Page 69 of Clashing With The Grumpy Wolf

I turn my attention back to Vera, forgoing dignity for efficiency as I keep her pinned while my deputies, Bobby Chemko and Maya Lorne, emerge from the forest. They approach with hard gazes for the suspects, and Maya hands me a zip tie.

"Vera Castell," I say, cinching the plastic tight around her wrists, "you are under arrest for theft, arson, conspiracy, and attempted murder." The familiar words of the Miranda rights flow from memory as I secure her hands. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…"

By the time I finish reciting her rights, Vera has stopped struggling, her body rigid with furious disbelief. Bobby Chemko does the same with Courtney, the young woman now weeping openly as the reality of her situation sinks in.

Wordlessly, Maya Lorne hands me a pair of boxer shorts she retrieved from her back pocket. All my deputies carry extra pairs of underwear for this exact situation. Werewolves are accustomed to nudityand make no qualms of it, but we know it makes the general public uncomfortable.

Distant engine sounds reach my heightened senses, more law enforcement coming to the rescue.

I stand barefoot on the gravel road. Victory tastes sweet on my tongue. The thieves sit defeated at my feet, and the tiara is safe in my hands.

Julia. My mate. Waiting for me back at the dock.

Jeremy remains beside me, keeping watch over our prisoners. I look up at him, seeing him clearly for perhaps the first time. My mother was right. Pack is always there when they are needed.

"I’m ready," I tell him. “I’m ready to take over as alpha, whenever you want me to.”

"I know you are," he rumbles. "I just needed you to see it."

Headlights appear around the bend in the road. I know I should stay, should formally process the arrests, should follow procedure.

But all I can think about is Julia.

"Can you handle this?" I ask my deputies, gesturing to the prisoners.

“Go to your mate.” Bobby Chemko nods. “We'll take care of everything.”

I don't need to be told twice. With one last nod of thanks to my father, I drop the boxer briefs and surrender once more to the shift. Pain sears through me briefly, then ebbs as fur replaces skin and four paws touch the ground where two feet stood a moment before.

Then I'm running again, back through the forest, back to the dock, back to Julia.

The thief is caught. The tiara is safe. And tomorrow, a dragon wedding will proceed exactly as planned, with my mate's reputation not just intact, but shining even brighter.

My wolf howls with satisfaction as I race through the moonlight, eager to return to where I belong.

At Julia's side.

Chapter 21

Julia

Ican’tbelievewepulled through.

The first light of dawn creeps through the windows of Windfall Manor, painting the bridal suite in soft pinks and golds. I stand at the window, watching the sun's reflection shimmer across the bay below.

My body aches in all the right places from my night with Adrian and I’m strangely at peace. It hurt deeply to learn that Courtney and Vera worked together to bring me down, but it also gave me a new perspective onwhat happened.

For the longest time, I thought I wasn’t strong enough to run my own company. I thought I needed someone else at my side to help me. But now? I faced betrayal and sabotage and I know I’m strong enough.

And I know I’m not alone.

My fingers drift to the mating mark on my neck, remembering the fierce protectiveness in Adrian's eyes when he found me after apprehending Vera and Courtney. The way he held me, his body still warm from the shift, his hands holding me with gut-wrenching care.

"You're safe," he had whispered against my hair. "They'll never hurt you again. It’s all over now."

The recovered tiara sits on a velvet cushion beside Seraphina's wedding gown, emeralds catching the first rays of sunlight. I run my finger lightly over the delicate metalwork, marveling at how something so beautiful could have caused so much chaos in my life.

A soft knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. I straighten my shoulders, pushing my personal feelings aside and pasting a professional smile on my lips.