17. August

17

August

The scent of blood still clung to us, and my wolf prowled restlessly, bristling with the memory of Finn’s taunts. I couldn’t get them out of my mind—they played on a loop, along with the memory of Elisabed shifting in front of us for the first time, feral and unrestrained.

She had acted on instinct, I reminded myself. Seeing Finn bleed had triggered something primal in her wolf, still too close to her heat to think rationally. We thought it would take longer to bring out her wolf, but it was the opposite. It happened too fast, and that caused unease to twist in my gut. She wasn’t supposed to lose control like that—not so quickly or completely.

The scent of violence we left behind would be a beacon for humans and wolves alike. I knew all too well the consequences that could bring. Finn may throw my past in my face like a weakness, but I would never let myself repeat the same mistakes. No one I loved would suffer from my consequences ever again.

It was only because Finn knew me so well that he could use that weakness against me. The cracks in our alliance were widening.

Finn’s recklessness. Marshall’s temper. My inability to keep us all in line. And Elisabed...my chest tightened at the thought of her.

She had looked so small in the aftermath of the fight compared to her ferocious wolf. Trembling but resolute, she stepped between Finn and me to calm the storm brewing between us. I could still feel the softness of her hand against my arm and the steadiness in her voice as she talked me down.

“What’s done is done,” she’d said. “We can’t afford to fight amongst ourselves, not now. Not with everything at stake.”

Her words had soothed the rage boiling under my skin and reminded me of what was important, but it wasn’t just her words. It was her.

She was burrowing under my defenses faster than I could stop her, weaving herself into spaces I’d long since closed off. I hadn’t meant for it to happen, hadn’t wanted it to happen, but there she was—soft, stubborn, and entirely too brave for her own good.

And I wanted her.

More than I should. More than was safe.

I glanced back, my eyes drawn to her like a moth to flame. She walked between Finn and Marshall, her steps measured but unsteady, as if the fight had drained her. Shifting was already tiring for the normal wolf—but for an omega who hadn’t shifted in years? She must feel exhausted. Her hair fell in loose waves around her face, her expression guarded but still fiercely determined.

I tore my gaze away, cursing myself for the thousandth time since this began. Wanting her was dangerous, not just for me but for her. She deserved more than this—more than being dragged into a war she didn’t start, more than being tied to alphas who couldn’t even keep their alliance intact.

But it didn’t matter what I wanted. Our people came first. The packs needed us united if we were going to stand a chance against the council.

The council.

The mere thought of them sent a fresh wave of anger surging through me. They had taken everything from us, twisting the natural order into something cruel and self-serving. We’d done their bidding for far too long, turning a blind eye to their corruption because it was easier than fighting back.

The council pact was created for the benefit of all wolves, not just power-hungry alphas, but that was no longer true.

No more. No more omega auctions, no more forced marriages, no more physical abuse to anyone considered a “lower rank.”

When the fortress settlement came into view, its stone walls rising against the fading light, a small sense of peace settled over me and replaced my anger. This was home—or as close to home as I’d had in years. Once Marshall, Finn, and I had realized we had a common goal, long before we formed our own bonds of camaraderie, we knew this would be the necessary first step. We took inspiration from the founding member of the council. They had to pool their resources together to end the violence of their time. It didn’t matter how complicated and tenuous those first few years of our alliance were, we pushed through because we knew we had to do the same.

The stronghold was a shared territory, an entire town hidden deep within the mountain valleys. It had taken months of negotiations to bring our three packs together, and even then, the alliances were tenuous at best.

But it was ours. A place where we could plan, regroup, and prepare for what was to come.

“We’re close,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence. “Let’s keep moving.”

Elisabed glanced up, her eyes meeting mine briefly before she nodded.

This was only the beginning. The council wouldn’t give up their power easily, and the road ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty.

But as I thought of Elisabed—her strength, her fire, the way she had looked at me with something achingly close to trust—I felt a flicker of hope.

Perhaps, just perhaps, we might stand a chance after all.