Chapter 16- The Alpha's Decision
The room went completely silent.
Jay still held the strip of cloth in his hand, the red ink of Bloodfang's symbol stark against the dark fabric. The message felt heavier than something that small should.
The silver wolf belongs to Bloodfang.
Emily felt her stomach twist.
Not fear exactly.
Something colder.
Something angrier.
Jay slowly folded the cloth again, his expression becoming harder with every second.
Rowan was watching him carefully.
"So," the Beta said quietly, "what's the move?"
Jay didn't answer immediately.
Instead, his eyes lifted to Emily.
And in that moment she understood something that hadn't been said out loud yet.
The next decision he made wouldn't just affect Blackridge.
It would affect her.
Emily crossed her arms.
"You're thinking about locking me inside this hall until the war ends."
Jay didn't even try to deny it.
"Yes."
She blinked.
"Wow. You usually pretend longer before saying something that ridiculous."
Rowan almost smiled.
Jay did not.
His golden eyes stayed fixed on her.
"You saw what happened tonight."
"Yes."
"You almost lost control."
Emily frowned.
"I didn't lose control."
"You partially shifted in a room full of wolves and nearly collapsed afterward."
She hesitated.
"...that's fair."
Jay pushed away from the desk and stepped closer.
The energy in the room shifted immediately.
Jay wasn't shouting.
He rarely did.
But when he was this focused, the intensity of his attention was enough to fill the space.
"You're powerful," he said quietly.
Emily raised an eyebrow.
"That's a very polite way of saying 'dangerous.'"
"Yes."
The blunt honesty caught her off guard.
Jay continued.
"And you have no idea how to control it."
Emily opened her mouth to argue.
Then closed it again.
Because... he wasn't wrong.
The silver energy that had burst through her body during the fight had felt incredible.
But also terrifying.
Like holding lightning without knowing how to put it down.
Jay saw the hesitation and nodded once.
"That's the problem."
Emily exhaled slowly.
"So what are you suggesting?"
Jay's gaze darkened slightly.
"Training."
Rowan leaned back against the doorway.
"That's going to be interesting."
Emily looked between them.
"Training with who?"
Jay's voice didn't waver.
"With me."
The words landed heavily.
Emily stared at him.
"You want to personally train the unpredictable silver wolf that Bloodfang is trying to kidnap."
"Yes."
"That seems... stressful."
Jay's mouth twitched slightly.
"I'll survive."
She tilted her head.
"You're very confident."
Jay stepped even closer.
Now they were standing only a few inches apart.
"I'm confident in two things," he said.
Emily swallowed.
"Oh?"
"First," he said quietly, "Bloodfang isn't taking you."
Her pulse skipped.
"And second?"
His gaze held hers.
"You're stronger than you think."
The bond flared warmly between them.
Emily hated how much that affected her.
Rowan cleared his throat loudly.
"Before this turns into a very intense staring contest..."
Both of them glanced toward him.
"...we should probably address the part where Bloodfang's Alpha is sitting two miles from our border."
Right.
War.
Emily ran a hand through her hair.
"I almost forgot about the murderous rival Alpha waiting outside the territory."
Jay's expression darkened again.
"Marcus isn't waiting."
Emily frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Jay unfolded the cloth again.
"He sent this message to provoke a reaction."
Rowan nodded.
"Either we attack his camp tonight..."
"...or he attacks us tomorrow," Emily finished.
Jay looked at her approvingly.
"Yes."
She sighed.
"Great."
The room fell quiet again.
Jay walked to the window and looked out over the dark forest beyond Blackridge.
Torches flickered across the territory as patrols continued rotating through the outer lines.
Somewhere beyond those trees...
Marcus Vale was waiting.
Emily stepped closer to the window beside him.
"You knew him," she said.
Jay glanced at her.
"Not well."
"But you've fought him."
"Yes."
She studied his expression carefully.
"And?"
Jay's voice turned colder.
"He's dangerous."
Emily snorted softly.
"That's comforting."
"He's also patient."
That part made her pause.
"What does that mean?"
Jay turned toward her fully.
"Marcus doesn't rush fights he believes he's already won."
Emily felt a chill slide down her spine.
"So if he's sitting outside the territory..."
"He believes time is on his side."
Rowan crossed his arms.
"Which means he's probably planning something."
Emily groaned.
"Of course he is."
Jay's gaze returned to the forest.
"And he's not wrong."
Emily blinked.
"What?"
Jay looked back at her.
"If Marcus thinks you're a silver wolf..."
His voice dropped slightly.
"...he won't stop coming."
The reality of that settled heavily in her chest.
Emily had spent most of her life avoiding attention.
Now she had the attention of a rival Alpha who was apparently willing to start a war to get her.
Fantastic.
Emily leaned against the window frame.
"So what's the plan?"
Jay didn't hesitate this time.
"Tomorrow we begin training."
Emily groaned.
"That wasn't the plan I meant."
Jay ignored that.
"You learn control."
"And Marcus?"
Jay's eyes hardened.
"I deal with him."
Rowan pushed off the doorway.
"Which probably means war."
Jay nodded once.
Emily watched both of them.
Then slowly shook her head.
"You know what the weirdest part of all this is?"
Jay looked at her.
"What?"
Emily smiled faintly.
"I'm not scared anymore."
That caught both men off guard.
She shrugged.
"Don't get me wrong. I still think this whole situation is insane."
"That's accurate," Rowan muttered.
Emily continued.
"But if Marcus thinks I'm just something he can take..."
Her wolf stirred beneath her skin.
Silver energy flickered faintly in her chest.
"...he's about to be very disappointed."
Jay stared at her for a moment.
Then something changed in his expression.
Not surprise.
Approval.
"You're starting to sound like a Luna," he said.
Emily blinked.
"That's slightly terrifying."
Rowan laughed quietly.
Jay stepped closer again.
"And tomorrow," he added softly, "you start learning how powerful you actually are."
Emily met his gaze.
For the first time since arriving in Blackridge...
She felt ready.
Not because she understood what she was.
But because she knew one thing for certain.
Bloodfang wasn't the only pack preparing for war.
Blackridge was too.
And this time...
She wasn't hiding from the fight.