Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

THERON

“ A n alpha without a wolf is a body without a soul. The pack senses it, even if they can’t identify exactly what’s wrong with me.” I lean forward, locking eyes with Luke. “Last week was a prime example.”

His gaze flickers, then hardens. “Case closed. You handled it.”

I shake my head, knowing better. That enforcer’s eyes questioned my manhood, and I fought on ego and adrenaline. That won’t save me every time.

“Why are you and the golden child so hell-bent on keeping me as alpha?” I throw in a jab about his sister, watching for his reaction. Luke’s eyes narrow, but he doesn’t bite.

“Because I know how it’ll end if you step down,” he says, his voice low as he looks away. “There’s a reason why hierarchies are crucial among us. The pack will fall if you step back. Landon’s waiting for a crack, for us to splinter. I saw it happen with my dad’s old pack.”

I prop my injured leg on the desk, the yellowish-brown bruise stark against the dark wood. “It’s been a week. I’m not healing as a werewolf.”

Luke glances at the bruise, then back at me, his eyes hardening. “Titan will return. Until then, we keep our heads down. We’ve managed this long.” He pulls a device from his pocket and slides it across the desk. “Try not to break this one, okay? I’ll text you anything important from the pack link. We’ve got to stay one step ahead.”

As Luke turns to leave, I frown at the device before getting back to work.

By the time I get home, it’s late, but I find Vanessa in the living room, staring at the gardens outside with a soft, dreamy smile. There’s been a subtle shift in her demeanor over the past couple of weeks. She’s also finally stopped trying to have sex with me. I’d think it was suspicious if I wasn’t so relieved.

Her sudden, soft giggles make me realize she’s talking to someone over the mind-link. I force a smile, though it’s tinged with longing. I miss Titan’s presence almost as much as I miss Seren.

Dropping my keys in the bowl, I’m about to head to my room when she turns to me. “Hey! How did the Briar Ridge thing go? Did they sign off on the twenty percent, or are they still holding out for more?”

I nod in approval. Her interest in pack politics and business has always been top-notch. In another world, she might’ve been an alpha herself. “It went well. They’ve invited us over this weekend for a celebratory dinner. Their?—”

“I can’t go. I’ve already made plans.” Her phone buzzes, and she immediately starts scrolling, a wider smile on her lips now .

I raise an eyebrow. “It’s just dinner on Saturday. As the alpha and luna of this pack?—”

She doesn’t even look up, just continues tapping away. “Why don’t you just tell them you’re sick and make a big donation to one of their luna’s charities? Trust me, they’d appreciate that more.”

I’m taken aback, but she stays focused on her screen. “You really think they’d prefer my money to my presence?”

She must sense my hurt, because she briefly glances at me, then shrugs. “I’m sorry, but it’s not like you want to show up and highlight the fact that you’re the only alpha without a wolf, do you?”

I open my mouth, but I can’t find the words.

“What?” Her pitch goes higher. “It’s the truth. Get over it, Theron.”

Her words cut deeper than I’d like to admit.

I sit down on the armrest of the couch, running a hand through my hair. “Get over it?” I ask her, shaking my head. “There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t wish to just drop it and leave. Leave Blackwood, leave this town, leave everything. But I’m trying to do my best here, Vanessa.”

She snaps her phone shut and walks over to me. “Your best means nothing to me. These last twenty-three years you’ve lived your life the way you wanted. You’ve been selfish, mean, and immature. I, on the other hand, have worked on over-exceeding expectations. I thought once I was your luna it would get better. But here we are.”

I exhale and look away. Guilt about my past actions with Seren and current actions with Vanessa weigh on me all the time, but I feel stuck .

“I’ll still do everything I promised when I pledged to be luna, but I also need some moments of peace. I’ll go mad without them,” she says softly before walking out the door.

On Friday evening, I get home early and grab an ale from the fridge, eager to unwind after a long week. As I take a sip, I glance out the window and notice Vanessa loading an overnight bag into her car’s trunk. She’s playing upbeat music, and there’s a strange lightness around her, as if she’s been waiting for this moment all week.

True to her word, she doesn’t return for dinner on Saturday, and I travel alone.

The dinner at Briar Ridge is a drag. The much older alpha and his pregnant mate insist I stay until lunch the next day, and I begrudgingly agree. I need every alliance I can get.

I had hoped the break would be a chance to escape everything else, but seeing their evident affection only reignites a familiar pang of longing. Their brood of five pups grates on my nerves.

By the time I’m back on the road, I’m seething. I pull out my phone and begin scrolling through random reels just for distraction when a flash of a familiar face makes me freeze.

It’s an ad for a hotel, but the couple in the background is hard to look away from. Especially when one half of that couple is my mate—Seren. She has a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance in a sea of people, but my gaze is locked on her.

Her hair has grown down to her shoulders, her body is toned, and her eyes glow with excitement. She laughs as a strange man leads her onto the dancefloor and dips her, his arm tight around her waist.

The sight hits me like a punch to the stomach. Anger flares, but a deeper, gnawing fear settles in. What if I never see her again?

The hotel’s in NYC. The information that rogue gave me was correct after all.

I know I can’t wait any longer.

Two hours later, I’m pacing the sterile lounge at Mammoth Airport when my redeye flight to NYC is announced. Exhaling deeply, I grab my bag. I’m ready to plead, beg, and cry. I can humble myself. I’ll do anything to bring Seren back.

Just as I’m about to board, my phone rings. “The Warren Road office is on fire.” Luke’s frantic voice cuts through the noise in the background. “The fire department is on its way, but the two lower floors are already a loss. Ryan says it’s due to a short circuit late evening when the guard change happened.”

I’m shaking my head. There’s no way I’m changing my plans for this. “Listen, I?—”

Before I can continue, there are a few screams and growls on Luke’s end. He breathes heavily into the phone. “This was planned. Landon’s got his army here. You need to come back.”

The girl behind the counter looks at me and asks for my boarding pass, and I want to scream.

With my wolf gone, my connection to my pack isn’t strong, but these are my people. My parents are back there, too.

Fuck!

I shake my head and rush back.

The area surrounding the packhouse is utter chaos. Hundreds of wolves—both in their human and beast forms— clash in the dark. The ground is slick with blood and the air is thick with screams, grunts, and growls.

“How did they even get here?” I yell, pulling out my dagger and charging at a rogue. Once he’s down, I scan the battleground for Landon. His death will end the war.

I notice my father holding the fort in the middle of the action.

“Theron, we’re losing ground!” Luke’s voice cuts through the noise. His face is smeared with dirt and sweat as he fights off a rogue with his bare hands, his blade flashing in the darkness.

“I can see that!” I shout back, blocking a rogue’s swipe. “We need guns!”

“Jake’s handling that, but we’re swamped until he gets back! Vanessa’s on the front line with Phil. They’re holding them off, but we need to reinforce them!”

I glance to where Vanessa, in wolf form, tears through the rogues with ferocity. Her fur is stained with blood, a blur of silver and red. Phil fights at her side with equal intensity.

“Vanessa!” I call out, trying to reach her. The combatants make it nearly impossible.

A rogue’s claw slices the air, narrowly missing me. I realize I’m more a liability than an asset, but my presence boosts the pack’s morale. Maybe my death here would be a mercy—after I’ve killed Landon.

A loud whistle from the back of the packhouse draws my attention. Landon’s men are breaking through, heading for the safe zone where the women and kids are.

“Stop them before they get to the safe zone!” I scream, racing in that direction. Two enforcers and I manage to intercept the rogues, but five wolves are hard to stop. They kill one of my enforcers immediately. A sharp blow lands on my ribs, stealing my breath, and then another strikes my skull. My vision goes dark. Another blow, and I should be free. A loud growl snaps me back into the fight. Vanessa.

Three of my pack warriors charge in, flanking Vanessa. Together, they manage to overpower the attackers, but Vanessa sustains multiple stab wounds.

Shifting to her human form, she staggers, blood seeping through her skin as she stumbles away from me. Landon’s wolves lie on the ground.

Phil stands nearby, horrified. I throw my T-shirt to her.

“Vanessa!” Luke’s voice is choked with worry as he fends off a rogue closing in on his sister.

“I’m okay!” Vanessa’s voice is strained. “Get back, everyone!” she screams, continuing to fight in human form, her movements slower.

Gunfire erupts, bullets striking down several rogues. I focus on Vanessa.

“Phil!” I yell. “Get her back! We need to regroup!”

Phil nods, pulling Vanessa away from the front line. Her whole body trembles. He drags her behind a tree, her breathing ragged.

“Hold on, Vanessa,” Phil says, voice thick with emotion. “We’re getting you out of here.”

Vanessa’s gaze meets mine, eyes filled with pain and a desperate plea. I take her in my arms as her breathing labors.

“Theron...keep fighting. Don’t leave them, no matter what,” she whispers, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth .

I hold her tighter. “Stay with me, Vanessa. I need you to hold on.”

She shakes her head. “Go fight. I’m okay here.”

I return to the battle with a heavy heart. I see Landon and three of his top men falling back. Landon’s leg is shot. I grab a gun from a warrior and aim, hitting one of the rogues, but he escapes.

The battle stretches on. It’s dawn when I return to Vanessa’s side.

But I’m too late. She’s covered by a white sheet.

My heart loses the ability to beat. I sink to my knees. I couldn’t even protect my luna. She died protecting me instead.

My father lifts me, pulling me into his arms. “Address the pack, son. It’s your duty.”

I stand before the pack, my voice cracking with grief. “Your Luna Vanessa is gone. She died protecting us.” I scan the pack members, their eyes reflecting my grief.

“We honor her sacrifice,” I continue, my voice resolute despite the heaviness in my chest. “We mourn those who laid down their lives for us. The families of the deceased will be cared for, as is our duty.”

The pack falls silent, the weight of our losses heavy, and I realize I’ve been a failure in every way possible.