Page 15 of Alpha’s Vow (Copper Canyon Shifters #3)
CHAPTER 15
SABLE
T he sun blazed high over the dusty road leading into the remote Texas town, its relentless heat casting shimmering waves over the landscape. Sable leaned her head against the truck’s window, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. The town was a dot on the map, more a cluster of weathered buildings than a proper settlement. But it held something far more dangerous than its modest appearance suggested: hunters.
Bryce sat behind the wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. His calm presence was a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside Sable. Her wolf was restless, pacing just beneath the surface, a constant reminder of what lay ahead. The air seemed to hold a whisper of the danger waiting for them.
“We’re close,” Bryce said, breaking the silence.
Sable straightened, her senses sharpening as the truck rumbled into the outskirts of town. “I can feel it.”
Bryce shot her a sidelong glance, his expression steady but concerned. “Keep it together, Sable. We can’t afford to tip them off.”
“I know,” she said, her voice tight. But her wolf didn’t want patience. It wanted blood.
The tavern was exactly what Sable had expected: a weathered building with peeling paint, a neon sign that flickered intermittently, and a collection of battered trucks parked out front. It looked like any other small-town bar, but the atmosphere seemed tense with unspoken energy.
Bryce parked the truck a few buildings away, the engine cutting off with a low rumble. He turned to Sable, his eyes meeting hers with silent intensity. “We go in, stay low, and watch. No moves until we’re sure.”
Sable nodded, though the promise of restraint felt like a noose tightening around her neck. “Fine.”
Bryce’s hand brushed hers, imbuing her with a quiet strength that both reassured and irritated her. “I mean it, Sable. We can’t lose the element of surprise.”
She pulled her hand away, her eyes narrowing. “I get it.”
Bryce didn’t push further, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he stepped out of the truck. Sable followed, the dry dirt shifting under her boots as they approached the tavern.
The wooden door creaked as they stepped inside. The smell of smoke and stale beer filled the air. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the room, and the low buzz of conversation mingled with the clink of glasses. Sable’s wolf tensed, her instincts flaring as she scanned the space.
The hunters were easy to spot, their rough demeanor and watchful gazes standing out even in the rowdy crowd. They clustered near the back, their voices low but animated as they passed around a bottle of whiskey. Sable’s fingers twitched at her sides, her wolf snarling at the sight of them.
Bryce placed his hand on the small of her back, his voice low and steady. “Easy.”
She tore her gaze away, her jaw tightening as they made their way to the bar. The bartender, a burly man with a weathered face, eyed them suspiciously but said nothing as Bryce ordered a couple of beers. Sable’s hands curled around the glass when it arrived, her grip tighter than necessary.
“Focus,” Bryce murmured, his lips barely moving as he leaned close.
“I am focused,” she hissed, her voice low.
“Not on them,” Bryce said, his eyes cutting to hers. “On the plan.”
Sable exhaled sharply, forcing herself to loosen her grip on the glass. He was right, damn him. She couldn’t afford to let her emotions take over—not here, not now. She took a sip of the beer, the bitter taste grounding her as she turned her attention back to the room.
The hunters were laughing now, their rough voices carrying over the din of the tavern. One of them, a wiry man with a scar running down his cheek, leaned forward, his expression sharp as he spoke. Sable couldn’t make out the words, but the tension in their group was clear.
“They’re nervous,” she said quietly, her eyes fixed on the group.
Bryce nodded, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp. “They should be.”
Sable’s wolf bristled, the urge to confront them clawing at her chest. She forced herself to stay still, her senses tuned to every detail—their body language, their tone, the subtle glances they cast toward the door.
“They’re waiting for someone,” Bryce said, his voice a low rumble.
Sable followed his gaze, her heart pounding as she noticed the way the hunters kept glancing toward the entrance. Her wolf stirred, the faint scent of fear and adrenaline in the air stoking the fire inside her.
“Could be backup,” she said, her voice tight.
“Could be their leader,” Bryce countered. “Either way, we wait.”
Sable bit back a retort, her fingers tightening around the edge of the bar. Waiting felt like torture, every second stretching into an eternity as the hunters drank and muttered among themselves. Her wolf growled low in her chest, the primal urge to act clashing with the logic Bryce had drilled into her.
Then the door opened, and the tavern seemed to hold its breath.
A man stepped inside, his broad frame silhouetted against the fading sunlight. He wasn’t tall, but he carried himself with an air of authority that set Sable’s teeth on edge. His cold, calculating gaze swept the room before landing on the hunters in the back.
“That’s him,” Bryce murmured, his voice tense. “The one in charge.”
Sable’s breath hitched, her wolf surging forward as rage boiled in her veins. She knew without being told—this man was part of it. Part of the massacre, part of the network that had destroyed her world.
Bryce’s hand closed around her wrist, his grip firm but not painful. “Not yet.”
She tore her gaze from the man, her eyes flashing with frustration as she met Bryce’s dark, steady gaze. “I can’t just sit here.”
“You can,” Bryce said, his voice low but commanding. “Because we need to know what they’re planning. And we need him alive.”
Sable’s jaw tightened, her wolf snarling at the restraint he was forcing on her. But she nodded, the bond between them humming with quiet understanding. She hated waiting, hated the helplessness that came with it, but she trusted Bryce.
As the hunters gathered around the newcomer, their voices growing quieter, Sable’s instincts sharpened. She could feel the shift in the room, the looming danger wrapping around her like a tangible force.
“We’ll follow them when they leave,” Bryce said, his voice low. “Stay close.”
Sable nodded, her eyes fixed on the group as they huddled near the back. The plan was risky, and every instinct in her screamed to act now, to strike before they had a chance to scatter. But she held back, her trust in Bryce her anchor in the storm.
The air in the tavern was thick with unspoken danger. Sable’s wolf snarled low in her chest, her body coiled with anticipation.
They were close. So close.
The tavern was a cacophony of noise and frenetic energy, the rattle of glasses and conversation masking the undercurrent of danger. Sable sat on the edge of her stool, her eyes locked on the group of hunters at the back of the room. The shadows played tricks in the dim light, but she didn’t need a clearer view to know they were the ones she and Bryce had been hunting.
Her wolf paced within her, snarling at the restraint she forced upon it. Her pulse pounded, and her hand curled tightly around her glass to stop it from trembling. Then she saw him. The man seated near the center of the group, his scarred face half-lit by the yellow glow of the hanging lamp. Her breath caught.
It was him. The one who had watched as her pack fell.
Her vision narrowed, the rest of the room fading into a haze as rage surged through her. She remembered him clearly—his sneer, the way he barked orders to the others. The enormity of her loss threatening to overwhelm her as her wolf clawed to take control.
“Sable,” Bryce’s deep voice cut through the fog in her mind, sharp and commanding. His hand brushed her knee under the bar, reminding her of their goal.
She turned to him, her eyes wild. “That’s him,” she hissed, her voice barely above a whisper. “The one who...”
“I know,” Bryce interrupted, his eyes steady and firm. “But now’s not the time.”
Her breath came in shallow bursts, her wolf thrashing against the leash she held on it. “I can’t just sit here.”
“You can, and you will,” Bryce said, leaning closer, his tone low but unyielding. His presence radiated calm dominance, his wolf backing her down even as her rage threatened to boil over. “We’re going to take them down, Sable. But not like this.”
Her fingers tightened around the glass, the cool surface grounding her as she struggled to rein in the storm inside her. “Then how?”
Bryce’s lips barely moved as he leaned closer, his voice a quiet growl meant only for her. “We wait for them to move. They’ll lead us to the others. We take out the whole network, not just one.”
His words made sense, but the logic did little to soothe her wolf’s thirst for vengeance. Her eyes flicked back to the scarred man, her body tense with the effort of holding herself still. “I want him,” she whispered, the words laced with raw fury.
“And you’ll get him,” Bryce promised, his eyes locking onto hers. “But only if you stay with me. We do this right.”
She exhaled sharply, the bond between them a lifeline that kept her from spiraling further. She hated the restraint, the waiting, but she trusted Bryce.
Before she could respond, the scarred man glanced in their direction, his sharp gaze narrowing as it lingered on Bryce for a moment too long. Sable tensed, her wolf baring its teeth internally.
“They’ve spotted us,” she said, her voice tight.
Bryce’s jaw tightened, his hand slipping from her knee to rest casually on the bar. “Stay calm.”
The scarred man leaned toward one of his companions, muttering something Sable couldn’t hear. The air in the room thickened, charged with an unspoken threat. The hunters shifted subtly, their postures growing more alert as they exchanged glances.
“They know something’s off,” Sable said, her voice a low growl.
“Let them,” Bryce replied, his tone calm but edged with steel. “It’ll make what comes next more satisfying.”
The hunters rose from their seats, their movements deliberate as they spread out slightly. Sable’s wolf bristled, her instincts sharpening as the air in the tavern grew heavy with impending violence.
“They’re making their move,” Bryce murmured, his voice quiet but lethal. “Be ready.”
Sable slid off her stool, her body coiled like a spring as her senses locked onto the group. Her heart pounded, adrenaline surging through her veins as she watched the scarred man approach, his cold eyes scanning her and Bryce with calculated precision.
“You don’t look like you’re from around here,” the man said, his voice rough and mocking. He stopped a few feet away, his companions closing ranks behind him.
Bryce turned slowly, his eyes meeting the man’s without flinching. “Just passing through,” he said, his tone casual but carrying an edge.
“Funny,” the scarred man said, his lips curling into a sneer. “You don’t look like the passing-through type.”
“Neither do you,” Bryce replied, his voice low and calm. “Guess we’ve got something in common.”
The scarred man’s smile faltered, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t like strangers poking around where they don’t belong.”
“Good thing we’re not strangers,” Bryce said, his gaze unflinching. “We’ve met before.”
The room seemed to hold its breath, the hostility snapping taut as the scarred man’s hand hovered near his belt. Sable’s wolf surged forward, every muscle in her body coiled with the anticipation of a fight.
The first blow came fast.
The scarred man lunged, his hand flashing toward a blade at his hip. The other patrons scattered. Bryce moved faster, his fist connecting with the man’s jaw in a blur of motion that sent him staggering back. The tavern erupted into chaos, chairs scraping against the floor as the hunters drew weapons and the crowd scrambled to get out of the way.
Sable didn’t hesitate—her movements fluid and precise as she lunged at the nearest hunter. Her fist collided with his nose, a sickening crunch echoing through the room as he crumpled to the floor.
Bryce was a force of nature beside her, his strength and precision unmatched as he took down another hunter with brutal efficiency. The bond between them hummed with unspoken coordination, their movements synchronized as they fought side by side.
The fight was a blur of motion, sound, and chaos, the saloon transformed into a battleground of fists, blades, and broken furniture. Sable dodged a wild swing from one of the hunters, her breath coming in sharp bursts as her wolf clawed for release. The scent of blood and adrenaline thickened the air, stoking the fire in her chest.
Her gaze flicked to Bryce, who fought with relentless precision, his eyes blazing as he moved like a force of nature. Every punch and kick he delivered sent another hunter sprawling, his dominance radiating through the room. But even Bryce’s sheer power wasn’t enough to keep the chaos contained.
The scarred man recovered, his eyes blazing with fury as he drew a knife and charged at Sable. This was the man who had haunted her nightmares since the massacre of her pack. She dodged his first swing, the blade whistling past her ear as she countered with a swift kick to his gut. He stumbled back, but his grin only widened. Sable eyed him warily, waiting. She didn’t like the look of that grin.