All Chapters of The Bane And The Alpha Beast: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

 EliraWallace shifted back before my eyes, all muscle and gritted teeth, his gray fur vanishing into tan skin, blood streaking his chest and thighs. He didn’t flinch at the cold or the exposure—just grunted, stepped forward, and grabbed Ronan under the arms.“Get the door,” he growled, voice rough with exertion.I ran ahead, shifting back into my human form mid-stride. Snow burned my bare feet, but I didn’t care. I threw the cabin door open and held it wide as Wallace dragged Ronan’s unconscious, bleeding body up the steps and across the threshold. I grabbed the satchel that I had dropped by the door and followed them inside. He laid him down in front of the hearth like a fallen god. Blood still seeped through his wounds, sluggish but constant. My heart hammered.I quickly moved to the other room to put the set of clothes on that Lydia had given me earlier in the day. “Thank the goddess,” I

EliraRonan didn’t move.But I still watched him like he might. Like at any second his eyes would crack open and pin me to the floor, full of some unreadable storm I’d have to weather all over again.The silence settled thick around me once Wallace left. The cabin creaked softly as the wind outside stirred the walls, and the fire crackled, chasing shadows up the stone hearth. I hadn’t realized how safe Wallace’s presence had made me feel until it was gone. Now, it was just me. Me and a man who’d almost died. Me and a heartbeat I wasn’t sure I could live without if it stopped.I rose and walked to the door, slipping the iron latch back into place, then double-checking the windows. Everything was secure. I even gave the rifle beside the hearth a nervous glance—still loaded, still ready. Just in case.The salve had done its part, but infection could still creep in. The rogue venom Wallace warned me about might still linger, and no one knew how long Ronan would sleep. My wolf kept pacing

EliraI flung the door open so fast the latch nearly tore off.Wallace and Brad stumbled inside, boots thudding on the wooden floor. Snow clung to their shoulders, breath fogging the air. Wallace’s jaw was tight. Brad’s eyes still burned like wildfire.“Are you both okay?” I asked, stepping back so they could pass.“Fine,” Wallace grunted, shutting the door hard behind him and bolting it tight. “They weren’t expecting gunfire. Spooked easy.”Brad huffed, dragging a hand through his hair. “Retreated like rats. But they’ll be back. That wasn’t a full attack. Just a scout party.”Wallace turned toward me, eyes sharper now. “They know where you are, Elira. That changes things.”“I figured,” I said quietly. “It’s not like I’m hard to find.”“No,” he agreed, stripping off his coat. “Your scent is like a damn beacon. I should’ve thought of it sooner.”I sighed. “My… scent, it’s always the problem.”He nodded. “That curse of yours. It doesn’t just affect wolves on instinct—it lingers. Stronge

EliraI didn’t realize how cold I was until we stepped back inside and the heat wrapped around me like a wool blanket. My cheeks stung from the sudden warmth, fingers aching as the blood rushed back in.Wallace shook the snow from his shoulders and kicked the door closed behind him. “Practice holding your scent mask,” he said, voice low but certain. “Keep it on at all times if you can—not just for your protection, but for anyone you care about.”I nodded, flexing my hands as I walked toward the hearth. “You think I’ll be able to?”“At the rate you’re picking it up?” He gave a small laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. “I’d be shocked if it took you more than a few days to master it completely. You’ve got that natural rhythm—like your wolf always knew how to do it. You just needed to listen.”My chest tightened at the praise, but I didn’t argue. For once, I didn’t want to.Brad was still out cold, stretched on the cot in the other room like a man who hadn’t slept in weeks. Wallace gla

RonanI woke up groaning.Everything hurt. My back was one giant knot of tension, my hips ached like I’d been slammed against stone—which made sense, considering I was flat on the godsdamned floor. Cold wood beneath me. Fire gone out. The scent of old blood, rabbit fur, and—Elira.My eyes cracked open to gray morning light seeping through the window. I blinked, then winced, propping myself on my elbow. Something felt off. Wrong. My limbs were heavier, my hands too large, my nails sharp. One glance down confirmed it—I was half-shifted, body a twisted hybrid of fur and skin, bone and claw.I closed my eyes and exhaled, forcing the shift back. Muscles snapped and reshaped. Bones popped. Pain sang down my spine as the last of the beast bled off me, leaving me fully human. And completely naked.I stood slowly, limbs stiff, still disoriented by the hollow fog in my brain. Why was I on the floor? Why wasn’t I in bed? And more importantly—where the hell was she? The cabin was quiet. Too qui