I still ran beside them even as the sun went down.Alina’s seat was in the second row, on the driver’s side and I could feel her fighting the exhaustion that had wrapped itself around her.She would rather sleep sitting up before she leaned on someone else, and she would take her breaks an hour later than everyone else just so that no one would see any sign of weakness.Nolan’s heartbeat was steady now, even when he spoke, even when he signed off on a report one-handed.But not when he checked his mirror and met her eyes for a second through the glass. That was when it changed. One beat longer. One beat harder.My wolf slammed against my skull, his fury raging through me again.“He’s staring at what’s ours! I’ll take his eyes for it!” he roared.“Shut up,” I said, because the alternative was doing something we’d both enjoy in the moment but regret when our brains took over from the primal instinct.“I would regret nothing,” my wolf snarled.The gates came into view, and the guards lif
The instant her fingers touched the mark, it hit me.A searing heat snapped through the bond, sharp and sudden, ripping up my arm like the pain was mine. The bark of the tree that I was leaning on had cracked under my grip before I realized I’d tightened my hand.My wolf lunged in a mix of panic, fear, and desire to protect, all snarls and teeth snapping.“What are you waiting for?! Go to her! Now! We must protect and keep her safe!”I held my position, though, fighting against the rantings of my wolf. If I moved, the members of the unit would start asking questions. They would see their king where he did not belong, and Nolan would be forced to split his focus. She would look up and hand me her attention when she needed all of it on the ground.Below, Nolan barked her name harshly as she staggered back two steps, her hands trembling even as she regained her footing.She was stubborn. Always stubborn when she had no business being..The clearing pulsed around her as she pressed furth
With each step we took into the clearing, the atmosphere only seemed to get heavier.The others felt it too. Even the seasoned warriors shifted their weight, boots dragging a little longer on the ash than they normally would. It was like a sixth sense, our wolves knew something was very wrong, and they were letting us know it.Nolan lifted his hand. “We’re done here. Team two, sweep north. Everyone else, pull back.”You could physically see the relief sweep over everyone. Formerly tense shoulders were now a little more relaxed, and the appreciative murmurs of “Finally” and “Thank the Goddess,” that were muttered hastily under people’s breaths.But I didn’t move to follow the others; instead, I planted my feet as a small frown settled over my face.“Wait,” I called softly, and suddenly every head turned towards me.The warriors frowned. One of them, I didn’t bother to remember which, snorted loudly. “Jesus, the omega wants to die out here.”Nolan’s eyes snapped to him sharply, silenc
From the ridge, I could see all of them working. The unit moved in careful arcs, spreading the tape carefully around points of interest, flagging the perimeter, and marking the ash in places that needed further investigation.. Nolan was at her shoulder, as if the position had always been his.He gave her tasks, she obeyed him, and then, he praised her in his own way.I watched her face shift when he told her "Well done," or "Good,". Even when he nodded with satisfaction at something she had done well, she responded. Not by much, just the smallest lift in her chest and shoulders, and the flash of pride she tried to hide. Her movements were too soft...too vulnerable...and she was too quick to give those reactions to him.“Good,” Nolan said again.My hand curled into a fist against the bark as I watched them together.“Ours,” my wolf snarled furiously in my head. “She is not his to praise.”“He's training her,” I bit back. “That’s his role that we assigned him.”“No. We should be teach
The first step into the clearing made my skin crawl.The ground suddenly went black under my boots, with ash crunching as soft as sugar. The air pressed in even heavier here, like we were walking underwater, and the taste of it was wrong on my tongue, as though something sweet was rotting under it.“Secure the perimeter first,” Nolan said. grimly as he raised his hand, glancing back at us. “I want two on the line, two on the rear. I want the trainees with me, no one moves on their own. Not here.”We spread out carefully. My feet wanted to pause at the edge of the blackened ground, but Nolan kept walking like it was just another patch of dirt. He crouched and ran his hand over the air above the black crust, and straightened again without touching it directly.“Alright,” he said, turning to the group. “Talk to me. What do you see?”“Looks like the ground’s been cooked deep,” Denny said first, shielding his eyes. “It still feels like it's giving off heat.”Dima pointed at the trees. “Tr
The convoy rolled out before sunrise. Two trucks in front, one behind, Nolan in the lead with a map balanced on his knee. I sat second row, gear strapped to my chest, staff across my lap, heartbeat loud enough to count.“Right, final checks,” Nolan said over comms. “Comms live. Blades secured, water topped. If your boots rub, fix them now. I won’t have infected blisters slowing us down.”Clicks filled my ear. “Yes.” “Copy.” “Ready.”It still felt unreal that I’d even been included. Nolan had pushed me hard these past weeks, not just reshaping my body but my head too. And now here I was, not watching from the sidelines.We cleared the capital’s last gate and headed north in silence. The veterans didn’t care, half-dozing, their heads knocking against the seats, but the trainees were different. You could feel the nerves humming off us. Mine worst of all. I couldn’t shake the fear of failing him. After everything Nolan had poured into me, I refused to be the one who dragged us down.An ho