Chapter 0011

I storm out of the club, my mind racing. The crisp night air does nothing to cool the fire burning inside me. Every step toward Blackthorn Packhouse feels heavier than the last. How could I have been so blind? Evelyn Sinclair wasn't just some quiet girl tending to her father. She was my mystery woman all along.

Theron growls in my head, his voice laced with possessiveness. 'She belongs to us.' My jaw clenches in agreement.

The realization hits me like a truck. As a Guardian and daughter of two legendary Guardians, Evelyn would naturally be formidable. Why hadn't I seen it? We're the same age - we must have shared classes for years. Yet I only truly noticed her days ago.

She never fawned over me like the others. Never played their games. No, she saved her attention for Sebastian. And he took everything she offered.

When we reach the packhouse, I don't bother going inside. The forest calls to me. I shift before my clothes hit the ground, letting Theron take control. We race toward the Sinclair residence.

Through the mind-link, I confirm my patrols only circle the perimeter. Good. No witnesses tonight.

Five miles vanish beneath our paws. As we near their property, her scent wraps around me - vanilla and lavender, intoxicating. The house is dark, but the training setup in the backyard tells its own story. Obstacle courses. Weights. A separate structure that must be an indoor facility. No wonder I never saw her at pack training - her father was handling it personally.

Theron prowls the tree line, restless. Only one heartbeat inside. Evelyn's still out.

'Control yourself,' I warn as he starts growling. 'We can't alert Grant.' He huffs but settles down to wait.

Hours pass. No sign of her. My gut twists. Did she stay with Sebastian at Nightshade? Would her father allow that?

Just as I resign myself to an all-night vigil, headlights cut through the trees. A truck rolls up - Sebastian's.

My blood turns to ice when the passenger door opens. That scent. Theron surges to his feet with a rumble that nearly gives us away.

Sebastian's head snaps toward the trees. I force Theron silent, though his snarls echo painfully in my skull.

Then I see them. His arms around her. His whispered words. What promises did he make? She's not eighteen yet - she can't know I'm her mate. Is he planning to claim her the moment she comes of age?

The strategy is obvious. Nightshade is already the largest pack. With a Guardian Luna? They'd be unstoppable.

But when their lips meet, something worse becomes clear. This isn't just politics. Their wolves respond too. There's real feeling here.

On both sides.