Chapter 9

Chapter

Nine

Evelyn

T he pull toward Rowan intensified with each step I took through the trees, my heart pounding furiously against my ribcage. I tried desperately to suppress the overwhelming attraction surging through my veins, to cage the awakening wolf inside me. Memories of Nathan and his suffocating desire for me to be his mate crashed over me in terrifying waves. I had hated every second of his attempts to claim me, to force a bond I didn't want. My wolf whimpered, cowering under the onslaught of traumatic flashes.

Then that familiar scent grounded me. Callista. Her unique aroma hung in the air, faint but unmistakable. My senses sharpened, the world around me falling away as I focused solely on tracking the trail. I inhaled deeply, allowing my heightened olfactory abilities to guide me, narrowing the source down to...Justin.

Fear sliced through me, cold and unrelenting. The last thing I wanted was for anyone in the Kitimat Pack to know I had returned, especially someone so close to Nathan. But I couldn't ignore this lead, not when it could bring me one step closer to finding Callista. My wolf stirred, her determination rising to match my own.

Memories of his unwavering loyalty to Nathan, his cold eyes watching me, judging me, flickered through my mind. My wolf snarled, hackles rising at the thought of confronting him. But I pushed down the fear, the instinct to run and hide, and instead followed the scent, weaving through the crowd with single-minded intensity. The trees blurred around me, faces and voices fading into an indistinct hum. My wolf pressed against my skin, yearning to break free, to hunt and chase until we had our answers. I could feel her strength flowing through my limbs, sharpening my focus to a razor's edge.

I missed this. That truth washed over me just as it had back in Callista's room. The second I'd let my wolf surface, my emotions had been overwhelming.

I dodged a tree, then slid to a halt as a hand gripped my arm, spinning me around to face him.

"Evelyn, what the hell are you doing?" Blake hissed, his green eyes flashing. "Did you see that Justin's right in front of you?"

I shook off his grip, my jaw clenching. " Her scent is on him. I have to talk to him, Blake. I need answers."

His gaze darted between me and Justin, a war raging behind his eyes. After a moment, he nodded, his expression hardening with resolve. "Okay. I'll distract him, get him away from the others." He took a step and looked back. "I don't like this."

With a final, meaningful look, he strode toward Justin, his shoulders squared and his head held high. He clapped a hand on Justin's back, steering him away from the group with a forced laugh and a murmured comment. Blake used to be Nathan's third. I hadn't even thought to ask him if he still held that position in the pack. I assumed since he was going behind Nathan's back to call me, there wasn't any chance. Now, seeing him and Justin chum around like old friends, I wasn't so sure.

I hung back, my heart pounding as I watched them, waiting for my moment. It didn't take long. Seconds after he passed into the shadow of the trees, Justin's head snapped up, his nostrils flaring. When his gaze locked with mine, a snarl ripped from his throat, his features twisting with rage. "You," he spat, shoving Blake aside and stalking toward me. "How dare you show your face here, after everything you've done?"

My wolf surged forward, a growl building in my chest. I fought to keep her contained, to maintain control as Justin's anger washed over me. "I'm not here to cause trouble," I said, my voice low and steady. "I just want to talk about Callista."

Justin barked a harsh laugh, his eyes glinting with malice. "You have no right to speak her name, traitor. You abandoned your pack, your alpha. Nathan should have?—"

A deep, menacing growl cut through the air, silencing Justin mid-sentence. Rowan stepped forward, his powerful frame vibrating with barely restrained fury. "Watch your tongue," he warned, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. "You will show respect to every wolf at this meeting, or you'll answer to me."

Justin's eyes widened, a flicker of fear passing over his face before it was replaced by a sneer. He straightened, squaring his shoulders as he faced Rowan. "The day I answer to you, Steele, is the day I lick my own human balls. This is between me and the traitor."

Rowan stepped closer, his body coiled with tension. Heat radiated off him, the raw power that simmered just beneath the surface. My wolf whined, torn between the desire to submit and the urge to stand her ground.

"Every wolf in the southern province is under Tori's protection until we break," Rowan growled, his eyes flashing golden. "I'm Tori's enforcer tonight. If you challenge Evelyn, you challenge me."

Evelyn. The way he said my name sent chills racing over my skin.

The air crackled with tension as they stared each other down, their wolves rising to the surface, their features sharpening, their muscles rippling beneath their skin. My own wolf paced restlessly, caught between the overwhelming pull toward Rowan and the instinct to diffuse the situation.

As Justin bared his teeth, I lunged forward. "Stop! Both of you." The last thing I wanted was to draw more attention to myself.

Rowan's gaze snapped to mine, his eyes blazing with an intensity that stole my breath. For a moment, I was lost in the depths of his stare, drowning in the primal need that pulsed between us. My skin tingled, my wolf whimpering with longing. Why the hell did I want to go to him? I hadn't seen him in seven years, and neither of us was a silly sixteen-year-old kid anymore.

With a shuddering breath, I tore my gaze away, focusing on Justin, still seething. "We're all here because we're concerned with the missing wolves, yes?" He didn't answer, so I pressed on. "I'm a tracker. You know this. Like I said before, I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm only here to see if I can help, and then I'll crawl back under my rock." If you can't beat ‘em, join ‘em.

Justin's lip curled, his eyes darting between me and Rowan. "I don't owe you anything. If you want answers, you'll have to go through Nathan. Good luck with that."

As an EMT, I had been trained to assess and treat injuries, to use my knowledge of the human body to heal and save lives. But now, as I pictured Justin's smug-ass face, I found myself imagining all the ways I could make him talk, all the pressure points and nerve clusters I could exploit to extract the information we needed.

I shook my head, disgusted with myself for even considering such tactics. I wouldn't stoop to Nathan's level, wouldn't resort to violence and cruelty to get what I wanted. There had to be another way, someone else who could help us fill in the blanks.

With a final, venomous glare, Justin spun on his heel and stalked away, leaving me trembling. I closed my eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill down my cheeks. I let out a shaky breath, my mind racing as I tried to piece together the fragments of information we had gathered. Justin's reaction only confirmed my suspicions—he knew something about Callista's disappearance.

"We need to talk to the Elders." My voice was steadier than I felt. Without meeting Rowan's eyes, I whirled, grabbed Blake's arm, and stalked back into the trees.