Page 53 of Rescued By the Alpha SEAL

His smile widens fractionally. "You're playing a dangerous game if you believe you can keep your hands clean. You've left a trail of bodies behind you, and yet you still cling to this fantasy of protection."

For a heartbeat, I'm back there—staring at a brother across desert sand, watching loyalty crumble like dry earth. Watching everything we built together turn to ash.

"It ends with one of us in the ground." The words taste like copper and regret.

"It ends when you remember who you are."

"I did." My jaw clenches around truth that tastes like gunpowder. "And it scared the hell out of me."

I turn away, starting the long walk back through the trees. Snow crunches under my boots as shadows swallow me step by step. But his voice follows, soft and deadly in the quiet.

"You always said protecting people was the point."

I pause but don't turn.

"Then protect her, Bishop."

A beat of silence stretches like wire.

"Because the next time I pull the trigger?—"

His words drift through darkness like a promise.

"It won't be just her in the crosshairs."

17

SLOANE

The silence after Logan storms out hits like physical weight, pressing against my chest until breathing feels like work.

Around me, the men exchange loaded glances—quick darting looks that carry whole conversations I'm not meant to catch.

Caleb rubs the back of his neck, a nervous tell that makes him look younger. More vulnerable. His shoulders are tight with something that might be hurt or might be anger.

"What just happened?" he finally asks, breaking the oppressive quiet. His eyes find Elias, who stands with arms crossed and gaze fixed on the door Logan just slammed.

The question hangs there, unanswered.

Because how do you explain what just shattered? The trust? The brotherhood? The careful balance they've built here?

"Did he really think he could handle this alone?" Ryker's voice drips with disbelief barely masked as skepticism. His massiveframe leans against the far wall, but there's nothing casual in his posture. He's coiled tight, ready to move.

"Clearly." Asa pulls out a chair at the main table, wood creaking under his weight. The sound feels too loud in the charged silence. "But we need to regroup. This goes beyond just Sloane."

My chest tightens at that.

Because he's right—this isn't just about me anymore. It's about whatever darkness I've dragged into their sanctuary. Whatever threat made Logan choose silence over brotherhood.

"Yeah, but how do we confront him about this?" Knox's uncertainty bleeds through his usual stoic mask. His eyes keep darting to the door like he expects Logan to materialize there. "He thinks he's some kind of lone wolf, but he's not invincible."

No,he's not. And that's exactly what terrifies him.

"He needs to understand that we're in this together," Caleb says, voice sharpening with frustration. "I get he's trying to protect us, but not telling us the whole truth puts everyone at risk."

The words hit like arrows. Because isn't that exactly what I'm doing? Holding back pieces of the truth to keep people safe?

"What if he's hiding something?" Knox challenges, an edge creeping into his voice that makes my skin prickle. "We can't afford to ignore the signs. We need to know what's really going on with Sloane and if Logan's connected to it."