Dayne's POV
The scent of Talis's fear and defiance lingers in my truck, a potent mix that makes my wolf pace, eager to claim her again. She's sitting beside me, her small frame rigid, her brown eyes flashing with anger she doesn't know how to wield. I grip the steering wheel, fighting the urge to pull her across the seat and taste that fire, knowing it'll only push her further away.
We're bumping along the dirt road toward the Blackshaw farmhouse, the headlights cutting through the Colorado night. Talis's neck, still red from my bite, draws my eye, the mate bond pulsing like a heartbeat.
She's my stepsister, a forbidden tie from our packs' alliance years ago, and now my mates complication I didn't ask for but can't resist. Her scent, wild and untamed, tells me she's more than the submissive she believes herself to be, and I'm determined to break that lie Glynn burned into her.
"You're staring," Talis snaps, her voice sharp, cutting through the rock song blaring from the radio.
I smirk, not taking my eyes off the road. "You're worth staring at."
Her cheeks flush, but she crosses her arms, defiance in every line of her body. "Don't play games, Dayne. What was that wolf in the woods?"
My jaw tightens. She's too perceptive, catching the scent of trouble I hoped to keep buried. That wolf wasn't one of ours, and its timing, right after our mating, reeks of Glynn's scheming. I've known for years Talis was no submissiveher wolf's strength screamed it when I first saw her, broken but unbowed, five years ago. Glynn's lies caged her, and I'll be damned if I let him near her again.
"Answer me," she presses, leaning closer, her scent flooding my senses.
I pull the truck into the farmhouse driveway, the gravel crunching under the tires. "It's pack business. You'll know when you need to."
Her eyes narrow, and I see itthe spark of an alpha she doesn't acknowledge. "I'm not some pawn you can move around, Blackshaw."
My wolf growls, liking her challenge too much. I kill the engine and turn to her, my voice low. "You're my mate, Talis. That makes you part of this pack, whether you like it or not."
She scoffs, shoving the door open and jumping out. I'm out in a flash, rounding the truck to block her path. She tries to sidestep me, but I grab her wrist, pulling her close. Her pulse races under my fingers, and her eyes, flashing silverblue, betray the wolf she's hiding.
"Let go," she hisses, but her body leans into mine, the mate bond betraying her anger.
"Not until you understand," I say, my voice rough. "You can't run from this. From me."
Her lips part, and for a moment, I think she'll argue. Instead, she yanks free and storms toward the farmhouse, her hair a dark curtain shielding her face. I let her go, knowing she needs space, but my wolf snarls, wanting to chase.
Inside, the kitchen is alive with the pack's energy, the smell of coffee and bacon lingering from dinner. Luka, my beta, is at the counter, joking with Regan, who's flipping pancakes for a latenight snack. Talis stands by the fridge, her arms crossed, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. The pack's eyes flicker to her, curious but wary, sensing the tension from the ceremony.
I lean against the doorway, watching her. She's out of place, a wild thing caged by her own doubts, but her presence pulls at me, demanding I protect her, claim her, break her open until she sees her own strength.
"Luka," I call, my voice cutting through the chatter. "Outside. Now."
He nods, setting down his mug, and follows me to the porch. Talis's eyes track us, sharp and suspicious, but she doesn't move. Good. She needs to stay put until I figure out what that wolf was doing on our land.
On the porch, the night air is cool, the forest whispering secrets. Luka's face is serious, his warm brown eyes scanning the trees. "That wolf wasn't one of ours," he says, keeping his voice low.
"I know," I reply, my fists clenching. "It's got Glynn's stink all over it."
Luka frowns. "You think he's coming for her?"
I nod, my wolf growling at the thought of Glynn near Talis. "He's not getting her back. She's mine."
Luka raises an eyebrow, a hint of a grin. "Possessive already, huh? Thought you didn't want a mate."
I glare at him, but he's not wrong. I didn't want thisdidn't want the complication of a forbidden bond with my stepsister, or the age gap that makes me feel like a bastard for wanting her. But Talis is different, her fire calling to the part of me I buried after I killed my family, after my alpha went mad and I had to end him.
"Keep an eye on her," I say, ignoring his jab. "And double the patrols. That wolf's not working alone."
Luka nods, heading back inside, but before I follow, a figure steps out of the shadows. Savannah. Her blonde hair catches the moonlight, and her confident stride sets my nerves on edge. She's been gone too long, and her timing, right after that wolf's appearance, is no coincidence.
"Dayne," she says, her voice smooth, too familiar. "We need to talk about Talis."
My wolf snarls, sensing a threat I can't name. "What about her?"
Savannah steps closer, her eyes searching mine. "She's not what you think. Glynn's been hiding something big, and I found proof in the cabin."
My blood runs cold. "What proof?"
She hesitates, then pulls a folded paper from her pocket. I snatch it, my eyes scanning the scrawled wordsa letter from Glynn, detailing Talis's true lineage. She's not just an alpha; she's the daughter of the strongest alpha pair in decades, killed by hunters to weaken our kind. Glynn suppressed her to control her power, and now he's coming to claim it.
I crumple the paper, fury surging. Talis isn't just my mateshe's a weapon, and Glynn's playing a dangerous game. Savannah's hand brushes my arm, too intimate, and I step back, my wolf roaring at the betrayal of her touch.
"Keep your distance," I growl, my voice ice. "This changes nothing."
Savannah's smile falters, but she nods, retreating. As I head back to the kitchen, Talis's eyes meet mine, her suspicion sharp enough to cut. She saw Savannah's touch, and the mate bond burns with her jealousy. The wolf in the woods, Glynn's plan, and now Savannah's revelationit's all closing in, and Talis is at the center of a storm I can't control.