Chapter Thirteen

Willow

My head lolls against my shoulder. I snap upright.

Thank god the fire is still burning—Kane must’ve set it up right before I arrived. Without, I’d be in complete, icy darkness. It’s been over an hour since the sun went down. Maybe two.

Did Kane find something ? my inner omega frets. Is he gonna be okay?

A part of me entertains the idea of going after him. But then I remember his last command, his bark , and it retains enough power to keep me planted.

Still … if he is hurt, or if that leather-scented alpha got the best of him …

Stand up, Willow, I order myself. But not even my angriest inner voice can override Kane’s command.

Movement outside tears me from my thoughts. I grip the knife impossibly tighter, backing up against the wall.

Knock! Knock!

I can’t help the chirp that escapes my throat.

“ Omega! It’s me.”

Relief crashes over me. Kane. I go to stand, to unblock the door, only for my knees to cave in. The door groans, the dresser in front of it scraping against the floorboards, as Kane shoulders his way in.

“Christ, bunny.” He grunts. “You look like death.”

My inner omega lights up, overjoyed to see he’s okay. She tells me to reach out, let him hold me, scent me. Maybe Kane can hear her, as he stalks toward me, his pheromones sweetening, comforting—

“You’re ours now, princess.”

I freeze. Kane stops.

He looks down, marking the knife still clutched in my hands. There’s a beat of silence between us.

“That for me?” he monotones.

His face … those sharp, concerned eyes … it keeps blurring out of focus. Replaced by something, someone, I can’t ever un-see.

Slowly, he approaches, crouching in front of me. He gently pries the knife from my fingers and casts it aside. My whole body slackens, like I’ve just shrugged off a massive weight.

“The alpha,” I whisper hoarsely. “Were they …?”

“Gone.” He rises to grab a bit of cloth, dunking it in the water over the fire, before returning to me. “Lost him over the river.”

“Him?”

He cleans off my bloody palms, checking my face when I hiss. “Yeah. Recognized the scent.”

How is that possible? Kane’s been alone out here for years, and he hasn’t exactly made friends in that time. The odds of him identifying a familiar scent has to be pretty damn low. Unless …

“The other alpha,” I realize. “The one who chased you off your territory.”

His expression darkens. “He didn’t chase . We fought for it.”

“And you lost.” I feel sick again. “So why is he here?”

Kane shakes his head, cleaning me up some more. “I don’t know.” His pheromones thicken. “But I don’t like it.”

Not sure I can contain myself much longer, I glance at the bucket.

Kane follows my look. “You sick?”

I might blush, if I weren’t so queasy.

Finally, satisfied by the state of my hands, he lets me go. “You did the right thing, coming to get me.” For a second, his face softens. “I know I didn’t catch the bastard, but I swear, I’m not gonna let him near you.”

A part of me must believe him, my omega swept under his alpha’s spell, because I start to relax. Except …

“You said he was strong,” I recall. “Stronger than you.”

Kane growls. “You doubting me, omega?”

I bite my cheek. Harsh as he is, the confidence is oddly reassuring.

This time, he doesn’t hesitate before helping me stand. I lean on him all the way to bed, where he peels back the covers and pointedly averts his gaze as I strip down to my underdress.

“You gotta eat something,” he grumbles.

I shake my head. “Not hungry.”

“Not an option, bunny.”

I wish I had the energy to roll my eyes.

Unfortunately, the charred fish he brings me twenty minutes later doesn’t work wonders on my appetite. He forces me to choke back a couple bites, then leaves me to my tea.

My inner omega panics. Don’t go, alpha.

He says, “I’ll be at the fire. And, uh …” he scratches the back of his head. “I’m gonna stick around.”

I try not to show my relief, nodding blankly.

After he’s gone, I breathe deeply, drinking in his scent as it floats through the cabin. Sweet. Smoky. Like spice and embers.

I’m not safe. I know that.

But I’ll take what I can get.