chapter 8

Dayne’s POV

The red-eyed wolf’s growl vibrates through the night, its presence a cold weight in my gut as I stand at the upstairs window, Talis’s warmth pressed against my side. Glynn’s taunt echoes below, his cruel smile fixed on Talis, but that unknown wolf, larger, wilder, not one of his shifts the game. My wolf snarls, torn between ripping Glynn apart and shielding Talis from this new threat, the mate bond pulsing with her fierce resolve.

“Don’t move,” I murmur, my hand tightening on her arm, her bloodied bandage a reminder of how close I came to losing her. Her silver-blue eyes blaze, her alpha strength undeniable, but the pain in her stance makes my chest ache. She’s mine step-sister, mate, alpha and I’ll be damned if Glynn or this rogue takes her from me.

“I’m not hiding,” Talis says, her voice steady, defiant, cutting through the boy’s cries outside. “That kid needs us, Dayne.”

I nod, my wolf roaring with pride at her courage, even as fear claws at me. “We go together,” I say, my voice rough. “But you stay sharp.”

Luka’s at the window, his knife glinting in the moonlight. “That red-eyed wolf it’s not with Glynn’s pack. Smells wrong, like it’s… feral.”

Regan’s voice shakes, her poker raised. “Feral or not, we can’t let them get the boy.”

I glance at Talis, her jaw set, her claws twitching. “We get the kid, take out Glynn,” I say, my eyes locked on hers. “But if that rogue moves, we fall back.”

She nods, her hand brushing mine, the bond flaring with heat. “Let’s do this.”

We move down the stairs, Luka and Regan at our backs, the farmhouse creaking under the weight of our steps. The ground floor is a wreck, broken glass, blood-streaked wood, dead wolves sprawled across the floor. Jenna’s guarding the basement door, her knife ready, keeping Savannah contained. I don’t trust Savannah, not after her texts to Glynn, but her son’s cries are real, and Talis’s determination to save him binds us tighter.

Outside, the air is thick with the scent of blood and fur. Glynn stands by the tree, the boy tied at his feet, his dark eyes glinting with malice. His wolves circle, but the red-eyed rogue stands apart, its massive form still, watching. My wolf senses its power, something ancient, uncontrolled, and my hackles rise.

“Give me the girl, Blackshaw,” Glynn calls, his voice smooth, taunting. “And the boy lives.”

Talis steps forward, her claws out, her voice ringing. “You don’t get to make demands, Glynn. Let him go, or I will end you.”

His laugh is cold, cutting. “You? The weakling I broke? You’re nothing without me.”

Her growl shakes the air, her alpha power surging, and I feel it through the bond raw, unstoppable. I step beside her, my wolf ready to shift, my voice low. “She’s more than you’ll ever be. Let the boy go, or we take you apart.”

Glynn’s smile fades, his eyes narrowing, but the red-eyed wolf moves, its growl low, unnatural. Glynn glances at it, a flicker of unease crossing his face, and I realize he doesn’t control it. My wolf snarls, sensing the shift, and I grab Talis’s hand, pulling her closer.

“Something’s wrong,” I murmured, my eyes on the rogue. “That wolf’s not his.”

Before she can respond, the red-eyed wolf lunges not at us, but at Glynn. Its jaws snap, grazing his arm, and he stumbles, cursing, his wolves scattering in confusion. The boy screams, and Talis moves, faster than I can stop her, her claws slashing the ropes binding him.

“Talis!” I roar, diving after her, my wolf tearing through my skin as I shift. Glynn’s wolves recover, two charging Talis, but I intercept one, my jaws crushing its shoulder. She grabs the boy, shoving him toward Regan, who pulls him to safety.

The red-eyed wolf turns on us now, its eyes glowing like embers, and I feel its power feral, unhinged, not bound by pack or alpha. Talis shifts beside me, her silver-blue fur gleaming, her alpha strength matching mine as we face it together. Our movements sync, the mate bond guiding us, and we circle the rogue, our growls harmonizing.

Glynn recovers, his own shift ripping through him, his dark fur matted with blood. “You can’t stop this!” he snarls, lunging at Talis.

I tackle him mid-air, our bodies crashing to the ground, claws and teeth tearing. Talis takes on the red-eyed wolf, her speed a blur, but its size dwarfs her, and I see her falter, her wound slowing her. My wolf roars, fear and rage driving me as I pin Glynn, my teeth at his throat.

“Dayne!” Talis’s cry cuts through, and I turn, seeing the red-eyed wolf’s claws rake her side, blood spraying. I abandon Glynn, charging the rogue, my jaws snapping at its flank. It turns on me, its strength overwhelming, but Talis is back, her claws slashing its eyes, forcing it to retreat.

Glynn’s gone, vanished into the trees, his wolves scattered. The red-eyed rogue howls, a sound that chills my blood, then bolts after him, leaving us panting, bloodied, in the clearing. Talis shifts back, her human form trembling, blood soaking her shirt, but her eyes are fierce, unbroken.

“You okay?” I ask, shifting back, my hands checking her wounds, the mate bond screaming with her pain.

She nods, her breath ragged. “The boy?”

“Safe,” Regan calls, holding the kid, who’s crying but unharmed.

I pull Talis close, my forehead against hers, the bond flaring with relief and need. “You scared the hell out of me,” I murmur, my voice rough.

She laughs, weak but defiant. “Good. Keeps you on your toes.”

The kitchen is a makeshift hospital, Regan bandaging the boy’s wrists while Luka cleans cuts on Jenna’s arm. Talis sits on the counter, her shirt torn, my hands working fast to wrap her wounds. Her skin is warm under my fingers, her pulse strong, and the mate bond hums, binding us closer with every touch.

“You shouldn’t have gone for the kid,” I say, my voice low, anger and fear mixing. “You could’ve died.”

Her silver-blue eyes meet mine, steady. “I couldn’t leave him. You know that.”

I do, and it’s why I’m falling for her, this fierce, stubborn alpha who’s more than I ever expected. “You’re gonna be the death of me,” I mutter, tying off the bandage.

She smirks, wincing. “You’re not getting rid of me that easy, Blackshaw.”

Luka steps in, his face grim. “Glynn got away. And that red-eyed wolf it’s not normal. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Talis’s hand tightens on mine, her voice sharp. “It turned on Glynn. Why?”

I shake my head, my gut twisting. “It’s feral, maybe worse. Glynn didn’t control it, and that’s bad news for all of us.”

Regan looks up, her voice quiet. “What about Savannah? Her son’s safe, but she’s still in the basement.”

Talis’s face hardens, but there’s a flicker of pity in her eyes. “She betrayed us, but she did it for her kid. We need to know what else she’s hiding.”

I nod, my wolf restless. “We will question her, but not tonight. We need to regroup, fortify the house.”

Talis slides off the counter, standing close, her scent calming my wolf. “We’re not done with Glynn,” she says, her voice alpha-strong. “He’ll come back.”

I meet her gaze, the bond flaring with our shared resolve. “And we’ll be ready. Together.”

But as the pack moves to secure the house, a low howl echoes in the distance not Glynn’s, but the red-eyed wolf’s, a sound that promises more blood. Talis’s hand finds mine, her touch grounding, but the truth hits hard: Glynn’s not our only enemy, and this rogue wolf, whatever it is, could destroy us all before we get to him.