Chapter 21 - Zane
A cold, instinctive feeling moves down my spine and settles between each vertebra as I navigate through the woods, making my hackles rise. Something’s off, and that suspicion in me refuses to calm.
I’ve been tracking these scents for hours now, and I know the pattern isn’t random anymore. It’s tighter, proving that they’re being more deliberate now. They’re moving in ways that don’t line up with usual territory checks or a risky hunt.
They’re probing and testing for whatever angle they can find, and I don’t like it.
Crouching low along the northern ridge just outside Delmont, I feel as if the forest stretches wide beneath me. The air is thick with overlapping scents, some being traces of wolves that don’t belong here, and not any of the packs I recognize.
My jaw tightens, well aware of what that means. The rogues, or something close enough to it, have been through here, and from what I can tell, they still are.
I move forward with silent, controlled steps through the trees, following the trail as it dips deeper into a shallow valley. Every movement sharpens my focus, and instincts kick in harder the further I go.
They’re close. Already, I can feel and hear them as my keen senses lock in on them.
A branch snaps somewhere ahead, and I don’t hesitate.
Already shifted, I surge forward through the undergrowth, managing to take stock within seconds.
There are three of them, potentially a fourth nearby, and they don’t see me until it’s too late.
I hit the first one head-on, slamming into him with enough force to send him crashing to the ground. He snarls, twisting beneath me, but I don’t give him the chance to recover. Instead, my jaws snap down near his throat just close enough to make a point.
The others react fast, almost too fast, as they regroup in a strangely organized fashion.
One comes at me from the side, claws catching my shoulder as I turn too late. Pain shoots through me like static immediately, but I ignore it, pivoting into him and driving him back. Another circle in search of an advantage.
I adjust, doing everything I can to keep them in front of me, forcing them to engage where I can control it.
They’re good, but not trained like us.
There’s no Alpha scent and nothing grounding them to any pack that I can tell, which means they’re either working under someone who isn’t here or they’re something else entirely. The thought doesn’t sit well, even as I do my best to focus.
One of them lunges again, and I meet him halfway with bared teeth, forcing him back with a low snarl that rips from my chest. He stumbles, but doesn’t retreat completely.
They’re testing me, seeing what I’ll do and how far I’ll push. Seeing as they’re in my territory, I’ll go as far as I need to.
I step forward, aggressive now as I force the space and make it clear this isn’t a negotiation. They don’t belong here, and regardless of their plans, they aren’t wanted either.
Not far behind me, I sense as the others crowd in, and the rogues ahead of me notice too.
They tense and lower themselves in trepidation as the guys flank me, immediately outnumbering them. Instinctively, one of them backs off, then another hesitates before following.
Before long, their small group retreats entirely, not fully running, but withdrawing in a way that says they’re not finished yet, but they’ll make this concession just to keep themselves alive.
I don’t chase, even if something in me wants to. That won’t happen without knowing exactly what I’m dealing with. Instead, I hold my ground and watch until they disappear into the trees.
Zane.
I turn to find Zeke already moving toward me with the guys not far behind.
You good? He asks, eyes flicking over the blood on my shoulder.
Yeah. I’m fine, I say shortly.
He doesn’t say anything at first as his obvious concern lingers; then he glances around, pulling in a deep breath. Were those the same wolves you tracked in Ashford?
Some of them. It seems there are more of them than I thought.
Zeke exhales slowly, internal voice sounding sardonic. Great.
As the others close in, I glance between them and reach out. They were testing the perimeter and pushing closer. I imagine they would’ve reached town if we didn’t intercept them.
That lines up with what we’ve been seeing: Caleb returns. They’re brave.
I glance at Zeke again. Track them and see where they go. Don’t engage if you can help it.
Zeke nods. Got it.
We’ll back him, Luke says, giving a subtle shake of his flank.
Are you not coming? Dominic asks me.
I hesitate just long enough to consider if I should, but with the pulse in my chest growing stronger, I know I can’t. No. Not this time.
Zeke looks at me curiously. Something else on your mind?
Yeah. Something I need to do.
He studies me for a second, then, without pushing, he nods. Alright. We’ll handle it.
Waiting just long enough to watch them break through the trees, allowing Zeke to take a momentary lead, I turn and head back toward town. Alone now, I move faster than I need to as the adrenaline starts to fade; something more intense floods my system.
As much as I’ve been trying to control the bond rather than letting it control me, I can feel it pulling at me and urging me to get back to the house.
Back to Naia.
It hits harder now, like the prospect of those wolves trespassing only served to reinforce it.
Without a doubt, she was the target. I know it.
It’s no secret that I was the one who purchased her at the auction, and now, they’re moving closer. While we still don’t know their motives, it’s obvious they’re after something in Delmont. Before, they didn’t frequent the area, and now that she’s here, they’ve been lingering for far too long.
My jaw tightens as I push forward, ignoring the sting in my shoulder and the slow drag of healing already kicking in. None of that matters right now.
All I can think about is getting back to her and knowing she’s safe, even if I already know she is.
The front door opens faster than I intend, and it hits the wall with a dull thud. Naia’s already on her feet, standing by the kitchen with a confused expression. She’s wearing an oversized plaid button-up that drapes over her shoulders, and it immediately sets everything in me ablaze.
Her gaze snaps to me immediately. “What happened?”
Then, she glances at my shoulder, at the dry blood, and her expression shifts. A surprising concern litters her features, catching me off guard.
“You’re hurt.”
“I’ve had worse,” I mutter, far too focused on every small change in her expression as I draw closer.
“That’s not the point.”
I step forward to close the distance, and the second I’m near her, everything else fades. The fight in the woods and the lingering threat all dull under the undeniable need I can’t keep hidden anymore.
Reaching for her without thinking, I hook an arm around her waist and pull her in.
Her hands come up instinctively to brace herself against my chest, eyes wider. “Zane, what are you—”
“I don’t want to think about it,” I cut in, my voice lower now as I lean closer to feel her body heat wrapping around me.
Naia stills slightly, blinking up at me in confusion. Still, her frame relaxes just a touch from the proximity. “What?”
“Out there. The idiots causing problems…I don’t want to think about them,” I murmur as my grip tightens just a fraction. Everything in me is screaming to get closer. “I can’t right now.”
The bond hums between us, and I know she feels it too.
“You’re bleeding,” she says, quieter now.
“I’m healing.”
“That doesn’t mean you should ignore it.”
“I’m not,” I say. “I’m just…”
Without the right words, I stop, well aware that I don’t have a clear explanation for why the only thing I can focus on right now is her, or why it feels like I’ll die right now if I can’t feel her.
My hand shifts slightly against her back, pulling her closer without thinking. I hear and feel as her breath catches.
Naia’s gaze lifts to mine, much closer now as the tension between us snaps tight.
I don’t know what it is, but something’s different from before. The room feels hotter than usual, and it’s like she’s a beacon I can’t pull myself away from.
Just as she opens her mouth to say something, I surge forward and press my lips to hers without giving myself time to think about it, and I don’t give her time to argue.
I kiss her deeply, hands going to the back of her head while I keep her as close to me as I can get her.
Even if I shouldn’t push her and I should respect her need for boundaries, I need this more than I want to admit. I have ever since we initiated the bond.
Naia stiffens for half a second, then she relaxes into it and kisses me back.
The intoxicating scent of hers fills my senses and forces everything else to disappear as our lips meld with the kind of eagerness and passion you can’t fake. She grabs me and doesn’t let go, causing the invisible thread between us to pull so tightly that it nearly consumes us both.
The fact that she’s a Voss means nothing compared to what really matters, especially when I have her pressed up against me and chasing after my mouth with the same need.
She’s my mate, and I’ll be damned if anyone tries to get in the way.