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I can’t help but coo at how cute it is, all the little puppy wolves curling up against us. When my legs and sides fill up, they start to turn to Cole, pressing themselves tight against him as well. In the end, only little Janine stays in her human body, already slumped against my side and breathing evenly. My arm tightens around her, hope swelling in my chest.

Because this is…precisely why I came here to the North. Tohelp. And there’s no denying that these girls need help and that I can give it to them.

“You did good, Nadi,” Cole murmurs. I turn my face to him as he strokes a hand over my hair.

“Thank you,” I whisper, my eyes filling up with tears. “For believing me. For going with me.”

He shakes his head. “I’m sorry for doubting you.”

“Stop that,” I whisper, frowning at him. “My plan was…insane.”

He shrugs. “I’ve seen crazier. I should have listened from the start, and I’m glad I gave in. This was…amazing, Nadia – and it was all you.”

I laugh a little, a tear starting its way down my cheek. “I mean, youhelped.”

Cole smiles at me, so warm and loving that I can’t help it. I lean toward him, tilting my chin up. Just the tiniest baby snarl sounds in Cole’s chest as he closes the distance, pressing his mouth to mine, his lips moving slowly in a simple kiss that breaks after a moment. He looks down into my eyes as heat rushes through me – heat, and wonder, and confusion, and…happiness.

“You rest too,” he murmurs, taking a deep breath and resting his chin on my hair when I allow myself to lean against his chest.

“Okay,” I whisper. “I’ll just…rest my eyes. For a minute.”

He hums his agreement and I let my eyelids fall shut, wondering how something so simple can be…so damn perfect.

Chapter 56 – Disturbed

Nadia

“Wake up!” A voice snarls. “You are our captives now!”

I lurch out of sleep, my eyes flashing open. They widen at the sight in front of me.

But I barely have time to process the sight of the little boy baring his teeth at us, a sharp knife clutched in his hand, a wholepackof other little boys gathered behind him, before a vicious snarl erupts from Cole, whose arms tighten around me.

I gasp – but then the whole world goes to shit.

Chaos reigns as all of our little girls seem to leap to their little puppy feet at once, yelping and barking and snarling, some lunging at the boys who shout and wave knives, or shift andattack. Other girls dash behind rocks or tuck themselves into the shadows. Janine cries out, pressing herself closer to me as Cole launches to his feet, pushing me behind him as he shifts into his wolf.

I shout, clutching Janine to me as yelps and snarls and barks fill the air –

But suddenly they’re all drowned out by one long, loud,unceasingroar – the power of it shaking through me. Even I sense the command in the tone as all of the pups around us – boy and girl alike – go still.

My eyes flash open just in time to see Cole transform back into his human body, his fangs still extended as he glares around at all of the pups, frozen in their tiny pup war, all of their eyes turned to him. Only Janine makes a noise as she whimpers against me.

“Shift! Now!” Cole barks, pointing a finger around at all the children. “I want human bodies! I want knivesonthe groundhereat my feet! And if you eventhinkabout keeping one back, Iwillend your short life!”

The girls all immediately comply, shifting and gathering behind Cole, sitting down by me against the cliff so that rocks are at our backs and the boys can’t sneak behind. Some of my little pups shake with fear, and one girl has a long cut down her arm from one of the boys. I gasp, snatching her to me.

The boys – where thehelldid all these ragged boys come from? They move more slowly, some shifting and looking up at Cole with awe while others look at their leader, who still snarls. But Cole lets out another roar, bending over to glare at the head boy, and whatever willpower left in the group breaks. Knives clatter to the ground at Cole’s feet as the boys shift to human form and fall to their knees, bowing their heads to the powerful Alpha.

Only the leader of the boys keeps his eyes on Cole, baring his sharp little fangs even as he kneels.

“You aremyprisoners now,” Cole snarls at them, his voice rough and vicious. “Who else is with you? Who is in the desert?”

Most of the boys whimper, but the one in front clenches his jaw, working hard not to obey Cole’s order.

Cole growls, crouching before the boy, showing absolutely no fear as he reaches out and takes the child’s face in his hand, pinching his little cheeks between his thumb and forefinger. “I won’t tolerate further disobedience,” Cole says, voice heavy with control. “You answer me now, truthfully, or you die to protect a cult that doesn’t give a damn whether you live. Nowtellme – is there anyone in the desert watching?”

The little boy gasps, his will breaking. Tears flood his eyes. “N-no,” he whispers, shaking his head even as Cole holds his face. “We’re all here.”