Chapter 30 – Shadows on the Horizon
Ryker's POV
The training grounds still hummed with the echoes of power. Kate's dual shift had left the warriors silent, their eyes darting between me and her, as though waiting for permission to breathe again. I caught her hand as we stepped away, my thumb brushing across her knuckles. The warmth of her skin anchored me, kept the Alpha in me from barking commands I wasn't ready to give yet.
She was mine—my mate, my Luna—and she had just shown a side of herself none of us expected. A wolf and a Lycan. My chest swelled with pride, but under it was a thread of unease. If she could do this… what else was buried in her blood?
The walk back through the heart of the Eclipse Pack was a blur of bowed heads and wide eyes. Where before whispers had followed Kate like burrs on cloth, now silence greeted her. Respect—or fear. I wasn't sure yet.
I squeezed her hand gently, a reminder she wasn't alone in this. Her lips curved in the faintest smile, but I caught the flicker of doubt in her eyes. She was still adjusting to the weight of what she carried.
By the time we reached the central hall, my beta Caden was already waiting, arms folded, his jaw tight. "Scouts have returned," he said without preamble. "The rogues are moving again."
I released Kate's hand reluctantly. Duty clawed at my shoulders. "Where?"
"North border," Caden answered. "Three separate sightings in less than a day. Too coordinated to be random."
My gut clenched. Rogues never moved like this unless someone pulled their strings. And if someone was…
I nodded toward the war room. "Gather the lieutenants. We meet in ten minutes."
Caden inclined his head, but his gaze flicked to Kate, then back to me, curiosity barely hidden. I silenced it with a look. Whatever questions he had could wait.
As he strode off, I turned back to Kate. She tilted her head, studying me with those striking green eyes. "Go," she said softly. "Your pack needs their Alpha."
Her voice carried no bitterness, only quiet strength. Goddess, how did I deserve her? I brushed my lips against her forehead. "Stay close. I'll send Lila to you."
She nodded, though her fingers lingered against mine a second longer before slipping away.
---
Kate's POV
Watching Ryker walk away was like watching the tide pull back before a storm. Command settled over his shoulders, reshaping him from the man who kissed me under moonlight into the Alpha King every wolf feared and respected.
I exhaled slowly, turning toward the pack house. Already, members were moving with purpose, some carrying supplies, others sharpening blades or checking armor. Children were ushered inside by their mothers, laughter fading into worried hushes.
But when their eyes fell on me, something new shimmered there. Not disdain. Not pity. Respect. A few even bowed. One young warrior woman grinned and waved before darting off.
Lila found me near the steps, her dark braid swinging as she approached. "You okay?" she asked, her tone brisk but her eyes softer than usual.
"I think so," I admitted. "Everything feels… different."
"Good different," she said firmly. "They saw you. Really saw you. That matters." She clapped my shoulder, a rare show of affection from her, then jerked her chin toward the forest edge. "Come. Better to move than sit still."
We walked the grounds together, greeting warriors and healers alike. For the first time, I wasn't invisible. I wasn't the wolfless girl lurking at the edges. I was Kate, the Alpha's mate, the woman who had shifted into two forms.
And yet, inside me, Lysandra stirred. Power unsettles as much as it inspires. Remember that.
Her voice rolled like silk in my mind, calm but edged. I kept my expression neutral, not wanting Lila to see me flinch at the sound. I wasn't used to sharing space with her yet, this wolf who was both me and something more.
By the time we circled back to the hall, warriors were assembling outside, murmurs rippling like restless waves. Ryker appeared at the front steps, dressed in dark leathers that hugged his powerful frame, his eyes sharp and steady.
Even before he spoke, silence fell. That was his power—command born not from fear, but from the certainty that he would bleed before he let them fall.
"My brothers and sisters," he began, voice carrying across the courtyard. "Our scouts confirm what we suspected. The rogues move with purpose. Someone organizes them. Someone seeks to test our strength." His gaze swept over the crowd, hard and unwavering. "They will not find us weak."
A cheer rose, loud and fierce. I felt it vibrate through me, through the bond that tethered me to him. His confidence poured into me like sunlight.
Then his eyes found mine in the crowd. Just for a heartbeat, the Alpha King was gone, and my mate was there instead. His silent promise wrapped around me, stronger than any walls.
---
Ryker's POV
I ended the assembly with orders—extra patrols, doubled scouts, healers on standby. The Eclipse Pack moved like a living organism, efficient and loyal. But my focus, even as I barked commands, never strayed far from Kate.
When the last warrior dispersed, I crossed the courtyard to her. Lila stepped back, giving us space.
"Too much too soon?" I asked, searching her face.
She shook her head, though her hand brushed her arm absently. "No. Just… heavy."
I slipped my arm around her waist, drawing her against me. "You don't carry it alone."
Her lips quirked, a small smile breaking through. "I know. But watching you command them…" She trailed off, eyes glinting. "It's like watching fire catch. Everyone follows, not because they have to, but because they believe."
Her words struck deeper than any praise I'd heard before. I bent, brushing my lips over hers, quick but lingering. "And they'll believe in you too. They already do."
Her eyes widened slightly, but before she could argue, Caden approached. "Borders are set. Scouts moving as ordered." His gaze flicked between us, unreadable. "But there's something else."
I stiffened. "What?"
He hesitated, lowering his voice. "One of the scouts found a rogue body. Killed… but not by us. Burned."
My blood chilled. Slowly, I looked at Kate. She paled, her hand tightening in mine.
"Show me," I ordered.
---
Kate's POV
As we followed Caden into the forest, my pulse pounded. Burned. The word clung to me like ash. Could it be me? Had I lost control during training? Or was there another hand at play, someone wielding fire like mine?
Ryker's grip on my hand was iron, steadying me as much as himself. His wolf prowled close to the surface—I could feel it through the bond, the restless growl of instinct.
When we reached the clearing, the smell hit first—charred flesh, acrid smoke that clung to the earth. The body was barely recognizable, blackened beyond natural flame.
I swallowed hard. This wasn't ordinary fire. It was something else. Something terrifying.
Lysandra stirred within me, sharper this time. Not ours, she whispered. But kin.
My breath hitched, though I didn't understand. Kin? What did she mean?
Ryker's arm came around me, pulling me close as his eyes blazed blue. "Whoever did this," he growled, voice low enough for only me to hear, "knows what you are."
The forest felt colder then, the shadows heavier. For the first time, I realized the truth that chilled me more than any threat of rogues.
Someone out there wasn't just attacking the Eclipse Pack.
They were hunting me.