Page 104 of Bad Wolf's Nanny

And the small life he could smell in her womb.

Their baby was alive.

Hot tears rolled down his cheeks, cutting through the soot and blood.

He brushed Lola’s hair from her face, pressing his nose into her neck. Her pale skin was bruised, scraped, but her eyes fluttered open.

Dane let out a heaving gasp. “Lola.”

She blinked up at him. “You’re alive.”

He pulled her in tight, cradling her head, not caring about the blood, the ash, the sting in his shoulder. “So are you. Thank God, you’re okay.”

“The others?” she asked, voice hoarse.

“They made it out. You saved them.”

She closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks.

The rest of the pack began to gather around them. Cassie was there, tucked into Felix, Rick, Nicolas, Daisy, and even John Heath, standing like a sentinel just beyond the circle. The Pine Shadow Club still smoldered behind them.

Felix stepped forward, one hand on Dane’s shoulder, “You did well.”

Dane looked down at Lola, who clutched his shoulders like a lifeline.

“She did it all,” Daisy said, “she saved everyone.”

Lola, still trembling, muttered, “I didn’t know if it would work. I didn’t know if I’d make it out.”

“You didn’t need to know,” Dane said, brushing a soot-streaked curl from her face. “You were brave enough to try.”

Rick paced, his wolf dark and menacing, his eyes alight with fury as he took in the smoldering wreckage.

He was half-wild with rage.

Felix glanced over at him, expression grim.

It would not be easy to tame his fury.

John Heath cleared his throat, stepping forward. Felix’s gaze whipped to him. “We’ll hold the borders until your wounded are safe.”

Felix nodded once. “We thank you for your aid.”

Heath tilted his head. “Then we’ll talk about the boon.”

Felix’s eyes narrowed. “Understood.”

But Dane didn’t care about politics or alliances.

He only saw Lola.

He pressed his forehead to hers, voice breaking, “You’re mine. I should have said it sooner. I won’t ever let you go again.”

Lola gave a small, trembling smile. “You better not.”

The pack closed in around them, a circle of strength, of unity, of survival.

The Iron Walkers had held.