Page 9 of Alpha’s Vow (Copper Canyon Shifters #3)
CHAPTER 9
brYCE
T he small Texas border town was a dusty, sun-bleached relic, its streets lined with faded storefronts and rusted pickup trucks. Bryce leaned against the side of his truck, the brim of his hat low over his eyes as he surveyed the scene before him. The rundown bar at the end of the main street stood out like a sore thumb, its flickering neon sign advertising cheap beer and live music.
He knew she was in there.
Sable had left a trail—a subtle one, but not subtle enough. Bryce had followed her here, the faint buzz of their bond pulling him closer with every mile. Now, as the sun dipped below the horizon, rendering the sky in hues of orange and purple, he was finally within reach.
But as he stood there, he knew Sable wasn’t the kind of woman to welcome interference, and she’d made her feelings about him abundantly clear. Still, he couldn’t let her continue this crusade alone. The hunters she was tracking were dangerous, and while he admired her strength, he couldn’t shake the need to protect her.
Bryce’s wolf stirred restlessly, his instincts sharpening as the bar’s doors swung open, spilling light and noise onto the cracked pavement. Sable stepped out onto the porch, a tray balanced in one hand as she served drinks to a table of rowdy locals. Even from a distance, Bryce could see the sharp edge to her movements.
She was a force of nature, all fire and determination, and Bryce couldn’t look away.
He watched her from the shadows, his chest tightening as she laughed politely at something one of the men said. It wasn’t real laughter—he could tell by the way her eyes remained guarded, scanning the crowd even as her lips curved into a smile. She was always on edge, always ready for the next threat.
Bryce’s hands curled into fists. He hated seeing her like this, caught between survival and the revenge she couldn’t let go of. She was strong, yes, but even the strongest needed someone to lean on.
And whether she wanted him or not, Bryce intended to be that someone.
The hours dragged on, the bar’s lights flickering as the last of the patrons stumbled out into the night. Bryce waited, his truck parked in the shadows across the street. He hadn’t approached her yet, hadn’t decided how to start a conversation that was destined to turn into a fight.
When the other employees and customers had left and the doors finally closed, and the lights dimmed, Bryce climbed out of his truck, his boots moving silently across the street. He could feel her before he spotted her, the quiet hum of their bond guiding him toward the alley beside the bar.
Sable was there, wiping down tables she’d set up earlier, her blonde hair falling loose over her shoulders. She didn’t see him at first, too focused on her task, but Bryce didn’t hesitate.
“You’re running yourself into the ground,” he said, his voice low but firm.
Sable froze, her head snapping up at the sound of his voice. When her eyes locked onto his, they were sharp with both surprise and annoyance. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Bryce stepped closer, his hands resting at his sides but his presence commanding. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Congratulations,” she said, her tone biting. “You found me. Now leave.”
“Not happening.” His voice was steady, unyielding. “You’ve been avoiding me, running from something you can’t outrun. I’m here to stop you from making a mistake.”
Sable’s laugh was bitter, her eyes flashing with anger. “A mistake? The only mistake I made was letting you fuck me.” She stepped closer, “And letting you live after you bit me.”
Bryce flinched at the words, but his jaw tightened. “That’s an empty threat. I didn’t murder your pack, and that’s the only reason you’d kill. Besides, you and I both know the bond between us isn’t an accident or something either of us can ignore. You feel it just as much as I do, Sable.”
Her hands tightened around the rag she was holding, her knuckles white, as she stepped back. “It doesn’t matter what I feel. This isn’t about you, Bryce. It isn’t even about me. It’s about them.”
“And what happens when they kill you before you finish what you started?” Bryce’s voice rose, his frustration breaking through his calm facade. “You think I’m going to stand by and let that happen?”
“I don’t need your permission,” Sable snapped, stepping closer until they were inches apart. “This is my fight.”
“It’s our fight now,” Bryce growled, his eyes blazing. “You’re my mate, whether you like it or not. And I’m not letting you go through this alone.”
Sable’s breath hitched, her anger warring with the pull of the bond that neither of them could deny. Bryce could feel it in the way her gaze softened for the briefest moment, the way her chest rose and fell as she struggled to hold on to her resolve.
“You don’t get to decide that,” she said, her voice quieter but no less fierce. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”
“No, you didn’t,” Bryce said, his voice softening but his dominance still radiating off him in waves. “But those responsible for the deaths of your pack are organized and have money behind them.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I have friends—a unit of Texas Rangers that have begun putting together a string of killings. They know why you’re doing it and for now they’re willing to turn a blind eye, but if others figure it out, it could threaten the existence of shifters everywhere. You and I are bonded—whether you like it or not—and pretending that bond doesn’t exist won’t change anything.”
The air between them pulsed with an undeniable charge, a mixture of anger and need. Bryce’s wolf growled low in his chest, urging him to pull her closer, to show her she wasn’t as alone as she thought.
Sable took a step back, breaking the moment. Her eyes were guarded again, her walls firmly in place. “I don’t need your help, Bryce. If your friends come for me, I’ll deal with them.”
He stepped forward, refusing to let her retreat. “Is that your solution? Just kill anyone who gets in your way?” He shook his head, frustrated that he couldn’t make her see. “I’m here because I need you. And whether you want to admit it or not, you need me too.”
“Why are you still here?” she demanded, her tone sharp as a blade. “I told you to leave.”
“And I told you I’m not going anywhere,” Bryce countered, his voice low and steady. “You can keep pushing, Sable, but it’s not going to work.”
She huffed, crossing her arms. “I don’t need a protector.”
“Why, because those you once thought of as your protectors were gunned down?” Bryce said, stepping closer, his eyes locked on hers. “This is about what’s right. And I’m not letting you face this alone.”
Her lips tightened, her jaw clenching as she stared him down. Bryce could feel the heat radiating off her. She was resisting him, but the pull of the bond was undeniable, a force neither of them could escape.
“Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” Sable said, her voice softening, though her stance remained defiant. “You have no idea what I’m up against.”
“I do. So do Rush and his men,” Bryce said, his tone challenging.
She hesitated, her gaze flickering to the ground. For a moment, Bryce thought she might open up, but then she straightened, the walls around her snapping back into place.
“You don’t understand, and neither do your Texas Ranger friends,” she said, turning away from him.
Bryce’s jaw tightened, his wolf snarling. He closed the distance between them, his hand reaching out to catch her arm. The contact sent a jolt through both of them, the bond flaring to life, raw and powerful.
“Try me,” Bryce said, his voice rough with both frustration and longing.
Sable froze, her eyes wide as she looked up at him. The fire in her gaze flickered, her walls cracking just enough for Bryce to see the pain and vulnerability hidden beneath.
“You don’t get it,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “This is my fight. My revenge. I don’t need you to save me.”
“I’m not here to save you,” Bryce said, his voice firm. “I’m here because you’re my mate, and I’m not letting you destroy yourself for this. Is this really what you believe your pack would want?”
Her breath hitched. Bryce could feel the conflict warring within her, the pull of the bond battling her instinct to push him away.
“You’re so damn stubborn,” she muttered, her tone laced with both anger and something softer as she walked inside the now deserted bar and turned off the lights.
“Takes one to know one,” Bryce shot back, a faint grin tugging at his lips as he followed her inside and locked the door.
Her lips parted, a retort on the tip of her tongue, but Bryce didn’t give her the chance. He closed the final small space between them, his hand cupping her jaw as he kissed her, the contact igniting the spark between them into a wildfire.
Sable stiffened for a heartbeat, her hands pressing against his chest as if to shove him away. But then, slowly, she melted into him, her lips moving against his with equal intensity. Her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer as the heat between them burned hotter.
The kiss was a battle, a clash of wills that left them both breathless. When they finally broke apart, Sable’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes blazing with both anger and longing.
Driven by an overwhelming desire, he pressed his lips against hers, needing to silence any doubts or denials. Despite their differences in background and beliefs, they were destined mates, and nothing could change that bond. Sable's resistance faded away as she surrendered to the kiss and the connection between them.
They couldn't fight it; they were meant to be together. With each passing second, the spark between them grew into a wildfire, fueled by the taste of her on his lips—a mix of sweetness and defiance. Bryce poured every ounce of possessiveness and longing into the kiss, deepening it until all they could focus on was each other. Sable's hands clutched at his shirt, releasing a soft moan as her doubts and insecurities melted away.
Breaking away from the kiss, Bryce gasped for air, his forehead resting against hers. Their breath mingled in the heated space between them as he spoke in a husky voice filled with arousal, whispering promises of pleasure to come.
He could feel her resistance return, fighting the pull between them, but he had ignited a primal hunger inside her.
"I don't want this," she whispered, but Bryce knew that not wanting it wouldn't make it go away.
Cradling her face in his hands, he looked deep into her eyes before claiming her lips once again. This time, their kiss was different; it was intense and instinctual, fueling a frenzy that left them both stripped of their clothes. Bodies crashing together in a wild display of need and passion, their heat only fueled the flames that licked at their skin—a fire threatening to consume everything in its path.
His hand tangled in her hair, pulling gently as he took her mouth with a fervor that left them both breathless. The taste of her lips, soft and pliant against his, ignited his desire even more. She responded eagerly, her nails digging into his back as she urged him closer.
They stumbled backwards, trying to find purchase as they collided in a frenzy of bare skin and raw passion. He lifted her onto the bar, climbing on top of it and lining himself up at her entrance. With a primal growl, he thrust into her depths, savoring the tightness that enveloped him. It was an electric sensation, coursing through his veins and overwhelming his senses.
In that moment, they were no longer two separate beings, but one entity forged in fire. Her legs wrapped around his waist, urging him deeper as he explored every inch of her pleasure. Together, they found a rhythm that matched the beating of their hearts, drawing them closer to the edge where need and want merged with ecstasy.
The bar beneath them creaked under their weight as glasses trembled on the shelves behind them. Moans and gasps filled the empty room, harmonizing with the sound of their bodies moving together. In this world of sensation, time ceased to exist and nothing else mattered.
Her nails clawed at his back, leaving marks that would linger for days. As they reached their climax, the temperature seemed to rise, mirroring the inferno between them. The scent of sex hung heavy in the air like a mist that marked the transition from human to wolf. They were lost in each other's touch, consumed by a primal need so profound it surpassed all physicality.
Sable's body quivered around him, sending him into a primal frenzy. His grip on her hips tightened, leaving marks in her flesh as he thrust harder and deeper. Every movement brought Sable closer to the edge, her body trembling and her breath ragged.
Bryce continued his relentless pace, drawing out a guttural moan from Sable's lips. Her inner walls tightened around him, pushing him towards his own climax. As she arched off the bar and let out a wild scream of pleasure, Bryce released himself inside her, filling her with his hot seed.
When he released her, she pushed him away. “That doesn’t change anything,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.
Bryce grinned, his eyes gleaming. “It changed everything.”
Sable stepped back, shaking her head as if to clear it. “I don’t have time for this. I have a plan, Bryce. I don’t need you messing it up.”
Bryce crossed his arms, his gaze narrowing. “Then tell me what the plan is. Let me help.”
Sable hesitated, her fingers twitching at her sides. Bryce could see the war in her eyes, the struggle between trusting him and remaining alone. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly.
“I’ve been tracking them,” she admitted. “The hunters. I’ve pieced together a network, but it’s bigger than I thought. More organized.”
“My friend, Rush, says there’s also a lot of money behind them,” Bryce said, nodding, his voice hardening.
“There’s at least a dozen more,” Sable said. “But they’re spread out, hiding behind fake businesses and clean records. It’s going to take time to dismantle them.”
Bryce nodded, his mind already working through the possibilities. “There’s more than that,” he started, and then realization dawned. “You’re going after their leaders.”
She nodded. “I don’t believe it’s just my pack they wanted dead. They’re still out there hunting. Cut off the head, and the rest will fall apart.”
“It’s risky,” Bryce said, his voice steady. “You’re taking on a small army.”
“I don’t care,” Sable snapped, her eyes blazing. “They killed my family, Bryce. My pack. I’m not stopping until every single one of them is gone.”
Bryce reached out, his hand brushing her arm gently. “You don’t have to do this alone.”
“You keep saying that, but what if I don’t want your help,” she said, though her voice wavered slightly.
“You have it anyways,” Bryce said firmly. “Whether you like it or not.”
Sable glared at him, her frustration clear, but she didn’t pull away. Bryce took that as a small victory, though he knew the battle was far from over.
“I mean it, Sable,” he said, his voice low but commanding. “I’ll protect you, no matter what. Even if it means protecting you from yourself.”
Her gaze softened for a fraction of a second before the fire returned. “Then you’d better keep up, Savage. Because I’m not slowing down.”
Bryce grinned, his wolf growling in approval. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Bryce helped her finish closing the tavern. Sable left a note for the owner that she would not return and to donate her wages to a local charity that cared for abused animals. The battle was far from over—between them and the hunters—but for now, they had each other. And no matter what lay ahead, he would make damn sure she never faced it alone.