Page 45 of Broken Forced Mate

“Copy that. Maintain observation and report any significant developments.”

“Understood.”

But understanding and executing are different things when half my brain is replaying the feeling of Raegan’s body against mine. The way the supernatural bond between us came to life was the moment our mouths connected. How every instinct I possess screamed at me to claim her properly instead of letting her walk away.

Again.

“You need to talk to someone about whatever’s eating at you,” Aidan says without lowering his binoculars. “Because if you’re this scattered during observation, you’re going to get us killed during actual combat.”

“I’m fine.”

“Like hell you are. You’ve been wound tighter than a spring, and everyone’s starting to notice. You need to be professional.”

Professional. That’s what I used to be. Reliable. Now I’m fantasizing about backing Raegan against a wall while enemy forces prepare to overrun our territory.

“Movement,” I report into the radio, grateful for the distraction. “Six personnel leaving the main camp on foot, heading northwest toward the mining road.”

“Copy. Can you identify their objective?”

I track the group through my scope as they disappear into a canyon that leads toward the old extraction sites. “Unknown.”

“Maintain visual contact if possible.”

“Roger.”

Aidan and I begin moving parallel to the Thornridge team, using ridgelines and natural cover to keep them in sight. The terrain here is treacherous—loose rock, narrow paths, and plenty of places for an ambush. But my wolf knows every inch of these canyons from years of border patrols.

Which is why I recognize the trap before we walk into it.

“Stop.” I grab Aidan’s arm as he’s about to step around a boulder. “We’re being herded.”

“What?”

“The group we’re following. They’re the bait.” I inspect the surrounding canyon walls, counting potential sniper positions. “Someone knew we’d follow them into this bottleneck.”

Aidan drops into cover behind the nearest rock formation. “How many do you think there are?”

“No idea. But if I were setting up this ambush, I’d have at least six shooters positioned along the rim.”

“So what do we do?”

The smart decision would be to retreat immediately, report the attempt, and coordinate a response with the larger team. But my wolf wants to fight. Wants to shift and tear through whatever opposition Thornridge has positioned around us.

The alpha genetics I’ve spent years hiding push against my human reasoning, demanding action over caution.

“We circle back,” I decide. “Use the old mining tunnels to approach from an unexpected angle.”

“Those tunnels haven’t been used in decades. Could be unstable.”

“Better than walking into a planned ambush.”

We begin working our way back through the canyon, moving slowly to avoid triggering whatever surveillance system Thornridge has established.

My radio buzzes with an incoming message, but when I try to respond, only static comes through.Shit. They’re jamming our communications.

“Can you reach base?” I ask Aidan.

He tries his own radio and shakes his head. “Nothing. We’re on our own until we get out of this canyon.”