Chapter 20 #2
He eyes me with barely concealed hostility. “Looking for Lithia?”
His question pissed me off. “No. Just walking.”
“Good. She’s busy with pack business.” The message is clear in his tone—she doesn’t have time for me.
I could let it go. Should, probably. But his possessive attitude makes my wolf bristle. “I’m sure she can manage her own schedule.”
His jaw tightens. “Look, Nomad. I don’t know what happened between you two out there in the wilderness, and frankly, I don’t care. But you’re a guest here. A temporary situation. Don’t forget that.”
“Believe me,” I say quietly, “I know.”
Something flickers in his expression—surprise, maybe, at my candor. “Lithia is Beta of Shadowmist. Her duty is to this pack, not to some stray wolf she picked up along the way.”
The words are designed to hurt, to put me in my place. But he’s picked the wrong wolf to bother. I’ve faced worse than an insecure pup with a crush.
“You’re right “ I say, keeping my voice level. “Lithia is dedicated to this pack. It’s one of the things I admire most about her.” I step closer, not enough to be threatening but enough to make my point. “But you’re wrong if you think I’m just passing through. I’m exactly where I want to be.”
His eyes narrow. “For now.”
“No.” I meet his gaze steadily. “For as long as the pack will have me.”
The simple truth of it resonates in my chest. I’ve spent twenty years running—from memories, from attachment, from the risk of losing something that matters. But Lithia matters more than the fear of staying.
And if Ryker’s offer is legitimate, this pack might matter more too.
Levi studies me, then shakes his head. “You think you know her. You don’t. I’ve watched her push away every wolf who’s tried to get close to her for years. She doesn’t let people in.”
“She let me in.”
“For now,” he repeats, but there’s a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “When we get back to normal, when the excitement of escape fades and reality sets in, she’ll remember why she keeps her distance. And where will that leave you?”
It’s a question I’ve asked myself a hundred times since we arrived. What happens when the extraordinary circumstances that brought us together give way to everyday life? When Lithia no longer needs me to survive, will she still want me around?
“I guess we’ll find out,” I say finally.
He snorts. “I guess we will.”
With that, he brushes past me, deliberately bumping my shoulder as he goes.
The childish display would be funny if I didn’t understand the desperation behind it.
He’s loved her for years, probably, watching from a distance as she kept everyone at arm’s length.
And now some nomad has waltzed in and caught her attention.
I can almost sympathize.
Almost.
I continue my wandering, eventually finding myself in the den’s main hall. It’s a large, open space with high ceilings and massive stone fireplaces at either end. Tables are arranged throughout, some already occupied by wolves eating breakfast or discussing pack business.
My stomach reminds me that I haven’t eaten yet today. I hesitate, then make my way to the serving area where platters of food are laid out buffet-style. I fill a plate—eggs, bacon, toast, fruit—and look for somewhere to sit.
Most tables are occupied, wolves clustered in familiar groups, conversation flowing easily between them. I scan the room, feeling increasingly out of place, when a voice calls my name.
“Kier! Over here.”
Dane waves from a table near one of the fireplaces. Lithia’s twin is sitting with several other wolves I recognize from the security team.
I make my way over, surprised by the invitation.
“Heard you went a round with Ryker this morning,” Dane says as I sit down beside him. “And drew first blood.”
News travels fast in a pack this tight-knit. “Lucky shot.”
One of the other wolves—Felix, I think his name is—snorts. “Lucky shot, my ass. Ryker hasn’t lost a sparring match in three years.”
“Until today,” another adds with a grin.
I shrug, uncomfortable with the attention. “He was probably going easy on me.”
“The Alpha doesn’t know how to go easy,” Dane says, clapping me on the shoulder. “Trust me, if he lost, it’s because you earned it.”
The conversation shifts to upcoming patrol rotations and preparations for the rescue mission, and I’m content to eat my breakfast and listen. It’s… nice. Sitting among wolves who don’t seem to mind my presence, who include me in their jokes and stories without making a big deal of it.
I’m halfway through my meal when Lithia enters the hall.
She moves with the confidence of someone who knows exactly who she is and where she belongs.
Her white-blonde hair is short fuzz, emphasizing the sharp lines of her face and the paleness of her eyes.
She’s dressed for business—fitted pants, boots, a top that allows for movement without sacrificing style.
Beautiful. Deadly. Perfect.
She scans the room as she walks, nodding to various pack members who greet her. When her gaze lands on our table—on me—she pauses for the briefest moment before continuing on her way.
Mate, my wolf growls, frustrated.
But I caught the flicker in her eyes, the slight hitch in her breathing. She’s not indifferent—she’s deliberately keeping her distance.
She’s pushing me away, I realize.
Dane notices my attention shift and follows my gaze to his sister. “She’s been in meetings since dawn,” he explains. “Planning the rescue mission.”
“I figured,” I reply, forcing my tone to remain neutral. “Lots to coordinate.”
Dane studies me for a moment. I think he’s about to say something but instead he turns away, laughing at something Felix has said.
A shiver runs down my back, and I glance over my shoulder to see Lithia approaching our table, her expression carefully neutral as she greets us.
“Morning,” she says to the table at large, carefully avoiding direct eye contact with me. “I need volunteers for a reconnaissance run to the eastern facility. We need updated intelligence before we commit to a rescue operation.”
Several of the wolves immediately offer their services, and Lithia nods in acknowledgment. “We’ll meet in the war room at noon to go over details.”
She turns to leave, but I can’t let her go so easily.
“No ‘good morning’ for me, Beta?” I ask, injecting a teasing note into my voice. “I’m wounded.”
She stiffens slightly, then turns to face me directly for the first time. “Good morning, Kier. Sleep well?”
“Like a baby,” I lie smoothly. “Though my bed felt strangely empty without a certain white-blonde wolf hogging all the blankets.”
I hear Dane choke on his drink beside me, and several of the other wolves suddenly find their breakfasts fascinating.
But I keep my eyes on Lithia, watching the subtle play of emotions across her face—surprise, embarrassment, and something that looks suspiciously like longing before she locks it all down behind her Beta mask.
“I’m sure you’ll manage,” she says dryly, but there’s a hint of color in her cheeks that wasn’t there before.
“Oh, I’m managing just fine,” I reply with a deliberate wink. “But if you find yourself with a few minutes to spare, I’d love to show you what Ryker taught me this morning.”
Her eyebrow arches. “You’ve been training with the Alpha?”
“Got to stay sharp somehow.” I take a bite of toast, maintaining eye contact. “Though I’m open to other forms of exercise if you have suggestions.”
The double entendre isn’t lost on her. Her eyes narrow, but I catch the subtle quirk of her lips—not quite a smile, but close.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she says finally. “Noon, war room. Don’t be late.”
With that, she turns and strides away, her posture perfect but her scent carrying notes of arousal and frustration that make my wolf preen with satisfaction.
Still want us, he rumbles.
Dane nudges me with his shoulder. “I think my sister might murder you later.”
“Worth it,” I reply, watching her disappear through the hall’s main doors. “Besides, she can try.”
The other wolves at the table are watching me with expressions ranging from amusement to grudging respect. Felix lets out a low whistle.
“Either you’re the bravest wolf I’ve ever met,” he says, “or the most suicidal.”
“Little of both,” I admit, returning to my breakfast with renewed appetite.
“You’ll only hurt her in the end,” Adelaide whispers from somewhere behind me. “Better to let her go.”
Shut up, I tell the voice firmly. You’re not real. She is.
“So Kier,” Dane pokes his fork toward me. “Think you could keep up on a perimeter run?”
My wolf ripples eagerly under my skin.
“Just watch me.”