Page 20 of The Alpha’s Forced Plus-Size Mate (Silverfang Creek Wolves #3)

A week after the battle, life began to find a new rhythm. The scars from that horrible morning were still there—emotionally more than physically—but the pack had started to move forward. It wasn’t easy, but it felt right. The weight of what we’d endured lingered in the air, but there was something else now, too—a hopeful look forward.

Faye had left two days ago, packing her things into Saul’s truck with an energy that buzzed with longing and relief. Watching her go had been bittersweet, and I missed her like hell already. She’d been a rock for me in ways I hadn’t even realized I needed, but her place was with Hector and her little girl.

Any resentment I might have had from my earlier years in the Silverfang Creek pack was long gone. Faye had more than made up for any wrongdoings, and I considered her a dear friend.

Before she left, she hugged me so tightly I could feel her heartbeat. “You’ll be okay,” she whispered in my ear. “You’re stronger than you think, Naomi.”

Her confidence in me felt like a warm blanket, and I held onto that feeling as I stood in the new community garden, pulling weeds out of the raised beds Danny and a few of the others had built. With all of the changes that the Red Canines were about to go through, Danny felt it important that the pack had a place to gather and relax, so the idea of the community garden had been born right there in his backyard.

Well—our backyard, really. That thought made me feel bubbly with contentment.

“Hey, let me help with that.” Danny’s deep voice came from behind me, and I turned to see him approaching, sleeves rolled up, a streak of dirt already smudged across his forearm.

I handed him the gardening claw with a smirk. “You sure? You’re starting to look like an honest man. You okay with that?”

He chuckled, crouching next to me and dragging the tool through the soil. “I think I can handle it. Besides, this is the sort of honest work I don’t mind.”

I looked around the garden. The beds weren’t much to look at yet—mostly empty except for the weeds we were pulling out—but it was the beginning of something. Other pack members were scattered around, hammering together the trellises we’d need for climbing plants, spreading mulch, and chatting as they worked.

“It feels—peaceful,” I admitted, leaning back on my heels. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this kind of peace before.”

Danny grinned, a streak of boyish mischief crossing his face. “Enjoy it while you can. Once we get that mate-matching ritual going, this place is going to be crawling with new couples and pups running around.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the image. “You’re really serious about that, huh?”

“Dead serious.” He rested his arms on his knees. “This pack has spent too long stuck in the past, chasing things that didn’t matter. Drugs, guns—it kept us alive, sure, but it was killing us at the same time. Families, bonds, community—that’s what we need now.” His expression turned heated, his mouth quirking up at one corner. “And maybe we can lead by example with the whole baby thing.”

Arousal skittered through me, followed by embarrassment. I slapped at him. “Hush! There are so many people here.”

His humor was infectious. “Hey, who knows? Maybe we’ll make a match at our first ceremony and the new couple will beat us to the punch.”

“So you’re still hoping for a mate-matching ritual every month, huh? That’s ambitious.”

“Gotta be.” He shot me a lopsided grin. “I’m setting the bar high since I already found my perfect match.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, but I didn’t look away. “You’re such a sap.”

“Only for you, Canine Queen.”

We worked in companionable silence for a while, the sun warming our backs and the scent of fresh earth filling the air. Danny was called over to Saul and Natalia about the placement of the next bed. He was in his element, leading without dominating, encouraging without demanding. This was a new Danny, one shaped by the battle, by the changes in the pack, and by us.

The sun was starting to dip low in the sky, casting a warm orange glow across the garden as I knelt beside, planting another row of herbs. The soft rustle of the leaves in the breeze and the earthy smell of thyme surrounded me, and I should have been happy. But once Danny left my side, and I was left alone with my own thoughts again, they shifted to the one dark spot on our horizon. And it was darker than I could have imagined.

Julian and his new pack, the Reckless Stalkers.

Don’t think about it, I chanted in my mind. Don’t think about it.

I worked in silence, my fingers gripping the small trowel, but my thoughts were elsewhere. My mind kept going back to Julian’s promise. The words echoed in my head like a broken record, the weight of them sinking deeper and deeper with each passing hour.

“Oh, I’ll be back, Danny. And when I am, you’ll regret abandoning your brothers.”

I couldn't shake it. It gnawed at me from the inside, making my stomach twist in knots. I glanced at Danny, watching as he adjusted the stakes in the soil, his broad shoulders rippling with each movement. He looked so focused, so determined, as if nothing in the world could threaten what we had here. But he had to have it on his mind, too, right? Julian had been his best friend until our mating had driven him away.

My emotions must have been showing on my face because when Danny caught my eye, his brow furrowed slightly. He could tell something was off, even if I hadn’t said a word.

“Naomi,” he stood, dusting off his hands and heading over to me. “Something is on your mind. Talk to me.”

I shook my head, forcing a tight smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I’m fine.”

He tapped where his neck met his shoulder, right over the mating bite. “You can’t lie to me, remember? I can feel that you’re upset.”

I let out a breath, finally setting the trowel down and standing up to face him. The weight of his gaze was too much to bear when I was pretending everything was okay. The unease had been building, and I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Danny, I—” I hesitated, struggling to find the words. “I keep thinking about Julian. About what he said.”

He stiffened. “Don’t waste your time worrying about him. He’s not the same man I knew. He’s like—a stranger. An asshole. But you don’t need to worry about him, Naomi. He’s not a part of this anymore.”

“I know,” I whispered, but the words felt hollow. “I just—I can’t stop thinking about how he said he’d come back

“You’re scared.”

I nodded, unable to deny it. “I’m scared for us, Danny. For what might happen if he does come back. What if we’re not ready?”

Danny cupped my face, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “You’ve got me, Naomi. And that means you’ve got everything you need.”

“Don’t you see, Danny?” I said, my voice breaking slightly. “He’s not just angry at you. He’s angry at everything we’re trying to change. He’s angry because of me, because of the way I’m—we’re—changing everything. He’s not gonna let that go.”

Danny stepped back slightly, his brow furrowing in thought. I could see the internal struggle written on his face, but then he took a deep breath, as if pushing the anger aside.

“We’ll handle him when the time comes. But until then, we focus on what we have.” He leaned in and pressed a reassuring kiss to my lips. “You’re everything to me, Naomi. We’ll make sure this pack never looks back. You and me, we’re in this for the long haul.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered, the words more to myself than to him.

Danny pulled me into him then, wrapping his arms around me, holding me close as if he could shield me from everything that was still unknown. He didn’t say anything more, and I didn’t need him to.

The embrace, Danny Turner himself—it was enough.

***

Everyone had finally gone home. We were finished with the garden for the day, and I was treating myself to a hot bath while Danny talked pack business with Saul. He had promised to join me when he was finished, but for the moment, I was soaking in all of the alone time I could get. I was so rarely alone anymore.

The warm water of the bath wrapped around me, soothing my muscles as I leaned back, closing my eyes. The scent of lavender and rose petals filled the air, and steam covered the mirrors. It was a small paradise just for me.

But as I sunk deeper into the warmth, letting it rise up to my chin, a rustling sound near the bathroom window made my eyes snap open.

At first, I thought it was just Danny playing one of his usual tricks—maybe trying to sneak up on me. I’d gotten used to his playful side, even though sometimes his humor was as dark as the leather jackets he wore. I smiled to myself, pushing aside the knot of worry in my stomach. But then the rustling came again, more deliberate this time, and a chill slithered down my spine.

Something wasn’t right. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, sensing that something was off.

I quickly reached for the edge of the tub, slipped out of the water, and grabbed my silk robe, tying it around my waist as I moved toward the window. Maybe it was just an errant branch or a raccoon.

But as I slid the window open, my breath caught in my throat. It wasn’t Danny standing outside.

It was two of Julian’s wolves—Rick and Tanner.

“What’s up, Canine Queen?” Tanner sneered.

The moonlight reflected off their eyes, gleaming with a predatory hunger that sent a shock of fear through me. I opened my mouth to scream for Danny, but before I could utter a sound, Rick lunged at me through the window. I stumbled back, barely managing to slam the window shut, but it caught on Tanner’s outstretched arm.

And Rick was in the bathroom.

I needed to get to Danny. I needed to—

Rick grabbed me, his arms like iron ropes, one hand over my mouth and the other around my torso. I fought like a scalded cat, kicking back at his kneecaps and trying like hell to bite his fingers.

“Hurry the fuck up, Tanner,” Rick hissed.

“I’ve got it. I just need to get to her neck.”

The panic that coursed through me was icy. I managed to turn my head enough to see Tanner right before Rick uncovered my mouth to fist a hand in my hair and pull my neck to the side.

I also saw what Tanner held—a needle.

The Reckless Stalker wolves didn’t care if I screamed because they were nearly done. Still, I screamed my heart out as Tanner brought the syringe down and into the side of my neck.

The pain shot through me like a bolt of lightning, and I gasped, stumbling back against the wall. The world spun, a nauseous, disorienting wave crashing over me as the poison began to seep into my bloodstream. My vision blurred, and I clutched my neck, trying to stop the burning sensation, but it was useless.

Rick and Tanner were out the window just before I collapsed onto the ceramic tile floor.

My legs gave out beneath me, and I fell to the ground, helpless. The last thing I heard was Danny’s voice, distant but desperate, yelling my name.

“Naomi!”

But even that seemed to fade into the darkness, my body too heavy to move, my mind slipping away from me as everything went black.