Page 24 of The Fated Hunter Wolf

Logan started to protest, but Eve cut him off with a look that could have melted steel.

“My wolf has decided,” she said. “And my wolf is rarely wrong.”

Eve looked at each of us in turn, and I felt a wave of her command.

We were bringing Sable home, into the heart of Orion. I just hoped we wouldn’t regret it.

Sable lifted her hands, palms up. Her meaning was clear: She was coming willingly.

My wolf bristled. This woman wasn’t the type to surrender. She was choosing this, which meant she had an angle.

And I didn’t know what it was.

Logan’s stance was rigid, and Kenza was still coiled tight, ready to lunge at the first chance she got. Raina and Anwen had gone quiet. I caught the subtle way Raina kept glancing between Sable and Logan—like she knew something the rest of us didn’t.

There was an eruption in the forest behind us.

“You’re not taking her away!” a high-pitched voice rang out.

Every head snapped toward the trees.

A small, wild thing stalked out of the underbrush, blond curls tangled, her eyes burning with fury.

My wolf locked on instantly. She wasn’t just another wolf. Her presencecrackled.

Threat.Unidentified.

Kenza snarled. “Who the hell areyou?”

“Who the hell amI?” the girl snapped, stepping forward fearlessly. “Who areyouto drag her off like some captured animal? She hasn’t done anything to you. And believe me, she could if she wanted.”

Sable whipped toward her, tension snapping through her frame. “I told you tostay hidden,” she hissed. “You should have gone home.”

The girl squared her shoulders, standing her ground against a pack of wolves.

Logan growled. “This isn’t your fight, kid. Walk away.”

The girl’s lips curled. “Not a chance.”

My wolf lunged forward, ready to rip that defiance out of her mouth. I forced him back, but it took effort. The girl’s energy was strange. Who would take on an alpha like that?

“Think before you speak!” Sable shouted, and closed her eyes. “Goddess, help me.”

Kenza scoffed at the girl. “You’re cute.” She gestured at the rest of us. “You have any idea who you’re dealing with?”

“Yeah,” she spat. “A bunch of assholes.”

The girl had nerve. It was pretty impressive.

She tilted her chin up. “If you don’t let her go, I’ll make you all regret it.”

“She doesn’t mean that,” Sable intervened quickly. “Astrid, you can’t just?—”

“No, Sable.” Astrid’s voice shook. “I’m done playing nice. I’m done letting you walk into life-threatening situations like you don’t fucking matter. Youdomatter.”

The ground might as well have cracked open under us.

Eve wasassessing. Eyes sharp—like she was picking apart Astrid’s soul.