N oah’s voice cuts through the air like he’s clawing through meat, leaving my wolf to shiver—enraptured by his every miniscule movement.

“The trauma you forced onto Aliya will follow her for the rest of her life, no matter what she can do to heal.”

Steven scoffs. “Trauma? What—”

“Shut the fuck up. I’m going to find you and show you how I really feel.”

“So you’re threatening me now?”

Noah laughs, but its icy, piercing tone sends a shiver down my whole body.

“Threatening you? Like how you threatened Aliya, you mean?” As Noah hugs me tighter, all I can do is stare. “How is this different from you bombarding her on a new account despite her repeatedly blocking you? How is this worse than breaking into her fucking house and putting your hands on her? Aren’t you asking me to give you a real reason to stop?”

Steven is silent.

“Either way, there’s nothing I can physically do to you that will hurt you as badly as you’ve hurt her.” Noah closes his eyes, gripping his head. “Unless I rip your balls off—since you seem to care about them so much.”

Despite my anxiety, I’m tempted to laugh.

But Steven does first. His laugh is so disingenuous that my mouth sours, nausea burning my throat.

“So this is all about the supposed ‘break-in?’ She probably didn’t tell you what actually happened. She wanted me to—”

Noah takes the phone off speaker, raising it to his ear with his eyebrows knit and jaw clenched.

Fuck. Even if Noah protected me from hearing it, I know exactly what Steven is saying.

Steven doesn't agree that breaking in and raping me was non-consensual because we were in the middle of a breakup. While we dated, he convinced me he owned me. His twisted viewpoint on that day distorted my thinking for years. He had beaten my mental health down so much that I blamed myself for something I never asked for. Jenny and Amy had to drag me out of his distortions before I gave up on life.

Someone's finally getting to witness how Steven really treated me. And I trust Noah to be the one who understands me.

My forehead warps; Steven is also why I understand Noah too, after what Jack did to him.

Steven’s voice prattles on into Noah’s ear, but Noah cuts him off with a low hum.

“Are you done?”

Steven replies, but Noah cuts him off again with a barking laugh.

“You really think I’m going to believe your bullshit ideas about what you did to her after all the lies you told her today?”

This time, Steven is silent.

Noah puts the phone back on speaker again, crossing his arms.

“I have no fucking clue what you’re going on about,” Steven says.

“Alright, let’s start with something real fucking obvious. It’s Friday, and you’re in Westview, supposedly. Why would you be outside ‘the office’ in the middle of the night?”

I freeze.

If I were in Steven’s place, it wouldn’t be hard to come up with a lie; he could claim he’s working overtime. Maybe he has a big project due tomorrow, but he’s taking a walk. Maybe he’s on a business trip in another time zone, and not actually in Westview tonight.

Steven doesn’t say a single thing.

Noah’s jaw flexes. “What’s the name of this hunter event last night? Do you have proof it happened? I bet you didn’t even talk to the cops.”

Steven sighs. “Look, man, I don’t know what you want me to say. It sounds like you’ll never believe me, even if I defend myself.”

“Uh huh. Whatever. If you’re not going to try, I’ll just keep calling your bullshit out. I’ve got more.”

My gut flip-flops, unsure what to believe at all now.

Maybe Noah is right: I feel so confused and disgusting inside. It's how Steven wanted me to feel all those years. Confusion kept me trapped—made it easier for him to blame me. And if he convinced me everything was my fault, I became all the more manipulatable.

“Dude, seriously? The hunters’ event was a private event hosted by the Westview Hunting Club. If you look it up, it won’t show up. Since, you know, it was private, and all.”

Noah rolls his eyes. But then we both pause as we’re mindlinked by Dave and Yasmine.

Yas and I dug for more info on ‘stbarrett92’ across various platforms. He only has two photos, and the caption from his last photo says he was in Westview yesterday, Dave says.

Bullshit, Noah says. He knows we’re tracking him and is faking his location. He claimed he met Jack Hart in Westview last night, so we better keep an eye out for Jack, whether Steven is lying or not. This level of effort to frame Jack for murder makes me think they’ve been in contact locally—enough to become enemies.

Yasmine mindlinks, What if he's trying to distract us? Wasting our resources to find Jack while you're gone and Steven plans some sort of coup?

Good point, I say. Noah just called him out for lying about being at his Westview office job, and he didn't defend himself.

It's still possible Jack pissed Steven off recently, even if it wasn't at a Westview Hunting Club event last night. Or that Jack killed them, but it wasn’t a solo job. Steven is trying to pin this murder solely on Jack, and when you’re guilty of something, the closest target to pin the blame on would be someone else involved, so... Noah’s mindlink trails off, leaving me gutted.

“You don’t think...?” I whisper.

Noah hangs his head, unable to meet my eyes as he shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Hello?” Steven says. “If you’re going to whisper to each other, I’m just going to hang up.”

Want me to look up that event too? Dave asks.

Sure. Thanks, cuz. Noah sighs, shaking his head. “Alright, Barrett. Maybe you are at the office at two in the fucking morning. Maybe you did go to a private hunters’ event. Even if you told the truth about all that, there’s one thing I can’t believe.”

Running a frustrated hand through his hair, Noah somehow makes his hair even messier.

“Are you fucking kidding me, man? You expect us to believe Jack would attend a hunters’ event at a dive bar? What the hell is your motive? Frame that asshole for what you really did? Did you fucking kill my dad? Or did you kill Aliya’s dad, and let Jack take mine out?”

My fists wrinkle my skirt, clenching hard enough to make my fingers ache.

It’s just a millisecond of silence, but it punches me in the soul; I don’t like how long Steven waits to respond. That was a guilty silence.

“Steven, really? No —” I choke out, just before the phone speakers garble Steven’s words from his shouting.

“Dude, what the actual fuck?! That's fucking crazy as hell! Seriously, don’t listen to him, Aliya. It’s so fucking far-fetched that I'm not even going to answer that,” Steven says. “But doesn't that mean you’re the one who knows too much about Jack? Who said he'd never attend a hunters' event?”

Noah pauses, and my heart skips. But he doesn't budge when I grip his forearm.

“Unfortunately, I was close to Jack. I was forced as a child to hear all about his beliefs on hunting, and to know why he’d never show his face in Westview unless he’s looking for a fight,” Noah mutters. “But you know exactly who you’re talking to about this, don’t you? That’s why you brought Jack up to my wife. And why you didn't think to ask me who my dad was when I accused you of killing him.”

My head spins, blood draining from my face. Steven takes a breath to speak. A beat of silence forces me to hold my breath, waiting for Steven’s next move.

But with Noah’s words about our fathers and Jack, something rings clearer than it ever has. A possibility so simple, yet so terrifying, I never considered it plausible.

My voice shakes as I whisper. “Mason, answer the question.”

Noah’s eyes bulge further than I’ve ever seen them, his grip growing limp on my thigh as he gapes at me. Mason?

“I tried to warn you. He's back in Westview,” Steven says.

Noah’s breath races as fast as my raging heartbeat. Holy fucking shit. You think he’s...?

Oh, my God, Noah, he didn’t even register that I called him a different name. Did he not hear me, or did he find the name ‘Mason’ so normal, responding to it for most of his life, that he thought nothing of it?

We stare at each other, frozen—unable to fathom the possibility Steven just unlocked.

“You can take it or leave it,” Steven continues. “Your loss.”

Despite fighting through rapid, frantic blinks as we both spiral into panic, Noah does his best to play the part of my pissed-off husband with a scoff. “Oh, fuck off. When we find you in Westview, you'll hope you listened to my wife and never showed your face there again.”

My nails dig into Noah's arm in fear of Steven's response.

But with a soft chuckle, Steven hangs up.

I can’t catch my breath, sputtering through harsh gasps of disbelief. Noah guides me to the bed and sits me down.

Grasping him all over, I can hardly gain my bearings. “W-what just happened?”

“He confirmed it,” Noah hisses, shaking his head. “Mason is Steven.”

I choke out a breath, gripping my forehead. “I can’t think, Noah. Are we sure that’s true? He didn’t directly confirm it.”

“I... I don’t know. We’ll have to capture Mason, and get him to—” Noah’s breath hitches. Closing his eyes, his jaw tightens around his words. “Fuck, that makes so much sense why he’s hiding his fucking smug-ass face from us. Because it wasn’t just us he’s hiding from—it was you .”

Numbness crawls over my limbs, my jaw stuck hanging open as my mind glitches over this possibility. The possibility Steven not only lied about who he was, but continued to stalk me, warping everyone around me into believing he was just another jerky Alpha-dom wolf with no power. Not only that, but he destroyed my life, down to possibly killing my father.

Nothing can be said to truly process this. Noah and I huff out our anxiety together, at a loss for words as we stare into each other’s wide, sunken eyes.

“How the hell did we manage to put this together? What made you guess Steven knows who you are?” I whisper.

Steadying my shoulders, Noah stares deep into my eyes. “Because I believe you. I believe you about what you've been through with every piece of my heart.”

I freeze. My lip trembles, a burst of emotion rushing up my spine.

Noah grasps my hands. “I believe you; he’s a stalker. It’s easy to suspect he knows who I am. And I believe you; he’s a rapist. When he said otherwise, I knew to search for what else he was lying about.”

I drop my forehead into his chest, letting out a relieved sob.

Noah strokes my hair, but then his musk heightens. “Goddess, I let him near you, I—”

Grasping Noah tighter, I steady my voice. “No, listen to me.”

Noah halts, but his chest heaves between us, his eyes racing around the room.

I cup his cheeks. “ You didn’t let him near me; he forced his way in. As we’ve both said, this is entirely his fault.”

Noah chokes out an exasperated groan, burying his head against my shoulder. “Knowing this much, he has to be Lycan. It makes way more sense why he's impossible to find. Packs will protect their own with their lives.”

“But if Steven has always been a wolf, what about all his hunting friends? Was he lying about that while we dated?”

“Many wolves still hunt for their food with their closest pack members, so ‘hunting friends’ is a human-sounding coverup.”

“Oh. Oh ...” I deflate, shaking my head in disbelief. “So is that why you don't think Jack would be at a hunting event for humans?”

“The whole reason I met Jack was because he trained Alpha pups to fight. To hunt hunters and protect the pack. He’d joke that human hunters are free meals—even off-the-grid ones that hunt for food only. None of us ever thought it was funny.”

My guts churn. “So if Steven really is Mason, why would Mason frame his own father? Do you think Jack hurt him too?”

“Oh...” Noah opens his mouth, then closes it. “I don’t know. I didn’t think of that possibility... Either that, or Steven— Mason —really is the one who shot our dads.”

My head spins hard enough to make me wobble. Noah steadies me, an aching concern infused into his musk.

“I feel sick,” I whisper. “Is this all my fault? M-maybe I pushed back against him too harshly, and—”

“No. Absolutely not.” Noah scoops me into his lap, cuddling me to his chest. “I’ve blamed myself too. Do you remember what you just told me?”

I grip Noah’s shoulder, huffing into his collarbone. “We couldn’t do a damn thing. It was completely out of our control.”

“Yes, my love. But you know what? Now we're experts at spotting abuse. It doesn't have to repeat.” Noah kisses my forehead.

I sit up, cupping his scruffy cheeks in my palms. All I can do is sigh at the sight of my sweet mate. No matter how worn his poor heart feels, he’s ever-present with me, as usual.

And he’s right; if Mason shows up in front of me in the future, I won’t let him hurt a single soul more. I’ll do everything in my power to capture him, binding his hands so they’ll never have an opening to hurt anyone again.

Noah rasps out a haggard breath. “Fuck, this is fucking crazy. If you weren’t a badass mastermind, what if I never realized—”

I groan, kissing Noah’s forehead. “ You’re the mastermind who led me there, Noah. And I know you want to be King and change the world, and I think you already are succeeding in that... But are you sure you can fight today? This is a lot, and...”

I trail off, gazing into my mate’s vibrant, teal eyes. He’s more present than I thought.

I’m amazed by him. He looks so solid—angry, but righteously so.

Maybe this is exactly what he needed to remember why this “King Alpha” title isn’t as superficial as it may sound. The King’s power influences how all packs treat one another—an opportunity I trust Noah will run with.

I drag my fingernails through Noah’s hair, giving his scalp a thorough scratch. “Sweet, sweet Alpha-Omega.”

Noah’s shoulders soften. He tugs me closer, and my lips ease against his, massaging my love into them. His big hand encompasses my lower back, pressing our baby tight to his stomach as my tongue slips against his.

I feel so safe with you. Thank you, I mindlink.

Thank you. I can’t believe I get to spend my life with you.

Huffing through the loving ache in my heart, I dive back in for as many kisses as I can squeeze in, our desperate lips colliding with delicious pressure. I want nothing more than to be wrapped up with Noah, forgetting about this stupid Summit for a moment.

But someone pounds on the door.

Noah gives me one last reluctant kiss before heading for the door. I’m still sorting my dress with shaking hands when Noah finds Reid in the hallway.

Reid’s brows are furrowed. “They’re waiting to start the final battle. You’re not planning on backing out of the fight, are you?”

“Fuck,” Noah hisses, spinning in circles to search for his crest. “I didn’t warm up. But I may as well have with the fucking cardio I just did.”

Reid grips Noah’s wrist, halting him in place. “What happened? You both look devastated.”

Noah deflates, his stare dropping to his feet. He must have his puppy-dog eyes on. “My poor Luna has been through hell. We just got a tip from her ex that Jack might’ve killed our dads. And it turns out her ex was lying about who he was, and he’s been Mason Hart this whole fucking time.”

Reid blinks rapidly, his jaw tensing. “ What? ”

“We haven’t seen Mason’s face to confirm it. But either way, I think her ex is a wolf. And even if Steven is still a separate person, he could’ve killed our dads just the same.”

Reid grips Noah's shoulders. “Breathe. We'll find him, and stop him—them. I promise you.”

Noah groans. “Fuck, man. All that I know for sure is that this can’t fucking happen again. I won’t let it. These Alpha-domination fuckers need to be stopped before they start believing they’re too invincible.”

Reid nods as I approach them. Gazing at their profiles, I find Reid’s expression is just as solemn and furious as Noah’s. “Vik’s ego is his main focus tonight, which means it’s also his weakness. He doesn’t have a higher motivation like you for the greater good. Use it. Become our King. My King.” Reid meets my eyes. “Her King.”

Noah’s heart lifts out of every dark fog Steven draped over it today, inspiring me into a full grin. I grip my heart as Noah crashes into Reid’s arms, met by just as heavy of a hug. Relief floods our bond, Reid’s soothing presence reminding us we’re not by ourselves in this.

God, this is exactly what Noah needed: a loving Alpha’s father-like reassurance. I’m so grateful.

Reid sighs. “I know you think this is your fight, but you can always count on me. Don’t you dare wait to call me if you need me.”

Noah chuckles over Reid’s shoulder, and his shaky breath melts my heart.

I meet Reid’s shy glance and break into a smile. “Thank you, Alpha.”

All Reid does is break into a soft grin, but I can smell his pride from here. He loves Noah too, ready to fight for his lifelong friend.

As Noah speeds to the field for the fight, Reid and I follow at his sides.

“What’s going on? You're not focused,” Reid says.

“Yas and I are discussing Jack and Steven/Mason. If there's a chance they'll ambush Greenfield, we need to double our security. But not enough to leave anything vulnerable in case it’s a diversion tactic.”

My rib cage tightens. “Will all of this distract you from focusing on Viktor?”

Noah stops at the edge of the field, his chest puffing higher by the second. “No. It’s only reminding me why this is so fucking important.”

He cups my cheeks in his hands, planting a soft kiss on my lips. I grip his shoulders, begging for another. With a low chuckle, Noah scoops his hand behind my head, immersing his fingers into my hair to kiss me even deeper. His Alpha musk seeps into my bones, allowing me to relax despite the pressure we both feel from every angle.

“I love you. I’ll be right back, okay?” Pulling back with a sly grin, Noah’s wolf comes out to play—a flash of his incisors greeting me in his smile, just before he turns his gaze away from me.

My heartbeat catches. “Wait!”

Noah’s eyes widen as I grip his arms, not allowing him to pull away.

He's under so much pressure. I want to give him a fun incentive to win. Something that appeals to his playful, mischievous wolf.

The one who’s about to become King.

I draw Noah closer, kissing his cheek before whispering into his ear. “When you become King, and we confirm we’re safe from harm, I’ll lay myself down for you on the field to mate me in any way you’d like. If you’re too tired to move, I’ll mate you in front of everyone—” Gliding my hand up his chest, I stir my wolf into action as Noah’s lungs inflate in anticipation. “And show them how much I love you with a fresh mark on your neck.”

When I trace my scarred bite mark on his scent gland, Noah shudders. I capture his heavy breath with a kiss. Noah hums against my lips, his scent flourishing with a hint of lust as his hands wrap around my waist.

But to my surprise, it’s not Noah’s Alpha musk that presents itself. Drawing me closer, Noah breathes through our kiss, his heart racing beneath my palm as his cinnamon sweet scent brightens into the hyacinth I smell in our bond. Huffing through our kiss, I pull back, dazzled by his eyes flashing golden for me. In my heart, I see it; he’s going to do this. He will be King Alpha—and he’ll achieve it with his Omega side, alone.

Keeping my voice as low as possible, I give Noah a gentle nuzzle. “Your pup and I will be waiting for you, my sweet Omega.”

Sucking in a tight breath, Noah freezes, his eyes flitting between mine as I step back. As he breaks into a flustered smile, Noah’s wolf bristles in our bond, and his human form rushes to cover his bare groin. I giggle as Noah glances at his ex with flaming red cheeks.

Noah grins. “Protect my feisty Luna for me, will you?”

With Reid’s nod, Noah shifts into his hulking wolf.

My black fireball bolts onto the field, forcing wolves to dart out of the way. Energy ripples from every strand of silky black fur, standing on end to make him tower over Viktor.

Waimārie and Tāne wave at us from across the field. They’re by Annika’s side as she clutches Viktor’s shifted wolf, the King Alpha nuzzling baby Markus on Annika’s back.

Since we’re so late, a massive crowd spans the spectator seating, blocking our path to our allies. I’d like to support Annika through this battle too, but with the anticipatory jitters in the air, my wolf urges me to stick close to Reid’s side, not trusting the crowd enough to cross it.

And I need to keep my focus pinned on Noah; it’s almost time for the final Alpha Summit battle. Towering over Annika, Viktor’s beast of a wolf licks the tears off her cheeks before he turns to my mate. With a bloodthirsty snarl, Viktor’s glare sends most Lunas into hiding. I quiver along with them, a whiff of Viktor’s musk carrying on a gust of wind.

Viktor’s motivations aren’t the exact same as Noah’s, but he cares about stopping the Alpha-domination cult too, and his ferocious wolf looks dead serious. Did we push him too far?

Before I can panic, Reid settles in at my side, his soothing scent extending as his eyes track my mate. The steady faith in his gaze raises my hopes.

I return my focus to Noah. You’re going to crush this, gorgeous. Stay focused.

I will, Luna. Six months from now, this will all be resolved and we’ll be cuddling our new pup on the couch together.

Biting my lip, I cup my belly. I’m tempted to melt, but I can’t.

It’s time. Noah tenses into a crouch—ready to pounce.

The world’s top wolves stiffen, a hush falling over the field. Only the wind whistles past my ears.

It’s curious: the field was split into sections before, allowing us to spectate in rows of seating along the field’s edges. But now there’s only standing room, and a wide radius between the battle’s starting location and the crowd.

I lower to a whisper, afraid to disturb the silence. “Alpha Reid, why are they so far away? I feel like I can hardly see my mate, and he’s huge.”

The quiet Alpha nods. “You’ll see them closer in a second. I’ll help you, Luna.”

My eyebrows furrow. “Help me? What do you—”

The split second Johannes shouts the “start” signal, Noah lunges into a fierce sprint. His claws tear into the dirt, sinking in deep before erupting from the earth—each pulse of his paws launching him faster, faster, faster—until he crashes into Viktor with all four paws extended, clamping Viktor’s massive wolf down to the earth with a thud that echoes through the trees.

Reid pulls me out of the way—just in time for a mass of wolves to dart away from the tumbling Alphas.

But I saw it; Viktor’s ears drooped, just before Noah landed on him.

I was wrong. Noah isn’t a forever-puppy. He’s a predator who prefers to play around until he gets sick of it. I’ve never witnessed a wolf this terrifying in my life.

But is this fear I’m feeling? My body shudders as Noah’s fangs flash beneath the Swedish sunlight. The first drop of Viktor’s blood stains his lips.

A thrill zips through my veins.

With what Noah has contemplated the last few days, it’s like he’s letting his inner monster out, finally telling everyone to fuck off.

And I want to see more.

Hope surges through me so deeply that I can’t stop shaking, unaware how to process the depths of it. Someone is fighting for us. Someone is finally fighting for us.

We’re fighting for us. Together.

With my excitement rising, Noah’s movements sharpen. Quick, untraceable snaps of his jaw set Viktor on the defensive, and it’s only been thirty seconds since the fight began.

But already, something is becoming clear to me about Viktor.

He wriggles from beneath Noah’s clenched paws until he bolts free, dashing for the treeline. His chest is already heaving, paws splayed at his sides.

Now that Noah isn’t holding back, Viktor is genuinely shocked.

And he’s unwilling to appear submissive around Noah, even a little bit.

Noah, keep Viktor off his feet, I mindlink.

Rather than sticking to random nips or lunging attacks, Noah focuses on smacking Viktor to the ground with wide paws, forcing the current King to scramble back to his feet as quickly as he can—avoiding seeming too submissive.

It perks Viktor’s ears up; Noah’s ability to knock him around in a flash sets Viktor on edge, blurring his decision making.

Yes! Good job, Noah!

Noah breaks into a sly pant, his tail giving a soft wag.

Okay, I take that back. He is a huge puppy, even when he’s a monstrous one.

But now he’s pissed Viktor off. The air shifts with stormy pheromones as both massive, black wolves come to an abrupt halt.

I stifle my breath alongside every wolf in the vicinity, stilling with the hulking beasts. The only sound is Markus’s soft crying.

Just when I meet Annika’s petrified eyes in sympathy, our mates break their standstill.

Loud, vicious snapping of their jaws riles every wolf into angry protests.

I can’t breathe. It’s happening so fast that it’s difficult to tell who's biting who, but I can see the blood staining their white fangs from here.

They rise onto their hind legs—snarling giants towering twenty feet tall. I’ve never felt so small.

I shudder through each breath. “I-I don’t like this, Reid!”

He tucks me tighter against his side, his lungs flinching with each clash of Noah’s and Viktor’s fangs. They’re not allowed to bite each other’s throats, but they nip each other’s necks below the ear—dangerously close.

I cry out as Viktor grazes my mark on Noah’s neck, piercing me through our bond.

Reid growls, tucking me closer. His torso stiffens against my cheek.

Noah breaks free with a bounding leap, turning over his tail and splattering a few Alphas with a mix of mud and blood.

Logan snarls. “Hey!”

When Noah stares straight at me, my heart drops to the floor. Sorry, Luna. I didn’t mean to let him bite me there.

Please, just focus! I don’t want to feel you hurting.

But Noah is too close to us—and the rest of the crowd.

We both realize it in the same second: Viktor darts in a wide arc, and with how fearsome Noah is, Viktor’s coming in fast and hard. With the crowd blocking his escape, Noah has no choice but to take Viktor’s strike.

There’s no mercy in Viktor’s snarling, loud strike of his claw, hurling Noah across the field. My mate slams into a tree with a sickening crack. The hundred-foot tree splits in half, crashing down over him.

Even before I know what fully happened to him, I crumble to my knees from the blast of pain in our bond.

All I can do is scream.