Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
RYDER
T he Elders’ chamber feels colder than usual tonight. Their eyes, sharp and assessing, track Bella as she sits next to me, her chin lifted in defiance. Lucas stands at the back, arms crossed, leaning against the wall like he hasn’t a care in the world. But I know my brother. He’s coiled, ready to spring. He’s waiting for someone to say the wrong thing about her.
“She’s not one of us,” Tannis says, her voice sharp as ever, a blade disguised in aged wisdom. “A trace of shifter DNA or not, she doesn’t belong here.”
Bella bristles beside me, but I rest a hand on her knee beneath the table. A small gesture to remind us both of the larger implications. Her warmth seeps through the fabric of her jeans, igniting the constant spark between us.
“She’s an outsider,” another Elder agrees, leaning forward. “Her very presence is a liability.”
“You’re wrong,” I say, taking the floor. “She is my mate.”
The room stills.
“You think she’s a liability because she’s different?” I continue, my words meant more for the rest of the pack that are gathered here. “That difference might be what saves us. You’ve all seen what’s happening. The Crimson Claw, the poachers, the declining birthrates. We’re facing threats to our survival from all sides. Bella’s already proven she’s more than capable of handling herself.”
“She’s reckless,” Tannis counters, narrowing her eyes.
“She’s resourceful,” Lucas retorts from his place at the back of the chamber. “Arthur saw it. That’s why he trusted her with so much.”
Bella straightens, her eyes moving between Lucas and I. She’s still trying to find her footing in all this, but she doesn’t waver.
“She has no experience with pack life,” another Elder says, his tone measured. “That could put us all at risk.”
“And what’s your solution?” I say, my voice cutting through the room like a blade. “Push her away? Leave her vulnerable? I say again, she’s my mate—my fated mate. The one spoken of in the prophecy. The Crimson Claw may have targeted her because of what Arthur discovered, but as long as there is breath in my body, she will be protected.”
Silence hangs heavy in the chamber. Lucas glances toward me, clearly satisfied that I’ve just made their argument irrelevant.
“I understand the risks,” Bella says suddenly, her voice clear and steady. All eyes shift to her. “And I’m not going anywhere. Your alpha is my mate. We will be together.”
I glance at her, the fire in her gaze intoxicating. She’s as stubborn as she is brave, and damn it, if that doesn’t make me want her more.
Lucas steps closer, his gaze sweeping over the Elders. “We all know the pack needs to change. Ryder’s known it for years, but out of his respect for you, he’s tried to bring change at a pace you won’t find intolerable. Bella’s not a threat to us—she’s an opportunity. She’s smart, tenacious, and she’s already neck-deep in this fight.”
The room buzzes with murmurs, the Elders exchanging glances. I can feel the tension shifting, the winds of change are blowing strong tonight. I wanted them to come around. Their doing so would have made it easier for Bella, but I’m done pandering to them.
“She stays,” I say, my tone leaving no room for argument. “That’s final.”
Tannis’s mouth tightens, but she nods. The others follow suit, some more reluctantly than others.
Lucas claps his hands together, grinning. “Glad we’re all on the same page. Now, if you’ll excuse us, there’s work to do.”
The following day, the clinic smells of coffee and antiseptic, the remnants of yesterday’s chaos cleared away. Sheriff Barnes stands by the front desk, his hat in hand, his expression grim. A few townsfolk linger behind him—Gus, Marjorie, and a handful of others I’ve seen around but never paid much attention to.
“We’re here to help,” Barnes says simply.
“There’s no need,” Bella replies, her tone softer than usual. She’s still adjusting to the town’s sudden allegiance.
Barnes shrugs. “Maybe not, but Arthur mattered to all of us. And because of that, so do you. We’re not letting the Crimson Claw or anyone else run you out of here.”
Marjorie steps forward, her hands on her hips. “This town’s stood for a long time because we stick together. Wolves or not, we’re in this fight with you.”
I watch Bella carefully, noting the way her shoulders relax slightly, the tension around her eyes easing. She’s used to fighting alone, but she realizes she doesn’t have to anymore.
“We appreciate it,” I say, stepping in. “But you follow our lead. This isn’t just poachers you’re dealing with.”
Barnes nods, his jaw set. “Understood.”
After they leave, I turn to Bella, “I’m sorry about all the data you lost. Maybe we can figure out how to recreate it.”
Bella gives me a sly grin, drawing her hand out of her pocket and holding up a flash drive. “I found this hidden in a secret compartment in Arthur’s desk. I haven’t had much of a chance to really take a look at it, but I think he made it shortly before his death. It seems to contain all of his journal entries, plus the clinical notes and testing results I’d been looking for. Whatever they think they got, I think we have copies plus a whole lot more.”
After receiving a report that what we thought was an abandoned cabin was showing signs of life, I decide it’s something we should check out. The drive to our destination is tense, the silence between us heavy with anticipation. I would like to have left Bella behind, but that would have proven difficult at best. Lucas drives, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel, while Bella sits in the back seat, her gaze fixed on the dark trees whipping past the window.
There is tension in the air as we move through the woods, the scent of pine and damp earth mingling with the faint, acrid tang of danger. Bella walks beside me, her jaw tight, her flashlight a small but steady beam cutting through the darkness. Lucas moves ahead, his body language tells me that his senses are on high alert—sharp and focused. I can feel the tension radiating off Bella—she’s not used to this, not yet, but there’s a fire in her that refuses to be extinguished.
I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. Even now, with danger lurking just beyond the trees, the pull between us is undeniable. She catches me looking and arches an eyebrow, her expression daring me to say something. My lips twitch in response, but I keep quiet. There’s too much at stake to let my thoughts wander.
We crest a small ridge, and the cabin comes into view. It’s a decrepit structure, the roof sagging under years of neglect, but the faint glow of light confirms what we’d been told—the cabin is anything but abandoned.
“Stay close,” I murmur, my voice low but firm. Bella’s chin juts out defiantly, but she nods. Small victories.
Lucas motions us forward, his hand raised in a silent signal. I catch the faint scent of sweat and unwashed bodies—mutants. They’re here, and they’re waiting. My wolf stirs, restless and eager, the need to protect Bella sharpening my focus.
As we approach the door, the sound of voices filters out. Harsh, guttural tones. They’re arguing about something, but I can’t make out the words.
“Four, maybe five inside,” Lucas whispers.
I nod, my mind racing. A frontal assault risks Bella’s safety, but we can’t afford to wait for reinforcements. I glance at her, catching her wide but determined gaze.
“Do exactly as I say,” I tell her, my voice a low growl. “No hesitation.”
She hesitates—of course she does—but then she nods. “I can handle myself, Ryder.”
I bite back a retort and motion to Lucas. We move in tandem, silent and deadly, Bella following a step behind. The door creaks open. The air in the cabin is stifling, thick with the scent of mutants—rank, wild, and pungent. My wolf bristles beneath the surface, clawing to break free. Every muscle in my body is taut, ready to spring. Lucas stands to my left, his posture relaxed, but I know him too well. That easy demeanor is a mask; his wolf is pacing, as eager to be unleashed as mine.
The mutants linger in the shadows, their eyes gleaming like predators that think they have the upper hand. They are in the form in which we’ve always seen them—a gross distortion of a massive wolf with a pronounced hump on its back like that of a grizzly. I count five of them, their stances cocky, arrogant. They think their size gives them an edge. They’re wrong.
"You should’ve stayed out of this, Alpha," the largest mutant sneers, his voice a low growl that grates on my nerves. I hide my shock. With rare exceptions, shifters cannot speak in their shifted form. His pale eyes flick to Lucas, then back to me. "Brought along your younger brother and the female too?” He sniffs the air. “I can smell you all over her. A family affair, then, how quaint. It will make it easier for us to end you."
Lucas chuckles, a sound dripping with mockery. "Funny. I was just thinking the same about you and your friends. Makes it so much easier for us to take you down all at once."
The mutant snarls, his lip curling to reveal sharp teeth. "Big talk for a wolf outnumbered, and if you think we are the only members of the Crimson Claw, you couldn’t be more wrong."
I step forward, every movement deliberate, controlled. My voice is low, calm, deadly. "You’ve made a mistake coming here. You think you’re the predators, but you’re not; you’re prey. I’ll give you one chance—leave, or we’ll end this the hard way."
The mutant’s laughter is harsh, grating, like that of a hyena. "The hard way is the only way we’ve ever known."
The first lunge comes fast, but not fast enough. My body reacts on instinct, twisting as my wolf surges to the surface. The air around me crackles, colors flashing in a maelstrom of power. Lightning and shadow collide, swirling as the shift overtakes me. There’s no pain, no awkward transition—just a rush of energy, primal and unrelenting.
One second, I’m human. The next, I’m wolf.
The cabin warps in my sharpened senses, every creak of the floorboards and movement of the mutants amplified. My paws scrape against the wooden planks as I lower my body, a growl rumbling deep in my chest. To my left, Lucas has shifted too, his wolf a bit leaner and smaller, but deadly, nonetheless.
The mutant who lunged stumbles back, startled by the sudden transformation. But it’s too late. Lucas leaps first—a flash of predatory grace—a blur of fur and teeth. I’m right behind him, barreling into the leader with the full weight of my body.
The fight is chaotic, claws and teeth flashing in the dim light. The mutants are strong, but their attacks are wild, uncoordinated. They fight like loners, like scavengers. Lucas and I fight like the pack we are—relentless and precise.
The leader snaps at me, his fangs grazing my shoulder, but I twist away, slamming my weight into his side. He yelps, stumbling into the wall. Lucas takes down another mutant, his jaws closing around its foreleg with a sickening crunch.
A sharp scream cuts through the cacophony, and I whip around to see Bella standing against the fireplace, her eyes wide but fierce. She’s holding a heavy iron poker, her grip steady despite the chaos around her.
One of the mutants lunges at her, its eyes wild with desperation. A snarl tears from my throat, but before I can reach her, Bella steps into the attack. She swings the poker in a brutal arc, connecting with the mutant’s skull. The crack echoes through the cabin, and the mutant crumples to the ground.
My heart pounds as I watch her, a mixture of pride and terror surging through me. She’s fearless, but she’s human—for now. The glow in her eyes says otherwise, flickering with the latent power of her wolf, but it’s not enough. Not yet.
Another mutant breaks from Lucas and rushes toward her. Time slows, my vision tunneling as I leap toward her. Bella doesn’t flinch. She raises the poker again, but I reach the mutant first, my jaws clamping around its throat and yanking it away from her. The taste of blood floods my mouth as I shake it viciously, tossing it to the side.
The cabin falls silent except for the heavy breathing of those of us left standing. With his teeth bared, Lucas towers over the last mutant left alive who’s on the floor, daring it to move. It doesn’t.
Bella looks at me, her chest heaving, the poker still gripped in her hands. Her eyes meet mine. For a moment, I think she might shift, but the glow fades, leaving her trembling and still human.
“Ryder…” she whispers, her voice raw.
I shift back, the maelstrom of energy swirling around me as I regain my human form. I step toward her, my hand reaching out to brush a stray hair from her face. “I knew I should have left you at the lodge,” I mutter, my voice rough but steady.
Her hand trembles as she reaches for mine. “That wouldn’t have worked, and you know it. I’m fine by the way. You?”
I try not to grin, but I can’t help it. She might have been safer back at the lodge, but that will never be her way… our way.
“You did well,” I say, the words catching in my throat.
“I didn’t have much choice, you’re my mate. Besides, you aren’t invincible, you know.”
My lips twitch despite myself. “Don’t let Lucas hear you say that.”
The humor is short-lived. The cabin is silent now, the Crimson Claw, at least those we confronted in the cabin, are defeated, but the air hums with unresolved tension. Bella steps closer, her fingers brushing the wound on my shoulder.
Lucas shifts back too, his grin as sharp as ever. “Damn, Bella, you’ve got more fight in you than half the pack.”
“This isn’t over,” she whispers.
“No,” I agree, my gaze sweeping the room and looking at our mutant prisoner cowering before my brother. “It’s just beginning.”
And in the distance, a howl cuts through the night—haunting, echoing, and far too close.