Chapter 30
DASKA
We had broken camp early that morning and the terrain had been changing for hours, the hard stone of pack territory giving way to softer earth and scattered pine.
I kept my pace steady, my eyes moving constantly between the path ahead and Ellie beside me.
She was quiet, and when I focused on our bond, I could feel her emotions warring inside her.
Fear of what lay ahead. Grief for what she had left behind, and underneath all of that, an intense warmth of the love she felt for me and the happiness she felt that I was coming with her.
I understood her completely. I felt it all too.
Some way back behind us, Dev moved with careful steps, Megan following on behind with Nathan.
With the scanner not completely fixed yet, I was the only one that could lead them in the right direction, and I knew that rankled.
None of them spoke. The only sounds were our footfalls, the whisper of wind through branches, and the distant call of a hawk somewhere overhead.
I suddenly missed my hunting party. Torin, and Jarak and Miska, and Fen.
Rivik. The jesting and chatter, the banter.
An ache filled my chest, but I shoved it down.
I knew Ellie would understand my sadness at losing my pack, but I didn't want her doubting that I wanted, no, needed to be with her, whatever that cost me.
I glanced at Ellie again. She must have sensed it because she glanced over at me, and I felt the sudden burst of sadness through the bond.
“Hey,” I said, taking her hand. “What’s wrong?”
“I just… I can’t help thinking… you gave up everything for me. What if I’m not worth it?"
I smiled across at her. “You are worth everything to me, Ellie. I don't regret it. Not for a second."
She searched my face, her eyes bright and uncertain. Through the bond, I felt confusion tangling with gratitude, and beneath it all, guilt she couldn't quite name. She thought she'd stolen something from me. Taken my home, my pack, my future.
She didn't understand yet.
"Daska," she whispered. "Your pack—"
"Will be fine without me." I squeezed her hand. "They have Rivik. They have each other. And I have you."
"But you—"
"I chose this." My voice came out rougher than I intended, and I had to stop, had to breathe through the sudden tightness in my chest. "Whichever path you chose, Ellie, mine was always going to lead away from the pack. I knew that the moment I agreed to be your mate. I knew what it would cost, and I chose it anyway. It wasn’t a hard decision. "
She shook her head, and I pulled her into my arms, looking down at her.
"You are my home now," I said quietly. "Wherever you go, that's where I belong."
Her breath caught, and this time the tears did come, sliding silently down her cheeks. I reached out and brushed them away with my thumb, my heart aching at the sight of them.
"I didn't ask you to do that," she whispered.
"I know." I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her and holding her tight. "You didn't have to. You’ll never have to ask."
She buried her face against my chest, her hands fisting in my shirt, and through the bond I felt everything she couldn't say. Gratitude and grief and a desperate, terrified hope that maybe, just maybe, we could make this work.
I held her until her breathing steadied, until the trembling stopped, until the bond settled into something warm and sure between us. When she finally pulled back, her eyes were red but dry, and her smile was small but real.
"Good?"
"Good." She nodded, more firmly this time. "Let's go, before the others catch us up and see me carrying on like this."
We walked for another hour before I heard it. Another large animal was nearby, I was sure of it. A prickle of awareness that crawled up my spine and set every instinct I had screaming.
I stopped abruptly, my hand shooting out to catch Ellie's arm.
"What—" she started, but I shook my head, cutting her off.
Behind us, Dev tensed. "What is it?"
I didn't answer. I was already scanning the treeline, my eyes moving over every shadow, every flicker of movement. The forest had gone too quiet. No birds. No insects. Just the wind and the distant rustle of something moving through the underbrush.
Something big.
"Stay behind me," I said quietly.
"Daska?"
"Behind me. Now."
Ellie moved without argument, her hand finding the back of my shirt. Through the bond, I felt her fear spike, sharp and cold, but she stayed silent. Trusted me.
Nathan moved to my side, his eyes darting between the trees. "What the hell is out there?"
Ellie didn’t bother to translate. His meaning was obvious.
I didn't know. Couldn't tell yet. But the scent was… familiar.
The underbrush rustled again, closer this time, and I shifted my weight, ready to fight or run depending on what came through those trees.
Then he stepped into view.
Rivik.
I blinked. What was he doing here?
Behind me, Ellie gasped. Through the bond, I felt her shock, and then something else. Something that made the bond between us fizz and expand, warmth flooding through her chest like sunlight breaking through clouds.
The mate bond. His bond.
I smiled, despite myself.
"Rivik?" Ellie's voice was barely a whisper.
He stood at the edge of the clearing, his pack slung over one shoulder, his eyes moving from me to Ellie and back again. He looked tired, but his expression was neutral.
"I'm coming with you," he said simply.
Nathan poked Ellie and snapped something.
Ellie replied, clearly explaining Rivik’s presence.
I didn’t recognise the words Nathan was saying now, but the tone told me he wasn’t overjoyed to see the alpha who’d humiliated him in front of his pack.
I grinned, and so did Rivik, clearly catching the joke.
"What about Hanging Rock?"
"Ryke is alpha now." Rivik said. "The pack is his to lead."
"You just—" I stopped, shaking my head and trying to process what I was hearing. "You walked away?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
His eyes flicked to Ellie for just a second. It was barely a glance, but it was enough. Enough for me to see the truth written all over his face.
Because of her.
Through the bond, I felt Ellie's confusion deepen, tangled with something that felt dangerously close to hope. She didn't understand. Didn't know what he was really offering, or what it cost him to stand here in front of us and admit he'd given up everything.
“They needed an alpha who could lead them, protect them, fight for them. I didn’t feel I would be the best choice for that honour from now on,” he said carefully.
I understood. When Ellie had told me that she had no choice but to leave with Nathan and the others, I had faced the idea of letting her walk away.
I had spent an entire night feeling pain I never wanted to encounter again.
The thought of living like that for the rest of my life was unthinkable.
I had seen wolves lose their fated mates.
They faded away, or they ended their own suffering rather than live with it.
"I need to talk to you," I said quietly. "Alone."
Rivik nodded once.
I turned to Ellie, cupping her face briefly. "Stay with Dev. I'll be right back."
She caught my wrist, her eyes searching mine.
"Trust me."
Through the bond, I felt her hesitation, her fear that this was somehow a choice between us. But after a moment, she nodded and let me go.
I jerked my head toward the trees, and Rivik followed without a word.
We walked until we were out of earshot, the silence between us heavy and thick. When I finally stopped and turned to face him, he was already watching me with that same calm, measured expression.
"When?" I asked.
"Yesterday. After you left."
"Ryke agreed?"
"He's ready." Rivik's jaw tightened slightly. "He'll be a better alpha than I was."
"That's not true, but he’ll be a damn good one."
"He will." He looked away, his gaze drifting toward the trees. "I thought I could do it. Thought I could let her go and lead the pack the way they needed. But I was wrong."
I waited, letting the silence stretch.
"I was dying," he said finally, his voice low and raw.
"Every day she was there, every moment I had to watch her choose you, it was killing me.
And when she left…" He stopped, his hands curling into fists.
"I thought distance would help. Thought the bond would fade, or I'd learn to live with it. But it didn't fade. It got worse."
"So you gave up the pack," I said quietly.
"I gave them a whole leader." He looked back at me, his eyes fierce. "They deserve better than a broken alpha who can't focus because half his soul is walking away from him."
"Does she know?" I asked. "About the fated bond?"
"No." His voice was firm. "You told me how that… how he rejected her, how he hurt her. I don’t want to scare her off, or let her think I’m here just because of that. I am, but I’m here because… because…”
“Because you love her,” I said gently.
His eyes locked onto mine, flashing amber. “How can I… I barely know her. But I want to know her, Daska. Like you do. And I'm not going to tell her. Not yet. Not until…" He stopped, shook his head. "Not until I've earned the right to ask for anything from her."
I understood what he meant. The bond had chosen for him, but that didn't mean Ellie would choose him back. Not after everything she'd been through with Nathan. Not after being rejected by someone who was supposed to love her.
"You're going to have to be patient," I said.
"I know."
"And I'm not giving her up." The words came out harder than I intended, protective instinct flaring hot in my chest. "Whatever happens between you two, whatever the bond wants, she's my mate. That doesn't change."
"I would never ask you to." Rivik stepped closer, his expression earnest. "I'm not here to take her from you, Daska.
I'm here because I can't stay away. Because the thought of her out here, facing whatever dangers lie ahead without me there to protect her…
" He stopped. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't just let her go.
I'm asking to stand beside you. Both of us. Together."
Through the bond, I felt Ellie's anxiety spike. She was worried about what we were discussing, worried that somehow this would end with one of us walking away. I pushed reassurance back through the connection, trying to ease her fear.
"She loves you," Rivik said quietly. "I can see it. Feel it through the bond, even though it's not fully formed between us. She chose you, and I respect that."
"But you want her too."
"Yes." He didn't flinch from the admission. "I want the chance to earn her trust. Her friendship. And if someday she might want more..." He trailed off, leaving the possibility hanging.
I smiled. “That’s all I needed to hear.”
Rivik looked up at me, relief and surprise spreading across his face.
“You don’t mind?”
“Brother, I’m elated. All I ever wanted was to be part of a family with you both, ever since I knew we shared the same bond.
I just, I need to protect her, you know.
Even if that means protecting her from you.
Because it’s still her choice. You don't push her.
You don't demand anything. You earn her trust back one day at a time, and if she tells you to leave. .."
"I'll go."
"Good." I gripped his forearm, the old gesture of brotherhood and alliance, and after a moment he returned it, his hand strong and steady against mine.
"Thank you," he said roughly.
"Don't thank me yet." I released his arm and stepped back. "Nathan's going to be a problem. He doesn't trust you, and he's not going to be happy about this."
"I can handle Nathan."
"Without violence."
Rivik's mouth twitched, almost a smile. "I'll do my best."
“Shame.”
We grinned at each other, then made our way back through the trees to the group. They were arguing among themselves, the words in the language fast and clipped. Ellie sensed our return and immediately turned and stared at Rivik like she'd seen a ghost.
Through the bond, I felt everything. The fizzing warmth that had flooded her chest when he first appeared. The confusion that tangled with hope. The fear that this meant something she didn't understand yet.
And beneath it all, a pull. Strong and undeniable, tugging her toward him like gravity. Connection, and warmth, and a strong sexual attraction. The mate bond. His bond, not mine.
My chest tightened, but I pushed the feeling aside. This wasn't about me. This was about her, and what she needed, and making sure she had every chance at happiness even if it complicated everything.
I moved to her side, and she immediately reached for my hand, her fingers cold and trembling. I squeezed gently, grounding her.
"He's coming with us," I said quietly. "Partway, at least. Until we're clear of Karik's range."
Ellie nodded, and repeated my words to the others.
Nathan made a disgusted sound and immediately started arguing again.
Ellie started to intervene, but this time it was Dev who started arguing with Nathan, cutting him off.
He glared at his alpha, and delivered what sounded like some sharp comments, before turning back to Ellie who looked surprised, but I could feel her amusement through the bond.
Nathan muttered something, then pushed past me and started back up the trail.
Eyebrows raised, I turned to Ellie.
“Dev said… Well, I’m not sure how to translate exactly what he said, but basically he told Nathan to shut up, that he was overruled and that Dev was fairly certain that once Nathan fixes the scanner that Dev could work it himself and Nathan would no longer be required.
He also pointed out the number of cliffs in this area.
” Her lips pressed together as she fought not to laugh.
“Ah, I see.”
Rivik frowned. “Cliffs? What do cliffs have to do with anything? And what does yeeted mean?”
This time Ellie did laugh, a rich, warm sound that had our bond filling with joy. She grinned at Rivik.
“Come on, let’s go after Nathan. We can’t lose that scanner. And I’ll explain on the way.”