’m not weak.”

He steps closer, his cedarandmusk scent overwhelming. “I know you’re not weak. But Glynn’s not playing games. He’ll kill you to keep your bloodline buried.”

Regan clears her throat, her voice soft but firm. “She’s right, Dayne. Talis held her own out there. Let her in on the plan.”

I shoot her a grateful look, but Savannah’s voice cuts in, smooth and sharp. “She’s strong, but she’s untrained. Glynn’s pack is ruthless. We can’t risk her.”

My wolf growls, jealousy flaring at her words, at the way she speaks like she knows Dayne better than I do. “I’m not your risk to manage,” I snap, stepping toward her. “And what’s with you? That letter, the cabinwhy were you even there?”

Savannah’s face pales, her hands twitching. “I was checking the perimeter. Found it by chance.”

“By chance?” I scoff, my wolf pushing forward, my eyes flashing silverblue. “You expect me to believe that?”

Dayne’s hand lands on my shoulder, firm but not harsh. “Enough, Talis. She’s pack. She’s not the enemy.”

His touch sends a jolt through me, desire and frustration tangling, but I shrug him off, glaring at Savannah. “Then why does she look guilty?”

The pack murmurs, tension rising, and Luka steps between us, his hands raised. “Let’s focus. Glynn’s the threat, not each other.”

I clench my fists, my wolf restless, but I nod, stepping back. Dayne’s eyes linger on me, a mix of pride and worry, and I hate how much I want his approval, his trust. The mate bond pulls tight, making it hard to breathe, but Savannah’s silence screams louder than any howl.

“Let’s move,” Dayne says, his voice commanding. “Luka, organize the scouts. We leave at dawn.”

The pack disperses, but I stay, my eyes on Savannah as she slips toward the door. Something’s off, and my wolf knows it. I follow her, ignoring Dayne’s call of my name, my footsteps silent on the hardwood.

The cabin sits at the edge of the Blackshaw territory, its weathered wood barely visible in the moonlight. Savannah’s ahead, her blonde hair a beacon as she ducks inside. My wolf urges me forward, senses sharp, the scent of blood and Glynn’s taint faint but unmistakable. I shouldn’t be here, not alone, but I need answers, and Savannah’s hiding them.

I slip through the door, the air inside stale, the floor creaking under my weight. Savannah’s at a table, her back to me, rifling through papers. My wolf growls, and she spins, her eyes wide with shock.

“Talis!” she gasps, clutching a notebook. “What are you doing here?”

“Following you,” I say, my voice low, my wolf’s power seeping through. “What’s in your hand?”

She hesitates, her fingers tightening on the notebook. “It’s nothing. Just pack records.”

I step closer, my eyes narrowing. “Don’t lie to me. That cloth you showed usit had my scent, Glynn’s orders. What else are you hiding?”

Her face hardens, but her voice shakes. “You don’t understand, Talis. I’m trying to protect the pack.”

“Protect?” I laugh, bitter. “You’re protecting yourself. You know more about Glynn than you’re saying.”

She backs up, her shoulder hitting a shelf, and a photo falls, glass shattering. I glance at ita younger Savannah, arm around a man with Glynn’s cruel smile. My blood runs cold, my wolf roaring as the pieces click.

“You’re connected to him,” I whisper, my voice trembling with rage. “You’ve been working with Glynn.”

Savannah’s eyes dart to the door, but I block her path, my claws itching to break free. “No,” she says, her voice desperate. “It’s not like that. He’s my brother, Talis. I left his pack years ago, but he’s been using me, threatening me.”

My heart stumbles, the twist hitting like a blow. Savannah, Glynn’s sister? The mate bond pulses, Dayne’s presence suddenly close, and I turn to see him in the doorway, his iceblue eyes blazing with fury.

“Talis, step back,” he growls, his voice deadly calm, but I hear the betrayal beneath it.

Savannah drops the notebook, papers spilling, and I catch a glimpse of a mapBlackshaw territory, marked with attack points. My stomach churns, realization dawning. “You’ve been feeding him information,” I say, my voice shaking. “That’s how he knew where to hit us.”

Dayne’s hand grabs my arm, pulling me behind him, his body a shield. “Savannah,” he says, his voice low, dangerous. “Explain. Now.”

She shakes her head, tears streaming. “I didn’t want this. He forced me, Dayne. He’s got my son.”

My breath catches, the weight of her words sinking in. Glynn’s holding her child hostage, using her to betray us. Dayne’s face is stone, but his eyes flicker with pain, and I realize he trusted her, maybe more than he should have.

“We’ll get your son,” I say, surprising myself, my wolf steady despite the chaos. “But you’re done lying.”

Dayne’s grip on my arm tightens, his eyes meeting mine, a mix of shock and respect. “Talis,” he says, his voice softer, “this isn’t your fight.”

“It is,” I snap, my wolf’s strength surging. “I’m your mate, Dayne. And I’m not letting Glynn destroy us.”

The cabin feels too small, the map on the floor a ticking bomb. Savannah’s sobs echo, but another sound cuts througha low growl from outside, familiar, menacing. Glynn’s wolf is back, and this time, it’s not alone.