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TILDA

T he Alpha Prime dies tonight.

Annie’s hooves strike the ground in a steady rhythm, solid and certain–as certain as I am in the way this is going to end. No more second-guessing. No more hesitation. I’ve planned this, scouted every weak point, and practiced every move in my head until it’s muscle memory.

Reyes Garza won’t be around anymore when the sun rises.

Almost a year ago, the unbelievers kicked the Heavenly Host out of Austin. At first, I figured the Angels would come storming back—it was one of their main bases in Texas, after all—but no. They abandoned us. Left us with no protection, no medicine.

No insulin for my sister.

Homestead—my home, my sister’s home—is crumbling. The place we fought to build, the place I’ve protected for almost a decade, isn’t safe anymore. The Infernal Legion creeps closer every day. The Angels made it clear: they’ll return if we take out the Alpha Prime of the Austin pack. A cruel deal, sure. But I’m not about to let my sister waste away while we sit around hoping for a miracle.

Mayor McAllen called me reckless. Said this mission was suicide, that we’d be better off retreating to Dallas, deep in Angel territory. But I know what happens when the Host pulls out for good. I’ve seen it.

So I said screw him, screw Dallas, and screw waiting around for the end. I’m no lost lamb; I was a fucking Crusader.

The cool night air brushes past, carrying the scent of live oaks and damp earth. The Celestial Curtain glows red overhead, casting eerie shadows on the forest. I adjust the rifle slung across my back and glance at the four men riding behind me: three bounty hunters and Enid’s boyfriend, little more than a kid. David, Enid’s beau, is the one I’m worried about. The others…? Well, they’re too cocky for their own good, but at least they’re competent.

“Keep it tight,” I murmur, my voice low but firm.

To my left, Jackson grins, his teeth gleaming white in the dim light. He’s a bounty hunter from out east, tall and wiry, with a sharp jawline and sharper instincts. “Relax, Cap. We’re professionals.”

“We’ve got you covered,” his partner, Abrams, adds.

“You two are talkative for professionals,” grumbles Kenny, the third bounty hunter. He’s built like a brick wall, all muscle and scars, with a deep voice that rumbles like thunder.

His horse snorts, as if in agreement.

David, the youngest of the group, barely older than my sister, rides just behind me. His hands are clenched tight around his reins, and his eyes dart nervously between the trees. He doesn’t say a word, but I can see the tension all over him.

“David,” I call over my shoulder, “you good?”

He nods, a quick jerk of his head. “Yeah, yeah. Just...don’t wanna screw this up.”

“You won’t,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “Stick to the plan. We’ve got this. He’ll be on watch…we lure him out, then we strike.”

“And you really think you can kill him?”

I almost laugh–David wasn’t around during the New Crusade, but I grew up in it. Killing wolves is old hat for me.

The Alpha Prime…? Maybe another matter, but I have to believe I can do this.

Annie slows as we near the edge of the forest, her hooves crunching softly against the damp earth. I dismount in one smooth motion, boots landing with barely a sound. “Tie the horses here,” I whisper. “We move on foot from here.”

The others dismount silently. Jackson adjusts the shotgun slung across his shoulder. “This is your show, Captain,” he says. “Tell us where to go, and we’ll follow.”

“Stick close, stay quiet, and watch for patrols,” I reply. “We lure out the patrols, you cover me while I take out Reyes, and we’re out before they know we’re there. There should only be a few people on watch tonight.”

David hesitates, his voice barely a whisper. “What if he’s not with the guards?”

“He will be,” I say firmly. “The full moon’s got them distracted, and he doesn’t partake in the debauchery. They’ll be deep in their lycan shit. That’s when they’re vulnerable.”

We tie the horses to low-hanging branches, David looking more like a frightened animal than any of the horses. “You stay here, kid,” I mutter. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I should help–” he starts.

“You’ll be helping more if you stay here and cover us,” I tell him. “Pick up your rifle and keep your eyes on the watchtower, okay? I know you’re a good shot. So help us from back here.”

David nods. “Okay…okay.”

I reach out and grip his shoulder. “Gotta make it back to Enid, right?” I say.

“Right.”

I tilt my head at the bounty hunters, then we move toward the perimeter wall. The forest smells alive tonight: damp earth, animal musk, and the faint trace of smoke. I’ve been watching the Austin pack’s movements for months, learning their routines. Last full moon, there were two guards in the watchtower, another roaming. Only one gate, one road in and out.

Abrams gestures to the faint glow of a campfire beyond the wall. “Music,” he mutters. “They don’t sound too worried.”

“They aren’t,” I reply. “Not tonight.”

Jackson chuckles under his breath. “Cocky bastards. Let’s show ’em how that works out.”

We creep closer, the soft hum of voices growing louder. I keep my grip on my rifle, my heart steady. This isn’t just about revenge or some vague promise of Angel protection.

I’m almost at the wall when I see it—a bright red laser slicing through the grass, its beam cutting against the night like a flare. The hum of a rifle charging up makes my stomach drop.

They didn’t have guns when I was here last week.

The beam sweeps dangerously close to Abrams, his head just visible in the grass. He ducks lower, invisible; but I hear him curse quietly. My pulse spikes.

They don’t have to see him to figure out his location; wolves can hear you , and he just gave himself away.

Damn it.

The first shot rings out, loud and sharp, and he goes down. Just like that.

It happens so fast I barely have time to process.

I don’t move toward him, but I hear Jackson’s voice rise up from the grass. “Abrams! Motherfucker…fuck!”

We’ve still got numbers on them. I have to remind myself of that, and of the fact that luring these guys out is part of the plan. There are four of us, and I can only see two of them through my binoculars—big guys, of course. Lycans always are. Neither of them have shifted yet, but with those rifles, they don’t need to.

Garza isn’t with them.

He’ll come out to find us…he has to. Because he’s the Alpha Prime, and he’ll feel an instinct to protect his pack.

I’ll be waiting.

Another shot zings overhead, close enough to singe the grass. The smell of burnt vegetation stings my nose.

They’re going to set the whole prairie on fire at this rate.

Then I see it.

Something’s moving in the grass–silent, predatory. A ripple, barely visible against the waving blades, but unmistakable.

A shiver runs up my spine as I pull my rifle from my back, aiming toward the movement.

“Come on, you bastard,” I whisper under my breath, finger hovering over the trigger.

Before I can fire, a sharp yelp cuts through the air, followed by a gurgling noise that turns my stomach. Another one of my guys goes down. I’m not sure who it is, but he didn’t go quietly like Abrams…no. That was death by wolf.

Which means this is my chance.

Time slows as I grip the rifle tighter. My breathing steadies, my focus narrowing to a pinpoint.

When the wolf lunges out of the darkness, I’m ready.

Or at least, I think I am.

He’s massive—silver fur bristling, claws slick with blood. His fangs glint in the moonlight, saliva and venom dripping as he barrels toward me, silent and terrifying. This…he’s bigger than any of the ones I killed in the Crusades.

And I’m out of practice.

I fire, but it’s too late. The shot catches his shoulder instead of his chest, throwing him off balance for half a second. He doesn’t even flinch.

I fire again, grazing him this time, losing my nerve. He doesn’t lunge…just watches me, like I’m a curiosity.

“Shit,” I whisper, adrenaline surging as the wolf locks eyes with me. My hands shake, breath coming in short, panicked gasps at the massive monster staring me down.

If I’m gonna run, now’s the time.

I sling my rifle back over my shoulder and bolt.

My legs scream with every step, sharp protests radiating up through my thighs and into my chest. I know I’m too slow—there’s no way I’m outrunning this thing. I fought lycans in the New Crusades, sure, but that was years ago. These days, I spend more time planting beans than dodging claws.

What the hell was I thinking?

This plan was stupid. Drunk and stupid. Two people are already dead because of me, and if I don’t figure something out fast, I’ll be next.

The tree line’s finally in sight. Somewhere in the shadows, David’s waiting with the horses—or at least I hope he’s still there. The thought of Enid finding out I dragged her boyfriend into this and got him killed? Yeah, I’d rather take my chances with the wolf.

The sound of panting reaches my ears, rough and uneven. The wolf’s still behind me, but he hasn’t caught me–which, I hope, means that I hit him somewhere that hurts. If I can just get to David, maybe we can fight him off together. Maybe we can still get out of this alive.

Maybe.

I skid to a stop, leaning hard against a tree as my chest heaves. The panting stops.

The silence that follows feels heavier than the wolf itself.

I pull out my bowie knife and grip it so tight my fingers ache. The rifle slung across my back feels useless now. Bulky. Awkward. If he comes at me again, I need to be quick. Precise.

Focus on surviving. Focus on Enid. Don’t think about the field. Don’t think about?—

Boom.

A gunshot splits the air, sharp and close. Another strangled cry follows, then silence. My stomach twists.

That’s it. The last bounty hunter’s down.

Now it’s just me and David.

I push off the tree and take off running again, my boots crunching over twigs and leaves. My pulse hammers in my ears, so loud I can barely hear the wind in the trees. I have no idea where I am anymore; panic’s blurred all the familiar landmarks. But I keep moving. I have to.

I think I’ve lost him. For just a second, I let myself hope. I can’t hear anything behind me—not the wolf, not his panting, not even his footsteps.

But then I see it.

A dark shape flickers through the trees, too fast to follow. Its eyes catch the faint glow of the moon, gleaming like oil on water. My breath catches, panic clawing at my throat.

He’s toying with me.

I veer right, sprinting toward the open grass. Maybe if I get out of the trees, I can make it harder for him to corner me. Maybe I can outmaneuver him.

Who am I kidding?

This is his turf. I’m deep in his territory, threatening his pack. This wolf isn’t going to let me go. My only shot is finding David and hoping the kid doesn’t screw up under pressure.

And then, like a damn miracle, I see him.

Annie’s pale coat shines faintly in the moonlight, pawing at the ground near David. Relief floods through me so hard I almost fall to my knees. But I can’t stop now. I bolt toward them, the sound of heavy footsteps closing in behind me.

“David!” I yell.

He turns, his eyes wide with fear. And then I see it: the rifle shaking in his hands. He’s panicking, his fingers tightening on the trigger.

“David, shoot him! He’s right behind me–”

The shot rings out.

Time stands still as I’m stopped dead in my tracks…and I look down to see a gush of blood.

He shot me .

Pain slams into me, white-hot and searing. It knocks me flat, my face smashing into the forest floor. My ears ring, drowning out everything else.

Somewhere far, far away, a single set of hooves thunders away. The sound fades quickly, leaving nothing but the deafening silence of the woods.

I don’t know where he hit me. It hurts everywhere. But my gut—it’s bad. Burning. Like someone lit a fire inside me and now it’s spreading.

Stomach wounds are a slow way to die.

Lucky me.

I manage to roll onto my back, every movement sending a fresh wave of pain through my body. My fingers brush the wound, slick with blood. So much blood.

Fuck.

My vision blurs, the stars overhead swirling like they’re mocking me. I croak out something, maybe a prayer, but the words are only in my head, a liturgy running like letters on a marquis.

I don’t really believe in you anymore, but if you’re out there watching, if you ever gave a damn, I’ve been a faithful soldier. I fought your wars. I killed in your name. Help Enid help Enid help Enid…

A branch snaps to my left and my head falls sluggishly in that direction to see the wolf–Reyes Garza–stepping out of the shadows, massive and hulking. His eyes gleam, catching the light in a way that feels too intelligent for something so wild. His teeth glint, sharp and bared, as a low growl rumbles through the clearing.

This is it.

He steps closer, his breath hot against my skin. His teeth scrape over the wound, sending sharp jolts of pain radiating through me.

I’m so sorry, Enid.

The thought surfaces, raw and jagged. Maybe I say it out loud. I can’t tell anymore. My senses are shutting down, everything narrowing to the heat of the wolf’s breath and the weight of his growl.

And then he does something strange.

He licks me.

One long, deliberate lap over the wound.

The pain doesn’t disappear, but it dulls, softening at the edges. My blood flow slows. I blink, tears blurring my vision—not tears of fear, just sheer agony.

“Stop,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “Get…away from me.”

But I’m fading fast. My body feels heavy, sinking into the earth.

And then he changes.

The wolf melts away, his form twisting and shrinking until he’s something else entirely. A man.

A naked, gorgeous man with bronze skin, salt-and-pepper hair, and a thick beard.

“Stay…away…” I rasp, the words catching in my throat. I can’t finish. My head tilts back, the world going dark around me.

“It can’t be,” he murmurs, shock in his amber eyes.

As everything fades, one thought crystallizes in my mind:

I’ve been taken prisoner by the Alpha Prime.

Reyes Garza.

The man I came here to kill.