19. Harper #2
"Just a few," Lila replied, her voice surprisingly controlled despite the chaos around them. "Ben's doing a final sweep to make sure everyone's out."
They worked together in perfect synchronization, Harper's crisis training and Lila's newfound courage creating an efficient rescue operation. But even as she helped an elderly pack member climb through a window, Harper's attention kept drifting to the wolf battle raging across the clearing.
Dorian's massive form was now locked in single combat with an equally large dark-grey wolf that could only be Ronan. The sight made Harper's chest constrict with terror so sharp it nearly brought her to her knees.
He could die. I could lose him forever.
The thought was unbearable. After everything they'd found together, after she'd finally allowed herself to trust in their bond, the idea of watching Ronan tear away her future was more than she could stand.
Through the mate bond, she felt Dorian's exhaustion bleeding through his determination.
He was fighting with everything he had, but the earlier injuries were taking their toll.
When Ronan's wolf suddenly lunged for Dorian's exposed throat, Harper's world narrowed to that single moment of mortal danger.
No.
She didn't think. Didn't plan. Didn't consider the foolishness of a human interfering in an Alpha wolf fight.
Harper simply acted. Her hands closed around a jagged chunk of concrete that had fallen from the building, the weight of it solid and reassuring in her grip.
Then she ran toward the battling wolves, her bare feet finding purchase on the uneven ground as adrenaline flooded her system.
"Get away from him!" she screamed, hurling the concrete with every ounce of strength she possessed.
The makeshift projectile struck Ronan's wolf directly in the skull with a satisfying crack that echoed across the battlefield.
The rival Alpha stumbled, his attack faltering just long enough for Dorian to capitalize on the opening.
Dorian's massive jaws clamped around Ronan's throat with lethal precision.
The dark-grey wolf thrashed once, twice, then went still as life left his eyes.
It's over. Finally, it's over.
Relief flooded through Harper so intensely she nearly collapsed, her legs suddenly unsteady as the adrenaline began to fade. Around them, the sounds of battle were dying as Marty and the other pack enforcers finished dealing with the remaining Vex wolves.
Dorian shifted back to human form, his naked body streaked with blood and dirt but gloriously alive. His blue eyes found hers across the distance, and the raw emotion she saw there—relief, love, fierce possessiveness—made her breath catch.
"Is everyone out?" he asked, his alpha authority cutting through the chaos as he approached her.
Ben emerged from the building at that moment, giving them a thumbs up. "All clear! Building's empty!"
As if his words were a signal, the town hall finally succumbed to the flames, the roof collapsing inward with a thunderous crash that sent sparks spiraling into the night sky.
Dorian reached Harper and immediately pulled her against his chest, his strong arms wrapping around her like he'd never let her go.
She buried her face in his chest, breathing in his familiar scent beneath the smoke and blood, reassuring herself that he was real and whole and hers.
"You threw a rock at an Alpha wolf," he murmured against her hair, and she could hear both amazement and exasperation in his voice.
"I threw a rock at the Alpha wolf who was trying to kill my mate," she corrected, pulling back to meet his gaze. "There's a difference."
His eyes darkened. "Your mate?"
Before she could answer, Lila crashed into both of them, her arms wrapping around them in a fierce hug that spoke of relief and love and the bonds they'd forged together.
"I was so scared," Lila whispered, her voice muffled against Dorian's shoulder. "When I saw you fighting Ronan, I thought—"
"I'm fine," Dorian assured her, one arm holding Harper while the other encompassed his sister. "We're all fine. But where's Grandmother?"
"Thomas took her to get her leg treated," Harper explained, her hand finding the wounds on his shoulder. "Speaking of which, we need to clean these up. Again."
Dorian looked like he wanted to argue, probably insist on staying to oversee the cleanup efforts, but then his expression shifted. Harper watched in amazement as he turned to address several pack members who were working to contain the fire.
"Marty's in charge of the scene," he called out, his alpha voice carrying easily across the clearing. "Follow his orders. Anyone who needs medical attention, report to the clinic immediately."
He's trusting them. He's actually trusting his pack to handle this without micromanaging every detail.
The realization made Harper's heart swell with pride. This was growth—real, meaningful change that went deeper than just their romantic bond.
Marty appeared at Dorian's side, his human form also bearing the marks of battle but grinning with satisfaction. "Ronan's wolves are either dead or running," he reported. "The threat's neutralized."
"Good." Dorian's arm tightened around Harper. "Take care of the cleanup. I need to get my family home."
My family.
The words sent warmth flooding through Harper's chest. Not his mate and his sister—his family. She was part of it now, truly and completely.
"Your safety and healing matters too," she reminded him as they began walking toward his truck, Lila keeping pace beside them.
Dorian's smile was soft and real. "I know that now," he said simply. "You taught me that."
Behind them, the pack worked together to extinguish what remained of the fire, their voices calling out in coordination and mutual support. The threat that had haunted this pack for eighteen years was finally gone, and Harper could feel the shift in the very air around them.
They could rebuild now. Not just the town hall, but their lives, their hope, their future together.