Chapter 27

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

Rowan

E very crackle of a branch underfoot felt like the ticking of a clock counting down to the confrontation we were approaching. Evelyn's hand sought mine, her grip tight and grounding. Our footsteps were silent, barely whispering against the blanket of fallen leaves as we advanced toward the geothermal pools through the woods.

Nathan knows I'm here . Evelyn's words circled back to me. We had Justin, which meant Nathan had to know our plans. From the sounds of it, he'd welcomed them.

That sent ice slipping down my spine. There was so much we hadn't understood, and we still didn't have satisfactory answers. I worried we were walking straight into a trap.

I hadn't wanted Evelyn to come, but she refused to be left behind. Truthfully, I'd had no argument when she'd argued that Nathan might've wanted to separate us. I didn't have any answers, and that was eating me alive. The only thought I clung to was trusting my mate. If I was going to ask her to lead Black Lake with me, then that trust had to start now.

Above us, the moon rose, a massive orb casting an ethereal glow through the trees. Its light seemed to hum with power, coating everything in a silver sheen that made our already heightened senses sing. Energy coursed through me, a torrent of strength and raw dominance that surged to new heights knowing my mate was next to me. Possibly at risk.

Positions , I pushed to my pack, a chorus of affirmatives echoing back to me in a symphony of mental whispers. We moved separately but as one, shadows flitting between the redwoods. Each member knew their role. Tori and Mara rounded north. Jasper moved west and Lana east with their handful of wolves. I was with Evelyn on the south side. Everyone was on the lookout for scouts and Nathan's enforcers.

Blake had given us all the information he could, which meant we should get through their patrols without an altercation. All of it made me nervous. He'd offered to stay back with Justin, but that sent off warning bells in my head. Kitimat guarding Kitimat? After he'd given us intel? Hell, no. No matter how much Evelyn trusted him, and no matter how much motivation he had to betray his alpha, I wasn't leaving that much up to chance.

Liam, Finn, and two other enforcers from Black Lake were guarding Tori's. Jasper had the pleasure of babysitting Blake. If anything went wrong, I trusted my second.

Evelyn stayed close, her presence a constant flame at my side. The connection between us pulsed with every heartbeat, a tangible thing that had only deepened after last night. The memory of her next to me, the taste of her skin, the sound of her pleasure—it all lingered, fueling my need to shield her from whatever darkness we were about to face.

East flank ready, Lana's voice cut through the mental link, her position secure.

West in position , Jasper added.

North secure, Tori reported, her message only flowing through me. She wasn't linked to the rest of my pack, and if I was ever released as her regional second, I'd no longer have access to her communication. I was grateful for it now.

South is clear , I responded, my voice a low growl even in the mindscape. My eyes flickered to Evelyn, her gaze meeting mine. My own determination was mirrored there, along with a fierce courage that made pride swell within my chest.

We strike as one, I reminded them all, my alpha command reverberating through the pack bond.

The forest held its breath, the air thick with the scent of mulch and pine as we approached the edge of the trees.

"Rowan," Evelyn whispered beside me, her voice barely audible above the rustle of leaves. Her hand brushed against mine, a fleeting touch that sent a jolt of electricity up my arm. I nodded, tightening my grip on the mental reins of my wolf. It strained beneath the surface, eager to leap forth and claim its territory. But not yet. Control was crucial, and I'd been getting a hell of a lot of practice.

We edged forward, our steps careful and quiet despite the urgency pumping through our veins. Then we saw him—Nathan Black, his rugged form outlined by the ghostly light, his black hair and dark eyes almost blending into the dark tapestry of the night.

He smells like shit , Jasper sent through the bond. I almost snorted.

Body at his feet , Tori's thought flashed through the link, sharp and quick.

My gaze dropped, and there it was—a body slumped on the ground, ominously still. Rage and disgust flared within me, hot and demanding. This was not the way of the pack. We were guardians, protectors. What had led Nathan to this?

Evelyn's hand flew to her mouth.

Steady, I commanded through the link, my alpha authority wrapping around each pack member. Wait for my signal.

Every muscle coiled, ready to strike, but we needed answers first. Nathan was an arrogant asshole, but an outright executioner? I didn't cast it out of the realm of possibility, but I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to believe any shifter, especially an alpha, could turn on his own.

Is he alive? Evelyn's question was a whisper in my mind.

I moved closer, shifting to get a better view.

Then Nathan turned. The dagger in his right hand, though it looked different now. Dark on the blade.

And that's when I saw her. Long, dark curls splayed out around the figure on the ground. A slash of red blooming at her throat.

The flashes from Evelyn that had filtered through our bond replayed in my mind. Nathan standing over her. Nathan's hand bruising her arm. Nathan pushing her up against the wall and?—

The last threads of my control snapped, and though I'd given the order to wait just moments before, all I saw was red.