Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

Kael

I sprinted through the forest, my paws pounding the uneven ground, dodging roots and rocks. The air was cool and crisp, hinting at the rain building in the clouds overhead.

My mind was a whirlwind, torn between the life I once had and the magnetic pull that drew me toward Callista. I used to be free. No links. No responsibilities. I could run, hunt, and live without a second thought.

But in a way, I'd been deluding myself. As much as I sealed myself off from the rest of the shifter world, men like Destin and Bill still mattered to me. It made me vulnerable, and I didn't want more weakness. I already had enough of that to spare.

Then I saw hazel eyes, sparkling with curiosity. The way Callista's nose twitched when she was concentrating hard. She'd jumped in with that birth, not balking once at the blood and mess. On the one hand, she was everything my old life wasn't. Complicated. Chaotic. On the other? I felt my feet growing roots.

I couldn't have both. Just like I couldn't save both Callista and Destin. But the question was, who would I choose?

My wolf let out a low growl, and I collected the pieces of my situation together again as my lungs burned. Was there a way?

Maybe I could use the dagger. The thought slithered through my mind, dark and insidious. I knew its history, knew how it corrupted those who wielded it. Using the dagger to gain the upper hand would lead to nowhere good. It would demand more and more from me until I was lost to its power.

I shook my head, trying to dislodge the idea. No, that wasn't an option. There had to be something else. If Lana succeeded with the dagger, I could try to negotiate with the alphas, and convince them to let Destin go free.

But what would I offer them? My loyalty? No, they already had that on paper. They wouldn't be interested in a token gesture. If anything, they'd want more power, more influence. And I couldn't give them that. Not anymore.

The thought of trying to reason with them made my stomach churn. They were wolves, predators, and anyone who stood in their way was prey. They'd already shown they were willing to use any means necessary to get what they wanted, and I had no reason to believe they'd suddenly play fair.

But what if I could appeal to their sense of self-preservation? Could I convince them that keeping Destin alive and happy would be in their best interest? I could argue that a contented survivalist was more valuable than a resentful one. Not more valuable than a dead one.

I had no leverage.

The irony wasn't lost on me. I'd spent years distancing myself from Destin, building a life separate from everyone. Proving I could survive on my own. Now I was faced with the possibility of losing him for good.

But. We didn't know how the magic would work, how it would respond to Lana's offering. I hadn't promised the alphas power. I'd only promised them death.

That sent a shiver down my spine. The idea of slamming down that steel floor, of closing off my humanity like I always did to complete the task in front of me, felt like shackling my feet to the floor.

I'd felt too much these past days. How could I go back to feeling nothing?

I slowed as I neared a clearing, the gray sky making the river look like liquid silver. I paced forward and lowered my head, lapping up the ice-cold water.

I'd come here as a kid. Fished it with Bill. Being around him flooded my head with memories I thought I'd buried. Before Friday night, I was one thing. I was strength and reliability. A get-out-of-jail-free card for the people who hired me.

Now…

Was I a killer? Or was I that six-year-old boy shivering in the trees? Was I a young wolf trying to please whoever he could to make sure he wasn't left out in the cold again? Was I the arrogant asshole that didn't call Destin after he'd left three messages, or was I the man who flew across the world to come home and set him free?

Allowing my wolf to take the lead gave me too much time to think. I was a pressure cooker, with the image of those alphas sitting with their smug faces. A week ago, I didn't care what they wanted as long as Destin walked free.

Now, if I was going to kill anyone…

My muscles twitched, and I shook out my fur. I lowered my head for another drink and froze at the snap of a branch.

I held perfectly still as the wolf emerged from the treeline. She stepped out cautiously, her eyes scanning the area, her fur glinting in the moonlight. Her breath was a steady rhythm, her paws barely making a sound as they pressed into the soft earth of the stream bed.

The she-wolf's fur was a rich russet, her eyes a piercing amber. She moved with a fluid grace, each step deliberate and tense. She paced along the river, her gaze never wavering from the trees on the other side of the shore.

I took a step forward, my breath hitching as she paused. She turned her head, and our eyes locked. The world around us seemed to fade.

For a heartbeat, I forgot everything. The alphas, the dagger, Destin—none of it mattered. I could only focus on the wolf before me and the fire she ignited in my veins.