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“A re you sure you want to do this right now?”

Chanin flicked his gaze over at his Beta as he tore a path through town headed to the double containment unit where his cousin was being held, with Bleddyn in lock-step. “Why the hell wouldn’t I be?”

He shifted his gaze forward again, offering curt nods to his people as he blew past them.

They were focused on the start of their day.

A few of them gave him strange looks, but none of them stopped him.

Chanin chalked it up to the Pack, preoccupied with preparing for the night's lunar events.

It was traditionally a lively event, with food, games, and fun prior to the sun going down, followed by music and celebration after the run was complete for those unmated.

It was how the Pack remained bonded for centuries.

It had been especially important prior to the Catastrophes because wolves could be scattered across cities and continents.

After the world stood still, wolves came together, filling the territory.

It didn’t take two lunar moon runs for them to discover that she-wolves were not conceiving.

The strong moon and Earth’s pulls sent the female wolves into heat, but with zero results.

For a kind, who arrogantly considered themselves invincible for the most part, they were incredibly humbled to learn they could be damaged beyond repair.

As years passed, the shifting night became more of a collective evening of festivities instead of the mating ritual it had been.

Now, the Lupine still fucked during the run with a madness, but few expected to find their claimed mate and conceive by night’s end.

Chanin understood his Pack's energy; however, now he had to focus on the situation before him.

“Probably because you look like you are going to go feral at any moment.”

He halted and stared at his friend.

Bleddyn stared back, absorbing everything about Chanin’s eyes, posture, and stance before he roared out a chuckle.

Taking stock of himself, Chanin felt the bunch of muscles in his shoulders, the feel of electricity shooting through his body, causing the sensation that every blond hair on his head was standing on end, the tight fists of his hands, and the faint amber sheen that seemed to coat everywhere he looked.

Exhaling, Chanin shoved a hand through his hair, a forceful attempt to tame his mane.

“It’s been a long twenty-four hours.” He shot a finger at his Beta’s chest. “Don’t try and make it seem like your ass isn’t affected by the tides. Even if Amira is already filled with your pup.”

Bleddyn scrunched his features, seeming to try to control his mirth as he raised his hands at his sides.

“Not denying it. Hunting Lovel and Amira will still be a delight this night. However, if you don’t get yourself under control, the first word out of Farkas’s damn mouth you don’t like will be the end of him, before we get any answers. ”

Chanin exhaled hard and loud. “Too bad there isn’t enough time to convince you to join me in one of the sparring matches that will go on before the run.”

Since they were youths, Chanin and Bleddyn had trained and fought together. The Beta smiled often with a good-natured personality, but it wasn’t for nothing Bleddyn held his position. Outside of Boris and the Fang Warriors, the Beta had killer skills, and was deadly in combat.

“Fuck no. The hell I will. Not with your mate on her first run tonight, and you are looking as you do.” Bleddyn shook his head vehemently and started walking again. “My mates like my face and limbs exactly where they are attached.”

With long strides, Chanin caught up to the Pack Beta. “No worries. You know I’m not a dirty fighter. I’d leave the one piece they’ll be concerned with tonight,” he teased.

“Hell, with two mates, I need more than just my one cock to please them.” Bleddyn held his hands out and wiggled all ten of his fingers.

Chanin gave his friend a hard shove in the shoulder.

Bleddyn made a sidestep but his canine ability of balance and sure foot, kept his gait sure and steady.

The camaraderie with the Beta helped Chanin not just focus on facing off with his cousin but relax enough to center himself. Going in there half-cocked wouldn’t be beneficial. He needed answers. He needed to ensure his Pack was safe.

And the preternatural council needed to hear from him that all Lupine threats on the territories had been dealt with—annihilated.

Before the sun set, he’d have everything he needed to give them.

As they left town and crossed the distance to the thick metal box, Chanin saw the men gathered before and around it. Chanin knew the guards had less to do with Boris's belief that the rogue wolf would escape. Hell, no. There was only one way in.

However, because Farkas’s behavior towards other Lupines made him a risk to be attacked or killed, not that Chanin cared for his cousin’s life, one way or the other, but what he cared about was the information Farkas could provide.

The men greeted him and Bleddyn.

“Boris with me and Bleddyn. Fang, you are relieved of duty.” As they began to walk away, Chanin called to one of the wolf warriors. “Faolan.”

Not too far away, Faolan turned his head to glance back at Chanin. “I know. On your mate. Am I right?”

Chanin assessed the stoic man’s features to determine if malice was present. Faolan was the best, and Morlie was everything to Chanin, so ensuring she was guarded right was paramount. “Yes. They’ll be rabbit training in the woods by my house in a couple of hours.”

Faolan gave a short nod. “I’ll handle it.”

He followed up on his order with Faolan, saying, “No duty for you tonight.”

There wasn’t a need for him to get any confirmation that Faolan understood what he was saying to him.

Tonight, Faolan needed to hunt down Minsi and mate her.

Period. Chanin knew his ex hid from his sight, keeping to her home and the woods, awaiting her opportunity to avenge her pride.

Minsi didn’t love him, just like he hadn’t loved her, and her bid to be she-alpha would have made sense if not for Morlie, his mate, showing up.

However, it was time for Minsi to come to heel. If the sun didn’t rise tomorrow with her as Faolan’s mate, Chanin would sniff her out and show her why he was Alpha, taking her down and setting his teeth at the back of her neck before the Pack.

Standing at the door, there was one thing he needed to do before beginning the interrogation.

Mate .

Chanin only had to wait two heart beats before Morlie’s response came through across the distance.

I’m here, Chanin.

Are you alright?

A short sigh came through their mental link. Yes, I’m getting clothes. There are too many, if you ask me. I don’t even know what to do with this much stuff .

Wear it.

Morlie scoffed. Will I see you soon?

Not damn soon enough. Tonight, at the run . Stick with Rudie.

He wasn’t sure how Morlie would take the next part, after he’d smelled her anxiety around Faolan, but he pressed on. Faolan will shadow you today .

There was a long pause, she didn’t object, but instead said, I’d rather have your shadow covering me.

Her voice was a low, seductive pant in his mind. It took all his strength not to let go of the handle to the containment and say fuck Farkas and rush back to Morlie, giving them both some relief.

Behave, little rabbit.

Her response was a few punctuated groans that made him smile. Without any other comments, he turned the long, thick, metal handle in his grip, yanked open the door, and looked in on what was before him.

Well, it's about time you showed up, cousin .

Chanin stood at the door, staring at Farkas’s dingy, mud-brown wolf prowling in a small circle on top of the tool table, all the tools now scattered around the floor below it. He wasn’t shocked to see Farkas loose. He hadn’t ordered the Fang Warriors to keep him tied up.

Chanin liked that it gave Farkas hope that he could outsmart him and escape. It made his cousin the idiot Chanin always knew him to be.

Boris and Bleddyn stood behind him right outside the door, not having entered yet, but Chanin heard their slight movements to the side so they could see past him to the wolf, keeping it in their sights.

Chanin stepped further into the room and positioned himself a few feet away, ready for anything his cousin may attempt. Allowing enough space for him to shift if needed.

“I’m not going to speak with you through our familial link, it no longer applies.” Chanin folded his arms over his chest and kept his stance wide. “You can either shift your ass back to your human form and sit your ass in the chair or I can let your wolf deal with mine.”

Chanin growled and flashed his sharp canines and incisors at the rogue.

Bleddyn took up a position behind Chanin while Boris closed and secured the door, ensuring Farkas didn’t attempt to flee.

If Farkas were stupid enough to try something, his life would end in minutes. Chanin knew it was probably an option Farkas had factored into whatever plan he’d contrived to get free. Farkas was always short-sighted.

Besides, none of it would work. Not because Chanin was perfect.

Far from it. Because Chanin trained and studied under wise wolves since he’d learned the skill to catch his prey.

Then he’d planned various ways to serve his people and always put the Pack and Morlie above himself.

Meanwhile, Farkas arrogantly overestimated his self-worth and underestimated others.

While Farkas decided between the options Chanin gave him, Chanin began a slow strut around the table, circling the wolf. “The day we fought for the Alpha position, you broke into my house in the middle of the night and tried to take me by surprise and kill me in my sleep.”

The mud-brown wolf snapped its head and turned its body left and right, attempting to keep Chanin in its sights.

Why the memory lane walk—?

Chanin slammed the door on their mental link, ensuring Farkas felt it.