Page 57

"I thought as much. I felt a strong burning sensation coming from my small bite mark—your partial mate mark." Her voice was steady, but her heart raced beneath his palm.

"The mate bond has almost been solidified," he continued, his voice softening to a husky timbre. "True fated mates can develop a telepathic connection after this claiming—in bothhuman and wolf form. That's what you're feeling. Plus, a heightened physical awareness of my state."

Maya closed her eyes, concentrating.Like this?Her voice echoed in his mind, tentative but clear.

Kieran's eyes widened. "Exactly like that," he whispered aloud. "Most fated mate pairs take weeks to achieve that clarity."

A smile lit up her face, sending an unexpected surge of joy through him. "This is..." She shook her head, searching for words.

"Incredible," he finished for her, unable to stop his eyes from trailing down her body. The sunlight dappled across her skin, highlighting the curve of her breasts and the gentle slope of her hips. His wolf stirred, possessive and hungry despite their dire circumstances.

You're staring,her amused voice filled his mind.

"Can you blame me?" he growled, his eyes flashing silver. "You're breathtaking."

"And you're distracted," she countered, but her cheeks flushed with pleasure. "We need to get that silver poison neutralized. I can feel it fighting against your natural healing."

Kieran nodded grimly, forcing himself back to their mission. "The safe house might have a healer. But we should call Lena and have her come there. She'll help us."

They continued through the forest, Kieran's thoughts darkening as they walked. The long-term effects of silver poisoning could be devastating—weakened shifting ability, compromised strength, even permanent damage to his wolf. And beyond his physical concerns, there were the political ramifications of his recent actions.

"Malcolm..." he muttered, worry for his brother creasing his brow.

"You're concerned about him," Maya observed, catching the thought through their bond. "And about what your father will do."

"He'll disown me," Kieran stated flatly. "Declare me traitor to the pack for rescuing a human—even one with dormant shifter genes. Malcolm too, if he suspects his involvement."

The heavy weight of responsibility pressed down on Kieran's shoulders. His mind raced through calculations of what might have happened to Malcolm and the strike teams after they'd split up during the chaos of their escape. The silver bullet wound throbbed in his side, a constant reminder of the price he'd willingly paid to protect Maya.

"The teams should have scattered into four different directions according to the extraction plan," he said, scanning the forest for potential threats. His wolf senses remained partially muted from the silver, but his instincts were sharp as ever. "Malcolm was leading the western team. If they followed protocol, they should be safe."

"But you don't know for certain." Maya's voice was steady, analytical even in crisis.

"No." Kieran's jaw tightened. "And my father will be livid. This isn't just about breaking pack law—it's a direct challenge to his authority."

They navigated through a dense thicket, Kieran's hand instinctively reaching back to guide Maya through the narrowest parts. His touch lingered on her skin, drawing strength from the contact.

"I never wanted open rebellion," he confessed. "But I'll burn down the whole damn system before I let anyone hurt you."

Maya's fingers intertwined with his. "For what it's worth, I'd do the same for you."

After an hour of careful navigation, they reached the edge of a clearing. A rustic two-story cabin stood nestled againstthe mountainside, smoke curling from its chimney. Positioned precisely on the border between Silvercrest and Granite Ridge territories, it represented a physical manifestation of rebellion—neither here nor there.

Kieran's nostrils flared. "There are at least seven shifters inside. Young ones." He glanced at Maya. "Stay behind me."

They approached cautiously. Before they reached the door, it swung open revealing a young woman with a streak of blue in her dark hair. Her eyes widened at the sight of the naked pair.

"Holy shit, it's Kieran Silvercrest," she hissed, pulling them inside. "And you must be the human everyone's talking about."

The interior bustled with activity as the young wolf shifters scrambled to attention at Kieran's presence. Despite his nakedness and wounded state, his authority filled the room. Spines straightened, eyes lowered in deference.

"Clothes," he commanded simply, and three different wolf shifters rushed to comply.

Once dressed in borrowed jeans and a tight black t-shirt that strained across his shoulders, Kieran gathered the rebel sympathizers in the main room. Maya stood at his side, now clad in leggings and an oversized flannel shirt.

"What news from the packs?" he demanded.

A lanky male with nervous eyes stepped forward. "Your father called an emergency Council meeting at dawn. He's—" The young wolf swallowed hard. "He's publicly banished you for treason against our shifter kind. Said you chose a human over your blood and pack."