Chapter 15

Chapter

Fifteen

THANE

I pace the common room, my boots wearing a path in the worn carpet. My mind races, replaying the scene we just stumbled upon over and over again.

Of all the places I expected to find Ivy, Wraith's room was not on the list. And yet, there she was, tangled up with him in a way that left no doubt about what had transpired between them.

The thought sends a strange jolt of jealousy, fear, and rage through me. And I don't know why. All I know is that my first instinct upon bursting into that room was to attack my brother.

I had feared the worst.

Feared he'd taken her by force .

He's never given me reason to think he would do something like that, but it didn't make sense. She isn't in heat. There are no external forces compelling her to override her better judgment.

And then Ivy told us to get the fuck out and stopped us all in our tracks. That was the moment I realized the truth of the situation.

It was consensual.

I rake a hand through my hair in frustration. I'm not sure what to make of this development. On one hand, Ivy is our pack omega, and she has every right to choose who she wants to be with.

On the other hand... it's Wraith .

My brother. The most unstable and dangerous member of our pack.

Gruesome memories of Wraith's past outbursts flashes through my mind. The times when his rage consumed him, when he lashed out indiscriminately at friend and foe alike. How many times have I had to physically restrain him, to talk him down from the edge of madness? Sometimes he doesn't even recognize me. His own brother.

He has no idea what he's doing with an omega. He could have torn her apart, even accidentally.

The protective instinct that's been growing since Ivy joined our pack has fully roared to life. I want to storm back to that room, to snatch her away from Wraith and keep her safe.

But I know I can't. I have no right.

And it's clearly not what Ivy wants.

The sound of a door opening draws my attention. I turn to see Ivy and Wraith emerging from the hallway. She's wearing one of Wraith's shirts, the fabric hanging off her small frame all the way to her knees like a dress. Her hair is mussed, her cheeks still flushed. There's a softness to her expression I've never seen before, a vulnerability that makes my chest ache.

Wraith hovers protectively near Ivy, his massive frame angled toward her as if drawn by an invisible force. He's watching us carefully, his blue eyes hardened shards of ice.

Guess I'm not the only one who came close to attacking.

I'm not the only one affected by the sight, either. Beside me, Whiskey lets out a low growl, his eyes fixed on Ivy with an intensity that makes me want to smack him upside the damn head. The sound seems to startle Ivy. She moves closer to Wraith, eyeing him warily .

"Down, boy," Plague mutters dryly, shooting Whiskey a warning look. The tension in the room ratchets up another notch, the air thick with simmering alpha aggression.

I clear my throat, pushing down my own conflicted emotions. "We need to talk," I say, my voice gruffer than I intend. The words hang in the air, heavy with implication. Glancing around, I notice we're one alpha short. "Where's Valek?"

Plague shrugs, his mask hiding whatever expression might be on his face. "On his way," he says, his tone carefully neutral. "Should be here any?—"

As if on cue, the door bursts open and Valek strides in. His eyes scan the room, taking in the tense atmosphere. "What is this?" he demands, his accent thicker than usual, a sure sign of his agitation.

Ivy shifts uncomfortably, tugging at the hem of Wraith's shirt. The movement draws my attention to her bare legs, and I have to force myself to look away.

"Is this really necessary?" she mumbles, not meeting anyone's eyes.

Valek opens his mouth to respond, but then he pauses. His nostrils flare, and suddenly he's moving, closing the distance between himself and Ivy in three long strides. He leans in, inhaling deeply, and I watch as his expression morphs from confusion to shock to rage.

" You ," he snarls, whirling on Wraith. "You fucking animal !"

Before any of us can react, Valek launches himself at Wraith. The two alphas collide with a thunderous crash, snarling like feral beasts. Valek's fist connects with Wraith's jaw through his mask, the impact echoing through the room. But Wraith barely flinches, his massive frame absorbing the blow as if it were nothing more than a love tap.

Wraith retaliates with frightening speed, his huge hand wrapping around Valek's throat. He lifts the other alpha off his feet with one arm, muscles bulging as he slams Valek into the nearest wall. The concrete crumbles under the force of the impact.

Valek gasps for air, clawing at Wraith's iron grip. His face turns red, then purple, but Wraith shows no signs of letting up. The raw power radiating from him is terrifying to behold. He's not just choking Valek, he's crushing him.

"Wraith, stop!" Ivy screams, her voice cutting through the chaos. "You'll kill him!"

For a split second, Wraith's grip loosens. It's all the opening Valek needs. He brings his knee up hard, catching Wraith in the stomach. The larger alpha grunts, stumbling back a step. Valek follows up with a flurry of punches, each one precise and brutal.

But it's like hitting a brick wall. Wraith takes each blow, his eyes blazing with fury. Then, with a roar that shakes the room, he charges forward. Valek tries to dodge, but he's not fast enough. Wraith's shoulder catches him in the chest, sending him flying across the room.

Valek crashes into a bookshelf, the wood splintering under the impact. Books, bullets, and beer bottles rain down around him as he struggles to his feet, spitting blood.

"That all you have, freak?" Valek taunts, his accent thick with rage.

Wraith's response is a guttural growl that sends chills down my spine. He lunges forward, his massive fist cocked back. Valek ducks at the last second and Wraith's punch goes straight through the concrete wall behind him.

The sound of concrete exploding and rebar bending is deafening. When Wraith pulls his hand back, there's a gaping crater in the wall and his knuckles are dripping blood. But he doesn't even seem to notice the injury .

Whiskey tackles Wraith from behind, wrapping his huge arms around Wraith's neck. My brother snarls and wraps his hand around Whiskey's forearm. In one impossibly swift motion, Wraith rips Whiskey off his back and slams him into the floor as if he weighs nothing. The air whooshes out of Whiskey's lungs with a wheeze.

Before Wraith can curbstomp Whiskey through the floor, Valek uses the moment of distraction to tackle Wraith, driving him back into the center of the room. They grapple, muscles straining, neither willing to give an inch. Furniture topples around them, reduced to kindling.

Ivy screams, trying to get between them, but I grab her and pull her back.

"Stop it!" she yells, struggling against my grip. "Leave him alone!"

"That's my favorite fucking couch!" Whiskey bellows, scrambling back to his feet. He charges Wraith like a damn bull and slams into his back from behind, knocking him off balance. I seize the opportunity to shove Wraith up against the wall. The only reason his fist doesn't cave my face in is because Whiskey pins him, too, but I know the two of us can't hold him back for long .

Then Ivy is there, her small hand on Wraith's arm.

"Wraith," she says softly, and to my utter shock, he stills. The fight drains out of him noticeably as he focuses on Ivy. The feral intensity in his gaze softens with every ragged breath whooshing through his mask.

I release my hold on Wraith, stepping back. So does Whiskey. All of us stare in disbelief at the scene before us. Even Valek, nursing a split lip and what looks like a dislocated shoulder, seems to have come to terms with what's happening, his anger giving way to a sort of grudging acceptance.

The room is in shambles. Furniture overturned, walls cracked, books and debris scattered everywhere. It's a stark testament to the raw power of an unhinged alpha. And yet, in the face of Ivy's gentle touch, that power seems to evaporate like mist in the sun.

"So this is a thing now?" Valek growls, breaking the tense silence. His voice is rough, laced with a mixture of disbelief and something that might be hurt. He's swaying slightly on his feet as if he's drunk, crimson blooming on the back of his head and matting his platinum hair. It stands out like blood on snow .

Ivy whirls on him, her eyes flashing with fury. "What, am I not allowed to choose who I'm with?" she demands, her tone pure fire and indignation.

Valek blinks, caught off guard by her vehemence. "No, it's not that ," he sputters, his usual smooth demeanor cracking. "But... him ?" He gestures at Wraith, incredulity written all over his face.

"Hey, the crazy ones are crazy in bed, too," Whiskey interjects, swiping the sweat off his brow with a rag that was probably part of the couch at one point. He winks at Ivy. "Ain't that right, little wildcat?"

His attempt at deescalation falls flat. Ivy bristles at Valek, her small frame practically vibrating with indignation. "What's wrong with him?" she asks defensively. Her hand finds Wraith's and his closes around hers, engulfing it.

Valek's eyes widen, and he lets out a bark of disbelieving laughter. "You really want me to go there?" he asks, his voice dripping with sarcasm even though he's slurring from what I'm pretty damn sure is a concussion. Then he turns to Wraith, his lip curling in a sneer. "Take off your mask and we can settle this right now."

Wraith flinches, his eyes flashing with pain.

Before I can say a word, Ivy growls, the sound startlingly fierce coming from her throat. She steps in front of Wraith, every inch a feral omega protecting her chosen mate. " Fuck. Off. "

The tension in the room is reaching a boiling point and I need to regain control before things spiral even further out of hand. "Valek, stop," I snap, stepping between them. I shoot my brother-in-arms a hard look. "Ivy is our pack omega. That includes Wraith. She's free to be with whomever she chooses."

I pause, glancing at my actual brother, who's eyeing me with a wariness I've never seen in his normally frigid gaze. It's not a wariness that suggests he thinks I can stop him. It's a wariness that suggests he's willing to fight me if I try.

"That said," I say slowly, "I do have concerns about… safety."

Ivy's eyes narrow, her chin jutting out defiantly. "I'm fine, aren't I?" she challenges. There's a steel in her voice that wasn't there before, a confidence that both impresses and worries me.

I sigh. This situation is spiraling out of control, and I'm not sure how to rein it in. On one hand, I want to respect Ivy's choices and autonomy. On the other, I can't ignore the very real danger Wraith poses even to his own pack members .

Let alone an omega a fraction of his size.

What if he loses control with Ivy?

What if she gets caught in the crossfire of his rage?

"Look," I start, trying to find the right words. "I understand that you?—"

But before I can finish, a shrill sound cuts through the air. The emergency sirens signaling an urgent mission. For a moment, we all freeze, staring at each other in stunned silence.

The wailing of the sirens immediately snaps us out of our personal bullshit, reminding us of our duties, of the world that exists beyond the walls of our compound. In a flash, the atmosphere in the room shifts from charged personal confrontation to professional readiness.

Plague is the first to move, already heading for the infirmary to grab his med kit. Whiskey and Valek are next, their aggression from just a few moments ago channeled into efficient preparation as they start strapping on their weapons. The familiar routine of gearing up for a mission seems to center us all.

But I can't help but notice Valek looks like he's going to puke, letting out a stream of Vrissian curses under his breath as he fumbles with his tactical belt, hands trembling uncharacteristically.

Maybe the fight with Wraith fucked him up more than he's letting on. God knows he sustains enough head injuries. Figures he'd be even more of an impossible asshole than usual because he isn't feeling good.

Plague seems to notice, too, the moment he comes out of the infirmary with his leather bag. His beaked mask turns sharply toward Valek, his eyes flicking over our brother in arms from behind his amber lenses.

"You alright?" Plague asks cautiously. "Your head's bleeding. Again."

"I'm fine, Doctor Princess," Valek grits out, angling himself away so Plague can't see the back of his head.

Plague ignores his new name as he circles around behind Valek, trying to get a better look at him. "Thane, I don't think he should go," our medic calls to me, glancing down at Valek's stumbling legs.

"You might have a point," I admit.

A growl rumbles in Valek's throat as his pale gaze locks on me. "I swear to fuck, if I don't go with you assholes because of your shitty mutant?— "

"Hey, bro, you started it," Whiskey chimes in, looking up as he shrugs into his military coat, wincing. I can tell he's sore from being slammed into the floor during the brawl. His normally overconfident swagger is muted for once. "You're being more of a dick than usual, and that's sayin' something. Bird brain's right, maybe you got somethin' knocked loose."

"As if you're not the biggest dick of them all," Valek snaps, spinning to face him and almost toppling over in the process. "Fucking big boy."

Okay, he really does have a concussion. That is not one of his better insults.

"I do have a big dick, thanks for noticing," Whiskey shoots back.

"You know that's not what I meant," Valek seethes, going toe-to-toe with him. Fortunately for us all, Whiskey just looks vaguely amused and another brawl doesn't kick off.

"You're crossing the line," I say firmly to Valek, getting between them even though Whiskey isn't escalating. Yet. I take a deep breath, trying not to lash out from sheer frustration. "Look, we need to start treating each other like family. That's what we are now—a family with an omega, not a dysfunctional pack that hates each other. "

Whiskey snorts, strapping on his tactical vest. "What, you don't hate your family?"

I grit my teeth. "That isn't the point. Cutting each other down isn't funny anymore, and it hasn't been funny for a long time. We need to have each other's backs. We?—"

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Whiskey groans, rolling his eyes. "If you wanna get all therapy bro on us, how about remembering we're alphas and talkin' shit is how we show affection? I didn't get offended by his stupid comment until you acted like I should."

"I have no affection for you," Valek scoffs.

Whiskey grins at him. "Love you, too, bro."

Valek's upper lip curls in the beginnings of an irritated snarl.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, exhaling slowly. We don't have time for this. We're under fucking alert. "Whiskey, that's not what I meant."

"Well, why's that the one thing that's off limits, then?" Whiskey challenges.

Plague folds his arms over his chest. "Yes, Thane, why is that?" he asks, clear amusement bleeding into his perpetually judgmental tone. He just enjoys stirring the pot even when it doesn't directly benefit him.

"It bothers Ivy when we insult each other," I say pointedly, hoping she'll side with me so we can end the conversation.

"I insult you guys more than anyone else," she says flatly.

Valek smirks menacingly. "Except her favorite, apparently."

Wraith blinks. Me ? he signs in clear bewilderment, his brow furrowed. Truthfully, judging from the way Ivy's acting, I wouldn't be surprised. Why am I so jealous?

"Not like anything else is off limits for shit talking," Whiskey goes on, ignoring the rest of us. He starts counting off his fingers. "Your girly hair and emotional constipation, Plague's germophobia, Valek's puttin' people in pies?—"

I frown, suddenly hyper-aware of the way my hair tickles the nape of my neck as I pull on my own coat. Not like I've had time to get it cut.

"That was an accident," Valek interjects, sounding offended.

Whiskey barrels on. "And Wraith?—"

A low growl from Ivy cuts him off. Whiskey holds up his hands defensively. "I ain't talkin' about his face, I'm talkin' about the fact he's a human blender." He turns back to Valek. " This fucker looks like a pod person wearing human skin with his freaky ass grin?—"

Valek's lips curl into that very grin Whiskey just described, picking up a dagger like he might stick it between Whiskey's eyes. "You've already covered me," he says dryly, sheathing the blade at his hip.

"My point is, bro," Whiskey continues, finishing strapping up his vest, "I don't need some twelve-pack ab monster being my knight in shining armor. Anyway, this is classic gladiator bod." He punctuates his statement by smacking his padded gut.

"It is," Ivy agrees, an unmistakable note of approval in her voice as her gaze flickers over the beefy alpha.

"I concur," Plague says in a strangely appreciative tone, his voice muffled behind his mask.

The room falls silent. All eyes turn to Plague, then to Whiskey. The color drains from Whiskey's face and his jaw hangs open as he stares blankly at Plague. "What the fuck are you talkin' about?" he finally mutters, looking away and rubbing the back of his neck, visibly uncomfortable for the first time in all the years I've known him.

Wait…

Is something going on between Whiskey and Plague ?

Fuck, I must be out of touch for not noticing it before. I thought they hated each other. Maybe that's part of the fun for them. Who the fuck knows anymore. What I do know is I don't need the mental images of my pack brothers going at it passing unbidden through my head.

Especially those two.

"Alright, enough of this bullshit," I mutter as the sirens continue to blare. "We have a job to do. Valek, you're staying here. You're in no condition to go on a mission."

Valek opens his mouth to protest, but I cut him off with a sharp gesture. "That's an order. Whiskey, you're in no shape to go anywhere, either. Not after that brawl."

Whiskey starts to bitch at me next, but I give him a look, too. A look that tells him to stay here and protect Ivy. There's no way in hell I'm leaving her alone here with Valek.

To his credit, Whiskey gives me a nod and doesn't push back.

"Plague. Wraith. Gear up," I bark, falling into the familiar role of commander. "We move out in five."

Wraith is still standing there, his eyes locked on Ivy. He's nothing if not intense as fuck, but the way he's looking at her is so different from what I'm used to seeing in his frigid gaze. There's an unfamiliar warmth there. A strange protectiveness, as if he's torn between his duty to the pack and being with her.

Ivy seems to sense his hesitation. She steps closer to him, her small hand coming to rest on his massive arm. "Go," she says softly, giving him a gentle push. Her voice is barely above a whisper, but in the sudden quiet following the initial blare of the sirens, it carries clearly. "I'll be here when you get back."

The tenderness, the soft smile on her lips…

Yeah. I am fucking jealous.

I push the feelings aside, focusing on the task at hand. There's no time for that shit right now. I can deal with my weird emotions about all this later.

For now, we have a job to do.

As I finish strapping on my gear, I catch Ivy's eye.

She's afraid.

It's a startling realization. Despite everything she's been through, despite the way she came to us, Ivy cares. She's worried about our safety, about whether we'll come back from this mission.

"We'll talk when we get back," I tell her, my voice softer than before. It's not a threat, but a promise. We need to address what's happened, to figure out how this changes our pack dynamic. But now is not the time.

And promising her a conversation might help her believe me when I say we're all going to be okay. Even if I have no fucking idea what's going on.

She nods, biting her lip. The gesture is so achingly vulnerable, so at odds with the fierce omega who was growling at Valek moments ago. "Be careful," she murmurs. "All of you."

I want to say more. Want to reassure her, to promise her that everything will be okay. But the sirens are still blaring, and duty calls. We have a mission to complete. Lives depending on our swift action.

With one last look at Ivy, I turn and head for the armory. Whatever this emergency is, whatever dangers we're about to face, it feels different this time. For the first time in years, I feel a flicker of apprehension. Maybe even fear.

Not because I'm afraid to die, but because I actually have something—some one —to fear leaving behind.

As I walk away, I can't help but glance back one last time. Ivy is still standing there, Wraith's oversized shirt hanging off her, her arms wrapped around her small frame. She looks so small, so vulnerable. Especially in comparison to the two alphas flanking her. Yet there's a strength in her stance, a fierceness in her eyes that speaks volumes.

In that moment, I realize that everything has changed. Our pack is no longer just a unit, a team assembled for missions. We're becoming something more.

Because now, for the first time…

We have a reason to come home.