Page 25

25

Naomi

T he morning air clings to my skin as I pace behind the guest cabins, trying and failing to organise my thoughts.

Maddie is here, Brad knows she's here, and everything I've worked for is on the verge of collapse. And I can't see her until later because the next round is due to start.

My wolf is restless, pacing frantically inside me, and agitated, not just by the lingering pull of the mate bond but by something deeper, a primal warning that something isn't right. Since dawn, the connection between Wyatt and me has felt different, strained in a way I can't explain.

My instincts are screaming to find him, but I need to understand what's happening with Maddie first. What possessed her to leave Northern Ridge now, after all these months of cautious planning? Did Brad finally push her too far, or has something else happened that I don't know about yet?

I’m so tense. My muscles ache, and my shoulders hurt. I stretch, trying to ease a pain between my shoulder blades, no doubt brought on by all this stress.

A movement near the main path catches my eye, and when I can’t scent Wyatt, I instinctively step behind a thick tree trunk.

My heart races as a scent I despise, one that makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, tickles my nose. With my skin growing clammy, and my stomach feeling nauseous, I peer through the leaves and watch as Brad strides confidently toward the packhouse, looking almost smug.

His dark hair is still damp, like he's just stepped out of the shower. Despite what he tried to do to Wyatt last night, he looks like a man who slept like a baby.

He makes my skin crawl. Not with the usual revulsion I feel in his presence, but something about his cheerfulness feels wrong. My wolf snarls silently, hackles rising. He looks almost satisfied. Briefly, I wonder whether he's gotten to my sister and scared her into silence. I hope not.

Narrowing my eyes, my brain attempts to connect the elusive dots that are dancing just out of reach.

I'm so focused on Brad that I nearly miss Jax approaching from the opposite direction. Dean's younger brother moves with unusual purpose, his normally casual stride replaced by something more determined. I've barely seen him during the Games. He avoids crowds and daylight, only appearing at dusk or dawn, like some mythical creature.

But here he is now, striding straight toward Brad with a look of barely contained fury. His fists are balled at his sides, his shoulders tight with tension. When he intercepts Brad, positioning himself directly in the alpha's path, I strain to hear their conversation, sensing its importance.

"Alpha." Jax acknowledges, polite but strained, his deep voice carrying just far enough for me to catch. "Dean needs to speak with you. Immediately."

Brad's expression shifts, annoyance flashing across his features at being ordered around by the younger wolf. The fact that Jax is Dean's brother is the only reason Brad responds with any level of respect. "About what?"

Jax hesitates, and I watch as he subtly inhales, his nostrils flaring slightly.

Something changes in his expression, a flicker of confusion, then he gives Brad a once over, his lips pressed hard together. Whatever he's picked up, he's not happy about it, and I finally get a glimpse of the wildness inside him. His wolf flashes in his eyes even though he's addressing an alpha.

Jax's eyes glow amber for a moment, the wolf rising dangerously close to the surface. His hands twitch at his sides, and I wonder what scent he's detected that's causing such a reaction. There's something feral about him, something barely contained that makes even Brad take a half-step backward.

Finally, he grits out a reply to the very impatient man in front of him, making a big show of looking toward the gathering crowd near the lake. "He didn't say. But he was clear it couldn't wait."

With an exaggerated sigh, Brad shakes his head.

"I'll catch up with him later, I need to..." He makes a dismissive gesture and goes to side step Jax, but Jax cuts off his objection and edges in front of him, refusing to move out of his path.

"It's about Maddie," Jax adds, his tone deliberately neutral. "Dean said you'd want to speak with him, given it's about one of your own."

Jax watches Brad's reaction as closely as I do, and my alpha doesn't disappoint. At my sister's name, Brad's entire demeanour changes. His shoulders stiffen, his easy confidence hardening into something more cautious.

"Maddie?"

Jax nods, giving nothing else away.

"Of course it is," he mutters, brushing past Jax with barely contained irritation, running a hand back through his wet hair. "I don't have long. I have to be there for the start of the next round."

Does he? Brad likes to think he's more important than everyone else, but I'm not sure why he thinks he needs to be there. To support me? God, I hope that’s not what he’s planning.

"So does Dean," Jax says, stating the obvious.

The implication is that if this matter is important enough for Dean to be dealing with now, then it's important enough for Brad to make time for.

Brad bristles at Jax's slightly cheeky reply and continues on ahead, not deigning to walk side by side, or to even make small talk with the other man. Jax follows a step behind, and I notice with amusement his clenched fists and how the tendons in his neck and arms bulge. I have a feeling that Brad's status doesn't mean much to Jax's wolf, who seems to have taken a dislike to Brad immediately.

As they walk, I notice something else. There’s a subtle stain on Brad's pristine white shirt cuff, visible only when his arm swings forward. The faintest smudge of something dark that doesn't belong on such an immaculate piece of clothing. He's tried to clean it, but traces remain.

A chill runs through me and that strange pain between my shoulder blades intensifies. My wolf whines, sensing a connection I can't yet see.

If he had any sense, the alpha wouldn't be giving Dean's brother his back so carelessly.

Brad scans the treeline as he passes, picking up my scent. He can't see me, but he knows I'm close by. Nothing suspicious about that, though, I remind myself. I am a competitor here. It's not spying if they just happened to walk by and just happened to be talking about my sister.

I wait until they're both out of sight before slipping from my hiding place, drawn by instinct toward the packhouse. Something is happening, something I need to know about. Moving silently through the trees that border the main grounds, I make my way closer, keeping to the shadows, retracing my steps from earlier to avoid leaving a second trail.

The packhouse looms ahead, imposing against the morning sky. Dean stands on the front porch, his powerful frame silhouetted against the white columns. He's waiting for Brad, unsmiling, who approaches, stride purposeful, his expression controlled but tight around the edges.

Dean stands with his legs braced apart, arms crossed over his chest, with the stance of an alpha ready for confrontation. His expression is thunderous, though tightly controlled.

Blake Steel stands slightly behind him, his presence adding even more gravity to whatever is about to unfold.

This isn't just a chat about Maddie's arrival. Something much more serious is happening.

"Alpha Reynolds," Brad greets, his tone respectful but clipped. "You needed to see me urgently?"

Dean nods, his expression impossible to read. "I thought we should talk about Maddie."

There is nothing in the statement to suggest what about, and Dean allows the silence to extend awkwardly, not rushing to fill it with explanations, but waiting to see what my alpha will reveal, unprompted.

"Yes, let's do that." Brad's tone shifts, the veneer of politeness wearing thin. "She's here, but not responding to my attempts to mind-link. I take it she's... unwell."

Dean doesn't respond to the remark about her health. "Yes, she's here."

Brad puffs up his chest and steps closer, but all that does is to emphasise the height difference. Dean has a good three or four inches on my alpha, and his icy stare would make your blood run cold. Attempting to appear unphased, Brad continues his posturing.

"Let's talk about how you've taken, dare I even say stolen, a vulnerable member of my pack without permission or consultation."

Dean doesn't react to the accusation, his calm unwavering.

"I'm aware you lost your brother. You have my sympathies." Dean dips his head slightly, but nothing about the way he glares at Brad makes it seem like he has any sympathy for my alpha.

"I'm aware you lost your brother," Dean says, his voice measured but cold. "But let's be clear about what happened this morning. Maddie arrived in my territory alone, injured and terrified. She didn't walk here on her own. My brother, who found her wandering in the woods, miles from your compound, brought her."

Something flickers across Brad's face, surprise quickly masked. "My guards reported no disturbance…"

"Your guards," Dean cuts him off, "were apparently too busy to notice a traumatized she-wolf escaping in the middle of the night."

My breath catches.

"Maddie has joined us because she has stated she needs support from her sister during this difficult time. As her alpha, I know you’re as concerned for her well-being as I am. I've seen how losing a fated mate can affect someone. Being alone isn't what she needs right now."

"Her wellbeing?" Brad repeats, incredulity creeping into his voice. "She's a member of my pack. You don't get to decide what's best for her."

There he is. The nasty piece of work that Brad really is rears its ugly head, but Dean has no time for it.

"Actually, when it comes to mental health concerns, we’re all..." Dean begins, but Brad cuts him off. Dean’s eyes flash, and if I weren’t so heavily involved, the way his lip twitches would be entertaining.

Brad isn’t from this region. Maybe he doesn’t realise what a short fuse his host has.

"This blatantly violates territory law," Brad snaps, his carefully constructed facade cracking further. "You can't just take wolves from another alpha's pack whenever you feel like it. There are protocols, procedures. I should have been informed that she made a request..."

Brad's face grows redder, and his eyes bulge, his temper getting the better of him, just like his brother's used to.

"Which I followed," Dean interjects smoothly, staring over Brad's head toward Jax. "I sent my brother to inform you immediately upon her arrival at the border. I've offered temporary sanctuary, not permanent residence. And frankly, Brad, her distress was severe enough to warrant immediate intervention. She’s okay, by the way, in case you were wondering."

Brad's laugh is sharp and without humor. "Distress? Is that what she told you? That girl has been unstable since her mate's death. Long before, truth be told. She's been creating drama. Rowan never knew what she was going to do next..."

That fucking liar. My blood fizzes with anger as I listen to him try to destroy my sister's reputation.

Jax scoffs. “She’s not crazy. My wolf and I know what crazy looks like and she’s not it.”

Brad glares at him, squaring up, ready to put Jax in his place for speaking out against an alpha.

"Enough."

The single word, spoken not by Dean, but by Blake Steel, cuts through Brad's tirade like a blade.

Even from this distance, I feel the urge to dip my chin. The head alpha moves with quiet authority, his presence immediately shifting the dynamic on the porch. The powerful aura he normally keeps under tight control swirls through the air, and I squirm in discomfort under the weight of it.

Jax dips his head and backs away, swiftly retreating from the conversation he doesn’t need to be a part of, his wolf growing agitated when faced with such dominance.

Brad falls silent, his anger giving way to a more calculated expression as he inclines his head respectfully. "Alpha Steel. I wasn't aware you were involved in this... situation."

Blake's perfectly neutral expression gives nothing away, but there's a glint in his eyes that shows his wolf is not impressed.

"I make it my business to be involved where the welfare of any wolf is concerned," Blake says mildly, but there's steel beneath the softness. "Particularly, one who's recently experienced significant trauma. Fated mates are rare and special. To lose one so young is devastating, and many wolves won't survive it. I'd expect you to be more concerned."

"I make it my business to be involved when the welfare of any wolf under my protection is threatened," Blake says, his mild tone belied by the hardness in his eyes.

He steps forward, power radiating from him in waves that make even Brad take a step back.

My pulse jumps at his words. How much does Blake know? What has Maddie told them? He certainly doesn’t seem to buy Brad’s attempts to portray her as unstable.

Brad's smile doesn't reach his eyes. "Then you understand my concern. Maddie needs support, routine, an entire pack around her. Her home."

"What she needs," Blake says, "is to feel safe. Maybe to believe her alpha is there to help her. And for whatever reason, she doesn't feel that way in your pack right now. But she does with her sister."

A tense silence falls. I watch Brad carefully recalibrate, his mind visibly working behind those cold eyes. When he speaks again, his voice has softened, false concern replacing anger, but I'm not convinced. I've seen this act before.

"I understand how this might look," he says, his tone regretful. "But there's context you're missing. Maddie has been... even more troubled than usual since Rowan's death. Erratic. Paranoid. It’s worrying."

Dean's expression doesn't change, but something in his posture shifts. "In what way?"

Brad sighs, the perfect performance of a concerned alpha burdened with a difficult pack member.

"She's had episodes. Violent outbursts. Delusions." He runs a hand through his still-damp hair, a calculated gesture of distress. "She attacked me once. And my brother, before he died. When we suggested her wolf might need to see a healer, she wouldn't hear of it. And to be honest, I think Naomi's denial of the situation enables her destructive behaviour. But she is her sister, so I can understand Naomi only wanting to see the best in her."

He sighs. “I fear she might hurt herself. Or someone else.”

My blood runs cold. The lie is so blatant, so opposite to the truth, that for a second, I can't breathe.

Maddie, violent? She who flinches at raised voices, who once apologised to a chair she bumped into? It would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous.

He's laying groundwork. Creating a narrative where anything Maddie says can be dismissed as the ravings of an unstable mind. And by extension, anything I might say in her defense becomes suspect, too. I'm her sister. I don't want to admit she's anything but perfect. They’ll think I’m too close to see the truth.

But Dean and Blake aren't buying it. I can see it in their stance, in the way they exchange glances. They know Brad is lying. The question is, what will they do about it?

"I appreciate your concern for my pack." Brad continues, his voice a masterclass in dripping sincerity. "Truly. And you're right, perhaps a change of scenery will do her good. I just wish she'd come to me first instead of running away in the night. It only reinforces my concerns about her state of mind. May I speak with her, to check on how she's doing?"

Dean and Blake exchange a glance I can't interpret, but there's a weight to it that makes my stomach clench. What if they fall for his bullshit?

Please don’t let him near her.

"She's resting now," Dean says finally. "The journey was difficult for her. Her wolf is still weak."

"Yes, of course." Brad nods, understanding and patient. "I wouldn't dream of disturbing her. But I would like to see her soon, to assure myself she's truly alright."

Playing the act of the caring alpha, Brad's request is completely reasonable, and I hold my breath as I wait for their response. Because I know if he gets to her one on one, he'll convince her she has to go home, or he'll make sure she gets thrown in jail for the rest of her days.

"You'll see her when she's ready," Dean replies, his tone making it clear the decision isn't Brad's to make.

A flash of anger crosses Brad's face before it's quickly masked.

"I'll bring her to you later," Dean replies.

Brad's smile is creepy, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "Perfect. Thank you for your... hospitality... toward my pack." He turns to leave, then pauses, glancing back. "I think seeing Naomi and I getting close has been hard for her. Jealousy can make people lash out in all sorts of ways."