Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

KNOX

K nox stood by the window, his gaze tracing Ruby’s movement as she navigated the breakfast crowd. She was laughter and vibrancy wrapped in the guise of a woman who had seamlessly woven herself into the tapestry of his world. His clan embraced her with open arms, their acceptance a warm blanket, but Knox's eyes were clouded with a storm that brewed beneath the calm surface.

He knew he was watching her not just with the protectiveness of a leader or the curiosity of a man enthralled by a woman's allure, but also with the trepidation of a man who played a dangerous game. The rogue shifter from yesterday's encounter weighed heavily on his mind—a specter of a threat that had been subdued but not extinguished.

The early morning sun draped the clan's dining hall in hues of gold and amber, casting long shadows that danced upon the walls as the members gathered for breakfast. The scent of freshly baked bread and smoked bacon mingled in the air, a comforting blanket of familiarity over the palpable undercurrent of tension that had settled within the room since the recent attacks.

"Something is bothering you," Coco's voice sliced through his brooding thoughts, her tone light but perceptive.

Knox glanced at Ruby, ensuring her attention remained elsewhere before leaning closer to Coco. "I let the rogue go too easily," he confessed, the words tasting like bitter ash.

Coco shrugged, her nonchalance a stark contrast to the gravity of his concern. "Hindsight is twenty-twenty, Knox. We'll get ’em next time," she reassured him, though her eyes held a glint of steel.

Coco’s certainty was a balm to the raw edges of his doubt. Yet, as he watched Ruby once again, her vibrant presence a stark contrast to the gathering storm within him, Knox felt the inexorable pull of responsibility tighten its grip. There were choices to be made, actions to be taken. For her safety, for all of them, he would not falter again.

"Thanks, Coco," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that only she could hear. "I intend to make sure there won't be a next time."

As Coco nodded and slipped away, her confidence leaving a lingering trace in the air, Knox turned his back to the festivities. The warmth of the room seemed to recede as he stepped outside, the cool breath of the nascent day greeting him with a whisper of the challenges ahead. The scent of pine and earth mingled with the steely resolve settling in his chest. This time, he would unearth the truth, no matter the darkness he'd have to traverse.

He nodded, his jaw tightening. As the clan's alpha, the safety of his people was his responsibility—his burden. With a steely resolve, he made his way to where the morning patrol was sitting before heading out. He spoke to them, his voice low and commanding. "Any further rogue scouts or raiding parties, we take them on. No mercy this time. We only need one or two left alive. I'll coordinate with the sheriff for a holding facility."

The men nodded, the atmosphere charged with an unspoken vow of protection and retribution. The weight of command settled over Knox like a second skin, a mantle he bore with honor and relentlessness. He turned away, his eyes sweeping the room, looking for her.

"Your brooding could darken the brightest of mornings," a voice teased at his shoulder, and Knox turned to find the sheriff, grinning beside him.

"Observation is a leader's prerogative," Knox replied, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half-smile that didn't quite reach his stormy eyes.

"Observing or coveting?" Beck pressed, his eyebrow arched knowingly.

"Careful," Knox warned, the single word laced with both amusement and a hint of danger.

"Ah, but it's hard not to notice the way you watch her," Beck continued, undeterred. "Like a wolf guarding his territory...and perhaps something more personal?"

Knox’s jaw tightened imperceptibly, the simmering heat beneath his skin flaring at the mention of Ruby. He turned his attention back to the woman in question, watching as she threw her head back in laughter at something one of the clan elders said. The sound sent a jolt through him, tightening his chest with an emotion he couldn't—or wouldn’t—name.

"I am nothing like a wolf,” Knox teased. It was an old taunt between them. “Ruby has a strength about her," he admitted quietly, his voice roughened with a mixture of desire and respect. "She belongs here, with us. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I was out making the rounds, got hungry, and your place was closer than mine," Beckett laughed, clapping Knox on the shoulder before moving off to grab a plate and join Knox’s people.

As he turned toward Ruby, her vibrant energy seemed to pulse through the room, reaching out to him with invisible threads. He joined her, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. "I need to scout the perimeter, take care of some loose ends," he told her, his voice steady despite the fire that sparked within him at her proximity. "Stay inside until I get back."

Her eyes flashed with a rebellious spirit, her lips parting as if to challenge his decree. But in a moment of silent understanding, she pressed her lips together, nodding once, acquiescing to the gravity of the situation. Ruby stood on her tiptoes, brushing her lips against his before turning back to the others, laughing at another jest. Knox's mind spun with the knowledge of what lay ahead. The dangers outside these walls were closing in, and the need to protect his clan—and Ruby—tightened its grip around his heart. With every beat, his heart whispered a vow: he would stand between her and the danger he could feel in his bones was coming, no matter the cost.

Standing on the edge of the room, half-shadowed by the early morning light that streamed through the wide windows, his stance was rigid and his jaw tense. His thoughts drifted, unbidden, to the rogue shifter they had released into the wilds—a decision that now seemed hasty, even impulsive. Could there have been secrets the man knew? Insights into the looming threat and had Knox let him slip through his fingers like sand?

With a lingering look that spoke volumes more than words ever could, Knox left the warmth of his clan's embrace and headed for his office. Standing in the doorway, he turned and allowed himself another moment to observe Ruby. Her silken locks cascaded over her shoulders, a stark contrast to the soft cream of her blouse that clung to her curves in all the right places. As if sensing his gaze, she turned, locking eyes with him across the room. Time seemed to slow, the ambient noises fading into insignificance as their gazes held. The intensity between them crackled, an electric charge in the still air.

Knox strode into the dimly lit room where his men had gathered, the early morning light filtering through the windows casting elongated shadows across their faces. The air was thick with anticipation, every pair of eyes turning towards him as he took his place at the head of the table. His presence commanded silence, a silent storm brewing in the tense space between them.

"Listen up," Knox's voice cut through the stillness, "I let one of the rogues slip through my fingers, and that mistake falls on me and me alone." His gaze swept over them, finding nods of agreement among the sea of grim faces. "We can't afford any more slip-ups.”

Knox continued, the weight of command settling around him like a cloak. "We'll get to the bottom of this threat, by tooth and claw if necessary."

As the meeting dispersed, each man moving with purpose, Knox looked up to find Ruby standing in the doorway, her eyes fixed on him, a question lingering in their depths. He approached her, aware of the pulse that thrummed beneath his skin at her proximity. Her scent enveloped him—a mix of wildflowers and the faintest hint of danger.

"Ruby," he began, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Her chin lifted ever so slightly, a silent acknowledgment of his concern mingling with the frustration in her eyes. But she nodded, the unspoken words hanging heavy between them.

As Knox turned to leave, the image of Ruby standing in the shadow-dappled room imprinted itself on his mind. The desire to wrap her in his arms and shield her from the unseen threats clashed with the necessity of his departure. But duty called, mingled with the echo of Ruby's silent acquiescence intermingling with the tension that would not be quickly or easily resolved.

Knox and his men made their way through the dense underbrush in their shifted grizzly forms, their senses heightened and alert to every rustle in the verdant foliage. The earthy scent of the forest floor mingled with the sharp tang of pine as he led his group of men deeper into the territory where danger lurked unseen but palpably present.

The day wore on, a muted symphony of nature's whispers accompanying their stealthy advance. Shadows played tricks on their eyes, and the breeze carried murmurs of movements just beyond sight.

Suddenly, the tranquility was shattered. Two rogues emerged from behind a copse of trees, their intentions clear in their feral stances. With a roar that ripped through the serenity, Knox launched himself at the nearest adversary. Claws clashed against claws, a dance of dominance and survival unfolding amidst the snapping of fallen branches and crackling undergrowth.

His men engaged the second rogue, a ballet of brutality that left the second assailant wounded, blood seeping into the thirsty soil. Grunts and growls punctuated the air, a primal soundtrack to the struggle that ended with both intruders down. Knox’s adversary hadn’t fared much better. He lay still on the ground—unconscious but alive.

"Secure them," Knox commanded as soon as he shifted back to his human form, his voice a low growl that vibrated with authority. One look at the captives' defiant eyes, and he knew there were secrets cloaked in silence, answers hidden within their snarls.

"Whatever you're planning," he said, his gaze piercing through the haze of pain and hatred emanating from the wounded rogues, "it ends now."

As his men dragged the captives away, Knox shifted back and followed, his mind already sifting through interrogation methods. There would be no room for mercy until every shred of information was extracted. He would unravel their plans thread by thread, ensuring that whatever storm they intended to unleash would dissipate into nothingness before it could touch Ruby or his clan.