Page 10 of The Pack

CHAPTER 10

C allum McDonagh

I couldn’t stop looking at her.

Zara was asleep between Magnus and me, her soft breaths barely audible over the crackling fire. Magnus had shifted slightly, his eyes glinting in the dim light as he watched over her, ever the protector. Tobias sat nearby, his arms crossed as he scanned the clearing like he was expecting trouble to come leaping out of the shadows.

But for once, there was no danger. Not tonight.

My gaze fell on Zara again, her face relaxed, her dark hair spilling over the makeshift moss mat Magnus had put together. Her scent was all around us, soft and sweet, with that tangy edge that had drawn us to her in the first place.

I’d never smelled anything like it before.

When we first found her, her scent had hit me like a storm, wafting through the air and wrapping around me until it was all I could focus on. It wasn’t just her heat; that was wild and consuming, sure, but it was her . Something about her called to every part of me, my wolf surging forward like it had been waiting for her all these long years.

It wasn’t just desire. It was instinct, raw and undeniable.

She was ours.

Our mate.

But that night, when we’d broken her heat, I’d held back. Every instinct I had screamed at me to claim her, to mark her, to make sure the entire world knew she was mine. Ours. But I hadn’t. Not because I didn’t want to—hell, I’d wanted it so badly it hurt—but because she wasn’t ready. She would be in time , though .

I glanced over at Tobias, his brooding silence a constant presence. He’d been the one to remind me of the importance of patience, of waiting until the time was right.

“She’s been thrown into our world without a choice,” he had said in my mind at the time, his tone firm, but not unkind. “We need to give her the space to choose us back.”

I hated that he was right, but he always was. That was the problem with older brothers.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I watched Zara shift slightly in her sleep, her brows knitting together like she was caught in a dream. My chest tightened at the thought of what she might be dreaming about—the memories she’d shared, of the pain she’d carried.

She wasn’t alone anymore.

She was our mate. She might not realize it yet, but we weren’t ever going to let her go.

I leaned down, tucking Tobias’s cloak more securely around her shoulders. She let out a soft sigh, her body relaxing again, and I felt a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the fire.

This was what it meant to be part of a pack. To protect, to care, to make sure no one was left behind.

Magnus caught my eye and gave me a small nod. We didn’t need words to understand each other. He felt it too—the way Zara had changed everything, how she’d slipped into our world and made it hers without even trying.

I wasn’t naive enough to think things would be easy from here on out. Zara’s brother was still out there, and Dublin was crawling with ferals and far worse. But for the first time in years, I felt like we were moving toward something instead of just simply surviving.

Like for the first time in our lives, we’d found our purpose.

The first light of dawn crept through the trees, threading golden beams over the clearing. I stretched, the cool air biting at my skin, but the warmth of Zara’s body at my side kept the worst of it at bay.

She was still curled up between Magnus and me, her breaths soft and steady. Tobias’s cloak was draped over her. She looked peaceful, but even asleep, there was a quiet strength in her that made my chest tighten.

Magnus stirred, his eyes blinking open. He caught my gaze and nodded, his movements careful as he sat up, brushing a stray strand of hair from Zara’s face.

“She slept well,” he murmured, his voice low enough not to wake her.

I nodded. “Probably the first time she’s felt safe in a while.”

Magnus gave a faint smile, his gaze lingering on her for a moment, before he stood, stretched, and stepped away to check the map he’d left by the fire.

I turned back to Zara, planning to follow Magnus’s lead, but the moment I turned my eyes on her, I realized she was awake.

Her dark eyes blinked up at me, soft and unfocused with sleep, but there was something else there too. Something that made my pulse quicken and my cock harden in my jeans.

“Morning,” I said, keeping my voice light.

She stretched, the cloak slipping slightly to reveal her shoulder. “Morning,” she murmured, her voice husky from sleep.

There was a hint of a smile on her lips, and when her dark blue eyes met mine, it lingered. Heat curled low in my stomach, and I shifted slightly, trying to ignore the way her scent had deepened, sweeter and warmer than a few minutes ago.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked quietly.

Her smile widened, and she propped herself up on one elbow, her face closer to mine. “Better than I expected,” she said, her tone teasing. “It’s not every day I get to sleep between two hot-blooded wolves.”

I chuckled, though my heart was racing. “We aim to please.”

Zara stared at my lips, and the air between us seemed to shift. Before I could say anything, she leaned in, her lips brushing mine in a kiss that was soft, but deliberate.

For a moment, I froze, caught off guard by the suddenness of it, but then I responded, cupping her face with one hand as I deepened the kiss. Her warmth, her softness, was overwhelming, and I had to remind myself to pull back before I lost myself completely.

When I did, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright.

“I—” I started, but Magnus’s voice cut through the moment.

“Should I come back later?”

I turned to find him standing by the fire, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Zara laughed softly, and to my surprise, she didn’t pull away. Instead, she shifted closer, her arm brushing against mine as she glanced up at Magnus.

“You could always join us,” she said, her tone light, but with an edge of something bolder.

He stepped closer, his hand smoothing over her cheek as he leaned down. His lips met hers in a kiss that was gentle, but lingering, his thumb tracing slow circles against her jaw.

I watched, heat curling low in my stomach again, but there was no jealousy. Just an overwhelming sense of rightness, of belonging, and I focused on that.

When Magnus pulled back, his piercing gaze shifted to me, a silent question in his eyes. I nodded, my chest tight with emotion.

Zara smiled between us, her cheeks flushed, her eyes brighter than the sunrise.

For a moment, it felt like the world had stopped. Like nothing existed outside this tiny clearing, with the three of us and the promise of something more, something incredible.

But then the sounds of the waking forest broke through the quiet.

Tobias appeared, scanning the clearing before he turned to Zara and me. I didn’t miss the slight smirk that tugged at his lips, but he didn’t comment on what was happening between the three of us.

He knelt beside Zara, his voice gruff.

“Sleep well?”

She nodded, her cheeks still flushed.

His lips quirked. “Good. We’ll need your energy today.”

Killian appeared, his ever-present grin widening when he saw the three of us.

“Oi, lovebirds,” he called. “Save some of that for later.”

Thorne was the last to join us, his pale eyes flicking from Zara to me and Magnus, then to the others. There was the slightest smirk on his lips that was a rarity to see and that made my heart warm with emotion. He’d been through a lot, and he deserved a little bit of happiness.

We all did.

Tobias rose, his gaze fixed on Zara. “Come,” he said. “We have a long way to go today.”

Zara nodded, her expression quickly becoming determined. I helped her up, my fingers brushing against her skin and sending a spark of desire through me right down to my cock.

I swallowed, pushing it aside.

Now wasn’t the time.

We set off, the quiet of the forest wrapping around us like a blanket. The morning air was crisp and fresh, the sunlight dappling through the leaves and branches.

As the day wore on, the terrain grew rougher, the path winding its way up the side of a steep mountain. The trees began to thin out, leaving rocky ground and scrubby bushes in their place. Zara walked ahead of me, her steps cautious but steady, her eyes darting to the shadows like she expected something to leap out at any moment.

I didn’t blame her.

This place had its way of making you feel like prey being hunted at every step.

Tobias led the group, his broad shoulders cutting through the underbrush, while Magnus scanned the path ahead. Killian brought up the rear, his easy grin belying the tension in his body, while Thorne moved like a shadow at the edges, his pale eyes always watching.

Something felt off.

The scent hit me first—a faint trace on the wind, sharp and musky. It wasn’t quite feral, but it carried the desperate edge of wolves on the brink.

“Do you smell that?” I said, keeping my voice low.

Magnus stiffened, his hand already reaching for the blade at his hip. “I do.”

Zara glanced back at me, her eyes wide. “What is it?”

“Wolves. Ferals, maybe,” Tobias growled, his tone grim. “Close.”

Magnus held up a hand, motioning for us to stop. The group fell silent, our breaths held as we strained to listen. The faint sound of snapping twigs reached my ears, followed by a low, guttural growl that sent a chill racing down my spine.

“They’re moving fast,” Thorne said quietly.

“Not feral, at least, not yet,” Magnus murmured. “But close enough.” He held up a hand, his gaze narrowing as the faint rustling of leaves turned into the unmistakable sound of footsteps. “Be ready,” he warned.

The moment the first wolf emerged, I knew this wasn’t going to end peacefully.

They came stumbling out of the bush—four of them, their bodies jerking with barely restrained energy. They were young, barely adults, their eyes wide and wild with hunger. One moment they looked human, the next their features twisted, their claws lengthening and their snarls deepening.

“Shit,” Killian muttered under his breath, already shifting his stance. “This isn’t going to end in a friendly chat, is it?”

“No,” Magnus said grimly.

The tallest of the group, a lean boy with shaggy blond hair, stepped forward, his lips pulling back to reveal sharp teeth. “Get out of here,” he growled, his voice rough and broken. “This is our territory.”

“You’re not in any shape to claim territory,” Tobias said harshly. “Back off.”

The boy snarled, his claws flexing. “We’re not afraid of you.”

“You should be,” Killian said, his grin savage as he took a step forward.

The girl beside the boy—a tall, thin figure with dark hair and sunken eyes—lunged first, her claws slashing through the air. Magnus moved like lightning, intercepting her with a quick, calculated strike that sent her reeling.

Then all hell broke loose.

The young wolves charged, their desperation driving them forward with wild abandon. The blond boy went straight for Tobias, who met him head-on, their claws clashing in a spray of dirt and leaves.

I barely had time to react before another wolf, a lanky boy with hollow cheeks, leapt toward me. I dodged his first swipe, countering with a solid punch that sent him stumbling back, but he recovered quickly, his movements fueled by adrenaline and hunger.

“Zara, get back!” Magnus shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

I caught a glimpse of her retreating form toward the edge of the clearing, her wide eyes fixed on the fight.

Killian was a blur of motion, his movements wild, but still controlled as he drove one of the wolves back with a series of quick, albeit slightly restrained, blows.

“You call this a fight?” he taunted. “Come on, pup, show me what you’ve got!”

Thorne moved with lethal efficiency, his blade flashing as he deflected a strike from the smallest of the wolves, a boy who couldn’t have been older than eighteen. “You’re out of your depth,” Thorne said coldly, his voice cutting through the snarls.

The wolves fought with wild desperation, their movements uncoordinated but relentless. They were hungry, gaunt, and right on the edge of losing themselves completely.

Magnus dodged another strike from the dark-haired girl, his eyes narrowing as he caught her arm and twisted it sharply.

“Stand down,” he growled in a low rumble that made even my own wolf pause, but she didn’t listen. They kept coming, their attacks growing erratic as their exhaustion became more apparent.

Magnus twisted the girl’s arm harder, forcing her to cry out as she wrenched free and stumbled back. Her eyes blazed with torment, her lips curled in a snarl, but she didn’t retreat. None of them did.

The blond boy lunged at Tobias, his claws extended, but Tobias sidestepped with a precision that spoke of years of experience. He countered with a calculated strike to the boy’s ribs, sending him crashing into a nearby tree.

“You’re outmatched,” Tobias snarled.

The lanky boy came at me, his movements wild and clumsy. I ducked his first swing, driving my shoulder into his chest to knock him off balance. He staggered, but the hunger in his eyes pushed him forward again, his claws swiping close enough to graze my arm.

“Close,” I muttered, circling him. “But not close enough.”

Magnus took down the girl with a sweep of his legs, his movements controlled and efficient.

“You don’t have to do this!” he barked, but the girl he’d been fighting ignored him, scrambling to her feet with a low growl.

Across the clearing, Thorne faced the smallest wolf. The young wolf’s attacks were frantic, his strikes lacking the coordination of someone trained to fight. Thorne parried each blow with his fists, but I could tell he was trying to hold back.

“Stop,” Thorne ordered, his voice cold and commanding.

The boy hesitated, his breath ragged, but the girl snarled from behind Thorne, her claws raised high.

“Thorne!” I shouted, but it was too late.

The girl’s claws raked down Thorne’s back, slicing through his shirt and leaving deep bloody gashes. Thorne grunted, staggering forward as the boy lunged again, his teeth bared.

Magnus moved in an instant, slamming into the boy and throwing him to the ground with a growl that shook the air. Tobias was already at Thorne’s side, his dark eyes narrowing as he blocked another strike from the girl.

“Callum, cover him!” Magnus barked.

I didn’t hesitate. I moved to Thorne’s side, shoving the lanky boy back as he tried to continue the attack.

“Enough!” I snapped, my voice ringing out.

Finally, the blond boy faltered, his chest heaving as he staggered back. “We’re not… going… to lose…” he gasped, his voice breaking.

“You already have,” Tobias said, his open stare fixed on the boy. His tone wasn’t cruel, but it was final.

The wolves froze, their breaths ragged as they exchanged glances. For a moment, the clearing was silent except for the sound of heavy breathing and the rustling of leaves.

“Easy.” Magnus stepped forward, his stance firm but non-threatening. “We’re not here to hurt you. Let us help you.”

The tallest of the group—the boy with shaggy blond hair and a body too lean from hunger—growled low in his throat. “We don’t need your help.”

“You look like you could use it,” Killian said, his voice light, but edged with something sharper.

The boy’s upper lip curled, but before he could respond, one of the others—the girl with matted dark hair—stepped forward, her eyes wild.

“We don’t have anything you want,” she snapped. “Just leave us alone.”

I stepped closer to Zara, instinct pulling me to shield her and protect her.

“We’re not here to take anything,” I said gently. “But you look like you haven’t eaten in days.”

The girl faltered, her shoulders slumping slightly before she caught herself. “We’ll manage.”

“Like hell you will,” Tobias said, his tone low and uncompromising. “You’ll starve out here, or worse. You’re on the edge of going feral, and you know it.”

The blond boy bristled, his fists clenching. “We’re fine.”

“Sure you are,” Killian muttered, rolling his eyes. “You’re practically falling over.”

The blond boy took a step forward, his movements jerky and aggressive, but Magnus held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

“Just stop,” Magnus commanded calmly. “We’re not your enemies. If you’re going to survive here, you need to learn control, and you need to eat.”

The boy hesitated, his gaze flicking to the others behind him. They looked at each other, their hunger and desperation written all over their faces.

Finally, he nodded, though his expression remained wary. “What do you want?”

Magnus’s expression softened slightly. “Just take what you need.”

I stepped forward, reaching into my pack and pulling out a bundle of dried venison. “Here,” I said, holding it out to the girl.

She hesitated, her eyes darting between me and the others before she reached out and snatched it from my hand.

The lanky boy growled low in his throat, but the girl silenced him with a pointed look.

“Thank you,” she muttered, though her tone was still edged with suspicion.

The pack stepped back, their movements slow and cautious as they began to retreat into the woods.

“Wait,” Magnus said, raising a hand.

The young boy froze, his claws twitching at his sides. His companions glanced at each other, their breaths ragged, but none of them moved.

“You’re not going to make it out here on your own,” Magnus said calmly, but firmly. “Not unless someone shows you how to survive.”

“We don’t need your help,” the blond boy growled again, his voice hoarse and shaky.

“Yes, you do,” Magnus replied evenly. “And whether you want it or not, we’re going to help you.”

Tobias frowned, his arms crossed. “Magnus, they just tried to claw our throats out.”

“They’re young,” Magnus said, his unyielding stare never leaving the boy. “Desperate. That doesn’t make them enemies—it makes them like we were, once.”

The lanky boy’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t lash out again.

Magnus glanced at me. “Callum, show them how to track.”

I blinked, surprised, but nodded quickly. “Alright.”

The boy narrowed his eyes at me as I stepped forward, holding up my hands in a gesture of peace.

“I’m not here to fight you,” I said, keeping my voice light. “But if you’re going to survive, you need to learn how to hunt. You can’t keep living off scraps and whatever else you dig up.”

The girl snorted. “And why would you teach us?”

“Because we’ve been where you are,” I said honestly.

The girl crossed her arms, her dark eyes narrowing as she looked me up and down. “So, what? You’re just going to help us out of the kindness of your heart?”

Her tone was harsh, defensive, but I caught the flicker of suspicion and uncertainty beneath it. She didn’t trust me—didn’t trust any of us—and I couldn’t blame her.

I shrugged, keeping my voice light. “Something like that. But let’s be clear—I’m not doing this just for you. If you can learn to fend for yourselves, maybe next time we won’t have to waste our time fighting you.”

The girl’s lip curled, but the younger boy—skinny and wide-eyed—tugged at her sleeve.

“Lina,” he said softly. “Maybe we should listen.”

She looked down at him, her expression softening for just a moment before she turned back to me.

“Fine,” she said, her voice clipped. “But don’t think this means we owe you anything.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said, a grin tugging at my lips. “Now, let’s get started.”

I motioned for them to follow me as I led the group of young wolves back down the hill toward the woods, my senses tuned to the faint signs of animal movement. Magnus and the rest of my pack, including Zara, followed along with the group and paused when I crouched to examine the ground.

“First rule of hunting,” I said, my voice low, but firm. “Pay attention with all your senses. The forest talks if you know how to listen.”

The blond boy—clearly their leader—rolled his eyes. “The forest talks? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” I said, glancing up at him, “that every step you take, every branch you break, every sound you make… it all matters. Animals don’t survive by being careless and neither do wolves.”

He frowned, but the younger boy nodded, his wide eyes fixed on me. “What are we looking for?”

“Tracks, mostly,” I said, pointing to a faint impression in the dirt. “See this? That’s a deer track. It’s fresh, probably no more than an hour or two old.”

The girl knelt beside me, her dark brows furrowing. “How can you tell?”

I gestured to the edges of the track, where the soil was still damp. “The ground here hasn’t dried yet. And the imprint’s sharp; if it were older, it’d be more worn.”

She nodded slowly, her skepticism fading just enough for curiosity to take its place. The lanky boy remained quiet, just observing the whole thing.

As we moved through the woods, I pointed out more signs: broken branches, tufts of fur caught on bark, faint trails where moss had been disturbed. The younger boy followed my every word, his steps careful as he mimicked my movements.

Lina stayed close, her eyes darting between me and the ground, while the blond boy hung back, his arms crossed, but his gaze less defiant than before. The lanky boy followed along too, sticking closer to Magnus as we moved through the woods.

“You’re doing well,” I said, nodding to the younger boy as he crouched to examine a set of tracks leading toward a small stream.

His face lit up, a smile breaking through his wariness. “Really?”

“Really,” I said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve got a good eye. Keep at it, and you’ll be leading hunts in no time.”

Lina shot me a glance, her expression unreadable. “Why are you really doing this? Why are you being so nice?” she asked quietly.

“Because we’ve been where you are,” I said simply. “And because if we don’t help you now, you won’t survive long enough to figure it out on your own.”

She studied me for a moment, her expression softening just slightly. “You’re a strange pack.”

I grinned. “You don’t know the half of it.”

Her lips twitched, the faintest hint of a smile breaking through as we continued deeper into the woods.

A short while later, we found ourselves near a clearing. It was quiet except for the faint rustling of the breeze through the trees. A small herd of deer grazed in the open space ahead, their sleek bodies blending into the dappled light. Magnus crouched low, motioning for everyone to stop.

“This is where patience matters,” he whispered. “No sudden movements, no noise.”

The group of young wolves froze behind me and the rest of the pack, their bodies tense, their eyes darting between the deer and Magnus. I could tell they were ravenous with hunger, but Magnus’s presence seemed to steady them.

I crept forward on silent feet, pointing out a faint break in the underbrush.

“Look here,” I murmured, motioning to the smallest of the deer, its movements slower than the rest. “That one. It’s limping. It’s the easiest target.”

The blond boy narrowed his eyes at the doe. His lips pulled back in a slight snarl, but he didn’t lunge. “How do we get close without scaring them off?”

“You don’t,” Magnus said, his silver eyes glinting. “You’ll never get close enough to catch one like this. You need to separate it. Drive it toward you.”

Lina growled softly, her hands clenching at her sides. “And how do we do that?”

“With control,” Tobias said, his voice low and firm. “You split up. Two of you push it away from the herd, keep it moving toward the others lying in wait.”

The youngest boy shifted nervously on his feet. “What if it runs the wrong way?”

“Then you try again,” I said, keeping my tone gentle. “The trick is to stay calm. The moment you lose control, you lose the hunt.”

We spread out, positioning the younger wolves along the edges of the clearing. Magnus and I crouched behind a thick patch of brush with the girl and the blond boy. I motioned for them to wait as I pointed to the youngest boy and his lanky companion on the opposite side.

“Give them the signal when you’re ready,” I whispered to Magnus.

He nodded, his attention locked on the herd. “When the doe moves, don’t chase it, drive it. Keep it from rejoining the others.”

The blond boy growled low in his throat, but Magnus silenced him with a look.

“Patience,” Magnus said quietly. “You don’t have the energy to waste on a mistake.”

The youngest boy crept forward, his movements shaky, but quiet. He stepped on a twig, the snap making the doe’s head jerk up. Its ears swiveled, its body tense as it scanned the clearing.

“Now,” Magnus murmured.

The lanky boy let out a sharp bark, lunging toward the herd. The deer scattered, their hooves pounding against the ground as they bolted for the trees. The injured doe was slower than the others, though, and hesitated just long enough for the younger wolves to shift and close in.

“Keep it moving!” I hissed, motioning for the girl and the blond boy to advance.

They leapt from their positions, herding the doe toward Magnus and me. The animal’s sides heaved, its eyes wild with fear as it stumbled forward, its limp slowing it further.

“Now, Callum!” Magnus barked.

I shifted myself and lunged, my claws slicing through the air as I grabbed the doe’s hind leg. It kicked wildly, its hooves grazing my arm, but I held on, dragging it to the ground. The younger wolves were on it in an instant, their growls filling the air as they finished the job.

The clearing fell silent again, the only sound the labored breaths of the young wolves. The youngest boy knelt beside the doe, his trembling hands slick with blood. His wide eyes met mine, filled with a mixture of relief and disbelief.

“You did it,” I said, shifting back to my human form and clapping a hand on his shoulder. “That’s what survival looks like.”

The others hesitated, then crowded around the kill. Their faces, gaunt from hunger, lit up with something close to pride, and maybe even hope.

Magnus stepped forward, his silver eyes softening as he addressed the group.

“You’ll survive out here if you work together,” he said firmly. “But the moment you start turning on each other, you’re done. Do you understand?”

The blond boy’s gaze lingered on Magnus for a long moment before he gave a small, reluctant nod.

As we turned to leave, Zara fell into step beside me. Her voice was quiet, thoughtful. “You didn’t have to help them.”

I glanced at her, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “No, but there isn’t much kindness in the world nowadays. Sometimes it’s nice to spread a little of it and hope fate would give us the same in return should we ever need it.”

She looked at me, her brow furrowing slightly, like she was trying to understand why we’d done what we had. I didn’t blame her—compassion wasn’t something you found much of out here and likely not something she saw much of back in her former home either.

“It doesn’t cost us anything to help them,” I added. “And maybe it’ll give them a chance. A real chance. The world’s cruel enough without us adding to it.”

Her eyes softened as she processed my words.

“You think they’ll survive?” she asked hesitantly.

I exhaled, glancing back in the direction the young wolves had gone. “I don’t know. But what’s the point of all this—of surviving, of fighting—if we don’t try to make things better where we can?”

Zara’s eyes flicked to the ground, her steps slowing as she seemed to turn the idea over in her mind. She was quiet for a moment, her eyes meeting mine with an expression I hadn’t seen before.

“You’re not what I expected,” she said softly.

“Neither are you,” I replied with a grin.

Her laughter was light, almost shy, but it warmed something deep inside me, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe the world wasn’t so dark after all.

Not since we’d found her.