Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

LANDON

L andon's phone buzzed against the rough wood of the bar top, its vibration a stark contrast to the quiet hum of twilight settling over Copper Canyon. His hand moved with practiced ease, a lone wolf swift and silent in his response. The screen glowed with an incoming call from the café down the street, a beacon of mundane life that now heralded something amiss.

"Talk to me," Landon said, voice laced with a mix of irritation and concern as he registered the panic threading through the café owner's words on the line.

"It's Dakota," came the reply, breathless and edged with fear. "She went out back to take out the trash, and she hasn't come back. I stepped outside to check... your truck is still here, but she's gone, Landon."

The grip on his phone tightened, knuckles whitening. A chill crept up his spine, one not born from the evening breeze that blew secrets across the open plains. Something primal stirred within him, an instinctual warning that snarled of danger lurking in the shadows.

"Did anything happen today?" His question was clipped, each word sharp as flint striking steel.

"Only that her ex showed up earlier," the owner rushed on, voice trembling like aspen leaves in a storm. "He was trying to hassle her, saying things that made my blood run cold. But Dakota—she didn't cower. She flipped a plate of food right over his head, and the whole place cheered when he stormed out, covered in gravy and shame."

A growl rumbled in Landon's throat, an echo of the beast beneath his skin. The air around him seemed to thicken, charged with an electric current only he could feel. His connection to Dakota flickered like a flame in the wind; he sensed her defiance, her fierce spirit refusing to bend, even as uncertainty coiled around him like a serpent. She hadn’t realized her true nature long enough to fully understand how the bonding link worked.

The call ended with a click, leaving Landon alone with the gathering dusk. He pushed away from the bar, movements deliberate as he stalked towards the door. His shadow stretched long behind him, a dark sentinel cast by the last rays of sun bleeding into the horizon.

Outside, Landon's truck stood as a solitary sentinel amidst the gravel lot. The crisp evening air bore no trace of her scent, the earth withholding its secrets as if it, too, feared what might lurk beyond the safety of the light.

Time was a luxury he couldn't afford. The sense of the impending threat grew, wrapping around him like a shroud. He would find her, bring her back from whatever edge she teetered upon.

And heaven help whoever dared stand in his way.

Grabbing his spare set of keys from his front pocket, he jumped into his truck and sped out of town toward the ranch. His heart hammered against his ribcage as he sped down the highway, arriving at the ranch as the moon started to rise.

Arriving at one of the larger outbuildings, he slammed on the brakes, spewing gravel everywhere. The chopper squatted in the hangar like a dormant predator, its rotors still, begging for the chase. With deft movements born of countless hours spent navigating the skies, Landon prepared the craft for flight. The familiar scent of oil and metal filled his nostrils, a grounding presence amid the maelstrom of emotions that threatened to unseat his usual calm. He opened the door to the hangar and using the HeliTow cart, dragged the helicopter outside.

“Landon, what the hell?” Colt said, bolting out of the house.

“Dakota’s in danger. Her ex has taken her. I think they’re headed back to Cimarron Mesa.”

“You can’t go by yourself.”

“Can’t I? Get some of the men if you like, but I mean to end this tonight.” Landon jumped into the helicopter. “Stand clear,” he called before shutting the door and finishing his pre-flight check.

Moments later, the engine roared to life, a symphony of power that cut through the silence of the night. As the rotors began their hypnotic spin, the air around them shimmered with latent energy. Lifting off, Landon watched as the world below fell away and he ascended towards the heavens. The landscape morphed into a patchwork quilt of darker hues, an abstract painting only decipherable from this godlike vantage point.

He reached out to Dakota to see if he could feel her presence, feel her fear, and most importantly, he could get a sense of where they were headed.

‘Hang on, sweetheart. I’m coming.’

He couldn’t be sure if she could hear him from this distance, but if there was even a chance she could feel him coming, he waned her to know. The connection wasn’t strong enough to give him a specific location or even a lot of detail—having driven the same road recently, he recognized where they were headed almost immediately.

Landon set a course for Cimarron Mesa, tenacity etched in the hard lines of his jaw. The hum of the rotors melded with the pounding of his heart, a relentless cadence that propelled them forward, slicing through the darkened skies.

A silent invocation passed his lips, and he reached out along the supernatural link that tethered him to Dakota—a bond wrought from desire, necessity, and something far more ancient. The connection thrummed with her essence, pulsing with a rhythm that spoke of movement, of distance being conquered. Landon concentrated on the faint signal that beckoned him toward her. His senses expanded beyond the tangible, straining against the unseen threads of their entwined fates.

And though the night was quiet, the whisper of danger was ever-present, seeping into the cabin with the chill of foreboding. Landon Savage flew on, a lone avenger cloaked in shadow, racing against time to thwart an unknown fate.

The chopper's blades sliced through the night air as Landon descended upon the estate owned by Dakota’s grandfather like a predator drawn to the scent of turmoil. The moon hung low in the sky, a silent witness draped in a shroud of silver mist as the sun began to rise at his back. Below him, the canvas of land began to come to life in color.

Landon landed the helicopter with a controlled urgency, the skids kissing the ground as he leapt out, boots grinding on the displaced gravel as he ran towards the house. His senses, already heightened by the supernatural bond he shared with Dakota, were now razor-sharp, zeroing in on the scuffle he could tell was taking place inside the house.

"Let her go and walk away," he called out, his voice steady and commanding despite the chaos that clawed at his insides. It wasn't just an offer; it was a final warning, charged with the latent power of his lineage.

He could tell she had reached the end of her endurance and strength. If he’d done anything to truly harm her, or if Dakota wanted him dead, her ex would die.

"You were late coming home," Landon teased, lacing his tone with the wry humor he knew she enjoyed.

‘Focus, Landon,’ he heard her say down the bonding link, despite the pain he knew she had to be in.

Her ex, fueled by anger and entitlement, howled at the interruption — a grave mistake. Ignorance and arrogance blinding him to the danger that now faced him, he turned back to Dakota, intent on proving a point.

That single act triggered something primal within Landon. With a guttural growl, he summoned forth his inner wolf, its form growing in size and strength as Dakota's dire wolf DNA surged through its veins. The once calm mist now became a raging maelstrom of raw power and ferocity, and as it cleared, there stood a creature straight out of ancient legends. Eyes ablaze with primal fire, the man was no more, replaced by a beast fueled by instinct and untamed savagery.

The fight was brutal, savage and furious. Claws and teeth met flesh in a symphony of snarls and growls. Each move was instinctual yet precise, honed by years of navigating the untamed lands of Copper Canyon. Her ex fought with the desperation of a cornered animal, but he was no match for the raw power of Landon’s unleashed wolf.

Blood stained the floors and carpets and was splattered on the walls, a scarlet testament to the ferocity of their battle. As the end drew near, the ex's eyes widened with the dawning realization of his fatal error. With a final, decisive blow, Landon ended the threat once and for all, the life fading from the man's eyes as quickly as the first rays of dawn began to climb into the sky.

Silence reclaimed the home Dakota had known with her grandfather, broken only by the labored breath of the victor standing over his vanquished foe. In the aftermath, Landon's human consciousness returned. He shifted back, the magic of his being weaving him whole again, every cell remembering its place.

Dakota shifted and approached, her eyes reflecting a tumultuous storm of emotions. She reached out, her touch grounding him and pulling him back from the edge of his feral nature. They stood there, united by blood, spirit, and a love that had weathered the dark storms they had passed through to reach the dawn of their new beginning.

The faint light of dawn streaked the sky in hues of gold and crimson, painting the rugged landscape below with soft warmth. Landon tightened his grip on Dakota’s hand as they walked toward the helicopter, the rotors casting a faint, rhythmic shadow against the morning light. Her presence beside him was steady and sure, her wild spirit no longer a secret but a strength that had saved them both.

The first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon as Landon shrugged into a spare shirt from the copter, the scent of dawn mixing with the faint tang of fuel from the helicopter. Dakota zipped her jacket, her eyes catching the golden light, and gave him a small, knowing smile.

“I love you, you know,” he said simply.

“I know. Ready?” she asked, her voice laced with humor.

He grabbed her arm, turning her around and pulling her in. “Oh no, you don’t get away that easily.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing her body to melt into his. “I love you, too. Good enough?”

“That’ll do for a start,” he said, reaching up to brush a strand of hair from her face.

They climbed into the cockpit, the rotors slicing through the stillness as the helicopter lifted off. The ground fell away beneath them, the horizon glowing brighter with the promise of a new day. Beside him, Dakota rested her hand lightly on his as he gripped the controls firmly. Giving her his best smile, he flew the helicopter east to the wolves, chasing the sky and the promise of a new day and endless possibilities.

brYCE

Bryce Savage stood at the edge of the paddock, the early morning light painting the world in soft hues of gold. He watched a young colt tentatively step toward its mother, its leg wrapped in fresh bandages Bryce had carefully applied at dawn. There was a quiet satisfaction in moments like this, a reminder that even the smallest wounds could heal with enough patience and care.

The crisp air carried the familiar scents of the ranch—hay, damp earth, and the faint musk of the pack's territory beyond the rolling hills. Bryce ran a hand through his dark hair, his wolf stirring faintly beneath his skin. Something felt different today, though he couldn’t pinpoint why.

A soft growl caught his attention, and he turned toward the barn. A truck rattled up the gravel driveway, its tires scattering stones with an urgency that didn’t belong in the ranch’s usual rhythm. Bryce narrowed his eyes as the vehicle came to a stop, the engine cutting out abruptly.

The door opened, and she stepped out.

She looked like a shadow brought to life, her blonde hair a tangled veil that couldn’t hide the bruises along her cheekbone or the guarded look in her hazel eyes. The oversized flannel she wore swallowed her small frame, as though she were trying to disappear within it. But even from a distance, Bryce could feel the faint hum of something beneath the surface—something wild, restrained, and desperately afraid. Something that called to that part of him that was primal and feral. The wolf within. He could feel the buzzing in his head, and he was completely disoriented, even though he had grown up on this ranch and had stood in this same spot more times than he could count.

Her eyes met his, and Bryce felt it like a punch to the chest. Pain. Not his own, but hers, radiating off her in waves he couldn’t ignore.

The ranch foreman stepped out of the barn and waved her over, breaking the spell. Bryce watched as the woman—Sable, the foreman had called her—approached, her steps hesitant yet purposeful. Her hands gripped a battered duffel bag, knuckles white with tension.

Bryce forced himself to look away, but his wolf bristled, restless. It wasn’t just her pain he’d sensed. There was something else, something deeper, like a spark buried in the ash of a long-doused fire.

Ready for Bryce and Sable’s story? Click here for Alpha’s Vow.

She’s half wolf and wields fire. He’s the pack’s healer. Together, they ignite more than just sparks.

Bryce Savage, the youngest and most compassionate brother in the Savage werewolf pack, has a gift for healing wounded animals. On the family ranch, he spends his days tending to injured creatures, never expecting fate to deliver a broken heart in need of his care.

On the run from her abusive past, Sable Morse seeks refuge at Copper Canyon Ranch as an animal technician. She hides her half-wolf shifter heritage, believing her wolf is long dormant. But when she meets Bryce, he stirs something deep within her, a wolf she never thought she’d embrace and a longing she’s too afraid to trust.

Drawn together by undeniable chemistry, Bryce’s touch soothes more than Sable’s wounds; it begins to mend her shattered spirit. But when Sable reveals her dangerous secret, that she is the last of an ancient bloodline capable of controlling fire, Bryce vows to protect her at all costs.

Welcomed by the Savage pack, Sable begins to see her fiery gift as a strength instead of a curse. But her past refuses to stay buried. A relentless enemy closes in, determined to extinguish her life and the truth she holds.

Together, Bryce and Sable must confront her demons and the wildfire coursing through her veins. Can their love survive the flames? Or will the darkness threatening Sable consume them both?

Alpha’s Vow is a heart-pounding paranormal romance of healing, passion, and the unbreakable bond of a pack. Perfect for fans of alpha wolves and fierce heroines who discover their strength in love.